The streets of **Starter City** were alive with energy, a chaotic mix of adventurers preparing for their next quests, traders shouting out deals, and NPCs wandering between the crowds, their faces emotionless as they carried out their scripted routines. Everywhere Alex looked, he could feel the pulse of this new world, a stark contrast to the dying streets of the real world he had just left behind.
But beneath the hustle and bustle, there was a tension that ran through the city like an undercurrent. It was in the quick, nervous glances that players exchanged, the tight grips on weapons, and the whispered conversations about the challenges of **Floor 1**. The recent announcement about the **Dungeon of Shadows** had put everyone on edge.
"Dungeons aren't a joke," Betsy said, her voice low as they wove through the crowd. She kept a steady pace, her eyes scanning the streets ahead as if expecting trouble at any moment. "Especially on this floor. They're designed to push new players to their limits, and more than a few don't make it out."
Alex swallowed hard, the knot of anxiety in his stomach tightening. He had only just stepped into this world, and already he was being thrown into the deep end. A dungeon on his first day? He wasn't ready for this. Not with his broken stats, and certainly not with no real understanding of how this world worked.
Drax, walking beside him, seemed completely unfazed by the prospect. His oversized sword clanked against his back as he casually hummed a tune, his massive frame towering over most of the other players in the crowd. "Don't listen to her, mate," Drax said with a grin. "Dungeons are fun! A little dangerous, sure, but that's the whole point, right? You want to get stronger, you've gotta take risks."
Betsy shot Drax a look, her expression somewhere between exasperation and amusement. "Drax, you nearly died last time we went into a dungeon. If it weren't for me pulling you out of that pit trap, you'd be a respawn timer right now."
Drax waved her off, laughing. "That was a fluke! I've got better reflexes now. Besides, Alex here looks like he can handle himself." He clapped Alex on the shoulder, making him stumble forward slightly. "You'll be fine, mate. Stick with us, and we'll get through it together."
Alex forced a smile, though his mind was racing. He had no idea how his power worked, or how it would react in a real fight. The encounter with the wolf had been a blur, a strange surge of instinct that had left him with more questions than answers. He couldn't even check his own stats. What would happen if something went wrong in the dungeon?
"Just remember," Betsy said, cutting through his thoughts, "ALBEKO doesn't give you second chances. If you die here, you don't lose your life like in the real world, but you lose time. And the more time you lose, the harder it is to keep going." She glanced at Alex, her eyes serious. "You can't afford to be reckless. Not here."
Alex nodded, though his heart pounded in his chest. Time. It always came back to time. Even in this world, the specter of the ticking clock followed him. He had left the real world behind, thinking he could escape the constant countdown, but even here, time was still a resource. A currency. And losing it meant losing everything.
They continued through the streets, weaving between players of all shapes and sizes. Some were outfitted in gleaming armor, their weapons shimmering with magical energy. Others wore simpler gear, their eyes wide with the same mixture of excitement and fear that Alex felt. Most of them had a number floating above their heads—**Level 3**, **Level 7**, **Level 12**—but there were a few who didn't display their levels at all, their identities hidden behind cloaks and masks.
Betsy led them through the maze of streets, her pace quick but steady. The city around them seemed to expand as they moved deeper into its heart, the buildings growing taller and more ornate, their facades carved with strange runes and symbols that glowed faintly in the afternoon light. Everywhere they went, the presence of **K** loomed, his symbols etched into the walls, his name whispered in passing conversations.
"K's been quiet lately," Betsy muttered, almost to herself as they passed a large fountain in the city square. At its center stood a massive statue of **K**, his form towering over the crowd, his face obscured by a hood. His hands were raised, as if offering something unseen to the players below. "Too quiet."
Alex looked up at the statue, his stomach twisting with a familiar sense of anger. **K** was everywhere, even here. His presence seemed to suffocate the city, a constant reminder of the power he held over both the virtual and real worlds. The people here worshipped him as if he were a god, but Alex knew better. **K** was no savior. He was a tyrant, a puppet master pulling the strings while the rest of the world suffered.
"People say he's planning something big," Drax said, his voice low but excited. "Something to shake things up across all the floors. Whatever it is, I bet it's gonna be huge."
Alex felt a surge of bitterness rise in his chest. Of course **K** was planning something. He was always planning something. But whatever it was, it wouldn't be for the benefit of people like him. It never was.
Betsy stopped suddenly, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a group of players gathered near a set of massive stone gates at the edge of the city. "There it is," she said, nodding toward the entrance. "The **Dungeon of Shadows**."
