30 Chapter 30: Training (1/2)
Wilhelm treaded along the rock-strewn cavern, the light breeze fluttering his hair, plastering it to the back of his head. An assortment of animal tracks littered the ground, varying greatly in size. Some seemed to resemble a reptile-esque creature, while others were similar to a mammals paw. They were still relatively fresh, causing Wilhelm to creep along the sides of the cave, concealing his presence to the best of his abilities. Since the grotto was riddled with monsters, it was better to be safe than sorry.
There appeared to be no order, nor repetitiveness when it came to the dungeon. Hence, things grottenburgs and ants lived on the same floor. Mammals and insects co-existed with each other, even laying hundreds of eggs which bred man-eating larva. Rationality was nonexistent inside of the dungeon. It was like an entirely different world. Things such as expectations and assumptions would get you killed while preparing for the worst would be your best bet at survival.
Wilhelm was painfully aware of this fact; thus, he tip-toed around the trail without a hint of shame. He held his daggers close to his side, pointing the tip forward in anticipation of an enemy. Low growls and all sorts of other sounds reverberated throughout the floor, a stark contrast in comparison to the bottom floor. No particular race held an advantage over the other, so constant chaos wafted about.
With a caution frown, Wilhelm soon made it around the corner, a strange sight unveiling itself in front of him. The darkness was swept away by a piercing light that descended from the roof, showcasing the blazing sun that was hung high in the sky.The light was reflected off of a beautiful lake, glistering within it. Creatures of all kinds were busy drinking from the body of water, that, or fighting over territory.
It was big enough to incorporate hundreds of creatures, but only a few dozen or so were present. They drank the water in packs, one at a time, their partners guarding their back as they drank. Giant wolves controlled the right side of the lake, while red, bear-like monsters were protecting the south. As for the other two sides, an enormous number of strange insects crawled about with no sense of direction. There appeared to be some form of tacit understanding among the beasts, but there were still some arrogant fellows trying to pick fights.
Wilhelm observed all of this within a few moments, surveying the terrain to every minute detail. The entire area was surrounded by thick rocks, encasing the sparkling lake within a dome-like prism. Smaller, and sharper rocks protruded out of the outer layer, seemingly creating an inescapable prison.
A natural, elevated plateau could be seen a fair distance away, bordering the eastern wall. None of the other creatures happened to be next to it, so Wilhelm decided to use this time to obtain an advantage. Unlike the animals that roamed about inside of the dungeon, Wilhelm possessed opposable thumbs. Perhaps, only the strange looking bears could climb as efficiently as he.
With this in mind, he dashed toward the eastern wall, alarming a few of the other creatures in the process. The wolves, in particular, raised their ears and jolted their heads in Wilhelm's direction, scrutinizing him. He was something that the monsters on the second floor had yet to engage, so their curiosity could be imagined.
Not to mention the fear of the unknown, Wilhelm also possessed quite a dangerous feeling that surrounded him. His past training on top of killing the giant spider resulted in him gaining an almost supernatural aura that warded vicious creatures away. Furthermore, the appeal of the water was far too great for any of the animals to stop and attack a singular human.
It was due to these reasons that Wilhelm reached the outer walls without much inconvenience. He then strapped his daggers to his waist and began to climb up the wall, one protruding rock at a time. His goal was to reach the raised plateau so that he could gain a birds-eye view of the large lake. Perhaps, he would even make it his temporary residence.
Like a monkey, he continued upward until he reached his destination, pulling himself over the ledge. Small rocks fell to the ground as he climbed up, ricocheting off of the surface and bouncing toward the lake. Thankfully, it was capable of holding Wilhelm's weight, not even shaking in the slightest.
Wilhelm dusted off his limbs as he yawned into the air, scratching the back of his hairy head in the process. He was a bit higher in the air, so the breeze was stronger than before, caressing his face with a gentle touch. The other monsters were unaware of where he had disappeared, and none of them thought to look up.
He walked toward the edge of the plateau, gazing downward. The lake looked even more beautiful than before, as if it were welcoming him with open arms. Unlike the smelly caverns, the air in the dome-like area was quite fresh as well, creating an almost perfect place to rest. Nonetheless, the massive quantity of powerful creatures was a bit disheartening.
A few plans formulated inside of Wilhelms' head as he laid down on the ground. Water had already been temporarily taken care of, and he could wait to eat food until tomorrow. The main thing he needed right now was a plan to become stronger. And what better place to do that than an untouchable height.
As he thought to here, a strong sense of understanding assaulted Wilhelm. Since he gained experience and strength through killing monsters, that goes to say that training his body would also increase his power. Perhaps, both exercise and practice would not only actually raise his stats, but also supply him with skills.
A smile formed on his lips as he reached this conclusion, causing him to check his status with expectation.
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[Character Information]