The mausoleum walls loomed around us, the torchlight from our small fire throwing uneasy shadows across the cracked stone floor. I sat with my back against a pillar, trying to calm myself. An A-class dungeon. I wasn't supposed to be here, yet here I was—camping like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The armored knight sat across from me, helm set neatly beside her. Without it, she looked… sharper. Dark hair framed her face, and her eyes gleamed with the kind of confidence only a high-level player could carry.
She broke the silence first."Well, since we're stuck together, might as well know who we're dealing with. I'm Leona."
"Pan," I said quickly, still a little awkward. "And… thanks for saving me earlier. I would've been goblin chow without you."
Her lips curved into the smallest smirk. "Don't mention it. I was planning to raid this dungeon alone anyway. But if you can give me even an inch of success rate, then bringing you along won't hurt."
I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or an insult. Maybe both.
She leaned back, resting her gauntleted arms across her knees. "Before we get reckless, let's cover the basics. You've leveled up at least once, right? That means you've got unspent stat points. Show me."
I hesitated but pulled up my status screen anyway. The familiar glow flickered into existence:
[Level 4 – Adventurer]Unspent Stat Points: 15
Strength: 5Stamina: 5Agility: 5
Intelligence:5
Luck: 5
Leona's gaze sharpened like she could see the numbers herself. "Alright. Strength boosts your attack power. Stamina keeps you standing longer—health and endurance. Agility makes you faster, not just movement but reaction speed. And luck…" she gave a shrug, "…that one's a wild card. Critical hits, loot drops, even how often the system smiles on you. Some swear by it, some say it's useless."
I nodded slowly, absorbing every word. "So for someone like me—sword and shield—what's best?"
"Normally? Stamina first, to tank hits, then strength to make your blows count," she answered without hesitation. "A shield user's job is to take hits and hold the line."
I glanced back at my screen, chewing my lip. But part of me couldn't help it—strength and agility sounded… tempting. I wanted to hit harder, move faster. The thought of being weighed down, always the wall and never the blade, felt suffocating.
"I'll… think about it," I muttered, fingers hovering near the allocation button.
Leona caught the hesitation in my voice but didn't press. She just smirked again, eyes flicking toward the endless dark of the dungeon halls. "Whatever you choose, just don't drag me down, newbie."
I stared at the glowing numbers a little longer, Leona's words replaying in my head. Stamina first. Tank hits. Hold the line.
But… I wasn't built to just take blows. Not in here. Not anywhere.
My fingers slid across the screen, and I allocated the points before I could second-guess myself:
[Strength +8][Agility +7]
[Stats Updated]Strength: 13Stamina: 5Agility: 12Intelligence: 5Luck: 5
A warmth surged through my body, subtle but undeniable. My arms felt lighter, my grip steadier, and my legs… sharper, like the ground beneath me was easier to move across.
Leona's eyes narrowed slightly, catching the faint glow as my stats adjusted. "You didn't follow my advice, did you?"
I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "I… want to hit harder. And move faster. Stamina can wait."
She sighed, shaking her head as if I was a reckless child about to burn his fingers on a candle flame. "Fine. Just don't collapse after one hit."
With that, she pulled up her own menu, and a ripple of light shimmered in her palm. One by one, pieces of equipment appeared on the stone floor between us. A worn but serviceable set of leather armor, patched in places but still gleaming faintly with enchantment.
"Here. I kept this from way back. Doesn't do me any good now, but for you? Better than that paper shirt you're wearing."
The system flickered as I inspected the items:
[Traveler's Leather Set]Rarity: Uncommon (Low-Tier)
Traveler's Leather Chestguard: +10 Defense, +50 HP
Traveler's Leather Greaves: +5 Defense, +3 Agility
Traveler's Leather Gloves: +3 Defense, +2 Strength
Traveler's Leather Boots: +5 Defense, +5 Movement Speed
Set Bonus: Stamina Recovery +5%
Condition: Worn, but durable. Trusted by adventurers who lived long enough to regret their choices.
I blinked at the description, a grin tugging at my lips. "This… is actually pretty good."
"Don't get used to it," Leona said dryly, nudging the boots closer with the edge of her gauntlet. "It's beginner gear I outgrew about fifty levels ago. You'll still feel like glass if something big sneezes on you."
Still, I slipped into the armor piece by piece, the leather creaking as it adjusted to fit snugly. My health bar ticked upward a little, defense values climbing. Not much compared to Leona's glowing arsenal, but for me, it felt like a real step forward.
"Thanks," I said quietly, flexing my hands inside the gloves.
Leona leaned back, her smirk returning. "Don't thank me yet. You'll earn it by keeping up."
The fire burned low, shadows crawling higher along the cracked walls. Eventually, Leona stood, fastening her helm back into place with a metallic click.
"Time to move," she said, voice echoing slightly under the steel. "Stay sharp, Pan. A dungeon of this class isn't just about monsters—it'll test every step you take. Traps, curses, ambushes… things designed to bleed you before the real fight even starts."
