Everything turned into a blur as he descended in a rush of wind and shadow, the laughter of scions echoing maniacally above. Klarion’s stomach churned as the cold air rushed past, the weightlessness of freefall seizing his body. Desperation clawed at him, and he scanned the jagged walls for anything to slow his descent. His eyes locked onto an outcropping of stone jutting from the darkness. Reaching out, he strained his muscles, the wind tearing at his clothes and threatening to rip him away from his trajectory.
The fingers of his right hand grazed the rough edge before the momentum of his fall ripped him away in a spin. The sudden force wrenched his arm, pain flaring as he continued his descent. Disorientated, his back bounced off another outcropping, ripping from him a grunt of pain that disappeared behind him. No more slabs of jutting stone remained in his path, but that didn’t matter as Klarion got a glimpse of what was rapidly rising up to meet him.
The dim glimmer of a pool below him reflected faint light.
Gritting his teeth, Klarion straightened out his body as best he could, legs locking as he prepared to hit the water feet first. He crashed into the pool with a thunderous splash, the impact forcing the air from his lungs. Down deep, he sank, the floor of the pool nowhere in sight. Cold and disorientated, Klarion surfaced, gasping, with a hand instinctively outstretched to push away what had appeared in his vision as soon as he had made contact with the water. When it didn’t immediately go away, he took a moment to read it as he bobbed in the water.
Welcome to The Pit (Imperial Academy - First Year Dungeon)
Carved deep into the earth, The Pit is a testament to the malice Dungeons direct at those who dare to delve them. A crucible of darkness, this Dungeon is a test not just of the strength of the body but also the resolve of the spirit. Only those with courage, strategy, and unyielding will can escape the Pit’s clutches. Will you face The Pit or be swallowed by it?
Objective(s): Defeat the Boss, ????, ????
Recommended Group Size: 3-5
Recommended Group Levels: 5-10
Warning! Warning! Warning!
Detected Level: 1
Detected Class: N/A
Warning! Warning! Warning!
You are under-leveled and unclassed. Survival chances are slim. Proceed with extreme caution.
Having read the notifications, he could now dismiss them. Worried about how the cold bite of the pool seemed to be seeping into his bones, Klarion began making his way to the nearest shore. The warnings told him that he was deeply fucked, but he couldn’t spare any attention to focus on them at the moment. Thoughts of Hatsune consumed him. He had no idea what state she was in — alive, injured, or worse — but his gut told him she was already fighting for her life down here.
But deep within is chest, something burned brighter than the fear: anger. Hector and the other scions aligned with Chadwick and House Brightcoin had cornered him, forced him into the Dungeon, and worse, had thrown Hatsune into this nightmare first. That was unforgivable.
His arms slammed into the water as his legs thrust his body forward until he finally reached the point where he could stand in the shallows. Black sand gripped his feet as he made his way to shore. Anger turned to rage in his chest, hotter than the pain that was coursing through his battered body. The scion’s mocking laughter still echoed in his ears, their smug faces seared into his mind. He had thought Hector could be a friend, but it had all been a setup. Robbed of a choice, they had forced him into this death trap of a Dungeon, the callousness of it all making his blood boil. He had let his guard down, lulled into a false sense of security by the friendship of Valdre and Redrek. Friendships that he thought showed the Chadwicks of the Imperial Academy to be the exception, not the rule. How naive he had been. Anger fueled his every thought — anger at their arrogance, anger at much he still didn’t know, and most of all, anger at himself for not being strong enough to stop them.
And it might cost Hatsune everything.
As he felt himself start to get swept away in the tide of anger within him, the words of Alesin and Rolfun echoed in his mind like a stern reprimand. Be smart. Don’t be reckless. Plan your moves. He grimaced, hand pausing as it reached for the hilt of a weapon that was still back at his residence. Damn it.
“Looks like I already forgot their advice,” he muttered, looking around as his eyes began to adjust to the low light around him. He could make out little of the cavernous space around him. Luminescent moss was scattered here and there along the walls that surrounded the pool. In that dim light, he could make out that the level he had landed in was massive but little else. The air was thick, heavy with a musty, metallic tang that clung to his nostrils. No sign of Hatsune either. His eyes swept over his surroundings again with a more calculating gaze. He couldn’t afford to let his anger dictate his actions, not in this place. No, he would have to be careful and use every advantage he had.
