Ch.?????? 1:?????? The?????? Dungeons?????? First?????? Trial

  What?????? stood?????? before?????? Ether?????? was?????? a?????? slender?????? fellow,?????? the?????? only?????? other?????? human?????? to?????? his?????? knowledge.

  Moments?????? ago,?????? Ether?????? was?????? sitting?????? down,?????? ready?????? to?????? eat?????? with?????? his?????? sister?????? at?????? the?????? dinner?????? table,?????? when?????? he?????? got?????? a?????? message.??????

  He?????? didn’t?????? read?????? the?????? rest,?????? it?????? seemed?????? like?????? a?????? scam,?????? but?????? the?????? next?????? message?????? related?????? to?????? his?????? job…

  He?????? didn’t?????? bother?????? to?????? read?????? anything?????? but?????? the?????? numbers.?????? He?????? agreed?????? to?????? it?????? in?????? a?????? flash?????? right?????? before?????? his?????? sister?????? opened?????? the?????? door.?????? The?????? same?????? thing?????? that?????? happened?????? to?????? Hex?????? happened?????? to?????? him.??????

  `teleported?????? to?????? another?????? world…?????? isn't?????? there?????? a?????? word?????? for?????? that?’

  A?????? variety?????? of?????? thoughts?????? crept?????? into?????? his?????? head.

  `I’m?????? no?????? expert,?????? but?????? I?????? know?????? how?????? these?????? stories?????? begin…?????? A?????? slaughter.’

  ???

  After?????? reading?????? about?????? his?????? potential?????? ally,?????? Ether?????? went?????? back?????? to?????? his?????? stockpile?????? of?????? supplies,?????? although?????? it?????? wasn't?????? a?????? real?????? pile.?????? It?????? looked?????? like?????? that?????? because?????? of?????? who?????? was?????? lying?????? under?????? it—

  *sniff?????? sniff*

  “You're?????? back.”

  The?????? one?????? that?????? greeted?????? Ether?????? was?????? a?????? blind,?????? slender,?????? werewolf-like?????? creature?????? named?????? Silvia.??????

  When?????? he?????? first?????? arrived,?????? she?????? was?????? alone,?????? and?????? whatever?????? helped?????? Ether?????? see?????? the?????? status?????? windows?????? allowed?????? him?????? to?????? befriend?????? this?????? shunned?????? creature.??????

  Even?????? though?????? she’s?????? a?????? werewolf,?????? she’s?????? more?????? wolf?????? than?????? human.?????? She?????? walks?????? on?????? all?????? fours?????? with?????? paws?????? on?????? her?????? hind?????? legs?????? but?????? humanoid?????? hands?????? on?????? the?????? front?????? with?????? sharp?????? claws?????? that?????? dig?????? into?????? the?????? ground?????? and?????? a?????? snout?????? filled?????? with?????? sharp?????? fangs?????? that?????? make?????? it?????? clear?????? that?????? she?????? is?????? a?????? carnivore,?????? with?????? her?????? body?????? all?????? covered?????? in?????? smooth?????? black?????? fur.

  “Hey?????? Silvia,?????? I?????? got?????? something?????? for?????? ya—”??????

  Ether?????? threw?????? her?????? a?????? cloak.

  “Wear?????? this.”

  “Why?????? do?????? I?????? have?????? to?????? wear?????? this?”

  Silvia?????? responded?????? while?????? holding?????? it?????? up?????? between?????? two?????? claws?????? as?????? if?????? it?????? were?????? foreign?????? to?????? her.

  ‘To?????? stay?????? hidden,?????? obviously.’

  Of?????? course,?????? he?????? didn't?????? say?????? that?????? to?????? her?????? face.?????? She?????? is?????? very?????? delicate?????? right?????? now,?????? and?????? their?????? relationship?????? is…?????? rocky?????? at?????? best.

  ?????? `I’ll?????? wait?????? a?????? while?????? before?????? I?????? speak?????? my?????? mind.’

  “So?????? people?????? will?????? underestimate?????? you—?????? They?????? can't?????? know?????? your?????? real?????? strength.”

