Good-Curse Hunting, Bad Decision Making

After I had retrieved my hunting knife from the guards at the gate, I hurried to the nearest marked location on Tyr's map that was to the South of the city.

I sent out a mental call to Biggie, and he hurried to my side.

Biggie had followed me around within Beniham, steathily breaching the walls at night and hiding in the sewage system during the day. If I had needed Biggie, he would have been at my side in a few seconds.

Luckily, there was no need for Biggie's blades, and I had him wait for me near the city gate as I rushed over myself.

Anyway, our first stop was to go to the territory of a cursed herd of boars. If we didn't bump into one while passing through, we would just head to our next destination.

As it turned out, we did stumble into one.

Not breaking stride, I ran past the boar as Biggie eviscerated and sucked the brains out of the poor animal, not bothering to look back. It was rather low leveled, so I didn't bother to offer Biggie support. I was, however, hoping to see if I got cursed being close to it. Unfortunately, I had not attracted any bad mojo from the dead piggie.

And so we continued onward, travelling in a haphazard zigzag towards the special cave on Tyr's map of curses.

On the way, I did decide to practice my void lances a bit on a cursed Giant Mantis, and ranked up my curse (Touch of the Old Ones) to rank B-. Upon ranking up, Biggie learned the skill (Lacerate), which was a passive skill that caused Biggie's attacks to cause cuts that wouldn't clot unless healed by special potions or mid tier healing magics ranked above C+. Useful stuff.

Other than that, the other stops were letdowns, as the cursed items were useless and the cursed animals didn't share their curses.

I momentarily thought about going to a cursed location, but going to any of the cursed locations required a huge detour away from my main target. I decided to visit them after seeing the relic.

-------------------------------------------------------

Wait, this is the cave?!

Double checking the map to make sure I was at the right location, I stared dumbly at what was in front of my eyes.

The so called cave was a massive arc of rocks leading underground, with massive black iron doors ajar, revealing a pitch black interior.

This wasn't a fucking cave, this was a dungeon! What the hell was Tyr doing calling this a cave?!

I scanned the entrance, looking for anything suspicious. On one of the doors I could make out the weathered runes that read

"Here are the doors to the Cave of Damnation. All who seek the relic, pray for painless death."

Ah. Cave of Damnation. It's a cave I guess. Well.

Berating myself for questioning the wisdom of my elders silently, Biggie and I proceeded downwards into the dark mouth of the cave.

Finding myself lost in the total darkness, I put one hand against the dungeon walls and reached out in front of me with the other, trying to avoid colliding into anything. Biggie seemed slightly annoyed at my helplessness, and sent out a mental message to me.

<m-Masster, liNnKk.....>

Sensing Biggie's intentions, I decided to reluctantly form a mental link.

Mentally linking with Biggie was less uncomfortable than the first time. Biggie had gained some Wis from draining brains, and now had the intelligence of a young child. His messages were less distorted and could convey more abstract ideas. However, his mental landscape was still alien-like and still left much to be desired in terms of comfort.

However, mentally linking with Biggie allowed me to perceive the world through his senses. Biggie's species, the Lesser-Hound of Hastur, had several ways of locating objects. Thermal sense, electric-receptors, detection through vibrations in the ground and air, and mana sensing. Biggie was the perfect hunting machine, truly an eldritch hunting hound.

By using Biggie's senses, I not only noticed several monsters on the floor below us, I also noticed a sickly purple-black mana coursing around us.

This dungeon itself was a cursed location! Only now did I notice my mana being peeled away from me, my MP draining as I stood around.

"Well, looks like I'm not using any void spears in here, shit...."

Biggie and I continued further down into the dungeon. Biggie would quickly kill the monsters that approached us, but would leave a few alive at my request. I decided to train my knife skills and combat ability, getting used to the improved capabilities of my body. In addition, I made it a point to avoid taking damage as much as possible, as I wanted to kill my enemies with my own abilities and not by relying on my curse (Desolation of Cain). With my increased stats, I could overpower some of the monsters easily, dodging claws and fangs and magic with relative ease. Other monsters proved more difficult, requiring me to use my entire mental focus to remain unscathed.

