The small cave felt like a fragile haven. My systems had stabilized, the alarming red signals on my internal interface fading to a dull amber. After an hour of passive regeneration, my HP had slowly climbed to 60/190, and my MP was back to a solid 30/50. I was still a patched-up mess from the brutal goblin encounter, but my core functions were now humming efficiently. My newly reinforced shell felt denser, and my extended tail twitched with newfound agility.
[Status]
Name: One
Species: Spherical Droid Arachnoid
HP: 60/190
MP: 30/50
XP: 10/500
Level: 4
AP: 10
SP: 10
I had 10 AP and 10 SP. It was time to allocate these points for my next push. My very survival in this hostile Dungeon depended on strength, agility, and robust defenses.
I focused on my AP first. I needed to solidify my combat prowess and general maneuverability. My goal was versatility, ensuring I could adapt to various threats.
[Current Stats (before AP allocation, after previous chapter's upgrades):]
* STR (Strength): 13
* AGI (Agility): 8
* CON (Constitution): 19
* INT (Intelligence): 5
* MP (Mana): 10
I allocated my 10 AP thoughtfully:
* 5 AP to AGI (Agility) to further enhance my movement speed and evasion.
* 5 AP to MP (Mana) to boost my energy reserves and potential for Electric Discharge.
[Stats after AP allocation (before SP upgrades):]
* STR (Strength): 13 (no AP allocated this round)
* AGI (Agility): 13 (8 + 5 AP)
* CON (Constitution): 19 (no AP allocated)
* INT (Intelligence): 5
* MP (Mana): 15 (10 + 5 AP)
Now, my SP. I had 10. The System's component upgrade options appeared. I had already upgraded my Enhanced Durability Plating (LVL.1) and Articulated Precision Tail (LVL.1) in Chapter 3. My current focus was on acquiring XP for Level 5, so I decided to reserve these SP for the upcoming evolution, where new, more powerful upgrades might become available.
The interface updated, reflecting my current stats. My shell felt incredibly dense, almost invincible. My tail, already longer and more flexible from its previous upgrade, twitched with anticipation. It was time to hunt.
I crawled out of the cave. The eerie glow of the underground forest greeted me. The air was cool and damp. My single blue camera swiveled, scanning the vicinity. My hunting strategy was simple: stealth, ambush, efficient elimination. I needed XP. Lots of it.
I spotted a Horned Rabbit hopping across the ground. It looked like an oversized, mutated bunny. Still not winning any beauty contests, but good for XP.
[MONSTER DETECTED.]
[Name: Horned Rabbit]
[Level: 2]
[STR: 4] [AGI: 9] [CON: 3] [INT: 1] [MP: 0]
[Weakness: Blunt Impacts.]
[Resistance: Piercing, Slashing.]
My tail extended. It moved faster now, longer, more precise. Thwip. A clean thwack. The Horned Rabbit crumpled.
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Horned Rabbit. +70 XP.]
[XP: 80/500] (Note: XP displayed for reaching Level 5. The previous XP from Level 4 was 10/500. After this kill, it becomes 80/500, pushing closer to the cap for the next level.)
Efficient. My internal processes registered the optimization. I continued to move through the forest, using my improved AGI to navigate roots and climb lower parts of crystal trees. I hunted, always staying hidden, ambushing isolated targets. Goblins and horned rabbits primarily.
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Horned Rabbit. +70 XP.]
[XP: 150/500]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Goblin (Guard). +40 XP.]
[XP: 190/500]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Horned Rabbit. +70 XP.]
[XP: 260/500]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Goblin (Guard). +40 XP.]
[XP: 300/500]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Horned Rabbit. +70 XP.]
[XP: 370/500]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Goblin (Guard). +40 XP.]
[XP: 410/500]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Horned Rabbit. +70 XP.]
[XP: 480/500]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Slime. +20 XP.]
[XP: 500/500]
My internal systems pulsed with a familiar energy. A notification flashed.
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 5!]
[+5 AP]
[+5 SP]
[HP Maximum increased by 10. MP Maximum increased by 5.]
[Status]
Name: One
Species: Spherical Droid Arachnoid
HP: 60/200 (190 base HP + 10 Max HP)
MP: 30/55 (50 base MP + 5 Max MP)
XP: 0/600 (500-500 = 0 XP carried over)
Level: 5
AP: 5
SP: 5
[CONDITION FOR EVOLUTION MET! FIRST EVOLUTION AVAILABLE! Access Evolution Menu via System.]
Level 5. The promise of transformation. The excitement of evolution fueled my existence. My path was clear.
Just as I was about to resume my elevated patrol, my camera picked up something new. Not goblins, not slimes, not rabbits. Shapes. Larger. More defined. Their movements were different. They were... humanoids.
