The dungeon was located outside of the town, half a mile away, and was guarded by both town guards and two adventurers who checked over everyone before they went through and there was a lot.
There was a building that had been constructed next to it. The entrance was a doorway in the side of a small hill, and nothing could be seen within. It was pure darkness. The exit was on the other side and was also guarded, even though dungeon monsters couldn't leave a dungeon unless they were bound or captured in a certain way,
There was a line, but it moved rather quickly. The guards only took money from those not of the guild. There was quite a range of people from those in normal-looking clothing and amour to those decked out in full plate or intricate robes. I saw a beastkin which was essentially a human with animal features whereas a beastman was a humanoid beast. The beastkin wore black leather armor and had a wolf pelt around his shoulders. He was some sort of boar beastkin, and he looked strong enough to use the large two-sided axe he carried on his back. The guards didn't stop him for long. He flashed a guild badge and then he was through.
When I reached it, I was forced to give my name, age, affiliations if I had any, and of course, fifty copper. I winced and handed it over. A copper was essentially a dollar, so a silver was hundred dollars, and a gold was a thousand dollars. I had just paid him fifty dollars to enter. Then again, if I managed to kill a few mobs I could get it back. It was just to incentivize people to join the guild which I would do when I was stronger.
I stepped into the darkness, and in a blink, I was in a wide underground room. There were more adventurer guards and doors. Each led to a different floor, but a person couldn't enter a floor there hadn't reached naturally. The walls and floor were brownish stone and groups stood in corners, some with tables and maps on them while others had what looked like three-dimensional maps floating in mid-air. They were going over things for when they entered the lower floors. I headed to the first floor and walked in.
I appeared in a dirt tunnel with torches finally lighting up the area. I had asked around and found out that getting out of the first floor was easy. It was not complex. It was just a bunch of circles within each other. If you kept walking you'd eventually find a door to the next circle whether inner or outer and each circle had a dungeon exit. The entrance to the next floor was at the innermost circle where the floor boss resided. These sorts of dungeons were very safe at least in terms of dungeons.
I drew my sword and began to walk. The mobs on this floor were giant moles with sharp claws, however, they only ever attacked alone, and were pretty easy to kill, but they had a tendency to run at the first sign of harm so a person had to put them down quickly. There were also rats, and mud goblins which were just regular goblins but with brown skin, and the ability to blend into the environment. They were the most dangerous part of this floor and claimed a lot of lives. Those who entered a dungeon even a weak one unprepared would die. A huge amount of death came from first-time dungeon divers.
Me, on the other hand? Well, I was going to take things as slowly as possible. I had a weapon, an ability to use, and had gone out of my way this morning to buy a lesser healing potion. I hadn't wanted to spend the coin, but I wasn't an idiot. I had also bought a torch. The torches on the walls couldn't be taken, but the fire could be used to light your own.
With blade in hand, I began searching. It didn't take long to find the first monster. The giant rat looked menacing, and I gulped as it scuttered toward me. But then my skill took over, and it was dead in seconds. I blinked and stared at my now black blood-covered blade. "Well, that was easy." I walked over and pressed a hand to the rat. The screen to loot or leave as appeared and I chose to loot. I stuffed the pelt into a bag I'd bought.
The next rat fell just the same as did the next and the next. Honestly, all they did was charge. They didn't even leap or try and circle me. They just charged and died. After the fifth, I realized my bag was not big enough, and unfortunately, I couldn't store the next rat pelt. This world had storage abilities and spatial rings and bags of holding, but there were very expensive.
Two more rats felt before my first mole appeared. It appeared from a wall to my side, leaping at me, and I quickly turned, raising my blade. I was too slow, and it hit my chest, the claws, on one hand, digging into my left shoulder. I let out a scream and began to panic as I grabbed it and tried to pull it off. Its claws on the other hand dug in just below my neck. I screamed, and finally realized how stupid I was acting. Like a bucket of cold water, the pain made me realize I needed to use Boost.