A common trend I noticed was that the few plant-based monsters in the dungeon fled once they detected me. I was truly a destroyer of flora.

[Title gained: "Rotting Thumb."]

[Title details: Increases damage dealt to plant based monsters by 100%]

.....

It seems I have gained a redundant and useless title.

---------------------------------------

I had lost all sense of time being in the dungeon, continuing to travel deeper and deeper. The further down we went, the monsters became stronger. It got to a point where I could no longer fully avoid damage despite my best efforts, and my enemies would usually fall dead the moment I received any sizable hit. Luckily, I had a few health potions gifted to me from the adventurers at the adventurer's guild.

I had realized that the dungeon's curse was also denying me of EXP, as after every monster I killed there were no announcements that I had leveled up when I should have. However, I was confident and determined to get that relic.

....

Eventually, both Biggie and I had to fight a single enemy to bring it down. I played the role as tank, drawing as much attention to myself as I could. Biggie would dart around the walls, shooting across at blinding speeds, leaving deep cuts in our foes. Some wouldn't die immediately after my curse took effect, requiring more than one activation of (Desolation of Cain) to bring them down. We were way out of our league, but I wanted that relic. Plus, I hadn't died yet, and Biggie was doing a good job of avoiding major damage.

Currently, Biggie and I were facing down a Rot Wyrm. It was a long, snake-like dragon that had no wings and breathed out clouds of green vapors that caused anything it touched to melt. Biggie was trying to cut the Wyrm, but its scales were too hard. I had run in a few times and tried to stab the Wyrm's eyes, but the Wyrm would simple close its eyes, its scales on its eyelids just as tough as anywhere else.

I was running out of options, but I was determined to take the Wyrm down. Biggie's senses told me this was the last monster in this damned dungeon, and once it died the relic would be ours.

But nothing we did worked!

Sending Biggie a mental signal to keep the Rot Wyrm distracted, I hunkered down behind a large boulder and began digging through my travel bag.

C'mon, c'mon, something!!

I had almost reached the bottom of the bag and was about to lose hope, but an unfamiliar blue shone through the dried meats I still had.

Reaching for it, I pulled out a blue vial with a note attached to it.

"Hey young man, we wish you luck on your scholarly endeavors. This was confiscated from a criminal mage a few years ago, and it would have gone to waste staying with us.

Good luck!

-Guards"

....honestly, those damn people were too nice.

Betting my all on this vial, I downed it as fast as I could.

A fiery surge rushed through the core of my being, and through Biggie's mana sense I could see my mana had been recovered!

But the dungeon was sapping it quickly, I had to act fast!

I formed two void spears before my mana could fall too low, and lined them up in a row.

<Biggie! Get the Wyrm to turn!>

receiving my mental message, Biggie acted quickly. He landed on the Wyrm's head, and began viciously began stabbing the same spot repeatedly. The Wyrm, unhurt but annoyed, tried to swat Biggie off. Biggie jumped, barely avoid the Wyrm's claws. The Wyrm ended by hitting itself, causing more damage than either Biggie or I had for the entire fight.

Annoyed the Wyrm, turned towards the direction Biggie was running away, exposing a spot on its body its arms could not reach.

Now!

I launched the void spears as fast as I could. The first one disintegrated the Wyrm's scale, exposing the Wyrm's skin. The second hit the Wyrm's skin almost immediately after, causing it to disintegrate as well.

Well, that's what I thought should have happened.

Instead, a small patch of skin had disintegrated, but had begun to close up slowly. The Wyrm's regeneration was faster that my spear's rate of disintegration!

Not wanting to let this chance slip by, I rushed towards the Wyrm and planted a solid stab into the exposed flesh.

GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

A mix between a hiss and a roar came from the Wyrm's maw, not a sound of pain but a sound of annoyance and anger.

The force of a truck slammed into me, sending me flying into the dungeon wall. The Wyrm had slapped me with its tail like an ox would to an annoying fly that kept biting it.

