Chapter 8: Entering The Haunted Catacombs
A chubby man with light brown hair and hazel eyes stared anxiously at the ground, unable to respond as the group around him mocked him with insults.
"C—Can’t you leave me alone? I didn’t even approach you!" The chubby man stuttered.
"Out of the question, Fatty!" One of the men chuckled. "We’re just worried you’ll get stuck in the dungeon and hold the rest of us up."
"But would he even enter?" A woman added. "Looks like a loner. Then again, who’d want to team up with an awakener who can’t even tie his own shoes?"
"Actually, we might be able to use him as bait!" Another suggested.
Surrounded on all sides, the chubby man’s fear continued to grow. With no way to escape, he could only stand there as the group closed in around him.
Just as the situation seemed ready to escalate, a cheerful voice cut through the tension.
"There are so many people here. I almost missed you!" Leonard exclaimed with a natural smile.
The group halted and shifted their attention to him.
"You know, Fatty?" The leader asked, raising an eyebrow. He glanced at Leonard’s public record.
"Tch, of course you do. Level 1 and a Common Bloodline. Flies truly flock together."
With their fun interrupted, the mocking group dispersed.
"T—Thank you so much!" The chubby man exclaimed, bowing repeatedly, his eyes shining with pure relief.
"Don’t mention it." Leonard replied, slightly taken aback by the man’s friendly demeanor. "I take it you don’t have anyone to challenge the dungeon with. Want to team up?"
"Y—Yes!" The man straightened immediately, his earlier nervousness replaced by a desire to make a good impression. "My name is Winston. I’m Level 5 and have a Rare Bloodline. I specialize in shield and hammer combat."
"Excellent." Leonard nodded. "Not many people have the courage to carry a shield, since it always puts them on the front lines."
"I’m not really courageous... I just have the necessary mass." Winston admitted, patting his large belly. "To be honest, I get scared easily. So most people end up calling me a coward."
Leonard shook his head. "True courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s about facing that fear and choosing to act in spite of it."
Winston was taken aback. Didn’t that mean even he could become brave with time?
"So wise..." Winston murmured, feeling glad that he had teamed up with Leonard.
Not long after the two formed a party, the dungeon entered its Golden Hour phase. The entry flickered with pulsing energy before it expanded, its color shifting to a hue of pure gold.
"First come, first served!" Instantly, the awakeners charged like hungry beasts, eager to plunder the dungeon depths of its valuable resources.
"Before we enter..." Winston smiled warmly and gave Leonard a chocolate muffin.
"This is..." Leonard stared at the sweet treat with a puzzled expression.
"Energy in its purest form!" Winston puffed out his chest in pride. "I may not look like it, but other than eating, I am also good at cooking!"
Still bewildered, Leonard gave the dessert a try. The taste was so heavenly that he devoured it in a flash.
[Vitality has been buffed by 5 points for the next 2 hours!]
"What?!" Leonard was astonished. Eating a simple muffin increased his attribute by a whole five points?
Just to make sure, he examined his status.
Name: Leonard
Level: 1 [Experience: 61/100]
Bloodline: Primordial
Vitality: 20 (15 + 5 Temporary buff)
Strength: 17
Agility: 15
Endurance: 16
Magic: 10
Mana: 100
Skills: Lightning Strike
Attribute Points: 0
Evolution Points: 0
Traits: Accelerated Manaflow, Hardened Physique, Devoted Summons
Titles: Lumberjack
With the stat increase, Leonard felt much more resilient and harder to kill than before.
"How is that possible?" He asked. "Did you lace the dessert with a potion?"
"No, this is the Chef trait I gained upon awakening my Rare Bloodline." Winston replied with a belly laugh. "Fitting, isn’t it?"
Leonard could only agree. If Winston’s cooking scaled with his level, then the harmless-looking, chubby fellow could one day turn into a formidable support whose dishes elevated parties to legendary status.
Not to mention, the taste was so good that Leonard was inclined to eat more even without the status increase.
Exchanging nods, the two stepped into the dungeon portal and entered the Haunted Catacombs.
Immediately, the surroundings changed, morphing into a haunting forest of barren trees, the sky permanently stuck in a gray hue, with scattered tombstones, some of which had been freshly dug up.
Notably, there were also crows cawing, and the air was clean, with no trace of pollution.
"Even this gloomy place looks better than our world..." Leonard murmured.
The scenery was a definite improvement over the Lower Sector. It wasn’t unusual for people to enter dungeons simply to relax and escape the harsh realities of their situation, despite the ever-present danger.
Around them, there weren’t many awakeners. Upon entering a dungeon, parties were typically dispersed across the starting area to reduce the risk of conflict between groups.
"L—Look, a monster!" Winston warned with his finger pointing forward.
Before them stood a decayed figure of a man, unnaturally thin, with pale skin, sunken eyes, and sharp fangs. Its long fingers ended in sharp, ominous claws.
"A ghoul." Leonard murmured, raising his axe high. He had studied the known behavior of the Grade 1 dungeon excessively and wasn’t taken aback by the creature’s appearance.
Winston fidgeted, visibly nervous, but when he noticed Leonard’s calmness, he forced himself to stop trembling by taking a deep breath.
"I—I want to be brave too!" Winston declared with a shaky voice.
The ghoul’s eyes greedily fixed on Winston. His chunky figure meant he carried more meat and blood, all delicacy in the monster’s eyes.
Letting out a fearsome roar, the ghoul charged.
"Stay back!" Shaking, Winston used his shield to block the blow, staggering a few steps backward.
In that moment, he caught a glimpse of Leonard, who was already repositioning behind the ghoul, searching for an opening.
"I am not afraid!" Winston shouted, lunging forward with his shield.
Upon colliding, the ghoul’s frail body was pushed straight into Leonard’s optimal range.
With a fluid motion, he unleashed Lightning Strike, targeting the neck.
[You have defeated a Level 3 Ghoul]
[You have gained 7 Experience]
"See, it wasn’t that hard." Leonard remarked, resting the axe over his shoulder. "Come on now, the Golden Hour won’t last forever."
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