The cave I enter is smaller than the one outside. It's about as high as when I first entered the Dungeon, maybe thirty to fifty feet in height, and around a hundred across, though I can't tell for sure due to the trees in here. Just like the ones outside, they contain fruits that glow, their light not dimmed as much as outside. Unlike out there, the undergrowth isn't as heavy, though there are some boulders here and there to make up for it. A small stream snakes its way from one end of the cave down to the other.

Leaning against one of the boulders near the creek is a guy who looks about my age. There's a wound on his head for sure based on the dried blood that's flowed down it and soaked into his brown hair. He's covered in quiet a few injuries, most of which look like minor cuts and scrapes, but also plenty of bruises and what look like were probably very strong hits from rocks.

Did this guy get into a fight with the stone-shot squirrels and lose? If he's not a fighter, why did he come into the Dungeon? Judging by how loosely his clothes are hanging off of him, he's pretty skinny, so probably a bit on the weak side.

Despite that, he's probably pretty cute when he's not covered in blood and grime. Shaking my head to clear those thoughts away, I cautiously approach him. This could be a trap, he could be faking being injured and unconscious.

I don't notice anyone else nearby, though, and he doesn't react when I nudge him with a foot. After nudging him again, I pull off my bags and kneel beside him, keeping the knife ready just in case as I grab his shoulder and gently shake him until he rouses.

Damn, those green eyes are beautiful.

Enough, Carter.

His eyes are unfocused, but the moment he realizes there's someone here, they fill with panic, terror filling his face as he attempts to scramble away, only falling over in the process, before starting to pull himself away with his arms, his legs weakly moving to assist. He's covered in enough blood that I can't really tell.

"Leave me alone!" He cries out. "Haven't you guys tormented me enough already?"

People were tormenting him? He's a victim, too?

Silently, I watch him for a few moments before he starts to realize I'm not whoever he thought I was.

"Who-who are you?" He asks, his back pressed against a tree, a stick held up between us as if that could actually stop me.

It probably makes him feel safer, though, so I won't fault him for it. I once used a stuffed teddy bear in the same way, and that's much less effective as a weapon.

"My name's Carter," I answer. "I came across this Dungeon to complete a Quest. I have first-aid kits, if you need help."

For a few moments, he stares at me in suspicion, but then slowly nods.

I start removing my bags. He's too trusting, but I'm still going to keep alert, just in case. Opening up a duffel, I pull out the first-aid kit within, along with a few towels and a bowl, then set them aside. Carefully, I help the guy move back over to the rock – it's closer to the stream – and get to work stripping him down.

"Do you have to?" He asks as I start slicing off his shirt, his voice a little slurred.

That head injury probably needs better treatment than I can manage with a quick check. It will help me get information out of him to let me know if I can trust him for now or not. Regardless of the answers, I'll probably leave him once I finish treating him.

"Yes," I answer just as I get to a part where I have to carefully cut the shirt away from an injury. "Your clothes have dried to the wounds. I've got clean clothes in my bags, you can put them on after we clean your injuries. What happened?"

"I was attacked by a bunch of squirrels," he mutters. "One of them was bigger than the rest, and its pebbles flew fast and hard. It ambushed me with about ten others."

So a sort of boss? Or just an elite stone-shot squirrel?

"What about in here?"

"Nothing so far," he murmurs. "I think it's been… a day? It's hard to tell?"

"Ask the System, it might answer."

"How long's it been?" He asks, his eyes unfocusing for a few moments. "Twenty-eight hours, seventeen minutes since I came into this room."

"How long have you been in the Dungeon?" I ask.

"About three days," he answers.

"You're not a fighter," I say. "Why did you come into a Dungeon? Or did you not know what it was?"

"I was running from some guys from school," he answers. "Stumbled through the entrance without realizing it."

Why was he being chased?

"So they're here as well?" I ask.

"Didn't follow me in," he answers. "I've been trying to get through here since, but the boss at the end is… too much for me."

"What's the boss?" I ask.

