When I regained consciousness, the first thing I heard was sniffing. A wave of breath hit my face, and my body reacted before my mind.
I instinctively reached down for the scythe, but it wasn't there. I looked at the creatures that were sniffing at me, and now standing well away because of my sudden awakening.
They looked like exact replicas of the three Jackals I had killed, except instead of red hair, they seemed to be a colour combination of red and blue.
One of them had Silver Lining in its mouth, and all I could think about was how much dog drool I was going to have to wipe off the handle.
"Give it here!" I shouted at him. Suprisingly, it did listen. It trotted over obidiently, dropped it at my feet, and looked at me with its tongue out, as if expecting a pat. I had nothing to lose, so I patted it. The fur was warm enough, and it looked kinda cuddly.
No. No! That's the toddler cells speaking. A dignified, overpowered potential man like me does not think dogs are cuddly!
[You are an ass,] The system facepalmed. [You instinctively-]
"-summoned the dead," I completed, thunderstruck. So that vision had been a way of my instincts telling me what to do. My instincts knew that I had a habit of echoing aura filled lines, so it made me say 'Arise' while I recalled the dead. Hurriedly, I checked the system.
『 STATUS PAGE
PLAYER NAME: KRIARES WEBB
LEVEL: 12
CLASS: UNDEFINED
TITLES: MR MC SASS
-INCREASES CHARM BY 20%.
MAMA'S BOY
-INCREASES FAVOURABILITY WITH MEDEA BY 15%
COUNTERSTEREOTYPICAL MAIN CHARACTER
- INCRAESES EXP GAIN BY 45%, WHEN NOT FOLLOWING RULES
GOODY TWO SHOES
- INCREASES EXP GAIN BY 1% WHEN FOLLOWING RULES
HP: 39800/40000
MP: 18500/20000
STATS
PHYSIQUE: 200
DEXTERITY:200
INSIGHT: 200
VITALITY:200
INTELLIGENCE:200
ASSIGNABLE STAT POINTS:110
SKILLS
ACTIVE:
NIMROD PERCEPTION(Lvl 1)
SPRINT (Lvl 1)
NECROMANCY(Lvl 1)
SHADOW STORAGE( Lvl 1)
PASSIVE:
Swordsmanship (Lvl 1)
Daggermanship (Lvl 1)
Scythesmanship(Lvl 1)
SHADOW STORAGE( Lvl 1) 』
Wow, finally. The trademark skill of my lineage, the most overpowered skill in this world-
Necromancy.
I checked Necromancy and Shadow Storage to see-
[NECROMANCY: A skill unlocked by you as a trademark of Hades' lineage. You are able to recall the dead, as long as the difference in strength is not too much.
NOTE: As you have just unlocked the skill, the mana cost will be very high. However, as you keep getting experience, the Mana Cost will decrease, as will your ability with this skill.]
[SHADOW STORAGE: A skill unique only to you. You are able to store the undead in your shadow, and call them at will for battle.
Current Shadows Stored: 0/50}
Okay, pretty nice. Its a relief to know Shadow Storage is passive, otherwise, I'd probably die trying to supply enough mana.
Plus, the health and massive mana loss was probably cause I overexerted myself using Necromancy for the first time. I guess the mana cost of resurrecting a single shadow won't be that much when I get to the higher levels.
I looked back at the three wolves, the middle one seemingly grinning. Over their heads, three luminescent screens appeared, enabling me to view their status.
[Name: Dungeon Jackal
Type:Beast
Rank:Common
Description: Dungeon Jackals are D-Ranked Beasts, who are usually found in lower level dungeons. However, with enough practice, they can be tamed, although they retain their taste for human flesh until death.]
[Name: Dungeon Jackal
Type:Beast
Rank:Common
Description: Dungeon Jackals are D-Ranked Beasts, who are usually found in lower level dungeons. However, with enough practice, they can be tamed, although they retain their taste for human flesh until death.]
