chapter 10 - web-noval

Alden logged in again. This time, he didn't head toward the level 10 monster area but instead walked toward the steep cliff behind the Rookie Village.

In the Rookie Village, besides the regular monsters, there was a hidden dungeon.

The reward for clearing it for the first time was extremely generous.

He walked over, and this area was devoid of monsters.

Plus, since it was a cliffside, no players usually came here.

In his previous life, it wasn't until a week after the game launched that someone accidentally discovered this dungeon.

The conditions for unlocking this dungeon were simple: kill a Treant here.

There were several large trees around, and among them, one of them was a Treant.

If you weren't paying attention, you might miss it entirely.

"I've found you."

Disguised Treant (Normal): Level 10.

HP: 2,100/2,100

Attack: 32

Skills: Disguise

This was an extremely weak monster. Alden raised his hand and shot at it.

Though he didn't aim for a weak point, killing the Disguised Treant only took three arrows.

Ding! "You have killed a Disguised Treant. Experience points +43."

Ding! "Due to your killing of a hidden monster in the Rookie Village, the hidden dungeon [Twisted Jungle] will now open."

Ding! "You are the first player to open the dungeon. A server-wide announcement will be made. Do you wish to hide your name?"

"No."

"Server-wide announcement: Congratulations to player Frost King for successfully opening the hidden dungeon [Twisted Jungle] in the Rookie Village. He is the first player to do so. Special rewards: Attribute Points +10, gold +10, Black Iron equipment +1. This announcement is made with the hope that all players will continue to strive forward."

With the server-wide announcement, the Twisted Jungle dungeon appeared for all players in the Rookie Village.

Alden spent all 10 of his Attribute Points on attack speed. Then his gaze fell on the black iron weapon reward.

Savanna Longbow: Black Iron

Equipped Requirements: None, Archer class

Effect 1: Attack +65

Effect 2: HP +500

Effect 3: Lifesteal +2%

Durability: 100

Alden facepalmed. Another useless weapon.

Attack speed, attack speed, attack speed!! Couldn't they give him a weapon that boosts attack speed instead?

His life was truly a tragic one.

While Alden was checking the rewards, players all over the server were freaking out. Especially those who had already left the Rookie Village and immediately regretted their decision.

"What the hell, there's a dungeon in the Rookie Village? If I'd known, I wouldn't have left the village for anything."

"Heh, luckily, I'm leveling slowly. I can go farm the dungeon now."

"The first-time dungeon clear must give big rewards. Is anyone looking to form a team? The Dream Guild is recruiting powerful tanks."

Alden had now reached the entrance to the dungeon.

In Twilight of the Gods, dungeons were categorized into four difficulty levels: Easy, Hard, Nightmare, and Hell.

The Twisted Jungle dungeon at level 10 had increasing rewards based on difficulty. The higher the difficulty, the better the rewards.

"You're it. Hell Level."

Ding! "Warning, Hell Level dungeons are not recommended for solo play. Are you sure you want to continue?"

"Yes."

Hell-level dungeons were known for their high difficulty, but was Alden afraid? No way. Fortune favors the bold!

At his current level, Alden wasn't technically capable of soloing a Hell-level dungeon. However, he still had his top-tier skills from his previous life.

As soon as Alden entered the dungeon, he saw a large number of Twisted Treants appearing ahead.

Twisted Treant (Elite): Level 10

HP: 8,500

Attack: 129

Skills: Revive, Vine Whirlwind, Thorn Bind

These elite-level Twisted Treants had significantly higher attributes than the ones Alden had fought before.

Whoosh!

Critical Hit!

-1812

At the same time, the Lightning Jump was activated, damaging the surrounding Twisted Treants.

-362!

The damage numbers were high, and with each of Alden's shots being a critical hit, it took only five arrows to kill one Treant.

Moreover, with Lightning Jump upgraded to two stars, the damage, range, and number of targets hit had increased.

Ding! "You have killed an Elite Twisted Treant. Experience points +351."

Since this was a higher-level kill and a dungeon monster, the experience gained was quite generous.

Alden maintained a safe distance from the Twisted Treants, utilizing his attack range to avoid getting hit.

Especially with the Thorn Bind skill, which, if hit, could cause severe crowd control effects. He had to be extra cautious.

Ding! "You have reached level 8. Attribute Points +5."

He allocated all the points to Attack Speed. Meanwhile, the first level of the dungeon was cleared.

Passing through the glowing gate, Alden entered the dungeon's second level.

As soon as he arrived, dozens of Twisted Treants charged toward him. Not only that, but he also saw ten Treant Overlords.

Treant Overlord (Elite): Level 10

HP: 35,280

Attack: 412

Skills: Thorn Bind, Revival, Vine Whirlwind, Frenzied Strike.

This boss had one additional skill and much higher attributes than the regular Elite Twisted Treants.

Whoosh!

Alden continued with his straightforward attacks, pulling the Treants to maintain a safe distance from their Thorn Bind range.

He greatly appreciated the Basic Attack Amplification skill for enabling him to stay far enough away from the Treants, which made kiting them much easier.

However, his movement speed was still a significant weakness.

Three Treant Overlords simultaneously cast Thorn Bind on him.

-823

-821

-823

Huge damage numbers appeared, and he was immediately immobilized.

Alden grimaced. It was as he feared—the continuous attacks started pouring in.

-123

-421

-423

The damage numbers kept appearing, and he couldn't break free of the Thorn Bind, still active. In just two seconds, he lost over 13,000 HP.

The only fortunate part was that the Twisted Treants weren't very smart. They just used whatever skills they had available. The rest of the Twisted Treants couldn't reach Alden due to their positioning.

Otherwise, with such sustained control, he could have been killed.

There's no dispel skill. This hurts.

My movement speed is just too low.

Alden silently thought to himself. When the control ended, he quickly repositioned to create some distance.

At that moment, an arrow hit one of the Treant Overlords, interrupting its casting.

"Phew."

Alden let out a sigh of relief. That was too close. He could have been wiped out right there if he had been slightly less careful.

Losing a level was one thing, but if someone else had stolen the first dungeon clear, it would have been a huge blow to his pride.

Whoosh!

Alden focused intently. Before, he was more focused on dealing damage, but now, he had to position himself carefully to dodge the incoming skills while also interrupting the Treant Overlords' abilities. It required sharp reflexes and constant awareness of the situation.