Leveling Up My Bow In The Apocalypse

I arrived at the cave — yes, that's what I decided to call it, cave, no frills — and took a look inside. It seemed quite modest, like most of the other caves I had found, but there was something about it, something that made me feel it was special. I couldn't quite explain why, but that feeling was hard to ignore.

When I entered, I quickly found myself enveloped in complete darkness. Just one turn after crossing the entrance was enough to lose all the light. The hill outside didn't seem that big, but the path inside the cave descended more than I had expected.

As I walked, I didn't encounter any beasts or enemies. Nothing. Just a damp, musty, silent cave. But as I went on, something caught my attention. In the distance, a faint light appeared. It didn't take long for me to realize the source was small, glowing fungi.

Getting closer, I saw they were mushrooms of a deep, glowing blue. Fascinated, I tried using Identify, but all I got was a generic message: [Mushroom]. Of course, I decided not to touch them. Better safe than sorry, especially when it comes to being poisoned out of curiosity.

As I continued to descend, I realized I was walking in circles, as if on a spiral staircase. The mushrooms became more numerous. Soon, they weren't just on the ground, but also on the walls and even the ceiling.

Then, dark green moss started appearing on the walls. That made me uneasy. I'm no expert in fungi, but I know enough to understand that some can be dangerous, even without direct contact. I thought about turning back. After all, exploring was fun, but it wasn't worth risking my health for something I didn't know where it was leading.

I found myself in a small, enclosed space, surrounded by glowing mushrooms, with potentially deadly spores floating around me. My Perception Sphere was powerful, but not to the point of detecting tiny particles like spores or dust in the air.

Fungi love damp places, and this cave was the perfect environment for them. The problem was, human lungs can also be ideal hosts. The idea of something taking root inside my body was terrifying. I remembered a story my family always told, about friends who faced a severe case of mold in their home. They only realized the problem when the youngest child became seriously ill. Mold was an invisible, silent killer.

And these weren't ordinary mushrooms; they were glowing magical mushrooms. Even if they were normal, if they infected my body and took root, would a healing potion be able to deal with that? Or would my vitality only speed up their growth?

On the other hand, this place was special. If there's one thing I've learned from video games and novels, it's that unique places often hide something equally unique — treasures, secrets, or answers. Unless, of course, it was a bad game.

"No risk, no reward, I thought as I continued descending.

The mushrooms were becoming more numerous, spreading across the walls, ceiling, and floor. Now, it was impossible to avoid stepping on them, and each step made small spores scatter into the air, visible in the blue light emitted by the mushrooms themselves.

I lifted my cloak and covered my mouth, trying to reduce the amount of air I inhaled as much as possible. My sense of danger remained silent, which should have reassured me, but I had no idea if it worked against passive threats like this. Assuming this was a threat.

After walking for about ten more minutes, I realized how far I had descended. The mushrooms were at the peak of their growth, covering almost everything around me. The dark green moss had become so dense that it now hung from the ceiling, forming grotesque threads that seemed alive.

Turning back now wouldn't make a difference. If these things were infectious, it was too late to worry. I sighed and kept walking, hoping to find something that would justify the time I was spending in this place.

After over an hour of walking, I began to seriously regret descending here. Nothing had changed. Nothing. Just more mushrooms, more moss, and that constant damp smell. The heavy silence made everything feel surreal. The idea of being stuck in a loop started to cross my mind, so I drove an arrow into the dirt wall to mark my position.

I walked for another half hour but didn't find the arrow. That made me uneasy. If I wasn't walking in circles, how far had I really gone? I should have been hundreds of meters below the surface by now.

The only thing keeping my spirits up was the hope that something valuable was down here. I mean, there had to be something, right? Or was the system just a monumental troll?

Finally, after another fifteen minutes of descent, the tunnel ended. And to my surprise, what I found was not a dirt wall, but a wooden door.

Well, "door" was a generous term. The wood was rotting, as if it had been forgotten for centuries, and there was no handle or any apparent mechanism. I was intrigued. My Perception Sphere detected nothing on the other side, which made me question if it was even a door. Maybe it was just a disguised wooden wall, or perhaps a giant shield?

I tried using Identify, but the result was the same as always: nothing.

With no response from my usual methods, I did what any reasonable person would do in this situation. I touched the wood.