[Name: Dungeon Jackal
Type:Beast
Rank:Common
Description: Dungeon Jackals are D-Ranked Beasts, who are usually found in lower level dungeons. However, with enough practice, they can be tamed, although they retain their taste for human flesh until death.]
Hmm, not a bad turnout. Three common rank shadows for my first summoning, that's actually good. As far as I remember, in the original story of Solo Leveling, Rizzwoo had one rank below common, and that was Basic, which was reserved for the shadows equivalent to low leveled D Rank and E rank monsters. So no, I'm not disappointed.
[Aren't you getting a bit too jolly?]
"Huh? What do you-"
[I think you're forgetting the real problem here. The leash.]
I sobered up instantly. The System was right, the real problem were going to be those damn monsters intelligent enough to have guard dogs. I hoped sincerely that they weren't aware of my presence yet, because I did not want to fight them head on.
"System, be honest with me,"
[What?]
"How bad is the situation, really?"
[Hmm,] The system pondered. [If we talk about it from your point of view, you're doomed anyway. Be it a B Rank Beast or an S Rank Beast,]
"AN S-RANK?!"
[However,] It pressed on, ignoring my perfectly justified outburst, [If we talk about it from the exquisite eyes of a grand scholar like me, who has observed and concluded the entire situation,]It hesitated for a split second,before deciding to get it out.
{Statistically, it is one of the worst possible situations that could be encountered in a C-Rank Dungeon.]
"Just great then, " I thought bitterly, walking over to my pet dogs, before ruffling their heads, recieving an excited yip.
[And that's not considering the fact that you're already weak.]
***
I grasped the hilt of Silver Lining in my hands and took a deep breath, before opening my eyes again, and preparing to strike.
A few metres ahead, a pair of Dungeon Jackals were asleep, and were snoring. I didn't know dogs could snore, but okay. One of them was licking itself, clearly imagining stuff I didn't want to know about. Gross.
Basically what happened was that after the System gave me a massive morale boost, I decided to go with the safest course, and start scouting the dungeon before waging war. I needed information, becuase I knew practically nothing about the unknown monsters except for their intelligence. That alone made them lethal, but I had to figure out all the advantages they had over me.
The only problem was, two hours in, I didn't find anything.
I searched, doubled back on routes, knocked on walls for secret passages, and even asked my jackals for help. They simply looked at me confused, and suddenly it ocurred to me that they probably forgot the scent of the monsters.
Finally, after a long time of trekking, I stumbled upon two guard dogs who were sleeping. I immediately retracted into the shadows, which felt strangely comfortable, and summoned Silver Lining, aiming for an ambush.
The plan was this: I would stealthily walk up to the first jackal and decapitate it quickly. That would wake the second one up, and as soon as it did, my dogs would grab it by the throat, and prevent it from howling or whining or whatever. Then I would wound its vocal cords, and finally land the killing blow.
The reason wasn't because I was greedy to increase my shadow count. Well, maybe partially, but the main reason was because of what they were guarding.
It was a door.
A literal door that seemed to be hammered into the fucking wall. A knob was on its outside, and it was the same colour as the grey walls surrounding it, so people could easily overlook it.
However, the scariest part were the torches.
While scouting, once or twice, I had stumbled upon areas that were lit up, and everywhere it was the same, golden-red flames from the wooden torches illuminating the walls. At first, it seemed like a trap, but then I wondered whether it was a false trail, to make any humans believe that the entrance was over here.
Back to the dogs, I started my plan.
I stepped cautiously out of the shadows, and started to tiptoe towards the pair. I was extremely careful not to make any noise, because their ears were already twitching, and if they heard me, the plan would go to Hades.
At one point, the wolves in my shadow whined, clearly impatient for the hunt. I gestured them to keep quiet, and instead continued my approach. One of the wolves' nose flared, and I stood there, petrified. In the worst case scenario, I could use Sprint and cleave it in half. As for the other wolf, I suppose it was upto luck.
However, I did not need all that. The wolf rolled over back into deep slumber, causing me to let out a relieved sigh.
I continued, until their heads were within Silver Lining's reach. It was perfect.
Too perfect.
