Bones and More Bones

'How long can this possibly go on?' Dante mused aloud, his voice echoing faintly in the expansive cavern. He glanced around, taking in the surroundings that had been his reality for what seemed like an eternity. The walls were a blend of jagged rock formations and smoother, ancient-looking stone, creating an atmosphere that was both awe-inspiring and slightly oppressive. Stalactites hung like nature's chandeliers from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows in the dim, otherworldly light.

Dante, flanked by Virgil and two skeleton warriors—one brandishing a newly conjured bone mace—trudged forward. Their group had been engaged in a relentless battle, navigating the subterranean maze for hours. The only tangible progress was two extra levels gained by Virgil, which felt like a meager reward for their Herculean efforts. Ultimately, Dante had decided on upgrading Summon Skeleton Warrior (an upgrade to level 2 that became available at level 3) and investing in the new skill, Agility Infusion. This further widened the gap between Virgil's dexterity and the enemy skeletons' lackluster finesse.

Summon Skeleton Warrior (R1 L2): Summon a rank 1, level 2 skeleton warrior to fight by your side. Limit: 2, duration: 320 s, MP cost: 15, CD: 160 s.

Agility Infusion (R1 L1): Adds 5 points to the Finesse attribute of a summon. Duration: 180s, MP cost: 10, CD: 120 s.

It was somewhat strange that there was a limit to the number of skeletons they could have at a time, since they were already limited to only two by the summon duration and skill cooldown. This suggested that the duration and cooldown might scale faster than the summon limit, or that there might be other ways to extend the duration or shorten the cooldown of a skill. It was food for thought.

Dante's mind wandered as he contemplated their current situation. It was strange, he thought, how he'd adapted to this bizarre environment. Back in his own world, he was methodical, cautious – but here, in this labyrinthine underworld, he felt a sense of liberation, a freedom that was both exhilarating and surreal. He couldn't deny the thrill that surged through him with each battle, each strategic decision. It was as if this place, with its relentless challenges and unearthly rules, had unlocked a part of him he never knew existed.

His thoughts shifted to the strategy they had employed so far. Dante felt a smug sense of satisfaction about how well his plan was unfolding. He had chosen to use the Agility Infusion skill on himself, technically considered as one of Virgil's summons, a move that had proved unexpectedly effective. Thanks to one of his "Genesis Advantages" – a term he'd coined for the perks he had at the outset – specifically the one that read: "My first summon will receive all future boons in my stead," this boost in Finesse was transferred to Virgil, enabling him to enhance not only his summons, but also himself. With this newfound agility, Virgil was dismantling their skeletal adversaries with remarkable ease, even the stronger level 3 ones. Dante had also meticulously gathered data on MP and HP regeneration rates based on their Essence and Might stats, further enhancing their battle tactics. The only downside to their success was the complete lack of loot beside the Tutorial Coins, a frustrating anomaly in what otherwise felt like a game. 'What kind of 'game' doesn't reward you with loot?' he grumbled internally, his mood a mix of amusement and irritation.

They had also experimented with their skills, for example, seeing if they could conjure different types of maces with the Conjure Bone Weapon skill, but without any success. Every time, the same weapon was summoned. The weight and form could not be altered.

'When does this end? Is there even a shop in this bizarre place where I can spend these tutorial coins?' he wondered. His inventory now boasted 584 of these coins, yet they seemed almost as useless as the endless bones of their defeated foes.

At a crucial juncture, the path ahead of Dante and his party split into three distinct directions, each shrouded in mystery, with no evident signs to differentiate them.

"'Well, finally something to kill the monotony." While he was very excited at first, with the bizarre new world theme and so many new concepts—damn, his life had turned completely upside down a while ago—the constant battles had somehow dulled him. Although, as a gamer, he was fond of grinding, extending that to what he guessed should be more than 8 hours and always facing the same enemies was not very appealing. Especially when there were no real dire consequences. If Virgil died, he would be summoned back. If he died, the same would happen. All in all, Dante was someone who enjoyed a challenge, and this Tutorial was no longer proving to be one.

