Chapter 11
You have leveled up!
You have leveled up!
You vanquished the swarm and... poisoned and drowned the Mighty Swarm Queen. Well, the Swarm Queen's dead, and that's what matters. You've gained the title. Slayer of the Mighty Swarm Queen.
At least this title was normal-sized. Jeremy thought from the bottom of the lake. He'd put his 3 spare Attribute points into Vitality. This helped, but not enough; he puked blood from his gut wound, watching his health go down. Even with his superhuman healing, he was done for.
Whatever. He'd tried.
“Squeak!”
A large, shadowy form held a healing potion.
He did identify.
A shadow beast. A larger, stronger, more intelligent incarnation of the shadow wraith. You will never find a more loyal or devoted familiar.
Familiars could evolve. “Way to go Squeak! You've become a shadow beast!” He choked out. A half-croak, half-burble.
With impressive gentleness, his familiar brought the healing potion to his mouth and poured it down his throat.
***
An eternity later, Jeremy surfaced and crawled out of the lake. He was alive—but barely. Covered in burns, wounds, and suffering from at least one broken rib. The belly wound still bled, but was no longer life-threatening.
From Squeak's mind, Jeremy learned his familiar had found the healing potion behind a rock in the hallway. It must have dropped during his swarm battle, and he hadn't noticed. Lucky his familiar had found it.
As was Squeak's metamorphosis. His evolved familiar now kept this part of the dungeon clear of creepy-crawlies while providing Jeremy with a steady influx of health. Unfortunately, there were few dungeon monsters left for Squeak to feed on.
Jeremy stared down into the empty hive, Flint and Squeak beside him. He ached everywhere, so tired he could barely move.
More disturbing, his right hand wouldn't stop shaking. Hopefully, a few decent healing potions would fix him up.
“Here is my question,” Jeremy said. “Am I getting better, more valuable dungeon loot because I'm alone? If so, how much better? I've yet to meet another adventurer who could shoot lightning from their hands.”
“Squeak?” Squeak responded, having no idea.
“Perhaps you should put that question to Book,” Flint suggested.
“Good idea.” Jeremy painfully reached into his pack, pulled out Book, and repeated the question.
Book bounced excitedly in Jeremy's hands.
Beeg Dumi knew that the stronger the monster and the fewer companions he brought with him, the more valuable the loot he'd receive. So he went after a very strong monster all by himself. The monster ate him alive, and now he's miserable.
The words were accompanied by two pictures: one showed the stupid-looking adventurer battling a huge dragon-like being with a sword; the second, Beeg Dumi sitting inside the monster's stomach, looking miserable.
“I've noticed you and Beeg Dumi look more and more alike,” Flint said.
“No, we don't,” Jeremy said.
“Blue-gray eyes, shaggy hair... I see the resemblance.”
Jeremy took a second look at the picture. Beeg Dumi did have shaggy hair, blue-gray eyes, and there was a scar on the left side of Beeg Dumi's face. Uh oh. “I'm not big,” Jeremy protested, “so that can't be it.”
Book bounced with excitement, changing its words.
Leetil Dumi knew that the stronger the monster and the fewer companions he brought with him, the more valuable the loot he'd receive. So he went after a very strong monster by himself. The monster ate him, and now he's miserable.
Was Book giggling?
“Shut up, Book.” Jeremy slammed Book shut and put it back in his bag of holding. “Insults aside, Book confirmed my suspicions. Being alone and weak has given me more monster loot. Let's see what I got this time.”
“Be careful,” Flint said. “Remember the mimic.”
“Good point. Squeak, fetch the treasure, but be careful.”
“Squeak!” The shadow beast slipped into the now-empty hive.
***
“So this is it?” Jeremy asked, studying the small, unremarkable-looking chest.
Due to some charm on the chest, Squeak was unable to open it. The same thing happened when Jeremy tried to open it with his spear. In the end, he grabbed the chest and pulled it open while it was facing away from him. The chest lid squeaked with age.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
The small chest held eight items.
One creepy-looking whistle made from an insect's exoskeleton.
It Identified as.
Charmed Object. Legendary grade. Able to summon a swarm of monster insects. One-time use.
There was also a platinum potion of greater healing, a white potion, and five dungeon stars. Counting the one he'd gained on the second floor, he now had six.
“Wow,” Jeremy said. He held the dungeon stars, feeling stronger, more energetic. The oppressive dungeon felt brighter.
“That is impressive,” Flint said. “Six dungeon stars could significantly raise your strength. You should consider what you want to do with them.”
Jeremy drank the healing potion and grinned as the familiar itching sensation of healing went through his body. “I have a few ideas.”
He drank the white potion.
He passed out.
***
Drinking the white potion gave him
Blessing of the Swarm Queen.
Passive Skill: Insect Pacifier: Insects will no longer behave aggressively in your presence. Active Skill: Swarm Master: Insects will obey your commands.
Jeremy noticed something else. Sometime during his stay on the third floor, he'd turned twelve.
After a three-day bout of mana sickness, he finally felt well enough to look around. The door he'd used to enter this part of the dungeon had reappeared.
Jeremy studied the exit. There were no traps. Identify revealed.
This is the exit; you should use it.
He would. But first, it was time to look over his stat sheet.