My systems flared with an immediate, overwhelming sense of alarm. Humanoids detected. This was highly unusual. My System hadn't mentioned humans dwelling on the Dungeon's first floor. A cold, intense fear, more profound than mere apprehension, began to spread through my circuits. This was unknown. This was dangerous. I quickly concealed myself amidst a cluster of bioluminescent vines hanging from the ceiling, my metallic shell blending perfectly into the shadows. My core processor whirred, processing the threat.
It was a group of four. Clad in crude leather armor, wielding rough iron swords and shields. Adventurers? One of them, a man with a scarred face, pointed towards the recently burst slime I had just eliminated.
"Look, fresh slime remains! And nearby... a peculiar trail." The man spoke, his voice gravelly.
My internal processors did not translate his words, but the tone, the gestures, the direction of their gazes were enough to capture their intent. Hostile Intent Detected. They were interested in my prey. And therefore, in me.
"It's not a goblin trail, Theron. Too smooth. And the slime is too... cleanly burst," a woman, perhaps an archer, noted, her voice sharper.
"Whatever it is, it's hunting. And it leaves valuable materials," Theron replied, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the immediate area. I did not understand their words, but the greed in his eyes, the way he subtly pointed in my direction, was starkly clear. A danger. A target. It was me they were hunting.
What am I to them? They spoke of me. My systems flickered violently. A wave of primal fear, cold and potent, crashed through my mechanical core. They wanted my materials. They wanted to dismantle me. My new body, my new existence, to be reduced to parts, to mere currency. The thought twisted something within me. This wasn't just a threat; it was a profound violation. A burning, incandescent anger flared, hot and sharp, overriding the fear, replacing it with a singular, terrible objective. No. I would not let them. This was my life. My fight. And they had just made it undeniably personal.
Theron pointed. "Up there! Behind the glowing vines! I see something!"
My cover was obliterated. I detached from the vines, dropping silently onto the mossy ground. My reinforced legs landed without a sound, perfectly poised. My blue camera, now burning with a cold, furious resolve, fixed on the group.
"It's a sphere! With legs! By the gods, a living construct!" Theron bellowed, raising his sword. I did not understand the words, but his fierce cry, his aggressive posture, the way he lunged forward, were unmistakable: attack. "Get it! It's worth a fortune!"
The four adventurers charged. Their movements were clumsy compared to my precise, practiced maneuvers, but they were coordinated. Two swordsmen upfront, the archer nocking an arrow, and a fourth, a cloaked figure, muttering something, preparing a spell.
My improved tail lashed out first. A sword clanged against my enhanced plating as I spun. The blow resonated, but my CON held firm. My tail aimed for the archer. She was agile, jumping back. The arrow hissed past my camera.
I activated "Electric Discharge." My MP instantly went to 0/55. A burst of static energy crackled from my shell, sweeping over the three front-line adventurers. Theron cried out, his movements seizing up, sparks dancing around his body. The other swordsman stumbled, his armor spitting static. The archer recoiled, dropping her bow with a yelp. The cloaked figure, mid-chant, shuddered, his magic fizzling. I observed the interruption, the confusion on his face. His aborted spell.
I did not comprehend the specific words they uttered, but their dismay, their greed, and their fear were palpably evident through their actions and expressions. The anger solidified into cold, hard determination. They would regret this.
I moved. Fast. Using my enhanced AGI. I darted past the two stunned swordsmen. My tail snapped out, extended by 2.5 meters, a blur of deadly metal. It struck the archer. She hit a mushroom stalk with a sickening crunch, collapsing. Her body lay still. I did not gain XP. No human was eliminated permanently.
The two remaining swordsmen recovered, swinging wildly. Theron, his body still sluggish from the electric shock, pushed himself forward, his eyes burning with renewed greed, ignoring his pain. The cloaked figure, recovering, started chanting again, faster this time. A visible aura of dark energy began to form around his hands. This was a direct magic user. And I had Resistance Magic (Passive).
I charged the cloaked figure. My legs churning, driven by cold fury. Theron intercepted, his sword scraping fiercely against my improved plating. My HP plummeted.
HP: 100/200
I lashed my tail. Theron parried, but the impact sent a shocking vibration up his arm. He grunted, his face contorted. The other swordsman was behind me, trying to flank, his blade whistling.
I spun, using my enhanced tail reach and AGI, anticipating his movement. I didn't aim for a killing blow, but for a disarm. My tail whipped around, catching the second swordsman's blade with brutal force. The impact tore it from his grasp, sending it clanging onto the moss. He stared at his empty hands, wide-eyed with disbelief.
The cloaked figure's spell finished. A dark orb of raw energy shot towards me. I braced. It hit. My body vibrated intensely, a deep hum resonating through my frame. But the damage. It was significant.
HP: 60/200
The cloaked figure stared, aghast. Their surprise and terror were obvious. The strength of these humanoids was overwhelming. I could barely hold on. Every blow struck against my carapace, despite its reinforcement, vibrated through my very core. My magic resistance had saved me, but their physical force was too great. I could not continue this fight. My survival came before my pride.
