Joe released a pent-up sigh of relief as he stared at the blue portal with shield and sword firmly clasped in hand. He had cut it close recharging his respawn skill sigil, but he had made it in the end with a few minutes to spare.

Now here he was again, ready to jump back into the first floor alone. His heart raced, thinking about the goblins waiting for him on the other side. He wished he had another couple of days to rest and prepare, but the heavens were relentless. His time was up.

Joe grabbed the small pack at his feet and strapped it around his back. It was filled with basic food supplies and sundries, enough to last a few days. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. He had contemplated buying more equipment, but with no guarantee he would even get through the first round, he loathed the idea of wasting more points.

Joe shook himself awake. He needed to focus. There were only five minutes left on the timer and he had no desire to see what would happen if he stayed beyond the allotted time limit. With everything packed and ready to go, Joe took one last look behind him and stepped through the portal, leaving the hall of beginnings for the second time.

The hall disappeared in a flash and Joe arrived on the first floor, his feet landing on the same soft green grass as last time. A sense of deja vu hit him as he turned his head left to right. It was eerily similar, except the landscape was back to a lush, pristine green state with no signs of any prior battle. Everything was peaceful, as though their fight had never even happened. Joe couldn't help but sigh in melancholy at the whole situation. Was this even real, or was it all an illusion? The surreal sense of seeing a place so full of death return to looking like a picture postcard made Joe want to laugh at the mockery of it all. He gripped his sword and shield to reaffirm his resolve, and readied himself for the first wave.

‘Ding’

"Welcome to the first floor - Prove yourself worthy of heaven's gifts. Survive to reach the second floor."

Floor Quest received:

Don't Die: Survive all five goblin waves. Reward: 5000 exp, 7000 DP Solo Warrior: Defeat the floor solo. Reward 15,000 exp, 20,000 DP

The quest changed? Joe blinked twice to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. The first quest remained the same. However, the kill quests had been replaced with a solo achievement quest that provided an additional bonus in both exp and points. It was a welcome replacement since the only way to pass this floor was to defeat all enemies solo anyway. Either Joe would get the reward, or he would die trying. A simple proposition. His only worry now was if the system would adjust the difficulty based on the number of participants.

He didn't have to wait long to find out. Lights appeared on the horizon, and the first batch of goblins spawned. He braced himself for the endless waves yet breathed out in relief once only ten lights appeared, spawning ten goblins—a much more manageable sum.

The goblins wore the same loincloth and held the same rusted dagger as before. They looked around in docile confusion until they saw the lone human standing in front of them. Instantly, their demeanor changed. They released a high pitch squeal and charged at Joe with fervent zeal. Last time, Joe had struggled to handle just one goblin. However, this time he was ready. He was level 5 with attributes to match. Joe's feet dug into the ground, and he sped off to meet their charge, refusing to give the goblins the initiative even if they were lower level. He raced across the field and smashed into the first row, sending them flying backward. He could feel the difference higher attributes made. His speed and strength greatly outmatched his level 1 opponents to the point their movements seemed slow. A few of the goblins tried to take the opportunity to swarm him; however, Joe quickly responded, using his short-sword to make quick work of any that came into range.

Joe wrought devastation as he tore into their lines. His ferocity caused the goblins to hesitate. Their aggressive nature turned almost passive, unsure whether to run or fight. The pause allowed Joe to set the pace. He drew on his [Sword Mastery] skill and began to execute several sword moves. The low levels of the goblins gave him the perfect opportunity to refine his swordsmanship. He lunged, parried, and slashed while slowly making work of the goblins one by one. Finally, he brought his sword down on the last goblin, slicing it through the neck and killing it in one go.

