The entrance to the Dungeon loomed before Felis, an open maw leading into the depths of Orario's greatest challenge. Stepping inside, a strange mix of excitement and tension coursed through him—he had prepared for this moment, but standing here, with only his wits and steel, made everything feel more real.
The first floor stretched ahead, a dim corridor of rocky walls pulsing faintly with magic. The air was still, carrying the damp scent of stone. No winding turns or forks—just a straightforward path where monsters would emerge from cracks in the walls.
A faint scuffling noise caught his ears.
A goblin crawled out, its beady eyes locking onto him.
Felis took a slow breath, his fingers tightening around his sword's hilt. The weapon was unassuming yet sturdy, well-forged steel with a comfortable grip. He wasn't a master, but his newly acquired basic swordsmanship skill guided his stance—feet apart, weight balanced, blade steady.
The goblin screeched and lunged.
Felis reacted—his body moving not flawlessly, but with instinct. He sidestepped, avoiding the creature's swipe by a narrow margin. His ears twitched, catching the goblin's ragged breath and the scrape of its claws against stone.
His sword swung—not with precision, but with intent.
The blade struck the goblin's side, cutting shallow. The monster shrieked, staggering back, but it wasn't dead.
Felis hesitated.
The goblin clutched its wound, snarling, its predatory eyes still locked onto him. His heart pounded—not out of fear, but from something deeper.
'This isn't training. This is real.'
His grip tightened.
The goblin lunged again. Felis reacted, not thinking—just moving. His blade met flesh with a decisive slash.
The goblin lunged again. Felis reacted, not thinking—just moving. His blade met flesh with a decisive slash.
A sharp cry. A flicker of motion. The goblin's body stiffened, its beady eyes flickering with fading life—then, as if the world itself erased its existence, it crumbled into black ash. Only a faintly glowing magic stone remained, falling to the ground with a soft clink where the goblin once stood.
Felis exhaled. He had expected triumph, but what settled in his chest was something quieter—understanding.
'This is how it works here.'
Swallowing his unease, he pocketed the stone and pressed forward.
---
Felis continued deeper into the first floor, his grip no longer stiff with hesitation. His basic swordsmanship skill gave subtle guidance—not mastery, but enough to prevent wasted movement.
Another monster appeared—a kobold. Taller than a goblin, covered in rough fur, glowing red eyes fixated on him. It growled before launching forward, claws slashing.
Felis inhaled sharply, setting his stance.
The kobold was faster. His reflexes kicked in—his feline ears twitched at the shift in air pressure, his body moving slightly before his brain fully registered the attack. He dodged to the side, the claws missing his ribs by inches.
His sword slashed mid-motion, aiming for the creature's exposed side—but the kobold twisted, evading a clean hit.
'More aggressive… unpredictable.'
The kobold lunged again. Felis adjusted, instincts and skill overlapping—his stance steady, his reaction sharper.
The moment its claws reached for him, he sidestepped—this time smoothly, without wasted motion. His blade cut through the kobold's throat in a controlled arc.
The kobold lunged again. Felis adjusted, instincts and skill overlapping—his stance steady, his reaction sharper.
The moment its claws reached for him, he sidestepped—this time smoothly, without wasted motion. His blade cut through the kobold's throat in a controlled arc.
A strangled yelp. A flicker of motion. The kobold's body stiffened before dissolving into black ash, leaving only a magic stone that dropped to the ground with a soft clink.
Felis exhaled slowly.
He was getting used to this. Not comfortable, not yet, but the hesitation was fading. His body understood—adapt or die.
As he picked up the magic stone, a thought crossed his mind—Hestia.
She had placed her trust in him, her excitement from granting him Falna still fresh in his memory.
'I can't disappoint her.'
With that thought anchoring him, he pressed on.
---
Felis stepped lightly through the dim corridors of the first floor, his golden eyes gleaming in the torch-lit darkness. The air was damp, carrying the faint, musty scent of old stone and the lingering traces of monster decay.
A rustle. A goblin lunged from a jagged crack in the wall, crude dagger raised.
Felis shifted his stance. Instead of reacting with blind instinct, he observed. The way its arm tensed before the swing. The momentary opening after its attack.
A swift step to the side—his sword lashed out. A clean cut. The goblin's body flickered, dissolving into black ash.
He exhaled. 'A predictable pattern… but they won't all be this easy.'
Kobolds were next. Unlike goblins, they were faster, their claws reaching out in slashing arcs. When he faced his first one, he had barely blocked in time, the impact sending a sharp jolt up his arm.
Lesson learned.
The dungeon wasn't just about swinging a sword—it was about understanding.
By the time he reached the second floor, the terrain remained much the same—narrow corridors with the occasional open chamber. But the monsters grew more relentless, attacking in pairs, forcing him to react faster.
He adapted.
Dodging became sharper. Footwork steadier. His sword, while nothing extravagant, moved with growing confidence. The dagger at his waist remained untouched—for now.
His armor, reinforced leather with metal plating, absorbed the occasional stray blow, giving him just enough room for error.
By the time he carved through his last kobold, its body vanishing into ash, he lowered his blade and took a breath.
