I had no face. I looked at my reflection in the crystalline water. My hair was present but my face was just black except for the edges of my face. I quickly opened my cypher.
[
Greg Quagmire:
Class: Dreadnought Pugil {Unique}
Class Level 1: 15/100
Level 1: 11/7000
Strength: 11
Endurance: 11
Dexterity: 15
Mana: 10
Flux: 4
Skills: Powershot (Lvl.1), Dash (Lvl.1)
Mp: 10/10
]
Nothing out of the ordinary. This either had to do with the goddess or the world. However, I didn't have the luxury of contemplating about it all day. The threat of the goblin camp still loomed large but no matter. I washed my face clean and instinctively reached for a bath towel only to grab a rock.
(...Muscle memory's a terrific thing.)
I got up and stealthily left the cavern. I didn't want any critters to figure out my hideout. My mission for the day was to figure out where the snowbunnies came from. If they just spawned out of thin air that'd be great but if not I'd like to see just how much food supply was available. As I continued exploring, the derelict cobblestone paths and walls slowly disappeared and expanded into a larger and larger cavern. As I clumbered over the jagged terrain, I came face to face with a lone snowbunny. Its eyes distinctly redder than usual, it even had a horn. Instantly, it charged right at my gut and pierced it!
(It's way faster than before and when did it grow a horn?!)
Luckily, the puncture wound wasn't deep and severe. It vanished into a blur again all around me. Abruptly, it came to a halt behind me. Before I could fully turn to defend myself, it swiped its claws. Air whizzed and crackled like a whip. My back's skin ripped open as I felt three claw marks materialize on my back. Dash! I closed the distance and tried to grab it but to no avail. The critter easily dodged it and landed another piercing attack right to my side knocking me against the wall. The bleeding on my wounds got worse.
Again, it repeated the same tactic. It blitzed all around me then stopped behind me. Launching a claw strike then running again. The originally shallow wound had grown deeper and deeper upon each strike. Dash! Again it had evaded and gone right back to dashing and evading.
(Fucking spammer!)
However, I had knowledge on how to deal with these fucks. It all came down to timing. I turned early and prepared to kick it. It stopped a few meters from me. Dash! Just as I unloaded my kick I activated it, closing the distance instantly and kicking it into a wall. No notification. I immediately grabbed it and smashed its head into the ground with all my might. It squealed and bit my hand desperately. I smashed it again and again and on the third time, it finally stopped moving.
[+6 Vitalis, +12 Experience, +3 Strength, +4 Endurance, +5 Dexterity, +1 Flux]
(What was that nonsense?!)
I sat down. Panting and gasping for air. I was utterly befuddled. The mana gain wasn't even a topic of discussion at that point. I wondered at how there could be such a drastic difference between the first and second day.
(Shit!)
It was a time lapse dungeon. A dungeon that got progressively harder the longer an individual or party was in it. The worst bit was that the difference was exponential not linear! The only times I had even come across such dungeons was in niche rpg games. Even then, they were late game type of dungeons not something beginners were thrown in! I recalled what the world said.
('Good luck' my ass!)
I was still a bit angsty. Five vitalis was nowhere near close to the compensation for that fight! I sighed. I got up, took the corpse and booked it out of there. The old derelict paths and walls came into view but before I could arrive a goblin blocked the path. It was equiped with a short sword and wooden shield. It looked like it was sniffing something out.
(Crap! Those noses aren't for show!)
Instantly, I charged at it. It quickly turned and blocked my punch. My knuckles split and bled. It pushed me back knocking me off balance. A feint glow surrounded it for an instant. Like a bullet, the sword punched a hole in my gut. I grit my teeth, grabbed its arm and yanked it to me feigning a knee attack. It put up a shield to block it. However, I slammed my fist right onto its head. Bones cracked. It staggered. Its nose bled. I tried punching it. A feint glow. I tried jumping aside but heavy fatigue caught up with me. Instantly, it raised its shield and bashed me straight into the wall. Blood sputtered out of my mouth. My vision was blurring. My head rang like a siren and I could feel myself start to get dizzy but I had to keep it together. It raised its sword trying to stab me but I slapped it out of its hand and elbowed it in the head again. It groaned and winced, losing strength for a second. I pushed it off of me and kicked it making it trip and fall onto the ground. I quickly stomped its head repeatedly before it could get up.
[+12 Vitalis, +14 Experience, +3 Strength, +3 Endurance, +1 Dexterity]
(This is fucking insane!)