Joe slowly calmed his breathing, taking time to recover his breath. Thanks to the level difference, the battle had been significantly more manageable, but that didn't mean it was easy. He had come away with a few shallow cuts but nothing debilitating. However, his stamina was another matter. He was already out of breath after only one fight, and there were four more waves to go. He would need to try and regulate his pace lest he collapses from exhaustion before reaching the 5th wave. He quickly checked his experience gain but was saddened to see he only gained 500 exp in total, half the amount he had expected. A weak level 1 goblin had provided 100 exp the first time around, but now it only gave 50 exp. Was this a level penalty? Joe silently cursed the system for ruining any plans of power leveling against weaker opponents. If he wanted to continue leveling, he would have to climb the floors like everyone else.

The second wave arrived 5 minutes later. Joe stood poised as another ten goblins ran towards him while shrieking violently. Again, the weak lv1 goblins were gone, replaced with lv2 goblins equipped with rags of leather and short spears. Joe tried throwing a couple of rusted knives he had collected toward the oncoming group. Most flew wide or bounced off the poor excuses of armor they wore, but it at least helped to slow them down as they recoiled in fear at the oncoming projectiles.

After throwing the last knife, Joe hefted his sword and shield and readied to meet their oncoming charge. The goblins slammed into Joe, thrusting several spears in his direction. Joe used his shield to deflect their attacks, moving his shield from one area of his body to another in rapid succession. Joe planned to launch a counterattack, yet, he quickly found himself on the back foot. The level 2 goblins were weak, but they were relentless.

'Hah hah hah' Joe's breath soon became ragged as the goblins continued to suppress him on all sides, harrying him with their spears and forcing him on the defensive. Both his arms and legs were bleeding from several shallow wounds. He needed to try to switch things up before things got any worse. He decided to risk it all. He positioned his feet on the ground just as another two goblins charged at him. This time he caught both spear attacks with his shield. Using his foot, Joe kicked one of the goblins in the gut, sending it collapsing in pain. Joe moved in on the other goblin. He smashed its spear to the side with his sword, sending it flying out of its hand. With the opportunity now present, he quickly plunged his sword through its stomach, before ripping it out and dispatching it with a final swipe to the head.

Before Joe could celebrate, another three goblins lunged at him from the sides, using their comrade's death as a distraction. Joe found himself pinned, unable to block all three attacks. With no option available, he launched himself towards the closest goblin, smashing into it with his shield, and striking it on the head with his sword pommel. The goblin died on the spot with its head caved in from blunt force damage. However, the attack allowed the other two goblins to close in, stabbing Joe in the side and back with their spears.

Joe roared out in anger, causing the other goblins to pull back in hesitation. Wasn't the dumb human meant to cry out in fear? Joe used the pause to press forward. He pushed off against the ground and went careening into the goblins' flanks. His sword blurred as he slashed one goblin after another in a berserk rage. His 20 points in agility was too fast for the goblins to react. Soon, another five goblins lay on the floor, bleeding out from multiple stab wounds. Joe exited their ranks and stood dazed for a moment. He hadn’t expected his charge to work but the gambit paid off. With seven goblins either dead or wounded, the remaining three dropped their weapons and fled, losing any desire to stay and fight.

The rest of the battle went smoothly afterwards. It took Joe only a few minutes to chase down the remaining goblins and end them. Once done, he collapsed on the green grass, exhausted and bleeding. He opened up his status and clenched his fist in victory once he saw his level had increased to 6. He had earned another 750 exp after the level penalty was applied. He considered placing all his free points in vitality. An increase of 5 points would give his stamina and health a considerable boost, enough to keep him going. Yet he hesitated. He was only on wave two and had almost reached his limit. His level advantage would disappear once the goblins leveled up. Did he believe he could last another round let alone three more? He opened his pack and pulled out a bottle of water and another food bar while considering his options. Soon, his eyes wandered over to the Will stat.