At the worst possible moment, the wolf opened its eyes, caught sight of me and started. Less than a second later, it growled and pounced.
The commotion woke up the second wolf. It stood and looked around wildly, before giving a nasty snarl as it saw us. It ran ahead, but my wolves jumped out of my shadow and wrestled it.
The wolf fighting me snarled, as I stuffed the shaft inside its mouth like an overgrown stick. It yelped in suprise, and then doubled its force, trying to get me to yield.
I wasn't that easy.
We rolled over one another and towards the side, each trying to force the other back. In the end, just as I rolled over it, being the one on top. I let go of the scythe, and instead let the momentum carry me backwards, putting some distance between us.
It growled and dropped the weapon. My eyes locked onto the shiny thing, and I got ready to dash. I was interrupted, though, by the wolf, who instead decided to run at me, foaming at the mouth. As we ran towards each other, at the last second, I changed direction and instead leapt upwards, doing an unintended flip before rolling next to the scythe.
The wolf wasn't that lucky. It crashed headfirst into the wall, and by the time it regained its balance, I had already used Sprint to appear in front of it. It opened its eyes in fear, but I swung downwards, and the head came clean off.
[You have killed a Dungeon Jackal!]
I turned my sight towards the other wolf, but there wasn't much to do. My Jackals had already torn it to pieces, and it was barely alive. Just before it died though, it let out a final, screching yowl.
[You have killed a Dungeon Jackal!]
I turned my head slowly. The yowl echoed all the way down the tunnels, and I was pretty sure someone else would hear it.
And, as I expected, someone did. A curious, muffled boom came from the down the tunnels. Whatever made it was not happy.
I cursed. Of course, why else would it be so easy? I dashed towards the door, and stopped suddenly as I remembered something.
"Arise!" I shouted. As expected, I felt that soul ripping sensation once more, but more faint this time. I staggered and fell over. There would be nothing more I'd like than to rest there on the floor, but the monsters knew of an invader. I had to run.
I stumbled towards the door, and grabbed its knob for support. I tugged at it, but it wouldn't open.
"Oh no," I groaned. "Come on, come on,"
Another boom sounded, closer this time.
I jiggled the lock furiously. "Comeon!"
I sensed something on my back, and barely rolled over falling on the floor, to dodge that thing. The wolves, three of them, had leapt at the door, and the combined force knocked it off its hinges.
I looked at the half destroyed door in suprise. "Well, that was...efficient."
The system snorted. [Hurry up.]
"Urusai," I growled, but staggered through the doorway, desperate for freedom.
I didn't even have time to see stuff around me before the impact came.
BOOM.
I was knocked clean off, no that's an understatement, really. It was more like a giant pendulum the size of a crane hit me at full speed.
I went flying through the air for at least 20 feet, before I crashed into the wall. I fell down from there, breaking my ribcage in the process.
I felt like all of my bones towards the right were shattered due to the unknown weapon. My left wasn't much better either. I looked up hazily at the dominating figure, a giant about the size of an adult giraffe, bright blue grinning down at me. It yelled as it raised its weapon again.
The boss. Of all the doors, I had stumbled upon the boss door.
Meanwhile the system was having a panic attack.
[AHHH! Okay, failsafes, failsafes! Which failsafe works here?]
The giant club thing was swung down at blinding speed.
[Failsafe 20? No, too moderate! 37? Too extreme!]
The next second, I felt as though my entire existence had been caved in. There was an ear shattering BOOM, followed by a paralysing sensation all over my body. All my bones shattered, my skull nearly split into half, but somehow, miraculously, I was still able to see, albeit extremely blurry.
And I knew it raised its club again to land the finishing blow.
This was it. I was going to die.
[System,] I said weakly, my final words reserved for the being who had done everything to make me me stronger.
I should have listened to him. I should have started off easy, with a E Rank or a D Rank.
[AAAARGH, TO FUCK WITH IT ALL!]
[Failsafe 37 activated!]
[You have exited the dungeon.]
And in the middle of the darkness,
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]