The torchlight in the dungeon chamber flickered against the damp walls.
The air reeked faintly of wet stone and something… rotten.
The group had gathered in a circle after the initial skirmish with the scouting goblins.
Everyone was catching their breath, tending to small cuts, and doing what all awakeners did after a real fight: checking their status.
"Alright, let's see what we've got," said Rynor, the de facto leader, cracking his knuckles. "Pull up your panels. I want power levels, skills, and mana reserves. We need to know who can pull weight."
He went first.
---
[Status – Rynor Greaves]
Talent: Steelhide (A-tier)
Level: 28
Power Level: 1,920
Strength: 245
Agility: 190
Endurance: 310
Mana: 340 / 340
Notable Skills:
Iron Skin – Reduces physical damage taken by 35%.
Bulwark Slam – Shield bash that stuns for 2 seconds.
Fortify – Temporarily increases Endurance by 50.
---
"Still holding the line, as always," Rynor grinned, tapping his shield.
Next was Alyra Fen, stepping forward without a word. Her presence drew silence. She pulled up her panel. The glowing text reflected in her violet eyes.
---
[Status – Alyra Fen]
Talent: Shadow Dominion (S-tier)
Level: 42
Power Level: 2,850
Strength: 280
Agility: 265
Endurance: 270
Mana: 1,200 / 1,200
Notable Skills:
Void Chains – Bind up to 5 targets in unbreakable shadow chains.
Eclipse Mantle – Temporarily increases all stats by 30% in darkness.
Night's Grasp – Absorbs light in a 10-meter radius, blinding enemies.
---
A low whistle came from the back. "No wonder the goblins can't get close to you," muttered Derrin, one of the archers.
Alyra's expression didn't change. She simply turned away, scanning the shadows at the edge of the torchlight.
Then the others revealed theirs, one by one:
---
[Status – Derrin Vey]
Talent: Eagle Sight (B-tier)
Level: 22
Power Level: 1,050
Strength: 130
Agility: 220
Endurance: 140
Mana: 250 / 250
Notable Skills:
Precision Shot – Guaranteed hit within 50 meters.
Piercing Arrow – Ignores 30% of target's defense.
---
[Status – Mera Tallow]
Talent: Healing Bloom (A-tier)
Level: 25
Power Level: 980
Strength: 80
Agility: 115
Endurance: 150
Mana: 900 / 900
Notable Skills:
Renew – Heal a target for 150 HP.
Rebirth Bloom – Revive a recently fallen ally at half health.
---
Finally, it was Kael Draven's turn. He hesitated, feeling all eyes on him.
The panel appeared.
---
[Status – Kael Draven]
Talent: Infinite Multiplier (???-tier)
Level: 1
Power Level: 1,200
Strength: 65
Agility: 70
Endurance: 60
Mana: 300 / 300
Notable Skills:
Multiplier's Gift (Passive) – All experience gained is multiplied by 100×.
Overflow Potential (Passive) – Excess experience spills into permanent stat gains.
---
Alyra's eyes narrowed. "Level one… with twelve hundred power? That's…"
"Impossible," Rynor finished for her.
Kael forced a shrug. "Guess the crystal was wrong about me."
Nobody replied, but the silence was heavy.
---
The Goblin Nest
The group advanced deeper into the tunnel until the sound of chittering echoed ahead. Ten goblins emerged from the darkness, crude blades glinting. Their eyes glowed faintly yellow in the torchlight.
"Formation!" Rynor barked.
Kael gripped the hilt of his borrowed iron sword. He'd sparred before, but never against something that wanted him dead.
Alyra moved first, shadows wrapped around her as Void Chains snapped into place, binding three goblins in mid-sprint. Rynor's shield smashed into another, sending it sprawling. Derrin's arrow found an eye with surgical precision.
Kael's heart pounded as one goblin lunged at him. He sidestepped, the blade scraping his arm. Pain flared, but instinct drove his counter, a quick slash across its chest. Blood sprayed, hot and metallic in the cold air.
The battle was short but brutal. The last goblin fell to Rynor's Bulwark Slam, its skull cracking against the stone.
---
[Battle Results]
Enemies Defeated: 10 Goblins (Lv. 4–6)
Base EXP Gained: 35 × 10 = 350
[Multiplier's Gift Applied ×100] → 35,000 EXP Gained
---
Kael felt a rush, like warmth flooding his limbs.
---
[Level Up!]
Current Level: 1 → 7
Stat Points Gained: +30
Bonus: Overflow Potential Activated → +12 permanent Strength, +10 Agility, +8 Endurance
---
He swallowed hard. Nobody else had seen his panel, but the others were checking their own.
