---
Chapter 11 – The Value of Monsters
The dungeon exit shimmered quietly.
Ronan stepped out of the portal and into the morning sunlight. For a moment he had to squint—the brightness felt strange after spending hours inside the dim cave.
The guards near the entrance barely looked at him. Adventurers came and went constantly.
Some walked out proudly.
Some came out injured.
Some never came out at all.
Ronan flexed his fingers slightly. The Goblin Hunter Gloves fit perfectly around his hands.
He could still feel the faint warmth of the enchantment flowing through them.
Strength.
Speed.
It wasn't just equipment.
It was progress.
Ronan walked away from the dungeon entrance and headed toward the market district.
But halfway there, he suddenly stopped.
A thought crossed his mind.
Slowly, he raised his hand and focused on the ring on his finger.
The Storage Ring.
His mind connected with the space inside it.
Instantly, a mental image appeared.
Inside the ring floated several objects:
11 Goblin Hearts
1 Energy Crystal
Broken goblin weapons
A few monster teeth
Everything he had collected inside the dungeon.
Ronan exhaled slowly.
"This is incredible."
Before, he could barely carry five or six monster parts.
Now he could collect dozens.
Which meant one thing.
More profit.
And profit meant power.
---
The market district was already full of noise.
Merchants shouted prices.
Blacksmiths hammered metal.
Hunters negotiated loudly.
Ronan walked toward the familiar stall where he had sold goblin hearts before.
The same merchant sat behind the counter, lazily counting coins.
When Ronan approached, the man glanced up.
"Oh. It's you again."
Ronan simply nodded.
Without saying anything, he focused on the storage ring.
One by one—
Goblin hearts appeared on the counter.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The merchant's eyes widened slightly.
"…That's more than usual."
Ronan placed the final heart down.
"Eleven."
The merchant leaned closer and inspected them.
"All fresh."
He nodded slowly.
"Dungeon goblins?"
Ronan didn't answer directly.
But the merchant smirked.
"Figures."
He pulled out a small scale and started calculating.
"Dungeon monster materials sell better."
After a moment he pushed a pouch forward.
"Eight silver per heart."
Ronan blinked.
"Eight?"
Before, it had been six.
The merchant shrugged.
"Dungeon quality."
Ronan nodded slowly.
That meant—
88 silver coins.
Almost a full gold.
Just from one dungeon run.
But Ronan didn't pick up the coins immediately.
Instead he placed something else on the table.
The Energy Crystal.
The merchant's expression changed instantly.
"Where did you get that?"
"Dungeon boss."
The merchant carefully picked it up and examined the crystal.
Energy crystals were used by blacksmiths and enchanters.
Even small ones were valuable.
After a moment he said,
"I'll give you two gold."
Ronan stayed silent for a few seconds.
Then he shook his head.
"Three."
The merchant laughed.
"You bargain now?"
Ronan calmly crossed his arms.
The merchant studied him for a moment.
Then sighed.
"Fine."
Three gold coins landed on the table.
Ronan finally picked up the pouch of silver and the gold coins.
His total money now was:
3 Gold 88 Silver
More money than he had ever owned before.
And it only took one dungeon.
---
But Ronan didn't leave the market.
Instead, he headed toward another section.
The equipment street.
Rows of shops displayed armor, weapons, and magical tools.
Adventurers crowded the area.
Ronan entered a small blacksmith shop.
Inside, the air smelled like iron and smoke.
A muscular middle-aged blacksmith looked up.
"What do you need?"
Ronan placed the broken goblin dagger on the counter.
"I need a better weapon."
The blacksmith picked it up and snorted.
"This thing?"
He tossed it aside.
"Cheap junk."
Then he walked to a rack behind him.
Several daggers hung on the wall.
The blacksmith grabbed one and placed it on the table.
"This is basic adventurer gear."
The dagger had a clean steel blade.
Balanced.
Sharp.
Ronan picked it up and tested the weight.
Much better.
"How much?"
"One gold."
Ronan didn't hesitate.
He placed the coin down.
The blacksmith nodded approvingly.
"Good choice."
Ronan attached the new dagger to his belt.
Now his equipment was:
Goblin Hunter Gloves (Rare)
Goblin Agility Ring (Rare)
Storage Ring (Rare)
Steel Adventurer Dagger
Not amazing.
But far better than before.
---
When Ronan stepped back outside, the city felt different.
Before, he had walked these streets as someone struggling to survive.
Now he had a clear path.
Dungeons.
Monsters.
Loot.
Growth.
But as he walked through the crowd, he suddenly heard people talking nearby.
"…another dungeon opened."
"Really?"
"Yeah. But this one is bigger."
Ronan slowed down slightly.
Two adventurers were talking near a notice board.
"One week from now."
"A party raid dungeon."
Ronan stepped closer and looked at the board.
A new notice had been pinned.
---
Guild Announcement
New Dungeon Discovered
Recommended Level: 7+
Party Raid Required
High Monster Density
Potential Rare Drops
---
Ronan's heart beat faster.
A bigger dungeon.
More monsters.
Better rewards.
But the notice also said something important.
Party Raid Required.
Which meant groups.
Teams.
Most adventurers didn't enter large dungeons alone.
They formed parties with different roles.
Fighters.
Archers.
Support.
Healers.
Ronan crossed his arms thoughtfully.
He had always fought alone.
But large dungeons were different.
Even experienced hunters died in them.
Still…
His eyes slowly returned to the reward section.
Rare Drops
Ronan smiled faintly.
"Sounds interesting."
---
As the sun began to set, Ronan returned to his small rented room.
He placed the coins on the table again.
3 Gold 88 Silver.
Then he removed his equipment and inspected it carefully.
The gloves.
The rings.
The dagger.
Everything he had now came from fighting monsters.
And if he continued…
He could become far stronger.
But first—
He opened his system screen.
---
Name: Ronan
Level: 6
Strength: 12
Agility: 15
Endurance: 10
Intelligence: 7
Title: Dungeon Beginner
Skill: Heart Collector
---
Ronan leaned back in his chair.
Level 6 already.
He was growing fast.
But the world was much bigger than goblin dungeons.
Stronger monsters existed.
Stronger hunters too.
And somewhere out there…
Even more powerful dungeons.
Ronan looked at the storage ring on his finger.
Then quietly said,
"Tomorrow…"
"I go back in."
Because now he understood something important.
The dungeon wasn't just danger.
It was opportunity.
And Ronan intended to take every opportunity he could find.
---