With the door wide open, Lukas had a full view of the room’s contents, and it was grand. Although this room was by far the smallest, measuring only three and a half meters by four meters, it wasn’t the size that mattered—it was the contents that left Lukas speechless. His sword dropped loosely to his side as his eyes widened in disbelief.

  He could hardly comprehend what he was seeing, even though it was right before his eyes. In all his time in this strange new world, nothing had come close to what he was now witnessing. No amount of magic, not even the majesty of the dead Drakon he’d seen on his first day, could compare.

  For several seconds, Lukas stood frozen, awe and immense desire overwhelming him. With reverent steps, he entered the room, approaching the object as though it were a long-lost holy relic. When he touched it, the sensation was like touching a cloud—so soft it seemed unreal. The sheets were silkier than anything he’d ever felt, and when he laid his hand on the plush pillow, his knees nearly buckled.

  ‘A bed,’ he thought.

  It was pushed up against the far wall, a modest twin size, smaller than the one Lukas had back in his cabin. Yet at that moment, it was the grandest thing he could have ever hoped for. It had simple sheets, a single blanket, and a pillow, but to Lukas, it was like finding water in a desert.

  The room contained only three other items: a nightstand at the head of the bed, a simple wardrobe, and another closed door. After a few moments, once he was certain he wouldn’t burst into tears of joy, Lukas looked around and took in the rest of the room’s contents. He noted the nightstand and the wardrobe but ignored them for now, choosing instead to start with the closed door.

  He wasn’t entirely sure what was behind it, but he had a good guess. This time, he didn’t bother raising his sword, holding it limply at his side. When he opened the door, his guess was confirmed—it was a bathroom, and one that seemed astonishingly modern.

  The walls, ceiling, and floor were made from the same stone as the rest of the cave, smoothed and polished to match tile. On the left was a stone vanity with an obvious sink, but instead of handles for hot and cold water, a gray crystal was embedded in the faucet. Above the sink hung a large, clear mirror—clearer than any mirror Lukas had ever seen. To his right was what appeared to be a toilet, though it lacked the familiar tank. Across from the door was a shower stall made of smoky-looking glass with a matching door. There was no visible showerhead, and instead of a handle or crystal for the water, there was a neutral gray square, about the size of a piece of paper, embedded in the wall.

  Lukas stood frozen for a moment. It all seemed so familiar and yet so alien at the same time. He wasn’t sure what he had expected from a world filled with magic, but modern appliances certainly weren’t it. After staring for a moment, his gaze was drawn to the mirror, where he caught sight of himself.

  He turned fully toward the mirror and took in the sight of his reflection. He was absolutely covered in dried blood. It was flaking off in patches, but still stained his skin in red and brown. Jagged scars crisscrossed his body like mountain ranges, each one making him wince at what had become of him. Even his face hadn’t been spared. Though the claw mark from the Vipercat wasn’t as bad as he feared, the scars from the wolves were rough.

  Claw marks ran from his left temple, across his eye, and across to the bridge of his nose. His right eye was still the familiar emerald green, but his left eye was now a swirling mix of green and milky white. If he had to guess, Lukas would have lost the eye completely had he not drunk the regeneration potion in time to save it.

  Then there was his hair—matted, tangled, and wild beyond belief. Despite cleaning himself in the stream just yesterday, he looked as though he hadn’t bathed in weeks.

  Lukas stared at the unfamiliar face in the mirror, wondering if his parents and sister would even recognize him anymore. He pursed his lips, his new facial scar rippling with the action as he tried to push those thoughts away and focus on something else.

  What was he going to do now? He had explored the area he’d been teleported into and found no threats. He wanted nothing more than to tear through the library and absorb every bit of knowledge this place had to offer. Hopefully, somewhere in those books, he’d find the secret to gaining levels.

  But he knew he couldn’t do that just yet. His mind was a mess, and he needed time to rest and calm down.