I activated the ability in quick succession three times and was able to pull it off. Granted it took with it two gobs of flesh. The pain was bad, but adrenaline was cursing through me and I felt strong. I fell at it and smashed a fist down. There was a sicking crack. Again and again, I struck. Until the giant mole's chest was torn open and its innard spilled around my fist. I pulled back and tried to stand but ended up on my ass. I panted, then winced as the pain struck. However, it wasnt as bad. It still hurt like a bitch, but not as much. I glanced around and then grabbed my sword, getting to my feet.
I pulled out my potion and drank it. Instantly I felt better as a chill ran through me. I sighed and felt my body relax. Then I felt it. A timer in the back of my head. Boost was running out? No… My eyes widened when I realized what it was. I needed to use Boost again or it would deactivate. I quickly looked around. Was this a good place to get gut punched and have a migraine? I needed to decide now. "Fuck it."
I hit Boost again and after looting the mole's claws, I was off down the tunnel in a full sprint. The last of the pain faded, and I felt even stronger. I heard a grunt from up head and could smell the coppery scent of blood. I felt vibrations in the dirt beneath me, and the wind which had been so faint before I couldn't feel it was fresh and clear upon my skin. My steps were light yet heavy and in seconds I was rushing past a short beastkin fighting two rats. I lashed out as I passed and my strike was a blur. I felt so… damn… good.
I felt the timer again and hit another Boost. I laughed as my strength grew and I began wahy I can only describe as a slaughter. Every monster that I came across died. When a group of mud goblins tried to ambush me, I moved through them like a scythe through a field of wheat. I heard breathing and smelled the piss that ran down their legs as they realized they didn't stand a goddamn chance against me. I was king. I was unstoppable. Nothing could stop me. I felt so good. I passed a group and before they knew what had happened i slaughter all the goblins around them, stopped, waved, then was off again. I wanted more. I tried to hit another boost, but I couldn't. I'd hit my limit.
"No!"
I was alone in a tight tunnel when the timer hit zero. I can only describe what happened next as a cross between the mother of lows, a heart attack, a seizure, and the feeling you get when you bang your head on something only a hundred times worse. I let out a gurgle and began to spasm on the dirt floor, my limbs not in my control and pain racking my body. I had only enough time to realize what had happened and that I'd messed up before I passed out.
"Guys, he's breathing." A feminine voice said
"Really?" The voice that answered was gruff. "Did he trip?"
"I doubt it, but I don't see any scars. But… his heart is beating like crazy, and he's… what in the hells."
"What," Another female asked.
"I don't know what did this, but he's… I've never seen someone's body do this to them."]
"Do what?" the gruff voice asked.
"Well, it's like… never mind, it's just strange."
"Well, are you gonna heal him or not?" A higher-pitched male voice said.
I felt a wave of warmth flow through me starting at my chest, but eventually completely engulfing me in pleasant heat. I opened my eyes and stared up into the beautiful eyes of the woman. Her hazel regarded me as I tried to piece together what had happened. She turned to someone that was just a blur to me. "Here hand me your flask."
I felt something metal pressed against my mouth, and drank greedily when I realized what it was. As I did it slowly started to come back, and I closed my eyes as I realized how badly I had messed up. I had hit some sort of high and it had messed with my head. I had gone on and on. It had been like a drug. I tried to get up but was able to sit and even then I had to lean against a wall. "Thank you."
"No need," the woman, a brunette said. "What happened?"
I don't know if it was my messed up head or If I was too tired to lie, but all I said was. "Ability backfired badly."
"An ability did this to you?" She asked, baffled.
"I've heard of abilities like that," the gruff voice said and my vision had cleared enough that I saw it was an orc. "The benefits it gives are amazing, but it comes at a cost."
The brunette turned back to me. "Is that it?"
I nodded. "I feel like shit."
"You look like shit," the second male voice said. I turned and saw he was an elf but his ears weren't as pointed. A half-elf?
"Look, we're heading out, you want to tag along?"
I nodded. "Yes, thank you."
The orc helped me to my feet. "Must be some ability. We didn't even see you back there. You just appeared, killed all the goblins, and were gone."
I frowned, then remembered that I had passed a group. The memories were a bit blurry. I replied with a dry and sore throat. "Yes, but I don't think I'm gonna push it that far. I could've died if a monster came along or a person who…." I trailed off.
