Enter the Dungeon

The sound of arrows cutting through the air approached me as their dainty straw bodies zipped over the advancing troops. There had to be at least ten goblins, each with a small rusted blade of some sort. Using Greater Earth Manipulation, I brought spikes out from the ground and impaled them on the spot.

{300 Exp gained}

So many experience points, just from killing them in a group?! I'd better group weaker mobs together from now on. Oh, there’s more.

I walked through the onslaught of arrows without a flinch. They weren’t strong enough to deal any damage, so it felt more like a minor nuisance than anything. Once I was close enough, I used the fallen goblin's blades as ammo and launched it forward with Piercing Stone, which took off a head or two.

{100 Exp gained}

One of the larger ones in the back glared at me behind its sword. It looked like a goblin, only much taller and had grey, ashy skin. Bone protrusions ran down its spine like spikes off a dragon, and all of its features were sharp like those of a blade.

{Hobgoblin Lv19}

{Condition: Frenzy}

The same status condition as the other monsters… this is no accident. There’s something strange about this place.

Aggravated, the hobgoblin rushed towards me. The leather armour it wore rustled aggressively as it ran along the hallway's walls. Its sword struck and shattered against my arm, but it didn’t give up. Claw attacks, then a bite to my shoulder. Every desperate attempt on my life left the hobgoblin injured.

I drove my fist into its stomach, and a mouthful of blood poured out from between its broken fangs.

{125 Exp gained}

{Level Up}

{You have gained the skill <Mana Shield>}

A new skill, sweet! It looks like a defensive skill, too. That’s the first one I’ve ever gained, I'd better try it out when I get the chance. As if answering my plea, I noticed the hulking Troll rush at me with its wooden club raised overhead. This guy looks like an absolute beast! I'd better not risk it, Mana Shield!!

Wind separated around the blunt end of its club. It smashed down on the glowing blue bubble that appeared around me. It was thin like glass, and only barely survived the impact before disappearing completely. The club struck my head and left a sizable crack in its wooden structure. After a solid hit to the stomach, I followed with a blast of earth, and it died on the spot.

Not really strong, is it really supposed to be a shield?

{<Mana Shield> creates a shield of magical power able to defend the user from magic-based attacks. Proficiency will weaken drastically when exposed to Physical attacks}

So it’s a shield, but it only works against magic attacks? That’s actually…really amazing! I’ve always been kind of weak to magic attacks, so this might cover for that. I'd better find a magic user to test this on as soon as possible.

I smashed through a few more enemies by the time I heard Freya enter the dungeon. Her eyes darted between enemies, and she got to work pretty quickly. A massive ball of fire burst from her staff and collided with the horde ahead, killing them in seconds.

“I get that you’re new to this, but never leave your mage behind!” She kicked me with what felt like full force, then rubbed her sore foot.

In her defence, that was completely my fault. I shouldn’t have left her behind. I didn’t want to, but I was worried the goblin would escape. Luckily, things worked out or I wouldn’t have found this place.

“Wait, is this really a dungeon?” Freya looked around, her jaw hung as she glanced up to the ceiling decorated in purple stonework. Her gaze shifted to the entryway we came through and poked it. Ripples were sent pulsing out in circles around her finger in the air. “T-this can’t be… It’s a dungeon, right?”

Why’s she so worried? The monsters aren’t that strong. We pushed most of them back, surely we can handle what’s further in, can’t we?

“We have to leave, right now.” She walked to the rippling air in a panic, but stopped when I grabbed her hand. “No, leave me alone! We need to run– let go!”

We can’t run. Tell me what’s wrong! Damn it, I wish I could talk. There’s no dirt here to write on either… I tried my best at miming my point across, which seemed to calm her down a bit.

“Monsters aren’t supposed to be able to leave the dungeon they spawn from. This doesn’t seem like a regular dungeon, though…” She said while poking the rippling air. “Whatever made this place, it’s above either one of us. This place is evil!”

Her eyes contorted with anxiety. Freya broke out of my grip and ran for the exit, where her body was pushed back, as if she had walked into a wall.

“What the… where’s the portal? It was just here…!” Her mouth curved with a worried grin as she aimlessly grabbed at the empty air.

Could this place really be as bad as she says? I stole a glance further into the hallway, and the empty darkness ahead seemed awfully quiet. I didn’t like things as they were either, but if the exit had just been sealed up, it meant something was most probably keeping us here. We’re trapped.

Freya clutched her staff silently. With a deep breath in, her expression melted away, and she breathed out, almost completely calm. Judging from her expression, she somehow managed to regain her rationality.

“I’m not sure what’s happening here exactly, but I think we’re facing a high-level enemy here.” Freya addressed me calmly.

Is she back to normal now? What was that?

“I think I lost my head there for a second.” She held the side of her head and looked around. “That wasn’t normal. I think there’s something affecting me here.”

Could it be…? Appraisal!

{Freya Lv. 24}

{Condition: Fear (Slight)}

As the information screen appeared above her, the effects of ‘Fear’ were erased from her nameplate as if they were never there.

So there really is something in this dungeon affecting her. That might make things difficult. But, if it can be taken away by calming her down, then it’s not impossible.

Either way, our escape route was sealed; there was no other way for us to get out. Based on how it looked, we needed to beat the boss or find a way to escape, which meant going further in.

I nodded to Freya, who seemed to be thinking the same thing. She readied her staff in front of her and responded with a nod of her own.