Second Floor

After a few more minutes of looking around like a paranoid maniac, I calmed down.

"I probably did it by accident." I reasoned.

During my fight, some gust of air hit it, or Pin did something.

"Ahh." Exhaling, I calmed my mind and heart.

To be safe, I climbed atop a pumpkin nearby, stoked to see my rewards. This time I received four levels making me level 13!

"{Status}!"

{Name: Kai Venator

Race: Human

Class: N/A

Level: 9/50 - 200/500 -> 13/50 - 200/700

Hp: 1,225/1,225-> 1,450/1,450

Energy: (Locked)

Magic: (Locked)

Mind: 52 -> 70

Vitality: 45 -> 58

Strength: 49 -> 65

Intelligence: 46 -> 58

Agility: 48-> 63

Dexterity: 47 -> 60

Resistance: 42 -> 55

Attribute Points: 16 -> 24

Equipment: (Click To See)

Inventory: (Click To See)}

My previous smile bloomed once again after seeing every stat was above fifty. Although I've yet to use any attribute points, I was more than satisfied. I'd like to save them until I receive my class; then, I'll know where to put the points best suited for my class.

"Now it's time to check my dagger; then I'll try {Collect} on Pin's corpse."

Clicking on my inventory, a 9x9 grid of boxes appeared. Inside one box was a Man-Eating Mouse with the number sixteen, indicating I have sixteen Man-Eating Mouse corpses; surprisingly, they were stacked, which isn't something I expected.

Next to that was a dagger; the blade was white, with a sharp-looking edge, almost like a curved tooth. A pale-looking rope wrapped around the bottom acted as a makeshift handle at the bottom of the blade instead of a standard handle as I thought it would be.

Taking the dagger out of the system, simply by willing it, the dagger appeared in my hand. Taking a closer look, the rope almost looked like... Pin's tail. I knew this dagger was called 'Pin's Dagger,' but I didn't expect it to be made out of him.

The dagger was ten inches, six of which were the actual blade or tooth. It felt good to swing it up, down, and side to side. Not heavy but not light enough to the point I wouldn't notice if it were gone. After playing for a few seconds, I focused on the system notification I got after pulling the dagger out of my inventory.

{Equip (Rat King Pin's Dagger)?}

{Y/N}

"Oh, this must be where the equipment tab comes into play!"

Mentally clicking yes, another message popped up, adding to my excitement.

{Equipped (Rat King Pin's Dagger) +5 Strength +5 Resistance}

"Oh, now this gives me an idea."

My current strength stat was at 70 with the bonus from the dagger. Willing it into my inventory, the dagger disappeared. Looking again, my strength was the same.

I don't think my grin could stretch further without tearing my face. Leaving items equipped gives me extra stats, but other people have the same option. I can't forget I'm not special; everyone else, even these monsters, has the system's aid.

The system is the most mysterious entity in this beautiful yet twisted world. I can't even imagine understanding it, but I don't need to. As long as it helps me, I don't care, not now, at least.

Before heading toward Pin's corpse, there was one more thing I wanted to check. Opening the system once more, I clicked on the equipment tab. A projection of myself appeared: neck- long white hair, bright amethyst eyes, an average frame, standing five feet tall.

"What a handsome fellow."

Along with the projection was a total of nine boxes. Five of the boxes were aligned with the projection, while the other four were at the bottom, far below it. The five boxes next to me were labeled with different armor or gear—Helmet, Chestpiece, Gauntlets, Leggings, and finally, Boots.

I currently don't have any gear, so those boxes were empty. The remaining four boxes were Main-Hand, Off-Hand, accessory, and Jewelry. The off-hand box was already filled out with the dagger.

If I were to go off that, the main-hand would be a weapon that used two hands or a larger weapon. It could also go off class; I'll have to wait and see later.

The only one I didn't understand was Jewelry. Could a necklace or earrings give stats?

Though I'll have to be smart with what gear I have equipped, as I only receive the bonuses from them.

"AHH, this excites me, but I don't have any gear to test with!"

Jumping off the pumpkin to cool off, I walked back to my friend Pin.

"{Collect}!"

{Obtained, Boss Hide x15, Rat King Claw x6}

"Sweet, it worked!"

I don't know what those items do, but they sound important. I'll try to store the next floor guardian, but I didn't think {Collect} would work in the first place.

Leaving behind my most important and only fight, I started my journey toward the pillar of light, the entrance to the second floor.

If I go through the portal to the next floor, will I find myself in the same place as the first time? I hope not; I didn't enjoy my visit last time. The abyss, or at least that's what I thought, but maybe it was something else.

Keeping a watchful eye in case, any Man-Eating Mouse made themselves known, I walked atop plants and vines. Unfortunately, I didn't spot a single mouse.

While walking, I decided to name this floor in honor of being the first floor I conquered. The Pumpkin Patch is a pretty generic name, as that's precisely what this place is, but I can't think of anything else.

