I cursed internally multiple times as I made my way towards the long stretch leading towards the boss room.
It was a larger pipe than normal, and the chills which erupted goosebumps from my skin wouldn't fade away, even as I tried to calm myself down.
Everything about this fear was on an instinctual level as humans were not built for something like this, but with the assistance of the system, everything becomes more accessible and more fluid.
Vines began to slowly line the large pipe until we reached the end, where a large double stone gate stood tall in front of me.
There were so many vines surrounding me that it felt like something was going to pop out from right behind it.
"Wait… right behind it?" I muttered and paused for a moment before dashing towards the thick clump of vines lining the inner side of the pipe.
I dug through one side, tearing off every single vine I could find, and found absolutely nothing, but when I got to the other side… it was a different story.
One side just kept showing more and more vines as I dug farther and farther into the pipe before revealing a small wooden chest at the end.
I think I was inside the dungeon walls as my body had completely passed the metal pipe that hung just at my toes' tip.
"I knew it," I muttered with a smile before slowly unclipping the lock and opening it.
Tearing it off the space it was on would trigger an emergency event which consisted of a flood of monsters that were already inside the dungeon.
[You have obtained: Sludge Trait]
My face crumpled with disappointment, and just as I was about to shuffle my way out while leaving the small leather book inside the chest, a few more panels appeared before me.
[A few gods have laughed tauntingly]
[A few gods pity you for your destroyed excitement]
I don't know why, but it felt like something began to churn in me upon seeing these panels unfold before my very eyes.
The taunting messages of these damned gods wouldn't let me rest even as I tried my hardest, and though there was the occasional panel where some pitied me, that was instantly nullified by the hundreds of negative ones that came crashing in.
The panels filled my vision as if they were trying to draw something out of me…
"Fine… I'll take it. You want that, right? You want me to take that trait? That trait will destroy my lineage but in order to destroy your excitement… how about I use it," I muttered, and the wave of taunting messages stopped.
Just as I had thought, I was just a toy for the gods, and if they saw the toy try to break itself, they lost all interest in it.
Despite knowing that this stupidly awful trait would destroy parts of my future, I took the small leather book and squeezed it in my hand.
"What's wrong? Scared? Scared that you'll lose your precious toy," I taunted the gods, and the wave of angry messages flooded my vision.
They're like kids… how are these stupid things surveying the world and leading the cosmos to thrive amongst others.
"Well, since I'm such a nice person, I won't use the trait just yet. I have a good feeling something will happen at the end of this, boss, so you all be good children and sit tight," I muttered before opening my mouth and sticking the small book at the end of my tongue.
Gulp
"My pockets have all been torn up, so this is my only storage," I muttered while feeling the book sit at the end of my esophagus.
It was a strange feeling and a technique I hadn't used in a while, so it took me a couple of tries to actually force it down.
I stood in front of the pair of large stone doors and hyped myself up by jumping up and down, trying to get the adrenaline pumping.
The boss inside the room before me wasn't like anything I had faced in this life… well, the few men from before wouldn't have had trouble killing this boss.
Normally, you would clear these things with a raid team, but I didn't have that luxury.
I began to question whether actually proceeding with this was optimal because I could just go back up the well and be safe… but then I wouldn't become stronger.
"Fuck that… Let's just get this done," I muttered and forced a smile as I placed my knuckle against the hard stone and knocked twice.
No gear, no weapon, only my pure skills.
[Would you like to open the gates to the Boss Room?]
"Yes,"
[The Boss Room has been revealed]
[The Dungeon Boss grumbles at your appearance]
"What? Am I ugly?" I chuckled before stepping into the pitch-black boss room, which was then suddenly illuminated by bright purple flames sitting atop a few torches.
A large wooden chandelier with the same purple flame torches attached to it began to descend from the ceiling, revealing a massive mound of dirt.
It looked the same as every other boss room: dimly lit, dome-shaped with the walls going up a few meters before curing inwards… and the fantastic entrance as you enter.
FWOOSH
A gust of wind blew past me, fluttering my dark blue hair as a large cry burst from the mound of dirt, clearing it from the ground.
GROROAOROOR
A large hole was revealed, and the sound of a slimy being squirming around echoed through the room.
GROAROOAR
Another loud cry burst from the hole, and a sludgy hand filled with heaps of garbage slapped the top of the hole, pulling out a beast that looked to be straight from hell.
Its wide and massive salamander-like body slowly slithered out, and tendrils of purple sludge felt out the area.
[The Dungeon Boss grumbles at your appearance]
GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
It let out one last cry before dashing towards me, its horrendous body emitting a horrible smell.