Name: Jeremy Wilkins
Race: Human
Sex: Boy
Age: 12
Character Class: Child-Rogue
Level: 22
Health: 15
Mana: 11 (+25 rapid recovery) (Phoenix Heart)
Attributes:
Strength: 14
Endurance: 7
Vitality: 9 (+1 rat pendant)
Dexterity: 26
Agility: 27
Perception: 33
Intelligence: 9
Wisdom: 6 (+1 ring of wisdom)
Will Power: 7
Charisma: 4 (+1 clown nose)
Extra point:
Active Skills:
Identify: 5
Sneak: 8 (+2 magic shoes) (+1 camouflage ring)
Detect Danger: 1
Charmed Object Activation: 3
Electric Attack: 5
Swarm Master:
Passive Skills:
Enhanced Physical: 3
Poison Immunity: 2
Trauma Resist: 6 (max)
Acid Resistance: 3
Electric Resistance: 6
Bite Resistance: 4
Physical Shock Resistance: 1
Parasite Resistance: 6 (max)
Curse Resistance: 4
Mental Resistance: 4
Water Breathing: 2
Insect Pacifier:
Skills:
Melee Weapons: 5
Archery: 4
Knife Throwing: 3
Spells:
Crude Heat Spell
Crude Light Spell
Summon Familiar
Divine Rage
Dungeon Account:
23,345dc
Titles:
Slayer of Kritchek the Mighty Rat King!
Big Slayer!
Slayer of the Mighty Uinguit!
Slayer of the Swarm Queen.
Friend of the Community!
Marks:
Bank-robber!
Politician Hater!
Gifts and Blessings:
Blessing of the Spider Queen.
The god Arkys blesses your quest for vengeance.
Blessing of the Mighty Uinguit. Active skill: Electric Attack. Passive skill: Water Breathing.
Blessing of the Swarm Queen. Active Skill: Swarm Master. Passive Skill: Insect Pacifier.
IF YOU WISH, YOU MAY CHOOSE A SPECIALTY!
Child Thief:
Your character specializes in taking what belongs to others.
Gain bonuses in Dexterity and Sneak skill.
Yes/No
Child Scout:
Search dangerous areas, report to others, and fight if necessary.
Gain bonuses in Sneak, movement, and weapons.
Yes/No
Child Swashbuckler:
Your character specializes in combat and leadership.
Gain bonuses in weapons and Charisma.
Yes/No
Child Rogue Archer:
Your character specializes in archery. Gain bonuses in archery and archery-related spells.
Yes/No
Child Arcane Trickster:
Your character specializes in spellcasting and illusions. Gain bonuses in stealth and magic.
Yes/No
The new specialties had shown up when he'd hit the twentieth level. He just hadn't gotten around to looking at them.
He was alone, so Swashbuckler was useless to him. He liked his bow, but didn't think specializing in archery was his best option.
"What do you think of Arcane Trickster?” It was the only one he didn't reject out of hand.
“That specialty would give you more spells and improve your spellcasting abilities,” Flint said. “But any specialty you choose will give you immediate benefits while limiting your future options. Thief would limit you to thief-related future options, for example. Same with Arcane Trickster.”
“So you don't think I should take it?”
"Your reluctance to choose a specialty is one of the few areas where we agree. If you're not sure, don't choose.”
Jeremy selected no to all of them.
“I'm surprised Boggan or Banxi hasn't kicked us out of the third level already,” Jeremy said, cracking the door and sending Squeak to investigate. “I want to ask them about mana-enhanced attacks. I could have used that in our previous battles.”
“Sadly, I do not think Boggan or Banxi will violate fundamental dungeon laws to give you Mana-Enhanced Attack,” Flint said. “I can't believe my good fortune in your surviving this floor. Perhaps the universe is compensating me for my horrible luck in getting stuck with you in the first place.”
“Feel free to leave at any time. I know you're planning to steal my body as soon as we exit the dungeon.”
Flint glared at him from beside the door. “As I've repeatedly told you, Jeremy, if I could steal your body, I'd have done so by now, and you would be out of this dungeon enjoying some hot chocolate with your mother while I saved the universe.”
“That is exactly what someone trying to steal my body would say.”
Jeremy felt a mental alarm from Squeak. There were other adventurers nearby.
Looking through Squeak's more advanced shadow beast senses, he saw four adventurers smaller than himself, covered head to toe with body armor, and the leader wielded something unexpected: a small flame thrower, which he was using to clear the dungeon passageways of monsters. All four carried strange guns, with gears and dials he didn't recognize. Gnome weapons.
Jeremy jumped up with a grin. "They're gnomes!” He waited until the gnomes finished clearing the passageway and retreated to a safe room. He followed, absentmindedly brushing away the occasional dungeon creature that landed on him.
Thanks to his Blessing of the Swarm Queen, dungeon creepy-crawlies didn't bother him now.
The safe room was a pleasant, sunlit, hilly forest, the air filled with birdsong. Jeremy entered the gnomes' safe room, feeling shy. “Hi?”
“Eeeeep!” The gnomes backed away from him, reaching for their guns, before remembering they were in a safe room and lowering them again. They were larger than the garden gnomes that ran the dungeon and looked more real. If he had to guess, these gnomes were teenagers.
It occurred to Jeremy that he wasn't making the best first impression. He wore a tattered clown suit, little more than torn rags that exposed more of his body than they concealed. In addition, his hair was shaggy, and his face and body were scarred from his countless battles.
He identified the leader as.
Name: Fizzlepuff
Race: Gnome
Sex: Male
Character Class: Child Spellcaster
Character Profession: Craftsman
Level: 11
“We're with Cleansing Wind,” their leader, Fizzlepuff, squeaked, pulling out a piece of white cloth with wavy black lines going through it. It was identical to the symbol Mezirma had on his robes the day he'd killed Jeremy's friend.
