Ch-7: A song of Flame and Bone

A/N: This chapter is another one of the big ones. Nearly 2800 words. Just one or two chapters left before Ethan defeats the boss and returns to Marvel world.

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Ethan stepped out of the room, his resolve unshaken, and backtracked to the junction where the paths diverged. This time, he took the rightmost path, reasoning that in video games, side paths usually led to side quests, while the main story often followed the central route.

"Not sure if this logic holds here, but it's worth a shot," Ethan muttered to himself, the eerie silence of the cave swallowing his words. He continued his meticulous process of extinguishing torches, casting the path behind him into complete darkness.

Soon, he came across another room, noticeably different from the previous one. This chamber seemed to be where goblins skinned their prey and stored food. The pungent smell of raw meat and blood hung heavily in the air, mixing with the earthy scent of the cave. Stacks of meat lay strewn on a stone table, while removed skins were piled on the other side, likely to be repurposed into makeshift clothes and armor.

Ethan's eyes quickly scanned the room. He spotted a few goblins diligently working, oblivious to his presence. He extinguished the last torch outside the room, plunging the tunnel into sudden darkness.

The goblins froze, their primitive senses alerting them to the abrupt change. They gathered together, making small screeches and chattering nervously, their eyes darting around in the dim light.

'That won't save you,' Ethan thought coldly.

Using his "Dash" skill, Ethan appeared beside a goblin in an instant. His sword plunged into the creature's head, the blade piercing through its skull with a sickening crunch. The goblin's body went limp, hanging grotesquely on the sword.

The other goblins recoiled in terror, their screeches escalating into frantic cries. They had no time to react as Ethan yanked his sword free, the dead goblin's body dropping to the ground with a dull thud. 

Ethan's movements were a blur. He sprinted towards the remaining goblins, his sword cutting through the air in swift, deadly arcs. Blood sprayed across the room, mingling with the scent of flesh and death. Each strike was precise, each goblin falling with barely a struggle. 

The room was cleared in less than half a minute. Four goblins lay dead on the floor, their bodies bearing a variety of fatal wounds. The echoes of the brief but brutal battle faded into the depths of the cave, leaving a heavy silence in their wake.

A series of notifications flashed through his vision.

[You killed a Level 2 goblin. You gained 20 Exp.] x2

[You killed a Level 1 goblin. You gained 10 Exp.] x2

With a grim satisfaction, Ethan wiped the blood from his blade and sheathed it. His gaze swept the room, taking in the gruesome sight of the dead goblins. He felt a strange detachment, as if the brutality of his actions was merely a necessary step in his quest for survival and power.

Then, Ethan scanned the room, hoping to find something of value among the scattered pelts, raw meat, and stitching equipment. 

His eyes lingered on the discarded animal skins, and an idea sparked. Looking down at his bare, skeletal form, he decided he needed some clothing. 

It wasn't a matter of decency—being a skeleton rendered that irrelevant—but he felt more comfortable not roaming around naked. 

Plus, wrapping pelts around his feet could enhance his stealth, and covering his ribs and hips might offer some protection against sharp objects.

"Time for some makeshift armor," he muttered, rolling up his non-existent sleeves.

He set to work, using bone needles along with sinew and ligaments as threads to stitch the pelts. His increased dexterity and agility made the task easier, allowing him to cut, sew, and stitch quickly. 

Although he lacked experience in crafting clothes, he relied on the basic sewing techniques he'd picked up from watching his mother in his previous life. She often mended clothes at home, and her careful knotting and stitching had left a lasting impression on him.

Soon, a crude but functional set of leather armor began to take shape. Ethan crafted makeshift boots, greaves, a helmet, and a chest piece. 

The leather boots fit snugly, having been the easiest to measure by tracing his foot. The greaves, adjustable and tied to his forearms, provided a decent fit. 

The chest armor, though slightly tilted and loose, offered some protection. The helmet, however, proved to be a challenge. It was too tight for his "massive" skull, causing discomfort.

'Not perfect, but it'll do,' he thought, making some quick adjustments. He opened a few stitches to loosen the helmet and tied the armor more securely around his torso.

As he donned his new gear, Ethan felt a sense of accomplishment. The crude leather armor wasn't pretty, but it was functional. 

He could move more silently and had some protection against potential attacks. The sense of added security, combined with the satisfaction of creating something useful, bolstered his confidence.

The crude armor might not hold up against a strong blow, but it was better than nothing. It also made him feel more like a warrior, ready to face the challenges ahead.

Ethan took a deep breath, ready to tackle the "main" path. Retracing his steps, he approached the middle tunnel, extinguishing torches as he went. 

This path felt longer and more winding than the others, the air growing cooler and more humid. Shadows danced along the stone walls, their shapes twisting and morphing in the dim light.

Finally, he reached the end of the tunnel and emerged into a large, well-lit room bustling with goblins. 

