Chapter 04

"Finally, I reached the second floor," I said between gasps. Killing those goblins had been exhausting.

To my disappointment, none of the last goblins dropped Excelia or Soul Spheres. Although my strength had increased thanks to the absorbed souls, the increase was less significant than before.

"I won't achieve anything with these weak monsters."

I needed more powerful enemies to continue leveling up.

However, it wasn't all in vain. A simple pendant with a bone ornament, invisible to others, hung around my neck. The system made it invisible.

[Item]

Bone Pendant

[Grade]

Gradeless

[Stats]

Strength: 7 | Endurance: 5 | Dexterity: 7 | Agility: 9 | Magic: 10

[Abilities]

No abilities

[Description]

An accessory item that grants certain attributes to the wearer.

[Unequip]

***

The small pendant faintly glowed in my hand. Despite its modest stats, I shouldn't underestimate it. If I checked my statistics now, I would see that my stats had slightly increased thanks to it.

Ironically, a non-magical item could give me so many points in 'Magic'. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

That's when I heard footsteps approaching.

Not knowing if they were adventurers or monsters, I cautiously peeked around the corner. Indeed, it wasn't adventurers approaching, but monsters.

If I remembered correctly, they were kobolds, those reddish goblins with dog-like heads.

One of them spotted me and swung its wooden mace in my direction. I accepted its challenge and drew my dagger, clashing it against its weapon.

The impact caused a sharp pain to shoot through my hands. Nevertheless, the kobold seemed to be in worse condition, staggering.

I seized its weakness and charged at it, driving my dagger into its skull. After a few final spasms, the monster fell lifeless.

[You have absorbed the Excelia of a kobold]

+2 Strength

+1 Endurance

+1 Agility

***

Two points of strength. Undoubtedly, the Excelia from that kobold had added to the goblins' and other defeated monsters' Excelia. That would explain why my stats were improving even though the enemies seemed weak.

As I extracted Magic Stones from the kobold's chest with my dagger, I wished to learn how to perfect the technique to speed up the process. It was something I would have to practice in the future.

-Kacha--Kacha-

That's when I heard it.

Hastily approaching footsteps that overlapped each other. I looked around with surprise and found six goblins running towards me in a hurry. Where the hell did they come from?

Although it wasn't a true "Monster Wave," it was an unusually high number for a random encounter. I sighed inwardly.

"My luck persists, it seems."

I quickened my pace to distance myself from the approaching footsteps. I wasn't prepared to face multiple monsters at once; I lacked enough experience and technique. Charging into a group would be signing my death sentence.

I hid against the wall, holding my breath as my heart threatened to burst out of my chest. I tightly gripped the handle of my dagger, feeling the cold sweat trickle down my cheeks. Each approaching step was more suffocating than imagined. One mistake, and it would all be over.

When one of the goblins passed by my side, I acted swiftly. I kicked its leg to knock it down, pushing it into its companions. Two fell obstructed, and I took the opportunity to lunge forward.

-Ploc!-

The wet sound filled my ears as I plunged the dagger into another monster's chest. It exploded into dust, but to my frustration, I failed to collect the Magic Stone.

It was said that the existence of monsters was tied to magic stones. When shattered, the monsters would dissolve into dust.

"Shit!"

[You have absorbed the Excelia of a Goblin]

Taking advantage of the goblins' disarray, my dagger severed the neck of the nearest one, splattering its slimy saliva. After exhaling its last breath, I obtained my reward.

[You have absorbed the Excelia of a Goblin]

From the left, I saw a stick coming at me. I dodged just in time.

—Bang!—

However, I was exposed to my other enemy and received a hit in the ribs that left me breathless.

"Damn, it hurts like hell."

I kicked the ground and took a step back. They lunged at me. At least two of them were already dead, so my burden was lighter.

They cornered me from the front and sides. They weren't as foolish as I imagined. A blow came from the right and another from the front. I reached out to block the one from the right. An excruciating pain ran through my arm up to the top of my head. I took a gulp of cold air and let the blow from the front pass over me, driving the dagger into its head.

[You have absorbed the Excelia of a goblin]

Only three remained. I grabbed the stick that attacked me and pulled it, driving my dagger into the goblin wielding it.

"Ugh, disgusting."

[You have absorbed the Excelia of a goblin]

—Bang!—

I blocked the blow with a horrible pain in my arm, but managed to maintain focus. I slid to break my enemy's magic stone. I still lacked the skill to strike a moving target accurately without hitting its Magic Stone.

[You have absorbed the Excelia of a goblin]

Only one remained. To my surprise, its eyes reflected... fear? Monsters could feel emotions after all.

I ran towards it, wielding my dagger. The goblin trembled as it backed away, confirming my suspicions.

Was it because I had become stronger? Did the goblin's movements become predictable or were they simply clumsy? The important thing was that I had survived a group of monsters. It was my first time in the dungeon, so what I had achieved was difficult to replicate.

[You have absorbed the Excelia of a Goblin]

+1 Endurance

+1 Dexterity

***

The panels overlapped.

This basically confirms my earlier assumption. The Excelia of the weaker monsters I kill accumulates and then, after reaching a fixed number of 1, is displayed on the panel.

[Status]

—Tooru

×Level 1

[Stats]

Strength: 11 (+7)

Endurance: 10 (+5)

Dexterity: 9 (+7)

Agility: 6 (+9)

Magic: 0 (+10)

***

"Not bad."

In the darkness of the hallway, a strange sphere gleamed with metallic light. Obtaining loot was the most exciting thing within the dungeon.

"Come on, precious, come closer," I said, rubbing my hands together. I shattered the sphere with one strike.

[You have obtained a Valis Bag by shattering the sphere]

[Item]

Valis Bag

[Grade]

Gradeless

...

..

.

[Description]

A bag filled with coins. Contains 850 Valis.

***

I was dumbfounded as I looked at the small brown bag in my hand. It contained money! So far, it was the most valuable loot. 850 Valis wasn't much, but what would I find on lower levels?

"I'll go down a few more floors and then return to the surface. I'm sure Kami-sama will be waiting for me."