Chapter 15: Exploring the Dungeon!

Blake and the others had been kicked out of the village and into the dungeon for their mission, watching as the gates to the village closed behind them.

"Come on, let's get a move on," Surge said, not wasting any time before he turned his back on the village and started heading off through the dungeon.

Blake and Nev looked at each other nodding before they followed on, heading further into the dungeon with Surge leading the way. The group kept their guard up, knowing that lots of different monsters lurked in the halls and caverns of the dungeon, never knowing when they might attack.

It didn't take long either for the group to encounter their first monsters, seeing that they were only a smaller group, meaning that other monsters wouldn't be scared off by the numbers.

"Look, it's a small group of skeletons," Nev said, pointing with his spear.

Blake could also make them out, using his keen eyes to peer through the dark before he got a good look at them.

They were skeleton monsters, that looked like simple human skeletons. They could move on their own and had bright blue eyes, showing they were undead.

I'll make light work of them!" Surge yelled as he charged in, drawing his sword before he went for the attack.

The skeletons saw him at the last moment and tried to defend themselves, with the first one raising its arm to block Surge's sword.

The skeleton's arm splintered but held strong as it blocked Surge's attack, proving that its bone was thicker than he had thought.

"No way!" Surge said, feeling the skeleton push him away before it tried to grab him with its free hand.

The skeletons were much larger than Blake and the others, given that they were the same size as humans, towering over Surge as if he were a child with all three of them trying to attack him now.

"Surge look out!" Nev yelled as he rammed into one of the skeleton's back with his shield, knocking it over with the force.

Blake also rushed into action, knowing he would have to use more force than Surge had used if he wanted to cut through their thick bones.

"Argh!" Blake yelled as he cut through one of the skeleton's spines, snapping the monster in half before it dropped to the ground and shattered into a pile of bones.

"No way!" Surge yelled as he pushed the last skeleton back with a kick to its ribs, not wanting to lose to Blake.

With another mighty swing of his sword, Surge cut the monster's head off, watching as it flew into the air and landed in the creature's arms, still alive as the thing's teeth chattered together.

"How the hell do you kill these things!" Surge asked.

Blake wasn't too sure himself, seeming to have gotten lucky with his first attack.

"I'm not sure, but let's find out!" He shouted, using his sword to cut through the skeleton that was getting up after Nev had barged into it.

The skeleton tried to stop his attack with its arm, however, Blake was too strong, seeing that the skeletons were only level 8.

His sword broke through the skeleton's arm and shattered the bone before Blake reversed his grip and cut through the thing's entire rib cage, wanting to do as much damage as possible.

The skeleton's ribs shattered before it dropped into a pile of bones like the other one, proving that once they received enough damage they would die.

Nev and Surge also noticed this and both lunged at the last skeleton together, with Nev smashing his spear down like a staff on its back and Surge cutting through both of its legs, reducing it into a pile of bones just like the others.

"We did it..." Nev said, looking at the piles of bones that had been the skeletons.

Blake also nodded, seeing that these skeletons had proved a little tougher than he was expecting.

"Come on, I bet there are more around here somewhere," Surge said, not caring.

"Yeah, I want another crack at those bastards," Nev said in agreement.

Blake looked at the bones on the ground, not being able to help but wonder as he picked one up and threw it in his mouth, crunching it before he swallowed.

[Skeleton bone consumed. Tough bones skill added.] The system said after a moment.

[Consume ten more to upgrade the skill.] The system added.

Blake didn't see the harm and quickly started eating the bones one after the other until he finally ate ten, swallowing the last one.

[Tough bones skill upgraded to strong bones.] The system said, showing him the skill.

[Skill, strong bones: This skill allows the user to increase the strength of their own bones and protect against attacks.]

[Consume 100 bones to upgrade the skill] The system added again, showing Blake that his dragon belly ability was also very powerful.

"Wow, I didn't know you were that hungry?" Nev suddenly said, having turned around to see that Blake was eating the bones of the skeletons instead of following him and Surge.

Blake didn't say anything and continued to eat the rest of the bones until there were none left. However, considering that there were 206 bones in the human body, these skeletons only left ten a piece once they had been defeated, meaning Blake would have to find more.

He also noticed that thanks to his dragon belly ability the bones didn't fill him up, leaving plenty of room for him to eat as many as he wanted.

"Coming," Blake said after a moment of Nev looking at him like he was strange.

Still, he quickly disregarded the thought as the group continued to make their way through the dungeon.

The group encountered another two skeletons not long after, with both Nev and Surge smashing them to pieces, not even giving Blake a chance. Not that he was bothered.

