When we finally stepped out of the dungeon’s cold, stone embrace, the sun was hanging in the late afternoon sky—the time was somewhere between 03:30 and 04:00 PM. Although these were not the standard hours for a mass exodus of dungeon raiders, a noticeable number of people had already begun to filter out of the entrance. In my earlier days, a crowd like this might have sparked a flicker of irritation within me, but today, I felt different. We still had plenty of time before dinner, and for the first time in a week, we were in no hurry at all. With a quiet sense of achievement settling over us, we began a leisurely walk toward the center of the city.
The streets of Targashar were beginning to shift into their evening rhythm. Along the way, I watched as shop owners started tidying their displays and artisans labored to finish their final tasks for the day. The city’s rush hour was looming on the horizon, and just like every other day, everyone seemed determined to be prepared for the impending surge of business. This sense of preparation extended to the Dungeon Raiders Guild as well. I suspected it was already starting to get busy, and I held a small hope that the lines at the reception desks wouldn't be too daunting.
When we arrived at the Guild, it was indeed crowded, though it hadn't yet reached the suffocating intensity of the post-sunset rush. I quickly identified one of the shorter lines and stepped in to wait. Namo, following the silent protocol we had established over the week, stood near the door to keep watch as I waited for my turn to be called.
When I finally reached the front, I presented the Steel Sting that had dropped from the tenth-floor mini-boss. The receptionist—a woman with dark brown hair and focused eyes, dressed formally in thigh-high work attire—looked noticeably impressed by the find. While a tenth-floor drop isn't a world-shattering event, it was clear that seeing it brought in by a two-man team carried a certain weight.
I found myself relieved that the cheeky catkin woman, Naela, wasn't the one handling my transaction today. If it had been her, I was certain she would have teased me mercilessly. I could almost hear her voice in my head: “~Nya! Did you defeat the mini-boss of the tenth floor with just two people~nya? Did you lie about the number of your companions again~nya? You are a little trickster, aren’t ~nyou?” It was curious to me how Naela and Namo could both be catkins and yet possess such radically different personalities. Fortunately, the dark-haired woman was all business. She appraised the sting and handed over 1 gold and 65 silver coins. It was a payout that exceeded my expectations. I realized the value made perfect sense when considering the local economy; a one-handed steel sword cost roughly 10 gold, while its iron counterpart was only 1 gold. The price of the raw material was perfectly proportional to the jump in quality between the two metals.
We exited the Guild just as the interior began to truly swell with people. The lines were already stretching far longer than when we had arrived. With our purse heavy, our next stop was the apothecary. Even though we had avoided the Venomous Mother’s fangs, the mere existence of poison in the dungeon had stimulated my survival instincts. I needed to take precautions.
My concern wasn't just for the spider; I knew the deeper we went, the more frequently we would encounter biological hazards. Furthermore, there were the most vicious "monsters" of all to consider: other humans. If we were ever ambushed by someone using poisoned blades, I wanted the insurance of an antidote ready at my side.
We returned to the familiar shop of the alchemist, Thalanor. Naska, his wolfkin apprentice, was likely busy in the back lab as she was nowhere to be seen. Thalanor was at the desk, meticulously rearranging his stock. His business seemed to operate on the more luxurious side of the market; demand appeared lower than the bustling equipment shops, and I saw only one other group leaving just before we entered. Given the time of day, it made sense; most people likely bought their supplies before entering the dungeon, not after leaving it.
“Welcome, esteemed customer,” Thalanor greeted me with an effortless, elven grace.
“Hi. Long time, no see,” I replied casually.
“What were you looking for, sir? Did your potions or medicines run out?”
“No, I’ve used some, but I still have a few left. I’ll take a few more, regardless,” I said, before getting to the core of my visit. “Mostly, I came here to buy some antidotes against poisons today.”
I decided to restock my basics, purchasing 4 low-level HP potions, 2 low-level MP potions, and 1 low-level SP potion. Then, I turned my attention to the antidotes, selecting 10 low-level doses. Since I knew very little about how toxins functioned in this world, I took the opportunity to ask Thalanor for an explanation.
He informed me that poisons, much like herbs and potions, were graded as Low, Mid, High, and Unique. The good news was that I didn't need a specific antidote for every single species of monster; as long as the antidote’s grade matched the poison’s grade, it would neutralize the toxin. Interestingly, he mentioned that consuming four low-level antidotes could theoretically detoxify a mid-tier poison. However, the true strength of an antidote lay in the immunity it provided for twenty-four hours after consumption.