From that relatively gentle but quick slap of annoyance, I took 55 points of damage.

[Charon

HP: 3/65

MP:0/60]

My ribs were almost completely destroyed, and I had started coughing up blood. My skin flashed with red markings as (Desolation of Cain) activated.

The Wyrm howled in rage and confusion at the sudden damage it took. Sensing the threat I now posed, the Wyrm turned towards me in preparation for a breath attack.

However, the damage reflected and multiplied by my curse had halted the regeneration of the Wyrm's skin, and the disintegration caused by my cursed spear began to spread slowly. Seeing an opportunity, Biggie used his skill [Blade Rush] and launched into the Wyrm's exposed flesh.

The Wyrm, shocked by the sudden sense of pain, turned to identify the source. I thought Biggie would disengage and prepare for another strike, but he had other ideas.

With unbound ferocity, Biggie began digging into the Wyrm's flesh, carving a pit deep enough to fit his entire being in. The Wyrm began to roll around, trying to shake Biggie out, but Biggie kept digging.

I watched as I reached into my travel bag, hoping there was still a health potion intact. The damage caused by Biggie tunneling inside the Wyrm with the effect of my two curses were too much for the Wyrm's regeneration to heal before Biggie had reached something vital.

As I sipped the last health potion that hadn't been shattered, the Wyrm had begun letting out true cries of agony as Biggie began tearing into the lungs and heart of the dragon. It seemed Biggie was going for the brain, a decision that was simple but would provide the most effective results.

I sat, watching and grunting in pain as my ribs popped into proper place and mended from the health potions effects. The Wyrm's rolling had slowed down to a stop, and the Wyrm had begun foaming at its mouth. I watched as the Wyrm would occasionally twitch and yelp, spraying acidic saliva in an arc.

I almost felt bad for the Wyrm, being brutally cut up from the inside, killed by low leveled intruders who would have normally had no chance of killing it. If it weren't for my overpowered curses and some kindness from strangers, I would have probably died several hundred times over by now.

After a long silence from the Wyrm, I mustered the strength to stand and slowly limp over, careful to avoid the Wyrm's pools of acid spittle. After what seemed like several hours, I managed to get a few feet away from the Wyrm before its head started shaking.

With a loud POP! one of the Rot Wyrm's eyes fell out and Biggie came crawling out, exhausted from clawing through the Wyrm's regrowing flesh until it died. Biggie did a half-hearted leap, almost landing into a pool of acid spit. After taking a few paces, Biggie collapsed, laying flat on the ground, panting heavily next to me.

Sensing Biggie's tired form, I felt guilty. If I hadn't been so cocky and rushed to get the relic, we could have had a much easier time going through the dungeon. Without Biggie, I'd been trapped down here forever. If I was more prepared, if I had leveled more, if I asked old man Tyr some more questions.....

No, what's done is done. All I can do is learn from my mistakes.

I sent Biggie a mental message to stay and rest, an idea Biggie seemed more than pleased to agree with. As Biggie got some R&R, I headed further down the dungeon, into the last room. The relic room.

I limped the entire way, my body still in pain. I had only recovered half my HP and healed my ribs. I was sure my arms and legs were covered in fracture lines. Still, I'd rather have broken bones than risk dying, especially with not knowing how my curses [Eternal Suffering] and [Undead Spite] would interact.

Eventually I reached an area dyed in red light, the only light in the entire dungeon. In the center of the red light, a dagger floated. The blade was so dark it was like someone had cut a blade-shaped hole in space and filled it with pitch. The only color present was the handle, which was the color of old bone. Upon closer inspection, the handle was made of bone. On it, intricate scenes of death and mourning had been carved with details so complex, it was almost as if the bone of the handle had been grown to form the images.

I was so enamored with the dagger that I failed to sense the creature behind me until it was only a few feet away.

Knowing it wasn't Biggie, goosebumps formed on my skin as I turned to face what was behind me.

The System identified it before I could comprehend what I was looking at.

[Guardian of Death's Key]