  Turning his head, Lukas' eyes lingered on his reflection before drifting to the shower stall. Stepping up to it, he looked inside and noticed the lack of a traditional shower head or controls. There was only a gray square. He reached out and touched it, but nothing happened.

  He wondered how to turn the water on—then, suddenly, it just did. The gray square glowed a warm orange, like the color of flames, and water began to fall from the ceiling. Lukas, having foolishly stood inside the stall while testing it, was instantly drenched.

  To his surprise, the water was the perfect temperature, exactly the way he liked it. It was as though the control square knew his preference and adjusted accordingly. The surprise quickly faded, replaced by a satisfied sigh as the warm water began to loosen the tension in Lukas’ muscles.

  As steam filled the stall, Lukas closed the shower door and took off the wolfskin cloak wrapped around his waist. He tossed the tattered cloak onto the floor with a wet schlop, letting the water clean the once-beautiful pelt. As he stood under the stream, he noticed the water draining toward a small hole in one corner of the shower floor.

  He set about scrubbing away weeks of accumulated blood, dirt, and grime. Even without soap, there seemed to be something in the water that cleaned better than anything he’d ever used. Lukas didn’t know how long he stood there, but it was a while. Only when the blood-red water finally ran clear did he consider himself clean, though he stayed under the warm water a bit longer, enjoying the rare comfort.

  Eventually, he decided it was time to get out. He tossed the wet cloak over his shoulder and, unsure of how to turn the water off, touched the gray square again. The water stopped instantly, and the square returned to its original cloudy gray color. As he opened the shower door, he realized he didn’t have anything to dry himself with.

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  Sighing, and thinking he’d just have to stand around and air dry himself, he stepped through the threshold. But the moment he exited the stall, all the water on his body and cloak was pulled off, falling to the ground as if blocked by an invisible barrier. Lukas looked back in stunned silence, marveling at the magic at play.

  Now completely dry and thoroughly naked, Lukas tossed the cloak into his inventory and stepped out of the bathroom. Back in the bedroom, he decided to try his luck with the wardrobe—and sure enough, it held clothes. Simple white linen tunics and brown pants, but they were clean and folded. There was even a pair of boots at the bottom, a sight that made his aching feet cry out in relief.

  Lukas quickly threw on a tunic and pair pants, relishing the feeling of being clothed again, even if he didn’t have any underwear. Feeling more like a civilized person once more, he grabbed the boots and tossed them into his inventory. He wouldn’t need them for what came next.

  With childlike excitement, Lukas turned and eyed the bed. He practically leaped onto it, sinking into the softness with a contented sigh. Though he had napped earlier, it probably wasn’t that late, but sleeping on the hard ground for weeks had taken its toll. He was utterly exhausted.

  Allowing himself to fully relax, Lukas felt his body sinking deeper into the bed, his muscles finally loosening completely. He felt like a new man, reborn for the third time after that shower. Now, all he needed was some desperately needed sleep. From now on, though, he decided he’d be sleeping with pants on.

  *

  Lukas awoke a few hours later, still lying awkwardly on the bed, too tired earlier to get under the sheets or use the pillow. Despite the short nap, he felt more rested than he had in ages. It surprised him a little—he guessed he had only slept for about three hours. Then again, he had taken another nap before entering this strange place.

  Sitting up in the soft bed, Lukas let out a long sigh, taking in the sight of himself. He was clean, clothed, and well-rested. He felt amazing, and ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. As for those challenges, they involved this strange dungeon.

  Earlier, he had done a quick sweep of the place to ensure it was safe, not bothering to pay much attention to the details. Now that he was certain there was no danger, he was ready to pick the place apart for all its secrets and knowledge. The first item on his list? The source of the light.

  There were no windows in this dungeon, and no torches or candles either. Instead, the rooms were lit by the soft glow of blue crystals embedded in the walls. Spotting one of these crystals in his current room, Lukas focused on it and used his identification ability:

  Glowstone (Common) – A crystal with an affinity for light. Often used to illuminate rooms, this Glowstone produces light similar to daylight, giving off a more natural feel.

