THE SYSTEM OF THE FALLEN PRINCE CHAPTER 5: INTO THE DEPTHS
The growl came from deeper in the cavern, echoing off the stone walls in a way that made it impossible to pinpoint the exact location.
I activated [Observe], scanning the darkness ahead.
[Cave Slime - Level 5 - Detected at 15 meters]
[Dire Rat - Level 6 - Detected at 22 meters]
[Goblin Scout - Level 7 - Detected at 18 meters]
Three enemies. Different directions. And we'd barely taken ten steps into the dungeon.
"Contact," I whispered to Lyria. "Slime at two o'clock, rat at twelve, goblin at ten. The goblin is the highest level—we take it out first."
She nodded, frost already swirling around her wand. "On your mark."
I moved forward cautiously, sword held in a middle guard position like Prince Marcus's journal had described. The goblin was partially hidden behind a rock formation, but I could see its silhouette—small, hunched, clutching what looked like a crude stone knife.
[Goblin Scout - Level 7][HP: 95/95][Threat Assessment: Moderate]
"Lyria, ice bolt on the goblin. I'll rush it while it's stunned."
"Got it."
She raised her wand. "[Ice Bolt]!"
A projectile of frozen magic shot through the air, striking the goblin square in the chest before it could react. The creature shrieked and stumbled backward.
[Goblin Scout hit for 34 damage! HP: 61/95]
[Status Effect Applied: Chilled - Movement speed reduced by 20%]
I activated [Sprint] and closed the distance in seconds. The goblin was still recovering from the ice bolt when I brought my sword down in a diagonal slash.
[Critical Hit! Damage: 18]
[Goblin Scout HP: 43/95]
The goblin snarled and slashed at me with its stone knife. I sidestepped—my 18 agility making the movement smooth and natural—and countered with a thrust to its exposed side.
[Hit! Damage: 11]
[Goblin Scout HP: 32/95]
Behind me, I heard Lyria engaging the other enemies. "[Ice Bolt]! [Ice Bolt]!"
The goblin tried to disengage, backing away while clicking and hissing in what was probably goblin language. Calling for help?
Not happening.
I pressed the attack, using the sword techniques I'd drilled for three days. Slash, thrust, parry, riposte. The goblin couldn't keep up with my speed.
[Hit! Damage: 13]
[Hit! Damage: 12]
[Goblin Scout HP: 7/95]
The creature made one last desperate lunge. I batted its knife aside and drove my sword through its throat.
[CRITICAL HIT! Damage: 22]
[Goblin Scout defeated!]
[EXP Gained: 85]
The goblin dissolved into particles of light, leaving behind a few copper coins and a small green crystal.
[Loot Acquired: 8 copper coins, Lesser Monster Core]
I turned to check on Lyria. She'd frozen both the slime and the dire rat solid with repeated ice bolts. The creatures were literally encased in ice.
"Show off," I muttered.
She grinned. "Level nineteen versus level five and six. It's not even fair."
She was right. Her [Ice Bolt] dealt 15-20 damage per cast, and she had enough mana to spam it. For low-level enemies, she was a machine gun.
[Cave Slime defeated! EXP Gained: 50]
[Dire Rat defeated! EXP Gained: 65]
[Quest Progress: Defeat 10 enemies (3/10)]
[Current EXP: 340/400]
Three enemies down, sixty more experience until level five. At this rate, I'd level up before we even found the named enemy.
"Not bad for our first encounter," Lyria said, collecting the loot. "Though you took a risk rushing that goblin."
"Calculated risk. You stunned it first, and my agility is high enough to dodge most attacks from enemies this level."
[Tactical Thinking Lv.1 has increased to 23% proficiency]
We moved deeper into the cavern. The blue crystals provided enough light to see by, but the shadows between them were deep and potentially dangerous.
[Multiple enemies detected ahead. Recommend caution.]
I raised my hand, signaling Lyria to stop. Ahead, the tunnel opened into a larger chamber. Inside, I could see movement—several creatures patrolling in a loose formation.
