Into the Dungeon 2

The moment I stepped in, something felt… wrong. Well, I was in a dungeon after all.

The tunnel glowed a deep blue, its walls slick and humming softly, like glass holding back an ocean. The air didn’t move. Even my footsteps sounded distant.

No wonder the Ministry calls it a dungeon. It doesn’t feel like a cave.

I raised a hand. “Skeleton Soldiers—arise.”

Two circles formed from the ground. Two skeletal figures climbed up, blades clutched tight, eye sockets empty. The mana drain hit me hard and fast—but the second they stabilized, the flow stopped. Now it's just me, two undead, and a mana pool now on life support.

Then the ground shivered.

Something slithered out of the mist ahead, its body armored in cracked chitin. Six legs. Four eyes. Dripping black ichor that hissed when it hit the floor.

If I'm not wrong, in the books this is a Varnok Crawler and it's E-Tier.

It screeched and charged, faster than it looked.

“Go,” I commanded.

My soldiers obeyed instantly. One swung low, the other high. The creature jumped back—but too late. Their blades cut through its legs, then its throat. The Crawler fell in a heap and dissolved into glowing mist.

“That’s one,” I said, breathing heavy. “And I already hate this place.”

We moved deeper. The light pulsed brighter, the hum louder. Another shape appeared—a bulky insectoid thing dragging a club-like arm.

"Ahh, the Crag Beetle E-Tier." I said.

I summoned two more skeletons. Mana burned out of me, but once they formed, the drain stopped. Four total now. Easy math.

The fight was quick, efficient, almost mechanical. Each kill brought more confidence, until my head started pounding.

Controlling four bodies at once wasn’t just tiring, it was like juggling knives blindfolded. Every movement I made, every mental command, doubled the noise in my skull. It was tiring because you had to command them to move.

Still, I pressed on. The tunnel widened. The air grew heavy.

Then, a roar—low, metallic, hungry.

A hulking shape emerged from the shadows, glowing blue from its ribcage outwards, muscles twitching like live wires.

"Abyssal Mauler E-Tier." I clenched my jaw. “Six versus one, then.”

The Mauler lunged. My soldiers met it halfway, blades clashing against claws. Sparks and bone fragments filled the air. I guided them manually—left flank, parry, counter—until one got shredded.

Another soldier down. I summoned two more. Now six again. My temples throbbed. Vision blurred. “You’re not… winning this,” I hissed through gritted teeth. I was lucky, with these monsters this was most likely an E Tier dungeon.

They swarmed, one climbing the Mauler’s back and driving a sword through its skull. The beast spasmed, fell, and dissolved into mist.

Silence again. Then—footsteps.

Multiple. Heavy. Rapid.

From the darkness, dozens of shapes crawled into view—Varnok Crawlers, Krag Beetles, sludges. I saw sludge dripping off the ceiling.

“Yeah, no. We’re done here.”

I turned and ran. My six skeletons formed up behind me, clattering like an army of tin soldiers. The horde gave chase, shrieking, scraping claws against the blue walls.

I sprinted through the tunnel, every breath sharp, every muscle burning. My head pounded with the effort of controlling so many at once, their movements synced through sheer force of will.

The Crawlers were fast. Too fast.

“Hold the line!” I shouted, sending two back to intercept. They met the first wave, swords flashing, dissolving into mist seconds later, but buying me time.

I didn’t look back. Just ran. “Next time."

...

..

.

By the time I saw the faint shimmer of the exit, voices reached my ears — human voices.

“Nothing’s coming out. Maybe it’s a dud dungeon?”

They were hunters. And if they saw me with skeletons, I was done.

Illegal use of power without an AID was bad enough. But Necromancy? That’s straight to wherever necromancers go.

I stopped. “Return.”

The skeletons stopped, heads tilting toward the incoming swarm. I forced the command again. “Go back. Stall them.”

They turned without complaint and vanished into the blue haze.

The pressure in my skull lifted instantly. I almost stumbled. Guess that’s the price of multitasking death puppets.

I kept moving and burst out just as a squad of hunters came in.

They froze when they saw me. “Hey! Kid—what the hell are you doing in here? This area’s restricted!”

I opened my mouth, brain scrambling for a lie. “Uh—rookie squad. I got separated.”

Before anyone could grill me further, the roar of the horde echoed from inside.

The hunters turned, blades and spells ready. I didn’t wait.

As they charged in, I slipped out.

Outside, the ground trembled — more monsters were leaking through the portal. Hunters were shouting, firing spells. I ducked behind the emergency barricade, heart racing.

And while everyone else was busy saving the world, I ran.