THE DESCENT BEGINS FLOOR 1
I descended into the Dungeon.
First floor.
The air changed immediately.
Cooler. Damp. The kind of underground chill that clung to skin and didn't let go. Like walking into a freezer. Except the freezer wanted to kill you.
Wide corridors stretched ahead—smooth stone, almost polished. Crystal light shone clean and even from the walls, blue-white glow painting everything in false calm.
Beautiful, really.
Right up until something tried to eat your face.
Sound carried differently here. Echoed. Bounced. Every footstep announced your presence like a dinner bell.
Step. Step. Step.
"Hello, Dungeon," I muttered. "I'm here to disappoint you again."
A goblin wandered into view ahead—alone, claws dragging on stone. Small. Hunched. Green skin mottled under crystal light. Ugly in that special way only goblins managed.
Face only a mother could love.
If that mother was also a goblin.
And possibly blind.
I didn't draw my sword.
Green. Ugly. Worth 50 valis.
"Nah," I muttered. "I have better things to do."
Third floor money was calling.
Easy valis. Better drops.
I ignored the goblin and ran toward the second-floor entrance.
It spotted me.
Screeched—SKREEE!
Then chased.
Claws raised. Running on pure instinct and rage.
"Cya later, buddy!" I called over my shoulder. "Let's hang out when I get back! If you're still alive!"
Probably some other adventurer would kill it.
Not my problem.
FLOOR 2
Same with second floor. Lucky me!
FLOOR 3: UNEXPECTED CHEMISTRY
Third floor.
I slowed down, scanning ahead.
Then I saw them.
A kobold.
And a... Frog Shooter?
I stopped.
Stared.
"This is the first time I'm seeing this..."
"Hold on. This thing's a Floor 6 spawn. Why is it on Floor 3? Monster migration? That's bad news."
Meta knowledge is failing lately! Memory hard reset! Let's just go with the flow.
The Frog Shooter was exactly what it sounded like—bloated, green, sitting there like a land mine with a tongue.
And it was paired with a kobold.
"Risky party to engage," I said quietly. "Nice pair, guys! Chemistry's working! Keep it up!"
They both turned toward me.
Stared.
Dumb confusion on their faces.
Then—like a light switch flipped—they realized what was happening.
Both charged.
Well, the kobold charged.
The Frog Shooter just... sat there and opened its mouth.
"Of course."
The tongue shot out—FWIP—long, wet, disgusting.
Aimed right at my face.
I sidestepped.
Slashed as it whipped past—SLASH.
"Hey, dum-dum! Think I'm a fly? Think again!"
The Frog Shooter recoiled—WREXX—tongue snapping back, wailing.
But the kobold was already on me.
Circling. Then charging straight in.
No strategy. Just vibes and violence.
"Grow up, man!"
I planted my front foot forward. Leaned in like a spear.
Short sword extended straight ahead.
The kobold ran right onto it.
SHHKT.
Its raised claws couldn't reach me—momentum already spent on impaling itself.
It gurgled.
CRUNCH.
Then started dissolving.
"Wait—NO!"
The magic stone crushed itself as the body crumbled to dust.
Gone.
"NOOO! My stone! My valis!"
I stared at the empty space.
At least 200 valis.
Just... gone.
"I'm angry now."
I turned toward the Frog Shooter.
It was still wailing—WREXXXX—tongue lolling out, slime dripping everywhere.
"Here! Come and get some!"
Chilly boy mode: Activated.
"Still wailing? Then I'll come! How much are YOU worth? Let's find out."
I charged.
Ran straight at it.
The Frog Shooter panicked—tongue flailing wildly.
I slid.
Boots scraping stone—SCRTCH—slid right under its bulk.
Stopped directly beneath its head.
"My favorite shot! I've been training this lately!"
I looked up at its slimy underbelly.
"How's it feel? Tell me!"
I thrust upward.
The sword sank into its head from below—SQUELCH.
"Gah! Don't squeeze me!"
The Frog Shooter convulsed—body contracting around my blade.
Slime everywhere.
Dripping. Oozing.
"EWWWW! SLIME!"
I yanked my sword free and scrambled out from under it.
The Frog Shooter collapsed—SPLAT—dissolving into mist.
"I HATE slimes! Ewwww!"
I wiped my sword on the wall.
Then my arms.
Then my face.
"Gross. Gross gross gross."
But the magic stone was intact.
I cracked it free.
Held it up to the crystal light.
Little bigger than usual.
"Probably... 250 valis?"
Not bad.
I pocketed it.
Still wiping slime off my shoulder.
"So gross."
THE GREED DECISION
I stared at the magic stone in my hand.
250 valis.
Plus the 150 I had.
That's 400 total.
My stomach growled.
Loud.
Growwwwlllll.
"Don't complain," I told it.
It growled again.
Louder.
"I said don't—"
GROWWWWLLLL.
"Okay! I get it!"
I looked at the stairs ahead.
The ones going deeper.
Floor 4.
More risk.
Better drops.
"No money means no food," I muttered.
The math was simple.
Floor 3 stones = 50-100 valis each.
Floor 4 stones = 150-250 valis each.
I could play it safe.
Or I could actually eat today.
"...Don't be greedy."
Growwwllll.
"OKAY! Fine! We're going!"
I turned toward the deeper stairs.
"No choice. Let's go down and get some big cash."
I started descending.
Each step echoing.
Down.
Down.
Down.
The air changed. Cooler. Heavier.
The walls shifted from light blue to slightly darker.
Fourth floor.
I stopped at the bottom.
Looked around.
Silent.
Too silent.
"Please," I whispered. "Go easy on me."
The Dungeon did not respond.
Because the Dungeon doesn't care.
I gripped my broken sword tighter.
"Alright. Let's do this."
I took one step forward.
That's when I heard it.
Click-click-click.
Multiple sources.
From different directions.
"...Oh no."
FLOOR 4: THE MISTAKE
Three kobolds.
Two goblins.
All turning toward me.
At once.
"I immediately regret this decision."
[TO BE CONTINUED...]