Chapter 20: Returning to the Goblin Dungeon – Rank F
That evening, Akira stood before the dungeon gate he had discovered beneath the old building. The air around him was heavy with tension.
"Should I retreat now? … No."
He took a deep breath.
"Let's go."
[You have entered: Goblin Dungeon – Rank F]
[You cannot leave the dungeon until purification is complete]
[Purification condition: Obtain the dungeon core from the dominant monster]
"Did you see that?"
"Yes."
"One of the subordinate monsters has taken control of the dungeon core."
"What does that mean?"
"We're trapped now."
"Is it really that dangerous?"
"As I said before… this dungeon is not normal."
Akira clenched his fist and said confidently,
"It doesn't matter anymore… let's begin."
"Follow me."
Alice guided him through a network of branching tunnels. Along the way, several unranked goblins appeared, but Akira dealt with them at astonishing speed, slaughtering them one after another without pause.
At the end of the tunnel, a vast space opened before him—a dense forest.
"It's a massive forest… almost comparable to a Rank C dungeon."
Alice nodded silently.
"No wonder it hasn't experienced a breakout yet."
"Do you know what to do?"
"Yes."
He had already agreed on the plan with Alice: set the entire forest on fire, then take position inside a strategic tunnel and kill any monster that tried to escape.
Akira took out a large container of fuel and began pouring it over the trees. He moved cautiously, avoiding large groups of powerful monsters. He continued for four straight hours, nearly circling the entire forest.
"That was barely enough…"
he muttered as he emptied the last container.
"Now… light it."
Akira ignited the fire and calmly retreated into the cave.
Half an hour passed as he waited in silence, until the system began issuing notifications:
[You have killed an unranked monster – 50 EXP (Indirect Kill)]
"Only fifty? That's stingy…"
Alice replied,
"As I said, the system enforces many restrictions to prevent exploitation."
The notifications kept coming:
[You have killed an unranked monster – 50 EXP]
[You have killed an unranked monster – 50 EXP]
[You have killed an unranked monster – 50 EXP]
[You have killed an unranked monster – 50 EXP]
[You have killed an unranked monster – 50 EXP]
The notifications continued flashing until the one he had been waiting for appeared:
[You have reached Level 10]
[You have gained 2 attribute points]
His calm didn't last long.
Suddenly, a roar echoed from the forest.
The goblin burst through the smoke, its massive body filling the tunnel entrance completely. Its muscles bulged violently, red eyes glowing with hatred, and the gigantic wooden club in its hand was like the trunk of a tree.
Akira clenched his fist, eyes tracking every movement.
Alice whispered in his mind,
"Get ready… no time to hesitate."
The monster charged without warning, the ground shaking beneath its feet. Akira leapt aside, but the edge of the club grazed past him, nearly crushing his shoulder. The weapon smashed into the wall, exploding into shards as dust filled the air.
— "Void Spear!"
Akira activated the skill instantly. Black energy shot forward like a lance, striking the club at its center. The wood exploded into fragments.
The goblin roared in fury, its eyes narrowing viciously. It charged again, swinging its bare arms, trying to crush Akira completely.
Akira slid sideways to evade, then jumped onto a small rock to gain height. He launched another spear straight at the monster's chest, but its thick skin absorbed the blow.
"It's not going down easily…"
Akira narrowed his eyes and retreated. The monster roared again and chased after him.
Akira suddenly veered toward the wall, spun around, raised his hand, and shouted:
— "Void Spear!"
The third spear shot straight at the goblin's head. The monster tried to shield its face, but the attack pierced its skull.
Its massive body trembled, then collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash.
Silence.
A system notification appeared before Akira:
[You have killed a ranked monster – Rank 1, Level 12]
[You have obtained: 1000 EXP]
Akira exhaled deeply, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"That was tough…"
But Alice warned him immediately:
"Don't lower your guard… more are coming."