  She?????? seemed?????? hesitant?????? but?????? reluctantly?????? replied.??????

  “…fine.”

  Despite?????? being?????? blind,?????? she?????? had?????? abnormal?????? senses,?????? so?????? despite?????? needing?????? help?????? for?????? travel?????? when?????? fighting,?????? she's?????? supposedly?????? the?????? same?????? as?????? anyone?????? else.?????? Her?????? abnormal?????? senses?????? allowed?????? her?????? to?????? wear?????? the?????? cloak?????? with?????? its?????? hood?????? going?????? over?????? her?????? eyes,?????? leading?????? to?????? only?????? her?????? legs?????? and?????? snout?????? showing.??????

  “I?????? also?????? found?????? a?????? sword?????? for?????? you?????? since?????? you?????? said?????? you?????? were?????? good?????? with?????? those.”

  Ether?????? handed?????? the?????? blind?????? vorstag?????? a?????? long?????? sword.?????? Silvia?????? reached?????? out?????? and?????? grabbed?????? the?????? long?????? sword?????? as?????? if?????? it?????? were?????? an?????? old?????? friend.?????? Her?????? lips?????? parted?????? to?????? make?????? what?????? resembled?????? a?????? smile,?????? but?????? it?????? would?????? be?????? difficult?????? to?????? tell,?????? as?????? it?????? came?????? from?????? the?????? snout?????? of?????? an?????? animal?????? that?????? never?????? smiles.

  One?????? thing?????? I?????? learned?????? by?????? talking?????? to?????? her?????? is?????? that?????? she?????? isn't?????? difficult?????? to?????? work?????? with.?????? Keep?????? her?????? happy?????? and?????? she’ll?????? follow?????? with?????? little?????? complaints.

  Ether?????? tried?????? to?????? check?????? his?????? status?????? window—?????? if?????? he?????? could?????? see?????? others,?????? then?????? it?????? stands?????? to?????? reason?????? that?????? he?????? could?????? see?????? his?????? own:

  *click*

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  ‘So?????? that's?????? why?????? I?????? can?????? see?????? their?????? stats…?????? seems?????? pretty?????? broken.’??????

  After?????? reviewing?????? his?????? status?????? window,?????? he?????? spoke?????? with?????? Silvia?????? again.?????? I?????? needed?????? to?????? test?????? this.

  “Silvia,?????? could?????? you?????? show?????? me?????? your?????? status?????? window?”

  “Stavus?????? vingow?”??????

  She?????? said?????? in?????? a?????? muffled?????? voice?????? as?????? she?????? was?????? eating?????? a?????? giant?????? salted?????? fish?????? Ether?????? got?????? from?????? the?????? stockpile.?????? When?????? she?????? spoke?????? status?????? the?????? window?????? appeared.

  “Can?????? I?????? read?????? what?????? it?????? says?”

  She?????? swallowed?????? and?????? said

  ?????? “Sure,?????? whatever,?????? just?????? let?????? me?????? finish?????? eating.”

  She?????? said?????? in?????? a?????? dismissive?????? tone?????? and?????? waved?????? her?????? hands?????? the?????? same?????? way.

  “Thank?????? you,?????? Silvia.”

  Starting?????? to?????? read?????? it?????? was?????? vastly?????? the?????? same?????? except?????? for?????? a?????? portrait?????? picture?????? next?????? to?????? her?????? name,?????? but?????? the?????? second?????? page?????? was?????? what?????? was?????? interesting.

  If?????? Ether?????? compared?????? his?????? stats?????? to?????? Silvias’,?????? he?????? would?????? notice?????? that?????? the?????? only?????? thing?????? going?????? for?????? him?????? is?????? intelligence?????? and?????? magic;?????? she's?????? better?????? at?????? everything?????? else.??????

  “Silvia,?????? do?????? you?????? mind?????? clicking?????? the?????? button?????? here?”

  Ether?????? pointed?????? to?????? the?????? gift?????? from?????? chaos.

  “Yeah,?????? okay.”

  `That’s?????? good?????? because?????? she?????? definitely?????? needs?????? help?????? in?????? those?????? areas.’

