After his ridiculous encounter with the adventurers, the tiny chicken wandered the forest, searching for a safe place to rest.
His legs ached, and his wings were useless as ever.
"Man, I need a break."
Then, in the distance, he spotted a dark cave entrance.
"...Perfect. Looks safe enough."
Without a second thought, he strutted inside, fluffed his feathers, and plopped down to sleep.
—
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
A few minutes later, the ground shook violently.
His eyes snapped open. "Huh?"
CRACK!
The cave floor collapsed beneath him.
"W-WAIT—!"
WHOOSH!
He fell, tumbling down a deep, dark tunnel.
"I JUST WANTED TO SLEEP—!"
With a loud THUD, he faceplanted onto the ground below.
—
Welcome to the Dungeon!
DING!
[You have entered a Hidden Dungeon: Ruins of the Forgotten Nest!]
[Difficulty: Low-Level]
[Recommended Level: 3-10]
The chicken slowly lifted his head.
The dim cave had twisting tunnels lined with glowing blue mushrooms. The air was damp, and the scent of dirt and mold filled his tiny nostrils.
His eyes twitched.
"...Did I just fall into a dungeon?"
A rustling noise made his feathers stiffen.
Then—
From the darkness, a horde of monsters crawled out.
—
DING!
[Cave Crawler – Weak but aggressive. They overwhelm prey with sheer numbers. Likes to eat anything that moves.]
They were ugly, spider-like creatures the size of large dogs, with glowing red eyes and twitching mandibles.
And there were dozens of them.
His tiny chicken heart sank.
"...Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me."
The Cave Crawlers hissed and charged.
—
Egg Bomb Barrage!
"NOPE! NOPE! NOPE!"
The chicken flapped his wings and kicked an egg bomb straight at the horde.
BOOM!
A fiery explosion erupted, sending blackened bug limbs flying.
The system immediately responded.
[EXP Gained! +5 EXP]
[EXP Gained! +7 EXP]
[EXP Gained! +6 EXP]
He grinned. "Nice!"
But then—
HIS GRIN FADED.
Because more Cave Crawlers poured out of the tunnels.
His body froze.
"...Oh."
The system dinged again.
[New Quest: Survive the Swarm!]
Too many enemies detected! Find a safe spot!
Survive for at least 10 minutes.
Rewards: EXP + Possible Loot.
Failure: Probably death.
"...GODDAMN IT!"
—
Tiny Chicken, Big Escape!
He ran.
His tiny legs sprinted at max speed, dodging snapping mandibles and scuttling legs.
The swarm chased him.
Hundreds of glowing red eyes locked onto his tiny, feathery body.
The tunnel narrowed ahead.
Then—he saw it.
A small hole in the wall. Just barely big enough for his chicken body.
But too small for the Cave Crawlers!
"HAH! LATER, BUGS!"
He dived in.
The swarm slammed into the rock wall, unable to follow.
From the other side, he panted heavily.
"...I swear, my life is just one long joke."
The Cave Crawlers hissed angrily, unable to reach him.
Then—DING!
[Quest Complete! You survived the swarm!]
[EXP Gained! +20 EXP]
[New Item Acquired: ??? (Loot Dropped Near Swarm Nest)]
His feathers perked up.
"...Wait. Loot?"
From his hiding spot, he peeked out.
Near the swarm's nest, something shiny glowed in the darkness.
His eyes narrowed.
"...Risk it or leave it?"