The scene was a chaotic hive of activity: goblins carried slabs of meat on stone plates towards a gate, others fashioned crude weapons, and some lounged around idly. 

The room was expansive, easily accommodating nearly 20 goblins and two hulking orcs standing guard by the gate.

Ethan's eyes widened at the sight. 'This is going to be tricky,' he thought, quickly retreating into the shadows. His leather boots allowed him to move silently, keeping his presence unnoticed.

Peering from the darkness, Ethan's mind raced. How was he supposed to take out so many without getting overwhelmed? He thought while scanning the room for potential weaknesses.

Then instinctively his gaze landed on the light source—a large stone, about the size of a goblin's head, glowing a vibrant orange, hanging from the ceiling in a metallic holder. It was not the usual wooden torches, and it piqued his curiosity.

'That must be a mana stone or something like it,' he thought, recalling his fantasy knowledge from countless books and games. 'Flame-related, probably, going by the color. If I break it, what would happen? Will it just stop glowing or cause an explosion?'

The idea of causing an explosion intrigued him. It could be the perfect distraction or even eliminate some of the goblins and orcs without direct combat. 

And the alternative wasn't bad either, if it didn't explode and just extinguished, he would have the advantage in the dark.

Ethan's eyes flicked back to the glowing stone. 'If it does explode, the chaos could give me the edge I need,' he reasoned. 'I just need to figure out how to break it from a distance.'

He looked around, searching for anything he could use. His eyes settled on a pile of discarded weapons and tools. Among them was a particularly sharp-looking throwing knife. 

"Perfect," he whispered, moving silently towards the pile and picking up the knife. Its weight felt good in his hand, and he could imagine it flying true towards the mana stone.

Ethan took a deep breath, steeling himself for the gamble. He crept back to the edge of the shadows, lining up his shot. The goblins continued their tasks, oblivious to the threat lurking in the dark.

He focused, his skeletal fingers gripping the knife. With a swift, practiced motion, he threw the knife. It cut through the air silently, heading straight for the glowing stone. The moment of truth hung in the balance as the knife neared its target.

The knife struck the stone with a sharp clink and bounced off. The sound reverberated through the room, halting everyone's breath and movement, including Ethan's. All eyes collectively turned towards the hanging stone, still emitting its orange glow.

For a few tense seconds, nothing happened. The goblins began to relax, their gazes shifting as they prepared to search for the perpetrator who dared to harm their precious stone. But just as they were about to move, thin cracks began to spiderweb out from the chip left by Ethan's knife.

Ethan watched, a mix of anticipation and dread coursing through him. "Come on, just break already," he whispered to himself, gripping his sword tighter.

The cracks expanded rapidly, forming a crooked circle around the stone. With a sharp chink, the stone split open. The sound was like a death knell for the room full of monsters as flames burst forth, eager to escape their confinement.

Fire surged in every direction, enveloping almost everything in the room. Goblins shrieked in terror, their bodies igniting like torches. The air filled with the acrid smell of burning flesh and the cacophony of dying creatures.

Ethan had anticipated this possibility. As soon as the cracks began spreading, he had pressed himself as close to the tunnel wall as possible and summoned his "Bone Shield." The shield materialized just in time, protecting his skeletal frame from the searing heat and flying debris.

Although it wasn't a true explosion, the flames roared through the tunnel, licking at Ethan's shield. Red damage notifications popped up in his vision, each one a reminder of the intense heat that managed to breach his defenses.

[-1]

[-1]

[-1]

[-1]

[-1]

[-1]

[-1]

[-1]

[-1]

[-1]

The notifications stopped after ten hits, signaling a mere 10 health points lost. Ethan sighed in relief. His quick thinking had saved him from greater harm.

"That could have been a lot worse," he muttered, dismissing the shield and brushing ash off his newly acquired leather armor. He peered into the room, now an inferno of blazing goblins and fallen structures.

Ethan's plan had worked. The goblins, now ablaze, ran around in panic before collapsing, their burning corpses emitting sickening popping sounds as the heat caused their blood to boil and burst to escape as steam.

He quickly surveyed the scene, his eyes locking onto the two orcs writhing on the ground. Their thick skin had burned away in several places, revealing blackened, charred muscles beneath. 

The flames on their bodies flickered and died out, and they began to sit up, their labored breaths echoing through the cavern.

The room had plunged into darkness, the orange glow from the stone now gone, leaving only the dim, flickering light of the burning goblins to illuminate the space. Ethan saw his chance. He couldn't let it slip by.

"Now's my chance," he whispered to himself, his resolve steeling. 

Ethan activated "Dash" and appeared behind the closest orc. His sword glowed with a blue aura as he channeled "Sharpen." With a swift, precise motion, he plunged the sword into the orc's skull. 

The combined force of his enhanced agility, strength, and the sharpened blade easily penetrated the thick bone. The orc let out a guttural sound before collapsing, lifeless.

