Sam did a final sweep of the room before running for the door. He picked up the now dark [Mooneye Gem] and a variety of discarded weapons. His increased perception helped him dodge most of the falling rocks, but he still took a few glancing blows to his back and shoulders.

  A part of him debated racing back out into the main cavern and making for one of the side entrances. An exit opening in the Boss chamber at the end of a Dungeon felt played out at best, and a trap at worst. In the end, the decision was made for him. The structure was collapsing too quickly for him to even consider it.

  Reluctantly, he charged up the new stairwell. To his surprise, it was made from a different coloured stone from the rest of the Dungeon. It appeared as though the Arbiter really had made it as a kind of reward.

  He took the stairs two at a time until his legs burned and the breath came ragged in his chest. Stones were still falling behind him, but he’d gotten ahead of the worst of it. He took the rest of the climb at a more manageable pace, but it was still almost twenty minutes before he reached the surface.

  He emerged in a small, dusty chamber. The architecture matched that of the Crypts, only more weathered. Scattered piles of pine needles lay underfoot, and Sam caught the faint smell of the forest on the breeze.

  He collapsed in a heap on the stone floor, chest heaving. He couldn't remember ever being so glad to see sunlight. It was a muted, dim thing, but it was still sunlight. After days underground, it felt like finally being able to take a deep breath. The constant pressure of rock overhead had done more damage to his psyche than he’d realized.

  The quest completed with a dim chime, and he let out a pained laugh. That was one reward he was certainly going to enjoy.

  He lay there for almost thirty minutes, attempting to process the trauma of the past few days. Most of it was still a jumble; a collection of scattered scenes of monotonous hallways interspersed with bouts of ultraviolence.

  The light had begun to noticeably shift by the time he forced himself to his feet. He stepped through the narrow stone doorway only to realize he was inside the fort. The center of the building was a long hallway, scattered with high windows. He knew that to either side, other stairwells would descend to the crypts below.

  He set off down the corridor, using [Arcane Eyes] to check for enemies or traps. In the distance, he could make out the faint sound of voices. He crept to the edge of the building and focused on his hearing.

  “Can you believe it?” said the first voice, male, with a grating, nasal quality. “Reward, ‘Don’t Die’. What kind of bullshit is that? We spend two days in there wandering in circles, and barely kill any monsters. Next thing we know, the ceiling’s collapsing and the whole Dungeon is kicking us out. Why the hell did we even bother?”

  “If you recall,” said his companion, a woman, with a deep, husky voice. “I advised against delving the Dungeon. We were clearly days behind the first party. We had no chance of catching up.”

  “Whoever they are, they must be freaks. Those draug were no joke. That death magic? No one would survive that.”

  Sam let out a small snort, rubbing at the skin on his shoulder that was still pink and tender.

  “Wait,” the woman interjected, voice stiff. “There's someone here.”

  “What?” the man responded, instantly alert. “Come out, whoever you are. Don't lurk in the shadows like a coward.”

  Sam almost ignored the taunt and turned to leave, but an idea struck him. He stood up as straight as he could, and attempted to arrange his nearly destroyed tunic and cloak in a way that hid the worst of the damage.

  He was not successful.

  Letting out a sigh, he stepped out from behind the building into the clearing. Two stout dalith stood by the edge of the woods, their eyes fixed on him. The man had a dark look on his face and wielded two heavy iron gauntlets. They made his already impressive arms look like a knockoff Popeye drawing.

  In contrast, the woman was lean, her trim figure accented by tight-fitting robes. Her hands rested on a simple wooden staff, but it lit up like a Christmas tree under Sam’s mana sight.

  Upon seeing the state of his attire, the man visibly relaxed. The dwarf didn't have the characteristic beard Sam was used to seeing, though he figured, like any species, the Dalith clearly weren't a monolith.

  The woman, however, tensed. Her eyes went wide, and Sam saw them do a rapid sweep of his pauldron, amulet, and spear. Sam focused on her in return and noticed that she visibly flinched as he inspected her.

  [Katarina De’ltaean - Dalith - Iron - Acolyte of Neith]

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  While it didn't go into specifics of what kind of magic Neith provided, Sam knew that if he studied his tafla, he’d be able to get a good grasp of his opponent’s capabilities. It also showed her Rank, which would be invaluable on the higher rings.

  Experiment concluded, he turned to leave, setting off in the opposite direction.

  “Wait!” the man called, clearly flummoxed by Sam’s apparent disinterest. “Where do you think you're going? You think you can just walk away from us?! There's an exit tax on this Dungeon. Pay up, human. Or else.”

