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Chapter 4: Goblin's Hollow

The appearance of the dungeon changed the atmosphere of the entire shelter.

Until that moment, everyone had been focused on surviving the invasion. Food, water, shelter, medicine, and safety had been the priorities. Monsters were threats to be avoided whenever possible, and Awakeners were still trying to understand the strange powers they had received.

Now there was a dungeon.

A real dungeon.

It stood several hundred meters away from the school, hovering above an empty intersection like a wound in the air. A circular field of blue light surrounded its entrance, while strange particles continuously flowed toward its center.

People couldn't stop staring at it.

Subin stood among them with one hand resting naturally on the sword at his waist.

The system window remained in front of him.

[Dungeon detected.]

[Dungeon Name: Goblin's Hollow.]

[Recommended Level: 2–5.]

[Dungeon Entrance will stabilize in: 01:07:26.]

Subin read the information again.

Recommended level.

That suggested the dungeon had been designed, or perhaps naturally formed, around a certain range of strength.

He wondered whether all dungeons would have recommended levels.

If so, they could become an excellent method of measuring danger.

More importantly, there was experience inside.

Experience meant levels.

Levels meant strength.

And strength was becoming increasingly important.

A loudspeaker suddenly crackled.

"Everyone return to the shelter!"

A military officer stood near the school entrance.

"Do not approach the dungeon. Until its properties are understood, civilians are prohibited from entering the area."

The crowd slowly began moving away.

Subin remained where he was.

The officer noticed him.

"You too."

Subin looked at him.

"I want to enter."

"No."

"I am Level 2."

"That doesn't matter."

The officer walked closer.

"We have no information about what is inside. We don't know how many monsters there are, whether there are traps, whether the dungeon has a boss, or whether the entrance can collapse."

Subin listened quietly.

The officer wasn't wrong.

"How long until the military enters?"

"We don't know."

Subin glanced toward the dungeon.

"Then someone needs to gather information."

The officer frowned.

"That's not your responsibility."

"Maybe not."

Subin's voice remained calm.

"But I want to become stronger."

The officer looked at the sword on his waist.

"You killed one monster."

"Yes."

"That doesn't make you invincible."

"I know."

The officer studied him for a few seconds.

"You really intend to go?"

"Yes."

"Then at least wait until the military sends a team."

Subin considered it.

That seemed reasonable.

He wasn't interested in dying simply because he was impatient.

"Fine."

He returned to the shelter.

During the next hour, information spread quickly.

The dungeon wasn't the only one that had appeared.

Similar entrances had reportedly appeared throughout the city.

Some were small.

Others were enormous.

The government began issuing emergency instructions through radio broadcasts.

People were told not to approach unexplored dungeons.

However, the warnings had an unintended effect.

People became even more interested.

Several newly awakened individuals began discussing forming parties.

They wanted to enter the dungeons themselves.

One group gathered near the school entrance.

Subin recognized one of them.

It was the young man who had earlier questioned whether Subin could really be strong after awakening.

He was carrying a metal baseball bat.

His body was noticeably larger than before.

The young man looked at Subin.

"So you're the Sword God."

Subin nodded.

"What's your name?"

"Arjun."

"What did you awaken?"

Arjun grinned.

"Warrior."

He flexed his arm.

"I got enhanced strength and physical durability."

Subin nodded.

"That's useful."

Arjun seemed surprised by the straightforward response.

"You aren't going to say anything else?"

"Like what?"

"You're supposed to be some kind of Sword God, aren't you?"

Subin shrugged.

"I don't know what that means yet."

Arjun laughed.

"At least you're honest."

Several others joined them.

One woman had awakened the ability to control fire.

Another man could create barriers.

A third had awakened a healing ability.

For the first time, Subin saw something resembling a proper party forming.

A warrior.

A mage.

A tank.

A healer.

It made sense.

Each ability covered a different weakness.

Subin realized that cooperation would probably become extremely important.

Even if he could fight alone, other people could provide abilities he didn't possess.

The group began discussing entering Goblin's Hollow once the dungeon stabilized.

Arjun looked at Subin.

"You should join us."

Subin considered it.

He wasn't against working with others.

"How many people?"

"Six."

"Experience will be divided?"

Everyone became silent.

Nobody knew.

That was an important question.

If experience was divided equally, then a party could slow down individual growth.

If the person who dealt the killing blow received everything, parties could become competitive and dangerous.

The system had not explained it.

Subin opened his status.

There was no party function.

At least not yet.

"We'll find out inside," Arjun said.

Subin nodded.

"I'll come."

The group looked relieved.

Nobody said it aloud, but Subin's presence gave them confidence.

He had already killed a monster that several armed soldiers had struggled against.

The remaining time passed quickly.

As the timer reached zero, the dungeon entrance suddenly changed.

The blue light compressed inward.

A dark stone doorway appeared where the distortion had been.

Beyond it was darkness.

Then a system notification appeared.

[Dungeon stabilization complete.]

[Goblin's Hollow is now accessible.]

[Dungeon entry limit: 50 individuals.]

[Dungeon completion conditions: Eliminate dungeon guardian.]

[Estimated dungeon depth: 5 floors.]

The soldiers immediately began organizing.

A team of ten entered first.

They were followed by several experienced Awakeners.

Subin and Arjun's group waited.

Ten minutes later, the first team returned.

One soldier was injured.

