A Dire Rat appeared before me. Its body lowered, tail standing upright like an antenna ready to detect my movements at any moment.
A thin orange line flickered in the center of my vision.
It’s about to leap forward and pounce from the front, isn’t it? I thought. Instinctively, I shifted my body to the side.
Right after that, the rat lunged forward, claws slashing through empty air as it shot past me with a sharp screech.
I didn’t waste the opening. The moment it landed, I swung the Wooden Sword I’d been gripping tightly. The wooden blade struck its body—and instantly, a thin red line flashed from my right side.
Before I could react, its tail slammed into me. My body staggered back several steps.
HP: 24 → 22
“So the red line means a fast attack that needs instant reaction… while orange is a mid-speed attack I can still anticipate,” I muttered, steadying my stance. The Dire Rat growled again.
“Grrrr–skreeee!”
“Come on. I think I’m starting to understand how combat works in this game!” I shouted, fired up.
-----
After a fierce battle, two more Dire Rats fell.
One hour later.
“So it’s true. Raising Agility was the best decision—this Combat Sense feels like spider-sense.” A small smile formed on my lips.
“Three Dire Rats total. That means three Dire Rat Tails and three Dire Rat Eyes,” I said while checking my inventory. “Not bad. I’m level five now. These rats aren’t scary anymore.”
As I stepped into the next corridor, a faint sound echoed from ahead.
“Heh… more prey. Prepare to tremble when you hear my name.”
But my steps immediately stopped.
The figure ahead was far larger than a normal Dire Rat. The atmosphere suddenly pressed down on me, like the scythe of the god of death resting against my neck with a grin.
The giant rat had dark blue fur, glowing red eyes, and a long horn rising from the center of its forehead.
Gnawlord — (Level 10, Mini Boss)
“Uh… sorry to interrupt your vacation. Let’s just pretend what I said earlier was a joke, okay?” I said stiffly as our eyes met.
“Skreeeeee!”
Its screech shook the corridor, nearly rupturing my eardrums. It charged immediately. I spun around and sprinted with all my strength.
“M-ma-MAAA—!!” I screamed as its footsteps thundered closer behind me.
Whether it was luck or my high Agility, I managed to escape its pursuit.
Panting heavily, I decided, “That’s enough for today. I’ll hand over the three Dire Rat tails to the front knight and head back.”
When I reached the exit gate, bright light greeted me—a stark contrast to the suffocating depths of the sewer.
“Yoruno, you’ve returned at last. Were you successful?” asked the knight who had given me the quest.
I straightened up and smirked. “Didn’t I say it? If I come back out, it means I’ve grown stronger.”
“As expected of you, Adventurer Yoruno,” he replied proudly.
A white hologram appeared.
----
[Quest Update]
Collect 3× Dire Rat Tails
3/3 — Complete
Submit Quest?
[O] Accept?[X] Decline
----
I pressed [O].
A notification appeared—three Dire Rat Tails vanished from my inventory, and the quest rewards were added.
“Thank you for your help, Yoruno,” the knight said.
“That was easy. If you need anything else, just say the word.”
I immediately asked, “Got any quests that reward a Carving Knife?”
“Eh? You don’t have a Carving Knife?” He looked surprised. “If you need one, you can buy it at the Item Shop.”
If I could buy it, I wouldn’t be asking. I sighed inwardly.
“There’s a reason I can’t obtain Aether,” I explained.
“Doesn’t every player get Aether from monster loot?” he asked, confused.
“Actually… I was cursed by a powerful boss monster. Because of that, I can’t obtain Aether by any means,” I said, deliberately lowering my voice for dramatic effect.
“Since when did you fight a boss? As far as I know, the sewer boss doesn’t have such a curse. And… weren’t you unable to even step outside the kingdom because you kept dying every time you tried?”
I instantly felt embarrassed as my lie was exposed.
