SSS-Ranked Trash Hero: I Was Scammed Into Being Summoned-Chapter 12: Into the Warren (Dungeon Floor 1)
They’d left the castle at dawn, heading two hours north through the forest. The dirt road had been worn smooth by years of travelers passing through, with trees growing close along both sides, their branches forming a canopy overhead.
Kenji led the march with infectious energy. "First real dungeon! This is what we trained for!"
"Indeed," Marcus agreed with a slight smile.
Aria walked in silence, staff gripped firmly in hand, her eyes scanning the forest around them.
Hiroshi damaged armor shifting uncomfortably on his shoulders with each step.
"You’re quiet back there, Hiroshi!" Kenji called over his shoulder.
"Just conserving energy," Hiroshi replied.
"Smart! Save it for the goblins!"
An hour into their journey, they stopped at a stream to refill their waterskins. The water was cold and clear, rushing over smooth stones.
Kenji splashed water on his face. "Man, I’m pumped! Finally getting to use everything Gideon taught us."
"Your enthusiasm is noted," Aria said, "But maintain focus alright. Overconfidence leads to mistakes."
"I’m not overconfident. I’m appropriately confident."
Marcus chuckled softly. "Confidence blessed by the divine is never misplaced."
Hiroshi knelt by the stream and filled his waterskin, catching sight of his reflection in the water. He looked pale, with dark circles under his eyes that hadn’t been there a week ago. He quickly looked away.
They continued walking, the forest growing denser around them. Less sunlight filtered through the canopy now.
Kenji started humming some hero’s marching song. Marcus joined in quietly, his deeper voice providing harmony.
Another hour passed in relative silence, broken only by the crunch of their boots on the dirt road and the occasional bird call. The trees gradually started to thin, and the path curved upward, heading into rockier terrain.
"Almost there," Kenji announced. "Gideon said two hours. We’re making good time."
Aria checked the sun’s position through the thinning canopy. "Fifteen minutes, give or take."
Finally, the path opened into a clearing, and they arrived at the dungeon.
Kenji stopped in his tracks. "Whoa."
The Warren entrance loomed before them. The cave mouth was massive (at least thirty feet high) carved into the hillside like a gaping maw. Ancient runes covered the stone archway, glowing faintly with residual magic. The symbols were worn by time, but still pulsed with a soft, eerie blue light.
They approached the entrance cautiously. The temperature dropped noticeably near the cave mouth, and their breath began to mist in the suddenly cold air.
They formed up into their assigned positions: Kenji at point, Marcus second, Aria third, and Hiroshi bringing up the rear.
"Rear guard?" Hiroshi asked.
Aria explained without looking back. "Monsters typically come from the front and sides in structured dungeons like this."
"We will protect you, brother," Marcus added warmly.
They lit torches, the flames casting dancing shadows on the rune-covered walls.
"Everyone ready?" Kenji asked, his hand resting on his sword hilt.
Hiroshi took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "Ready."
They crossed the threshold into darkness.
Immediately, a System notification appeared in glowing blue text that only they could see:
[ENTERING DUNGEON: GOBLIN WARREN]
Rank: F
Floors: 3
Party Size: 4
Recommended Level: 8-10
WARNING: Death is permanent.
"Death is permanent," Hiroshi muttered. "How considerate of them to remind us."
The temperature dropped even further inside. Distant sounds echoed from deeper within the tunnels, chittering, scraping, the occasional guttural grunt.
"Goblins," Kenji said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Stay alert."
They descended into the darkness, torchlight barely pushing back the oppressive shadows.
One hundred feet in, without warning, the ceiling exploded.
"BOOM"
Three goblins dropped from hidden alcoves above, screeching as they fell.
Goblin 1 charged straight at Kenji.
"[Quick Strike]!"
Kenji’s blade blurred through the air. The goblin split cleanly in half, dead before its body hit the ground.
Goblin 2 went for Marcus, claws extended.
"[Shield Bash]!"
Marcus’s shield slammed into the goblin’s skull with a sickening crunch. He followed immediately with a sword thrust through its chest, the blade punching through its back.
Goblin 3 threw a crude spear at Aria.
"[Ice Shard]!"
Her spell intercepted the spear mid-air, shattering it into splinters. A second ice shard pierced the goblin’s throat before it could react. It collapsed, its body already freezing over.
Total combat time: Twelve seconds.
"Easy! Just like training!" Kenji said cheerfully, sheathing his weapon with practiced ease.
Hiroshi stared at the corpses sprawled across the tunnel floor. Green skin. Red blood pooling beneath them.
"You okay, Hiroshi?" Kenji asked, noticing his expression.
"Yeah. Just... fast. You guys are really fast."
Kenji laughed. "Gotta be fast! Can’t let them swarm us or we’re done for."