Dante looked again at the three routes ahead. 'Should he send a skeleton as a scout?' he ended up shaking his head, thinking it did not matter much. After a brief but thoughtful pause, Dante chose the left path. "Well, the center path is too obvious, and the right is just not right today, so left it is!"

He ordered Virgil to follow the left path, and after what seemed like an eternity of nothing happening, he considered his choices. Should he explore the rest? He should, but it wasn't necessary now. He would just follow the left path first to the end and see what the Tutorial had in store for him, and he would backtrack later and explore the rest. After all, even if he was slightly lazy in daily life (like cleaning his room), for a game, he would not stop until it showed the 100% completed mark. And for that, he would explore every nook and cranny, finish every side quest, and kill every foe. And this Tutorial would be no exception.

This route led them deeper into the heart of the cavern, where, of course, more skeletons awaited, their numbers seemingly inexhaustible.

"Seriously, is this the Tutorial? Who designed this? I would like a word with them to discuss what a proper RPG game is. I mean, this looks like a custom map made by some weird fan who was too lazy to write a story or design new enemies," Dante was exasperated with their situation. He even tried calling his 'skeletal mentor', but the jester did not even respond to "The next time we play, I will let you do en passant, don't worry." And if that did not work, he guessed nothing would.

After what felt like an endless stretch of time, Dante's attention was caught by something unusual. Amidst the rocky terrain, scattered stalactites, and luminescent mushrooms, there stood a lone structure, bizarrely out of place in this ancient setting. It resembled a vending machine, an anachronism amidst their otherwise monotonous subterranean journey. Dante halted, his gaze fixed on the machine, a mixture of confusion and intrigue on his face.

"Well, something not made out of bones. I never thought I would see such a thing again," Dante remarked, a smirk playing on his lips. This unexpected discovery, a modern contraption in a place that seemed frozen in time, was both jarring and intriguing.

Dante approached the mysterious vending machine, his mind abuzz with possibilities. The sight of such a modern device in this ancient, underground world was as jarring as it was comical. He couldn't help but let out a chuckle, the sound bouncing off the cavern walls.

"Of all the things to find in a place like this, a vending machine?" Dante mused, a grin spreading across his face. He circled around it, trying to grasp it and any hidden mechanism it might have. The machine was absurdly out of place, its sleek, metallic surface reflecting the dim light. It looked as though it belonged in a high school cafeteria, not a subterranean labyrinth.

He inspected it closely, tapping on the glass with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. "What's next? A snack bar with skeleton bartenders?" he joked to Virgil, who merely nodded, his expression unreadable as ever.

As Dante fiddled with the machine, trying to make sense of its presence, a window suddenly popped up. He stepped back, startled, then leaned in to examine the list of items displayed. His eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth agape. There, in front of him, was a list so bizarre, so utterly unexpected, that he couldn't help but stare in stunned silence.

 ***

"Your efforts may finally prove beneficial, Alice," her mother continued, her tone shifting as she broached a subject heavy with implications. "We have received an offer of marriage on your behalf. Richard, the Count's second son, has shown interest."

Alice remained rather silent. Richard, 36, second son of the Count Charles, known more for his scholarly pursuits than any ambition.

"Richard?" Alice's voice remained neutral, giving nothing away. "An interesting choice. May I inquire as to why he would consider me, given my... condition?"

Her mother's laugh was devoid of warmth. "Do not fool yourself, child. It is not you he is interested in but the alliance our families will forge. Your condition is of little consequence when lands and titles are at stake."

Alice was methodically sewing a skirt, sitting in a rocking chair, and quietly listening, but it was hard for an onlooker to read her thoughts.

"And what say you, mother? Is our family so eager to rid themselves of me that any match will do, even with someone as inconsequential as the Count's second son?"

Her mother's face tightened, the lines of years spent in bitter calculation deepening. "We do what we must for the family, Alice. This is an opportunity, one you would do well not to squander."

The maid in the background paused, the tension in the room as palpable as the cold seeping through the stone walls. Yet, to Alice, this was another piece of the puzzle falling into place.

"I understand, mother," Alice replied, her tone submissive yet filled with an undercurrent of confidence her mother failed to detect. "I will meet with Richard, then. It would be unwise to proceed without knowing him better."