Not because he was numb to battle.
But because he was beginning to understand it.
---
The third floor of the Dungeon opened into wider corridors, the jagged stone walls faintly illuminated by clusters of glowing crystals. The air was thick and damp, carrying an unshakable tension—the kind that came from knowing something lurked just out of sight.
Felis had grown accustomed to the eeriness, but his grip on his sword remained firm. He had learned enough in his past ventures not to let his guard down.
Then, movement.
His feline ears twitched, picking up the soft scuffling of claws against stone.
A group of kobolds emerged from the darkness—three of them, their red eyes glowing like embers in the dim light.
'Three at once… well, this will be a good test.'
Unlike the goblins he had fought before, kobolds were larger, stronger, and worked in packs. Their sharp claws could tear through flesh, and their instinct for coordinated attacks made them dangerous. Felis adjusted his stance, lowering his body slightly, his tail flicking behind him in anticipation.
One of the kobolds let out a growl and lunged, leading with its claws. Felis sidestepped, twisting his body with refined precision. The swipe missed him by a hair's breadth.
Before the first kobold even landed, the second had already leaped in, its claws aiming for his back.
Felis didn't even look. He pivoted on his heel, using the momentum to bring his sword in a tight arc. The blade sliced cleanly through the air—then flesh. A gurgled cry, a flicker of movement—then the kobold crumbled into black ash.
But there was no time to celebrate. The remaining two charged together.
Felis reacted instinctively. His footwork had improved in the past days, and he put it to the test now. A smooth backstep avoided the first strike. Then, shifting his weight, he kicked off the ground, weaving through the second attack with a hair-raising near-miss.
The kobolds regrouped, wary now.
'They're reading me, but I'm reading them too.'
He exhaled, then surged forward. His blade flashed. One kobold managed to raise its arm in defense, but Felis had already shifted his stance, adjusting the angle—his sword found its mark. A clean cut through the throat, and another burst of black ash filled the air.
The last kobold hesitated.
Felis took advantage.
His body moved on instinct now, footwork flowing seamlessly as he closed the distance. A feint, a sharp twist of his blade, and the final kobold fell.
Silence returned.
Felis exhaled, rolling his shoulders. His grip on his sword was steady.
'Three kobolds, and I barely broke a sweat. I really am getting better.'
But his reprieve didn't last.
A faint scratching sound echoed through the cavern. Different from before. Faster.
His ears twitched. His gaze snapped to the far side of the chamber—just in time to see a Dungeon Lizard slipping from the shadows.
Unlike kobolds, these creatures were lower to the ground, built for speed. Their claws could shred through armor, and their reflexes made them incredibly difficult to strike.
The lizard's slit-pupiled eyes locked onto him. Then, it bolted forward.
Felis braced himself, his golden eyes sharp.
'Alright, let's see if I can keep up.'
Felis exhaled slowly, his golden eyes locked onto the Dungeon Lizard before him. The reptilian beast stood taller than him, its scaly hide glistening under the dim light of the dungeon. It flicked its long tongue, sensing his presence, before letting out a guttural hiss.
The battle had been relentless. The monster's powerful tail swings and lunges kept him on edge, forcing him to weave between attacks. He had already slashed at its side, his blade drawing bloods, but the lizard showed no signs of slowing down.
'Tough bastard…'
Shifting his stance, Felis adjusted his grip on his sword. His battles had honed his footwork and reaction speed. This time, he wouldn't let it drag out. As the lizard lunged again, he stepped to the side, twisting his body to avoid its snapping jaws—then drove his blade deep into its exposed neck.
A sharp cry echoed through the cavern before the monster's body flickered and dissolved into black ash, leaving behind a single magic stone.
---
The fourth floor of the dungeon had its own rhythm—a blend of movement, shifting shadows, and danger lurking in every corner. Felis had learned to read it, his instincts sharpening with each battle.
A faint scurrying sound. His ears twitched.
Fanged Rats.
Small, quick, and vicious, they darted across the stone, their beady eyes gleaming. One lunged, aiming for his ankle.
Felis sidestepped, his blade flashing—clean strike, precise. The rat collapsed, dissolving into black ash.
But he wasn't alone.
A low, rumbling hiss.
From the darkness, a Dungeon Lizard slithered into view, its scaled body hugging the cavern wall. Unlike the mindless charge of goblins, this one was patient. Calculating.
Felis exhaled. 'So it wants to test me?'
The lizard's body tensed. A blur of motion.
Felis twisted, narrowly avoiding a snap of razor-sharp teeth. His counterattack sliced through the air—too slow. The creature's tail lashed out, forcing him to retreat.
He adjusted his stance. Watch. Read. Adapt.
Another feint, another strike. This time, he anticipated the lizard's reaction, shifting his blade mid-swing. A sharp cry—the beast staggered.
No hesitation.
A final thrust.
The lizard shuddered before turning into black ash.
Silence settled.
Then—footsteps.
Kobolds.
Not just one. A group. Emerging from the darkness, claws flexing, yellowed fangs bared.
Felis rolled his shoulders. "Looks like the warm-up's over."
This fight…
Would push him further.
And he was ready.