Wait a moment.
Klarion’s heart skipped a beat. Thirty free stat points. How had he let them slip his mind? Silently cursing himself for the oversight, he pulled up his character sheet. If there was ever a time to use them, it was now. A familiar interface flickered into existence before him. Without having a weapon handy, his best choice was to invest his points in what would maximize his odds of survival.
Name: Klarion von Sturmwacht
Race: Human (Noresyn)
Class: TBD - Level 1 (Free Points = 30=>0)
Profession(s): TBD
Essence(s): TBD
Faction: Treverorum Empire - House Blacksword
Rank: Scion - Unlanded
Aura: -
Majesty: -
Eminence: -
Strength: 54=>74
Dexterity: 49
Vitality: 65=>75
Endurance: 73
Intelligence: 57
Wisdom: 47
Charisma: 40
Luck: 16
Traits: Greater Soul Oath (Unknown - Hidden)
Skills: Greatsword Mastery (Novice)
Abilities: N/A
Imperial Academy Currencies:
Seals of Valor (0); Seals of Cunning (0); Seals of Brutality (0); Seals of Discovery (0); Seals of Arcana (0); Coins of Knowledge (15); Coins of Service (0)
Twenty points were placed into strength, and the other ten went into vitality. The moment he confirmed his choices, a surge of energy slammed through his body like a tidal wave. The transformation was immediate — and excruciating. Muscles burned as they became more dense, and his bones ached with the strain of rapid adaption. Klarion’s body felt like it was being torn apart and rebuilt at the same time.
“Thank fuck I didn’t do this before fighting those Storm Wolves,” he muttered through gritted teeth, grimacing through the pain. “I’m not sure I’d have survived the shock.”
The surging change threatened to overwhelm him, but Klarion forced himself to focus, and in moments, it was over. Pain gone, he focused back on the cavern around him. His eyes had adjusted more, revealing the area around him to be less empty than he had initially thought. Piles of debris littered the cavernous floor once he was a bit further away from the pool. A chaotic jumble of broken weapons, rusted armor, and shattered bones made several piles around him. Going to the nearest, it was clear to Klarion they were whatever remained of those who had failed to delve the Dungeon.
He heard movement nearby.
A weapon. He needed a weapon.
Turning his attention to the debris around him, Klarion scanned the piles of refuse and debris, searching for anything remotely usable. The dim light made it difficult to distinguish one item from another, and the first few weapons he grabbed were too corroded or damaged to be of any use. Broken spearheads glinted faintly, while shields lay warped and cracked, their surfaces stained with a mix of blood and rust.
His foot struck something solid with a dull clang. He glanced down, brushing aside the surrounding detritus. He nearly cried out in relief when he uncovered the hilt of a greatsword. The weapon was massive, larger than the one he had left behind, its blade nearly as long as he was tall. It was embedded in a mound of shattered metal and stone, its surface dull with age but surprisingly free of the heavy rust that marred the other weapons he had found. The hilt was wrapped in worn leather, frayed at the edges but still sturdy. The crossguard was plain, unadorned, yet solid and still functional.
Klarion knelt, wrapping his hands around the hilt. With a deep breath, he braced himself and pulled. The greatsword came free with surprising ease, the sound of metal scraping against stone echoing through the cavern. Klarion staggered slightly under its weight at first, but once he got a sense of its balance, it felt similar in his hands to the greatsword he had left behind before class. Even luckier, the edge was still sharp.
A sharp cry tore through the oppressive silence. Klarion’s head shot up, his eyes widening as he spotted two shadowed shapes locked in a violent struggle that was coming in his direction. One of the figures had a set of distinctive ear-like shapes over the top of their head.
Hatsune.