Alex followed her gaze and felt a shiver run down his spine. The gates were enormous, easily three times the height of any player, their surface carved with intricate designs of twisted vines and skeletal hands reaching out from the darkness. The stone was worn and cracked in places, but there was an undeniable sense of menace that radiated from it. It felt... alive, almost as if the dungeon itself was waiting, watching.
A handful of players stood outside the gates, their faces tense with anticipation. Some were chatting nervously, others were checking their gear, but all of them had the same look of determination in their eyes. This was the first real challenge that **ALBEKO** threw at its players, the first step toward leveling up and climbing the tower.
Betsy turned to Alex, her expression unreadable. "You ready for this?" she asked.
Alex's mouth felt dry, but he nodded. "Yeah. Let's do it."
Drax grinned, pulling his sword from his back with a flourish. "That's the spirit! Let's smash some skulls!"
They approached the gates, and Alex could feel the eyes of the other players on them, sizing them up, evaluating their chances of survival. He could hear the whispers—newbies, fresh meat, probably won't make it. But he forced himself to focus, blocking out the noise. He didn't need their approval. He just needed to survive.
As they reached the entrance, a small notification appeared in Alex's vision, hovering in the air before him:
**"Dungeon of Shadows: Level 1-15 Recommended. Difficulty: Moderate. Enter with a party for increased chances of success."**
Alex glanced at Betsy, who was already tapping the notification to confirm their entry. "Stay close," she said quietly. "Drax and I have done this dungeon before, but it's different every time. The layout changes, the enemies shift. We'll have to adapt as we go."
Drax let out a loud laugh, slapping Alex on the back again. "Don't worry, mate! This is gonna be fun. Stick with us, and you'll be leveling up in no time."
Alex nodded, though his heart pounded in his chest. The familiar unease of his glitched stats tugged at the back of his mind, but there was no turning back now. He had to face whatever was waiting for him inside, glitch or not.
Betsy led the way through the gates, and as soon as they stepped inside, the world around them shifted. The bright light of the city vanished, replaced by a suffocating darkness that pressed in on all sides. The air was cold and damp, the ground beneath their feet uneven and slick. The only light came from faint, glowing runes that lined the walls, casting eerie shadows across the stone floor.
The atmosphere was oppressive, like the dungeon itself was alive, breathing, waiting for them to make the first move.
"Stay sharp," Betsy whispered, her voice barely audible in the darkness. She drew her bow, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. "The enemies in here don't attack right away. They wait. Watch. They'll test you before they strike."
Drax hefted his sword, his grin undiminished by the creeping darkness. "I say we smash 'em before they get the chance."
Alex kept his hands at his sides, unsure of how to prepare himself. His instincts told him to fight, to be ready, but without knowing how his power would react, he didn't want to do anything reckless. He could feel the weight of his glitched stats hanging over him like a shadow, a constant reminder that he was walking a dangerous line between control and chaos.
They moved forward, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the silence. The dungeon seemed
to stretch endlessly before them, the path winding and twisting through the darkness. Alex could feel the tension rising with every step, his heart pounding in his chest.
And then, without warning, they struck.
From the shadows, a group of figures emerged, their bodies twisted and deformed, like something pulled from a nightmare. Their skin was pale and stretched tight over their bones, their eyes glowing with a sickly yellow light. They moved with unnatural speed, their claws extended as they rushed toward the group.
"Here we go!" Drax roared, charging forward with his sword raised high. He swung it in a wide arc, the blade catching the first of the creatures and sending it flying into the wall.
Betsy let loose a flurry of arrows, each one finding its mark with deadly precision. The creatures screeched as they fell, their bodies dissolving into black smoke before they hit the ground.
Alex felt his muscles tense as the creatures closed in on him. Instinctively, he raised his hand, ready to defend himself, but before he could strike, a wave of energy surged through his body. It was different from the fight with the wolf—stronger, more focused. His vision blurred for a moment, and when it cleared, he was standing over the bodies of three creatures, their forms already disintegrating into smoke.
He hadn't even realized he had moved.
Betsy glanced at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You alright?"
Alex nodded, though his mind was spinning. What had just happened? He hadn't consciously done anything, but his body had reacted on its own. He was starting to understand the extent of his glitch, but it still felt like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.
"Let's keep moving," Betsy said, her voice steady. "This was just the first wave. The deeper we go, the worse it'll get."
Alex swallowed hard and followed her into the darkness, his mind racing. He didn't know what was waiting for them deeper in the dungeon, but one thing was clear—his power, his glitch, was growing stronger. And he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a very dangerous one.