"The big daddy of all squirrels," he answers. "It's in another cave, further in. Don't remember where. There's an exit at the other end, but it's sealed with a stone covered in glowing rooms. Didn't enter the room in case it sealed behind me for the fight."

"Can I see your Status?" I ask.

Now he's completely naked. I removed his underwear, too, even though I probably didn't need to. That happened mostly because I got distracted by asking him questions and focusing on his slow, slurred speech. He's hard at the moment, too. Hm. I'm bigger. I was hoping to see an uncut one, too, since that's what's common in the area. I guess I'm out of luck on that for now.

"Sure," he mumbles, then a Status appears in my vision.

Name: Lucas Nash Sex: Male Age: 18 Species: Human Level: 0 Experience: 15% Mana: 20/20 Mana Regeneration: 0.000/second Aura: 7/7 Aura Regeneration: 0.000/second Strength: 7 Constitution: 7 Agility: 7 Vitality: 9 Magic: 0 Mind: 0 Inspection: 3 Charm: 0

Lucas, huh? And he's a year younger than me, though it could be anywhere from barely a year younger to almost two years younger, depending on when his birthday is. Mine's in November. He's a cute twink, though. One who's pretty badly wounded.

Those Attributes are pretty low, though I'm willing to bet I was weaker than him when I was a year younger than him. Not from age, but… because of stuff. I've spent the last two years with some combat training, and it helped build up my physical strength, my agility, and my body's toughness. He must not do much in the way of exercise. How's he so skinny, though? I'd expect it to be the reverse.

His Inspection's higher than mine. I'm jealous.

"I'm going to build a fire so I can heat some water," I tell Lucas. "It will help with cleaning your injuries."

"Thanks," he mumbles. "I'll try to get rid of this while you're doing that."

He lifts a hand and makes a vague gesture, and if I'm not mistaken, his face is a little more flushed than it was before. Is he trying to say he's going to jack off?

"Don't jack off while injured like this," I say. "You're starved and probably haven't been able to replace your blood all that well."

"Right," he says. "I think I'll just focus on something else."

"Can I see your spellbooks?" I ask as I start gathering up sticks and branches from around the new camp.

"My what?"

"Try to pull up your spellbook," I tell him. "Then share it with me. It's a list of all the spells you have, though you can divide it by type."

[From [Lucas Nash]] Spellbook

No spells at all? He's slightly less of a threat, now that I know he can't just fling a spell at me. Unless he's faking how badly he's injured, he can't grab one of my knives and throw it at me. I do have the [Knife Throwing] Skill, so I can check that, too. Taking advantage of his disoriented state to determine my safety level makes me feel no guilt.

"Can I see your Skills?" I ask.

"Sure," he answers. "Only got six of 'em at the moment."

[From [Lucas Nash]] Skillbook General Sexual

Uh… there's a sexual set of Skills? I mean, I guess it makes sense the System would give us Skills for mundane things like that, too, but it was still unexpected. Surprisingly, I find myself able to select his options like I would mine.

[From [Lucas Nash]] General Skills Food Chopping Level 4 Mincing Level 3 Cooking Level 3 Slicing Level 3

His General Skills are focused on cooking? I don't have any cooking Skills, but then, I also haven't done any 'real' cooking since this whole thing started. I'm also not that great of a cook, considering I put little effort in learning how. I return to the previous Menu and open up the other Skillbook.

[From [Lucas Nash]] Sexual 5 Dick Masturbation Level 2 Anal Masturbation Level 3

While the first one might be something a straight guy would earn, the second one probably wouldn't be that high for a straight guy unless he's gotten devoted to figuring out how best to pleasure himself through his ass out of pure curiosity.

Ah. That might explain why he's hard. Unlike his extremely skinny frame, I'm actually relatively fit, and my shirt doesn't do much to hide that. Does he find me attractive? I've not handled being asked out well over the last couple of years, it's why I'm still single.

