After peeking through the dark entrance, he stepped in hesitantly as the soles of his boots echoed against the metallic flooring.

[Notice: [Obsidian Dungeon] is currently occupied with other players.]

“Crap…”

Given that information from the system, he began to turn away from the dark, enigmatic dungeon.

I’d only say other players can be just as problematic, if not more of an issue than Defects. I’ve only heard rumors about it, but apparently you can seize the EXP of another player if you kill them. That’s more than you’d get for an RFP…but, if I do that, I’ll be too far gone, he sighed out.

“–“

He came to a stop once again as a scream howled from the depths of the dungeon: the bloodcurdling scream of a woman.

“…Don’t do it, Jeong-Hui…” He mumbled to himself.

As he stood there at the threshold of the dungeon, the scream echoed off of the walls and in his mind as he clenched his fists tightly.

“Dammit–!”

He marched into the dungeon as sweat traveled down his cheek._.

I don’t really want to do this, he thought, it’d be a lot easier for me to just turn the other way, but…What’s the point? I’ve lived as nobody this whole time. If I run away, I’m just saving the skin of somebody worthless. Somebody I’ll regret being when I’m trying to sleep at night. I’m not a hero, but I have a conscience. At the end of the day, what’s the point in surviving if I’m not living a life I can be proud of? What’s the worth in that? I’ve got the strength to do something now.

It wasn’t a decision made out of some desire to simply be a “good person”, however.

In truth, he knew how reckless this decision was, but supplemented such thoughts with the idea of him being rewarded. In complete actuality, after being saved and resolving to improve, he wanted to face a dungeon anyway. To the no-name young man who’d manage to survive this far off of sheer cowardice and fortune, he wanted to test his own mettle.

Even still with his motivation driving him forward, he remained on-guard upon entering the depths of the Obsidian Dungeon.

Entering the dungeon with this resolve, he pulled his blue hoodie over his head, which was augmented by futuristic, divine aspects as he pulled his azure scarf close to his mouth.

Just before reaching the end of the leading corridor of the dungeon, he was stopped by a system prompt.

[WARNING: [Obsidian Dungeon] is ranked as a [Level 10] zone. Continuing further will be dangerous.]

He drew in a breath through his lips as sweat ran down his cheek, “I know, dammit…”

I’ve passed by this dungeon a few times, but it’s always been out of my reach because of the level requirement. A two level difference in a RPG usually isn’t a big deal at all, but in this…well, it’s life-or-death, he thought.

Before fully entering the bowels of the dungeon, he stopped for a moment.

“Cast: Malice Sense.”

From his invocation, azure threads of light encircled him before settling onto him in a blue glow before dimming down.

If I’m going to do this, I might as well do this right. These dungeons are always tricky…I can’t let myself be caught off-guard, he thought.

[Spirit: -50. Remaining Spirit: 800/2000.]

With that singular buff spell, he stepped past the shadow-laden threshold of the dungeon, entering its depths as he kept his focus raised.

He kept his sword drawn as his boots stepped across the sable, metallic flooring as he soon found himself in a vast, open space after descending some stairs.

It was dark enough that shadows clung to the edges of every inch of the dungeon, but he knew better than to attempt to create light inside of enemy territory.

In a whisper, he uttered out, “Cast: Recon.”

[Spirit: -50. Remaining Spirit: 750/2000.]

A pulse of translucent energy propelled through the space as he stayed atop the staircase, looking down at the barely lit environment.

[Recon results: 0 hostiles found.]

“Zero? Lucky…” He let out a sigh.

With that information, he didn’t hesitate to fully descend the stairs, walking across a bridge of black steel in the underground dungeon.

I guess whoever was screaming probably took out most of the enemies in here already, he thought.

The dungeon layout was similar to previous, lower level ones he had ventured through previously; they were sleek and dark, usually interconnecting different chambers through a series of bridges.

As he crossed the vast chamber he currently was in, he continued looking around, sometimes checking behind him as the black, angelic statues that occupied the engraved walls towered over him.

Each step he took echoed throughout the gargantuan space that stretched far beneath the seemingly small, surface entrance it displayed.

There’s always this weird feeling within these dungeons. You’d think something that was the creation of “God” would be pure and white, but it’s…dark. It’s unsettling here. The air is still, and just cold enough to make the hairs on my body stand, he thought.

There was always a persistent feeling as he walked, as if the shadowy, angelic statues were constantly watching him as he traversed the heaven-fallen dungeon. The eerie atmosphere caused him to constantly adjust his glasses every few seconds, fidgeting slightly as he kept his breathing steady.

Why am I doing this? I don’t care how hot this girl is–it’s not worth it! I have to choose my battles, he thought.

Beginning to turn to go back the way he came, he stopped:

Catching his eye as he was turning around, he found a silver chest tucked between two, wide pillars, walking over as he looked side-to-side to make sure it wasn’t a setup for an ambush.

The sight of lavish, defenseless loot was enough to steer his mind away from the creepiness of the dungeon as he knelt in front of the cold, silver chest.

“Let’s see what you’ve got for me,” he muttered with a small smile.

A level ten chest–this could be huge for me! He thought.

A small glitter of avarice settled in his emerald eyes as he lifted the metallic lid of the chest upwards, though the contents made him pause.

“Huh?”

Empty.

The sight of the barren innards of the chest made him sigh out as he let the lid drop down.

Clunk.

It made him freeze out of complete shock at what he had just done: dropping the heavy, metallic lid of the empty chest caused a loud, jarring echo to fill the silent, expansive dungeon.

“…That’s probably not good, is it?” He asked himself wryly.

Just as he began to turn around, he felt a jarring, waking sensation flood through his body like a current of electricity.

The warning sensation prompted him to jump back just as a swift attack came down at the very spot he just stood.

Guess it was the right call to cast “Malice Sense”…I’d be dead meat right now, he thought.

Drawing his sword, he got a look at the enemy that ambushed him.

In contrast to most Defects he encountered which displayed pale-white skin, this one was dressed in all-black armor that seemed mended to its flesh.

I’ve never seen this kind before, he thought.

In the grooves of its sleek, black armor, an emerald light softly illuminated.

The system presented the information to him via the interface as he squinted his eyes at the black-armored Defect.

[Enemy Class: “Fallen Vanguard” | Enemy Level: 11.]