I WAS Humanity's HOPE-Chapter 15: First Dungeon

The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of anticipation as Richard's class stood outside their first Dungeon.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

Taking us to a Dungeon on our second day? They must be crazy—definitely crazier than me, he thought, though in contrast to his words, he was far too pleased with the development.

Did it have to be an F-Rank Dungeon though? Couldn't we go higher... E, maybe D-Rank?

He eyed the entrance—a purple tear in space with shadowy tendrils that seemed to dance and writhe at its edges. The portal itself was no larger than a standard doorway, yet its presence made the air feel heavy with dread.

"Gather round, everyone!" Meredith's voice cut through the nervous chatter, firm yet encouraging. "This Dungeon has been specifically chosen for your first practical experience. It's an F-Rank, meaning minimal danger—but remember, minimal does not mean non-existent. Stay vigilant."

The trainees exchanged wary glances, shifting uneasily. A girl near the front swallowed audibly, her face pale in the morning chill. Richard suppressed a sigh, reminding himself to be patient. They were new, inexperienced. They couldn't start with a higher-rank Dungeon—hell, even going inside an F-Rank without combat experience sounds stupid.

"We'll move as one large group. Your goal today is to simply observe as I clear the Dungeon"—Richard could have sighed at that—"and learn the basics of Dungeon navigation. This isn't about proving your strength; it's about understanding the fundamentals of survival in these environments. For those of you who might be disappointed"—she glanced meaningfully at Richard—"you'll have your chance to face the monsters next week, after we've covered basic weapon training."

They made their way into the portal behind Meredith, each trainee visibly steeling their nerves as they crossed the threshold into their first Dungeon. Richard sighed softly, already imagining how trivial the encounter would be, but he followed along dutifully.

Inside, the atmosphere was stifling, the air thick with a scent of decay and musty earth. The Dungeon's walls looked to be hewn from dark, rough stone, illuminated here and there by eerie blue crystals embedded in the rock.

The ginger girl who had been gripping her pencil the previous day raised her hand, drawing Meredith's attention.

"Anne, was it? You don't have to raise your hand when you want to talk, dear, we're not in a classroom," Meredith said, causing the girl's face to flush as red as her hair.

"Um, yes. I mean—okay. What monsters will we face?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper. Several others leaned in, sharing her curiosity but too nervous to speak up themselves.

"Today's Dungeon contains only Zombie Thralls—slow, mindless undead with weak physical attacks. You should observe their patterns, movements, and weaknesses, as we'll try to find you a Dungeon with the same monster," Meredith explained. "While they're considered one of the weakest you'll encounter, understanding their behaviour now will help prepare you for more dangerous undead variants in future."

"Stay close," Meredith instructed, stepping confidently forward. "Watch your footing and keep quiet. These monsters react mostly to sound and movement."

They moved slowly, the rookies' eyes darting anxiously around, searching for any sign of danger. Richard couldn't help rolling his eyes at their exaggerated caution, though he understood their fears.

They hadn't gone far before the first Zombie Thrall appeared, shambling into view from the shadows ahead. Pale, mottled skin stretched taut over gaunt bones, its milky, unfocused eyes stared blankly.

Meredith raised a hand, signalling them to halt. "Observe carefully," she murmured, summoning a simple wand from her inventory. "Zombies are slow and predictable. They move in straight lines, easily baited and dispatched."

With a flick of her wand, a controlled flame shot out, striking the Zombie Thrall squarely in the chest. It let out a guttural moan, stumbled backwards, and crumbled into a heap of ash.

"Fire is particularly effective," Meredith noted calmly, turning back to the class. "Any questions?"

A few hands rose hesitantly. Anne, looking slightly braver now, asked, "What if we encounter more than one at once?"

Meredith smiled, pleased by the tactical thinking. "You'll see. Anyone else?"

A dark-haired boy—I think his name is James—stepped forward from the back. "What spell was that?"

"That was an E-Rank fireball," she replied, pausing to gauge their reactions. Seemingly satisfied, she nodded. "Now, if there aren't any more questions, let's proceed."

As they ventured deeper, Meredith continued dispatching isolated zombies, and the trainees grew a bit more at ease—less jumpy, more attentive.

Eventually, they stumbled upon a group of five zombies huddled together beneath the glow of three blue crystals. The cluster's decaying forms moved sluggishly, but the sight of them made the students instinctively step back. Meredith, however, held her ground.

"Anne, what would you do if you were in this situation and knew how to cast the E-Rank fireball?" she asked.

Anne fidgeted with her sleeve, her eyes darting to the undead. "I... I think I'd try to hit them all at once with the fireball since they're grouped together," she ventured tentatively.

Meredith nodded approvingly. "Good thinking. Clustering is common in lower-rank undead, making area attacks particularly effective. But be ready—one spell may not finish the job."

To illustrate, she raised her wand again, launching a larger fireball that engulfed the cluster. Three zombies collapsed instantly into ash while two staggered, still clinging to their unlife. A quick flick from Meredith's wand finished them off.

"For faster monsters or higher-ranked foes, this tactic might fail," she explained. "They'd either dodge or charge you the moment they spotted you. Learning to bait and control groups of enemies is a crucial skill that will serve you well in tougher Dungeons."

The students nodded, some mentally scribbling notes while others fidgeted apprehensively at the mention of stronger monsters.