Maybe I was focused too hard on training myself since the System arrived. I probably have at least the same Level in [Dick Masturbation], though I'm not sure why it's called that instead of 'penile' or 'penis' or 'phallic', considering the Skill description uses 'penis'. Perhaps the System looked for a common word?

"I'll admit," I tell him as I start building the fire, pulling stones from the stream to act as the fire ring. They're small, but they'll do. "I only have three in my Skillbook, under the Combat Skills. [Martial Arts], [Knife Combat], and [Knife Throwing]."

"So you're a warrior?" Lucas asks.

"Sure," I answer. "I mostly learned it for self-defense before all of this, though. I came in here a wizard. Well, according to the System, a [Wizard Apprentice]."

With his lacking Skills, I doubt he's any Traits other than [Human]. I do find it curious that his Sexual Skills have a number listing his cumulative Level in them, though. My Combat Skills do, as do my individual Spellbooks. I've yet to figure out why.

"A [Wizard Apprentice]?" He asks as I fill a pot with water, then use branches to hang it over the fire.

"It's a Trait," I explain. "They grant immediate bonuses and bonuses upon gaining Levels. You acquire it by reaching a cumulative 10 Levels in spells, with only spells whose Skills are Level 2 and above counting."

Lucas frowns for a few moments.

"How did you figure that out?" He asks.

"The System has a Quest feature," I explain. "Some of them seem designed to help us learn how things work and obtain Traits. There might be one for a chef."

Lucas goes quiet, and I wait for the water to heat up, then start cleaning his injuries with one of the white hand towels I have in my bags, using the water to clean it between uses. He doesn't seem to be nodding off, so I don't keep talking to him. If he starts to, though, I'll resume conversation. Until he's treated, it's better for him to remain conscious. That will make it easier to know if something's going wrong.

Jeez, this guy is so skinny. Are his cooking Skills something he developed over time, rather than as being an actual chef? Are those things I've missed out on, then?

It takes me over an hour to finish cleaning his injuries, then applying ointments, stitching, and anything else I need to do to treat his wounds. I even gain a [Stitching] Skill, though it's only Level 1. He apparently can move his legs, it's just taking him more effort due to his dazed state.

"What's your name?" Lucas asks once I start cleaning out the pot.

His words are still slurry, and he looks a bit dazed. He probably needs food immediately. Fortunately, I have food in my bag, though I've never tried fishing before, so there won't be proper meat, and he probably can't chew jerky right now considering how weakened he is from his injuries.

"Carter," I answer.

"Are you a local?" He asks.

"Yeah."

"I don't recognize you from school."

"I turn twenty in November," I tell him. "We wouldn't have been there together."

"High school is four grades," he says. "And they mingle. Our school is small enough everyone at least knew who everyone was. Were you home-schooled?"

Damn small towns.

"I'm only a local in that I've lived here for about a year and half," I tell him. "I would have finished senior year at the high school, but I didn't start to learn to read until I was seventeen, so I was kept out."

"Why not?" He asks.

Because that was when I was rescued.

"I don't want to get into it," I mutter as I start going through my packs. "I don't have much for food that would really help you. You need some meat, and all I have on that front is dried jerky."

"Are you… planning on leaving me here?" He sounds scared.

I kind of was planning on leaving him here. I don't do people very well, and the only reason Greta got me to talk with her and the only reason Logan managed to wiggle his way into my heart was because they were persistent in their apologies with very delicious cookies. I was going to leave him some first-aid supplies to help himself with, as well as some food and maybe a bottle of water and some purification tablets.

"Why were you being chased?" I ask him.

"Bullies are bullies," he mutters. "Some homophobic assholes from school decided that since things were in chaos, they could just beat the shit out of me. Told me no one would ever want me in their Party, and I'm pretty sure they'd have done some worse things to me had I not managed to escape into here."

He's being sincere, as far as I can tell.

Parties? I'd forgotten about those, but those are a classic part of gaming. Perhaps I can create one? Create Party?

Party Created: Carter Elm's Party Notice: Choose all persons within the Dungeon you wish to be within your Party. All other persons will be ejected from the Dungeon.

…what?