The next thing Elias knew, he was inside a cave-like structure. The walls were damp and jagged, illuminated only by faint patches of luminescent moss that clung to the stone. It wasn't pitch black, but the air was heavy with moisture, and the musty scent clung to his nostrils. He gripped his sword tightly in his hand, the spear strapped securely to his back. Every step he took on the gravelly ground sent soft crunches echoing through the eerie silence.
As he rounded a corner, Elias spotted two goblins ahead. Small, hunched-over creatures with pale green skin, ragged clothes, and sharp, beady eyes. Their weapons were crude—one carried a rusty knife, the other a club fashioned from a tree branch—but they moved with unsettling quickness.
Elias felt his pulse quicken, but as the adrenaline surged through him, something else clicked into place. The Omni-Savant card was at work, subtly guiding his body, fine-tuning his movements. His grip on the sword adjusted on its own, his feet instinctively finding the right stance. It was like his body already knew what to do.
The goblins charged at him with shrill cries.
The first goblin slashed with its knife, wild and uncoordinated. Elias stepped back, the movement smooth and precise. His sword swung in a clean arc, slicing into the goblin's side. Blood sprayed, and the goblin crumpled to the ground with a screech.
Swordsmanship Lv14 ➔ Lv15.
The second goblin, spurred on by rage, rushed at him with its club raised high. Elias shifted his stance, dodging the downward swing. The goblin stumbled from its own momentum, leaving its back exposed. Elias took the opportunity, slashing his sword diagonally. The blade met its mark, and the goblin collapsed with a grunt, its body hitting the stone floor with a dull thud.
Skills Gained:
Combat Reflexes Lv1
Elias stood over the fallen goblins, his breathing steady. The rush of battle left him energized, and it felt like the Omni-Savant card had done more than just guide his movements—it had improved them, sharpening his instincts. The notification about Combat Reflexes confirmed that this wasn't just a normal fight. His body was adapting at an incredible rate.
With no card drops from the goblins, he wiped his sword clean and pressed deeper into the cave.
Second Floor
The path to the second floor led him through a narrow, twisting passage. The air grew colder, the quiet hum of the dungeon vibrating in the walls. As the passage opened up, Elias found himself in a wider chamber, faintly illuminated by patches of glowing moss. Three goblins skulked in the shadows, more alert and dangerous than the last ones.
One of them, standing behind the others, held a crude shield.
Elias unslung his spear. This was the perfect moment to test his skill with it, and the Omni-Savant card was already nudging him in that direction.
The goblins noticed him and spread out, flanking him cautiously. The one with the shield stayed behind, letting the others engage first.
Without waiting, Elias thrust his spear toward the goblin on the right. The creature barely had time to react before the spear pierced its chest, the wooden shaft vibrating in Elias' hand. With a swift, practiced motion, Elias yanked the spear free and spun to face the second goblin.
The second goblin swung its crude knife, but Elias blocked it with the spear's shaft, shoving the goblin off balance. Before it could recover, he brought the spear around, slamming the blunt end into the creature's face. It fell back, dazed, and Elias drove the spear down to finish it off.
Notification:
Spearmanship Lv10 ➔ Lv11
Skills Gained:
Combat Awareness Lv1
The final goblin, clutching its shield tightly, advanced cautiously. Its eyes darted between Elias and the bodies of its fallen comrades. The Omni-Savant card nudged him again. Instead of a direct thrust, Elias feinted to the left. The goblin raised its shield to block, but Elias reversed his grip and jabbed the spear into the goblin's exposed side. The spearhead sank deep, and the goblin collapsed with a gurgling scream.
Notification:
Spearmanship Lv11 ➔ Lv12
Skills Gained:
Tactics Lv1
Elias stood over the fallen goblins, sweat trickling down his forehead. The fight had been more challenging, but he felt the changes in his body. Every movement had been more fluid, more precise. The Omni-Savant card wasn't just helping him survive—it was pushing him to improve with every action.
His breath steadying, Elias took a moment to collect himself. The second floor was manageable, but he knew the third would be far more dangerous. He wasn't just here to clear the dungeon; he was here to test the limits of his newfound abilities.
And with every fight, those limits seemed to expand.