Readying his greatsword, Klarion rushed in their direction, steps darting between and over piles of debris and dead dungeon divers without thought. His eyes widened in alarm as he came closer, seeing Hatsune struggling to keep a monster away from her. The creature was a horrifying blend of lizard and man, its sinewy, elongated limbs covered in rough, black scales that glistened faintly in the dim light of the moss scattered across the nearby walls. Its glowing yellow eyes tracked Hatsune with predatory focus, and a wicked, serrated blade gleamed in its clawed hands.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
Hatsune moved with determined precision, her longsword flashing as she parried the monster’s relentless attacks. A jagged wound in her thigh seeped blood, staining her torn leggings and pooling at her feet. Her movements, normally fluid and lightning-quick, had slowed, and her breaths came in harsh, uneven gasps.
The lizardman lunged with inhuman speed, its blade slashing downward in a brutal arc. Hatsune twisted to evade, her injured leg buckling as she narrowly avoided the strike. She retaliated with a desperate upward slash, her blade sliding along the creature’s scaly hide. It let out a hiss-like snarl, barely fazed by the glancing blow. Raising the serrated blade again, it made to stab down at Hatsune’s exposed face.
With a primal roar, Klarion slammed into the lizardman, carrying it up and away from Hatsune.
The monster twisted its upper body around, fixing its pained gaze on Klarion with predatory malice. Jerking himself to a halt, Klarion heaved his shoulders to toss the smaller lizardman up into the air. Hissing, it swung its blade at him, but the blow went wide. Seizing the opening, Klarion swung his greatsword up in a wide arc. The blow landed with a sickening crunch, sending the creature back up into the air in a spray of black blood. When it hit the ground, it didn’t move.
“Klarion!” Hatsune gasped from behind him, causing him to swing back around, greatsword ready.
A second lizardman came running out of the darkness, a spear leveled to take the Leporine high in the chest. Hatsune struggled to rise, her trembling fingers wrapping around her longsword. Klarion could immediately tell it was all she could do to stand, but there was a fire in her gaze. She lurched forward, swinging her weapon awkwardly. It was just enough to cause the second lizardman to pull his charge up short.
“Stay back!” Klarion shouted, his voice raw, but Hatsune ignored him, her determination burning through the pain she must have been feeling. He rushed to get within range.
Judging him to be the greater threat, the lizardman pivoted to sprint at Klarion, a challenging hiss warbling from its throat as it bared its fangs. Before it could take more than two strides, Hatsune threw herself into its path, her longsword deflecting the leveled spear up high, exposing its vulnerable side. Klarion’s blood went cold as the move cost the Leporine dearly — the lizardman’s claws raked across her arm, leaving deep, jagged gashes. She cried out in pain, but Klarion forced himself to focus on the opening she had forced.
Rushing in close before it could recover, Klarion shouted as he put all of his strength into a descending blow at its head. Halfway down the blade, it connected with the desperate lizardman’s neck, cleanly severing its head from its shoulders. The still-moving body collapsed to the ground, twitching, black blood spraying across the dirt as it hit.
Klarion’s chest heaved as he stood over the fallen lizardman, his heart pounding in his ears. Spinning around, he made sure that no more monsters were going to come rushing from the darkness, then he turned to Hatsune. She was leaning against a pile of stone, her face pale but defiant.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Klarion said, his voice heavy with both anger and concern.
Hatsune glared back at him, her ears twitching in an irritated manner. “And let you take it alone? I might be a failure of a bodyguard, but even injured, I’m not useless.”
“You’re not a failure,” Klarion said, kneeling beside her. He examined her wounds, fingers gently probing to see how deep that cut in her thigh was. He set the greatsword aside on the ground. “But you’re hurt, and we have a ways to go yet. We need to get you patched up before more of those things show up.”
Hatsune winced but didn’t argue. Klarion tried to tear strips from his school uniform, but when that didn’t work, he ripped a few free from Hatsune’s offered sleeve. The Leporine hissed in pain as he wrapped first the wound in her thigh, then the gashes along her arm.
“What happened to your shield?”
“Broken,” she said, voice tight with pain, then gestured deeper into the darkness where the first lizardman’s body lay. “Lost it to the first two I fought.”