  He?????? took?????? a?????? deep?????? breath?????? before?????? speaking.

  “Silvia,?????? I?????? think?????? I?????? may?????? have?????? found?????? someone?????? who?????? could?????? explain?????? some?????? things.”

  Before?????? he?????? could?????? continue,?????? chaos?????? appeared—

  After?????? Chaos?????? finished?????? explaining?????? the?????? basics?????? of?????? this?????? “game”?????? and?????? disappeared,?????? the?????? mist?????? walls?????? that?????? once?????? surrounded?????? Spawn?????? dissipated,?????? revealing?????? monsters?????? of?????? different?????? origins.??????

  One?????? was?????? heading?????? straight?????? for?????? Ether’s?????? stockpile:

  The?????? creature?????? had?????? the?????? head?????? of?????? a?????? lion?????? and?????? a?????? goat?????? with?????? a?????? snake?????? for?????? a?????? tail.?????? It?????? appeared?????? out?????? of?????? nowhere?????? and?????? struck?????? the?????? small?????? stack?????? of?????? supplies.??????

  Silvia?????? quickly?????? dodged?????? out?????? of?????? the?????? way,?????? leaving?????? most?????? of?????? what?????? she?????? was?????? eating?????? to?????? be?????? crushed?????? by?????? the?????? manticore.

  “How?????? dare?????? you?????? interrupt?????? my?????? feast?!”

  Silvia?????? was?????? visibly?????? angry?????? at?????? the?????? moment?????? she?????? got?????? into?????? a?????? weird?????? fighting?????? stance.?????? Her?????? hind?????? legs?????? and?????? one?????? arm?????? were?????? placed?????? on?????? the?????? ground?????? while?????? one?????? hand?????? held?????? the?????? long?????? sword.

  When?????? she?????? was?????? fighting?????? this?????? beast.??????

  Ether?????? was?????? mesmerizing;?????? it?????? was?????? like?????? seeing?????? two?????? wild?????? animals?????? fight,?????? but?????? he?????? snapped?????? out?????? of?????? it.??????

  'I?????? needed?????? to?????? secure?????? an?????? escape?????? and?????? recruit?????? the?????? weeb.’

  Quickly?????? looking?????? around.?????? There?????? are?????? many?????? places?????? to?????? go,?????? but?????? many?????? people?????? are?????? also?????? trying?????? to?????? escape?????? from?????? this?????? hell?????? zone,?????? leading?????? to?????? the?????? nearest?????? option.?????? It?????? was?????? a?????? small?????? alley?????? between?????? two?????? stone?????? walls.

  `A?????? labyrinth?????? is?????? not?????? ideal,?????? but?????? it's?????? better?????? than?????? this.’

  Another?????? thing?????? that?????? Ether?????? found?????? odd?????? was?????? how?????? no?????? other?????? monsters?????? got?????? near?????? it.?????? A?????? few?????? people?????? had?????? already?????? entered?????? while?????? being?????? chased?????? by?????? monsters,?????? and?????? they?????? just?????? gave?????? up?????? on?????? chasing?????? them.??????

  `That's?????? the?????? best?????? we?????? have.’

  Looking?????? back?????? at?????? Silvia,?????? Ether?????? noticed?????? she?????? was?????? on?????? the?????? back?????? of?????? the?????? manticore,?????? stabbing?????? it?????? repeatedly?????? while?????? a?????? smile-like?????? expression?????? started?????? appearing?????? on?????? her?????? face.

  This?????? would?????? be?????? surprising?????? to?????? most,?????? but?????? Ether?????? has?????? a?????? history?????? of?????? being?????? surrounded?????? by?????? vicious?????? people;?????? as?????? such,?????? he?????? moved?????? on?????? to?????? the?????? next?????? objective,?????? the?????? Weeb.??????

  Looking?????? in?????? his?????? direction,?????? Ether?????? sees?????? Hex?????? in?????? a?????? daze,?????? his?????? brain?????? still?????? trying?????? to?????? process?????? what’s?????? happening.??????