“Ahem. I mean… I fought that boss on another server. My party was strong. The boss went berserk before dying and… cursed me.”
The guard’s eyes immediately grew misty. “I never imagined you once fought a boss in… another dimension.”
Another server equals another dimension for NPCs. Noted.
“Of course. That boss was enormous—as tall as a palace. Its name was… Leviathan,” I continued, pretending to be convincing.
He looked even more awestruck.
“In that case… because of that curse, I’ll give you my Carving Knife. I rarely use it.” He handed me a blade.
Item Received
----
Carving Knife
Durability: -/-
----
“You’re seriously giving me this?” I asked, genuinely moved this time.
“Of course. I hope it aids you on your journey.”
“Thank you. If you ever need anything from Dire Rats, just tell me. No matter how many, I’ll take care of it.”
“In that case… could you retrieve Gnawlord’s horn? I’ve long wanted to turn it into a necklace!” he said enthusiastically.
Another hologram appeared.
----
Quest: Collect 1× Gnawlord Horn
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Level: ☆☆
Location: Sewers
Reward:
? 30× Vital Salve M
? 30× Mana Tonic M
[O] Accept?[X] Decline
----
Seeing the quest that required me to fight the mini boss that had nearly killed me—Gnawlord—I immediately pressed [X] to decline.
“I’ll take it later. I have another mission to finish right now. See you,” I said as I walked away. The young guard saluted respectfully behind me.
-----
As I wandered around the kingdom, I kept thinking about how to reenter the sewers without accepting the gate knight’s quest.
“I’ve got the Carving Knife… the problem now is how to get past that guard without taking his quest,” I muttered, racking my brain.
The plaza was crowded with NPCs and players. Everyone was busy with their own affairs; not a single person cared about a new player like me. Some players were hanging out chatting, others were on dates, and in a small alley I spotted an old man in wrinkled clothes drinking straight from a bottle.
He didn’t react at all when I stood right beside him. Like nothing more than city decoration.
“The devs must’ve run out of ideas filling this city, so they added NPCs with no function at all.”
“But I still can’t find a reason to refuse his quest…” I sighed. “Forget it. I’ll finish Gerald’s quest before meeting him tomorrow.”
I opened the quest hologram. “No time limit… so I’m safe.”
“But why is this hologram screen a different color from the guard’s?” I frowned.
I opened the Tips menu. Nothing. Not a single explanation about different hologram colors.
“Maybe the devs want players to figure it out themselves,” I muttered, scratching my head.
“For now, it’s better to log off and look for clues elsewhere,” I decided, pressing the Offline button.
-----
I removed the Neo Helm Genesis, then heated up the food left in front of my door.
Iris watched me silently, waiting for orders as usual. It was rare for her to be this quiet—normally she never stopped talking.
“Iris, any new information about Project Omniverse or other important news?” I asked as I began eating.
Iris crossed her arms. “Of course. Regarding Project Omniverse: the Beta Test server ‘Tower of Heroes’ has concluded. The developers promise to fix the bugs discovered so that the official release will not disappoint players who have been waiting.”
“What’s the theme of Tower of Heroes?” I asked.
“It is planned as a PvP server where players from all other servers may compete. A tournament to determine who is the strongest—and the rewards are substantial.” Iris lifted her right foot onto an imaginary rock and raised her sword in a victorious pose.
“Hmm… I’ll pass. My level’s still low, and places like that are probably full of rich, powerful players,” I replied casually. “Any other important news?”
Iris projected two photos onto my Pulse. “Two inmates convicted of robbery, sexual assault, and aggravated assault have escaped during transfer to a larger prison. The public is advised to remain vigilant and report any sightings.”
I only glanced briefly. I wasn’t too worried—they weren’t the type who would go after someone like me.
“I will increase this room’s security to one hundred percent. You need not worry,” Iris said with a smile.
One hundred percent? Don’t tell me it wasn’t before… I thought, shooting her a sharp look.