“I’ll get you another one later once we get out of here,” Klarion said, his voice firm. “And when we do, we’re going to make those bastards pay for what they tried to do.”
“Klarion,” Hatsune said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I think we need to talk about our options.”
Klarion frowned. “Options? We get out of this together, that’s the only option.”
She shook her head, ears drooping. “Listen to me. I’ll only slow you down. If you leave me here, you might have a chance to get out.”
Klarion’s jaw tightened. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Klarion—”
“Hatsune, stop.” His voice was firm but not unkind. “If I was going to leave you behind, I wouldn’t have jumped in after you.”
The weight of his words hung between them, and for the first time, Hatsune seemed at a loss. Her green eyes widened, her ears rising slightly as she processed what he’d said.
“You… you really mean that?” she asked softly.
“Of course I mean it,” Klarion responded gently. “What kind of person would I be if I abandoned you here?”
Hatsune looked away, her cheeks tinged with faint color. “I don’t think you understand how this is supposed to work. I’m your bodyguard. It’s my job to protect you, not the other way around.”
“I know, don’t think I don’t,” Klarion said, pulling her back to her feet. “But this isn’t just about roles or responsibilities. We’re in this together, Hatsune. I jumped in after you because I need you. We’ll both get stronger, but we have to survive this first.”
Hatsune bit her lip, her ears twitching with uncertainty. For a long moment, her eyes searched his face for something, but for what he could not tell. After a moment, she nodded. “Okay. Together, then. But no more reckless heroics, alright?”
Klarion let loose an involuntary chuckle, thinking about Alesin. She had Hatsune would have got along well together. “No promises. But I’ll do my best to make sure that they aren’t necessary.”
“That is the best I’m going to get, isn’t it?” Hatsune said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Klarion shrugged, smiling.
“You, my lord, need more bodyguards.”
“Given what has happened so far, I don’t disagree,” Klarion said. “But that is for later. Now, let’s think this through.”
He looked around the level they were on, the only things new being a crude stone staircase back along the far side and an opening he could just barely make out a bit further along the wall near them. Another room? Perhaps that was the way to the boss that had been mentioned in the pop-up the System had shown to him after he hit the water.
“We’re at the bottom level,” he mused out loud. “From what I can guess, the way up will have more of these lizardmen. We’d be running a gauntlet just to make it back to the entrance. I didn’t fall for long before I hit the pool, so that likely is only a few floors.”
Hatsune nodded, her brows furrowing. “But with my injuries, it will be a struggle for us to fight our way through every floor. Even if we get lucky and avoid some of the groups, there is also the possibility there will be traps.”
“Exactly,” Klarion said grimly. He hesitated, glancing toward the opening along the wall. “But there is another option.”
Hatsune followed his gaze, her expression darkening as realization dawned. “The Boss.”
Klarion nodded. “From what I understand, if we can defeat it, we’ll get loot—weapons, armor, perhaps even things like healing potions of some sort. Those might make it easier to get back out.”
Hatsune’s lips thinned as she considered his words. “The Boss won’t be a pushover,” she said. “It’ll be quite a bit stronger than these lizardmen we’ve killed. Do you really think we can handle it in our condition? You saw the information about the dungeon, the same as I. We don’t have backup, and neither one of us has a class yet.”
“Right, which is why we need to know what we’re working with,” Klarion said, rubbing his head. “I don’t suppose you know how we can share our character sheets?”
“What do you mean?” Hatsune asked with a strange look on her face. She made a flicking gesture with her hand, then said, “You just share them.” Her character sheet appeared before him.
Name: Heishi Hatsune
Race: Leporine (Kennokuni)
Class: TBD - Level 3
Profession(s): TBD
Essence(s): TBD
Faction: Treverorum Empire - House Blacksword
Rank: Bonded - Bodyguard
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 27
Vitality: 19
Endurance: 24
Intelligence: 18
Wisdom: 12
Charisma: 9
Luck: 11
Traits: Fleetfooted I; Keen Senses II
Skills: Longsword Mastery (Novice); Katana Mastery (Journeyman); Leather Armor Mastery (Journeyman); Scale Armor Mastery (Apprentice)
Abilities: N/A
Klarion absorbed the information Hatsune shared, nodding thoughtfully. The Leporine was built for speed and endurance, while her strength was a bit more modest. He was interested in the traits she had and what they meant, but right now was not the time to ask. That being said, with this only being the second character sheet of someone else he’d seen, he couldn’t help but ask a question that had been bothering him.