Blake simply helped himself to the reward afterwards of eating the bones, getting another twenty of them down his neck.

Nev had tried one to see what it tasted like, finding it tasted like ash and quickly spat it out.

"How the hell can you eat these things?" He said, watching as Blake ate the bones without complaint.

"Taste fine to me," Blake said, finishing the bones off not seeming bothered.

"It's more disturbing that you can eat so many of them," Surge said while wiping his sword and inspecting it for damage as they had been taught in their training.

"Well, to be honest, Drak here has always been a big eater," Nev said, recalling all the times they had eaten together.

Blake checked his status screen, seeing that he had eaten 40 bones out of the 100 he needed now, meaning only six skeletons left so long as they could find them.

Surge pulled out a small tattered map that he had been given by the commander, showing them the areas of the dungeon that had been mapped out so far.

"Looks like we only need to head around this way to clear the perimeter of the village." He said, showing Blake and Nev.

Both of them had a look, seeing just how big the dungeon was compared to how little they had mapped out.

"Is this the only map?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, why?" Surge asked.

"I find it strange that we have only mapped out such a small part of the dungeon," Blake said, getting a strange look from the others.

"Well, when you put it like that, I guess that makes sense," Nev said, agreeing.

However, while the group were busy talking they failed to notice a large 8-legged monster approaching them from behind, keeping low to the ground and moving quietly.

Blake picked up a strange smell coming from that direction, turning around to have a look as he wondered what it could be.

"S-Spider!!!" He yelled out, being greeted by the thing's beady eyes and large fangs.

The spider dashed forward with its fangs dripping in venom, crushing down at Nev as it tried to sink them into his flesh.

"Why me!" Nev yelled as he used his shield to block the spider's bite, watching as one of its fangs burst through the wood, dripping with green venom.

"Help me!!!" He yelled, trying his best to push the spider off of him, falling to his back while he kicked at the monster.

Both Surge and Blake jumped to action, with Surge slicing one of the spider's large and hairy legs off, causing it to howl in pain.

Blake jumped high into the air, feeling his small wings flap for the first time, seeming to give him a boost in his jump.

Blake flipped in the air and drove his sword into the back of the giant spider, plunging it as fast as he could make it go, watching as the spider's blood shot out all over him.

"ARGHJWQANJINDNOI!" The spider shrieked, wriggling around as it howled and squirmed in pain before finally dropping to the ground as its large legs curled up into its body.

Nev pulled himself up feeling his heart beating way too fast, having had his life flash before his eyes.

"I thought that was it for me then." He said, feeling his body shake uncontrollably from the thought of the spider eating him.

Blake hopped off the creature's back, pulling his blade out of the large beast before wiping it off and sheathing it, having felt his wings flap again to help in his landing.

"That thing was stronger than I thought." He said, having seen its level was 13.

"We will have to be careful if we run into more than one of those at a time." Blake then said, knowing they would be a real problem.

Still, now that the thing was dead, Blake couldn't help but break a piece of its leg off and eat it, wondering what his dragon belly would make of the creature.

"What are you doing? That thing is poisonous!" Nev said, finding it disgusting.

"Only its fangs have poison on them, Nev," Blake said as he swallowed the spider leg, finding the taste not too bad at all.

[Giant spider consumed.] The system said after a moment.

[Skill, create spider thread acquired.] The system said.

Interesting... Blake thought, wondering what would happen if he consumed a small bit of the poison that was still dripping from the dead spider's fangs.

Both Surge and Nev watched in disgust as Blake licked some of the poison from his fingers, with both of them thinking he was mad.

"Is this some dragon-born thing?" Surge asked.

"Not a clue," Nev said, just as confused as he was.

[Spider venom consumed.]

[Immune to poison level 1 added.]

[spit venom ability added.] The system said, displaying the new skills and abilities that Blake had acquired from eating the giant spider.

This is amazing... Blake thought to himself, feeling his new skills and abilities flow through his mind and body.

With a skill like dragon belly, I can acquire skills and abilities that would have been far out of my reach from simply eating whatever I kill.

"Simply amazing..." Blake said to himself while laughing a little to loud.

Surge and Nev were still watching as Blake started speaking to himself, not having a clue what was going on.

"I always knew he was strange," Surge said, shrugging it off before he turned around and started walking off.

"Well, he may be strange, but he is the strongest guy I know," Nev said with a smile, not letting it bother him.

"Come on, Drak, otherwise we will leave you behind!" He then shouted, snapping Blake out of his thoughts.

My bad, I guess I said that aloud. Blake said to himself, rubbing the back of his head with a smile before he joined the two of them to clear the rest of the village's perimeter.