The Dungeon Slayer: A LitRPG Level-Up Adventure (The Dungeon Slayer Series Book 1)

by Konrad Ryan

  Fangblender roared to life as the tiny glass teeth spun like a vortex. Tad drove the weapon farther into the creature’s face as a cloud of blood obscured his vision. The claws on his leg and ribcage released as the creature retreated from the attack. Fangblender pulled Tad deeper into the lake before it spiraled out of control. He hung on for dear life. If he were to let go, it would shoot down into the depths, irretrievable. His lungs burned for air. His health hadn’t started dropping yet from suffocation, but only thirty-six health remained from the crushing claw attacks of the lobsterpig. Finally, Fangblender stilled. The lobsterpig watched him from a distance as Tad repositioned Fangblender above him, toward air. This had to work. It was his only chance. Tad wrapped his arms and whole torso around the haft of the weapon, then activated it again.

  Fangblender propelled forward. This time, Tad’s aim was true. His entire body steered the weapon toward the surface. His strength barely sufficient. Tad rocketed out of the lake and flew ten feet into the air. He spat water and inhaled in a gasp so deep, his broken rib screamed in pain.

  As if in slow motion, he fell toward the crystalline depths below. He would die if he fell in again. Tad watched his health and mana.

  *Health: 36/110

  Mana: 0/42*

  Please! Regenerate! His mana ticked from zero to one. Tad pointed his finger like a gun toward the lake beneath him.

  “Icebolt!”

  A jagged shard of ice flew from Tad’s finger and into the lake below. The bolt of ice met the water and spread outward into a thin transparent sheet of ice. Tad fell onto the thin ice. The impact didn’t cause the ice to spider and crack. He grabbed the still active Fangblender with both hands and shoved it into the water behind the ice float to propel it away from the lobsterpig, but Fangblender slowed and finally, deactivated.

  Tad was in awful shape. The ice wasn’t thick enough. The lobsterpig could punch through it with its enormous claws with minor effort. He had to buy some time. He sprawled on the six foot platform of ice. It couldn’t take all of his weight if he stood. He needed just one minute. One minute to replenish one more mana to reinforce his ice float. Just one more icebolt would make it thick enough that he would be safe. He hoped.

  The lobsterpig sped through the water toward him like a missile. Tad got to his knees on the thin ice, wielding Fangblender as a bat. He didn’t have the mana to activate it. But the lobsterpig skirted away from Fangblender’s reach. Instead, it attacked the center of the ice float, directly beneath Tad’s body. The larger of the two claws slammed upward into the ice, knocking Tad from his feet. But the ice held.

  Tad’s stomach clenched as visions of shattered ice and an underwater battle filled his mind. But a moment later, all those worries disappeared. The lobsterpig’s attacks didn’t seem to do anything to the paper-thin ice. Tad watched, bewildered, as the lobsterpig smashed into the ice repeatedly. Not even little chips of ice broke off. Confusion swam through Tad’s mind as he tried to understand what was going on.

  Suddenly it hit him. Magic ice! It was a magic ice platform! Just like the mosquito boss’s ice sphere. Physical attacks wouldn’t work! Tad watched the lobsterpig attack repeatedly. It seemed like it had no intention of fighting him on top of the platform, instead it continued its endless attacks. It didn’t seem very bright.

  Tad let out a sigh of relief as his mana replenished. For good measure Tad shot a second icebolt into the ground at his feet. The ice thickened by a good inch.

  A grin crept on his lips as he realized what he’d just done. The level-up program had only given him ten seconds to rest between fights. But he doubted it would interfere during an actual battle. Tad made his own time. Time to rest and heal. Since the lobsterpig had no intention of fighting him on the ice, he could replenish both his health and mana to full. That meant that he could push further. He could beat the second level of his trial and even progress to the third. Tad’s body shivered from both his dropping temperature and his rising excitement.

  He might not have to give up after round two after all…

  * * *

  Thunk!

  Thunk!

  Thunk!