  Ether?????? learned?????? from?????? his?????? sister?????? that?????? such?????? moments?????? are?????? a?????? perfect?????? opportunity?????? to?????? be?????? their?????? beacon?????? of?????? light.?????? With?????? chaos?????? erupting?????? throughout?????? the?????? entirety?????? of?????? spawn,?????? he?????? sprinted?????? towards?????? his?????? target.??????

  But?????? in?????? a?????? moment,?????? a?????? small?????? monster?????? jumped?????? at?????? him,?????? making?????? an?????? almost?????? laughing?????? noise.?????? Ether?????? noticed?????? this?????? and?????? pointed?????? his?????? spear?????? in?????? its?????? direction,?????? causing?????? the?????? creature?????? to?????? impale?????? itself?????? on?????? the?????? spear.?????? With?????? adrenaline?????? pumping,?????? Ether?????? quickly?????? slammed?????? the?????? creature?????? down?????? and?????? pulled?????? out?????? his?????? spear.?????? Seeing?????? its?????? corpse,?????? he?????? could?????? see

  Knowing?????? zombies,?????? he?????? quickly?????? slammed?????? his?????? spear?????? into?????? the?????? imp’s?????? head.

  Looking?????? at?????? Hex?????? Ether?????? saw?????? himself?????? being?????? attacked?????? by?????? 2?????? zombie?????? imps…?????? and?????? losing.

  `It’s?????? going?????? to?????? be?????? hard?????? to?????? keep?????? him?????? alive’

  Ether?????? dashed?????? towards?????? Hex,?????? who?????? by?????? this?????? point?????? was?????? forced?????? to?????? the?????? ground?????? by?????? two?????? imps?????? with?????? frail?????? hands?????? and?????? legs,?????? a?????? nonexistent?????? neck,?????? and?????? bodies?????? of?????? a?????? cannonball,?????? truly?????? a?????? miracle?????? of?????? unlife.

  `How?????? is?????? he?????? losing?????? to?????? literal?????? dead?????? meat?’

  Ether?????? has?????? had?????? many?????? doubts?????? in?????? life,?????? yet?????? none?????? as?????? strong?????? as?????? this:?????? should?????? he?????? really?????? save?????? him??????? Is?????? his?????? knowledge?????? valuable?????? enough?????? to?????? try?????? to?????? keep?????? him?????? alive??????? All?????? logic?????? pointed?????? to?????? no,?????? just?????? escape.?????? If?????? it?????? were?????? his?????? sister,?????? she?????? would?????? have?????? left?????? long?????? ago.?????? But?????? Ether?????? was?????? no?????? longer?????? his?????? sister’s?????? lap?????? dog?????? or?????? a?????? killer,?????? for?????? the?????? first?????? time?????? in?????? a?????? long?????? time,?????? he?????? had?????? the?????? freedom?????? to?????? choose,?????? from?????? this?????? day?????? onwards,?????? he?????? would?????? serve?????? no?????? one?????? and?????? only?????? do?????? what?????? he?????? believes?????? is?????? right.??????

  Using?????? the?????? element?????? of?????? surprise,?????? he?????? speared?????? the?????? first?????? imp,?????? struck?????? the?????? second,?????? took?????? a?????? dagger?????? from?????? Hex,?????? stabbed?????? the?????? brain?????? of?????? both?????? imps?????? while?????? dislodging?????? one?????? from?????? his?????? spear.

  “Don’t?????? just?????? lie?????? there.”

  Ether?????? reached?????? his?????? hand?????? towards?????? the?????? still-prone?????? Hex.

  ?????? “Come?????? with?????? me?????? if?????? you?????? want?????? to?????? live.”

  'I'm?????? not?????? as?????? good?????? at?????? manipulation?????? as?????? my?????? sister,?????? but?????? I?????? can?????? still?????? make?????? people?????? follow?????? me?????? at?????? least.’

  Hex?????? clasped?????? Ether's?????? hand?????? while?????? getting?????? on?????? his?????? feet.

  “Right”

  He?????? responded?????? in?????? a?????? dazed?????? tone,?????? and?????? he?????? was?????? still?????? processing.?????? Almost?????? immediately,?????? he?????? was?????? dragged?????? toward?????? the?????? labyrinth?????? by?????? Ether.??????