I used [Observe] on each one:
[Goblin Warrior - Level 8] x2
[Cave Slime - Level 5] x3
[Dire Rat Alpha - Level 9]
Six enemies. The rat alpha was concerning—level nine meant it was at the top of this dungeon's range.
"That's a lot," Lyria whispered.
"We can handle it. The slimes are easy targets for you. I'll take the goblins. Watch out for the rat alpha—it's the most dangerous."
"What's the plan?"
I studied the chamber layout. The enemies were spread out, not grouped. The slimes moved slowly, the goblins patrolled in a pattern, and the rat alpha seemed to be... guarding something?
I squinted. Behind the rat alpha was a small alcove with what looked like a treasure chest.
[Dungeon Chest detected. Contains: Random equipment or consumables.]
"The rat is guarding loot," I said. "If we can pull the other enemies one or two at a time, we can fight the alpha alone at the end."
"How do we pull them without alerting the whole room?"
Good question. I picked up a small rock from the ground and weighed it in my hand.
"Stealth and precision."
I threw the rock at one of the patrolling goblins. It bounced off the creature's head with a satisfying thunk.
The goblin yelped and looked around, confused. Then it saw us standing at the tunnel entrance.
It charged.
"One down, five to go," I muttered.
The goblin warrior was bigger than the scout—nearly four feet tall with crude leather armor and a wooden club.
[Goblin Warrior - Level 8]
[HP: 120/120]
[Threat: Moderate-High]
It swung its club in a wide arc. I ducked under and came up with a rising slash that caught it under the arm.
[Hit! Damage: 14]
The goblin roared and swung again. This time I used [Sprint] to circle around behind it, then drove my sword into its back.
[Critical Hit! Damage: 20]
[Goblin Warrior HP: 86/120]
Lyria hit it with an ice bolt from range.
[Ice Bolt hit for 37 damage!]
[Goblin Warrior HP: 49/120]
The combination of my melee attacks and her ranged damage was devastatingly effective. The goblin tried to defend itself but couldn't handle pressure from two directions at once.
I finished it with a thrust to the throat.
[Goblin Warrior defeated! EXP Gained: 95]
[Current EXP: 435/400]
[LEVEL UP!]
[You are now Level 5!]
The golden light of leveling up washed over me. HP and stamina refilled instantly. Stats increased.
╔═══════════════════════════════╗ ║ LEVEL UP! ║ ╠═══════════════════════════════╣ ║ Level 4 → Level 5 ║ ║ ║ ║ HP: 180 → 200 ║ ║ Stamina: 160 → 180 ║ ║ ║ ║ Stat Points: +5 ║ ║ Skill Points: +1 ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════╝
I quickly distributed the stats: +2 STR, +2 AGI, +1 CON.
[STR: 16→18, AGI: 18→20, CON: 14→15]
The improvement was immediate. My sword felt lighter. My movements sharper.
"Nice timing," Lyria said. "Ready for round two?"
The other goblin warrior had noticed the commotion and was running toward us, along with two of the slimes.
"Let's do this."
Fifteen minutes later
[Quest Progress: Defeat 10 enemies (9/10)]
The chamber was clear except for the Dire Rat Alpha, which stood protectively in front of the chest, watching us with intelligent red eyes.
We'd taken down the goblins, the slimes, and even the other dire rats without taking a single hit. Lyria's ranged attacks kept enemies at bay while I finished them off in melee.
We were a good team.
[Relationship with Lyria increased to: Combat Partner (78/100)]
Now only the alpha remained.
[Dire Rat Alpha - Level 9]
[HP: 180/180]
[Special Ability: Pack Leader - Gains +20% stats when near other rats (Currently inactive)]
[Threat: High]
The rat was massive for a rodent—nearly three feet long, not counting the tail. Its fur was matted and dark, muscles visible beneath. And it looked pissed that we'd killed its pack.
"I'll engage it directly," I said. "Keep hitting it with ice bolts but watch your mana. We might need reserves for the named enemy later."
"Current MP: 340/520," Lyria reported. "I can spare a few more spells."
