I'm awake.

I'm foggy. My head is spinning. As I try to breathe in, I realize that something has been chewed on my mouth. A gag or something. I breathe in through my nose and exhale loudly, and the situation becomes a little clearer.

In a dungeon. I was tied hand and foot and made to lie down. In front of me are the backs of two self-proclaimed "warriors" and the figure of Prine on my shoulders...

Nnnnnnggggg!

I tried to speak out as loud as I could, but the gag prevented me from doing so.

A man carrying Prine under his arm noticed me. He approached me without hesitation, and smiled slyly.

'You're going to get eaten by a monster there, brother.

The smaller one thumbs the prine and laughs.

'We're going to make him pay for it, you know.

--For money? Don't tell me you're planning to sell them to slavers!

'Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

I crawl like a caterpillar, but my legs are tied to something and I can't get any closer.

'Ha-ha-ha! How dare you set us up earlier, you little shit!

Gah! He kicked me in the face, and sparks flew in front of my eyes.

'I had a hard time getting out of there! But, well, it's a crying shame that I got such a big prize.

'It's a bit of a treadmill, isn't it?'

--You've earned it, you idiots!

'Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

'Hey, let's get out of here. We're not safe on this deep floor.

'You're right. Why is the meeting place in a dungeon? ......'

With that, the two men, one large and one small, took Prine with them and left.

They melted away into the darkness, and it was impossible to tell which way they had gone. The sound of their footsteps reverberated in the air, making it impossible to get a sense of their direction.

Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!

Remember what Diego said!

I don't know who or what they're dealing with, but if they use the transfer crystals, that's the last thing we need. Even if the crystal is set to "the entrance of the dungeon" when it is given by the guild, it can jump to any place where you have been by a slight modification, that crystal.

I heard that I can still catch up with them by tracing their magical elements, but I'm not a mage, I can't read their magical elements, and I can't catch up with them.

The slaver who took Prine over will probably use the transfer crystal to escape somewhere far away. Then there's no way to find her. Prine will have to live as a slave in some country for the rest of her life!

'Nggo! GENGAKU!

Not only was Mary taken from me, but Prine was taken from me, and I can't believe I might lose anyone more important to me. ......

--I'm not going to let that happen!

'Gahhhhhhhh!

Pssst, pssst, pssst, bam...

Something connected to my leg snapped, and I rolled with the momentum.

--It snapped!

Yes, be cool, I'm a Thief. Even if my skills are the worst I've ever heard of, even if I'm level 1, I'm still a shifu. The restraints those sketchy bastards put on me...

Just barely. Snap.

I slit the ropes binding my hands with the knife in my sleeve. As long as my hands are free, I'm all yours. He takes off the gag, cuts the ropes from his feet, and stands up...

--Prine!

Step out of the space where you were restrained,

'............!

And then he went rigid.

A white mist covered my vision. A faint glimpse of a temple-like interior. Everything was different from the first layer: the dungeon configuration, the difficulty level, the oppressive feeling.

An overwhelming sense of uneasiness spread out before you. An instinctive fear of the unknown.

If I take even one step out of this dungeon, I will be swallowed up by it. That's what I felt.

'Soo......,ha......'

Breathe in, breathe out.

The breath you breathe out turns into a white ooze, and is assimilated into the fog. The breath you exhale from your body melts and assimilates with the fog of the dungeon. Yes, I think. Assimilate. Assimilate with the dungeon. I'm not afraid of it. Don't be afraid.

'Soo......,ha......'.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I think. I've killed so many slimes. Maybe I'm getting a little better.

When you level up, you learn skills.

Yes, skills. You can't know how high your level is unless you go to the guild and get a sheet, but if it's a skill, you can know it right here and use it right after you learn it.

--Please, remember useful skills. ......!

Visualize the status in your mind. Skills are not the only gifts from the demigod and half-human queen. It is an adventurer's ( ) skill that allows you to learn new skills as you level up.

An image of the status came into my mind.


Name: Rana Prata
People: Lv?
Sifu: Lv?

H P: 33


M P: 0
Attack power: ?
Defense: ?
Speed: ?
Skill: Lockpicking Lv? 2
Skill: [Breathing] Able to breathe in and out.


--Mapping!

You open your eyes wide and clasp your hands in front of your chest. Out of nowhere, a light pen appears between my fingers and moves my hands to draw a map in the air.

The completed map has some insect holes. This is what happens when the level is low. And so the light map disappears, "into my head".

--Next comes the tracking!

I use the skill "Tracking," which I had learned from the beginning. If your level is high enough, it will tell you the location of enemy monsters once you encounter them, but if your level is low..,

--Prine! I see you!

It tells you the location of your companions who have gone astray. I compare it to the map in my brain and locate them.

According to the map, we are at the first layer. Prine is in a small space about 300 meltors from here. Her detection skill is low, so she doesn't know who else is there, but the two men are probably there.

--Wait for me, Prine!

I took a step forward, but at that moment,

Shoo!

What the hell?

Something attacked us from the air. I hurriedly avoided it and saw what it was stuck to the ceiling.

It's a 'Giant bat ...... killer bat!

I remember Diego saying that he was a nasty guy who attacked us relentlessly from overhead, which was hard to avoid. I think the guild's recommended level to kill it was 5.

And then..,

Slip, slip, slip, slip, slip, slip, slip, slip, slip,

Gurulu......Gurulu............

Gosh ...... gaaaaah ...... gaaaah ......

The sound of echoing footsteps and roars.

Monsters were gathering.

Approaching swiftly are four large hordes of hobgoblins (A-D). Beside them is a Black Wolf, and behind it a rampaging monkey.

Each and every one of them is a monster so vicious that a party of four at job level 10 can barely take them on.

A novice adventurer who has just challenged a dungeon today is no match for them.

But I still keep my eyes on them. I take shallow, shallow breaths.

............ you guys!

His chest armor is stripped, his dagger is taken, and he has only two small knives in his hands.

Still, I stare at them. I breathe deeply, deeply.

Prine is waiting for me.



Get out of the way!