I quickly grabbed the body and went straight to the hideout. After putting the bodies down I sat down. Exhausted. It had barely been an hour and I was already ready to throw in the towel. However, I couldn't be lax. A time lapse dungeon called for absolute efficiency. Yesterday I had eaten most of the rabbit meat I had. I was too overconfident thinking I could just hunt another one. Now I had to be careful.
After a quick rest, I got up again my body instantly beginning to wail and tremble. I took the dagger, went out and gathered some sturdy and thin branches and stones. After shaping the branches for a bit and stripped some to make some vines. I then used them and the stones to make a smoking rack. I butchered the two corpses and started smoking them. In the process I found to crystals within their bodies. I put them aside and continued. I had time to question their existence if I survived the next few days same to that abrupt vitalis gain spike. I took of my shirt and overcoat, basically rags at that point, and started practicing punches and kicks against the wall.
The exhaustion lit my muscles aflame but I had to work through the pain. I had to stay ahead the curve. The wounds on my knuckles reopened as I punched the wall, the knock off bandage being dyed red. I still continued practicing my jabs. I visualized how that goblin's sword moved. If I could get a jab that fast, my counter game would go through the roof. Even if it was a skill, I could try to mimic it. After about two hours of non-stop jabs and breaking bones, it felt like my left hand was lit a flame and being devoured by a thousand tiny ants. The pain made it tremble and practically paralyzed. The bleeding wasn't serious but way more noticeable now. I stared at the health portion at the corner of the small cave.
[+12 Experience, +1 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +1 Endurance]
(Oho. So I was right.)
I took up the stance again. Only this time I was going to practice my cross. I needed a bullet jab on my left and a truck on my right. The other fancy moves could wait. Besides, I couldn't imagine using an uppercut against a goblin or snowbunny. When my right got tired I switched to kicks.
[+12 Experience, +3 Strength]
The teep and roundhouse kick should suffice. My body continued to wail. I grit my teeth, veins popping and chest heaving. However, somewhere within me, that childish giddy excitement started gripping me. Yes, the grind was atrocious. Yes, the pain was mind numbing. Yes, one mistake meant death. Yes, that's what made it fun! My legs gave out beneath me and I crumbled to the floor. I could feel the burn! I could feel the progress! After cackling for a while, I sat down and focused on smoking the meat as I rested.
[+15 Experience, +4 Strength, +1 Dexterity]
I started analyzing the fights. The skill the snowbunny used must've been something similar to dash. Though it covered way more distance and lasted way longer. Same to that goblin. That shield bash was complimented by a dash that covered way more distance than mine did. I looked at my calves. They were pretty small.
(Maybe that's it?)
That's when I realized my hands had already stopped bleeding. In fact all other wounds were similar. They could still be reopened but I was clearly healing faster. A grin appeared on my face. After a few more minutes of smoking the meat I got back up and went right back to training this time with no breaks in between.
[+43 Experience, +9 Strength, +7 Endurance, +3 Dexterity]
[Class Level Up!]
[+11 Endurance, +9 Strength, +New Skill! ]
I was laying on the ground staring at the cypher characters. I wide-wide-wide smile on my face!
[
Greg Quagmire:
Class: Dreadnought Pugil {Unique}
Class Level 2: 23/500
Level 1: 29/7000
Strength: 43
Endurance: 37
Dexterity: 27
Mana: 10
Flux: 5
Skills: Powershot (Lvl.1), Dash (Lvl.1), Masochist (Lvl.1)
Mp: 1/10
]
I was completely ecstatic that I had managed to nearly quadruple my strength and triple my endurance but the new skill quickly put a damper on things.
(...Wild)
[
Masochist: The more damage one takes, the tougher the skin and a small portion of mana may be recoverable.
Mp: Null/10 (Passive)
]
(At least I could take more punishment. The last part may as well be useless. Rng is never on my side.)
It was at that time I came to a decision. I could continue training for days and wait for the monsters to get stronger so I get better vitalis and exp. However, unlike games whose exponential strength gain for monsters was already graphed, this wasn't a game. The rate could be far more terrifying than I could imagine but yet I couldn't go out and try to clear this place. I'd give myself two days. Two days of extreme and arduous training.
I got up again and got training. I switched tactics though. It was time for Full body training as I didn't want to waste time trying to level up. I needed stats fast! I didn't want all my progress to be eclipsed by tomorrow morning. Though I'd still need
I immediately begun my superset with calves. I hadn't earned any skill points on level up, so my assumption was you needed to level skills through your own effort. Nothing bad, the grind was always welcome! After another two hours of full body training I collapsed onto the ground unable to do any other set. I could physically feel my body falling apart. Abusing the Dreadnough Pugil extra healing factor was taking my body to the absolute limit.
