[Enter the dungeon 'Cton Sewer']
"Ugh."
As soon as he entered the sewer, a musty, foul smell assaulted his nostrils. Lokan immediately placed one of the herbal detoxifying candles he had prepared under his nose. The bitter scent was strong, but it was far better than the raw stench of sewage.
*Shing!*
He drew the Orc Battle-Axe, his muscles tensing slightly. The Sewer Rats weren't enough to make Lokan nervous, but he wouldn't get careless. Even these lowly creatures, which only offered meager items and experience, could be useful in their own way.
*Squeak!*
As he walked, recalling the sewer's layout from memory, a rat the size of a large dog appeared. It was called a rat, but it was already monstrous enough to be considered a proper monster.
"Just one?"
*Whoosh!*
He swung his axe at the charging rat, cleaving it from head to spine in a single blow. A one-shot kill! Against Lokan's overwhelming attack power, a single Sewer Rat was no match.
[Ax Mastery has increased by 0.1%.]
"Good."
This was the Sewer Rat's only advantage: there were many of them. That meant they were good for quickly raising skill proficiency. While proficiency gains were higher against stronger opponents, in the very early stages, even these weak foes provided decent progress. Raising his Ax Mastery to 30% was feasible here, and achieving 30% proficiency was necessary to wield a weapon at its full 100% attack power potential.
"Slaughter."
After each kill, Lokan didn't forget to use his slaughtering knife to harvest the rat hide. The quest item, the Sewer Rat Tail, went automatically into his inventory, but he wanted to raise his Butcher skill level for future investments, even if ten hides only sold for a few copper.
"Now, let's move."
Lokan swung his Orc Battle-Axe and began running swiftly deeper into the sewers.
*Squeak! Squeak!*
Sewer Rats were surprisingly aggressive. Instead of fleeing, they recognized him as prey and charged. As he ran, the rattling noise attracted a horde; soon, more than twenty rats were chasing him. Lokan was fast, but the rats were nimble in their own environment.
"That's enough."
Once a sufficient number had gathered, Lokan spun around.
*Thwack! Thwack!*
He stopped running and began systematically dealing with the swarming rats. The Cton Sewer map was vast, capable of hosting hundreds of hunters, so the supply seemed endless. However, Lokan had no intention of staying long. He knew the entire layout and key features.
"Dash! Strike!"
He fell into a pattern: run, attract a pack, turn and exterminate, then slaughter the corpses. His skill proficiencies steadily climbed. His control was already so refined that he didn't need to take detours just for grinding; his proficiency rose efficiently.
'Let's just get five hundred.'
Slaughtering a thousand Sewer Rats earned the title 'King of the Sewers', but he didn't need to aim for that. The title effect only slightly increased damage against 'rats', and as far as he knew, no significant rat-type monsters appeared later in the game. 'At best, Ratmen are it.' It was a waste of time.
[Excellent achievement! You slaughtered 500 sewer rats.]
[The title 'Rat Hunter' has been acquired.]
[Rat Hunter] [Normal]
You, who slaughtered 500 sewage rats without rest. Rats fear you.
[Hold Effect]
– Increases attack power by 5% when dealing with rats.
[Special Effect]
-You can use [Rat Hunter's Fear], which induces instinctive fear in rats.
After hunting a few more packs, he easily reached his target of 500. He acquired the 'Rat Hunter's Fear' skill, which could avoid combat with rats, but he no longer needed it. Just then, he moved beyond the Sewer Rat territory.
*Skitter!*
A 'Contaminated Rat' now appeared before him. It resembled a Sewer Rat but was a grotesque monster covered in mold-like growths. A Level 12 monster, stronger than its cousin, but its true danger lay elsewhere: poison. Its poison could stack up to five times.
"Slaughter."
[You are poisoned by Contaminated Rat venom. Health decreases by 1 every 10 seconds.]
[Be careful. Contaminated Rat poison stacks up to 5 times.]
Your body is now poisoned.
This would be a tricky situation for someone trying to raise their Butcher skill, but Lokan didn't mind.
'Anyway, the Contaminated Rat's poison only lasts 30 seconds.'
The poison duration was short, and this mild poisoning was actually welcome.
[You have overcome the poison in your body.]
[Poison resistance has increased.]
Frequent exposure to toxins could build 'Resistance', a stat difficult to raise otherwise. He hadn't been bitten by the Sewer Rats, but this served to lower his health moderately for his next goal.
"First Aid."
[First Aid increased by 0.1%.]