  Sam had to fight the urge to reply, ‘Or else, what?’ But didn't feel like being a walking cliché. Luckily, the woman grabbed the man’s arm and gave it a hard tug. She whispered something in his ear, and his face twisted in a mask of confusion.

  “What do you mean he cleared the Dungeon? Look at him. It looks like he barely walked out with his hide.”

  Sam raised an eyebrow at that. Clearly, the dalith woman had some sort of vision skill, and enough sense of her mana to know he’d inspected her. His items gave off a massive amount of aura; he wasn't surprised she was advising caution.

  “Where is your party member?” She called, neck craning to look through the fort's entrance.

  Not seeing any reason to lie, Sam gave her the truth. “Don't have one. At least not yet.”

  Her eyes went wide, and her companion scoffed. “Are you saying you entered the Dungeon alone? Are you insane, human?”

  “I guess so.” Sam shook his head and continued on his way. He wasn't looking to start a fight. He was exhausted, and despite his confidence in his skills, all his major abilities were still on cooldown.

  The male Dalith had other ideas, but his companion held him in a white knuckled grip. The fear on her face was apparent, and Sam gave her a small nod as he marched out of the glade.

  [Arcane Eyes] gave him a clear indication of how the combat would have ended. Their aura's barely extended past their armour. On paper, they would have posed no more challenge than an [Uncommon] ghoul.

  Though—he chided himself—he knew that mindset could easily get him killed. Arther’s words hung over him like a cloud. Underestimating an opponent was a great way to die. Even with [Apostate], he could still be killed by an unexpected [Divine Skill].

  He checked the compass on his tafla and set off into the forest. The plan was to swing north around Homst until he came to a large river, which he’d follow downhill to the drop. Arther’s homestead sat on a lake at the mouth of the river, so it kept Sam’s need for navigation to a minimum.

  He browsed his updated stat sheet as he walked, still floored by the progress he’d made in only a few days.

  Name: Samuel Lin

  Race: Human

  Patron: N/A

  Class: N/A

  Rank: Iron

  Titles

  [Child of Babel]

  [Deific Mark]

  [Rodent’s Resilience - Tier 5]

  [Apostate - Tier 5]

  [Giantslayer - Tier 1]

  Achievements

  [First Blood]

  [Frugal Beastslayer]

  [Frugal Usurper]

  [Skill Morph]

  [Mana Network]

  [Trailblazer]

  Enhancement Skills

  [Iron Skin - Tier 1]

  [Battle Healing - Tier 1]

  [Basic Stamina - Tier 4]

  [Basic Strength - Tier 4]

  [Arcane Eyes - Tier 3]

  [Basic Mental Resistance - Tier 3]

  Martial Skills

  [Basic Shield Proficiency]

  [Simple Melee Weapon Proficiency]

  [Spear Mastery - Tier 5]

  [Longinus Strike - Tier 2]

  [Light Armour Proficiency]

  [Spira: 8270]

  He did some quick mental math. If he kept up the pace, he’d be on track to hit Arther’s 200,000 spira target. He went back and checked the combat logs and noticed that he’d received kill credits for the Ghūl who’d been present when the Matriarch died, but not all of the ones in the entire Dungeon.

  Likewise, he’d gotten credit for the Draug in the throne room, but not any scattered throughout the Crypts. He thought that was a little unfair given he was solely responsible for clearing it, but he couldn't really argue with the payout.

  As a consolation, he’d at least received an achievement.

  [Achievement: Trailblazer]

  Be one of the first 10 Warriors to clear a Dungeon in the Seven Rings War.

  [Reward: 1,000 Spira]

  He’d easily have enough spira to evolve [Apostate] and [Rodent’s Resilience], as well as purchase a new set of gear.

  He couldn't help but smile as he trekked through the dense forest. Despite the dangers of the past few days, he’d come out stronger. He now had tangible proof that he had the fortitude to endure the trials ahead. The Arbiter had thrown him challenge after challenge, but he'd risen to the occasion.

  He allowed himself that small moment of victory as the breeze danced between the pines. In that moment, it was easy to forget where he was and what he still had to do. At that moment, he wasn't a Warrior, he was just Sam.

  By the same token, the Halls of Eternity suddenly didn't look so far away. He knew he still had a mountain to climb—both literal and metaphorical—but for the first time, it didn't seem entirely out of reach.

  He’d gotten a taste of what it meant to get revenge. And while he couldn't claim to carry the ire of an entire species, his desire for payback was no less potent.

  He glanced up at the trees overhead and wondered if Zetos was watching him. Had he anticipated just how spectacularly his ploy with the rats would fail? Had he realized that he’d inadvertently given Sam the very tools that he’d need to ascend?

  He carried that small joy with him, the ember of revenge burning in his chest. It kept him warm as the sun fell, and he continued into the night.