Chapter 8: In Plain Sight

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Soul Level: 16

Vitality: 12

Attunement: 12

Endurance: 12

Strength: 12

Dexterity: 15

Resistance: 11

Intelligence: 11

Faith: 13

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My eyes opened after spending my souls to increase my stats. I only had enough for four measly levels, but even a slight increase in my overall strength is good. Using the leftovers I also invested in my pyromancy flame and was left with a grand total of two whole souls.

"Now it's time to check out the bottomless box."

I summoned the box, which looked more like a chest, and it opened with a creak. To my dismay, barely anything remained. Only a few titanite shards and one chunk, some blooming purple moss clumps, a slumbering dragon crest ring, a sunlight talisman, and a black knight shield I left there before facing Lord Gwyn.

"Not even any armour?"

Years of hard work gone, reduced to nothing but empty space. Imaginary tears welled in my eyes because I didn't how to cry. The box went back into the fire and returned to my body after I grabbed some items while depositing my valuables.

The journey to the fourth floor resumed. My legs dawdled up each step even with the reduced load of weight; the battle with the goblin drained me a lot more than I had hoped. Despite being a small flight, the stairs appeared endless under the onset of lethargy.

The entrance presented itself after a short while and waiting on the other side was the worst thing I could encounter at this current moment. A mob double the size of the one from the village stampeded towards me, the ground shuddering under their onslaught. Goblins, dog creatures and battle lizards all teamed up together like a nice little gang of buddies going for a trip to crush some skulls.

Fighting wasn't an option. Even with pyromancy and now weak miracles, their numbers were too large. All it took was being surrounded, and then I'd be turned into a blood ridden sponge from all their poking.

That blue goblin must have lured them with its shrill howls; even in death, it only sought to make life harder.

They approached en masse, unaware of me gawking at them.

The sleeping dragon crest ring slipped onto my finger and all sounds I made silenced in an instant. Even my voice no longer worked.

If sneaking myself out of this was an option, I'd take it. Though, their sheer numbers clogged the narrow halls and didn't present opportunities to slip through. That left, hiding or running deeper into the dungeon, as my only option. The former sounded better.

Sliding down the stairs, I returned to floor five and sat up against a wall. Enough blood from slaughtering monsters already coagulated on my armour and soaked the clothing beneath it. If I stayed still and didn't make as much as a peep, one would think I was just another unlucky victim of the dungeon.

Did you think I'd hide in the dark or something stupid?

Playing dead was a form of hiding in plain sight and, according to my observations, these denizens weren't anywhere near smart enough to even consider checking if a corpse such as myself was still alive.

Ferocious tapping from the stairs invaded my ears.

My eyelids sealed themselves. I gave up control over my body. Now it was all up to luck to save me.

Tap tap tap.

One of them passed by, and then the bulk of the horde.

"Hiss!"

A moist breath landed on me.

Shit.

My conscience clashed against the will of my body to plunge my blade right through that reptile's scaly snout.

The lizard snorted and disappeared into the wall of footsteps.

In this state, seconds turned into hours and hours turned into years. Depressing helplessness I had only ever experienced in the Tomb of The Giants overwhelmed me.

"What the fuck is a horde this size doing here?" Yelled an enraged voice, tinged with fear.

The taps broke into furious thuds; all hell broke loose.

"Fuck! Prepare for combat!"

An intense ensued between the horde and whoever was unlucky enough to have to deal with them.

I opened my eyes, stood up, and ran like the wind. That horde was no longer my problem.

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"Wow, if it isn't the smartass 'Kidding Right' from before. I'm surprised you're still walking on your two feet, let alone alive."

The employee guy was still working; how sad.

"Nice to see you again." I walked over to the desk, showing a smug smile, "I'm happy to inform you that my expedition into the dungeon was a fruitful endeavour."

"If you don't have anything important, then buzz off I have more important things to tend to."

I wiped the shit-eating grin off my face and slammed the blood-covered adventurer cards onto his clean desk.

"Five dead adventurers on floor five, mashed beyond being recognisable."

"You... how did you get this?"

"They were all killed by a hammer-wielding goblin that I dispatched."

"Stop ignoring-"

The shrivelled magic stone rolled alongside the adventurer cards.

"Is there any payment for bringing their cards back?"

The employee took a deep breath.

"Quit cutting me off, and no. We got rid of paying people for that kind of service after an incident occurred."

"Disappointing."

My back was facing him before he knew it.

"Wait!"

"You said floor five, right?"

"Are you deaf and an idiot?"

A vein bulged on his forehead. "You're lucky I'm at work right now. Anywhere else and I would have pounded your face into next week."

"Whatever, man. Don't go hollow from sitting there all day. Haha."

I walked away, waving goodbye to my dearest guild employee.