[+3 Strength{19 Recoverable}, +2 Endurance{17 Recoverable}, +4 Dexterity{7 Recoverable}]
(After I sleep then?)
I shifted my focus back to smoking the meat. Smoking meat was a long and arduous process which I was grateful for as I didn't need to pay attention all the time. I rested for a few minutes extra. My mind wondered a bit back to Earth. I clenched my fists. My fatigued smile straightened into a harsh line.
(What the hell did I do to deserve that bitch?!)
The rage whirled and twirled in my heart. The encounter with that false god only adding fuel to it. I shot up. If I had time to waste, I had time to train. I continued on with full body weight training for the entire day.
[+1 Strength {31 Recoverable}, {37 Endurance Recoverable}, {34 Dexterity} ]
As I sat down to eat the last portion of rabbit meat I hadn't eaten throughout the day, I stared at the results. It seemed that my endurance shot up the more I pushed myself. Way more than strength and dexterity. Though recoverable stats definitely grew throughout the day. After finishing up with my meal, I put out the small flame smoking the goblin meat and went to sleep.
[+37 Strength{13 Recoverable}, +44 Endurance{10 Recoverable}, +37 Dexterity {4 Recoverable}]
I had woken up to an absolute explosive stat gain. I was ecstatic! I could actually do this if I kept this up! Though I was still suprised I hadn't recovered all of them even with the class buff. I noted that and immediately got up. I washed my faceless face and immediately got to work. I was going to focus on technique training today. Maybe see if I could gain a skill in this manner and also get used to fighting. I trained jabs, crosses, kicks and used dashes trying to see if I could level it up. I trained calves too just incase that was the limiting factor. I took breaks when necessary and used that time to eat the goblin meat. It was as disgusting as I thought. I finished up training crawled behind the water fall to sleep.
[+132 Experience,+33 Strength, +37 Endurance, +48 Dexterity, + 2 Mana, +1 Flux, +5 New Skill!, +Skill Level Up!]
D-day had arrived with absolutely fantastic news! A new skill, skill level up and fully recovered! I crossed my fingers and opened my cypher.
[
Greg Quagmire:
Class: Dreadnought Pugil {Unique}
Class Level 2: 155/500
Level 1: 29/7000
Strength: 117
Endurance: 120
Dexterity: 116
Mana: 12
Flux: 6
Skills: Powershot (Lvl.1), Dash (Lvl.1 ->Lvl.2), Masochist (Lvl.1), Bullet Jab (Lvl.1), Tireless Endurance (Lvl.1), Steadfast Heart (Lvl.1), Rapid Recovery (Lvl.1).
Mp: 12/12
]
(Yahooo!)
[
Dash(Lvl.1 -> Lvl.2): Increased dash distance and speed. Mp: 3
Bullet Jab (Lvl.1) : An extremely fast jab with weak damage. However, it'll stun opponents if used as a counter. Mp: 2
Masochist(Lvl.1): The more damage you receive the harder your skin becomes. There's a slight chance of mana gain proportional to the damage. Mp: Null/12 (Passive)
Tireless Endurance (Lvl.1): Actions cost 20% less stamina. Mp: Null/12 (Passive)
Steadfast Heart (Lvl.1): You recover stamina 20% faster. Mp: Null/12 (Passive)
Rapid Recovery (Lvl.1): You recover 20% faster from injuries. Mp: Null/12 (Passive)
]
(...Wild.)
I was happy nonetheless. Everything was holding up to game and fantasy logic. I was smugly confident. I was nearly ten times stronger than I was at the beginning in all stats that mattered and I gained extra skills. Though, that mana pool is really low. Regardless, I'd just have to be tactical with the use of my skills.
First order of business. Employ Hannibal Tactics. I had to confirm if my theory of a nest holds up. If true, I can just pit the two factions together and hopefully they murder each other. Otherwise, I'd have to fight the snowbunnies and goblins using guerilla tactics.
I grabbed the pouch with the portion, stepped out, washed my face and took off. I could instantly tell the speed difference. I was just whizzing past through the caverns! Though I had decided to take a different path from the one I had used. After a couple of minutes of running, I noticed one cavern had a particularly bright light emanating from it. I peeked inside and voila! I was right!