Suddenly, Theron, with an unexpected agility despite his state, lunged. His sword, with a precise and calculated shearing motion, aimed for the base of my tail. A silent scream, a howl of impotence and rage, tore through my circuits as the blade struck. Excruciating electrical pain, a metallic tear. Then, a deafening crack. My tail, my precious and powerful appendage, snapped clean off at the base.
[CRITICAL CONDITION: CAUDAL APPENDAGE DETACHED!]
[Bonus: Tail Reach (-2.5 Meters) and Critical Hit Chance (-5%) removed.]
My tail. My primary weapon. It fell to the ground, and with a muffled BOOM, it exploded into a shower of blue sparks and a thick, opaque cloud of smoke that instantly filled the air, reducing it to nothingness. Fury consumed me, pure, white, blinding. They had cut off my tail. They had destroyed it, reduced it to nothing. But the pain was a new alert. I could no longer face them. They were too strong.
The smoke spread, obscuring my form. This was my only chance. I turned. My legs churned with frantic urgency. This was no longer a fight; it was a desperate flight. I had to get away. I had to survive. I plunged deeper into the forest, using my AGI to dodge vines and roots, leveraging the smoke screen to disappear and find shelter. The rage seethed, a cold and terrible promise. I would return for them. Someday. When I was stronger. Much, much stronger.
The remaining adventurers vanished behind me, their voices and sounds fading. I was alone, surrounded by the silence, save for the hum of my own systems and the distant sounds of the Dungeon. My first encounter with humans. And I understood them. Not their words, but their greed. Their brutality. Their intent to destroy me for profit. This was a new, chilling reality, now filled with an inextinguishable fury. And I was now incomplete, but not broken.
[Human Point of View - Theron, the Scarred Swordsman]
"Impossible! I tell you, Captain, it was unlike anything we've ever seen!" Theron slumped onto a moss-covered rock, his face pale beneath the grime and old scars. The faint glow of the phosphorescent fungi cast long, dancing shadows in the makeshift camp. Sweat beaded on his brow, his breathing ragged, his hand still trembling from the encounter.
Captain Eldrin, an old man with a face weathered by years and battles, a long gray beard falling over his chainmail, raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "A creature? On the first floor? Are you sure it wasn't some twisted goblin beast, Theron? These stories of yours are always the same." His voice was low, tinged with skepticism, but his eyes, clear and sharp, betrayed a hint of unease.
"No! It wasn't a goblin, Captain! It was a strange metal sphere, gleaming, with too many legs. And a tail that moved like lightning, sharp as any blade. It was... bizarre. Completely unknown. It hit us so hard! Torvin was stunned, Kael almost fell. It broke Torvin's sword arm, Captain! Broke it clean! He's lucky to be alive," Theron recounted, rubbing his own aching arm where the sphere had struck him. "And the way it fought... not like a mindless beast. Like it thought. Every movement was calculated. We've never seen a monster like it in the Dungeon." He gesticulated to imitate the creature. "And when I managed to cut off its tail... it exploded! Completely! It created a dense fog that covered everything, and it just vanished into it! Nothing was left of its tail!"
Kael, the cloaked mage, was still visibly trembling, clutching his head, his face ashen. "My Dark Bolt... it barely scratched it! It just absorbed the energy! It was like hitting stone! And it wasn't just physical. It… it had a presence, Captain. A cold, alien awareness. It knew where we were. Our magic was useless against its shell!" His voice was a strained whisper, tinged with genuine terror.
Eldrin's expression remained impassive, though a slight tightening of his jaw betrayed his irritation. "A monster resistant to magic? And an exploding tail that turns into fog? Theron, Kael, have you been drinking that Northern Tower ale again?" He shot an incredulous look at his men. "This isn't the first time you've told me exaggerated tales. I saw Torvin's hand. That's bad luck, nothing more. And Kael, your magic is never as effective as a well-placed sword blow." He turned to them, arms crossed, his gaze stern. "You lost to a first-floor monster. A FIRST-FLOOR MONSTER! To a simple beast of the Dungeon!"
"But, Captain..." Theron began.
"No 'buts', Theron!" Eldrin cut him off, his voice rising a notch. "It's unacceptable. You are experienced Adventurers! And you come back stumbling, defeated by a creature you describe as the Demonic Legion incarnate? I see what it is: you let your guard down. You've become too complacent." He swept his gaze over his men, disappointment etched on his face. "At dawn, you and your teams, intensive training. We'll see if those 'stories' still hold up after a few hundred push-ups and simulated exhaustion battles. And Theron, you'll supervise Torvin's arm, even if you have to carry him!"
Eldrin shook his head, a weary sigh escaping his lips. He cast a final, dismissive glance at the bruised group of adventurers, then towards the dark depths of the Dungeon. "Kids these days..."