Suddenly, the system manifested:

"Tutorial Challenge: Dungeon Discovered!"

A floating text appeared in front of me, explaining:

"Challenge Dungeons, spread throughout the multiverse, offer danger and rewards side by side, known as natural treasures. This variant is only found within the Tutorials provided by the system for newly integrated races. Enter at your own risk."

And below it, the requirements: Must be below level 10 in any class or race. Must not have a profession. Must be among the top 5% in Tutorial Points."

"Well, apparently I met all the requirements, because the text continued:

["WARNING: It is not possible to enter Challenge Dungeons in groups. Only 1 challenger is allowed per dungeon."]

And finally, the question every adventurer hopes to hear:

["Enter the dungeon? [Y/N]"]

I smiled. Finally, I thought.

Until now, I thought that treasure chests with items were the most "game-like" aspect I had encountered in this world, but this... this was a real dungeon. Literally. Ok, maybe the stat system is also pretty similar to a game, but let's be honest, dungeons.

It was obvious that this place was well-hidden. And there was no doubt that it would be dangerous. The requirements also intrigued me. Needing to not have a profession... did that mean it was a dungeon related to unlocking one? Or was it a matter of balance, to prevent someone too strong from entering?

The last points of the tutorial were intriguing to me, especially because they confirmed that I was in the top 5%. With less than a thousand people alive, that put me in the top 50. But I wasn't sure if I should feel happy about that, since the only reason for this position was the fact that I had killed other humans.

The idea of not entering the dungeon didn't even cross my mind. What I wanted most was a good challenge, and this dungeon literally had the word "challenge" in its name. How could I say no?

I carefully reviewed my equipment, making sure everything was in order. My stamina was still high, and I didn't feel any signs of fatigue. Without further hesitation, I accepted the challenge with great enthusiasm.

The universe had been integrated. The enlightened natives were thrown into their tutorials, while the forces of the multiverse moved to capitalize on the great change. Capitalizing on the natives... and even the tutorials themselves.

The integration of a new universe wasn't just a monumental event for the universe in question, but for the entire multiverse. It was a moment of expansion and transformation. Powerful entities began moving to seize the opportunities that arose, seeking to break their limits or increase their influence. Others, on the other hand, feared the change and fought to solidify their positions.

And then there were those who simply did nothing.

One of these entities rested in a realm of desolation. Awakened by the great change, it opened its eyes and gazed into the void. 

"The 93rd era began, huh," it murmured apathetically, before closing its eyes again. Expansion and changes didn't pique its interest, but deep down, it couldn't suppress a spark of hope that, this time, something different might happen. A hope it quickly suppressed, returning to its meditation.

["Entering Challenge Dungeon!"] 

["Objective: Survive until the end of the dungeon while completing all the challenges presented along the way. Failing to complete the challenges may result in death."]

My vision darkened for a moment, and I felt my body weaken as I briefly passed out. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself standing in a gigantic hall. Around me, I saw nothing but shattered stones and broken pillars scattered across the floor, all in the same monotonous shade of gray. The only thing that slightly contrasted were the braziers hanging from the ceiling, emitting a faint bluish light.

To my horror, I realized the braziers weren't emitting light from magic or fire, but because they were filled with glowing blue mushrooms, the same kind I had seen in the cave. It seemed that, even in a deadly challenge dungeon, one couldn't escape the dominion of fungi.

When I checked my equipment, I noticed something even worse: my bow, my daggers, and my quiver had mysteriously disappeared. I rummaged through my backpack, only to discover that all of my potions were gone too. I could only hope that the system would be generous enough to return them later...

Turning my attention back to the environment, I began looking for an exit. The only available opening appeared to have a door. I walked toward it and entered a long corridor, illuminated by the same blue light, now emitted by mushrooms growing directly on the walls. This wasn't exactly an improvement in the scenery.

After crossing the corridor, I arrived at another space that was practically identical to the previous one. This one, however, was a bit cleaner, with fewer debris, and some cracked pillars still stood. I casually entered the room, but my sense of danger went off, making me retreat back to the corridor I had just come from.

It was then that a long metal spike dropped forcefully, piercing the ground exactly where I had been standing. The solid stone was pierced as if it were butter. To make matters worse, a crackling sound caught my attention, and I realized that the floor was slowly starting to corrode. Against all logic, I decided to approach for a closer look."

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