I approached the rat alpha slowly, sword ready. It watched me come, coiling like a spring.
When I was ten feet away, it pounced.
[Warning: High-speed attack incoming!]
I activated [Sprint] and dodged left. The rat's claws raked through empty air where I'd been standing.
I countered with a slash at its exposed side.
[Hit! Damage: 16]
[Dire Rat Alpha HP: 164/180]
The rat twisted mid-air and landed facing me, completely unfazed by the hit. It was fast—much faster than the other enemies we'd fought.
It lunged again, jaws snapping at my leg. I brought my sword down on its head.
[Critical Hit! Damage: 24]
[Dire Rat Alpha HP: 140/180]
The rat squealed and backed off, shaking its head. Blood matted its fur.
Lyria's ice bolt struck it from behind.
[Ice Bolt hit for 38 damage!]
[Dire Rat Alpha HP: 102/180]
Enraged, the rat charged at Lyria instead.
"Oh no you don't!"
I sprinted to intercept, getting between them. The rat crashed into me, its weight and momentum knocking me backward.
[Impact damage: 12 HP]
[Current HP: 188/200]
We rolled across the ground, the rat trying to bite my face while I struggled to keep my sword between us. Its breath was rancid, its red eyes filled with feral intelligence.
I managed to get my feet under it and kicked hard, sending the rat flying across the chamber.
[Unarmed attack! Damage: 8]
[Dire Rat Alpha HP: 94/180]
I scrambled to my feet. The rat was already recovering, circling me warily now.
"Cassian, move!" Lyria shouted.
I dove aside as another ice bolt flew past, striking the rat square in the chest.
[Ice Bolt hit for 37 damage!]
[Dire Rat Alpha HP: 57/180]
The rat was bleeding from multiple wounds now, movements slowing. But it wasn't giving up.
It made one final desperate charge, going all-in on killing me.
I stood my ground, sword raised in high guard.
Time seemed to slow. I could see every detail—the rat's claws extended, its jaws open, saliva dripping from yellowed fangs.
[Tactical Thinking activated: Weak point identified - throat]
I waited until the last possible moment, then sidestepped and brought my sword down in a perfect diagonal slash, catching the rat's throat as it passed.
[CRITICAL HIT! Damage: 28]
[Dire Rat Alpha HP: 29/180]
The rat crashed into the wall behind me, momentum spent. It tried to stand, blood pouring from its throat.
I ended it with a thrust through the heart.
[Dire Rat Alpha defeated!]
[EXP Gained: 110]
[Quest Progress: Defeat 10 enemies (10/10) - COMPLETE!]
The rat dissolved into light particles, leaving behind several items:
[Loot Acquired: 25 silver coins, Rat Fang Dagger, Lesser Agility Potion, Monster Core (Enhanced)]
I picked up the dagger and examined it:
[Rat Fang Dagger] Damage: 12-16 Durability: 40/40 Quality: Common Effect: +15% critical hit chance Special: [Venom Edge] - 10% chance to poison on hit
Better than my training sword for raw damage, and the critical bonus was nice.
The agility potion was also useful:
[Lesser Agility Potion] Effect: +3 AGI for 30 minutes Cooldown: 4 hours
"Nice haul," Lyria said, approaching the chest. "Should I open it?"
"Go ahead. Watch for traps."
She examined the chest carefully, then lifted the lid. No explosion. Good sign.
Inside were more coins, a few basic healing potions, and one item that made my eyes widen:
[Skill Scroll: Dash Strike] Rarity: Uncommon Effect: Learn the skill [Dash Strike Lv.1] Requirement: AGI 15+
"I can use this," I said, picking up the scroll. "My agility is twenty."
[Would you like to learn: Dash Strike?]
[Yes/No]
I selected yes. The scroll dissolved into golden light that flowed into my body. Knowledge flooded my mind—muscle memory for a technique I'd never performed.
[Skill Learned: Dash Strike Lv.1]
[Effect: Dash forward 5 meters and attack with +50% damage. Cost: 20 Stamina. Cooldown: 15 seconds.]
