The dungeon was dark, its narrow passageways lit only by flickering torches that seemed to flicker in and out of existence. The air was thick with dust, and the stone floor felt cold beneath his boots.
Leon's grip tightened on his sword. He had no special skills, no fancy abilities. He was just a man with a sword, a pack of rations, and a desperate need to prove himself. His eyes darted around, scanning for anything that moved.
Suddenly, from the shadows, a goblin emerged. Its green skin and sharp teeth gleamed in the dim light, and its beady eyes locked onto Leon. It hissed, drawing a rusty knife from its belt and charging at him.
Leon barely had time to react, stepping to the side as the goblin lunged. His sword swiped through the air but missed its mark. He adjusted his stance, focusing on the goblin's erratic movements.
Think, think!
The goblin lunged again, slashing with its knife. This time, Leon was ready. He sidestepped the attack, his sword cutting through the goblin's side.
> Damage Dealt: 25
The goblin let out a shriek, stumbling back in pain. Leon took a deep breath, then moved in. With a precise strike, he drove his sword into the goblin's chest.
> Goblin Defeated
EXP Gained: 50
The monster dropped to the ground, its body crumpling in a heap. Leon wiped his brow, taking a moment to catch his breath. This wasn't going to be easy.
The dungeon had only just begun.
--
A low rumble echoed from deeper within the dungeon. Wave 2 was about to begin.
Leon adjusted his pack and readied his sword. The goblin was only the beginning. He had no idea what else awaited him, but he knew he had to be prepared.
As he ventured deeper into the dungeon, the air grew colder, and the walls seemed to close in around him. He turned a corner, and there, waiting for him, was a giant spider—its eyes gleaming in the dark, its long legs twitching with hunger.
The spider screeched and lunged. Leon barely had time to react. He brought his sword up, blocking one of its legs just before it could skewer him. He shoved it away and swung his sword at the creature's head. The blade struck, but the spider's thick exoskeleton barely gave way.
> Skill: None
Leon gritted his teeth. He had no special skills, no abilities to enhance his attacks. Everything he did was through raw physical effort and instinct. He couldn't rely on magic or status windows. It was just him and his sword.
He moved again, narrowly avoiding the spider's venomous bite, and slashed at its legs, trying to weaken it. The creature hissed and struck again, this time catching him off guard.
> Damage Taken: 20
Leon stumbled back, feeling the sting of the poison in his veins. He couldn't afford to make any more mistakes.
The spider advanced again, but this time, Leon had a plan. He waited, holding his ground as the spider moved in. Just as it lunged for him, he sidestepped and drove his sword into its underbelly.
> Critical Hit!
Damage Dealt: 65
The spider screeched one final time before collapsing, its body twitching in death.
> Giant Spider Defeated
EXP Gained: 120
Item Drop: Spider Fang
Leon exhaled, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His body ached from the fight, but he'd survived.
And then, as the dungeon's system activated again, he felt a strange sensation. A flicker of something deep within him, a stirring that was both foreign and familiar. He shook it off for the moment. There was no time to dwell on it.
> Wave 3 Begins in 30 Seconds.