Is It Wrong To Level Up In A Dungeon?

Chapter 1. A Penalty

And then he heard it.

A deep, guttural rumble.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Slowly, he turned.

His stomach twisted into knots.

Towering behind him was a monster straight out of nightmares—a Poison-Toothed Giant Desert Centipede. The words hovered above its grotesque form, an eerie confirmation of its identity.

Its exoskeleton gleamed in the dim light, each armored segment shifting and clicking as it undulated forward. Its writhing body stretched over twenty meters long, countless hooked legs digging into the sand as it moved with an unnatural, slithering grace. Twin antennae twitched atop its head, sensing his every movement.

And then there were the teeth—rows of jagged, serrated fangs lining its grotesque mandibles, dripping with a sickly green venom that hissed upon touching the sand.

Bell's breath hitched, his heart pounding against his ribs.

Ding!

[Penalty Quest: Survival]

Goal: Survive for the allotted amount of time.
Allotted Time: 4 hours
Time Left: 3 hours, 59 minutes, 57 seconds

Bell's throat ran dry.

There was no Ais to save him this time.

His mind screamed at him to run.

The centipede lunged.

Bell barely reacted in time, diving to the side as the massive creature crashed into the sand where he had stood a second earlier. The impact sent a shockwave through the desert, displacing a storm of dust and debris. Bell hit the ground hard, rolling several times before scrambling back to his feet.

His legs trembled. His arms felt like lead.

The centipede twisted its body, its beady, soulless eyes locking onto him again.

It was playing with him.

Panic clawed at Bell's mind. He didn't have his dagger. He had no armor. No potions. No way out. He was utterly, hopelessly—

No.

A part of him screamed against that despair, pushing back against the fear. If he gave in now, he was dead.

Bell sucked in a sharp breath, forcing his limbs to move. He turned on his heel and ran.

The desert wind roared past his ears as his feet pounded against the sand, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The centipede screeched behind him, its many legs scuttling at terrifying speed as it pursued its prey.

Bell threw himself over a jagged rock formation, using the terrain to slow the beast down. He hit the ground and rolled, ignoring the burning pain in his limbs. His lungs screamed for air, his body already exhausted.

3 hours, 59 minutes, 10 seconds left.

Bell bit back a curse.

Survive for four hours? That was insane. He'd be lucky to last four minutes.

The centipede let out another screech, slamming its massive body against the rock formation. The sheer force shattered the stone, sending debris flying in every direction.

Bell ducked, shielding his face as shards of rock scraped his skin. He had to think. He had to—

His eyes widened.

The centipede's legs.

Bell scanned its movements, watching how it scuttled across the sand. It was fast but relied on sheer weight and momentum to crush its prey. If he could use that against it...

He spotted a large crevice in the distance—an outcrop of stone with a sharp drop on the other side.

It was a risk.

But it was the only chance he had.

Bell sprinted toward the crevice, the centipede hot on his heels. The gap was wider than he liked, but there was no time to hesitate. He leapt.

His arms flailed as he barely caught the opposite ledge, his fingers digging into the rough rock. He gritted his teeth, pulling himself up with everything he had. His muscles screamed in protest, but he didn't stop—not now.

The centipede reached the edge—then lunged forward without hesitation.

And that was its mistake.

Its momentum carried it over the crevice before it realized there was no ground beneath it. The massive beast plunged downward, its screech of rage echoing through the desert as it disappeared into the darkness below.

Bell collapsed onto the stone, gasping for air.

His arms shook. His vision swam. But he was alive.

Ding!

Time Left: 3 hours, 48 minutes, 32 seconds.

Bell let out a dry, shaky laugh. After a few minutes the ground rumbled violently before the centipede thrusted out from the ground.

This was going to be a long four hours.

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Next: An Instant Dungeon