Jumping...

Ethan didn't wait for the man to answer. Instead, he just ran toward the cliff's edge and jumped. He'd been here before, giving him an advantage. But he wasn't sure if he'd find the mission for the dungeon players.

**THUD**

Ethan landed on a sticky, black substance. It felt like he hit the bottom of the cliff. Luminous stones in the cliff's walls lit up the underground chamber. He struggled to get free from the gooey stuff, each move harder than the last.

Panic surged through him as he realized the black substance seemed to be pulling him down, threatening to envelop him completely. He fought against it, using all his strength to free himself from the clinging grasp of the peculiar material. With a combination of strength and desperation, he managed to pull himself out of the stickiness, but not without leaving parts of his clothing behind.

Breathing heavily, Ethan took a moment to assess his surroundings. He was now standing by the side of that substance, his back against the sharp rocks of the cliff. The luminous stones on the cliff's walls cast an eerie glow, revealing the vastness of the underground chamber he found himself in.

Ethan stood on a small outcropping of rock, barely a few feet wide, jutting out from the cliff's surface. It was a precarious spot, with jagged edges and an uneven surface. The substance he had landed in bordered the edge of this rocky platform, its dark, viscous form seeming to merge with the cliff's wall, making the footing even more treacherous.

To his left, the rocky surface extended into the cliffside, forming a steep, uneven path that seemed to wind further into the depths of the cavern. The luminous stones illuminated the path faintly, revealing glimpses of the tunnel that lay ahead.

To his right, the outcropping of rock narrowed and eventually ended, giving way to the gaping darkness of the cavern. Below, the mysterious black substance seemed to stretch endlessly, the true extent of its depth obscured by shadows.

Ethan did not know if he would laugh or cry.

**THUD**

"What the—" Furcio cursed as he landed in the same liquid. He found Ethan standing nearby, pants ripped, a smile on his face. His face immediately turned ugly. What was wrong with this man? Why was he so cheerful?

"Did you really jump?" Ethan looked surprised. "I wasn't expecting that. I thought you would choose to stay and fight."

Furcio glared at him.

He never wanted to jump into the unknown. Despite his sharp senses, he couldn't sense the cliff's bottom.

Since every dungeon had its own rules and laws, he was afraid the cliff would take him somewhere else, a different dimension and he would have a harder time coming out of this place.

So, he tried to fight the insects but soon realized he couldn't defeat them. While they weren't strong individually, they were countless of them! He was certain the ones on top were already close to ten thousand and many more were trying to climb up!

It was their numbers that bothered him.

Furcio didn't know how many there were, but he wasn't going to waste energy on a battle he couldn't win! In desperation, he jumped.

"How did you know about this place?" Furcio asked, trying to move out of the liquid. But when he moved, it pulled him down. He frowned. With a grunt, he used his force and jumped to where Ethan was.

"I guessed," Ethan said. "But that's not something you should be concerned about..." Ethan looked around. Furcio did too.

"The insects aren't here..." Furcio said, realizing something. "This means something worse is hiding here." His gaze landed on a rocky path by the cliff. A monster that the insects feared.

"I didn't know you were this smart," Ethan shrugged and started walking. "Or they were simply scared of the substance."

Furcio glanced at the sticky substance and then towards the cavern. "Where are you going?" Furcio asked.

"Looking for what's hiding here." Ethan didn't stop. Instead, he hurried his steps, excitement in his eyes. It was because of the current mission that appeared in front of him!

Survival Mission Part 2

Objective: Congratulations on venturing into the treacherous dungeon. Your goal is to navigate and survive without resorting to violence, utilizing your wits and strategic prowess. The mission is to safeguard yourself while demonstrating exceptional planning and problem-solving skills.

Rewards for Successful Completion:

Experience Points (EXP): Earn 5 Experience Points (EXP) for adeptly safeguarding yourself and demonstrating exceptional planning throughout the mission.

Reputation: Gain 1 Reputation point, reflecting the mastery and finesse with which you complete this vital survival mission.

Skill Points: 2

**BONUS REWARDS (NOT ACTIVE)**

Apart from Skill Points, the rewards weren't actually that enticing. But Ethan needed as many EXP Points as possible to reach Novice Level 3 and gain Skill Points. This would help him increase his strength, especially now that he had decided to go to the Academy for Essentia users.

"You seem so excited..." Furcio mumbled behind him. "This could be very dangerous."

"Isn't this a bit thrilling?" Ethan asked.

"This is the first time that I went inside a dungeon," Ethan added.

Almost immediately, Furcio's face contorted. He reminded himself why he agreed to have the pact with this human!

Magic stones!

As long as he pays him magic stones then he should be fine!

Ethan wasn't sure if the game's leveling system matched the one he had. If it did, the bonus rewards might activate if he did something extra, like saving a group of insects from annihilation or something... heroic. As long as he avoided violence, he should be fine. Right?

"Hey, I can't really fight," Ethan said. "If you see an insect, why don't you kill it, and I'll pay you once we leave this place?"

"Huh?"

"In return, I'll guide you out."

Furcio made a face. He knew very well that Ethan was a good fighter. He was quick and certainly knew how to read his opponent's movement. What was this guy talking about now?

Were people really this... strange?

...

A/N: So, the main idea of this system is its hypocrisy. :/ Like people.