Chapter 2: Breaking out

Chris found himself crouching down in intense pain once again. The agony seemed to grip him with a firm hold, making it difficult for him to move or even think straight. Despite the discomfort, he tried to muster up some strength to stand up, but the pain was too much to bear.

As he struggled to regain his composure, more informations flooded his mind, causing an unbearable surge of 0s and 1s that felt like a bomb going off inside his head. The pain was so intense that he felt like his brain was about to explode.

His senses were disoriented, and he found it challenging to focus on his surroundings. He could hear muffled sounds and feel sensations, but his body felt numb, almost as if he were being continuously electrocuted.

After a while, he managed to open his eyes, and a sense of nostalgia washed over him. He recognized the familiar panel in full view in front of his eyes, but the pain still lingered, making it hard to move or even stand up straight.

Name: Cedric

Race: human

Attributes: Strength 8, Dexterity 12 Constitution 9, Intelligence 7, soul 4, Charisma 8.

Profession: Level 4 Commoner/Level 1 Rogue (elementary).

Experience Points: 200

Skill Points: None

Attribute Points: None

Profession Skills: pickpocket 35, stealth 25, Lock Picking 20, Snare 10

Innate Skills: Locked

Status: weak (heavy injuries)

"Even the system is the same as the game."

Despite the increasing number of questions swirling in his mind, Chris knew that he needed to concentrate on escaping from the dungeons at that moment. He was aware that the dungeons were not too deep underground, as he could still hear the screams of the monsters outside and the sounds of chaos that ensued.

He realized that he had to act fast since these monsters attacked in swarms, and the thief 'Cedric' was not strong enough to face them alone, especially in this confined space. He couldn't rely on the guards to protect him either.

Based on Cedric's recollections, Chris knew that the dungeons consisted of three levels, and he was currently located on the second floor. He understood that he could not escape through any ventilation shaft or the wooden roof, nor could he dig his way out. His only option was to ascend the stairs and make his way out, but that would prove to be nearly impossible, given the number of guards patrolling the area.

Chris figured that his only option was to get as close to the cell's gate as possible and wait for an opportunity to escape. He believed that when the monsters attacked the dungeons, he could use the chaos to his advantage and make a break for it. However, he had to be careful not to get surrounded in the process.

In this strange yet oddly familiar world, Chris understood that he had to take responsibility for his own actions. The city was filled with skilled and strong people, and even the guards were at least Level 3 legion soldiers or Level 7 militia. Without raising his stealth skill, there was a high chance that he would get caught if he tried to force his way out.

The commotion outside drew the attention of the prisoners, who stood near the gate, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening. Chris took advantage of the situation and stood nearby without drawing any attention from the patrolling guards.

Boom!

Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed throughout the dungeon, causing the ground to tremble violently. The inmates fell to their knees, and the walls of the prison cell shook with intensity. Fear swept through the dungeon as the inmates exchanged worried glances, trying to comprehend the source of the powerful explosion.

The guards were equally affected, barely able to stand as they clung to their swords and spears for support. The leader of the guards quickly took charge, shouting commands to his men.

"Brook and you two, stay here! Everyone else, come with me," he ordered, bellowing over the chaos.

Brook was the guard who had thrown the bucket earlier, he was a good for nothing who had a constant angry expression on his face and was always finding excuses to beat the prisoners. The other two guards were unfamiliar to Chris, as he had no memory of them.

Once the guards had left, the atmosphere in the dungeon did not calm down. Whispers among the inmates filled the air, as they saw this as an opportunity to escape. The second floor housed numerous cells, and the prisoners were not foolish enough to pass up this chance.

Brook, appearing even more irritable than usual, brandished his sword threateningly. "Anyone who tries anything funny will feel the edge of my blade," he warned, his actions intimidating the prisoners into backing away and falling silent.

Brook's background was a mystery to the inmates, but he had only been a dungeon guard for a year, and he seemed to despise his position. His frustration often resulted in him brutally beating up inmates. One instance involved an elderly man who tried to escape, and Brook beat him to death in a fit of rage, instilling fear and hatred in the hearts of the other prisoners.

Despite the other inmates backing away from the bars in their cells, Chris stood his ground, clenching the bars and fixing a menacing gaze on the two guards.

"Back away from the cell, you slum rat, or you'll regret it," shouted Brook. But despite his warnings, Chrisremained unmoved. Frustrated and embarrassed in front of his colleagues, Brook approached Chris's cell and punched him in the face.

Chris, who was already injured, was unable to fight back against the guard. He was sent flying backwards as the metallic arm guards made contact with his cheek, the impact echoing through the cell block and causing some of the other inmates to stir. Brook spat on the ground and left, muttering curses under his breath.

Chris leaned on his hand and spat out some blood before slowly making his way to the corner of the dark cell, where he could support himself. Although the punch had hurt his jaw, it was a relief that it wasn't broken. With the torch providing only minimal illumination, he remained hidden in the shadows as he retrieved a set of keys from his burlap sack. Despite the pain, a gleeful smile spread across his face.

