Dungeon Diving

The flame of the torch flickered as we walked. The torchlight lit up the area of a few meters around us, further than that, pitch black awaited. This torch in my hand felt like a match in a sea of darkness, barely fending off from being engulfed by it.

It was at this time that I regretted not bringing a mage, or going to an actual dungeon with magic stones lighting the area. Instead, I chose this nest bed of goblins, filled with an acrid smell of piss, blood, and shit. It all mushed together and exacerbated each other in my nostrils, brewing up the urge to gag from the depths of my throat. My Strong Will was the only thing that kept me from obeying that urge.

The smell wasn't the only problem, my left arm which was holding the torch and buckler was starting to ache. The heat which licked my face uncomfortably, made it feel like my sweat was boiling.

Having enough of this novel experience of holding a torch, I handed the torch to Lefty who took it without a word. I felt a little sorry, especially since I held it so they didn't have to. Since I figured, you know, hot armor probably didn't feel the nicest. But I consoled myself of my guilt by saying they had stronger bodies than me, which was certainly the case. Because I haven't seen a single bead of sweat on either of their faces.

-sskc

We all stopped in place. Whatever made that noise did too. The sound of the fire cackling was the only noise I heard, aside from the very sound of our own breathing and my beating heart. My body tensed, and my grip on the rapier and buckler tightened. My Instincts were screaming in terror, unable to stop thinking about what was hiding in the darkness.

'It's a goblin. It's a goblin, I KNOW it's a goblin!' I repeated to myself like a mantra. I was trying to calm myself down, but it didn't work.

Even Composure, Strong Will, and Steel Soul couldn't calm me down. For the first time in both my lives, I would fight something. I would kill something.

'It may be a monster, but-' My entire body stiffened with a jolt as I felt a cold steel plated hand be placed on my shoulder. I turned my head slowly, afraid that my bones would creak like an unlubricated door hinge.

There, I saw the calm face of Righty. She nodded at me, without words she conveyed that she had my back. Despite remembering how she laughed at me earlier, no one's ever felt more reliable than she did at this moment.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, and released a shaky breath out. In, and out. In, and out. Inhale, and exhale. Inhale, and exhale.

'Just breathe,' I told myself. When I was finally ready, I opened my eyes. Composure took over me, I could do this, I knew it.

I turned my head towards the side and made a weak smile, "Thank you," I mouthed to Righty. She smiled back beautifully.

I moved my focus forward, my eyes spotting details I hadn't noticed before in my panic. I saw something glinting, reflecting the light of the flame. My eyes narrowed, and I listened intently.

I heard the sound of rough breaths, different from mine, Righty, and Lefty's. It was the goblin's.

It was coming from where the glint was. I just wanted to make sure that the light reflecting off whatever blade it held wasn't a trap. Goblin's in the media I saw where often tricky and cunning, not an enemy to be underestimated. As if noticing my indiscreet gaze, the reflection vanished, like something covered it.

'It's hand maybe?' I thought, but quickly removed it from my mind. I shouldn't be distracted, it was now or never. I needed to move before it managed to change it's position without me knowing.

I took in one final deep breath, and my entire body tensed. As I exhaled out, I loosened my shoulders, back, and neck, unfastened my tight grips, I bent my knees ever so slightly and relaxed my butt, legs, and thighs.

In the reflection of the rapier, I saw Righty's lips mouth, "Go."

And I broke out into a sprint, running into the general direction of the goblin. 'It was around five to six meters away,' I estimated.

I pinpointed exactly where I saw the glint, and using my ears as I heard the goblin start to scurry, I thrusted out the blade in my right hand. Resistance. I felt the uncomfortable sensation of my blade sinking into something through my grip of the handle.

I jumped back and dislodged the sword, and waited with baited breaths. But... all I heard was something dropping to the floor.

Lefty approached, and the torch lit up the visage of an ugly green humanoid. It's mouth littered with yellow decaying teeth was wide open, it's eyes dull and lifeless. Dark red blood spilled from it's throat, where the blade had punctured. I stared at it for a while, the urge to vomit came back with a vengeance, but once more, I suppressed it.

Fatigue came rushing in, and all I wanted to do was just collapse to the floor, but I didn't. I may of been lucky, but I still managed to kill it. That meant I could kill more of them.

I engraved the sight of the dead goblin in my mind, it's corpse proof of my capability. I continued to stare at it with a curious gaze.

Because, surprisingly enough, I didn't really feel any guilt, like I thought I would. Nor aversion to the thought of killing another. It was similar to a human but...

It's face was just uncanny enough that I really couldn't associate it with a person.

The wart like swells on it's face were disgusting. The sharp jawline with a weird bulbous thing on the end of it's chin was horrific, I just wanted to pop it. The pot belly and sagging tits with purple stretch marks looked like they'd burst from the slightest prod. The contrasting stick like limbs and neck, as well as more swelling growths on it's elbows and knees... It's shriveled up, wrinkled, and misshapen jagged penis didn't do it any favors.

This thing was better off dead. The goblin's from online manga and media where a thousand times more handsome than...

Whatever "this" thing was.

Just as I was about to continue to stare at it, something came up.

[You leveled up!]

I smiled, 'Status', I said inwardly.

[Name: Sloth

Level: 2

Class: None

Sub-Class: None

Race: Lesser Demon

Title: God of Procrastination, Sin of Sloth, Seventh Lord of Sin, Demon Lord, Diligences Nemesis, Opposer of God, Unbeliever, Handsome Devil,

Attributes:

Str: 85 (+10)

Agi: 86 (+10)

Dex: 90 (+10)

End: 85 (+10)

Sta: 85 (+10)

Int: 110 (+10)

Wil: 120 (+20)

Wis: 110 (+10)

Mag: 120 (+20)

Luc: 110 (+10)

Cha: 170 (+20)

Free Points: 60

Characteristics: [Lazy-SSS] [Indifferent-S] [Handsome-A] [Beautiful-A]

Talents: [Sixth Sense-SS] [Composure-S] [Instinct-A]

Skills:

Active: [I'll Do It Tomorrow-EX] [Hibernate-SSS] [Curse of Lacking Motivation-SSS] [Fight For Hierarchy-SSS] [Unholy Miracle-SSS] [Domain-S] [Ice Shard-C]

Passive: [Procrastinate-EX] [Photosynthesis-SSS] [Sleeping Beauty-SSS] [Let Sleeping Dogs Lie-SSS] [Curse of Sloth-SSS] [Absorption-SSS] [Bane of Light-SSS] [Lord of Sin-SSS] [Strong Will-SS] [Steel Soul-SS] [Demon Lord-S] [Charming Disposition-S] [Pain Sensitivity-S] [Water Preservation-S] [Playboy-S] [Swift Feet-A] [Tough Skin-D] [Demon Peasant-D] [Subservient to Desires-F]]

"Wait, Sixth Sense and Instinct, is that why I knew where to hit?" I mumbled quietly to myself.

Well, I'd find out soon.