It was the eighteenth day of the tenth month in the year 1450 of the Eonmark Reckoning.

  Knock, Knock!

  The rhythmic, familiar rapping against the heavy wooden door of my room pulled me from a deep, dreamless sleep. I stirred, the cool morning air a sharp contrast to the warmth of the blankets. Stephen, the innkeeper, was like a clockwork automaton—punctual to the second. It had been four days since I arrived in Targashar, and the rhythm of my new life was beginning to feel less like a strange fantasy and more like a structured reality.

  I sat up, shaking off the lingering grogginess. I moved toward the door, my bare feet padding softly against the wooden floorboards.

  Click!

  I turned the heavy iron key and pulled the door open. Stephen stood there with a steaming tray, but something was different this morning.

  “Good morning, Mr. Han! I’ve brought your breakfast,” he said, his voice unusually cheerful.

  I took the tray and brought it to the small table by the window. I paused, looking down at the wooden plate. Normally, Stephen provided three sausages. This morning, there were four, plump and glistening with grease. Next to the standard dark bread and olives sat a ceramic mug filled with warm, frothy milk—a luxury I hadn't asked for.

  I narrowed my eyes and looked back at the innkeeper suspiciously. “Hey, Stephen. What exactly are you after?”

  He blinked, a look of feigned innocence on his face. “Hmm? Whatever do you mean, sir? Is something not to your liking? I can take it back if the sausages are overcooked.”

  “Come on, don’t play dumb,” I countered, pointing a finger at the milk. “Why the extra treatment? Is it because my initial five days are almost up? Are you trying to butter me up so I’ll extend my stay?”

  Stephen’s face flushed a soft pink, and he let out a frustrated little huff. “H-huh? W-what are you talking about? I was simply being generous to one of my most reliable regular customers, that’s all! Is it a crime to offer a bit of hospitality in this city?”

  Suspicious, I thought, though I couldn't help but feel a bit amused by his flustered state.

  “Alright, alright. Thank you,” I said, softening my tone. “But you don’t need to worry. I’m planning to extend my stay here regardless. I’m not the type who likes to change locations once I’ve found a place that works. Your inn is clean and the food is... adequate.”

  Stephen’s frustration vanished, replaced by a bashful, genuine smile. “I’m glad to hear it, sir. I’ll leave you to eat your meal then.”

  I watched him go, wondering if he was truly that desperate for long-term tenants or if he simply took an inordinate amount of pride in his work. Either way, the extra sausage was a welcome boost to my morning protein intake. I devoured the meal, savoring the richness of the milk. It was a small comfort in a world that often felt harsh and clinical.

  Once finished, I donned my leather armor, adjusted the straps of my iron shield, and secured my steel sword to my hip. I headed downstairs, paid for another day of accommodation, and purchased a single meal’s worth of provisions to carry in my inventory. I would be deep in the corridors by noon, and I had no intention of wasting time returning to the surface just for a sandwich.

  I stepped out of the inn but didn't head for the main gates. Instead, I ducked into the same secluded alleyway I had used previously. I performed a quick 360-degree scan of the surroundings to ensure no curious eyes were watching.

  “Warp!”

  The shimmering vertical tear in space manifested against the soot-stained brick wall. I stepped through the portal, and the transition was instantaneous. The smells of baking bread and horse manure were replaced by the cool, metallic scent of the dungeon. I was standing at the entrance of the sixth floor.

  The scenery was largely unchanged from my brief visit the evening before. The corridors were wide and dark, illuminated by those irregular, pale green glowing veins pulsing within the stone. I felt a surge of adrenaline. Today was about exploration and advancement. I pulled the sixth-floor map from my Raider’s Sack, identified the most efficient route toward the boss chamber, and set off with a purposeful stride.

  I didn't have to wait long for the floor’s inhabitants to make themselves known. As I rounded the first major bend, I heard a low, rumbling growl that vibrated through the floor. I stopped and brought up my shield.

  ***

  Race: Nimble Wolf

  Sex: None

  Status: Normal

  Level 6

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  ***

  A wolf. But not like the gray wolves of the frontier forest. This was a "Nimble Wolf." It had thick, ash-green fur that seemed to blend into the shadows of the pale green walls, and its eyes were a fierce, predatory crimson. It stood its ground, four paws planted firmly, its hairy tail erect and twitching with anticipation.

  I took a basic combat stance, observing the creature. It began to circle me slowly, its movements fluid and silent. It was clearly testing my perimeter, looking for a gap in my defense or a moment of distraction. I followed its movement, pivoting on the balls of my feet and keeping the center of my shield focused on its chest.

  Seeing that its psychological tactics weren't working, the wolf finally snapped. It charged.

  It was fast—certainly faster than the slimes or goblins—but it lacked the sheer, erratic velocity of the horned mosquitoes. It lunged at me, its claws extended and aimed directly for my exposed throat. I caught the impact on my shield.

  Thud.

