The air in the dungeon entrance was filled with the stench of damp earth, decay, and something acrid. He stepped through the archway, the portal sealing behind him, leaving him in a dim, echoing cavern. The moss clinging to the walls cast an eerie, greenish glow across the surface.
His heart hammered in anticipation.
He extended his Seismic Sense, pressing his feet firmly onto the uneven stone floor. The vibrations were clearer here. He felt the walls and darkness ahead, and then... thump-thump... thump-thump... Small, irregular vibrations. Several of them were moving.
'Goblins'
He crept forward. The passage narrowed with each step. Suddenly, a guttural grunt echoed from around a bend. Three squat, green-skinned figures, armed with crude clubs and rusty daggers, shuffled into his view. Their beady, malicious eyes fixed on him.
"Gah! Humansss!" one rasped.
Motohama wasted no moment as his mind raced. He stomped his foot, sending a jarring tremor through the ground. The goblins stumbled, their grunts turning into confused squeals.
As they regained footing, one goblin lunged, its club swinging at him. He sidestepped and slammed his foot down again, focusing on a patch of ground in front of the goblin. CRACK! A jagged fissure ripped through the floor, catching the goblin's foot. It tripped, sprawling forward with a surprised YELP!
The other two goblins charged, daggers glinting in their grips. Motohama ducked under a swing, then, with a surge of concentration, he lifted a small, sharp rock and flicked it. THWACK! It struck one goblin in the knee. The creature howled, hopping on one leg.
The last goblin closed in. He dropped into a low stance, channeling all his focus into the earth beneath his feet. He imagined a wall rising. SHHHUNK! A rough, pillar of rock erupted from the ground between them, slamming into the goblin's chest. The goblin flew backward with a surprised OOOF!, crashing into the wall and slumping.
He spun, his Seismic Sense telling him the first goblin was still struggling, the second limping. He stomped, sending a wave of vibrations that made the ground RUMBLE. The two remaining goblins shrieked, disoriented, their weapons clattering as they lost balance. He seized the opportunity and formed a small, sharp rock spike near the first goblin's head, then quickly retracted it, leaving the creature stunned. For the limping goblin, he created a sudden dip in the floor, sending it sprawling again.
He stood proud, barely out of breath. That was... intense. And exhausting. His head throbbed slightly. Earthbending was powerful, but drained him a lot faster than he anticipated. He cautiously approached the fallen goblins 'They are still unconscious, not dead. I doubt they will wake up anytime soon'
He continued to walk deeper in the cave. He encountered more goblins, refining his tactics. He focused on smaller, precise movements: tripping them, disarming them, or creating small bumps to throw them off balance. He even created a temporary earthen shield. Each encounter pushed him, but he was learning quickly, and adapting. His Earthbending felt more responsive and more in control of his fingertips.
Finally, he felt a larger, more powerful presence from vibration ahead. A single, massive presence. 'The dungeon boss' He took a deep breath, his heart pounding with fear and grim determination. He was slightly bruised around his arms, but his heart was on fire.
He entered a larger cavern, dimly lit by a crude bonfire. A towering goblin, twice the size of the others, with crude armor and a massive, spiked club, snarled at him. The Goblin King.
"INTRUDER! CRUSH!" it roared. It charged at Motohama with heavy footsteps.
Motohama braced himself, as the giant goblin swung its club through the air. He immediately stomped at the ground, and a sturdy wall of rock erupted from the ground, intercepting the blow. The chieftain's club boomed against the wall, but the wall held.
He quickly retracted the wall, then slammed both feet down, channeling everything.
RUMBLE!
The entire cavern floor vibrated violently. The chieftain roared in frustration, its footing became unstable from the impact. Motohama focused on its feet, imagining the ground rising to ensnare them.
SHHHHHHUNK!
Two earthen restraints shot up, locking around its ankles. It roared, struggling, but it was stuck firmly to the limbs.
Seeing him unable to move anymore, he focused on the ceiling above the chieftain, imagining a heavy, loose section of rock. He pushed, willed it to detach.
CRACK! CRUMBLE!
A shower of small rocks and dirt rained down.
'Not enough, I need more than that!'
He poured every ounce of remaining energy into his connection with the earth, feeling the strain. He imagined a massive boulder directly above the chieftain. COME ON!
With a final, agonizing push, a large oversized boulder crashed down, slamming directly onto the chieftain's head. The cavern boomed with the impact, and the chieftain let out a final, gurgling scream before collapsing with a dull thud.
Silence descended, broken only by Motohama's ragged breathing. He stood, trembling, his muscles struggling in protest. His head felt like it was splitting open. He stumbled forward, collapsing onto his knees beside the unconscious chieftain.
'I did it. I actually did it!' A wave of profound exhaustion washed over him. He had cleared the dungeon.