"That's going to be useful," I said, testing the movement. My body instinctively knew how to perform the dash now.
[Quest Complete: First Dungeon]
[Rewards: +300 EXP, Random Skill Book, Title: Dungeon Delver I]
[Current EXP: 45/500]
Another item materialized in front of me—a small blue book.
[Skill Book: Combat Awareness] Rarity: Uncommon Effect: Learn the passive skill [Combat Awareness Lv.1] Requirement: WIS 15+
My wisdom was twenty. I learned it immediately.
[Skill Learned: Combat Awareness Lv.1]
[Effect: Detect hostile intent within 10 meters. +5% reaction speed in combat.]
[Title Acquired: Dungeon Delver I]
[Effect: +5% EXP gain in dungeons, +5% item drop rate]
"How much time do we have left?" I asked.
[Time remaining in dungeon: 1 hour 23 minutes]
"Enough time to find the named enemy," Lyria said. "Though we should rest and recover first. I'm down to 260 mana."
We found a defensible alcove and took a short break. I used one of my healing potions to top off my HP to full, and Lyria meditated to regenerate mana.
[Meditation detected. Mana regeneration increased by 50% for 10 minutes.]
While we rested, I checked my updated status:
╔════════════════════════════════╗ ║ CASSIAN VALENHEART ║ ╠════════════════════════════════╣ ║ Level: 5 ║ ║ EXP: 45/500 ║ ║ ║ ║ HP: 200/200 ║ ║ MP: 0/0 (LOCKED) ║ ║ Stamina: 180/180 ║ ║ Defense: 10 ║ ╚════════════════════════════════╝ ╔═══════ ATTRIBUTES ═══════╗ ║ STRENGTH: 18 ║ ║ AGILITY: 20 ║ ║ CONSTITUTION: 15 ║ ║ INTELLIGENCE: 18 ║ ║ WISDOM: 20 ║ ║ CHARISMA: 9 ║ ╚══════════════════════════╝ ╔═══════ SKILLS ═══════╗ ║ [Observe Lv.1] ║ ║ [Sprint Lv.1] ║ ║ [Improvised Weaponry ║ ║ Lv.1] ║ ║ [Tactical Thinking ║ ║ Lv.1] ║ ║ [Basic Sword Mastery ║ ║ Lv.1] ║ ║ [Alchemy Lv.1] ║ ║ [Teaching Lv.1] ║ ║ [Dash Strike Lv.1] ║ ║ [Combat Awareness ║ ║ Lv.1] ║ ╚═══════════════════════╝
Nine skills, level five, and I'd gained more combat experience in an hour than most people got in weeks of training.
This was the power of systematic progression.
"Ready?" Lyria asked, standing and stretching. "Mana's back to 410."
"Let's find that named enemy."
We ventured deeper into the cavern system. The tunnels became narrower, the blue crystals fewer and dimmer. My [Combat Awareness] pinged constantly, warning of small threats—more rats, slimes, the occasional goblin.
We avoided most of them, only fighting when necessary to clear our path.
[Time remaining: 58 minutes]
Then we found it.
The tunnel opened into a massive chamber—easily a hundred feet across. The ceiling was so high the blue crystals couldn't illuminate it fully. In the center was a pool of dark water, and rising from that water...
[NAMED ENEMY DETECTED]
[GRENDAK THE GLUTTON] Level: 12 Type: Elite Troll HP: 850/850 MP: 0/0 Special Abilities: - [Regeneration] - Recovers 15 HP per second - [Thick Hide] - Physical damage reduced by 30% - [Berserk] - At 30% HP, gains +50% attack and speed Threat Level: EXTREME
"That's a troll," Lyria whispered, her voice shaking slightly. "A level twelve elite troll."
The creature was enormous—at least eight feet tall, with gray-green skin and arms as thick as tree trunks. It wore nothing but a tattered loincloth, and its face was brutish and cruel. Currently, it was hunched over the water, slurping loudly.
"We can take it," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure that was true.
"Cassian, that thing has 850 HP and regenerates 15 per second. That's 900 HP per minute. We need to deal more damage than it can regenerate or we'll never kill it."
