Isaac stopped just before the dungeon's gaping entrance, his body still but his mind clearly racing.
"What's wrong? I-kun got tummy ache?" Rona tilted her head, her expression unusually serious for once.
"No. Just thinking about what that old man of yours said. If we need to keep silent inside, we'll need a new way to communicate."
"Ah! Right? Maybe there's a chat function in the blue screen!"
We browsed the interface. As expected, the option existed.
"Got it. Now let's team up." Isaac sent the invitation.
Rona and I accepted, joining the team chat with a soft ping echoing in our minds.
Llyne: Hey! We can message through our heads. Kinda like telepathy. Cool!
Isaac: It works perfectly.
Rona: Rona here!
Isaac: Remember—no talking once we're inside. We don't know what might be lurking. Only use the team chat. Got it?
Llyne: Be vigilant. Surprise attacks might come from anywhere.
Rona responded with a shivering puppy sticker.
Isaac: Llyne, you go in first.
Llyne: Why not together?
Isaac: The main character always takes the lead.
Llyne: What main character? Have you seen one with my kind of luck? Maybe Rona's the protagonist—she's a walking cheat.
Isaac: Who makes a stupid person the protagonist?
Rona: Rona is hungry again.
Llyne: Okay, Rona. Let's just go in together, Isaac.
Isaac: Fine. But cover me.
Llyne: Seriously?! Your defense is twice mine, you wuss.
Then—
Growl~
Llyne: You guys heard that? Monster outside?
Rona: No. That's Rona's tummy.
We stared. Her stomach rumbled again, louder this time.
Isaac: Let's finish this dungeon before she eats us both.
Llyne: Right.
Weapons checked. Formation steady. We stepped into the dungeon.
What greeted us wasn't a monster, but something far worse.
The stench hit us like a solid wall—rotting corpses, dried blood, festering garbage. It burned our eyes, clawed at our lungs. But the corridor itself was clean. Spotless. No bodies. No remains.
Just... walls. Breathing, pulsing walls.
I reached out and touched the surface.
It throbbed.
Llyne: Guys… the wall's alive. There are pulses. We're not in a dungeon—we're inside a living thing, aren't we?
Isaac: Are you trying to jinx us, witch?
Then—
A screen flickered into existence.
[Welcome to 'The Dungeon of Doom']
[Participants: 6 | Current Survivors: 3]
Llyne: Three are already dead?!
Isaac: Not surprising. They looked like they were ready to kill each other before the dungeon even started.
Rona: There's holes in the walls…
We turned. Small circular indents lined the corridor, barely noticeable unless you were looking for them.
Isaac examined one.
Isaac: They're monsters.
Llyne: Will they come out and kill us?
Isaac: Let me test something.
He picked up a loose stone and tossed it.
Click.
The instant the sound echoed, grotesque arms lashed out of the holes. Sharp limbs shredded the stone into dust. Then, as quickly as they appeared, the monsters vanished into the walls.
Llyne: ...That's why we didn't see any bodies.
Rona: Stone must've tasted good.
Isaac: This is what happens if you make a sound.
Rona sent a sticker of a puppy shivering and crying.
Drenched in sweat, we turned back—only to find the dungeon's entrance gone. Sealed. A blank wall stood in its place, smooth and organic.
There was only one path forward.
We turned to look at each other.
"..."
Silently, we moved. The deeper we went, the more unnatural the stillness became. Not even a breeze. Our footsteps, our breathing, even our heartbeat felt intrusive.
Eventually, the holes disappeared. Relief began to creep in—until the buzzing started.
Bzzt. Bzzt.
Isaac: That's... bugs?
Llyne: Not just bugs. Flying ones.
Rona: Edible?
She licked her lips. Drool fell like a waterfall.
Isaac: Be my guest.
Llyne: There could be poison!
Isaac: I know. Rona, go ahead. You have my full support.
Rona rushed forward. I grabbed her before she got too far.
Smack!
I hit Isaac's head.
Llyne: Stop bullying Rona.
Llyne: No eating bugs, Rona.
Rona: Boooooo!
Then the buzzing grew louder. From the shadows emerged a massive winged creature. A health bar floated above its head.
Rona: It's huge…
Llyne: We're definitely on its menu.
Isaac: Let's go. Llyne, Rona—move!
