After dispatching the second goblin, the Dungeon seemed satisfied, no other monsters appeared to try their luck.
As for whether the fight had attracted the attention of wandering creatures? Luki wasn't overly concerned. The first floor now felt much wider than he remembered, and the monsters mostly traveled alone.
Besides, if any did appear, the solution was simple: kill them, just as he had done.
With silence returning to the corridor, Luki took the opportunity to dedicate himself to one of his new favorite pastimes: collecting spoils.
'You've likely heard this already, but I'll reinforce it: monsters don't currently turn to dust when they die.'
Eina's voice was clear in his memory, almost as if she were standing right beside him.
'This means the job of collecting materials has become much more important. You can craft everything with monster parts, and the Guild is paying very well for them.'
'But quality is everything. It's useless to tear off any random piece and expect a fortune. Each material needs to be in good condition.'
'Here is the list of the main materials sought on the first floor. Read it carefully and be cautious when you're down there.'
'And remember: nothing is more important than your life. If anything happens, throw everything away and run. You can recover it later.'
'If you're smart, hire a supporter to help with the collection... or only carry small, valuable items.'
Although she tried to maintain a tough and professional image, it was no use: she simply worried too much. Such a sweet person was rare to find in Orario.
Luki reached to the right side of his waist and drew his new dagger.
It wasn't a straight dagger, but a kukri, wide, forward-curved blade, about half an arm's length, and a weight that naturally pulled the edge toward the cut.
In his world of origin, Luki had seen this model in films and games and also remembered researching its use as a weapon for Nepalese warriors.
The curve was meant to cut with greater force, whether flesh or leather, and the extra weight at the tip helped efficiently open joints and bones.
Besides being a secondary combat weapon and a dismantling tool, it could also be used as a throwing knife, though that wasn't highly recommended.
Luki knelt beside the first goblin he had defeated. He gripped the kukri firmly and took a deep breath before beginning.
It was nothing glamorous: the sharp blade cut through the skin with some difficulty, and the metallic scent of blood quickly spread. As he worked, Eina's words came to mind, as if she were right there, patiently instructing him.
Goblins, after all, were banal creatures. Useful to a certain extent, but nothing exceptional.
The most valued materials were clear:
Mana Stone - present in all monsters. Normaly the most expensive part: 500 valis each.
Fangs - sharp and hard, good for simple weapons, comparable to iron, but below steel. 300 valis each.
Blood - useful in potions or alchemical rituals, sold at 100 valis per liter.
Bones - crushed, served as fertilizer, yielding about 40 valis every five kilograms.
Practical, but nothing impressive.
With his small leather pouch and no proper vials, there wasn't much to collect. Thus, he focused on the essentials.
Shhrrrk
With the blade, Luki pulled the flesh aside until he reached the right spot. Then, between the torn tissues, something different shone.
There it was.
A small, bluish sphere, perfectly spherical, translucent like polished glass. The soft glow seemed to pulse from within, as if carrying a living spark.
Luki removed it carefully, holding it between his gloved fingers. Its jewel-like appearance alone was worth more than everything else.
'It looks like a large marble... with a shape like this, I guess the most appropriate name now would be... yeah, from now on i will call you Monster Core, much more practical than Mana Stone Shard.'
For a moment, he just stared.
The sphere's glow reflected on his helmet before he stored it in his pouch, with the care of someone depositing a treasure.
'I couldn't do this with my first one, but this marks a new step on my journey, so I'll keep you at home. Along with several others that will come later.'
Next, he grabbed the goblin's mouth and, with two swift, dry movements, tore out its fangs.
He stood up, cleaning the blade on the enemy's dead skin. Leaving the blade dirty with blood could be bad for it.
Not pretty, not heroic, but necessary.
With the first body dealt with, Luki turned to handle the second. But the moment he looked, he froze.
— Huh? Hey! Hey, damn it, no! — he yelled, fully waking up as he saw his profit being swallowed by the floor.
The goblin was almost completely absorbed by the Dungeon. Only part of its back and the nape of its neck still resisted, while the rest was vanishing as if pulled down by invisible quicksand.
'Ah! Before I forget, monster bodies are absorbed quickly by the Dungeon. A goblin, for example, disappears in less than a minute if left alone.'
'...And I only remember this now?! Couldn't that flashback have come sooner?!'
Without wasting time, Luki plunged the kukri into the goblin's back and began to desperately slash and dig, scattering mixed pieces of flesh and earth as he searched for the core.
Finally, amid the already dissolving matter, he saw the blue glow. The Mana Stone was almost swallowed along with the rest, protected only by the small amount of bone that hadn't yet disappeared.
— Come here to daddy! — he growled, plunging his hand into the mass and ripping out the glittering sphere.
At the same instant, as if the Dungeon had only been waiting for it, the rest of the body completely vanished, bones, skin, even the spilled blood on the floor disappeared, leaving the corridor clean, without any sign that the goblin had ever existed.
The same fate had already reached the first corpse. Fortunately, Luki had been quick enough to loot it first.
Luki spun the Monster Core between his fingers, the blue glow reflecting on his helmet's visor.
— Damn Dungeon... always trying to play tricks on me. — he muttered, storing the core in his pouch.
'Two down... still a long way to go.' He thought, adjusting his posture before moving on.
He ran his hand across the chest of his armor, checking the scratches and dents. He adjusted the backpack strap on his back, checked his belt, and made sure nothing was loose. Every detail mattered inside the Dungeon.
The first battle had been tough—complete with a surprise at the end—but he knew this was just the beginning. The road was still long, and every step promised more danger and more rewards.
