Chapter 11 (2/2)

Blue Energy Bead: A refined version of a blue energy shard. Not edible.

Ignoring the strange insult from the description, Randidly pulled out one of the glowing blue crystal he had harvested from the tree.

Blue Energy Shard: Basic, low grade material. Can be refined into various potions.

With glittering eyes, Randidly turned to the red Halnut bush.

****

4 hours later, having gained two more levels in Analyze, and two in Potion Making, Randidly returned to the pool.

“Shal. I think this might be more powerful.” Randidly’s voice was carefully controlled, because whatever it was that he had created, it had leveled him twice in potion making in one go. And when he tried to analyze it, he had failed.

Instead of regular red and blue energy shards, Randidly had used the beads. And he had used water with a few drops of the Origin Bananas juice as a base. He had failed 3 times, getting the ratios just slightly off. It seemed that as the level of the potion increased, the requirements were even more exact. But on the 4th try...

Once more Shal beckoned, and Randidly threw him the potion. This time, when his third eye gazed at it, his entire gaze sharpened, his two normal eyes opening.

“This… even I do not recognize it… But….” After a few moments of hesitation, Shal threw it back. Immediately he huddled lower in the pond, submerging even his head.

For several seconds, nothing happened. Then the water began to bubble and boil around him. Randidly cautiously backed away. Which turned out to be a wise decision, because a giant black bat, made of a black mist, erupted upwards from Shal. It screeched and gazed around, its ethereal eyes finally finding Randidly. With a roar, it charged.

But before it had moved an inch, a spear shot up and skewered it. With a weird explosion, the bat deflated and disappeared. With a huge grin, Shal leaped out of the pool, laughing.

“Wonderful, wonderful! You have saved me many days in this terrible room. I shall repay you immediately- are you ready to leave the dungeon?”

****

The trip to the entrance was surreal. Randidly barely had time to harvest all his plants until he was dragged out. Shal explained that you passively lost experience while in a safe room, which is why no one in there right mind would stay there.

‘And also why me being there didn’t matter…’ Randidly thought.

Most of the way Shal carried Randidly, leaping large distances through the forest. Shal explained that the enemies around here were below 30, mostly meant to grind down weaklings’ resources. It was only in the area right after Randidly’s safe room, where the forest gave way to plains, that the dungeon became difficult. It was there that Shal was cursed by a Orc Shaman Mini-Boss after sustaining serious injuries, leaving him in such a wounded state that he was forced to take shelter in the safe room.

Then Shal sighed. “However, it is hard. The mental attacks of the Shaman are too confusing. I might need to spend a few months leveling to get my Willpower high enough to withstand them….”

For the rest of the journey, Shal was silent.

It only took about 5 hours, with Randidly riding on Shal’s back. To distract himself, Randidly had been meditating, and even got a skill level.

Then they arrived at a set of huge iron doors.

“Here, friend, just press your hand against the doors and click yes.” Shal smiled good naturedly at Randidly. Honestly, Shal’s whole outlook had changed since Randidly had given him that potion.

After a small hesitation, as Randidly wondered how to thank this strange, alien man, This action, of bringing him to the entrance of the dungeon, likely had saved his life. If he had been left to his own devices in here...

Randidly just nodded. He wasn’t really a sappy sort.

But when he pressed his hand to the door, the notification made the blood drain from his face.

You are unable to enter the dungeon. Please choose a class and reach level 10 before proceeding. (There is no further level requirement, but please see Dungeon Level for a guideline of the necessary strength).

“...but….” Randidly said aloud. “I’m trying to leave…?”