“I’m going to shower and sleep. The room’s security is in your hands,” I said as I entered the bathroom.
“ROGER! Your safety is my top priority!” Iris saluted.
-----
The next night
“After showering and eating, I can finally log in again. Otherwise, Iris would never stop nagging… seriously,” I muttered.
“Today’s target is simple: collect five Dire Rat hides,” I said as I headed toward the sewer gate.
“That knight NPC is still there. Does he never change shifts or what…” I peeked from a distance.
“Hah… no other way. I’ll just walk past him and ignore it.”
I strolled casually toward the gate. The moment he saw me, he greeted me.
“Yoruno, you have returned. Would you like to acc—”
Before he could finish, I raised a hand. “I’ll retrieve Gnawlord’s horn. Just wait.”
“Very well, Yoruno,” he replied as I disappeared into the darkness.
Once his gaze could no longer pierce the sewer’s shadows, I let out a long breath.
“What kind of idiot would fight a boss at this level…”
“Focus on the Dire Rats first.”
“Srek… srek… skrik-skrik…!”
The faint scratching echoed along the sewer walls.
“Dire Rats,” I whispered, slowing my steps.
Pressing against the wall, I peeked around the corner. Two Dire Rats were fighting over a trash bag, growling at each other.
“My first two-versus-one… but I need to get used to it,” I muttered. My palms were sweaty, my breathing uneven, my heart refusing to calm down. I held my position, waiting for an opening.
The moment both were distracted, I lunged. A notification flashed at the edge of my vision, but I forced myself to ignore it.
My Wooden Sword slammed into one rat’s back.
“Skik!”
It leapt forward, body twisting in pain. The other immediately spun and charged at me recklessly. Combat Sense triggered—a thin warning line.
I stepped back quickly. Avoided.
Once you understand their attack pattern, this Combat Sense really helps.
Without hesitation, I countered and slashed it. A small notification chimed—“blip”—brief, then gone.
No time to check notifications, I hissed.
They grew more aggressive. In this cramped space, fighting two at once was suicide. I retreated toward an intersection to split them up.
As soon as one appeared, I swung—but it bounced backward, dodging my strike.
“Damn, it’s already reading my fighting style.”
Too focused on the rat in front of me, I almost missed it—Combat Sense flickered again. An attack from above.
The second rat leapt forward, using its companion as a stepping stone.
Instinctively, instead of retreating—I moved forward. I jumped toward it, raised my Wooden Sword with both hands, and thrust upward as its body descended right above me.
“SKRIIK!”
The wooden blade pierced through its lower jaw and struck the inside of its upper jaw. The force sent its body flying backward, shrieking as it convulsed.
Before it even hit the ground, the rat below lashed its tail. Combat Sense flashed a warning. I leaned sharply aside, narrowly dodging, then drove a rough thrust straight into its head.
FATAL DAMAGE
The words appeared as the rat instantly went limp.
Both Dire Rats still twitched, my Wooden Sword lodged in one’s jaw. With the Iron Dagger in hand, I stepped forward and finished them off until their bodies collapsed.
Silence. Then—
A notification appeared.
Congratulations
Level Up: 5 → 6
Stat Point +1
“My level increased. This feels amazing—I defeated two Dire Rats at once,” I said, satisfied.
“But what was that noisy notification earlier?” I muttered as I opened the notification window.
When I read it, my eyes lit up. “No way… I gained several passive skills at once.”
----
Passive Skills Gained
Dash Attack Lv. 1
Sword Mastery Lv. 1
Follow-Up Attack Lv. 1
Dagger Mastery Lv. 1
----
“Why did I suddenly gain passive skills? Let me check the Tips menu,” I muttered, opening the tab.
----
[TIPS: Passive Skill System]
This game uses a Behavior-Based Growth system.
Actions performed repeatedly can develop into permanent Passive Skills.
