The next morning, Haru hid under his bed.
"I am not coming out," he muttered. "I fought bandits by accident, sneezed through a gate, and now they're calling me a war hero. I need a vacation."
Knock knock.
A soft voice called, "Lord Haru? The Royal Council is waiting."
Haru groaned. "Can they wait until I'm dead?"
"They said if you don't come, they'll send a royal bard to sing a song about your bravery outside your door... loudly."
Haru slowly peeked out. "You people are evil."
---
A Meeting of Madness
Inside the royal war chamber, nobles and generals stood around a big map table filled with little soldier figures.
Haru was pushed to the front.
"Hero Haru," the High Mage said, "we've received news. A strange dungeon has appeared outside the city. It's corrupting the land. We believe it's tied to ancient magic."
"I see," Haru said. "Well, good luck with that."
"We want you to investigate it," the king said, smiling.
Haru almost fainted. "Why always me?!"
"It's simple," the general said. "You've proven your power."
"I tripped and sneezed!"
"And yet you won," the High Mage said wisely.
Ding!
[World Influence +2: The Wise Council trusts your instinct above all.]
Haru clutched his head. "This is a nightmare."
---
The Deadly Dungeon
The dungeon was a dark, moss-covered cave surrounded by fog. Haru, Mina, Sir Alric, and Toto stood at the entrance.
"This place reeks of doom," Haru said. "I bet even the rocks are cursed."
Mina smiled. "Don't worry! I'll protect you!"
"I was about to say that," Alric muttered.
Toto stared at the cave. "It's whispering."
"That's not comforting, Toto," Haru said.
The group entered, and the door slammed shut behind them.
CLANG!
"…I want to go home," Haru whispered.
---
Traps, Trouble, and Total Terror
They barely walked ten steps before a pressure plate triggered.
WHOOSH!
A huge blade swung down from the ceiling.
Haru, who had bent down to tie his shoe, avoided it by accident.
"H-He dodged it without looking!" Mina gasped.
"He must sense danger before it comes," Alric whispered, awestruck.
Toto nodded with sparkles in his eyes. "So cool."
Ding!
[World Influence +3: Perception Beyond Mortal Limits. Title gained: Seer of Shadows.]
Haru cried inside.
Next came a puzzle room with tiles and glowing runes.
"I'm bad at math," Haru said, stepping randomly onto tiles.
Each one lit up in the perfect order.
"Brilliant!" Mina cheered. "You solved it without hesitation!"
"Beginner's luck!!" Haru screamed.
Ding!
[World Influence +2: Master of Ancient Logic. Your legend spreads through the kingdom.]
---
The Not-So-Epic Boss Fight
At the final chamber, a giant golem stood with glowing eyes.
It roared.
Haru screamed.
"I've already fought one of you!"
The golem charged—but tripped on a loose stone Haru had kicked earlier by accident.
CRASH!
It shattered into a hundred pieces.
Silence.
Alric whispered, "He knew its weakness... a single loose stone."
Mina gasped. "Incredible…"
Toto dropped to his knees. "Please... teach me your ways."
Ding!
[World Influence +10: Defeated a dungeon guardian. Title gained: Stonebreaker Saint.]
Haru sat down on the ground. "This is getting ridiculous."
---
A Hero Returns... Again
Back in the capital, people lined the streets again.
"HE CLEARED A DUNGEON!"
"He made a golem explode just by kicking a rock!"
"They say he solved ancient puzzles by instinct alone!"
Banners flew. Confetti rained. Children wore paper crowns shaped like Haru's hair.
Haru leaned out of the carriage window. "This can't be real. Is this a prank by the gods?"
Ding!
[World Influence +1: Kingdom morale rises thanks to your continued success.]
He sighed deeply. "At this point, I'm just along for the ride."
And thus, Haru Nakashima's legend continued to grow.
One sneeze, one accident, one terrified scream at a time.