Still, nothing had changed. Lee Han was still stuck in the construction site. He checked the time—9:31 AM. By now, he had already given up on expecting the police to arrive.
He could only rely on himself now.
His eyes landed on the entrance to the construction site—it looked creepier than usual.
He stopped for a moment. Suddenly, a system notification appeared in front of him.
Ding!
[System Notification: Congratulations to Player Lee Han. You’ve discovered a hidden dungeon.]
[You've entered the hidden dungeon — Goblin Lair.]
[The experience points that you will gain once you clear the dungeon will be increased threefold.]
“Huh? A hidden dungeon at this early stage? And I found it? What’s going on?”
Lee Han shook his head. He didn’t know what was happening, but this was his chance.
He stepped into the first floor of the dungeon. The silence was heavy, broken only by the sound of his footsteps. Not long after, he saw three small goblins walking in circles.
[Lesser Goblin]
(A basic monster, humanoid)
Level: 2
HP: 50
Lee Han bent down and picked up a small rock. He threw it at one of the goblins and quickly hid behind a broken column.
The goblin that was hit turned toward him and walked over cautiously.
He gripped his sword tightly in his hands.
As the goblin got closer, he thrust the sword into its chest.
Screech!
The goblin let out a cry before its body turned into light particles and disappeared.
Lee Han looked down at the dropped item it left behind.
[Rune of Strength]
(Consumable Item)
Effect: Increases Strength +1
(Permanent)
“A rune?”
Before he could think further, the rune dissolved and entered his body. He felt a strange warmth spread through his muscles.
The other two goblins heard the noise and came closer.
He didn’t hide this time.
He charged forward, slashing at the first goblin with all his strength. It died instantly. The second goblin didn’t have a chance to react before his sword pierced its head.
[Rune of Agility]
(Consumable Item)
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Effect: Increases Agility +1
(Permanent)
[Rune of Strength]
(Consumable Item)
Effect: Increases Strength +1
(Permanent)
The runes dissolved and entered his body. His muscles felt stronger, and his movements became faster.
"Not bad. If I keep this up, I’ll only get stronger."
He moved deeper into the dungeon. Whenever he saw goblins, he killed them without hesitation.
Ding!
[You have gained a level.]
"Status."
[Lee Han]
[Level 2]
[Profession: Swordsman]
[Str: 15]
[Agi: 13]
[Vit: 10]
"I’ve become stronger… but this isn’t enough. I need to keep going."
He climbed to the second floor.
[Hobgoblin]
(A basic monster, humanoid)
Level: 4
HP: 150
He didn’t hesitate. He charged at the hobgoblin, cutting off its limbs before stabbing it in the chest. The hobgoblin let out a cry before disappearing.
The others rushed at him, but he killed them all with precise strikes.
Ding!
[You have gained a level.]
"Status."
[Lee Han]
[Level 3]
[Profession: Swordsman]
[Str: 25]
[Agi: 17]
[Vit: 14]
[Sense: 10]
[Mana Resistance: 11]
"Not bad. I’m getting stronger, but I still need more power."
He had killed nearly all the lesser goblins on the first floor, so he made his way to the second floor.
And, after that, he went to the third floor. He had acquired a few runes, and a new type of rune along the way. He also acquired B-rank relics.
[Ring of Devour]
(Growth-Type Relic, B-rank)
Effect:
Life Drain: Restores HP by taking a portion of the enemy’s health with each attack.
Mana Drain: Restores MP by absorbing the enemy’s mana with each attack.
Additional Stats: Vitality +3
"No way… This relic is insane! A growth-type item?!"
He quickly put the ring on his left middle finger.
As he walked forward, his eyes fell on a massive goblin holding a heavy weapon. It was surrounded by hobgoblins.
[Goblin Chieftain]
(Special Elite Monster, Humanoid)
Level: 15
HP: 20,000
"I'm royally fucked," he muttered, glancing at the monster.
Before he could come up with a plan, the hobgoblin charged at him with terrifying speed. Without hesitation, he gripped his sword tightly and swung.
A clean cut. The hobgoblin's head flew off. But before he could even take a breath, the goblin chieftain’s attack came at him.
Shrieeeek!