The second orc, still trying to regain its footing, saw the demise of its companion. With a roar, it swung its massive club at Ethan. 

Reacting quickly, Ethan summoned his "Bone Shield." The shield absorbed the impact, but the force of the blow sent him flying backwards. He kept a tight grip on his sword, yanking it free from the dead orc's skull as he was flung across the room.

Ethan's back slammed into the cavern wall with a bone-rattling thud, and he slid down, landing painfully on his hip. A damage notification flashed before his eyes.

[-12]

' I guess blunt attacks cause more damage because I'm just bones with no muscles or fat to dampen the blow,' Ethan thought, his mind surprisingly calm even in the chaos.

He quickly scrambled to his feet, his eyes locked onto the remaining orc. In the dim light, his monochrome vision allowed him to see clearly. The orc was now standing, panting heavily, its eyes scanning the darkness, trying to locate its assailant.

Ethan tightened his grip on his sword, aware that his advantage of surprise was gone. However, he still held the upper hand in this darkened room. He knew exactly where the orc was, while the beast was blind and disoriented.

With determination coursing through his bones, Ethan readied his sword, its faint blue glow casting eerie shadows on the cavern walls, and raised his "Bone Shield" defensively. 

His skeletal form, wrapped in makeshift leather armor, moved with purpose. He sprinted forward, each step silent yet filled with lethal intent.

As he closed the distance, the orc's head snapped towards him, perhaps hearing the faint whisper of his footsteps or catching the glimmer of his faintly glowing sword. The orc's roar echoed through the chamber, a mix of rage and pain.

Ethan had anticipated the next attack. The orc, a simple minded creature with a simple attack pattern, swung its massive club in a wide arc, aiming to crush the intruder. 

With a swift, fluid motion, Ethan ducked, the club whistling past his head, missing him by mere inches. His focus never wavered as he rolled to the side, coming up just behind the orc's vulnerable ankle.

With a powerful, precise slash, Ethan's sword cut through the orc's thick skin and tendons, severing its Achilles tendon. The orc let out a deafening roar of agony, its massive form collapsing to one knee, unable to support its weight on the injured leg. Blood gushed from the wound, pooling on the stone floor.

Ethan didn't give it a moment to recover. He moved like a shadow, circling around the orc's back while it flailed its club wildly, trying to hit a target it couldn't see. He could feel the adrenaline – or what served as adrenaline in his skeletal form – coursing through him. Every instinct screamed at him to press the attack, to finish it before the orc could gather its strength.

Ethan leaped onto the orc's back, his bony fingers finding purchase on the rough, burnt flesh. With a grunt of effort, he drove his sword into the orc's spine, twisting the blade to inflict maximum damage. The orc's body convulsed, a final, desperate attempt to throw him off. But Ethan held firm, his grip unyielding.

"You're done," he hissed, his voice a ghastly wishper filled with cold determination.

With one last powerful twist, he drove the sword deeper, severing the spinal cord. The orc's body went limp, collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud. Ethan jumped clear, landing nimbly on his feet, his sword now slick with the orc's blood.

Breathing heavily, Ethan looked around the now-silent cavern. The flames had died down, leaving only the charred remains of the goblins and the two fallen orcs. The air was thick with the smell of burnt flesh and blood. He took a moment to catch his breath, the thrill of victory coursing through him.

"Your moves were nothing compared to the complex attack patterns of a souls boss," he grinned, wiping the blood from his sword with a piece of cloth. 'Still…that was intense. But it's not over yet.'

Ethan glanced towards the only remaining doorway, the one the goblins had been carrying the meat towards. There was still more to this nest, and he couldn't afford to be complacent. 

Then, notifications surged in his vision.

[You killed a Level 1 goblin. You gained 10 Exp.] x5

[You killed a Level 2 goblin. You gained 20 Exp.] x5

[You killed a Level 3 goblin. You gained 30 Exp.] x3

[You killed a Level 4 goblin. You gained 40 Exp.] x3

[You killed a Level 5 goblin. You gained 50 Exp.]

[You killed a Level 6 goblin. You gained 60 Exp.] x2

[You killed a Level 6 Orc. You gained 600 Exp.]

[You killed a Level 7 Orc. You gained 700 Exp.]

[You have Leveled Up. 10 stat points obtained.]

[Congratulations! You have reached Level 5. Now you can choose your initial class through Evolution.]

[You have reached the Level cap for you current species. Evolve to increase the Level cap.]

[Mission Complete: Reach Level 5 before the night ends.

Rewards obtained: 50 coins.]

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A/N: I have final exams starting tomorrow. So, I won't be able to upload untill 15th +5:30 GMT. 

Still, please keep commenting. Share some ideas for me to ponder. I'm thinking of the timeline being WWII for the start. Suggest some ideas about that if you want to. 

Another thing, future dungeons can be world's from fiction like anime, manga, movies etc.

Alright! See you guys in a few days.