  The description surprised Lukas—most items he had identified in the past didn’t come with detailed descriptions. Feeling curious, Lukas pulled the boots from his inventory and slipped them on, no longer willing to walk around barefoot. With a grunt, he got off the bed and approached the glowstone embedded in the wall.

  Leaning in close, Lukas examined the crystal. It was a perfect summer sky blue, but beneath the surface, he could make out tiny, intricate lines etched into it.

  “Interesting,” Lukas thought. He wanted to understand how the glowstone worked, but he knew he didn’t have the knowledge to do so.

  Deciding to leave it for now, Lukas turned his attention to the rest of the room. He had already explored the bathroom and the wardrobe, both of which had pleasantly surprised him. The only thing left was the nightstand beside the bed.

  With a mix of anticipation and curiosity, Lukas opened the single drawer—only to find it completely empty. He tried not to let the minor disappointment get to him and moved on.

  Stepping out into the central room, Lukas felt a sense of relief wash over him. Everything was exactly as he had left it—nothing had moved or changed while he slept. If anything had been different, he would have “noped” out of there as fast as possible.

  He panned his gaze around the room, his excitement building as he took in all the strange objects he could now investigate. Deciding to start with the closest one, Lukas turned toward a pedestal to his right.

  The pedestal stood waist-high and supported a small stand, which itself held an orb slightly larger than a softball. The orb glowed with a soft white light and gave off a strange, calming energy.

  Essence of the Moon (Legendary) – An essence of the moon.

  “Very helpful description,” Lukas muttered sarcastically.

  He had no idea what the orb—the apparent Essence of the Moon—was for, but he figured it was an incredibly powerful item, given its rarity. For now, Lukas decided to leave it alone, hoping he could find something about it in the library later. He moved on to the next item.

  This one stood on a tall tripod and resembled a telescope. However, it was made of magical brass with dense, complex engravings. At the smaller end, where one would place their eye, there was a small glass orb containing a shimmering blue liquid.

  Contagon of Aether (Epic)

  Lukas had no idea what this item was or what it did, and simply looking at it made him realize it was far beyond his understanding. He quickly moved on to the next item, which sat on a low table and, like many of the other objects in the room, looked like some desk ornament. In reality, it was a tool of some kind.

  The item was made of untold tiny metal wires shaped into a cube, the layout of the wires was intricate and followed a pattern Lukas couldn’t grasp. At the top of the cube was an opening, as if something was meant to be placed inside.

  Alok’s Phosisifer (Epic) – A phosisifer that phosisifizes various materials.

  Lukas stared at the identification, utterly bewildered. “What the actual hell does that mean?” he muttered. The description made no sense—it was entirely unhelpful. It would’ve been better if it had no description at all.

  Shaking his head in frustration, Lukas moved on for the sake of his sanity. He continued around the room, identifying the remaining objects. Unsurprisingly, most of them were things he didn’t recognize or know how to use. There were more devices like the Phosisifer, treasures like the Essence of the Moon, and other fascinating artifacts. The only items left were the three objects placed on the desk at the center of the room.

  These three objects were carefully arranged and evenly spaced. It was clear to anyone that they were the main treasures of this room—the final reward at the end of this dungeon. Everything else was just trinkets.

  Lukas had deliberately saved these three for last. The first object on the left was a rough-looking stone, no larger than a fist, that resembled quartz. It radiated an intense magical energy, unlike anything Lukas had ever felt. The item in the middle was a plain leather-bound book. It looked like a simple journal or notebook, with a leather clasp holding it closed. The final item, on the right, was the most curious of the three. It looked like a giant black scale, a single solid piece that resembled obsidian.

  Looking over the three objects again, Lukas decided it was time to identify the dungeon’s main loot.