  “Silvia,?????? follow?????? my?????? voice,?????? we’re?????? going?????? into?????? a?????? labyrinth.”

  “Give?????? me?????? a?????? minute,?????? I?????? almost?????? got?????? him.”

  Moments?????? after?????? she?????? said?????? that,?????? the?????? chimera?????? was?????? about?????? to?????? eat?????? her.

  Moments?????? before?????? disaster,?????? all?????? non-summoned?????? creatures?????? were?????? frozen?????? in?????? time.

  “Silvia,?????? stop.?????? You?????? were?????? about?????? to?????? die,?????? just?????? come?????? here?????? and?????? I?????? will?????? deal?????? with?????? them?????? later.”

  When?????? Ether?????? spoke?????? these?????? words,?????? Silvia?????? was?????? visibly?????? upset.?????? With?????? a?????? pouting?????? expression,?????? she?????? made?????? her?????? way?????? to?????? me,?????? likely?????? via?????? her?????? sense?????? of?????? smell.

  “Fine,?????? I’ll?????? follow.?????? Looks?????? like?????? I?????? can’t?????? finish?????? this?????? today.”

  “We’ll?????? finish?????? this?????? battle?????? later,?????? we?????? are?????? still?????? too?????? weak?????? to?????? kill?????? these?????? beasts.?????? For?????? now,?????? we?????? need?????? to?????? get?????? out?????? of?????? here.”

  “Speak?????? for?????? yourself,?????? I?????? could?????? have?????? killed?????? it?????? if?????? you?????? didn't?????? distract?????? me.”

  “Yes,?????? yes,?????? I?????? Ether?????? am?????? a?????? fool?????? for?????? distracting?????? you.”

  Of?????? course,?????? he?????? didn't?????? mean?????? a?????? word?????? he?????? said;?????? rather,?????? it?????? was?????? a?????? more?????? complex?????? way?????? to?????? say?????? sorry.

  With?????? those?????? words?????? said,?????? he?????? pulled?????? both?????? Silvia?????? and?????? Hex?????? into?????? the?????? labyrinth,?????? one?????? in?????? a?????? daze?????? and?????? the?????? other?????? wouldn’t?????? move?????? if?????? he?????? didn't?????? prompt?????? her?????? to.

  With?????? that,?????? all?????? of?????? them?????? escaped?????? the?????? hell?????? pit?????? that?????? was?????? Spawn.?????? No?????? others?????? followed?????? them,?????? being?????? the?????? last?????? to?????? enter?????? the?????? labyrinth.?????? With?????? time?????? passing,?????? those?????? monsters?????? wouldn't?????? stay?????? still?????? for?????? long.??????

  die?????? yet)

  ——————————————

  “Whew,?????? that?????? was?????? close.”

  Chaos?????? had?????? two?????? options,?????? but?????? if?????? he?????? wanted?????? to?????? get?????? out,?????? there?????? was?????? really?????? only?????? one.?????? Bringing?????? up?????? the?????? pie?????? chart?????? to?????? see?????? the?????? status?????? of?????? the?????? wild?????? cards.?????? It?????? was?????? split?????? into?????? four:?????? 35%?????? Elves,?????? 35%?????? Dwarfs,?????? 20%?????? Orcs,?????? 10%?????? Other.?????? Changing?????? the?????? view?????? to?????? living?????? and?????? dead,?????? a?????? large?????? number?????? died,?????? but?????? out?????? of?????? the?????? total,?????? it's?????? ?????? 10%.

  `That’s?????? the?????? average?????? mortality?????? after?????? a?????? dungeon?????? is?????? cleared.?????? Of?????? course,?????? it?????? happened?????? to?????? me?????? on?????? my?????? first?????? day.

  ??????

  After?????? this?????? realization,?????? he?????? sat?????? on?????? a?????? highly?????? advanced?????? chair,?????? one?????? out?????? of?????? place?????? in?????? this?????? world?????? of?????? fantasy.

  “Whatever,?????? I?????? gave?????? them?????? a?????? chance,?????? now?????? I?????? can?????? only?????? hope.”