Counter Dungeon-Delving

As we sneak along the cold walls of the dungeon I already regret my decision of coming here.

I'd been swayed by the extra money I had been offered for joining. The girls could really use some new clothing and Melody needed some medicine for her cough. What was a little risk in return for the well being of my family, right?

Damn them, using my family's financial situation to pressure me into this. Dying here wouldn't be of any help to my family!

"Hey, carriers, make sure to keep up!"

The fighting squad had dealt with the monsters in the next room and beckoned for us to follow. We enter the room and begin to dismantle the slain monsters. This room had apparently housed a group of ten orcs, a challenge to ordinary adventurer groups but not to ours that is headed by a level 70 swordmaster.

I kneel down beside the closest orc, pull out my knife and start cutting apart the orc. After separating the meat, the skin, the bones, and the teeth I stored them in my backpack of holding. Then I finish another six orcs before we are done and continue on.

The group keeps progressing through the rooms smoothly and my anxiety reduces considerably. The fighting squad didn't have any difficulty so far and we should be reaching the last room pretty soon.

"Careful it's another room. Carriers stay back while we take care of this."

Another room huh? Hopefully they would be quick about it.

The clanging of weapons rang out into the tunnel but died down quickly.

"You can come in now."

A different voice from before calls us into the room. I'm a little disconcerted by the fact that I don't recognize the voice but I have little choice but to enter. A carrier like me can't survive in a middle-level dungeon without a fighting squad's protection.

I walk into the room ahead only to find a single hooded figure standing atop a mountain of corpses. The whole fighting squad is dead!

I barely manage to unsheath my short sword before I feel cold steel slash across my throat. My body loses all strength and I fall to the ground. I know I am about to die, my vision fades and my thoughts become more and more sluggish.

Darkness envelops me like a comfortable blanket as it washes away my pain, my worries, my everything. I can rest in peace.

Except I can't! I have a family that needs me, two teenage daughters, and a loving wife waiting for me to come back home! I need to earn money for my daughters' school fees! I can't die here!

<You wish to live?>

All my thoughts are so sluggish and what's with that voice in my head? Of course I want to live!

<Even if you have to give up your humanity?>

I can't take care of my family if I do that.

<Your family wouldn't be able to notice. Will you accept abandoning your humanity in order to live?>

I'll need to earn money-

<Work will be provided for you and you will receive money. Do you accept?>

Fine, I accept now let me rest...

<Target has accepted the contract. Begin the process of soul extraction.>

I wake up with a giant headache. My mind feels like it is buzzing and I struggle to open my eyes. Rallying all my willpower I force open my eyes and sit up. I'm in a badly lit cave much like the room I just died in.

Wait, I just died, how am I here?

My hands move to my throat on instinct and give me another shock. My hands are green and way too small!

<Guy Goodwin, please calm yourself. We are detecting strong emotional fluctuations from you.>

A crisp, female voice resounds in my mind scaring the living shit out of me. And what do you mean calm down! Why is my body like this?!

<You have become a goblin.>

I have become what?!!

<You died, agreed to give up your humanity to live on and were subsequently reincarnated as a goblin. And before you ask no, you can't go back on your decision. Now, please stand by while we finish adjusting your configurations.>

I should just wait, huh. Still, I'm alive. But what's the use of that if I can't return to my own family?

Am I really a goblin? I hold on to the feeble hope that the voice was lying and open my status. A half-transparent screen appears before my eyes and crushes any hope I have left.

Status Guy Lv. 1 Goblin

Mp 10

Strength 5

Constitution 5

Speed 5

Magic ability 0

Skills:

universal humanoid language, universal monster language, dungeon map

Sword use lv. 1; enhanced stamina lv. 2; dismantling lv. 4

I am really a goblin. And on top of that my base stats are horrendous! An average human starts with an average of ten in his base stats. That's double what I have!

At the very least I retained my skills however pitiful they may be. I also have two new ones. Universal monster language is pretty self-explanatory and dungeon map is probably a mapping ability.

Wanting to test the skill I use it and a complete map appears on the screen before me. It's a multilayered construct that represents all the dungeon's floors.

This skill was totally overpowered! With complete knowledge of the terrain delving dungeons would be so much easier.

<We have finished all adjustments. You will now be recalled, please stand by.>

What now?

Before I can react my consciousness is plunged into darkness and I feel cut off from all my senses.

When my senses return I'm lying on something soft while I look up at a white ceiling. My body feels different from before, heavier, and a little numb.