Thalanor explained that while monsters on the lower floors used low-level toxins, the potency would increase significantly as we descended. As for human-made poisons, they became exponentially more expensive as the grade increased.
***
Low-level HP Poison
Decrease HP by 2 per minute
Decrease HP recovery speed by 50%
20 minutes effective
***
***
Mid-level HP Poison
Decrease HP by 5 at the first contact
Decrease HP by 10 per minute
Decrease HP recovery speed by 75%
40 minutes effective
***
Thalanor warned me that high-level poisons were capable of ending a life in less than a minute. He didn't sell those, nor did he sell the antidotes for them to just anyone. Unique poisons, he added, were special toxins produced by unique jobs or rare monsters, often carrying strange, debilitating effects.
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***
Low-level Antidote
Remove the status poisoned from low-level poisons
Decrease the effect of mid-level poisons by a quarter
Give immunity against low-level poisons
24 hours effective
***
***
Mid-level Antidote
Remove status poisoned from mid-level and below poisons
Decrease the effect of high-level poisons by a quarter
Give immunity against mid-level and below poisons
24 hours effective
***
***
High-level Antidote
Remove status poisoned from high-level and below poisons
Decrease the effect of unique level poisons by a quarter
Give immunity against high-level and below poisons
24 hours effective
***
The usage was simple, and the immunity made it a vital tactical tool. I paid 1 gold and 70 silver coins for the batch. Just as quickly as I had earned the gold, it was gone again. I was left with 52 silver and 70 copper coins, but I didn't mind. This was a payment for the safety of my life, and that was the one thing I wouldn't compromise on.
By the time we left the shopping district, the sun was sinking and dinner time was approaching. We returned to the inn, and after our usual meal, we retreated to our room to clean up and rest. Both Namo and I had grown used to this daily cycle.
Looking back, the week had been incredibly dense. I had a companion now—a slave I had purchased, to be blunt. I still felt a lingering unease about the nature of our relationship, but I justified it by ensuring I treated him fairly. He was still very anti-social, and although a sense of comradeship was forming, he still felt like a stranger. I could only hope that time would eventually mend that gap.
We had both grown much stronger. Namo reached Level 12 in his Beast Warrior job. The stat boost was one thing, but the real growth was in his actual battle experience. As for me, my multiple jobs were reaching impressive heights, even if the higher levels meant they grew more slowly than his single job.
***
Equipped Jobs:
Swordsman Level 34
Warrior Level 30
Dungeon Raider Level 30
Monk Level 28
Hunter Level 36
***
Because of these levels, my job bonuses were much more significant than before. My Strength had finally surpassed 10, and my Dexterity was nearly there as well. The Monk job had finally granted me my first intelligence and wisdom bonuses. I wasn't entirely sure what wisdom did yet, but the increase in intelligence had expanded my mana pool by 2.
***
Reserves:
HP: 148
MP: 52
SP: 81
***
My total points had reached 124 now that my Swordsman job was Level 34. I spent them to increase my Experience Drop skill to Level 7, leaving me with 4 unused points. I knew that if I gained three more levels, I could also push my Job Experience Requirement Reduction skill to Level 7.
I also remembered that Namo was benefiting from our party bond, receiving one-tenth of these bonuses. If my party were full, the shared strength would be immense.
It had been exactly two weeks since I arrived in this city. One week alone, and one week with Namo. I had clothed him, fed him, and set him on a path of growth far faster than he could have ever managed on his own. I knew that without freedom, my kindness was only worth so much, and if I were him, I would be sad. But I sensed that he didn't value freedom quite as much as I did. Perhaps one day, when we were close enough, I would grant it to him.
I spent the evening reflecting on my conversation with the innkeeper. I had asked for a refund of 1 silver coin for our remaining two days' stay because we were leaving Targashar tomorrow.
A few days ago, while selling the serpent fangs from the fifth floor, I had met a merchant looking for bodyguards. I wasn't particularly interested in guard duty, but the destination—a city called Darsalan—caught my eye. It was located near the capital, Tazareth, and was said to be much larger and wealthier than Targashar. I had spent enough time in this one city; I wanted to see the world I had dreamed of so vividly.
The merchant had been hesitant at first, but after hearing the rumors of the "Alone Man" and his companion clearing the tenth floor, he had readily agreed to our terms. We would receive 1 gold per person before departure and 1 gold upon arrival. The caravan was leaving at dawn.
I sat on the edge of my bed, a mixture of curiosity and excitement swirling in my chest. I wondered what the road would bring and what kinds of cities I would find. I didn't know then that this journey would alter my fate—and Namo’s—permanently. I closed my eyes, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
[Edited]
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