12 Chapter 12: Grottenburg (1/2)

Wilhelm stared blankly at the dozens of notifications that appeared in his line of sight as if it were an interface. Had just gotten finished burying a corpse, and now he was stuck in a dungeon that he couldn't escape from.

The surroundings were extremely dark. Even with his night-eye skill, he could barely see within the darkness. Droplets of water periodically fell to the ground, bringing shivers to Wilhelm's spine. The sense of extreme danger assaulted every fiber of his being.

In an attempt to leave, Wilhelm scooted a few inches back and tried to move through the way he had come from. But to no avail, the blue barrier would not budge. Instead, it seemed to close in on him the more he tried to leave.

Wilhelm heaved a deep sigh as he turned around, facing the darkness. He could vaguely see four entrances, each one possessing a set of peculiar characteristics. Like jaws, they were full of razor-sharp teeth that bordered the entrance. Each mouth seemingly belonged to a different type of species. One was thicker, one was lankier, another seemed to be an insect of some kind, and lastly, there appeared to be an oversized lions mouth.

He contemplated his options for a few moments, neither of the four looked too appealing. However, his rumbling stomach and dry mouth forced him to make a quick decision. Thus, he hesitantly entered into the lion's mouth.

Wilhelm wasn't one who feared death, but he wouldn't just sit around and do nothing if it came his way. He wanted to die in a fierce battle, that was the most thrilling way to fight. Alas, if there was no water in the dungeon, then he would inevitably fall.

With this in mind, he cautiously treaded across the entrance. He used his hands to trail the sides of the wall as he walked, fearful of losing his way. His sight was practically useless so he constantly perked up his ears and listened closely.

Tranquility enveloped the entire cave, however, that was merely a facade. Wilhelm could feel that he wasn't alone; something else was looking at him. Whether or not that thing was stronger than him, Wilhelm wasn't too sure.

Like this, he slowly walked through the cave. Not too quick and not too slow, caution was of most importance, even if he was starving. Suddenly, he could hear the hurtling of wind from behind him. Shocked, he tried to dodge to the right.

Unfortunately, he was too slow and a small gash appeared on his left shoulder. A few droplets of blood dripped from his arms and stained his already dirty clothes. Wilhelm's eyes squinted as he stood in place, receiving his dagger from his pocket.

Even the shiny dagger couldn't gleam within the darkness, however, the creature that had attacked Wilhelm halted due to the threat of the blade. A battle of patience was something that Wilhelm had long mastered, thus, he was in no hurry.

He was well aware of the fact that the creature he faced was a skilled predator. Nonetheless, he too was a hunter. Killing from the shrouds of darkness was something he had long gotten used to, so he knew exactly what was going to happen.

He temporarily put aside his rumbling stomach, dry mouth, and sore body. His eyes gently closed as the knife in his hands danced rhythmically. Animals were prone to noises, especially in a secluding and quiet cave.

Wilhelm periodically tapped the side of the cave,tapping it faster and slower at different times. The sound echoed throughout the cave and a small smile played on his lips as a minute growl resounded a few meters behind him.

Immediately, he stopped tapping on the wall and cut the edge of the cave with his knife, creating a few sparks. It barely illuminated the appearance of the creature. It was a grey and round creature with two round eyes on top of its head. Seven limbs extended from its torso and a rather grotesque expression was on its face.

It possessed no fur and was around two meters long, three feet wide. It lunged toward Wilhelm once the sparks showcased its whereabouts. With a dagger in hand, Wilhelm counter-attacked and also charged forward.

He evaded the abundance of limbs that shot at him, albeit barely. Soon, he closed the distance. The few cuts on his abdomen, back, and shoulders bled profusely as he finally reached the creature. Its mouth was opened wide and a set of sharp teeth presented itself.

A foul stench assaulted Wilhelms nose as he stabbed toward the creature, his night-eye skill barely possessing the capability of sight. The knife coursed through the air and time seemed to stop as the monster attempted to bite Wilhelm.

The incongruous monster, however, was a tad bit slower. The knife directly stabbed into its eye and caused it to scream out in pain. However, Wilhelm wasn't done yet. He let go of the knife and used his bare hands to strike the nape of the creature.

With pinpoint accuracy, he continuously punched its neck. The monster flailed its absurd amount of limbs and injured Wilhelm in a last-ditch effort, alas, the life in its eyes slowly faded. Nonetheless, Wilhelm continued to punch until brain-matter was flung onto his clothes.

His bloody and exhausted figure soon collapsed onto the corpse as he stared listlessly into space. The wounds on his body stung and he could only curse his bad luck. Not only was he transported to this god-forsaken world alone, but he also happened to stumble across a dangerous dungeon as well.

[Grottenburg (infant) has been slain]

[250 experience has been acquired]

[You have leveled up!]

[One allocatable stat point is now available]

”That was an infant…?” Wilhelm whispered as his eyes nearly popped out of his skull. Just the mere thought of facing the mother of that rather ugly creature made him nearly barf. Its obscene appearance had really scarred him for life.

Another deep sigh escaped from his lips as he stood up from the ground, dusting off his clothes. He tied a few pieces of cloth around his wounds and prayed to the gods that he wasn't poisoned. He then looked over his status.