An entire nest of them! I could even see one big pink bunny. It looked extra extra strong! I could even see the cavern I was in the other day. There was a system of caverns right above the nest. Looked pretty unreachable to them considering none were up here. I cackled! Step two was an immediate go! I sprinted full speed right to the location of the goblin camp. I met some scouts along the way whom I swiftly ignored. I didn't need to waste energy as of the moment. The goblins on the watch tower noted my presence and immediately started shouting at the others and loading up a bow. Before it could even fire one shot, I smashed right through their rickety wood fence bringing the entire tower down.
"Come at thy bitche-"
I slipped past an axe that flew right at me. The hobgoblin, an entire head taller than the rest stared me down. It didn't like that I dodged it. Beside it was the Sharman. Immediately, it ordered the goblins to charge at me. I immediately took off and came across the scouts that I left behind.
(Shit!)
That was a bad sign. I was faster than a goblin when I was ten times slower and now they're just a bit slower than me. That Hobgoblin and Sharman must be terrifying then! I smirked! I welcomed the challenge! As we neared the nest more and more snow bunnies appeared. Only this time I could finally dodge them. I could see the glow again! I heard some shrieks and squeals behind me.
(They've already begun! Kekekeke)
As I entered the nest, I sped up. The mama bunny flowed a virulent pink. I put all the power I had into my legs and used the momentum to jump just barely dodging the mama bunny. I heard a big crash behind me with an immediate eruption of shrieks. I smirked. I grabbed the ledge of the upper caverns and climbed my way up. That was when I noticed all the chaos. The goblins and snowbunnies were in an all out brawl. A barrage of claw strikes bombarded the goblins that had just barely made it through. Most of them being archer and dagger goblins. The mama bunny was also having an entire field day! Ripping and tearing through them like a butter. I made sure to get closer to that cave entrance.
Abruptly, a fireball explosion shook the cavern. Mama bunny was knocked back the entire room slamming onto a wall and all the snow bunnies around the entrance were burnt to a crisp. The goblins managed to pour through the choke point. There were still plenty of snowbunnies and mama bunny...she was about to go off.
I could see her fur turn a deep red and stand on end. Her horn grew larger and before the archers could fire at it. It screeched! An ear piercingly loud screech! I closed my ears and ducked. I could feel the vibrations in my body! The goblins were even more decimated. Half of the goblins just dropped dead but the rest were saved when the sharman activated a magical shield. However, mama bunny charged right at it and broke it! However, it got momentarily stunned. The hobgoblin countered and slashed and diced at it. It screeched and tried to swipe at it but it grabbed it and slammed it into the wall the other side of the room.
The snowbunnies tried to save her but the other goblins molested and occupied them. They were on the losing side, too many had been lostAs the chaos continued, I noted that there were very 4 archers, the daggers were dying by the second and about 5 tanks, all of them helping the hobgoblin. I smirked.
The sharman started casting another fireball aiming at the mama bunny. I immediately dropped down and sprinted right at it. I flew past the daggers, snowbunnies and the archers' attempts at stopping me and leapt straight at the sharman.
(My win!)
Blood erupted from its neck. The shockwave of my punch made the archers stagger, demoralized at how quickly their leader had gotten their head blown off. I made quick work of the archers and was about to catch the goblins in a pincer movement when I could feel a breeze tickle my back. I ducked and an axe whizzed right past. It slammed its axe right at me but I managed to weave and create some distance.
I looked over to the side. Mama bunny was barely holding on, 4 tanks were dead, one critically injured on the floor and only 2 dagger goblins remained although with sever injuries. The most serious threat was that Hobgoblin staring me down. Light injuries. I looked at the distance it had to cover.
(Fuck, it has da-)
Instantly the thing was on my face! Axe swung directly at my gut. Dash! I had managed to dodge backward but it was relentless, immediately following me with its own dash. Bullet Jab! It's head sprang back, stunned. Powershot! I landed a meaty cross right into its chest, bones crunched. It got knocked back a few feet. However, I had made a critical error.
The two other goblins closed in with dashes. I quickly dodged, barely dodging one. Stab! The other got me right in my shoulder blade. I slammed my fist into its face, knocking it out. The other cunt backstabbed me. I rotated and backhand slapped the fucker to sleep.
[+3 Mana gained!]
The behemoth was on me again before I could even recover. Blood erupted across my back. A deep gash!
[+6 Mana gained!]
A feint glow surrounded it.
(Shit!)
Instantly a barrage of axe swings rushed straight at me. I dodged desperately. Having my back to a wall hampered me. Multiple lacerations appeared on my leg, chest and arms but I endured. I grit my teeth. Bullet Jab! The jab penetrated the onslaught and blew its head back. Powershot! Right into its chest again. Ribs broke! It got launched back far further than last time. The unexpected combo catching it off guard. It even let go of one of its axes.