"Two levels for me," Derrin said, smirking.
"One for me," Rynor grunted.
Alyra glanced at Kael briefly. "How many for you?"
"…Enough," Kael said, trying to keep his voice even.
She didn't push, but her gaze lingered for a moment longer than necessary.
The torchlight flickered as they stepped into the wide cavern.
And then they saw it.
---
[Enemy Identified]
Name: Goblin Chieftain – Floor 1 Guardian
Rank: C+ (Low Tier Boss)
Level: 35
Power Level: 2,650
Health: 5,000 / 5,000
Strength: 110
Agility: 75
Endurance: 85
Skills:
War Cry (Lv.3) – Increases allies' attack by 30% for 30 seconds.
Savage Cleave (Lv.2) – Heavy sword strike that can break shields.
Rage Mode (Lv.1) – Increases all stats by 50% for 15 seconds when health falls below 30%.
Commanding Presence – Nearby goblins fight more aggressively and take reduced damage.
---
The creature rose from its throne of bones, muscles coiled under dark green skin. Its jagged greatsword scraped the ground, sparks flying.
"...That's not just a goblin," Mera whispered.
Rynor's grip tightened on his shield. "No. That's a chieftain, and it's going to be a problem."
Kael's eyes scanned the stats. Even with his growth, those numbers were not to be taken lightly.
---
The Chieftain roared, activating War Cry. Smaller goblins erupted from tunnels, screeching, blades flashing in the torchlight.
"Formation!" Alyra barked. "Rynor front, Derrin high ground, Mera behind Rynor. Kael, flank left. Don't get greedy."
Kael's lips twitched in a faint grin. "No promises."
---
The Fight Begins
Rynor met the first wave with Shield Bash, smashing a goblin into the wall. Derrin's arrows found two skulls in quick succession. Mera's staff pulsed green, healing Rynor's arm as claws scraped at his vambrace.
A goblin lunged at Kael, he sidestepped, blade sliding between its ribs. The warm spray hit his cheek; he didn't stop moving.
The Chieftain charged, its massive frame shaking the ground. The greatsword came down like an executioner's blade. Rynor locked shields, bracing with his whole body, the impact rang like a bell, pushing him back two steps.
"Little help?!" Rynor growled.
"On it," Alyra's voice came from nowhere. Void Chains shot from the shadows, snapping around the Chieftain's ankles. It snarled, straining against the pull.
Kael sprinted in from the left, slashing across its thigh. His blade barely cut deep, but the system recognized the strike.
The Chieftain twisted, chains snapping. Savage Cleave swept horizontally, Rynor ducked just in time, the blade whistling inches above his head.
The cavern wall cracked from the force.
---
Derrin: "Aim for the joints!"
Kael: "I'll distract it!"
Rynor: "That's my job dammit, kid!"
Kael darted in, forcing the Chieftain's attention. It swung, he rolled under the arc, stabbing upward into its armpit.
Critical Hit!
It roared, backhanding him across the floor. Kael hit the stone hard, vision sparking, ribs protesting.
---
"Kael!" Mera shouted. A green pulse washed over him, the pain dulled, his breath steadied.
Alyra took the opening, shadow-stepping onto the Chieftain's back, both daggers plunging deep into its neck.
"Rynor, now!" she yelled.
The shield-bearer roared and slammed into the beast's legs. It stumbled forward, straight into Kael's waiting sword.
---
Killing Blow
Kael thrust upward with every ounce of strength, his blade punching through the Chieftain's lower jaw and into its skull.
The creature spasmed, greatsword dropping from its grip. It let out a final guttural snarl before collapsing, the impact sending dust into the air.
[Floor 1 Guardian Defeated!]
Dungeon Progress: 1%
---
EXP & Rewards
Base EXP: 1,000 (Guardian) + 40 × 12 (Goblins) = 1,480 EXP
Kael's Talent Bonus: ×100 → 148,000 EXP
[Level Up!]
Kael: Level 7 → 19
+60 Stat Points
Overflow Potential Bonus: +20 STR, +18 AGI, +15 END
---
Other Gains:
Rynor: Level 29 → 31 (+12 STR, +8 END, +6 AGI)
Alyra: Level 43 → 44 (+8 STR, +7 AGI, +5 END)
Derrin: Level 24 → 26 (+10 AGI, +6 STR, +5 END)
Mera: Level 26 → 27 (+8 END, +5 INT, +3 AGI)
---
Rynor wiped his brow. "That was… harder than I expected for Floor 1."
Alyra's eyes flicked to Kael. "Some of us handled it better than others."
Kael just smirked, already feeling the power humming through his limbs.