Another goblin, its face twisted in death, crashed onto the stone floor of the dungeon, covered in shadows and blood. Its body twitched for a few seconds more before falling still.
[You have slain a Leprous Goblin-Warrior — LVL 10.]
[You have gained experience.]
[You have reached LVL 10.]
Cain, drenched in sweat and dust, leaned heavily against the cold, damp wall. His breath tore from his chest like a wild beast desperate for escape. His chest heaved — too many battles, too little rest. Two hours of relentless goblin slaughter — and every strike, every move drained strength that was already close to depletion. His stamina was gone, as was his patience.
But not all was in vain. He had reached level ten. Half a hundred goblins had fallen to his blade — quite the haul. Though he bitterly admitted to himself that had the enemies been even slightly stronger, he might have gained more... But fate had been stingy — most goblins here were weak and pitiful.
Yet not all of them.
Two variants had given him real trouble.
[Leprous Goblin-Warrior] — short but stocky, armed with a long rusty sword and clad in equally rusty light armor that creaked with every move.
And then there was the [Leprous Goblin-Archer] — silent, sneaky, always hiding in the shadows, loosing arrows from his wooden bow. Those arrows hissed through the air like irritated snakes hunting prey. Cain had to put in serious effort to take down the two — especially the latter. His accuracy was maddening.
But what pleased Cain most was something else — during the entire skirmish, he hadn't suffered a single attack.
The pills that usually saved him from pain remained untouched in his pocket.
But there was no time to relax.
His gaze slid toward the door at the far end of the cavern.
They loomed in the distance like the gaping maw of an ancient beast. Old, cracked, overgrown with moss and vines, the doors were made of a black, rough material that absorbed light. They led to the Boss Room — the final trial.
The Boss. The dungeon's deadliest creature.
Always a step above the rest, the Boss stood as a crowned punishment, a sentinel placing the final dot in the story of reckless glory-seekers.
Each Boss held not only power but a title that marked the chasm between it and a normal monster:
Common. Advanced. Rare. Elite. Legendary. Mythic.
Each tier — a gulf. Even an Advanced Boss was several times stronger than a regular monster of the same level.
And there could be surprises.
Sometimes the Boss Room held more than one opponent. Rare, but it happened.
Then survival became far more difficult.
Cain exhaled heavily, lowering his head.
"Ehh…"
"Master Cain, please," Eli stepped forward carefully, holding out a small, pale-glowing pill.
Cain recognized it instantly — a Recovery Tablet.
Its glow shimmered like a star trapped in crystal. It fully restored resources: Health, Mana, Stamina. But its effectiveness depended on its rank.
This one was rank F — one of the simplest, but right now it felt like a breath of life to Cain.
He swallowed it without hesitation — the bitter taste dissolved instantly in his mouth, and his body was flooded with warmth. Fatigue slowly melted away like mist before the dawn.
"Thank you," he said, nodding to Eli.
His eyes briefly lingered on her and Sebastian, who stood nearby. As instructed, they hadn't interfered — just watched the entire time he fought the monsters.
Cain looked at the door again.
Black. Ominous.
He inhaled deeply and, without hesitation, opened his status.
Time to strengthen himself. Before what awaited beyond those doors.
—
STATUS
Name: Cain Ravenshade
Race: Human / Age: 9 / Gender: Male
Class: None
Title: The Stain of the Ravenshades
Rank: G
Level (LVL): 6 → 10
Condition: Slightly tired
Elemental Affinity: Space (0.05%)
—
STATS
Health: 100 / 100
Stamina: 200 / 200
Strength: 10 → 15 {+ 25}
Endurance: 15 → 20
Agility: 10 {+ 8}
Wisdom: 33 → 35
Intelligence: 41 → 45
Intuition: 20
Perception: 30 {+ 5}
Willpower: 25
Charisma: 10
Luck: 1
Unassigned Attribute Points: 20 → 4
—
ENERGIES
Mana: 200 / ???
Psychic Energy: 1399 / 1500
—
SKILLS
Mental Pulse (Level 2 → 4)
Sight Compression (Level 1 → 2)
Careful Shift (Level 1 → 3)
—
SPELLS
Spell "Spark" (Level 3 → 4)
Spell "Breeze Blade" (Level 2 → 3)
—
Cain quickly distributed the stat points. His fingers glided across the holographic interface.
Then, frowning slightly, he opened the other tabs — and something made him freeze. His gaze sharpened. He leaned closer, reading the lines, and muttered barely audibly, as if sharing a secret with his own shadow:
"Skills… increased. And several spells too… Hm…"
Cain didn't know how to properly assess his growth.
Was it fast or slow?
He simply didn't know.
He hadn't paid much attention to that question. And decided to put it aside for now.
But he shouldn't have.
Because his growth rate was…
Abnormal. Threatening.
No one possessed such a pace.
Cain sighed quietly.
"No more resting."
He resolutely moved toward the door.
His figure slid through the half-darkness — calm, silent, focused.
When only a few steps remained, a voice called behind him:
"Master… be careful."
Cain slowed. Looked back.
Eli and Sebastian stood behind him. Their eyes were filled with restrained worry. But neither stepped forward.
And he knew why.
This place had its own laws.
Anyone could enter. But only the victor could leave.
They couldn't go with him.
Cain looked at them a little longer than necessary.
His voice was quiet but firm:
"Don't worry. I'll return."
He turned back to the door.
Placed his hand on the heavy surface. It was cold, like a stone soaked by rain.
When his fingers pressed, something shifted.
The door groaned open with a deep rumble that seemed to echo through the entire dungeon.
And from the darkness beyond came not just a chill — but expectation.
Cain stepped across the threshold.
The doors, silently, like a predator on the hunt, closed behind him.