Luki adjusted his backpack and fastened his sword to his waist. He looked at Hestia, who crossed her arms and watched him with an expression somewhere between worry and irritation.
— Don't think that just because you've gotten a little stronger you can go adventuring into the lower levels. — She warned, wagging her finger at him. — Stick to the first floor, kill as many goblins as you can to build up your Excelia, and earn valis to invest in better equipment.
Luki nodded, but before he could respond, Hestia pressed on, her tone becoming more intense.
— And besides… — she began, but Luki's attention was stolen by a sudden, overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
He frowned, feeling as though he had lived this exact moment before.
It had been two days since his first incursion into the Dungeon, totaling ten in this new world, where he had fought goblins for the first time.
The next day, determined to return, he had been stopped by Hestia, who insisted he rest and recover from the wounds he had sustained.
Now, with his equipment repaired on a guild-affiliated blacksmith, and his body in better condition, he had finally been granted permission to continue his adventure.
But, just like the first time, Hestia was excessively worried, making a mountain out of a molehill.
— It's gOIng… to be fIIIne… no nEEd… to worrY…" he said slowly, choosing each word carefully in an attempt to reassure her.
Hestia narrowed her eyes and huffed, clearly unconvinced.
— Who do you think you are, giving orders to your goddess? I'll decide whether I should worry about you or not! — she said firmly, but her voice was full of warmth. Her face softened at the end, and her eyes revealed the affection she felt for him.
Luki sighed and gave a small smile. He knew Hestia only wanted to protect him, but he also understood he needed to keep moving forward to grow stronger. He leaned forward slightly, as if to silently thank her for her concern, and began walking toward the Dungeon.
— Hey, Luki! — Hestia called, running up to him. Before he could react, she slipped a piece of bread and an apple into his backpack. — Don't forget to eat, okay?
This time, he smiled genuinely, shaking his head in agreement.
— I'll be… right back — He said, making one last effort to reassure her.
As he disappeared through the door, Hestia sighed deeply, clasping her hands together as if in prayer.
— Please, come back to me safely once again…
...
The dark corridors of the first floor of the Dungeon were silent, except for the occasional noise echoing between the stone walls.
Luki moved cautiously, each step calculated, his eyes scanning his surroundings. Even with his renewed strength, he knew underestimating the Dungeon would be a fatal mistake.
— Shwriek.
The high-pitched cry echoed, sending a chill down his spine. Luki immediately crouched, hiding behind an outcropping of jagged rocks.
Peeking around the side, he spotted a lone goblin. The creature carried a crude club, its movements clumsy but its eyes sharp as it searched for prey.
Pa.
The sound of a falling stone caught the goblin's attention. It glanced at the ground, curious, and bent down to inspect the small object.
— Kuriek?
It was the last sound the goblin ever made.
Swish!
With a single strike, Luki killed the monster nearly decaptating him but still doing the job. The goblin's body dissolved into glittering dust, leaving behind a fragment of mana stone.
— Wow, that was easy. — Luki commented, surprised by how much progress he had made.
Before, he had never managed such a clean strike. Cutting deeply had been the best he could do, which often led to prolonged fights and, worse, goblin screams that attracted reinforcements.
'So investing in strength really does make a difference,' he thought. Still, he knew he was far from ideal performance.
— I probably need at least fifty Strength to cut a neck effortlessly… or maybe just a decent sword.
He looked down at his blade, evaluating its pitiful state. Calling it a sword was generous—it was more like a cheap hunk of metal with a wooden handle.
The edges were nearly dull, and the blade had a slight bend to one side. Just two trips into the Dungeon had been enough to ruin it, thanks to repeated clashes with goblins' improvised weapons. Maybe it was the fault of low-quality materials, maybe the blacksmith's lack of ability, or maybe just Luki's own inexperience.
'Ambushes are my best option.' He concluded. He knew that direct confrontations would wreck his weapon in minutes. With limited strength and poor gear, strategy would be his greatest ally.
— I'll have to be more careful from now on.
With renewed determination, Luki picked up the mana stone fragment from the floor and moved on. Every goblin defeated brought him closer to improving his skills and his weapon. The road ahead would be harsh, but he was ready for it.
For four uninterrupted hours, Luki devoted himself entirely to the art of goblin slaying, creatures that, at first glance, seemed insignificant but hid deadly traps in their very nature.