Its breath came in spatters as it glared at me as I limped toward it. It slowly got up and roared.
"Come get these hands you cunt!"
We both dashed straight at each other. Bullet Jab! Right in the nose again. However, it swung its axe right at me. I swayed back, the swing lopping off a piece of my ear. The axe flew right off its hand. I rushed in and punched it in the jaw. It countered with a liver shot. I winced in pain, I felt like collapsing! The images flew right into my mind. One punch took me down then. It won't now!
It threw a sloppy right at me. I weaved and countered with a punch straight at its left eye. It groaned and leaned forward for a grapple. I leapt up and kneed it to the face! It staggered back. I immediately round house kicked it in the face. It spun in the air before slamming into the ground.
I rushed at it but it got up way faster than anticipated and landed a solid jaw punch. My brain sloshed around in my skull a bit, paralyzing me for a moment. It immediately followed up with a devastating left hook. Teeth and blood flew out of my mouth. Another punch. I dodged and countered.
It became a slug fest. All I could see was black. Color had faded from my vision. It was getting more and more tired. I could still keep going! It immediately threw another punch and I weaved it again. Punching it in the nose again breaking it. It stood its ground and swung a meaty hook just as I swung my punch. Both connected.
"POWERSHOT!"
A shockwave erupted. Snap! A neck broke as I fell to the ground. Silence. I turned and struggled to get up. My legs wobbled as I made my way to it. It struggling to breath. I stomped its neck.
[+120 X 8{Underdog} Vitalis, +176 Experience, +31 Strength, +37 Endurance, +34 Dexterity, +3 Mana, + 2 Flux]
I raised my fist and screamed for joy!
"I did it! HAHAHAHAHAHA! YEEEEEEEEEEEEES!"
My jubilant celebration was interrupted by a severe headbanging making me crumble to the floor.
"Hehe, maybe I should just chill for a bit."
I stared at my bloodied and rough hands and couldn't help but laugh like an infantile child. I had taken a step. I was proud. I lay there basking in the glory. Unknowingly I had fallen asleep. A slumber I had earned. A slumber that was deeply healing.
Upon waking up, I felt freshened up. However, I still took the portion which brought me to tip top shape. Teeth and all. Still banged up but good enough to run around. I could now hear the groans and dying squeaks of those in their death throes. Even the mama bunny was still alive.
(Time to clean up! Starting with mama bunny!)
[+150 X 10{Underdog} Vitalis]
(Aw, didn't earn any stats.)
Well it was fair enough I didn't work for it. I went around killing all the rest.
[+96 Vitalis, +48 Experience, +1 Strength, +3 Endurance, +1 Dexterity]
[Dungeon Complete!]
[+250 X 15{Difficulty} Vitalis!]
Abruptly, a chest materialized before me as all the bodies disappeared and left behind crystals. I didn't care! GOLDEN CHEST!
I opened it.
[You have acquired master-crafted Mana Pill!]
[You have acquired master-crafted Earrings Of Eorbrine!]
[
Mana Pill(Master Crafted!): Grants +30 Mana and +10 Flux
Earrings of Eorbrine(Master Crafted!):
Lesser Mana Sensitivity: Able to perceive skill casting more clearly.
Vampiric: Exchange blood for strength and dexterity up to a 30% buff.
Increase recovery speed by +20%
]
(Nice!)
I immediately put on the crystal red earrings and swallowed the pill. I immediately felt an influx of power pervade my body. I quickly opened my cypher.
[
Greg Quagmire:
Class: Dreadnought Pugil {Unique}
Class Level 2: 331/500
Level 1: 6335/7000
Strength: 149
Endurance: 160
Dexterity: 151
Mana: 45
Flux: 18
Skills: Powershot (Lvl.1), Dash (Lvl.2), Masochist (Lvl.1), Bullet Jab (Lvl.1), Tireless Endurance (Lvl.1), Steadfast Heart (Lvl.1), Rapid Recovery (Lvl.1).
Mp: 33/45
]
I got all giddy again and started jumping around.
[You shall now be transported out of the dungeon together with all gathered crystals.]
(Oh is that how that works?)
Instantly, I found myself outside on a forested hill, the bright looming sun jarring, the crystals dropping around me! Before I could even enjoy the fresh air I heard screams and shouts downhill.
(I can't even enjoy my peace...)
I sighed.