Hyper Luck

It’s been quite some time since I left Ramzbush.

It was chilly in the forest during the evening, but my Black Mountain leather kept me fairly warm.

I had my Mulek Mountain Steel Long Sword equipped on my waist, but I couldn’t even feel its weight due to my high strength stat.

“Now that I think about it, it’s my first time walking through a forest like this.”

I took a deep breath and looked around me. The messy dirt road was illuminated slightly behind all the fallen leaves.

Ramzbush was a small town located north of Asparagan; I kept moving north, even further from Asparagan. To be honest, I didn’t make any plans for my whereabouts before heading out on this journey.

It was indeed a bold plan, but I was gunning for the fact that you could find “Dungeons” or even “Ruins” just by exploring randomly.

For such a lucky occasion, I needed to have a sense of uncertainty. Unlike real life, “Chance” in this world worked concretely, and accurately.

If you lost your life, you could wait out a week of the death penalty and play again.

Or, if you found a dungeon, even if you fail the first time you could just try again.

In a world with such principles, making elaborate plans did matter as much.

In the end, knowing where I’ll be headed means someone else is likely to have the same information. Therefore, the area will be congested with NPCs or users like me. What good is in that?

Having to experience things for the first time is, in its essence, the definition of luck.

It was the kind of realization I’ve gained from reminiscing myself frantically hunting slimes before.

It was better to think that this dull walk would in turn help me appreciate the fruition of hard work.

After the sunset, the forest took a darker tone.

From time to time, some peculiar plants illuminated in the dark forest, like a lighthouse in the dark sea.

“Inventory.”

Though it’s a game, since it was virtual reality, I had to prepare for the darkness in the forest.

As I held up a wooden club covered by a stem with numerous holes, it radiated light from each hole.

Glow cane stick. It was a type of torch.

Along with the torch, I took out some dry bread and started chewing it. It was what I purchased back in Ramzbush.

It was very dry bread, but instead of being tough and flavorless, this bread got sweeter as you chewed.

Any new experience gave a different perspective to the simplest of things. I was no exception, as I enjoyed the foreign sensation in my mouth.

After getting prepared as such, I went back on the road. The starry night gave a positive impression of the journey ahead.

After arriving at the endpoint of the trail, I realized I was at the dead center of the forest.

I moved around aimlessly for nearly an hour, and it was no exaggeration to say that I’ve gotten completely lost.

As the Glow cane stick I held was starting to lose its glimmer, 

“Rock?”

That was my first impression.

It was my reaction to the strange sensation I’ve felt after walking in the damp ground of the forest.

At that moment, 

With eerie background music, a frightening set of red text appeared in front of me.

<Black Root Cave>

< First Discovery! >

As first to discover this place, 

Your strength is raised by one.

Dungeon!

It was a dungeon!

***

***

Regarded as the identity of the RPG genre, it was a place that was filled with danger, but with a compensatable amount of loot!

As I approached it, the nearby black rocks formed an intimidating mountain and blocked my way.

After closer inspection, I noticed a small pitch-black entrance that seemingly stared back at me.

The first dungeon I’ve discovered in this game. For that achievement, I’ve gained a stat point. It was an amazing reward, that was equivalent to leveling up without putting in any work.

Filled with expectations, I headed towards the cave slowly.

“Inventory.”

Before entering the cave, I opened up my inventory to take out the “Adventurer’s kit” I’ve purchased from Ramzbush.

A kit for the most basic adventurers, as the name suggests, it contained many essential items for newbie adventurers like me.

Out of the numerous gadgets contained within, What I took out was a small yellow orb.

[Bellesect’s Orb]

Type: Expendables

Grade: Normal

By squeezing the orb, it will illuminate. The range of illumination is fifteen meters radius based on the marble. (Thirty-minute duration)

History: Also regarded as a Flashworm, a Bellesect contains an organ that lets out strong bioluminescence to attract nearby mates, or confuses predators. The Bellesect’s Orb is an invention made from utilizing that feature! – Vector explaining from the Inventions Convention –

In simple terms, it was a flashlight.

After squeezing the soft orb, the small object quickly started to disperse light.

By tying the orb to my waist, the pitch-black cave has become observable.

The interior of the cave was very spacious.

There were numerous rotten roots on the ceiling with water dripping from them, whereas the cave floor was as damp as it can be.

All over the cave, there were occasional unrecognizable writings from a red dye, which contributed to the overall atmosphere.

As I ventured deeper into the cave, the interior kept on growing larger. At a contradicting size compared to the pea-sized entrance, I was growing a little frightened.

Only after passing by a great hall littered with red writing, I recognized some of the writings on one of the slates.

