The ground was strewn with the lifeless bodies of Vamp worms, their gastric juices eating away at the earth, releasing wisps of white smoke.
"This place is teeming with these worms, but it's fine. They gave me good experience points." Dante remarked as he allocated one stat point to strength, one to vitality, and one to endurance. His Health and Energy now stood at 145/145.
He had managed to level up three times by killing the Vamp Worms, a feat that left Dante feeling rather satisfied. Some of them granted him a thousand experience points, and the highest yield he achieved was two thousand from a colossal Vamp Worm nearly ten meters in height. Yet, Dante took it down with minimal effort.
"It was definitely the right call to hunt in D class." Dante reflected as he killed yet another Vamp Worm.
Soon, the number of Vamp worms he encountered became scarce.
Dante came to a halt, casting his gaze towards another tunnel at his side. He faced a choice: continue forward or explore the adjacent tunnel.
After a few moments of consideration, Dante made his decision and entered the side tunnel.
Within, he encountered a greater number of plants than in the previous tunnel. They ranged in size and color, with some moving on their own, and others boasting tentacle-like vines.
He observed the plants with a hint of amusement but refrained from approaching them. He moved forward, maintaining a cautious assessment of his surroundings.
Before long, he stood at the center of a junction, with three tunnels stretching before him—one directly ahead and one on each side.
Dante was uncertain which tunnel to choose.
"Perhaps I should explore each one?" he pondered, deciding to investigate them individually.
Starting with the tunnel to his right, he entered.
A pungent stench of decay filled the air. Dante showed no reaction to the odor, having grown accustomed to it after killing so many Vamp Worms.
Dante came to a halt as he reached a dead end, his eyes falling upon three creatures fiercely gnawing at a Vamp Worm.
"Shriek!"
"Cawkjh!"
One of them happened to glance up and locked eyes with Dante. It let out a piercing shriek before launching itself in his direction.
These creatures were known as Tailed Bats, and normally, the smaller ones were the prey of Vamp Worms. Yet, here they were, feasting on their would-be predator. So far, Dante had only come across deceased Tailed Bats.
As the monster bore down on him, Dante braced himself.
He surged forward, but with his first step, he was suddenly overcome by a tingling sensation in his ears, as if his mind were being pounded.
"Mind attack? No. It's a sonic attack," Dante concluded, though the sensation only lingered for a fleeting moment before his body acclimated to it.
However, the Tailed Bat was already before him, mouth agape, poised to strike at his head.
Whoosh!
Dante's sword cleaved through the Tailed Bat, severing it in half.
"You obtained 900 Exp!"
The remaining two Tailed Bats lunged at Dante, only to meet the same fate.
"You obtained 900 Exp!"
"You obtained 900 Exp!"
Dante swung the sword a few times to rid it of the clinging blood.
"System, when will I receive some equipment rewards?" Dante inquired, noticing the sword's endurance dwindling. His inventory held only a finite number of weapons, and thus far, he hadn't encountered any monsters wielding their own.
"You can acquire equipment through completing quests," the system informed him.
"Is there no shop or marketplace available?"
"No."
Dante shrugged. This wasn't a game where he could purchase anything that he want with the system. Though he was eager to acquire new equipment, much like the supportive mask that granted a 50% increase to his Skills.
Having thoroughly examined the cave and found nothing of note, he retraced his steps.
Now standing amidst four tunnels, including the one that had led him here, Dante decided to establish a simple camp. He planned to explore the middle tunnel after he'd rested sufficiently.
From his inventory, he retrieved dry wood and a flint. Before long, a modest bonfire crackled to life. He then set up a small chair, prepared meat for grilling, and skewered it.
As he held the skewer over the flames, Dante couldn't help but acknowledge how comfortable he felt in this moment.
"System, is there a limit to how many items I can store in my inventory?" Dante inquired out of curiosity. The inventory feature had proven incredibly useful; he no longer needed to carry a bag and could retrieve items at any time.
"Your ultimate goal is to become the strongest support. The inventory's primary purpose is for you to provide support items, so there won't be a limit to how many you can store inside. Just ensure it doesn't exceed 5 meters." the system's emotionless voice explained.
"Why are you so fixated on making me the strongest support?" Dante mused casually.
"Access Denied." A translucent screen with bold red letters appeared, but Dante simply waved it away. He'd grown accustomed to such responses from the system.
Meanwhile, the meat on the skewer turned a delectable golden brown.
Dante removed his mask, allowing the warm glow of the fire to dance in his eyes. Every now and then, he couldn't help but twitch his nose, enticed by the tantalizing aroma of cooked meat. He was well aware of the danger; this fragrant meal could easily attract creatures with keen senses.
"Come if you want, I'll just kill you." Dante mused, taking a hearty bite of the cooked meat.
In a matter of seconds, he polished it off. Still not feeling fully satisfied, he proceeded to retrieve more meat and a handful of vegetables. He also pulled out a bottle of beer.
If any other Holders were to witness him in such a relaxed state inside a dungeon, they would likely beat him up.
As Dante savored his meal, he glanced at the time on his medal.
"Huh? It's already been 8 hours?" Dante said while he settled into a more comfortable position. Thankfully, the main quest's time frame was based outside the dungeon.
***
Samantha and her teammates sat on the floor, each holding a plastic-wrapped portion of dried meat. They ate in silence, focusing on finishing their food. The meat lacked a distinctive aroma, but its flavor provided some satisfaction.
"We still have a long way to go." Samantha remarked, tucking the wrapper into one of her bags.
Burp!
A guy with a head of wild, curly hair let out a loud belch, drawing the attention of the other Holders.
"S-Sorry!"
"I hope this dungeon doesn't throw two bosses at us." voiced a Holder with glasses. A tail swayed behind him.
"Shh! Don't say things like that!"reprimand a girl in a robe, her staff towering over her. She frowned at the superstitious remark from the Holder with glasses.
Clad in the uniform of the Skara Guild, a design that struck a balance between simplicity and elegance, they engaged in casual conversation while taking a rest. Yet, Samantha found her thoughts drifting, an unexplained unease settling within her.
Suddenly, the image of the man in the white mask and noble suit flashed across her mind.
She hadn't bothered to warn him about the peril of venturing alone into a D-class dungeon. If he courted danger, then let it be.
"Let's go locate the boss room." Samantha declared, rising to her feet.
"Alright!"
"Kay!"
"Just what if? what if, by some chance, this dungeon has two bosses?"
"Shut up!"