  The lobsterpig attacked the bottom of the magic ice platform every ten seconds, like clockwork. Tad stood on his ice platform, now several inches thick. He’d reinforced it further, just in case. Shivers wracked through his body. Sitting soaked on an ice platform was not a way to stay warm, but Tad was satisfied. He’d healed fully. The shredded flesh of his arm was pink with fresh skin. It had taken almost an hour and a half to heal and let his mana replenish, but he was ready. Ready for round three. Plus, he’d had plenty of time to test his spells on the lobsterpig abomination below.

  Firebolt hadn’t been very effective. It fizzled out almost immediately as it hit the water. Icebolt didn’t penetrate the water at all, it just reinforced his ice float. Thunderbolt, however, was a surprising success. It only shot about five feet into the water before it dispersed, but it paralyzed the lobsterpig upon impact. Once Tad had gotten the timing down.

  The lobsterpig was stubborn. It zeroed in on his position and seemed to care for little else. While it had been a ferocious foe to fight underwater, it wasn’t smart or adaptable. Had he fought it underwater, he wasn’t sure he would’ve been able to win, even with full mana and health. As practiced, he walked to the edge of the ice platform and prepared his spell. As the lobsterpig came within range, Tad drove his hand into the water and aimed at his target.

  “Thunderbolt!”

  A bolt of black lightning pierced the water, striking the lobsterpig. The lobsterpig’s body seized as the lightning coursed through its body. Paralyzed, it floated to the surface of the lake, just within reach.

  Tad activated Fangblender. Rainbow lights sparkled throughout the cave as the weapon reflected the blue glow of the crystals. He smashed down on the skull of the lobsterpig, repeatedly, forcing it down into the water. The crystal clear water turned a murky reddish-brown as the blood of the lobsterpig spilled into an underwater cloud.

  It didn’t take long for the health bar of the lobsterpig to drain fully. Fangblender was quite the weapon when activated. Tad let out an enormous sigh of relief. His plan worked. Uninjured with almost all of his mana remaining, Tad could continue to the third fight. As if on cue, a sound jingled in his head.

  *Congratulations! You have now unlocked the ‘Equipment System!’ You can now equip or remove items with a thought. You may store up to four items in the Void. You may equip other items from any satchel or bag in your possession instantly.

  You have 3 minutes to continue. You will be teleported to a new arena.

  Warning! Recommended level: 22.

  Your next reward is: ‘Zero knowledge.’

  Do you wish to quit?*

  Confused, Tad read and reread the reward. Was this a joke? Zero knowledge. What did that mean? Was it knowledge about why he was a zero? Why he could level up and control his progress? Why he alone could bridge the gap between ranks? Or was it more literal? That it would give him nothing? The information was tempting if it explained why he was different. It was so vague he couldn’t be sure what it meant at all!

  The last two fights had been hard enough. Both potentially lethal. But this next quest jumped from recommended level twelve to twenty-two. Tad was still only level eight! Could he really beat the next monster? The task seemed daunting. But he had resources, options, full health and mana. He was as close to his best as he could get.

  He also had his quest reward still waiting. A powerful item that he could accept. Should he accept it now? Tad hesitated. He didn’t want to make the wrong choice. He had Fangblender now, so he didn’t need a weapon. He could get the shield… or maybe Titan’s Embrace. Whatever that was. Tad paused once more. He didn’t know what he wanted. He’d save the quest reward, for later.

  Was it worth the risk to keep going? He could leave. He’d already accomplished his goal and more… If he died here in some unknown underwater cave or wherever the next tri
al took place, no one would ever know where he went. No one would even know that Tad died. His mom would wonder where he’d gone for the rest of her life, never knowing for sure. He’d disappoint Gruff and Bunta when he didn’t show for the next dungeon. They counted on him.

  Tad looked again at his health bar.

  *Health: 110/110

  Mana: 40/42*

  He’d planned for this, had earned this chance, but it didn’t mean he had to take it. His plan had given him time to rest. If he left now, the last hour and a half of shivers would be wasted.

  But the reward didn’t seem worth the risk. Winning here wouldn’t help him get any stronger. Knowing why wouldn’t change anything. Even if he left, Tad could press on, to warrior rank, past champion rank, and up to creator. He could be as strong as Brad. No. He could be stronger than Brad. He could show everyone who doubted him, that he was worth it. That he had value. He could become so strong that he’d never be a target again. He should quit here. Level 22 was just too high of a hurdle. His future was too bright.