The Will stat was a bit of an enigma. It didn't do anything to boost his strength or speed. Yet it proved to be a lifeline while respawning, helping to keep his mental state in check. If he was to fall again, this stat may be the key to helping him stay sane in the darkness. Ultimately Joe decided to hedge his bets. He placed one stat in strength, two in vitality, and two in willpower. He looked at his new status screen with satisfaction before confirming the selection.

Name: Joe Heraldson

Level: 6

Experience Points: 400/4270

Race: Human (F)

Grade: Mortal

Blessings: Heaven's Chosen

Strength: 20

Vitality: 19

Agility: 20

Will: 20

Spirit: 15

Free Stats: 0

A wave of energy flowed through his body, drilling into his skin and muscles, making them more resilient. The rush of power wasn't on the same level as last time when he had increased his stats by ten, but it felt good nonetheless. It helped ease his exhaustion and focus his mind off his injuries. He was now twice as strong as a regular human across all his stats, and he could feel the effects. Even the pain from his wounds felt more bearable than before. Joe wasn't sure if spreading his stats so thin was a good idea, but there was no time to second guess his decision with the next wave about to start. Joe heaved himself up and prepared for the third wave.

Another ten goblins spawned and charged at him with spears and swords swinging wildly. They ran while cackling with smiles on their faces, excited to face a human already near death's door. Joe calmed his breathing and responded in kind, running to meet their charge straight on. He decided to place everything on the line this round, all or nothing. A few goblins hurled spears at him, sending them whistling through the air toward the patch of ground in front of him. Yet Joe effortlessly deflected the oncoming missiles, smashing them away with a light slap of his shield. With a burst of speed, Joe blasted into the first goblin without stopping. He waded through the group, whirling his sword around him, deflecting attacks and dishing out blows to any that came too close. Goblins tried to jump him, but Joe reacted quickly, slicing them down in the air with his sword's edge. He rushed from goblin to goblin, using his higher agility and strength to cut limbs and leave wounds. Yet it wasn't without cost. More cuts and stab wounds piled up over Joe's body. The goblins slashed out wildly, desperately attempting to take their pound of flesh. Unlike the last wave, these goblins didn’t flinch back or retreat. They relentlessly attacked without end. Soon, Joe’s body became a bleeding mess, but the strategy paid dividends as goblins fell left and right. Joe's lungs and wounds burned in rebellion from the intense excursion, but Joe's will allowed him to push through.

Before he knew it, Joe was left standing in the middle of the field, looking at the scene of carnage he had wrought. Goblins lay screaming on the grassy field, attempting to crawl away while holding their bleeding wounds. Joe panted heavily, finally collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. His vision was hazy from continuous blood loss. He wondered if he should move now to finish off the goblins for the exp but decided to leave them. He could barely move, plus most would eventually succumb to their wounds. Who knows, perhaps it would help prevent the start of the next wave. The Tower didn't like to make things easy, but there wasn't much to lose at this point. He had reached his limit. With the last of his energy, Joe ripped a few pieces of cloth from his shirt to create makeshift bandages, drank some more water, then closed his eyes and waited.

Ten minutes passed, then one hour. By the time six hours had passed, the sounds of screaming had quieted down. Only a few goblins were left whimpering on the ground while waiting for their eventual demise. Joe guzzled the rest of his water and chewed through a few more food rations. His plan of leaving the goblins alive had worked. Who would have guessed? Perhaps the Tower didn't care after all. It made sense, the Heavens wanted to create soldiers for their holy war. It wouldn't make sense to mercilessly kill off good warriors just because they needed some time to recover.

Joe changed his soggy bandages for new ones. His wounds had bled continuously for the first few hours causing Joe to pass out. When he awoke, his wounds were still gory, but they were at least no longer endlessly bleeding. It seemed his investment in vitality was good for something. However, his injuries would still take days or weeks to recover. From what Joe could tell, vitality only increased the body's natural healing process. It didn't magically heal wounds like HP regen from games.

Either way, Joe rejoiced. The discovery of extending each round may be his ticket to finally getting through this floor.