Chapter 6 – Into the Depths
Seven days have passed since the game became reality. The village has transformed. What was once a place of uncertainty and disorientation is now a hub for survival and trade. Players have stopped searching for an escape and have started building strategies. Some work in teams, others try to claim territory, staking out training grounds or resources to maintain control.
Most have spent the last week hunting in the surrounding fields and forests, fighting slimes, wolves, and the occasional undead lurking at the edges of the land. But I know better.
I read the guides.
Buried in the older documentation was something most players overlooked. The starting zone has a hidden dungeon, an early challenge meant for those willing to test themselves. But deeper within, past the lower-level enemies, lies something far more important.
The boss room.
I cross the village without stopping, weaving through crowds of merchants and warriors gathering supplies. The dungeon entrance is located outside the main pathways, beyond the usual hunting grounds. It is carved into the side of a stone cliff, vines and moss swallowing the ancient structure.
The air feels different as I approach, colder, heavier, like stepping into another world entirely. The entrance is wide, a massive archway leading into total darkness. Old torches mounted on the walls flicker faintly, casting minimal light along the stone corridor ahead.
I check my interface. Black Wolf Blade secured, Ether balance steady at 829, health at full capacity. Level five with four points invested into agility. The recent upgrades have made movement smoother, reaction time sharper.
I step inside.
The temperature shifts immediately. The dungeon is damp, the scent of old earth and stone pressing against me. My footsteps echo along the walls, bouncing in strange patterns as the tunnel curves downward.
The first chamber opens wide, an underground space carved from ancient rock. Shadows creep along the edges, flickering between the dim lighting of distant torches.
Skeleton warriors emerge from the darkness, their bony frames bound together by faint traces of blue energy. Their movements are unnerving, stiff yet fast, their weapons rusted but lethal.
I move quickly, closing the distance before they can fully react. My blade cuts through the first one with ease, shattering the core holding it together. Bones scatter across the ground.
The remaining skeletons charge forward, attacking in unison.
I sidestep, feeling the speed of my improved agility kick in. My movements are more controlled, more precise than before. Their swords barely graze the air where I stood just moments ago.
I counter fast, twisting my blade through their fragile bodies, cracking their cores one after another. Each strike lands smoothly, each movement sharper than the last.
Enemy defeated. Enemy defeated. Enemy defeated.
The notifications appear in rapid succession. Loot materializes where their bodies once stood. Pieces of broken armor, old weapons, shards of infused bone. I take only what will be useful.
Further into the dungeon, the chambers begin branching. The walls are covered in old carvings, faded symbols pressed into stone. The deeper I go, the harder the enemies become. The undead knights are taller, armored, their attacks stronger.
Every encounter is a test. Strike, reposition, counter, finish. My improved agility gives me the advantage, allowing faster movements in combat, quicker recovery between attacks. The battles are longer, but my endurance holds.
I push forward, taking down more enemies, collecting loot along the way. The battles stack experience, my interface updating with each kill.
Level six.
My stats increase, my health pool expanding to 450. Two more points available. I invest them into agility immediately. The shift is subtle, but noticeable. My footing feels firmer, my speed slightly increased.
After nearly two hours of fighting, I reach a massive stone door.
The boss room.
The walls surrounding the entrance are different. The carvings are deeper, layered in strange patterns that seem to pulse with faint energy. The air itself feels heavier, charged with something waiting beyond the sealed door.
I tighten my grip on the Black Wolf Blade.
This fight will not be like the others.
I step forward, ready for what comes next.