I hurled my poison-coated knife. It hit. But—
[Damage Dealt: 0]
Llyne: Zero?! I hit it!
[Iron Wall King Beetle was struck with confusion]
Llyne: It's confused? What about me?! I'm more confused than that bug!
Isaac's eyes lit up with his skill.
[Name: Iron Wall King Beetle]
LV: 10
HP: 50
MP: 18
Attack: 20
Defence: 87
Agility: 35 (-5)
Luck: 15
[Skills]
Passive: Hard Shell, Levitation
Active: Bite, Never Give Up!
[Status]: Poisoned, Confused
Isaac: We have to break its Hard Shell. Rona, buff me with 'Merry Go Lucky!' Then use Taunt and Iron Wall. Llyne—strike after I drop its defence.
Rona nodded. Rona did a random dance and a glow enveloped Isaac.
Isaac: Thanks, Rona.
The beetle screeched, confusion gone. It locked onto us.
Rona used Taunt. The creature roared and dove at her.
Isaac equipped his gun, activated Hunter's Game, eyes narrowing.
Bang.
His bullet pierced the beetle's underbelly. Its armor shattered. The beast froze mid-air.
Perfect.
I lunged, twin daggers flashing. I drove them into the cracked underbelly, twisting and tearing through its flesh. Green mucus exploded out. Isaac and Rona dodged as I landed in a crouch, covered in bug guts.
Isaac: You're a mess.
Llyne: Why was the underbelly soft? Aren't beetles supposed to be tough all over?
Isaac: It's modified. Too many unnatural features.
Llyne: Including the whole "flying with teeth" thing?
Isaac: Mandibles. Not teeth.
Suddenly, the air tensed.
[Condition Met. Activating Active Skill: Never Give Up!]
Rustle.
The beetle's severed body twitched. Then rose.
Rona: Beetle still alive?
Llyne: Half a body and it's still going?
Isaac: It's the skill. Push through.
Its HP was down to 10%. I summoned my scythe.
Swish.
[Instant Kill!]
[Iron Wall King Beetle has been defeated!]
[Rewards]
EXP +1000
King Beetle Armor x3
Mana Potion x3
Health Potion x3
Poison Removal Potion x1
[Skill Level Up! – Taunt: Lv. 1 → Lv. 2]
We equipped the armor.
[King Beetle Armor] – DEF +10
Llyne: Nice loot. HP and MP restored on level-up.
Isaac: Let's store the rest in inventory.
We checked our stats.
Name: Llyne
LV: 7 | HP: 35 | MP: 15
ATK: 60 | DEF: 15 (+10)
STA: 98 | AGI: 60 | LUCK: 3
Name: Isaac
LV: 7 | HP: 35 | MP: 90
ATK: 50 | DEF: 45 (+10)
STA: 45 | AGI: 48 | LUCK: 32
Name: Rona
LV: 7 | HP: 80 | MP: 38
ATK: 30 | DEF: 58 (+10)
STA: 52 | AGI: 22 | LUCK: 70
Llyne: My stats barely improved compared to you two…
Isaac: Might be your luck stat.
Llyne: Still at 3...
Llyne sent an angry sticker.
Munch. Munch.
Llyne: ...Another monster?
We turned. Rona was chewing on beetle flesh.
Rona: It's juicy.
[Player Rona sustains poison damage.]
Beep. Beep.
Her HP dropped fast.
Isaac & Llyne: STOP EATING IT!
We force-fed her the antidote.
[Poison Removed]
Llyne: No more bugs, Rona. We'll get you something else.
Isaac: You're the poison.
Llyne: Shut up!
Suddenly—
Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!
A swarm approached, wings vibrating the air.
Rona pointed at the horde.
Rona: Food?
Llyne: ...Yeah, sure. Why not.
What followed was a long and grueling battle.
[Level Up!]
[Dash: Lv. 1 → Lv. 3 | Heal! Heal! Heal!: Lv. 1 → Lv. 2 | Iron Wall: Lv. 1 → Lv. 2]
Llyne: We've killed so many, and only gained three levels?
Isaac: They were weaker than us. EXP scaling is real.
Rona crunched on another winged carcass, content.
Isaac: Let's rest until Rona finishes her meal. Then we move deeper.
We nodded, weapons ready at our sides.
The Dungeon of Doom had only just begun.