Small and malnourished-looking, goblins could easily be underestimated. Their thin, awkward bodies concealed surprising strength, and their cunning minds were focused solely on survival and the destruction of careless adventurers.
Despite their crude spawned tools and makeshift weapons, the real danger of these creatures lay in their natural abilities.
One of the biggest challenges in fighting goblins was avoiding their sharp hearing. While not quite on par with a predator like a wolf, their large ears could pick up even the faintest sounds. Guild's Novice-adventurer guide based.
A single noise, a clinking piece of armor, a misstep, or even the uncontrolled breathing of an anxious adventurer was enough to alert them and trigger a chain reaction.
To approach an unsuspecting goblin, one had to hold their breath, move slowly, and avoid interacting with the environmen, no loose stones or scattered objects on the Dungeon floor.
Luki knew that with the slightest slip, the advantage would be gone. Though it had never happened to him yet, he wasn't eager to test his luck.
Besides this, the most effective way to deal with goblins was to kill the target in a single blow, like anything in the world. The neck and heart were the best spots, a clean cut or a precise thrust was all it took to make the creature dissolve into sparkling dust. But again, like any other monster.
Prolonging the fight was an invitation to disaster, as the cries of a wounded goblin could draw others, and in groups, they became exponentially more dangerous. But once more, like any other monster. The guide is a little redundant.
Luki's sword, though crude and worn, was perfectly suited for this task.
Simple, fairly sturdy, short-to-medium reach, capable of slashing or stabbing, and above all—cheap.
However, the weapon's durability left much to be desired. Each clash against a goblin's rusty blade or crude club further reduced its usefulness.
He knew his sword wouldn't last long, and if it broke mid-battle, it could mean his death. That was why he avoided direct combat whenever possible. Call him a coward or prudent, in the end what matter is that it's working.
One last piece of the Guild's Novice-adventurer guide's infinte knowlegment! What made goblins dangerous was their treacherous nature. Despite their limited intellect, they possessed an innate talent for setting ambushes, fighting in groups, and attacking where the enemy was most vulnerable.
It was almost as if the Dungeon itself had programmed them to be guerrilla warfare specialists—which, most likely, it had.
Luki knew that facing a group of goblins put him at an immediate disadvantage. They didn't need complex orders or refined coordination. They don't even fear death.
The basics were etched into their instincts, allowing them to cooperate with surprising efficiency, enough to overwhelm careless adventurers.
If there was no clear advantage, never fight a group of goblins. They'd find a way to make you regret it.
Luki sighed, leaning against a rough stone wall and wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He scanned the dark corridor to make sure it was safe before relaxing.
— At this point, I could write a bestiary or a tutorial on goblin hunting. That would make a certain adventurer from another world very proud. — He murmured to himself.
For a moment, he smiled at the thought. It was amusing to imagine a world where he was known as a goblin expert. But the lighthearted moment was cut short by an unexpected sound.
Grrr!
His stomach growled loudly, echoing in the silent corridor and making him blink in surprise.
— Has it been that long already? — He said, placing a hand on his stomach. — Time flies when you're monster hunting deep underground.
Luki opened his backpack and pulled out the piece of bread and apple that his goddess had slipped in before he left. He couldn't help but smile, remembering Hestia's worried expression as she insisted he eat properly.
— Bite… chew… Guess this should keep me going for another hour. — He said between mouthfuls. — Wouldn't hurt to hunt just a few more goblins.
As he ate, his eyes scanned the shadows around him. Even during rest, Luki knew the Dungeon offered no true moments of peace. Any strange sound or movement could signal danger.
He finished the last bite of bread calmly, allowing himself a few minutes to regain his strength before standing again. The simple meal was enough to keep his energy up for a while longer.
— Thanks, Hestia. — He murmured quietly as he packed away the leftovers.
Luki adjusted the sword at his waist, the blade still worn but functional and settled his backpack on his shoulders. The short break had renewed his resolve. He couldn't afford to return to the surface empty-handed. Every goblin defeated meant more Excelia, more valis for better gear, and above all, more strength to push deeper into the Dungeon.
— Yeah, just one more hour... — He told himself with a faint smile.
With careful steps, Luki resumed exploring the Dungeon's corridors, his focus sharper than ever.