"Good evening, we hope you had a pleasant rest. Welcome to VR dungeons HQ, we hope you enjoy your stay. Now get up and follow me."

A beautiful lady in receptionist clothing stands at the end of the bed. I'm left wondering over the conflicting messages behind what she said when she walks away.

"Are you coming or do you need an extra invitation?"

I hurriedly stand up from the bed and follow her out. We traverse a few hallways until we reach an office that we enter. The lady gestures towards a chair and I take a seat. She sits across from me with a table between us and hands me a glass of water.

As I accept the glass of water I notice my own hands. They are not green and small anymore! Due to the shock I accidentally let the glass of water drop. I already fear for the worst but before the glass can fall far it is snatched back by the receptionist lady. Her speed is unnatural!

"Sorry."

"Don't mention it, everyone is shocked the first time."

"Why am I human again?"

"You are not. If you don't believe me feel free to check with your status. You are still a goblin and your stats haven't changed. However, through a transformation spell your body was made to look human so you can keep living in the alpha plane."

So the reason my body feels heavy is that my strength is lower than before. Thank God I still have my enhanced stamina skill to compensate.

"I'm sure this is all a little overwhelming for you but it must be done. You are now an employee at VR Dungeons, a cover for our operations. You will receive a salary based on your level and contributions. These are the legal documents, please sign them. As for the dungeon delve you died on, the official version is that you didn't enter due to a sudden dizzy spell. Any liable witnesses have been taken care of."

I take the papers and pen I'm offered and begin to read through them.

"Isn't this amount to little? I have a family to take care of!"

"This is only a base rate. As mentioned before, your salary is based on your level and contributions. As your level increases you will receive a higher monthly salary and for every completed mission a monetary reward will be directly deposited in your bank account."

"What are these missions?"

"We at VR dungeons have made it our mission to preserve the dungeons in other worlds and especially counteract the adventurers of the alpha plane. Your missions will consist mostly of combat deployment against adventuring parties."

"How am I supposed to fight adventurers? I couldn't even defeat the old me!"

"As a monster you receive some perks. Your soul has been altered so death is not permanent for you anymore. All your skills and levels will be preserved. In addition you are not alone, you will face them in a dungeon together with other monsters."

"Monsters like me?"

"Occasionally but mostly just normal ones. Now, please sign the documents and head home for the day. We will expect you tomorrow at 9 AM."

"Tomorrow is Saturday..."

"You are free to stay home if you are fine with the base rate salary."

I decisively sign all the documents.

"See you tomorrow then."

I leave the building feeling a bit dazed. An hour of sitting in public transportation later I arrive at the front door of our apartment. I fish the key out of my pocket and unlock the door. Upon entry I'm directly bodychecked to the floor by my two daughters.

""Your home daddy! How was your day?""

Sometimes the way they speak in perfect sync still creeps me out. Sure, they are twins and all that but it's not like their minds are linked. Usually, I'd easily be able to free myself of the two of them by just lifting them up. However, right now I already struggle carrying my own weight.

"Girls, daddy is tired so get off him. It's already past your bedtime and you know it."

""But mom! It's still early and we are already 16 years old!""

"If you girls aren't sleeping soon a vampire is going to come to get you... But if you're fine with that..."

""A vampire! No, that's scary!""

The twins jump up in unison and run off to their bedroom. Melody's gaze follows them until the door to their bedroom slams shut then it slowly drifts back to me. I'm still lying on the floor so I carefully get up.

"You are hurt?"

It's more of a statement than a question. Melody and I have known each other for years now and she can easily tell that something is wrong with me. Seeing the worry in her eyes makes me feel a pang in my heart.

"I'm not injured but a lot of things happened so I'm tired."

"The team you delved with was reported dead in action. What happened?"

"I didn't participate so I don't know. I had a sudden dizzy spell and got left behind."

"I get the feeling that there is something you are hiding from me. If you weren't in the dungeon why did you only return now?"

"Look, I can't really talk about what happened today but I have a stable job now and if I work hard I can earn more money than before."

"You can't tell me about it? Are you doing something illegal, are you working for gangsters?"

"I assure you it's nothing like that. The place I work at is called VR dungeons. When I come home tomorrow I'll be able to tell you more."

"You're going to work on a Saturday?"

"It's complicated but yes, I'm new so I have to make some concessions."

"It's about money again, isn't it. You don't need to earn more, we can manage! But why am I even saying this, it's not like you'll listen. Let's just go to sleep."