At the dungeon entrance.
During these times of morning dungeon entrance has always filled with adventurers.
Most of the low-ranked adventurers like myself usually go to the dungeon in the morning and come back in the evening.
Today, like usual, most adventurers are heading towards the dungeon.
There are many rookies among them. Many with their party.
Their faces feigning conference yet their heart filled with nervousness.
Party huh
But I don't have anyone I know. In a senior adventurer's notes It's a big taboo to join the party of the unknown adventurers.
It's better to go solo.
Thinking like this I began to enter the dungeon when a voice stopped me.
"Hey! Are you level 1?"
A voice came from behind.
Turning back, I found a party of 3.
In the lead was a human man with medium-build red hair and a small beard with silver-coloured light armour and a broadsword,
An elf petite woman dressed in a green robe, wearing a witch hat, holding a wand. A bow and a quiver full of arrows on her back
A human man with a large build and brown hair. holding a shield that reaches his shoulders and wearing heavy armour of black colour
"Yes" I replied
"We are short of a fourth member. Do you wanna join? Just first and second floor, you know the easy stuff"
The word easy doesn't exist in the dungeon.
I hesitated.
Truth to be told, going to the party will be really helpful. But no matter how I look, they are too suspicious.
This is too much of a coincidence
"You are?" I asked
"I'm Roivan, warrior from Ganesha Familia" said red hair man
"I'm Miri, a mage from Loki's family" said a small mage
"I'm toma, tank warrior and blacksmith from Goibniu Familia" said a man holding a shield
"Can you confirm?" I asked
Although no one will pretend to be from another Familia in front of a dungeon, no less, but it's better conform just in case.
"I can", with that, the man in the lead walked towards the guard station in front of the dungeon entrance.
After confirming with the guard from Ganesha Familia, we head inside the dungeon.
———
Forming a rough line, walking slowly through the cave corridor on the first floor.
We don't talk much.
I took the post of vanguard. On my left was Toma. Miri at the centre and Roivan at the back.
Not because I was trying to be a hero, . But because I was scared of letting someone else die in front of me
This is too slow
As I was thinking, I heard a sound coming from the front. 2 goblin without weapons were running towards us.
"Two goblins are coming from the front" Toma warns as he raises his shield.
I took a stance with the sword of hilt at my chest, its tip pointing upward. My left foot is at the front, and my right foot at the back, knees bent.
Toma blocks one goblin with his shield, and another jumps at me with his sharp claws, heading towards my face.
I stepped towards right as he passed by, I didn't miss my chance and drove my sword straight through his chest.
Swish
My sword ripped through his left chest as he collapsed in black smoke leaving behind A small magic stone.
I turn to look at the others only to find Miri had already finished off the goblin blocked by Toma using her arrows.
———
It's been a while since we descended on the first floor. We encounter 4 duos of goblins and a lone kobold. We also encounter other adventurers.
This is not going to work
I thought to myself as I sliced Kobald in half diagonally–which was blocked by Toma.
During our fight I noticed, we have little teamwork–or rather there is no teamwork to speak of
Miri often misses or delays her magic.
Roivan is too far away when he is needed, only Toma can work together with me.
"So, do we descend on the second floor?" Standing in front of the stairs leading downward to the second floor, I asked Roivan.
"Well... That was planned," Roivan replied hesitantly.
So you also noticed.
It's not that they are weak, but rather they are far too nervous; only Roivan can remain a little calm.
After descending the stairs,
We pass through blue-tinted stone walls and narrow, winding corridors of second floor.
Looking at Miri, whose hand was shaking, Toma, whose forehead was filled with cold sweat and Roivan, who was constantly looking behind. I began to hesitate.
Do we turn back?
We are far too nervous.
Maybe we are not ready yet?
"I can't… I can't go on," Miri said with a nervous voice, her half-drawn bow at her hand, trembling.
Before we could reply to her, I heard a sound coming from the front.
"Movement!" I hissed.