----
“Cool… so if I keep doing something, I can create new passive skills,” I whispered, impressed.
“Before they disappear, I’d better carve these two Dire Rat corpses.” I looked at the fading bodies.
While I was skinning one of them, footsteps echoed from the corridor behind me. I ignored it—focused on carving.
As soon as I finished with the last Dire Rat, a sharp growl sounded from behind.
“SKREEEEE—KRRR!”
Its killing intent pierced to the bone.
“Hold on a second. Your turn will come,” I said casually, finishing the carving. As the corpse turned to dust and scattered in the air, I turned around.
The Dire Rat lunged instantly. I rushed forward to meet it.
As its jaws opened to bite, I leapt over it and slashed downward. It howled, its tail whipping toward me. The strike was fast, but still avoidable.
The moment I saw an opening, I thrust my Wooden Sword forward, driving it until the rat slammed against the wall. Without wasting time, I pulled out the Iron Dagger and stabbed straight into its heart. The Dire Rat fell still.
Seeing it no longer move, I burst out laughing. “Hahahaha! This is what it’s like when my level’s higher and I actually understand how to fight!”
After carving it, I continued hunting. In less than an hour, I defeated two more Dire Rats and gathered a total of five hides for Gerald’s quest.
“Thanks to those two earlier, I’m level seven now,” I said while walking through the sewer.
My steps stopped when I saw the figure that had once chased me.
The mini boss stood in the middle of the corridor.
Gnawlord.
“Well then… time for revenge. I’m going to defeat you, Gnawlord.” My smile widened.
“Skreeee!” it screeched, trying to intimidate me.
I stayed calm. Gnawlord attacked with its tail—long, flexible, like a living whip. I dodged while studying its attack pattern, but something felt off: Combat Sense wasn’t activating at all.
“That’s all you’ve got?” I taunted.
“My turn.”
I charged.
But halfway there, the floor beneath me suddenly cracked. From the fissure, a black whip shot upward.
“What—?!”
It struck me directly, sending me crashing into the wall.
HP 59 → 38/59
“Damn… that hurts,” I hissed. “And Combat Sense still isn’t activating?”
Gnawlord gave me no pause. Its whip-like tail kept lashing out. I could only dodge the attacks visible to my eyes, waiting for a moment to sever its tail.
For over three minutes, I endured its assault, my HP steadily draining, until its movements finally slowed.
“This is my chance.” I swung my Wooden Sword with all my strength.
“KRAKK!”
Something snapped and flew off.
I was ready to cheer—but my expression froze.
Not its tail.
My Wooden Sword had broken in half.
Cold sweat trickled down my back. My heartbeat spiked.
A notification appeared.
----
Wooden Sword durability has reached zero. Please repair immediately.
----
“No way… at a time like this?” I bit my lip.
I had no choice but to draw the Iron Dagger—its range was short, but it was too late to think of another strategy.
Gnawlord glared at me. I hurriedly opened my inventory and grabbed a Vital Salve S.
But before the bottle could touch my lips—
CRACK!
Gnawlord’s tail smashed it, shattering the bottle in my hand.
“Damn it! It even knows when I’m trying to heal!”
Before I could retreat, its tail coiled tightly around my body. My breath was crushed out of me. It pulled me closer, ignoring my struggle.
And just before everything went dark, I saw Gnawlord’s mouth open wide.
You are Dead
I woke up in my bed. The clock read 10:00 PM.
The Oracle Pod lit up. Iris appeared, looking confused.
“Nate, you died again?” she asked.
I looked at her—and tears immediately burst from my eyes. “Arghhhh! I died because of that damn rat!”
Thud thud thud!
Someone knocked angrily on the apartment wall because of my shouting.
I fell silent, crying softly. My level must have dropped. The items I collected were probably gone too.
“The sky has begun to rain, as if—”
“Quiet, Iris. Don’t start with the weird narration,” I cut her off in frustration.