The descent to the third floor was unlike the previous two. The air grew even colder, and the weight of the dungeon's oppressive atmosphere seemed to press in on Elias. The walls of the cave became rougher, narrower, as if the earth itself was warning him that he was entering more dangerous territory. His grip tightened on his spear, the stone walls illuminated only by faint glimmers of glowing moss. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the occasional distant drip of water echoing through the tunnels.
As he reached the entrance to the third floor, Elias paused. The room ahead was wide, far larger than the previous floors, with jagged stone pillars rising from the ground like ancient sentinels. The eerie stillness weighed heavy in the air, but it wasn't empty. At the far end of the chamber, hunched over a pile of bones, was the dungeon's boss—the Orc.
The creature stood taller than any goblin, its skin a deep, sickly green, muscles rippling beneath its hide. Its tusked mouth curled into a snarl as it spotted Elias, bloodshot eyes narrowing. In its massive hand, the orc wielded a rusted, jagged axe, its edges stained with the remnants of past battles.
Elias swallowed hard, feeling the full weight of the impending fight. This was no ordinary foe. The Omni-Savant card nudged him, sharpening his awareness, but even that didn't dispel the knot forming in his stomach. The orc was dangerous, and even with his new abilities, Elias knew he couldn't afford to make a mistake.
The orc bellowed, a deafening roar that reverberated through the chamber, shaking the very walls. Then it charged, covering the distance between them in seconds with thunderous steps. Elias barely had time to brace himself as the creature swung its axe in a wide arc, aiming to cleave him in two.
He sidestepped just in time, feeling the rush of air as the axe missed him by inches, smashing into the stone floor with enough force to send cracks splintering outward. Elias countered immediately, thrusting his spear toward the orc's exposed side. The tip of the spear pierced the orc's thick hide, but the creature barely flinched. It swung again, this time faster, forcing Elias to duck beneath the deadly swing.
Notification:
Spearmanship Lv12 ➔ Lv13
Combat Reflexes Lv1 ➔ Lv2
Elias' heart pounded in his chest. He could feel the Omni-Savant card working, guiding his movements, but the orc was relentless, and every mistake would be fatal. The orc swung again, its axe cleaving through the air with brutal force. This time, Elias dropped to the ground, rolling to the side and coming up in a crouch, his spear ready. He lunged, driving the spear toward the orc's knee.
The orc howled as the spear struck home, its leg buckling slightly. Elias pressed the advantage, pulling his spear free and aiming for another strike, this time for the creature's chest. But the orc was quicker than he expected. It swiped with its massive hand, catching Elias on the shoulder and sending him sprawling backward.
Pain flared in his arm, but Elias gritted his teeth and scrambled to his feet. The orc was already coming for him, dragging its injured leg but moving with terrifying speed. It raised its axe high, ready to bring it down in a crushing blow.
Elias' mind raced. He had to end this quickly. His spear wouldn't be enough to stop the creature unless he could get a clear shot. Then, a plan formed—a dangerous, reckless plan.
As the orc swung, Elias didn't dodge. Instead, he stepped inside the swing, close enough to feel the axe's sharp edge graze his arm as it passed by. Before the orc could react, Elias dropped his spear and grabbed the handle of his sword. In one fluid motion, he drew the blade and slashed upward, the tip cutting across the orc's chest.
The orc staggered back, roaring in pain. Blood dripped from the deep wound, but it wasn't enough to kill it.
Notification:
Swordsmanship Lv15 ➔ Lv16
Endurance Lv6 ➔ Lv7
Tactics Lv1 ➔ Lv2
Breathing heavily, Elias retrieved his spear, keeping his eyes on the staggering orc. It was wounded, but still dangerous. With a final surge of adrenaline, Elias charged. The orc raised its axe for one last desperate swing, but Elias was faster. He ducked under the blow and, with every ounce of strength he had left, drove the spear straight into the orc's heart.
The orc froze, its eyes widening in shock. Then, with a final gurgling breath, it collapsed to the ground, the axe falling from its hand with a heavy thud.
Elias stood over the orc's massive form, breathing heavily, his body trembling with the adrenaline of the fight. His muscles ached, and the shallow cut on his arm stung, but he had won. The Omni-Savant card had pushed him beyond his limits, guiding him through each moment of the fight.