After Michael had left, James decided to buy the items. His balance was at 320 points as Mike had lent him 100 points. He decided to buy the storage bag and 3 recovery potions, leaving him with 40 points.
The storage bag was a small bag with a strap. James tied it just below his left hip. He would be able to reach
After getting his mind blown by the spatial warping that occurred when you put items in the storage bag, James had organized all of his stuff. His potions were in easily accessible places, and he could pull his knife out of the bag at any time. He didn't need a sheath when he had the storage bag. He didn't need to worry about the bag or any of its contents being cut either; the only things that were going in for the foreseeable future were magic stones and potions.
James looked around. There were still a few explorers hanging around, but it seemed none of them spoke English or Mandarin. John was talking to another explorer in a foreign language. As of now, there was nothing for him to do here. James decided to exit the dungeon. He wanted to confirm a few things before going back.
[Say keyword to confirm exit.]
"…"
James suddenly had a sharp pain in his forehead. As quietly as he possibly could, he whispered:
"Fuck."
His body lit up, and disappeared from the dungeon shop.
====================
James woke up on his bed. It was the middle of the night. He got up and turned his computer on in order to check the date. He had gone to bed on the 4th of March, and now it was the 5th of March, at 2 in the morning. James pulled out his card. It was blank at first, but when he tapped it, it read:
{James Lu
Dungeon Explorer: Cleared 1st floor
Points: 40
STR: 8
DEF: 2
END: 2
AGI: 2
INT: 42
LUK: 27*$!9}
Everything was as James remembered. It was all correct. Even his luck stat was broken, just how he remembered it.
"Shit. Was it not just a dream after all?"
James scratched his head furiously. He did another check. It was currently 2 in the morning. James typed into computer.
"The time in London is currently 9AM. Shit, it all matches up. It's not a dream after all, huh."
Even though he had basically convinced himself, he was still reluctant to embrace the conclusion that he had come to. After all, if he told anyone else that wasn't a dungeon explorer about this, he would be checked into the nearest mental hospital. From the looks of it, the other dungeon explorers didn't talk openly about this either.
James decided to do one more search. Moving his fingers quickly, he typed in: "Michael Jacobson." Then, he clicked on the first webpage that showed up.
That same rough but handsome face that he was talking to just a minute ago stared back at him.
"Michael Jacobson is an entrepreneur who owns the major British pharmaceutical company 'MaxMeds,' which is famous for offering many life-saving drugs at low prices. Jacobson has often been praised for his actions, with many believing that he cares more about people than he does profit."
James laughed bitterly.
"He's a good guy through and through, huh."
James thought really highly of Mike. He was trustworthy and friendly, even if his British accent became almost palpable when his emotions rose.
"What to do now…it's 2 in the morning."
But, even as he said that, James had already made his decision. Remembering Mike's advice, he grabbed his watch and put it on his wrist. Then, he laid down on his bed again and tapped enter on the card. A message popped up. James already knew what it said without even reading it.
"Fuck."
As James' vision went dark, he swore to himself that he would find a way to change the keyword.
James went into the dark space again. This time, instead of being confused and sitting there for god knows how long, he tapped a few things on his card. This card was really close to being a smartphone, James thought.
[Which floor would you like to explore?]
"1st floor."
[Say keyword to commence-]
"FUCK."
James would definitely find a way to change the keyword! Even if it was the last thing he did!
====================
James found himself in a place he found somewhat familiar. Stone on all sides of him. This was undoubtedly the dungeon.
James started laughing uncontrollably. He didn't stop giggling until his stomach ached. For him, this was the final nail in the coffin. He was convinced. The dungeon was real! Monsters and magic existed! He could become a superhuman! He could make millions of dollars! There were no words that could describe James' excitement. He laughed for 2 solid minutes without stopping.
But James wasn't a fool. After letting go of the tension that he had built up, he refocused himself. This dungeon was real, and that meant the dangers were too. He could easily die in here if he made a mistake.
James started advancing at a faster pace than the first time he came here.
====================
James found out that tier 1 goblins no longer posed a real threat to him, even if he didn't get a surprise attack. If he was able to launch a sneak attack, the goblins would die instantly. However, he would still be able to fight with and kill the goblins in a straight up one on one fight.
James was at the door to the boss room again. This time, he had killed 9 goblins, and gotten 9 magic stones. He had also gotten an orb of strength, which raised his strength from 8 to 9. James was still slightly nervous about fighting the boss again. He was quite worried that he wasn't good enough to beat him comfortably.
The truth was, James was underestimating his own capabilities. Although he had never been in a fight before, he was quick to pick it up the basics. He had gone from a complete novice to being somewhat okay within about 6 hours. He also had good reflexes, and could think clearly even in the heat of battle – this was something that definitely couldn't be overlooked. Furthermore, the dungeon's stat system was helping him with his biggest weakness – his physical capabilities.
James double checked all of his equipment before opening the door.
The room was the exact same as last time: two goblins, one in the front with a sword, one in the back, wearing armor and sitting on a throne. The throne was a lot less impressive now that James knew that it was made out of wood.
The first goblin approached. James readied his knife. He was feeling a lot more confident about this fight this time. So confident that he repeated what he said last time:
"Come on, you little piece of shit."
He grinned.
"I'll fuck you up."