Thanks to his 35 points in pickpocket, he had been able to procure the keys without anyone noticing. The hot-headed Brook was none the wiser. All Chris had to do now was wait for the other three guards to leave the area so he could make a run for it.

"It seems like I'll need these guys to distract them a bit." He thought looking at the prisoners in this cell.

As time passed, the explosions and shouting outside the place grew more intense. The inmates could hear the sounds of metal clashing, flesh being struck, and human screams, as well as another strange and unsettling shriek mixed in.

The three remaining guards became increasingly agitated, especially since their leader had not returned. Finally, they made the decision to investigate the source of the commotion, leaving only one guard behind to watch over the cells.

Taking advantage of the moderately long corridor and the few torches that lit the way, Chris sprang into action. He didn't bother to talk with the other inmates in his cell, but instead made his way to the gate and hastily began trying the keys.

The other prisoners were surprised by Chris's sudden action, but their expressions quickly shifted to joy as they realized what he was doing. They all gathered nearby in silent agreement, with one shrewd youngster of around 14 or 15 years old even standing guard, keeping watch for any approaching guards.

Ignoring the other inmates, Chris continued to try all of the keys, a total of eleven. As he tried the ninth key, he heard a satisfying click, but the gate remained firmly shut. It seemed that the gate was too rusty to open with just the key.

"Damn it! This is the right key, but why isn't it working? How did they open it before?" Chris fretted.

As he started to worry, a sudden realization hit him.

"Assign all experience points to the commoner profession!" he thought, and just as the idea struck him, a warm sensation flowed through his body.

To his shock, Chris realized that he could feel his limbs again. The numbness had disappeared, and he could now feel the energy and strength in his body.

"Professional Commoner is now Level 10," and "Base Class has reached its maximum level!"

"Obtained 25 skill points!"

As he heard those familiar prompts, he smiled gleefully.

"Assign 10 points to lock picking."

Immediately afterward, Chris felt a surge of new information flood his mind, causing his hand to fidget nervously.

After a few attempts, he finally managed to get the lock to click and slowly opened the door of his cell, making sure to move as quietly as possible.

"Damn, I actually needed advanced lock picking skills to open this gate with its key," he grumbled to himself, looking back at the lock.

As he turned around, he saw that the other prisoners had been surprised by his sudden escape and were now rushing out as well, stumbling over each other in the process.

The commotion attracted the attention of the remaining guard, who did not hesitate to confront the escaping inmates. He stood his ground, brandishing his spear menacingly.

"How did you scum escape?" The guard shouted, his voice betraying a hint of worry. Despite the inmates appearing scrawny and weak, they were too numerous for the guard's liking. "Get back to your cell!"

While the other inmates kept the guard occupied, Chris quietly slipped away and headed in the opposite direction. He knew that the prisoners in his cell alone were not enough to overpower the guard, so he decided to open a few more gates.

"Hey, look over there," one of the prisoners exclaimed. "Isn't that Cedric one of Gilbert's henchmen?"

"Hehe, open it, open it"

As soon as Chris opened the gates, a wave of joy and relief swept over the faces of the prisoners who rushed out eagerly. These were mostly thieves and ruffians from the slums who had committed crimes in the city. Despite feeling somewhat guilty for setting them free, Chris knew it was necessary, particularly with the rampaging monsters posing a threat to everyone.

As the number of escapees grew, the guard retreated and eventually fled with the crowd hot on their heels. However, Chris remained behind as he needed to retrieve his equipment first. Without them, he would be defenseless even if he managed to escape.

Since he had only been thrown into the prison today, Chris figured that his equipment would still be in the dungeons, most probably in the armory.

He crept along the corridor, trying to stay out of sight. He heard the sound of fighting in the distance, and he knew that the guards were distracted. He sneaked his way through the corridor on the first floor and opened a couple more gates before taking a turn away from the corridor, where some guards were holding off the escapees.

This corridor was long and lit with torches. He could hear the faint sound of scurrying footsteps echoing through the hallway, making him more cautious as he moved forward towards his destination. The flickering light from the torches cast eerie shadows on the walls, adding to the sense of danger and urgency.

At the end of the long hallway, Chris noticed two doors that didn't lead to any cells. One of the rooms emitted a pungent stench, while the other had the sound of muttering coming from it.

After listening, he judged that nobody was inside the dimly lit chamber. He poked his head cautiously and was taken aback as he grimaced in disgust.

The chamber housed three women who were lying down on the floor; their eyes were dim, and they didn't even notice him coming; these women were most likely humiliated by the guards. After searching a bit, he didn't find any storage of any sort and quietly left.

Chris didn't offer any assistance or attempt to speak to the women. Instead, he left the room and made his way towards the adjacent chamber to assess the situation.

After listening for a while, Chris recognized the voice of Cannibal, an official who had been assigned to oversee the guards of the dungeons. He heard Cannibal's voice saying, "It doesn't appear to be of any value, anyway, let's get the carriage ready now and escape as you have said."

"This guy is easy to take care of, though I doubt he doesn't have any guards by his side." Chris took out a torch that was hanging on the wall, his shadow dancing on the walls as he closed in towards the door.