The pumpkins and plants grew bigger and denser the closer I got to the pillar of light. The pillar of light indicates where the portal toward the next floor is. Only some dungeons have it, mainly the lower-level and beginner dungeons.

Nearing the pillar of light, I saw white particles dancing in the air. Signs of the portal!

Instead of taking it slow, my feet kicked the ground, running. I arrived at the portal in only a few seconds.

Like a kid receiving a new toy, I couldn't wait.

When I first entered the dungeon, I was scared and lost, but now I'm excited. I want to explore and fight. I still don't understand a lot, but that's the point of life; if I did understand everything, life would be boring.

My heart banged against my rib cage, and my blood boiled. Jumping through the portal, my excitement reached a new time high.

Going against my expectations, going through the portal, my body felt light as a feather. My vision blacked out, this time I had little control over my body. But unlike last time, light entered my vision only after a few seconds, and I once again had complete control over my body.

Which I was grateful for; I didn't want to experience that pain again.

As I continued to look around, the more I understood. The first thing I saw was a dark sky illuminated by an orange light. As far as I can see, there were dark walls except for one area that continued onward. Among the dirt ground, torches with a red-orange flame lit up the path.

This floor was a forest, and the dark sky was leaves that belonged to huge, hundreds of feet tall trees that encased me in a cage—forcing me to follow the path the torches took me. At least there was light, even among the trees; torches were mounted at various heights, illuminating the dark forest.

In a case like this, where there was no pillar of light to guide you toward the portal, there was something else that would. On this floor, the torches will guide me toward the end.

"How cool, a forest," I said sarcastically with a disappointed sigh; I took out my dagger, ready for whatever may come.

I was brought to a forest in all the wonder and glory of dungeons. I was hoping for a relaxed and mystical place I'd never thought existed. This is a 'beginner' dungeon, so I'll give it a pass for now.

I've never been in a forest, so I guess it's cool to experience; I was expecting more. I've never been out of Nightmare City, so I can't complain; this is still new and interesting, even if it isn't what I dreamed of.

Walking the dirt path, I grew excited thinking of what monsters awaited me. From just an open area with tree walls, bushes started appearing. Some bushes had yellow berries, but most were bare. As I continued walking, spider webs stretched from the dirt path to the trees high up. If I was to guess, the spider webs were over a hundred feet long.

I couldn't fathom how wide they were, but the weird thing was I couldn't spot a single spider or anything caught in the web. It was like the spider webs were abandoned; I'd probably find out why.

"Could it be the floor guardian?" It might have wandered around if it was anything like the previous floor guardian.

Hopefully, it's not nearby, although it would allow me to see its level and what kind of monster it is. I'd rather not have to deal with it so soon.

In the distance, the dirt path split in two, and the walls expanded farther back, opening up the floor. A layer of trees grew where the path split in two, making it impossible to cross unless you went back to the fork in the path.

Approaching the split, I looked down both paths, checking which one I'd go down. The left path had spider webs covering the entire area beside the path. The green bushes turned black, and the leaves were falling off. The number of torches decreased, making it darker and harder to see.

The right path was much nicer. Looking down the path, I noticed no spider webs and bushes filling the sides, making it difficult to go off the path. The torches were brighter, making it seem like the sun was shining through the top.

It was obvious which path to pick, but this was a dungeon. It could be a trick, luring people to this nice sunny path, and then monsters ambush them. The left path, which seems scary and dark, might be the safe path leading to the exit.

Which to choose? Well, I'll kick myself if I choose the left path, which actually turns out to be the dark path it looks like. If the right path isn't as 'perfect' as it seems, I'll deal with it. Or I could be tricking myself and overthinking all of this.

After deciding on the path, I walked to the right path, clenching my dagger, prepared to defend myself at any moment. Not for a second do I believe this path is all that it seems, especially in a dungeon.

Walking along the dirt trail, a rattling noise caught my attention. A bush to my left started shaking violently. Whatever monster was causing it would undoubtedly show itself. I jumped far away from the bush as if it wanted to attack me.

Soon the rattling stopped, and I saw a blur zoom from the bush straight at me. Taking the blue head on, I quickly extended my arm with the dagger pointed out. Almost instantly, my dagger caught it.

Shaking, trying to free itself, the tiny critter had gray fur, four red beady eyes, and a long bushy tail. Its tiny arms flailed in the air, and its tail shot a string-like substance from it.

"{Inspect}"

{Squider}

{Tier:0 Level:10}

The unholy offspring of a spider and squirrel, the squider.

Squirming for a few more seconds, the squider departed from the land of the living.

{Earned 200 Experience}

Only two hundred experience points? It seems experience is based on level, and because I was at a higher level, I didn't get a lot compared to the amount of experience I was getting when killing monsters at a lower level than them.

But a squider, I can't say I was expecting that. I wonder what other abominations are waiting for me?