Using First Aid while his health slowly declined increased the proficiency, even if the actual healing was minimal at this level. He used the skill repeatedly until his health was restored, satisfied as the proficiency bar steadily filled.
'Killing two birds with one stone.'
If it became dangerous, he could use the antidote herbs he'd bought to detoxify and replenish his health. Contrary to popular belief, the Cton Sewers were a dungeon where one could extract many benefits—except for the terrible smell. It was like a durian: heavenly taste, hellish smell. Of course, Lokan, who had once tried dried durian, might not agree with that analogy.
Lokan continued slaughtering the Contaminated Rats and advancing.
'I think it's about time.'
From Lokan's perspective, there was little difference between a Sewer Rat and a Contaminated Rat. The only risk factor was managing health from the poison stacks. Soon, he reached the deepest part of the Cton Sewers, a dead end.
"It was around here…"
Lokan, standing at the dead end, looked around. Dragging the corpses of the Contaminated Rats he had killed, he scattered them around the area. He couldn't remember the exact trigger, so his method was 'if you place enough, one will work!'.
*Bubble… bubble… … .*
One of the corpses began to boil. Just as he wondered if the hide was melting, a pair of red eyes flashed, and the rat corpse reanimated, now much larger and more monstrous.
[Blight Rat][Lv 23]
Its appearance was even more bizarre, with a garish purple gem embedded in its forehead. Lokan, however, fixated on a strange detail.
"Shut up, you bastard."
He was annoyed that a rat was taller than the average Korean man.
*Whoosh! Thud!*
Without even letting it properly position itself, Lokan's axe slammed into the Blight Rat's stomach, sending it reeling backwards.
*Bubble… bubble… … .*
While blood and intestines should have spilled out, the grievous wound inflicted by the Orc Battle-Axe began to heal rapidly, bubbles rising from the flesh. It was the power of the jewel on its forehead.
"Keeek!"
After this rapid self-healing, the Blight Rat unleashed its fury on Lokan. Besides its long teeth, sharp claws dripping with pus extended from its paws.
"Heh heh heh heh!"
Lokan responded with a War Cry. The Blight Rat suffered the brunt of it. Their levels were similar, but the stat difference was vast. As its stats dropped, the creature's movements slowed momentarily.
"Dash."
This was where Lokan's skill shone. Dash wasn't just for speed; it provided an agility boost for three steps. If he didn't move for more than a second, the effect canceled, but that was all he needed. With amplified agility, Lokan sliced the Blight Rat's stomach repeatedly.
"Feel the Rat Hunter's terror."
*Whirr. Whoosh!*
The rat's attempts to counter were neutralized by the fear effect. It was recognized as a 'rat', so despite the short duration, the fear took hold. Meanwhile, his axe blows burst the rat's thick hide like tofu. The damage was so severe that recovery seemed impossible this time.
"Hah!"
In its death throes, the creature tried to bite him. But Lokan wasn't one to be caught off guard. He raised the axe haft, smacking the rat's jaw and kicking its body away.
"You're nothing."
[You have leveled up.]
The experience accumulated from killing hundreds of Sewer and Contaminated Rats, combined with the Blight Rat's bounty, caused him to level up again. His health, lowered by the poison, was fully restored.
*Sparkle!*
He checked his inventory; it was filled with mostly useless junk. 'Still a cheapskate,' he thought. But when he picked up the purple gem from the corpse, a problem arose.
[You have been cursed by the Blight.]
[All stats are slightly reduced.]
[Health decreases by 5 every 10 seconds.]
[Be careful. This can lead to death if not treated promptly.]
It was the Blight Curse. But Lokan wasn't surprised. In his previous life, many players died here unknowingly, but he knew the cause: the Plague Jewel. The power within the gem had invaded his body and would slowly consume his vitality.
"Finally! I graduate from this stinky place."
Despite the curse gnawing at his health (30 HP per minute), Lokan's total health was over 1,100, so it was manageable. He made his way back to the sewer entrance.
* * *
"Ugh, the smell!"
"Look at that guy. He must have been in the sewer."
"Wow, have some manners. How can you walk around like that?"
"Ugh, damn it! Go get washed first!"
As soon as Lokan emerged, he intended to find the guard post but changed his mind. The stench was overwhelming. He himself was somewhat numb to it, but others weren't. Worse, the smell would linger wherever he walked, potentially ruining his hard-earned [Friendly] reputation with NPCs.
Even as his health ticked down from the curse, Lokan confirmed his bandages could stabilize him for now. He hurried to a service to wash his equipment, then ran into an inn to scrub himself clean.