Chapter 5:
The system didn't let the tension fade.
Yuki noticed it the moment he left the Dungeon and stepped back into the noise of Orario. No dramatic pause. No praise. Just another message, calm and patient.
[New Mission Issued]
Mission: Goblin Suppression I
Objective:
• Return to the first floor of the Dungeon
• Kill 15 Goblins
Reward:
• Minor Chakra Increase
• One Random Utility Skill
Failure Penalty:
• None
Yuki stopped walking.
Fifteen.
Not ten. Not a single test. More than before, but not enough to feel heroic.
"…So this is how it's going to be," he said under his breath.
The system wasn't pushing him forward in leaps.
It was setting a routine.
Preparation
Yuki didn't rush back inside.
He spent the rest of the day preparing.
He bought a cheap dagger. Poor balance, dull edge, but better than bare hands when chakra was low. He wrapped his injured shoulder properly and practiced activating the Byakugan in short intervals, counting his breaths to avoid strain.
The more he used it, the clearer one thing became.
It was exhausting.
Seeing everything all at once demanded focus. Too long, and his head throbbed. His chakra drained faster than expected.
"So I can't rely on it all the time," he thought. "Only when it matters."
That realization alone kept him alive later.
Back Into the Dungeon
The next morning, Yuki returned underground.
The first floor felt different now.
Not safer.
Familiar.
He recognized broken pillars, claw marks on walls, narrow paths goblins favored for ambushes. With the Byakugan active for a few seconds at a time, he mapped enemy positions before moving.
One goblin at a time.
No rushing.
No heroics.
He used Shadow Clones sparingly, mostly as distractions. A clone would draw attention, take a hit, vanish. Yuki would strike from the side, aiming for joints, throats, and pressure points he now instinctively understood.
Hyuga taijutsu wasn't about strength.
It was about precision.
A palm strike to the chest disrupted movement. A quick jab collapsed a goblin without spilling much blood. Chakra flowed cleanly when he stayed calm.
Still, mistakes happened.
A goblin lunged from behind rubble and slashed his leg. Pain flared, sharp and hot. Yuki stumbled, barely raising an earth wall in time to block the follow-up attack.
He killed that goblin with fire.
Not because it was efficient.
Because he was angry.
When the fifteenth goblin dissolved into smoke, Yuki leaned forward, hands on his knees, breathing hard.
Sweat dripped onto stone.
His legs trembled.
[Mission Completed.]
Reward
The reward came quietly.
No pain this time. No dramatic shift.
Just a subtle change.
His chakra pool expanded slightly, like his lungs drawing in a deeper breath than before. Natural. Stable.
Then the second reward appeared.
[Utility Skill Acquired: Enhanced Footwork (Basic)]
Yuki tested it by stepping forward.
His balance felt better. Weight distribution smoother. Turning corners required less effort.
"…This stacks well," he murmured.
Nothing overwhelming.
Just refinement.
More Missions
The system didn't stop.
Over the next several days, similar missions followed.
Kill goblins.
Avoid deeper floors.
Maintain efficiency.
The rewards reflected the same philosophy.
• Slight resistance to fatigue
• Improved chakra recovery while resting
• Basic weapon handling proficiency
• Increased pain tolerance
No new elements. No rare bloodlines. No flashy techniques.
Yuki understood why.
Goblins weren't meant to make him powerful.
They were meant to make him consistent.
Change Through Repetition
By the end of the week, Yuki noticed the real difference.
His movements were quieter. His breathing steadier. He no longer panicked when surrounded. His hands moved before fear could catch up.
Other low-level adventurers began to recognize him.
Not by name.
By habit.
"The quiet kid," someone muttered once.
"He's always on the first floor," said another.
"He doesn't die," a third noted.
That was enough.
Yuki never stayed long after missions. He cleaned his weapons, treated his wounds, and left before exhaustion made him sloppy.
At night, he lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling.
The system had given him power.
But more importantly, it had given him direction.
Kill goblins.
Learn the Dungeon.
Survive tomorrow.
Yuki closed his eyes.
"This is fine," he said softly. "I don't need more yet."
Deep underground, goblins continued to crawl out of the walls.
And Yuki would be there.
Not as a hero.
Not as a legend.
Just as someone who refused to fall on the first floor.