Another was carrying a strange green crystal.

"Mana stone," he said.

The crowd immediately became interested.

The soldier continued.

"First floor contains Level 2 Goblins. They're weak individually, but they attack in groups."

Another soldier added, "There are weapons and materials inside. Some creatures drop usable items."

The government officers exchanged glances.

The value of dungeons had just increased dramatically.

They weren't merely dangerous places.

They were resources.

A military commander stepped forward.

"Teams will enter in groups of five. No one goes deeper than the area cleared by the previous team."

Subin's group entered shortly afterward.

The moment he crossed the entrance, the world changed.

The sounds of the shelter disappeared.

They were standing inside a narrow stone corridor.

The walls were covered with moss.

Blue crystals grew between the stones, providing faint illumination.

The air smelled damp.

Arjun looked around.

"This doesn't look like anywhere on Earth."

Subin touched the wall.

The stone was real.

Cold.

Rough.

He looked ahead.

The corridor extended approximately fifty meters before turning left.

"Something's there."

Arjun immediately raised his weapon.

"What?"

Subin pointed.

"Three creatures."

The fire mage looked confused.

"I can't see anything."

Subin closed his eyes.

He listened.

Footsteps.

Three sets.

Light.

Uneven.

Then a faint clicking sound.

"They're coming."

Everyone prepared.

A moment later, three goblins appeared around the corner.

They were small humanoid creatures with green skin, crude weapons, and sharp teeth.

One carried a wooden club.

The others carried rusty blades.

The goblins charged.

Arjun stepped forward.

"Leave the first one to me!"

He swung his bat.

The goblin raised its club.

The collision produced a loud crack.

Arjun's greater strength sent the creature flying.

The fire mage immediately launched a fireball at another.

It struck the goblin's shoulder and sent it rolling.

The third rushed toward the healer.

Subin moved.

His sword left its sheath.

He stepped forward.

One cut.

The goblin fell.

[Level 2 Goblin defeated.]

[Experience acquired.]

Subin turned.

The goblin Arjun had struck was getting back up.

Subin moved again.

His blade passed through the creature's neck.

[Level 2 Goblin defeated.]

The fire mage finished the final goblin.

[Level 2 Goblin defeated.]

Three bodies disappeared.

Three small mana stones remained.

Arjun looked at Subin.

"You moved before I even noticed it."

Subin sheathed his sword.

"I heard them."

"You heard them?"

"Yes."

Arjun stared.

"From around the corner?"

Subin nodded.

He didn't know how to explain it.

His senses seemed sharper inside the dungeon.

Perhaps the mana density was affecting him.

Perhaps Sword God had passive effects he hadn't discovered yet.

The group continued.

The first floor was larger than expected.

There were multiple corridors, small chambers, and abandoned wooden structures that looked like crude goblin camps.

The goblins weren't particularly strong.

But they weren't stupid either.

They attacked in groups.

They used the environment.

Some attempted to surround the party while others attacked from behind.

Subin quickly noticed their patterns.

Whenever the goblins encountered a stronger opponent, they focused on the weakest target.

The healer.

He warned the others.

After that, the group adapted.

Their cooperation improved with every battle.

Subin remained mostly at the front.

Every time a goblin appeared, he studied its movements.

The first few fights required actual concentration.

After several battles, he no longer needed to think about basic attacks.

His body moved automatically.

Slash.

Step.

Turn.

Cut.

Another goblin fell.

[Basic Swordsmanship: 43% → 47%.]

Subin's eyes narrowed.

His skill was increasing simply through combat.

That meant actual fighting was far more effective than repetitive practice.

He continued.

47% → 51%.

51% → 54%.

The sword became increasingly natural in his hands.

By the time they reached the end of the first floor, Subin had killed more monsters than anyone else.

His level had increased again.

[Level: 3]

He opened his status.

[Strength: 18]

[Agility: 17]

[Vitality: 15]

[Intelligence: 14]

[Mana: 15]

[Unassigned Attribute Points: 5]

He decided to wait before assigning them.

Something else had caught his attention.

At the end of the corridor stood a large stone staircase.

A wooden sign had been carved into the wall beside it.

Nobody could read the strange symbols.

But the system translated them.

[Second Floor.]

Arjun swallowed.

"So we're going down?"

Subin looked at the staircase.

"Yes."

The healer hesitated.

"Maybe we should return."

Nobody argued.

They had already learned that the dungeon became more dangerous as they progressed.

Subin looked back toward the entrance.

He understood the concern.

But he also understood something else.

If he returned every time the danger increased, he would never become strong.

He placed his hand on his sword.

"I'll go first."

Arjun nodded.

The group began descending.

One step.

Then another.

As Subin reached the bottom, he heard something.

A heavy breathing sound.

Much deeper than the goblins.

Something large was moving in the darkness ahead.

Subin drew his sword.

A system notification appeared.

[Warning.]

[Level 4 monster detected.]

Subin's eyes sharpened.

A large shadow slowly emerged from the darkness.

Unlike the goblins, this creature was nearly twice the height of a human.

It carried a massive stone axe.

Arjun raised his bat.

The fire mage prepared another spell.

Subin stepped forward.

His grip tightened around the sword.

For the first time since entering the dungeon, he felt genuine excitement.

A stronger opponent.

A chance to test himself.

The creature roared.

Subin smiled faintly.

"Come."