"True," A tiny woman, a dwarf I guessed said. "You were moving all about when we found you. Twitching and moaning."
The orc helped me along, and I thanked them again until the dwarf told me she'd wack me If I said thank you one more time. As we walked slowly, because of me, I learned their names. The orc was called Rashid, the dwarf Tenna, the half-elf Lex, and the Brunette was called Eloria. They were a newly formed dungeon group and this was apparently their first foray as a group. They had decided to go easy and just use the first floor to practice.
Eventually, after Eloria healed me again I was able to walk by myself albeit slowly, and with much aching and pain. I don't think I've ever felt more regret than I did as I walked toward an exit. I had been cocky, overconfident, and had panicked, then gone on a killing spree while on a high just to pass out after the mother of all seizures. I felt like smakcing myself voer and voer again. When we made it out, I thanked them and offered to pay them, but they refused.
"Where are you lot staying?"
"We all live in the town," Tenna said. "But we meet at Karra's before we go on dives."
"Well, thank you, and I will repay you for this." They headed back into the dungeon while I slowly trudged back to town my head down the entire time. That was a mistake because when I arrived at the guild to sell my loot, I found the bag open, and claws along with a pelt gone, probably taken while the bag had been on my back. I just sighed and handed what I had over for fifty-five copper. A profit of five copper. Just great.
When I finally made it back to the Inn, I had two servings of stew sent up and devoured them. My stomach felt emptied. After I was done licking the plates clean which was probably not a good idea, I opened up my pack and ate two of the honey orbs, then some strips of meat. When I felt like my body wouldn't cannibalize itself, I laid down and just stared. I think most people at some point in their lives have lay down and started up at their ceiling while in deep thought or to just stop thinking, letting thoughts come and fade. I tried to do the second, but the first is what happened.
I didn't beat myself up too badly since my dad had taught me there was no point and that I should learn from my mistakes so that I didn't repeat them. Still, I felt like an idiot. As the hours passed, I gradually grew better and realized that I needed to stop this now. There really was no point in it. I would learn from this.
"What did I even accomplish today except for realizing that Boost is a powerful but dangerous skill." Boost worked, but it was like a drug. There would always be a low, and how many times I used it determined that. I imagined my base attributes were the reason I couldn't take the drop so well.
I opened my stats to see if anything had changed, not really expecting much.
Name: Jericho Law
Titles: Interdimensional Traveller
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 22
- Attributes -
Strength: 4
Endurance: 3
Constitution: 10
Dexterity: 5
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 7
Perception: 5
Sense: 2
Willpower: 3
Wisdom: 4
Luck: 3
- Skills -
Weaponry(Swords)(10)[Novice]
Persuasion(10)[Novice]
Hunting(2)
Foraging(2)
Crafting(General)(2)
- Abilities -
-----
Growth(?)[?]
Growth: ?
Time: 1 Week
Cooldown: 1 Day
Type: Active
-----
Boost(?)[?]
Boost: ?
Time: Varied
Cooldown: Varied
Type: Active
-----
Language Comprehension(60)[E]
Language Comprehension: The Ability to understand and comprehend languages.
Time: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
Type: Passive
-----
- Magic -
Magical Skills: None
Spell List: None
For a long moment I stared, utterly confused. Then I remembered my theories on my Growth ability and it made sense. The mole had hurt me, and then Boost had hurt me as well, both very badly while Growth was active.
"Oh damn."
I had gone up seven points in a single dive, granted I had almost died, but this changed everything. These abilities were amazing, at least when one of them wasn't trying to kill me or turn me into a crazed lunatic. I shivered as I remembered how I'd acted. I'd been like an animal. I needed to be careful, but what would happen if I did it again? The book on the basics of the system has said there were diminishing returns and it got harder as you went, and you couldn't keep doing the same thing, but I had only done it once. Although if my constitution got better as a result then I could handle the drop better which would mean I would get less from it.
I had a lot to think about. All the parts of plain in the making were at my disposal, I just needed to put them together. My smile grew as I realized I had gotten very lucky indeed with my abilities. Today had been rough, but all of a sudden I felt ten times better. I was still an idiot for what I'd done, but I did feel better. It was time to get a plan together.