  Tad reached out his hand and pressed the red ‘Yes’ button.

  *Are you sure you want to quit? This reward will not be offered again.*

  Tad stared at the words and gritted his teeth. He might never know, he might never find out the reason he was different… why he was special. He’d have to go on forever wondering why.

  There was also a fourth reward. What if it was superb and Tad skipped it because he didn’t like this reward? He wanted to keep going. He was excited to keep going. Tad pressed the ‘No’ button. He would not quit.

  *The next round begins in 5…4…*

  “Equipment!”

  A digital equipment screen appeared before Tad’s eyes. In the middle was a miniature figure of himself, practically naked besides a loincloth. It looked very much like many of the games he’d played. All the equipment slots were empty except for his two weapon slots, which were both filled with the Fangblender. Off to the side were four equipment slots. Black mist dripped from their frames. With a thought, Tad moved Fangblender from the equipped slot to the black-misty slot. With a popping noise, Fangblender’s rough wooden handle disappeared from Tad’s hands in a cloud of black mist. The mist dissipated almost instantly, but the first of the misty slots on his equipment screen now held Fangblender.

  Tad closed the equipment screen with Fangblender still in the black misty storage slot. He had to know if he could summon it without his equipment screen open. Tad reached out one hand and pulled. With an audible pop, Fangblender appeared in his hand, the weight of the weapon almost causing Tad to drop it. Maybe he should’ve used both hands.

  Even though he was about to face the strongest monster so far, a smile crept across his face. The risk had been worth it. The equipment system had been worth it. His mind exploded with thoughts and uses for how he could use the equipment system to his advantage. Tad pushed and Fangblender disappeared into the black mist. He could get used to this.

  It seemed like a powerful tool, but would it be enough to offset a fourteen level power difference?

  Tad took a deep breath as his time was up.

  *2… 1…

  Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero.*

  Why did it keep doing tha-

  In an instant Tad was somewhere else. He hadn’t blinked this time, but one minute he stood on an icy platform in a crystalline cave, the next he stood in a giant colosseum. The stands filled with ghoulish creatures who howled and cheered. The hair on the nape of his neck stood on end. This differed completely from any fight he’d had so far. A haunting glow from green-burning torches filled the arena. The crowd’s howls and cheers sounded more like tortured cries of the damned than sounds of excitement.

  “And here we have our challenger, the mere void who dares face our champion! Tad Harrington!” The voice boomed inside Tad’s head. Boos and hisses filled the crowd at Tad’s introduction. The announcer was not audible, but the audience must have been able to hear the voice in their head’s like Tad did. “He steps forth to fight our mighty unbeaten champion - undefeated in three-hundred-and-seventy-two contests - the emperor of ghouls, the overlord of evil! King Wraithford the Third!” The cheers of the crowd exploded in gurgles, howls and fiendish laughs.

  Like a meteor, a glowing green figure dropped from the sky. The ground beneath him cracked and crumbled as he landed in a crater of his own making. The figure stood at least ten feet tall, wearing only a black loincloth with a cape on his back, golden symbols emblazoned across the cape’s surface. His face looked undead. Green fire burned where his pupils should’ve been. His skin was translucent, muscle fibers and green slime-like blood pulsed through visible arteries as the creature flexed powerfully. In comparison, Tad was embarrassed. He’d never been fat before, but here he stood shirtless in front of this muscular god as a pudgy little fat kid. The audience roared with laughter, apparently making similar comparisons among themselves.

  Held in Wraithford’s fists were two of the largest axes Tad had ever seen. Jet-black obsidian glowed green with the reflected torchlight of the arena. They were beautiful. The axes were enormous, almost as big as the figure himself. Wraithford wielded them with ease as the enormous axes twirled effortlessly between his fingers. The giant parted his lips in a smile that sent Tad jumping backward in horror as his skin crawled.

