When the light swallowed me, I thought I was dreaming.
But the cold air, the smell of damp earth, and the faint sound of dripping water snapped me awake.
I was standing in an underground forest. Thick roots hung from the ceiling like petrified serpents, and a greenish mist drifted among twisted trees. It was so real I could feel the dust scratching my throat.
[Ding!]Interdimensional Dungeon: Floor 1
Type: Goblin Forest
Objective: Clear the area and defeat the floor boss.
Difficulty: Low.
My first thought was that this couldn't be real.
My second was that if I stood still too long, I was going to die.
It didn't take even a minute before I heard the first roar.
A small, hunched figure jumped out of the undergrowth — a goblin, its skin green and its teeth yellow. It held a crude stone dagger and charged straight at me.
"Shit…" was all I managed to say before moving purely on instinct.
It dodged my first punch and almost opened my chest with its blade. I stumbled back, felt the air slice across my cheek, and countered with a wild swing. My fist cracked against its jaw — something broke — and the goblin collapsed, shrieking, before going still.
[Ding!]Goblin defeated.
+6 XP | +$3.
My breathing was ragged, but a part of me smiled.
I was terrified, sure, but a wild rush of adrenaline ran through me.
This was real — and somehow… I was surviving.
Over the next few minutes, more goblins appeared. Some alone, some in packs. Their guttural screams echoed around me, clashing with my own as the knife I'd stolen from the first one flashed through the air.
My regeneration handled the rest — every cut faded slowly, leaving only a burning sting behind.
Time blurred.
An hour later, I was covered in green blood and surrounded by small bodies. I slumped against a tree trunk and opened the system panel with a thought.
[Player Status]
Name: Ethan Blake
Level: 1
Class: None (Unassigned)
Experience: 48/100
Credits: $27
Strength: 9
Agility: 10
Constitution: 11
Energy: 8
Skills:
– Accelerated Healing (passive, source: Wolverine's regeneration)
– Instinctive Strike (basic system skill)
I took a deep breath.
My stats weren't great — but they were mine.
Seeing the numbers somehow made me feel in control.
I kept moving. The forest grew denser the deeper I went.
The goblins were faster now, some wearing scraps of leather armor. Skeletons even began to appear — clumsy, but their rusty swords hit hard.
I learned quickly: never let them surround you, and always finish the job, even if they look dead.
After a few more hours and plenty of regenerations, my movements grew fluid. My body responded faster, lighter.
The system confirmed it with a familiar sound.
[Ding!]You leveled up to Level 2.
+2 attribute points available.
I smiled, assigning them without overthinking: one to Strength, one to Agility.
[Status Update]
Level: 2
Strength: 10
Agility: 11
Constitution: 11
Energy: 8
It wasn't much — but I could feel it.
More solid. Quicker.
Eventually, the forest opened into a wide circular chamber.
Torchlight flickered along stone walls, and in the center stood a goblin taller and more muscular than the rest, pounding the ground with a bone club.
Scars crossed its face, and its roar made the walls tremble.
[Ding!]Floor Boss detected: Goblin Brute (Lv. 4).
Defeat the boss to clear Floor 1.
"Perfect… just what I needed," I muttered, gripping the dagger.
The brute charged.
The club slammed down with such force that rocks and dust exploded upward. I barely dodged, feeling the shockwave rattle my legs.
If that had hit me, regeneration or not, I'd be done.
I lunged at its flank, slashing its side. The goblin howled and spun with shocking speed. The club caught my arm, throwing me hard against the wall.
Pain flared like white fire. I heard my bones snap — and then, disgustingly, knit themselves back together.
"Okay… that hurts," I groaned, spitting blood as I got back up.
Think fast. The brute was strong but slow.
Every missed swing left him open for a few seconds — and I used that. I taunted him, made him angrier, moved faster with each dodge.
When his club came down a fourth time, I darted in, climbed his back, and drove the dagger into his neck.
I pushed until he stopped moving.
He fell like a tree. The ground shook.
[Ding!]Boss defeated.
+40 XP | +$25.
Item obtained: Goblin Energy Core (Common).
Level Up! You are now Level 3.
+2 attribute points available.
I dropped beside the corpse, panting.
The core glowed faintly in my hands — a tiny piece of bottled sunlight.
"If this is just the first floor… I don't want to see the tenth," I said with a tired laugh.
[Status Update]
Name: Ethan Blake
Level: 3
Experience: 18/150
Credits: $52
Strength: 11
Agility: 12
Constitution: 11
Energy: 8
Skills:
– Accelerated Healing (passive)
– Instinctive Strike
Inventory:
– Used stone dagger
– Goblin Energy Core (Common)
– $52
[Ding!]Floor 1 cleared.
Bonus reward: Access to initial Class Selection.
I frowned.
Three icons appeared before me: Warrior, Scout, and Technician — each with a short description.
Warrior focused on strength and defense.
Scout specialized in agility and evasion.
Technician favored energy and manipulation.
I thought back to what I'd learned: survival wasn't about brute strength — it was about movement.
"Scout," I said.
[Confirmed.]Class assigned: Scout (Level 1/100).
Initial skill obtained: Shadow Step (temporarily boosts speed and reflexes).
Attribute bonus: +1 Agility, +1 Energy.
The change was instant. My muscles felt lighter, like the air itself urged me to move.
A grin tugged at my lips.
[Updated Status]
Class: Scout
General Level: 3
Class Level: 1
Strength: 11
Agility: 13
Constitution: 11
Energy: 9
"Not bad for the first day."
A glowing doorway appeared ahead — the exit.
I stepped through, and in a blink, I was back in my room.
The clock read 5 p.m. Barely a few hours had passed… at least in the real world.
I collapsed onto my bed. My body still ached, but regeneration worked its magic.
The feeling of achievement was intoxicating.
I hadn't just survived — I'd won.
Money, experience, a strange core… and, most importantly, power.
The system stayed silent, hovering at the back of my mind, but I knew it wouldn't stay quiet for long.
"Alright…" I whispered at the ceiling. "This is only the beginning."