He froze. Why did they attack so suddenly? Then it hit him—one of the hobgoblins must have seen him hiding under the stairs earlier.
"Fuck!"
Ignoring the chieftain for now, he dashed toward the remaining hobgoblins. His sword pierced through one’s throat with precision, killing it instantly.
He couldn't fight that special elite monster right now, he thought, shifting his focus back to the hobgoblins. He could handle them—and their runes would make him stronger.
He moved quickly, taking them down one by one. But the moment the last hobgoblin fell, the goblin chieftain let out a deafening roar. Its movements became faster and more aggressive.
Bang!
The mace struck him, slamming him into the wall. His chest tightened, and his ribs felt like they had cracked.
"Shit..."
His breathing was rough. Blood dripped from his lips, but he forced himself to stand.
"No one said anything about it going berserk after killing its minions!"
The goblin chieftain roared again, swinging its mace wildly, destroying everything around it.
He barely managed to dodge the debris flying in all directions. The chieftain suddenly closed the distance, its mace crashing down with terrifying speed.
Bang!
He blocked the strike with his sword, but the impact made his arms numb. He clenched his teeth and held on.
The goblin staggered slightly, off-balance. He saw his chance. He lunged forward, driving his sword deep into its throat. Blood gushed out, drenching him. The goblin's HP dropped rapidly. -100. -150. -350. -500.
But it wasn't enough. He didn’t stop. He slashed at its chest, shoulders, and neck, chipping away at its health.
Shrieeeek!
The goblin chieftain roared again, stunning him.
"Shit!"
His body froze. His fingers wouldn’t move, and the goblin’s mace was coming straight for him. Desperate, he bit his lip hard, the sharp pain breaking the stun.
Just in time, he rolled to the side, avoiding the mace by a hair's breadth.
Bang!
"That was too close..." he muttered, breathing heavily.
The goblin was stumbling now, its movements slowing. He gritted his teeth and slashed at its tendon. The monster fell to one knee.
Without hesitation, he pierced his sword into its chest with all his strength.
RAAAAH!
The goblin's HP hit zero. Its massive body dissolved into particles of light, leaving behind a skill book and a few relics.
[Trait Acquired! You've obtained the Thread Manipulation.]
Thread Manipulation (S)
A trait that allows the user to control and manipulate threads with incredible precision. The user can weave, extend, and control threads to bind, attack, or defend.
"S-rank?"
He couldn’t believe his luck. A trait like this so early? It was beyond anything he'd expected.
Ding!
[You've gained a level!]
[You've gained a level!]
[You've gained a level!]
[You've gained a level!]
The notifications kept coming. His body surged with power. His wounds healed, and his exhaustion disappeared as if it had never existed.
He picked up the other items left behind.
[Camping Tent]
(Unique-Grade Relic)
Fully restores health and energy while resting.
Equipped with an alarm system to warn of approaching threats.
Includes a stealth function to reduce detection by monsters.
100% recovery rate when used.
[Apprentice Cooking Stove]
(Common Cooking Tool)
Allows cooking in the wilderness.
Reduces cooking time by 10%.
He couldn’t help but smile. The Camping Tent was exactly what he needed. The alarm system would keep him safe, the stealth function ensured monsters wouldn’t find him while he rested, and the 100% recovery rate was perfect.
The Apprentice Cooking Stove, though common, was still useful. Cooking would be faster, and he wouldn’t have to worry about food during his travels.
“This should make things easier,” he muttered, storing the items
Lee Han opened his status window to check his progress.
[Lee Han]
[Level: 13]
[Profession: Swordsman]
[Str: 55]
[Agi: 57]
[Vit: 44]
[Sense: 42]
[Magic Power: 42]
[Mana Resistance: 41]
[Possessed Traits]
[Thread Manipulation (S)]
"Not bad," Lee Han muttered to himself, a satisfied grin forming. "All that effort wasn’t wasted. Now that I’ve cleared this dungeon, it’s time to leave."
A portal appeared before him. He glanced around for any signs of danger, then stepped through without hesitation
The world spun, and in an instant, he was standing outside. The construction site that had hidden the dungeon was completely gone, as if it had never existed.
"What the hell?" he muttered, staring at the empty space, confused by the sudden change.