The party moved forward, stepping carefully over the bodies. The tunnel widened into a larger chamber filled with crude bedding made of straw and rags, piles of trash, and bones. The smell got significantly worse.
"Main chamber ahead," Kenji warned, raising his fist to signal a stop. "Expect more of them."
"Multiple heat signatures," Aria reported, her eyes glowing faintly as she used a detection spell. "Estimating six to eight hostiles."
As if responding to her words, eight goblins emerged from the shadows at the far end of the chamber. Behind them stood something bigger, a hobgoblin, easily a head taller than the others, wearing crude armor and wielding a notched sword.
The hobgoblin pointed directly at them with a gnarled finger. The goblins attacked.
Five charged the front line in a coordinated rush. Kenji engaged three immediately while Marcus intercepted two with his shield.
Two goblins tried to flank around toward Aria.
"[Frost Wave]!"
A wave of ice magic swept out from her staff. Both flanking goblins froze mid-stride, encased in ice.
The hobgoblin charged directly at Kenji, forcing him onto the defensive with a series of heavy strikes.
One goblin, noticed him standing in the rear position. It seemed to calculate for a moment, then changed direction mid-battle.
It charged straight at him.
"Uh—guys?!" Hiroshi called out, but no one could help. Everyone was fully engaged with their own opponents.
The goblin closed the distance rapidly. Twenty feet away.
Hiroshi drew his sword with fumbling hands.
Fifteen feet.
Ten feet.
The goblin swung its club in a wide arc.
Hiroshi tried to dodge but moved too slowly. The club connected with his shoulder, spinning him around. Before he could recover, the goblin kicked him square in the chest.
Hiroshi flew backward and slammed into the stone wall.
[HP: 100→95]
Pain exploded through his ribs, driving the air from his lungs. He gasped, trying to breathe.
The goblin advanced, club raised high for a finishing blow, its yellow eyes gleaming with malicious intelligence.
Hiroshi scrambled against the wall, couldn’t get his footing on the uneven floor.
The club descended in a brutal overhead strike.
He raised his sword desperately
Impact.
[ADAPTIVE EVOLUTION] ACTIVATED
White-hot pain surged through his entire body, not from the blow, but from within. System-wide agony as something fundamental changed in his neural pathways.
[Current Multiplier: x1.1]
[Strength temporarily enhanced]
And then suddenly.
[Analyzing combat pattern... Goblin Club Strike Lv.2 observed]
Time seemed to slow to a crawl. He could see every detail: the grain of the wooden club, the goblin’s snarling expression, the way its muscles tensed for the next attack.
The goblin wound up for another strike, confident in its kill.
But Hiroshi’s body moved on its own now, guided by the pattern his skill had just copied. He mirrored the goblin’s attack angle, understanding instinctively how to counter it.
He thrust forward using the goblin’s own movement pattern against it.
His sword pierced the goblin’s throat.
Its yellow eyes widened in surprise. There was an almost human recognition of its own death in that moment.
With a gurgling sound. Blood began pouring from the wound, warm and wet.
The goblin fell forward onto him.
Its weight was crushing. Warm blood soaked through the gaps in his damaged armor, the sensation making his skin crawl.
The goblin twitched and spasmed, dying slowly. Hiroshi stared into its yellow eyes, watching as the light faded and they turned glassy and empty.
[GOBLIN DEFEATED]
XP Gained: +12 (after curse penalty: +6) 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
LEVEL UP! Level 2 → Level 3
He pushed the corpse off with shaking hands, its dead weight rolling to the side with a wet thump.
The rest of the combat finished around him. Kenji killed the hobgoblin after a hard fight. Marcus finished the last two goblins.
Few minutes total from start to finish.
The party turned around.
Hiroshi was covered in blood, goblin blood, dark and reeking.
"Hiroshi?!" Kenji ran over, his face filled with concern.
"Brother! Are you hurt?!" Marcus was already kneeling beside him. "[Minor Heal]."
Golden light washed over Hiroshi, warm and soothing. The sharp pain in his chest faded to a dull ache, then disappeared entirely.
[HP: 95 → 100]
"Thanks," Hiroshi whispered, his voice hoarse.
"You leveled," Aria observed, "Congratulations."
---
One hours later, they reached the safe room at the end of Floor 1.
In total, they’d encountered twenty-five goblins. Hiroshi had killed four. The party had killed twenty-one.
He’d fought three more after that first kill. With [Adaptive Evolution] in play he was able to kill with ease. At the cost of agonizing pain.
He’d managed to copy [Dodge Lv.1] and [Basic Footwork Lv.1] from observing the goblins’ movements.
The safe room was a stark contrast to the rest of the dungeon. Glowing runes covered the walls, pulsing with magic. According to dungeon law, monsters couldn’t enter these sanctuaries. They were designed to give adventurers a place to rest between floors.
Kenji was still energized despite hours of fighting. "First floor clear! Great work, everyone!"