As his vision blurred, a familiar blue panel appeared into existence.
[DUNGEON CLEARED: GOBLIN'S LAIR] [REWARDS:] [1x CLORANTHY RING] [1x GOBLIN CHIEFTAIN'S CRUDE CLUB (EQUIPMENT)] [1x SMALL POUCH OF GOLD COINS (50 GOLD)]
The panel faded, and the world shimmered, distorting in his vision. The damp, dark cavern dissolved, replaced by the familiar green of the forest. He lay sprawled on the forest floor, the soft earth cool beneath his cheek. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling his face.
'I'm back'
He pushed himself up, wincing. His knuckles scraped, and a shallow cut bled sluggishly on his forearm. His head still throbbed, but the pain was a welcome reminder of his success. In his hand, clutched tight, was a small, heavy pouch and a crude, surprisingly sturdy club. And on his finger, a new ring with a large green flower engraved into its smooth surface.
'In just a few hours, I've learned how to survive on my own' he thought, a triumphant, weary smile spreading. He had faced danger, used his power, and emerged victorious. He was bruised, battered, and exhausted, but he had never felt more alive.
His gaze drifted to the green ring. The details of it flooded his mind stating it hastens the regeneration of stamina and recovery from exhaustion. His eyes widened. This was exactly what he needed!
He felt the lingering exhaustion. He focused on the ring; a faint warmth spread. The heavy leaden feeling in his limbs lightened, the throbbing in his head eased, and his ragged breathing evened out. It wasn't instant, but it was faster than normal. Within minutes, the crushing fatigue was replaced by a manageable tiredness, and sharp pains dulled to soreness.
"Whoa," he whispered. "This thing is incredible!" He stood, testing his renewed energy. He still felt tired, but not on the verge of collapse. The ring was working. This meant he could train his Earthbending more, push his limits, and recover faster. It was the perfect complement.
Next, he examined the Goblin Chieftain's Crude Club. It was a monstrous thing, roughly three feet long, thick and gnarled, with sharp, dark stones haphazardly embedded. It felt surprisingly heavy, almost unwieldy, but incredibly solid. He gave it a tentative swing.
WHUMP!
The air hissed. Definitely not for his current combat style, but it could certainly crack some skulls. He decided to keep it hidden behind a giant rock, until he find a way to store it.
Finally, the small pouch of gold coins. He untied the drawstring. Fifty gleaming gold coins, each about the size of a thumb, clinked together. They bore strange, intricate markings.
"Fifty gold. That's a lot worth in this world?" He chuckled. He tied the pouch securely and tucked it into his trouser's pocket.
Feeling significantly better thanks to the ring, he decided it was time to head home. He still needed to figure out how to explain his torn uniform to Motohama's parents. Probably just say I fell during club activities or something.
Believable.
As he walked out of the forest onto the paved roads of Kuoh, the setting sun painted the sky orange and purple. Streetlights flickered on. He navigated the residential streets, his mind already buzzing with plans to get stronger. He needed a more secluded training spot for his Earthbending, and to figure out the gacha system's quests. Most importantly, he needed to stay aware of the main plot, without getting directly entangled unless it was on his terms.
He was about to take a turn onto a street that led towards his (Motohama's) house, and that's when he saw them.
In the soft glow of a streetlight, on the pedestrian bridge over a murmuring river, were two figures. One was unmistakably Issei Hyoudou, who stood opposite to, was dark hair flowing gently of a girl of breathtaking beauty. Her smile seemed too innocent.
'Yuuma Amano'
Motohama thought, a chill running down his spine. He knew this scene. He knew exactly what was about to happen next. This wasn't just Issei and a pretty girl. This was the beginning. The moment the DxD plot truly kicked off.
He stopped, hidden in the shadows, watching. Issei, oblivious, was clearly smitten. Yuuma, the fallen angel Raynare in disguise, was about to ask him to become her boyfriend.
A strange mix of dread and excitement churned in Motohama. He had deliberately avoided Issei earlier, thinking he could steer clear. But here it was, he was witnessing the wheel of fate turning right in front of him.
'So, it begins' He thought, a grim determination settling over him. He watched as Yuuma reached out, taking Issei's hand.
Just as the two figures on the bridge shared a moment that would alter Issei's life, a sudden, blinding flash of blue light erupted in front of Alex, accompanied by a sharp, insistent DING!
The Gacha System panel materialized, not with its usual calm glow, but with an urgent, pulsating aura. A new notification, larger and more prominent, dominated the screen.
[QUEST: ASSIST THE PROTAGONIST] [DESCRIPTION: Save Issei Hyoudou from his predetermined fate of dying at the hands of Fallen Angel.] [REWARD: 1x RANK 3 GACHA TICKET]
[I ACCEPT / I REFUSE! ]
"..."