She was right. The math was brutal. Even if I dealt 15 damage per hit and attacked once per second, I'd barely keep pace with its regeneration.
"What's your DPS?" I asked.
"Ice bolt deals about 35 damage per cast. I can cast one every three seconds. So... roughly 700 damage per minute, assuming I don't run out of mana."
I did the mental math. "So together we can outpace its regeneration, but barely. And that's only if we have perfect uptime with no interruptions."
"And if it goes berserk at 30% HP..."
We'd be in serious trouble.
[ARIA's Assessment: Victory probability at current levels: 34%. Recommend retreat or finding additional party members.]
But retreating meant leaving without the bonus reward. And I needed every advantage I could get.
"There has to be a way," I muttered, studying the chamber.
Then I noticed something. On the far side of the pool was what looked like a brazier—currently unlit.
I used [Observe] on it:
[Ritual Brazier - Inactive]
[Effect when lit: Suppresses regeneration abilities within 20 meters]
That was it. That was the solution.
"Lyria, see that brazier? If we light it, it disables the troll's regeneration."
Her eyes widened. "But how do we light it without the troll noticing?"
"We don't. One of us distracts it while the other sneaks around and lights the brazier."
"I'll distract it," she said immediately. "My range is better. You sneak around."
"Are you sure? That thing could one-shot you."
"Then I won't get hit." She smiled, though I could see the fear in her eyes. "Trust me?"
I looked at her—this twelve-year-old prodigy who'd chosen to ally with me despite the risks.
"I trust you. But if anything goes wrong, run. I'll cover your escape."
She nodded. "Same to you."
[Quest Updated: Protect your ally (0 damage) - This objective may become impossible. Proceed with caution.]
We split up. Lyria positioned herself at the tunnel entrance while I circled around the chamber's edge, staying in the shadows.
[Stealth check: AGI 20 vs Troll's Perception...]
[Success. Troll has not detected you.]
I moved slowly, carefully, keeping my eyes on the massive creature. It was still drinking from the pool, oblivious.
Lyria raised her wand.
"[ICE BOLT]!"
The spell struck the troll in the back of the head.
[Damage: 37]
[Grendak HP: 813/850]
The troll's head snapped up. It roared—a sound like grinding boulders—and turned toward Lyria.
"That's right, ugly!" she shouted. "Come get me!"
She fired another ice bolt. The troll charged.
I ran along the chamber's edge, racing to reach the brazier before the troll caught Lyria.
[Grendak HP: 790/850 (regenerating...)]
Lyria was already running, using the tunnel's narrow entrance to limit the troll's approach. It couldn't fit through easily, which gave her time to fire more spells.
I reached the brazier. It was filled with oil and kindling—just needed fire.
But I didn't have fire magic.
I pulled out the flint and steel I'd grabbed from the alchemy kit. Struck them together. Sparks flew.
Come on, come on...
Behind me, Lyria screamed.
I looked back. The troll had smashed through the tunnel wall, widening the opening. It was reaching for her with massive hands.
She dove aside, barely avoiding getting grabbed.
STRIKE. SPARK. CATCH.
The kindling ignited. Flames spread across the oil.
[Ritual Brazier activated!]
[Effect: Regeneration abilities suppressed within 20 meters]
The troll roared in confusion as its regeneration stopped.
"It's working!" I shouted. "Keep it near the pool!"
I drew my new dagger and charged the troll from behind, activating [Dash Strike].
I rocketed forward five meters in an instant, blade leading. The attack caught the troll in the back of the knee.
[CRITICAL HIT! Dash Strike damage: 36 (24 base x 1.5)]
[Thick Hide reduced damage by 30%: Final damage: 25]
[Grendak HP: 765/850]
The troll spun around, swinging a massive fist at me. I activated [Sprint] and ducked under it, rolling away.
Lyria hit it with another ice bolt.
[Ice Bolt damage: 37, reduced to 25]
[Grendak HP: 740/850]
The fight was on.
[END OF CHAPTER 5]