  The force was manageable. I tried to follow up with a quick counter-strike, but the wolf was true to its name. It twisted its body mid-air with an acrobatic grace, flipping away from my steel blade before the edge could even graze its fur.

  So, it’s not just fast—it’s flexible, I noted. Its strength was unremarkable, and its raw speed was just above the human average, but its ability to dodge in tight spaces was impressive.

  I decided to use the environment to my advantage. I backed up until my right side was nearly touching the dungeon wall. When the wolf lunged again, I didn't try to block the force head-on. Instead, I angled my shield, redirecting its momentum to the side.

  The wolf slammed into the shield and, unable to arrest its movement, was deflected directly toward the stone wall. I applied a sudden burst of Strength, shoving the shield forward to ensure it couldn't twist away this time. The creature collided with the rock with a sickening crack.

  It was dazed for only a second, but that was all the opening I needed. I swung my sword in a powerful, horizontal arc, catching the wolf as it bounced off the stone. My blade bit deep, slicing through its stomach and nearly severing it in two.

  The creature didn't even have time to howl before it began to disintegrate into dark vapor. A small pile of copper coins clattered to the floor. I knelt and counted them: twenty-one copper Obscura.

  Twenty-one, I mused. Floor 5 dropped 15. Floor 6 drops 21. An increase of six. The scaling was definitely getting more lucrative.

  While the Nimble Wolf would have been a nightmare for a low-level party of villagers, it posed no real threat to my current stats. I continued my trek toward the boss room, encountering another lone wolf a few corridors later. I dispatched it using the same "wall-bash" tactic, my movements feeling more refined and confident with every kill.

  I decided to pick up my pace. The monsters weren't providing much of a challenge, and I was eager to see what the sixth-floor boss looked like. I moved through the intersections at a light jog, my shield arm steady.

  I spotted another ash-green silhouette ahead and slowed to a walk. I approached it leisurely, and the moment it spotted me, I initiated the charge. I delivered a series of feints and light stabs, luring the wolf back toward a nearby wall. I had it cornered. I was about to deliver the finishing blow when my Sense stat suddenly flared.

  I didn't think; I reacted. I dove to the left, a sharp set of claws whistling through the air exactly where my neck had been a millisecond before. I rolled and came up in a defensive crouch, my heart hammering against my ribs.

  Standing in the corridor were now two Nimble Wolves. One was the original I had cornered; the other had appeared from a side passage I hadn't even noticed.

  “F*ck! That was close,” I hissed, my eyes darting between the two predators. “Where did that extra one come from?”

  This was a first. In all my time in the dungeon, I had never encountered two monsters simultaneously. Was it a scripted event? Or had another party nearby accidentally lured their target into my path? It didn't matter. I had to deal with the reality of a two-on-one fight.

  The problem wasn't their strength—it was their teamwork. Every time I tried to corner the first wolf, the second one would lunge at my flank, forcing me to break off my attack to defend myself. They were playing a game of tag, slowly draining my stamina while I failed to land a single lethal strike. Their agility made them nearly impossible to hit when they had room to maneuver.

  I need a new strategy, I realized, my breathing becoming heavy. If I keep this up, I’ll tire out before they do.

  I briefly considered the benefits of heavy plate armor. If I had a full suit of steel, I could probably just ignore their scratching and focus on the kill. But with my current leather gear, a well-placed claw could still find a seam.

  I decided to be reckless. I would bait them into a simultaneous strike and trade a minor injury for a confirmed kill. I backed into a corner, narrowing their angle of attack. The wolves grew bolder, sensing my "desperation."

  The wolf in front of me lunged for my shield, its jaws snapping. Simultaneously, the second wolf leaped from my left, aiming for my head. This was it.

  Instead of raising my shield to block the left-hand attack, I kept it focused on the front wolf. I twisted my upper body sharply to the right, angling my shoulder so the leaping wolf’s claws would hit my leather protector rather than my neck. At the same moment, I thrust my steel sword forward with every ounce of strength I had.

  Schlick.

  My blade pierced the front wolf’s chest, buried up to the hilt. At the same time, I felt a sharp, burning sting in my left shoulder as the second wolf’s claws raked across the leather and bit into my skin. I gritted my teeth against the pain, ignoring the red bar on my internal HUD.

  The first wolf dissolved instantly. With the numbers equalized, the second wolf lost its advantage. It landed awkwardly after its missed strike, and before it could reset, I was on it. I used my shield to pin it against the floor and delivered a brutal downward stab through its skull.

  Silence returned to the corridor. I stood there for a moment, clutching my throbbing shoulder. The wound wasn't deep—my leather armor had taken the brunt of it—but it was a stark reminder that the dungeon was no longer a playground.

  I collected the forty-two copper coins from the two piles of ash and took a long drink from my water bottle. My growth was continuing, but the rules were changing. I checked the map again. The boss room was still several corridors away, and I was more determined than ever to reach it.

  [Edited]