“This…”

Seemed like a diary of some sort.

Mixed with the empire’s language, the writing went a little something like this.

[Morutal, Ivory, and Skull. These cursed words imprisoned us.]

[The death’s shadows quickly enveloped our army]

[We, who fought for our lives, did not get to enjoy the gratification of death.]

[We pray for the one who cursed us to forever be in excruciating pain.]

After fully deciphering the contents, I felt an ominous change in the hall I was in.

It wasn’t the sound made from a single entity.

The noise quickly surrounded me in sync, as if they’ve been waiting for this moment.

Shortly,

I could find out the source of this ruckus.

Discovered from the light of my Bellesect’s Orb, 

What I saw was a decaying skull.

It was Skeletons.

<Lv. 7 Skeleton>

Thankfully, their levels weren’t that high.

The problem lies in their numbers. I could not even fathom how many there were at that short notice.

“Gasp!”

There were no screams of terror, but my tight chest blocked my breath. The skeletons, who could not care less about my situation, quickly started to charge at me.

“Uh, Uahhhh!”

Quickly, I took out the Mulek Mountain’s Steel Long Sword. Despite its exterior, this was a magic-grade weapon.

I took the sword and swung it as hard as I could at the first set of skeletons rushing towards me.

The sword let out a glow reflected from my orb, which was reminiscent of a half-moon.

Screech!

Any skeleton within reach of my half-moon disintegrated.

“Huff…”

I was able to take down any skeleton that was within reach of my long sword.

To add on, I was never able to swing a blade this precise within the entirety of playing this game.

This was the explosive synergy made from a rare-grade accessory, a set of magic-grade armor, and a magic-grade weapon.

Despite not having any specialized class in combat, five or so skeletons were defeated from the swing of my sword.

Only after recognizing that fact, some form of confidence lit up inside me, and I held my sword with both hands.

“Hmph!”

After taking a deep breath, I swung my sword towards the group of skeletons.

Unstoppable!

That was the impression I had. With strength and speed stats unthinkable for my level, I was annihilating any skeletons in my way.

When I swung my blade into the waves of skeletons, they exploded violently, like a wave hitting a cliff.

Although their weapons were rusted, the little luster in their blades shone around me as they flew away.

Slash! Slash!

My rough swings, as if swinging a baseball bat. Despite the bluntness of my swings, the skeletons flew away regardless.

“Puff! Puff!”

I was running out of breath.

Sweat has infiltrated within my leather armor. My neck guard has dampened from my breaths.

After quickly readjusting my armor, I looked around.

The mountain of bones in front of me was a sight to behold. Until I caught my breath, I did not look away from the bone mountain once.

After checking, there were no survivors, I looked back. Two sets of texts appeared in front of me, along with a trumpet sound effect.

< You have leveled up. >

< You have leveled up. >

After hearing the same sound effect two times, I’ve gained two levels just like that.

The young teen who couldn’t even breathe properly before, 

“Yes!”

Danced in joy and happiness.

But, this was not the end of the dungeon.

After exiting the hall, I moved towards the deeper route. At the end of the road, many dead bodies seemingly met a terrible fate.

Unlike the skeletons from earlier, the horrific scene of the dead bodies made me sick.

“Uak…”

In the end, it made me cuss. But, enduring the sickness, I slowly headed inside a room to find an altar inside. 

[I despise them. I despise the Empire.]

[I despise the empire who stripped me of my skin, and ridiculed my soul.]

[I despise the empire who lied about their help to engulf my town in flames.]

[I despise the empire who trapped us in this room and waited for us to starve.]

[They are remnants of their dishonorable lives]

[They are deserters of the empire]

[The deserters of the empire put on their masks to coax us into believing they were from the empire.]

[To this, I, Morutal will place a curse on you.]

[The curse to never be able to leave this cave! The curse of despair to not be freed from death!]

[Morutal, Ivory, Skull!]

A set of descriptions that seemingly contradicted the ones from earlier appeared. After discerning what events took place in this room, I mourned the skulls that were littered on the ground.

Soon after,

A middle-aged man’s voice has reached my ears.

In front of my eyes, a crimson set of texts appeared.

< Assault Quest Activated >

Grade: B

You can subjugate the leader of the deserters that Morutal sealed, “Gilutin”.

Activation Trigger: Speak the cursed words.

The first quest I’ve received in a dungeon was the newest type of quest in this game; The ‘Assault’ quest.

The middle-aged man’s voice and the crimson text both frightened me.

But, I did not hesitate.

The activation trigger for this quest was blatantly obvious.

After a moment of silence,

I opened my mouth.

“Morutal, Ivory, Skull.”