"—grrrhhhh"
Seven Kobolds materialised from the gloom, their fur matted and foul-smelling.
They didn't just run toward us; they scrambled, using the uneven floor with their hand and feet to vault toward us.
"In coming!" Toma warns loudly.
Toma planted his shield just as three of them slammed into it.
The impact forced him back a step, his boots skidding on the wet stone.
I lunged forward, my one-handed sword shaking. I aimed for the nearest beast's chest, but my thrust was shallow.
The blade scraped skin instead of stone. The Kobold snarled, biting toward my wrist.
"Kael, short strokes! Don't overextend!" Roivan warned.
I readjusted, pulling my elbow back and driving the point home in a desperate, tight jab.
Crunch.
The magic stone shattered, and the creature dissolved into a cloud of black ash.
Behind us, Miri was struggling.
In this world, an elf's archery isn't just about aim; it's about Managing Draw-Weight.
On Floor 2, the ceiling is too low for high-arc shots.
She had to use a half-draw rapid snap-fire, sacrificing power for speed.
Each time her string thrummed, a Kobold was staggered, its momentum broken by an arrow to the shoulder or leg.
I stepped forward, my sword tracing a tight arc.
Crack.
I pierced the magic stone in its sternum, and it dissolved into a cloud of ash.
"I'm—I'm starting the chant!" Miri cried, her voice trembling.
"No! Use your arrows!" Roivan shouted loudly, but she was already reciting.
As a rookie, Miri couldn't perform a Concurrent Chant yet. To use magic, she had to stop moving entirely, her body becoming a rigid, defenceless statue.
"Thou breath of the forest..."
Damn it, she is a sitting duck.
I stepped in front of her, parrying a claw meant for her face. I felt the vibration rattle my teeth.
Toma slammed his shield forward, crushing another against the wall, while Roivan stepped up, his broadsword humming as it cleaved the remaining two in one massive, disciplined arc.
Silence fell.
Seven purple shards lay among the piles of ash.
"We did it," Toma panted, leaning heavily on his shield.
He looked at me and grinned, the tension leaving his frame.
I lowered my sword, my lungs burning. I felt a surge of adrenaline fading away from my body—we had survived against a pack of seven kobolds.
I reached for my water bottle on my belt, my guard completely gone.
"Heads up! Above!" Roivan's roar shattered our relief.
Two Kobolds had been 'Ceiling Stalking,' clinging to the jagged stalactites.
They dropped like stones.
The first Kobold fell toward Miri.
Toma reacted on instinct, ignoring the fatigue in his shoulder.
He performed a Shield Rise, slamming the rim of his shield upward into the air.
The Kobold's claws scraped against the iron with a piercing screech.
Before it could recover its footing on the shield's edge, Roivan reached over Toma's shoulder.
He didn't swing his broadsword; the space was too tight. Instead, he used a Pommel Strike with his broadsword in his sheathe, driving the heavy steel weight of his hilt into the Kobold's skull, shattering the stone within.
The second Kobold dropped behind Miri, outside of Toma's reach.
I saw the beast's eyes—pure, instinctual hunger—aimed at Miri's neck.
I didn't have time for a proper stance. I performed a Covering Lunge, throwing my shoulder directly into the path of the monster.
"Ugh!"
I felt its claws rake across my back, tearing through my leather armour and stinging my skin and ripping my muscles.
Voice of pain escaped my throat, t but I didn't flinch.
I trapped the beast's arm against my ribs, pinning it to my body. Jumping backwards, I pin Kobold against the wall while thrusting my sword.
With a sharp, reverse-grip stab—a Blind Thrust—I drove my blade under my own armpit and straight into the creature's chest.
I felt the vibration of the stone shattering against my steel.
The weight on my back turned to dust.
I stood up, my shoulder burning with four red lines of blood. Blood stained my shirt and was dripping on the ground.
Miri stood frozen, her bow still half-raised, her face pale. Her body is trembling.