“Are these stats typical for someone of your level?”
Hatsune blinked at Klarion’s question, her ears twitching slightly as she processed his words. She folded her arms, her brow furrowing. “Well,” she began, a hint of pride slipping into her voice, “for someone of my race and level, they’re actually pretty good. Leporines naturally excel in speed and stamina, so my dexterity and vitality are higher than average for most people at my level. But as for strength…” She trailed off, shrugging. “It’s not my people’s strong suit, but we make up for it with our precision and endurance. As a bodyguard, I have to be quick on my feet and able to outlast an opponent rather than quickly overpower them.”
She titled her head, studying Klarion curiously. “Why do you ask?”
Klarion hesitated, feeling slightly self-conscious. “I’m still getting a feel for how stats work and what’s considered normal.”
Hatsune raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? You’ve only just started, haven’t you? What are you, level five or six?”
“Not quite. A bit lower actually.”
The way she narrowed her eyes at him told Klarion she wasn’t going to let that comment slide without an explanation.
“Why don’t I just show you.” He focused on sharing his character sheet with the Leporine.
Hatsune’s eyes traced down the character sheet she could now see. She blinked, her mouth opening and closing several times before she started giggling hysterically, ears twitching erratically on her head.
“Hatsune?”
The Leporine waved her hands, gesturing for him to be silent while she tried to piece together her thoughts. “You’re level one. You have four hundred and thirty-one points distributed across your stats.” Her voice faltered, another giggle coming out before she quashed it. “That’s not normal.”
“Well, it wasn’t like I started with my stats like that. I gained some additional ones over time working with my trainers on my way here to the Academy, and the ceremony I went through led me to gain some more. That is where most of my points came from.”
“Most of your points?” Hatsune repeated incredulously, the weight of his words sinking in. She stared at him, one eye twitching. “How do you have so many points at level one? Most races start with… what, seven to ten in each stat, and maybe a couple of extras? Even if you trained for years before coming here, that shouldn’t be possible.”
Klarion scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward under her scrutiny. “Oh, right. I forgot to mention.” He glanced away, as though the next part were a minor detail. “I get thirty free stat points per level.”
Silence fell between them, the quiet only broken by the faint dripping of water in the cavern. Hatsune stared at him, her expression a mixture of shock, awe, and sheer disbelief.
“Thirty points per level?” she echoed, her voice almost a whisper as she began pacing. “Are you serious? That’s… that’s insane! Most people are lucky to get five or six per level!”
He raised his hands defensively. “Look, I didn’t ask for it. It just… is what it is. And honestly, I wouldn’t mind trading it for an actual class right now. I could use some abilities to go with these stats.”
Hatsune stopped pacing, staring at him with a mix of exasperation and reluctant admiration. “Klarion, do you even realize how absurd that is? You’re walking into this Dungeon as a level one, and you’re already stronger than scions at level ten with a class!” She paused, a thought suddenly striking her. “How did you not beat me soundly in the sparring match earlier?”
“If I had to guess? A lack of skills or traits, and the fact my capabilities are still new to me.” Klarion looked down at his hands, flexing them experimentally. He did feel stronger since putting in his free points. “It’s not enough though,” he said quietly. “Stats don’t mean anything if I can’t protect the people around me.” His red-gold eyes rose to meet her green ones. “So while we are going to do this together, I want you to stay behind me for the Boss fight. Alright?”
Hatsune’s expression softened, and she let out a long sigh. “Alright,” she said, her voice steadier now. “But let’s be clear: just because you’re a stat monster doesn’t mean this will be easy. We need to fight smart too.”
“That’s why we’re talking strategy now. You’ve got more experience, and I’ve got the strength. Together, we’ll get out of here.”
Hatsune shook her head, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. “Alright, let’s make a plan.”