'I'm not going home today without killing a hundred monsters!'
...
The exploration continued consistently. Goblin after goblin, each battle was an obstacle that rose before him, but one way or another, it was overcome.
Initially, he struggled just as much, if not more, than in his first fight of the day.
But with each confrontation, things got easier, or perhaps just more predictable.
It was as if the "whatever it is" instincts that were dormant were starting to awaken. He wasn't stronger; fighting simply became easier.
Still, he wasn't reckless. Luki sought direct confrontations, as ambushes were nearly impossible in such a clean environment, always ensuring he faced one monster at a time.
But when the Dungeon gave him no choice, and the shadow of two or three goblins suddenly appeared, that's when he resorted to his small "arsenal."
...
Two goblins charged, red eyes flashing in the gloom. Luki assessed their speed in an instant. One against two, at that distance, would be risky.
Without hesitation, he pulled the backpack from his shoulder, opened it firmly, and withdrew a small, round glass vial, the yellow liquid inside trembling in the faint light.
— Good luck with that. — he muttered.
He threw the vial onto the floor, right in front of the goblins. CRASH! The glass shattered, spreading a cloud of yellowish smoke that rose with harsh sizzling. The acidic smell burned the air.
SKREEEEHH!!!
— GRUUUAAAHHH / OOOAAAHHHR — the goblins screamed, their skins bubbling where the corrosive liquid splashed, eyes rolling in agony.
They scrambled out of the acidic cloud but met a near-divine sword forged by the goddess Hephaestus.
SHRAAK! CRUNCH!
The fight was brief; the High Fantasy-themed gremlins couldn't fight properly with their eyes and skin stinging with corrosive acid.
...
Three goblins emerged from the mist, circling Luki with hungry grunts. He raised his sword, but a brief smile escaped under his helmet.
From his backpack, he withdrew a small clay cylinder and threw it against the floor. POF! A white smoke spread, blending perfectly with the Dungeon's natural mist.
The goblins coughed, howling suspiciously... until, suddenly, their bodies wavered. Heavy eyes. Wobbly legs.
THUD. THUD. THUD. All three collapsed onto the floor, sunk in deep sleep.
Luki walked calmly toward them, spinning the sword between his fingers. — Sleep well... — he murmured, before finishing each one with clean, silent cuts.
...
Two goblins blocked his path, roaring while stamping their feet on the ground. Luki knew a direct confrontation would be difficult, so he decided to test something new.
He took a small flask from his waist and poured oil onto the blade of the Hestia's Blade, which glistened in the faint light. With the kukri, he lightly scraped the back of the blade against the edge.
CRRK! A spark.
Then, WHOOSH! flames ignited, transforming the blade into a sword of fire.
The goblins froze. Their eyes widened before the primitive instinct that screamed.
"Sword = danger" "Fire = danger" "Sword + Fire = deadly danger"
This instinctive fear was the perfect opening.
Every time Luki swung the sword, even casually, the creatures retreated in fear.
But it was strange because even with clear aversion, they did not flee; it was as if their legs walked on their own, forcing them to confront him.
With this ridiculous performance, it took Luki less than two minutes to finish the job.
...
The goblin slumped to the floor, its head nearly severed from its body after the final blow. Luki let out a heavy sigh, the muffled air inside the helmet warming his face.
— Uff... another one.
He pulled out the kukri, knelt by the corpse, and began the work. His firm hands pushed aside flesh and bone until they revealed the blue glow hidden in the creature's entrails.
The sphere rolled out, gleaming in the gloom. Luki held it carefully, admiring it for a moment before placing it in the pouch fastened to his waist.
He opened the clasp, looked inside, and began counting, one by one.
— Twenty-five... twenty-six... twenty-seven. — he murmured.
His eyes behind the visor reflected satisfaction, but only for a moment.
'Still far from today's goal...'
He put the stone away with the others, zipped the pouch firmly, and stood up. The weight at his waist reminded him that he was advancing, but one hundred still seemed a distant number.
He brushed the dust from his glove against the thigh of his armor and resumed his walk down the damp corridor.
He hadn't gone far when something different broke the monotony.
CLANG! SHHHHRK! UOOHHHH!
The sound echoed through the tunnels: clang of steel, hisses that could only come from monsters, muffled screams of human effort.
Luki stopped. His instincts told him to ignore it and move on. Better to secure his own hunt than get involved in other people's problems.
'It's not my business... I should turn around now and look for more goblins.'
But deep down, curiosity won. It was a rare chance to observe other adventurers in action. Perhaps to absorb some useful information from the situation.
'Just a look. I won't interfere... but if they ask for help, then I will.'
With steady steps, he plunged deeper into the corridors.
The first floor was a dark labyrinth, full of bends and crossings. The mist made everything even more confusing, and anyone could easily get lost in there.
But Luki didn't seem to have that problem.
He turned at one crossroads, then another, always on the right track. His sharp hearing guided every step, as if he had an invisible map in his head.
The sound of battle grew increasingly clear. There was no doubt now: he was close.
Elves... and their impossible hearing.
...
Following the sound, Luki arrived at a chamber hidden by a wall of dense mist, one that not even his elven eyes could see beyond. On the other side, clear signs of battle could be heard.
'Total Souls-like vibe...' he thought as he stepped through the wall of mist.
After passing to the other side, he could finally see what was happening.
The first thing that caught his attention was the adventurers, about three combatants with a forth member carrying a disproportionately large bag.
But that wasn't what was most striking.
The creatures they were fighting were not goblins. They were different. Very different.
— What the hell is that...? — he murmured.