I swallowed hard, tightening the straps on my shield. "Got it."
We snuffed out the fire, and the dungeon swallowed us in silence. Only the flickering glow of our torches lit the long hallway ahead—lined with weathered stone statues of armored warriors, their cracked visages staring down as though judging us.
Every step echoed far too loudly.
I tried to focus on my breathing, the weight of the new leather gear grounding me, but Leona's words kept bouncing in my head: Be wary. A-class dungeon. Traps everywhere.
My boot pressed down on the floor—
Click.
The sound made my blood freeze.
"Pan!" Leona barked.
The walls hissed, and in the same instant, a sharp twang rang out.
An arrow shot from the darkness, whistling toward me faster than I could think.
But this time… my body moved on its own.
My shield swung up, catching the arrow with a sharp clang. The impact rattled my arm, but the shaft snapped harmlessly to the ground.
My heart pounded against my ribs. I exhaled shakily, lowering the shield. "…That almost—"
Leona's eyes narrowed. Beginner's luck, she thought, though the faintest flicker of surprise lingered in her gaze.
We pressed deeper into the mausoleum, the silence broken only by the crunch of our boots on stone. That silence didn't last.
Click.
The floor depressed under my heel.
"Pan—!" Leona's voice snapped like a whip, but it was already too late. A volley of darts hissed from the walls.
I dropped low, shield up. The first few pinged harmlessly against the metal, the rest embedding into the walls behind me. My chest tightened with adrenaline, but I was still standing.
"That's twice now," Leona growled, irritation bleeding into her tone. "Are you trying to get us both killed?"
"Not… intentionally," I muttered, heat rushing to my face.
She huffed, marching forward again.
But it kept happening. A pressure plate here, a loose tile there—every few steps, something hissed, cracked, or clanged. Traps sprung like the dungeon itself had a grudge against me. Each time, though, my body moved before I could think—ducking a swinging blade, sidestepping falling rubble, raising my shield just in time.
Leona's anger sharpened with every close call, her gauntleted fist tightening at her side. Yet even as she snapped at me, her eyes flickered with something else—was it doubt, or… disbelief?
Finally, we rounded a bend. The air grew colder, heavy with the stench of decay. Bones clattered against stone, and from the dark, hollow sockets gleamed faint blue flames.
"Skeletons," Leona muttered, almost bored. She drew her blade with practiced ease. "Stay behind me—"
But I didn't.
The first skeleton lunged, rusted sword raised. Instinctively, my shield caught the blow with a metallic clang, and I shoved back hard, staggering the creature. My shortsword cut across its ribs, brittle bones snapping under the strike.
Leona was already carving through three at once, her blade flashing in the dim light. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw me stand my ground. Another skeleton swung at me; I twisted, deflecting the strike with the edge of my shield, then countered with a clean thrust through its chest. The bones crumbled, the flame in its skull winking out.
For her, it was all too easy. For me, every block, every swing felt like the edge of survival. But I was still there. Still holding.
And judging by the faint lift of her brow, Leona hadn't expected that.
The last skeleton's skull rolled across the floor, its faint blue fire snuffed out. I leaned on my shield, chest heaving, sweat stinging my eyes.
A soft chime echoed in my head.
[Level Up!][Level Up!][Level Up!]
My jaw slackened. "Three…?"
Leona wiped her blade clean on a tattered cloak, looking completely unfazed. "You really were low-level. The system's just catching you up."
Still, the glow of the level-up lingered, and with it, fresh stat points waiting to be spent. Without hesitation, I pushed them into the only places that felt right:
[Strength +9][Agility +6]
[Updated Stats]Strength: 22Stamina: 5Agility: 18Intelligence: 5Luck: 5
The power coursed through me again—sharper, stronger. My sword felt lighter in my grip, my movements quicker.
Leona caught the faint shimmer of my adjustment and shook her head. "Reckless distribution… You're going to regret that someday."
"Maybe," I said, forcing a grin, "but right now it feels pretty damn good."
We pressed forward, winding through narrow halls until we reached a heavy stone door, half-rotted with moss. It groaned as Leona pushed it open, revealing a small chamber beyond. At the far end stood a chest, its iron bands rusted, its surface covered in dust.
I froze. "Yeah, no. Not moving an inch. I've triggered every trap since we got here. You do your thing."
Leona's lips curved into a dry smile. "Finally, some self-awareness."
She stepped forward with careful precision, checking the floor, the walls, even the seams of the chest. Then, with practiced ease, she flipped it open. No arrows, no poison gas, no explosions. Just the quiet creak of old hinges.
Inside, nestled against faded velvet, was a long, ancient key. Its head was carved with intricate runes, the metal faintly glowing with pale blue light.
[Dungeon Relic: Cryptkeeper's Key]Rarity: Rare (Dungeon-Bound)Description: Unlocks sealed passageways within the Mausoleum. Cannot be taken outside this dungeon.
Leona plucked it free, holding it up to the torchlight. Her eyes gleamed. "This… just got interesting."