Dungeon Core Academy: Books 1-7 (A LitRPG Series) by Alex Oakchest (book suggestions txt) 📕

“Gather round,” he told them all. “This is it, my friends. The dungeon rune has lit, and we know that Bill here was telling the truth.”

“I told you!”

“Yes, well. It’s time. We all know that when a dungeon opens, it’s not long before other heroes arrive. We always, always get beaten to it. And once a dungeon is beaten for the first time, it always gets tougher.”

“Preach, forsooth” said the bard. “Whatever forsooth means.”

“This time it’s different. A new dungeon has opened, and we’re right near it. I tell you, the town tavern will get business like never before. We got lucky meeting these brothers, and we should capitalize on it. Get your swords, shields, and spells ready. It is time for our first dungeon, my friends.”

“Wait,” said Bill. “This is your first dungeon?”

“Well, yes.”

“You never said that.”

“I never said we were veterans, either. But every veteran begins with his first dungeon, and this is a new one, with a newbie core ready to be plundered and smashed into dust. Get ready!”

CHAPTER 27

It was all well and good the barbarian telling them to get ready, but Bill didn’t feel ready. Sure, he’d practiced with his sword again for the first time in months, and Lisle was using spells once more, but he still felt utterly unprepared.

Do it for mother, he told himself. Do it so your little sister doesn’t spend her time digging in dangerous tunnels.

So, feeling motivated, if a little scared, he followed the barbarian and his friends to the dungeon.

“This doesn’t look much like a dungeon,” he said when they reached the little mana-lit signpost and the hole in the ground. It led to a slope that went far underground.

The barbarian shrugged. “There’s a sign and a hole. What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. A better entrance, I suppose. Maybe demonic statues, an iron door. What does the sign say? Let’s see… ‘The Whistling Gary Caverns of Fight Kill?’”

“What the hell kind of name is that?” asked Lisle.

The bard shrugged. “It has a certain charm to it.”

“This is a new core. A stupid one, probably. All the better for us. Come on. Rogue, lead the way.”

“One thing,” said Bill. “Why do you call each other mage and rogue?”

“When you know a man’s name, it’s harder to watch him die.”

The rogue went ahead of them, holding a mana lamp in one hand and his dagger in the other. They followed the slope deep into the ground, and soon the world around them was dark, and the only sounds were their quiet footsteps and the bard singing softly under his breath.

Soon, they came to a door. Just a plain wooden door.

“This is it,” said the rogue.

“Good luck, friends,” said the barbarian. “Stick together. Traps, monsters, and loot await.”

The rogue pushed open the door, and they all filed into the dungeon, staying right back against the entrance door. The door slammed shut behind them.

Now this felt a little more dungeon-like. Cavernous, dark, and eerily silent. A cold breeze slithered over Bill’s skin, and he heard scampering sounds in the distance.

His stomach clenched then. Back when he was training to enlist in the army, he’d often gone into the forest to hunt wolves and things like that. He’d slain things before. Never dungeon monsters, though.

He felt Lisle jostle him. “Are you okay?” he asked his brother.

“A little scared.”

“We’re doing this for Vedetta and mother. Remember that, and you’ll be fine.”

The barbarian addressed them now. “My friends, this is where caution is most vital. The early parts of a dungeon are usually free from traps, since the cores save their surprises for when we get further in. Nevertheless, we will be like wily foxes, we will creep through and leave nothing to chance. Our rogue will detect traps for us, and as long as we follow him and do not rush ahead, we will be fine.”

“Got it,” said Bill, even though there was not the slightest chance he would rush on.

“Then, my friends, let’s do this. Be wise, be brave, and listen to our rogue.”

The rogue grinned at them all. “Don’t sweat it. I studied traps for years. This’ll be easy. Watch and learn.”

The rogue took just a single step forward when the ground suddenly broke beneath him.

He flapped his arms and screamed, but it was no use.

He tumbled down, down into the new hole, and then there was a thud. His screams stopped now. Bill felt dread squeeze his stomach.

The barbarian ran his hand through his hair. Sweat had broken out on his forehead. He took a careful step forward and peered down the hole.

“…Rogue?” he said, his voice higher than usual. “Are you…are you alright?”

There was no answer.

The bard joined the barbarian. “He’s dead! He’s gods damned dead! One bloody step and he copped it!”

The mage began mumbling to himself. “Oh no. this isn’t good. You never said we would die down here.”

The barbarian scoffed. “I never said we would die? This is a dungeon.”

“A new dungeon with a stupid core, you said!”

“I…uh…never said…”

Bill could tell the barbarian had completely lost his sense of calm. It had all been an act, he realized. His big, tough leader act was a sham.

The group had taken one step in the dungeon and they’d lost their rogue, and now their leader had misplaced his courage. Lisle pressed closer to Bill now.

But Bill felt strangely calm.

“We should press on,” he said.

“Bill?” said Lisle. “What are you saying? What would happen to Mother if we…”

“We can’t go back, Lisle. See? The door is locked behind us. We have to go on.”

“Oh gods,” said the mage. “Oh, gods.”

Bill couldn’t quite believe how utterly free from fear he was. Perhaps his earlier dread had been borne