Kira pulsed Illusion Weave, spending 10 Mana to conjure a flickering spark of fire at the tunnel's mouth.
The illusion danced, casting jagged shadows that confused the swarm, their skittering faltering for precious seconds.
It bought his minions time to regroup, but the cost stung—his mana was draining fast.
"Goblin!" Kira's command was a mental shout.
"Lure them to the trap! Slime, block the tunnel—use your body if you have to!"
Useless shrieked, his voice a guttural wail, and sprinted past the pit trap, his limping gait clumsy but desperate.
Two rats followed, their claws scraping the stone.
The trap triggered again with a bone-jarring crunch, the slab collapsing.
One rat died instantly, its skull crushed. The other squealed, its leg mangled, trapped in the shallow pit.
The final rat, larger than the rest, leapt for Kira's core.
Its claws scrabbled up the cracked stone pedestal, close enough that he felt the vibration through his Core Sense, a violation that sparked primal rage.
The slime, with a last burst of effort, flung itself like a wet blanket, intercepting the rat mid-air.
Acid hissed, dissolving the creature into a steaming puddle that dripped down the altar, leaving a faint scorch mark.
Silence fell, heavy as the dungeon's damp air.
The goblin's ragged breathing echoed, his chest heaving.
The slime sizzled softly, its form quivering on the brink of collapse.
System Notification:
Essence absorbed: Cave Rat (x10) – +5 XP total
Current XP: 5/15 (Level 0)
Mana Remaining: 42/100
Five experience points.
For that disaster.
Kira's core dimmed, a spiritual exhaustion settling in.
He had no body, yet the weight of betrayal, of failure, pressed on him.
His slime was a dripping mess, barely cohesive.
Useless was chewing on a rat's tail, spitting fur and grumbling.
The pit trap was broken again, its stone slab cracked, mocking his weakness.
Five XP, he thought, bitterness coiling like smoke.
I need ten more to level up, and I'm already falling apart.
He summoned his status, the numbers glowing in his mind's eye like a cruel ledger.
Dungeon Status
Level: 0
XP: 5/15
Mana Pool: 42/100 (Regeneration: 1/minute)
Influence Range: 10 meters
Defense Rating: 5
Minions Active: 2/3
Trap: Pit Trap (Broken)
Skills: Core Sense, Basic Spawn, Illusion Weave
Kira's core pulsed with disgust.
One rat chewed my wall.
My wall.
This dungeon is pathetic.
The goblin, oblivious, sat in the slime's oozing puddle, mistaking it for a seat.
The slime squeaked—a wet, indignant sound—and shoved him off, its body rippling in protest.
Maybe I'll let the next rats eat them both, Kira thought, his core flickering with dark amusement.
Then, a new sensation pricked his Core Sense, sharp, from just beyond the tunnel's mouth.
A presence, not skittering or frantic, but steady.
Humanoid.
Alone.
Its footsteps were calm, measured, each one echoing like a drumbeat in the dark, growing closer.
System Notification:
Detected: Adventurer (lv 1)
Status: Approaching Dungeon
Kira's core flared, its blue glow brightening, casting jagged shadows across the chamber.
His exhaustion burned away, replaced by a cold, ruthless anticipation.
Finally.
A real enemy.
The betrayal's pain stirred, Avelia's face flashing in his mind, her cold command to die.
This adventurer, whoever they were, would be the first to taste his vengeance.
Hopefully.