  Instead of teeth, pale fingers wriggled inside the mouth, yellow nails covered with dirt… or worse. The audience roared with laughter. Without warning, the fingerteeth all jumped forward in Tad’s direction, stopped only by their connection to the monster’s mouth. They wriggled with need as they tried to reach him. Sensed him. They seemed to have a life of their own. The gruesome finger-smile was single-handedly the worst thing Tad had ever seen. If he survived this fight, there was no doubt he would see that smile often in his nightmares.

  Corpses were strewn throughout the arena, but Tad couldn’t see even a shred of flesh left on the heavily damaged bones. Various weapons glinted in the dim light of the arena. Swords, daggers, axes in various conditions were scattered across the sand-covered floor of the colosseum. At least he wouldn’t want for weapons.

  “Are you fiends ready for the main event?” The crowd roared in response. The voice continued, “Two walk in! Only one walks out! Will today be the day King Wraithford falls? Unlikely, but show us what you got, void! Ready? Fight!”

  Chapter 13

  King Wraithford raised his axes high into the air, then slammed the blades down into the ground as huge jets of sand obscured the undead fighter. Tad jumped back from the explosion of motion.

  A fist as big as Tad’s head smashed through the sand into his jaw. The punch sent him flying across the colosseum.

  “That punch landed for fifteen health!” The crowd roared approval at the announcement.

  Tad tumbled across the sand and came to a stop. Black flecks swam before his eyes as he got back to his feet. His tongue gingerly counted each of his teeth. The towering figure of King Wraithford still stood thirty feet away, posed in the act of still delivering the blow. A roar of cheers erupted from the audience.

  A showman. That’s what Tad was fighting. Someone with the practiced brutality to please an audience. A relieved grunt escaped Tad’s lips. It wouldn’t end in an instant. He should have time to acclimate to the fight.

  King Wraithford’s lips curled upward. Even from this distance, however, Tad could see hard bumps ripple across his lips where the fingerteeth pressed to escape. Wraithford looked Tad up and down. He cracked his knuckles, his axes remained in the ground where he’d smashed them into the sand. It looked like he had no intention of using his axes. Tad thanked Tidwell himself. Wraithford would have sliced him in half with that first attack.

  Tad glanced at the axes. There was no way he could pick them up. The blade of the axe was as tall as he was, the handle twice as long as Tad was tall. But maybe…

  Tad darted toward the axes, but Wraithford expected the move as he cut between the axes and Tad, delivering another
punch deep into Tad’s gut that knocked him ten feet into the air. Wraithford’s enormous figure flipped in the air. His giant, bare foot smashed Tad back toward the ground. The raw power of the blow forced vomit to spew from Tad’s mouth. A third kick sent him flying across the arena, almost impaling Tad on an exposed blade.

  “What a combo! Twenty-two health ripped from our challenger!” The audience exploded in hoots and cheers.

  The announcer could see his health? Not even Tad could do that. He could only see health bars. Once more Tad got to his feet and grabbed the blade that had almost impaled him. It was a one-handed sword, but it was too heavy for Tad to hold with one hand, so he gripped it with two. The chipped edge of the weapon looked blunt, but it was better than trying to punch the behemoth assaulting him. His punch hadn’t been effective on the miniature toothblender monster. He doubted it’d be useful here.

  Especially since Wraithford was fast. Not as fast as Bunta or the mosquito boss, but his attacks were a blur to Tad’s eyes. What worried him most was Wraithford’s strength. The punches had been painful, but Tad could tell that Wraithford was holding back, playing to the crowd. He hadn’t hit Tad with his full force. Even then, he’d taken over 10% of Tad’s life in a single punch. Tad strained his eyes to catch the gargantuan man’s movements.

  Wraithford grinned at the puny weapon Tad waved in front of him, this time his fingerteeth exposed. Casually, Wraithford sprawled backward onto the ground as he reached one hand to his mouth then pulled out two of his finger teeth. Tad watched in shock as green blood dripped down Wraithford’s translucent chin. It made his gruesome smile even worse. Tad hadn’t thought that possible. Wraithford held the still-wriggling fingerteeth out toward the crowd, who cheered raucously. Without pomp or show, Wraithford dropped the fingerteeth to the sand below.