Shadows in the First Layer
The cavern slowly returned to silence.
Six goblin bodies lay scattered across the rocky ground, their green skin darkening as blood pooled beneath them. The smell of iron mixed with the damp scent of the cave, creating an unpleasant heaviness in the air.
Arin stood still for several seconds.
His handgun was still raised.
His breathing was steady, but his arms felt slightly tense.
Only after confirming that no other sounds were approaching did he slowly lower the weapon.
The system window floated before his eyes.
[Level Up]
[Current Level: 5]
Level five.
The number looked simple, but Arin knew it represented something much more important.
Progress.
Only a few hours ago he had been Level 1, standing outside the dungeon with no real combat experience.
Now he had already fought more than twenty monsters.
His body was tired, but strangely enough, he felt stronger than before.
Not just physically.
Mentally.
He crouched beside one of the fallen goblins and examined it.
The creature was smaller than a human child, but its limbs were wiry and strong. The dagger in its hand was crude and rusted, yet the edge was still sharp enough to cut flesh.
If even one of these creatures managed to stab him, the wound could easily become fatal.
Arin stood again and scanned the cavern.
The chamber was wider than the tunnels he had passed earlier. Large rock formations created shadows everywhere, and glowing blue crystals embedded in the walls cast faint light across the floor.
The environment was beautiful in a strange way.
But it was also dangerous.
Every shadow could hide another monster.
He checked the system again.
[Current Level: 5]
[Next Weapon Unlock: Level 10]
Five more levels.
That meant many more monsters.
Arin rolled his shoulders slightly, trying to loosen the stiffness in his muscles.
Then he took a deep breath.
"Let's keep going."
This time, Arin didn't rush forward.
Earlier in the dungeon, he had moved quickly because excitement pushed him forward.
Now experience had replaced excitement.
He understood something important.
Inside a dungeon, carelessness was death.
He walked slowly toward the next tunnel.
Each step was careful.
His eyes scanned the ground, the walls, and the ceiling.
Many hunters underestimated the first layer of an E-rank dungeon.
But Arin refused to make that mistake.
The tunnel ahead was narrow.
Small stones rolled beneath his shoes as he moved forward.
The air grew slightly colder the deeper he walked.
Water droplets continued falling from the ceiling.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Each sound echoed through the cave.
After several minutes of walking, Arin heard something unusual.
A scraping noise.
Like metal rubbing against stone.
He immediately stopped moving.
His breathing slowed.
The sound came from around the corner ahead.
Arin slowly leaned his body slightly toward the wall and peeked around the edge.
What he saw made his eyes narrow.
It was a goblin.
But different from the others.
This one was larger.
Its shoulders were broader, and its muscles were noticeably thicker. Unlike normal goblins, it wore pieces of crude armor made from scraps of metal and leather.
In its hand was not a dagger.
It carried a short sword.
Arin studied it carefully.
A stronger variant.
The creature looked more alert than the goblins he had fought earlier.
Its eyes constantly moved as it patrolled the tunnel.
Then the system window appeared.
[Hobgoblin Detected]
Arin's expression grew serious.
So this was a Hobgoblin.
A stronger version of a goblin.
It was probably much tougher than the monsters he had already fought.
The distance between them was about ten meters.
Arin slowly raised his handgun.
But just before he fired—
The hobgoblin suddenly turned.
Its eyes locked onto him instantly.
"GRAAA!"
It roared loudly and charged forward.
Its speed was much faster than a normal goblin.
Arin fired immediately.
BANG
The bullet struck the creature's shoulder.
But instead of collapsing, the hobgoblin staggered slightly and continued charging.
It's tougher!
Arin fired again.
BANG
This time the bullet hit its chest.
The hobgoblin slowed but kept moving.
Now it was only five meters away.
Arin aimed carefully and fired once more.
BANG
The bullet pierced its forehead.
The creature stopped suddenly.
Then its body collapsed heavily onto the stone floor.
Arin exhaled.
"That took three shots…"
The system appeared again.
[Hobgoblin Defeated]
[+40 EXP]
Twice the experience of a normal goblin.
Arin nodded slightly.
"So stronger monsters give more experience."
That was good information.
But the fight had also taught him something else.
Not every enemy would die with one shot.
Arin continued deeper into the tunnel.
After defeating the hobgoblin, he felt more alert than before.
Stronger monsters meant stronger danger.
The tunnel eventually opened into another cavern.
This one was smaller than the previous chamber, but the ceiling was much higher.
Stalactites hung like stone fangs above him.
Arin stepped carefully into the room.
The moment his foot touched the center of the cavern—
Something moved.
A blur rushed from behind a rock.
A dungeon wolf lunged toward him.
Its jaws were open, revealing sharp white teeth.
Arin reacted instantly.
He fired.
BANG
The bullet struck the wolf mid-air.
Its body twisted and crashed onto the ground.
But before Arin could relax—
Another wolf emerged from the shadows.
This one attacked from the side.
Arin barely had time to turn.
BANG
The second wolf fell.
Arin stepped backward quickly.
His heart was beating faster now.
"That was an ambush…"
The wolves had been hiding behind the rocks, waiting for prey.
If he had moved carelessly, one of them could have easily bitten his throat.
Two system messages appeared.
[+25 EXP]
[+25 EXP]
Then another window followed.
[Level Up]
[Current Level: 6]
Arin smiled slightly.
Level six.
But he didn't relax yet.
Because another sound echoed through the cavern.
Low voices.
Goblin voices.
Three goblins emerged from a side tunnel.
They had probably heard the gunshots.
The monsters rushed forward immediately.
Arin raised his handgun again.
BANG
First goblin dropped.
BANG
Second goblin collapsed.
The third continued running wildly.
Arin fired once more.
BANG
Silence returned.
The system appeared again.
[+20 EXP]
[+20 EXP]
[+20 EXP]
The experience bar in the system window filled slowly.
Not full yet.
But close.
Arin looked deeper into the cavern.
The dungeon still stretched ahead.
More monsters waited.
More battles.
More levels.
He reloaded his stance and continued forward.
The Long Hunt
Time passed slowly inside the dungeon.
Arin fought many small battles.
Goblins hiding behind rocks.
Wolves lurking in dark tunnels.
Another hobgoblin patrol group.
Each fight sharpened his instincts.
His aim improved.
His reaction speed grew faster.
The handgun no longer felt unfamiliar in his hand.
It felt like an extension of his body.
Eventually, after defeating another group of monsters, the system appeared again.
[Level Up]
[Current Level: 7]
Arin leaned against a stone wall and wiped sweat from his forehead.
His clothes were dusty and slightly stained from the fights.
But his eyes looked focused.
Level seven.
Three more levels until the next weapon.
He looked toward the deeper tunnels of the dungeon.
The darkness there felt heavier.
Stronger monsters probably waited ahead.
Arin took a deep breath.
Then he straightened his back and gripped the handgun firmly.
"This dungeon isn't finished yet."
And with steady steps—
He walked deeper into the shadows of the first layer.
Where new dangers were already waiting.