Apocalyptic Extra

I walked into the dungeon after the fairy disappeared, it was dark but the blue crystals attached to the walls were a small source of light and soon i approached a large room.

"I didn't expect to end up in a tutorial dungeon," I continued, forcing my legs to move forward. "In Mana Apocalypse, these dungeons are ridiculously rare. The protagonist, Maxwell, only managed to stumble into one during his first solo dungeon dive. And even then, it was a complete fluke."

But here I was, in a place designed to guide newcomers and, more importantly, weed out the weak.

The dungeon room stretched out before me—large, circular, with jagged stalactites dripping faint droplets of water onto the uneven stone floor. Puddles of stagnant water reflected the faint crystal glow, creating ghostly ripples on the cavern walls.

I scanned the room cautiously. In the novel, tutorial dungeons weren't meant to kill you outright, but they would push you to the brink if you weren't careful. There were usually patterns, signs, or hints hidden in plain sight.

And then, it started.

A low hum reverberated through the cavern floor. Thin lines of glowing blue runes spread outward from the center of the room, forming intricate geometric patterns. A chill ran down my spine.

And then a group of goblins spawned…yeah that's a bit of a problem, goblins are weal low level monsters in the apocalypse…but they are still menaces to normal people….especially women.

I held my sword tightly and engaged, the goblins immediately ran towards my way, they were making strange sounds.

I concentrated and decided to not panic. I ran towards the goblins making the first move.

One of the goblins, holding a knife ran towards me with a crazed fervor as it arrived upon me, i immediately swinged my sword. "Cut"

My sword glowed a silver light and the goblin stayed still in its attack position before a thin line of blood appeared across his chest.

Then it's chest was separated from its body. "hah i killed one no-ugh."

It hurt, it felt like my entire arm was burning i turned to look at my shoulder and saw an arrow lodged in it.

"Damn it, it's poisonous"I clenched my teeth as a wave of nausea and burning heat radiated from the arrow lodged in my shoulder. My grip on the sword faltered for a split second, but I forced my trembling fingers to hold on. Poisoned arrows were a signature goblin tactic—cheap, dirty, and brutally effective against unprepared adventurers.

The goblins chattered and cackled in their guttural language, their sharp teeth glinting in the faint blue light. From behind the group, a smaller goblin archer was already nocking another arrow, its beady eyes locked on me.

Think, Roland. Don't freeze up.

In Mana Apocalypse, poison from goblin arrows wasn't instant death, but it was debilitating. I had maybe ten minutes before my muscles would start locking up and my vision would blur.

I gritted my teeth and yanked the arrow out with a sharp tug. Agony flared in my shoulder, but I couldn't afford hesitation.

I had ten minutes before i go unconscious, i have to kill these goblins before i faint. I ran towards the rest of the gonlins.

there were four of them left and i had no more mana except for the passive effect of Cutting. The goblins laughed, this time all of them were running towards me.

And soon i was surrounded by goblins. The one with the bow aimed at me, the rest had daggers.

My breathing was ragged, my shoulder burned, and my vision was starting to blur at the edges. The poison was working faster than I expected.

The goblins were smart enough to coordinate—or at least instinctively understand the advantage of numbers. The archer stayed at a distance, arrow nocked and ready, while the three dagger-wielding goblins circled me like predators closing in on wounded prey.

If I go down, it won't be without a fight.

I adjusted my grip on the sword and scanned their movements. Goblins weren't disciplined fighters, but their small size and frantic speed made them hard to track.

One of them lunged.

I sidestepped, letting its dagger graze my side, and brought my sword down in a diagonal slash. My blade cut deep into its shoulder, and with a sickening squelch, the goblin crumpled to the ground.

But my opening left me vulnerable.

A second goblin darted in from behind, its rusty dagger aimed for my lower back.

Move!

I twisted just in time, the blade slicing across my side instead of piercing me. The pain was sharp and immediate, but I clenched my teeth and retaliated with a desperate swing. My sword caught its neck, and the goblin fell with a gurgled cry.

Two down.

But my body was slowing. My breath was shallow, my poisoned arm was beginning to go numb, and my legs felt like they were filled with lead.

The third dagger-wielding goblin seized the chance. It charged straight at me, dagger held high.

In a moment of pure instinct, I raised my sword and thrust it forward.

The blade pierced the goblin's chest. Its wide yellow eyes locked with mine for a brief second before it went limp, sliding off my blade.

Three down. One left.

The archer.

But I had no time to catch my breath. The goblin archer had already drawn its bowstring, and its crooked mouth twisted into a cruel grin.

It released the arrow.

I couldn't dodge. My body simply refused to move fast enough.

This is it.

But at the last moment, my body tilted just enough for the arrow to miss my heart. Instead, it buried itself deep into my side.

I staggered, nearly dropping my sword as the searing pain bloomed across my ribs.

The goblin archer screeched in victory, tossing its bow aside and drawing a small rusted knife as it rushed toward me.

No… you're not killing me. Not here.

I forced my feet to move, one agonizing step at a time, meeting the goblin halfway.

When it lunged, I twisted my body—ignoring the scream of pain from my wounds—and brought my sword down in one final desperate swing.

"Cut!"

My blade flared faintly with light one last time as it cleaved through the goblin's skull. The creature froze mid-motion, its knife inches from my face, before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

The silence that followed was deafening.

The four goblins lay scattered around me, their lifeless bodies soaking the cavern floor in dark green blood. My knees buckled, and I collapsed onto the cold stone floor.

My breathing came in shallow gasps, and my vision flickered. The poison was still spreading, and now my wounds were adding to the problem.

[….]

[...Weak]

[You won't survive]

[You will die just like everyone]

[Your talent is none]

[Your mana potential is zero]

[Your mindset is weak]

[You are…pathetic]

[But you deserve a reward for this life and death battle]

[For entering the dungeon, you will be completely healed,For killing the goblins, you have received a reinforced Katana[F], For surviving, you have recieved a low density mana crystal]

[May you atleast survive with such a basic build]

The moment the final words echoed in my head, a brilliant golden light enveloped me. It wasn't warm, nor was it cold—it felt… neutral, like an indifferent force simply performing a task.

My wounds began to close before my eyes. The burning pain in my shoulder and ribs faded, and the numbness from the poison disappeared entirely. My ragged breathing stabilized, and for the first time since entering this dungeon, I felt… whole.

When the light faded, I was lying on my back, staring up at the jagged cavern ceiling. My sword, now faint and dull, rested beside me. But there was something new next to it—a gleaming katana.

I sat up slowly, reaching for the weapon. Its blade shimmered faintly under the dim crystal light, a subtle silvery glow running along its edge. It was light, perfectly balanced in my grip, and as I held it, a faint vibration hummed in the blade.

[Reinforced Katana (F)]

Grade: F

Durability: 100/100

Special Effect: Minor Mana Conductivity

Mana conductivity… I couldn't even use mana properly yet, but this weapon was already preparing me for the day I could.

Next to the katana was a small, glowing stone—a low-density mana crystal. It was about the size of a marble, glowing a faint blue.

[Low-Density Mana Crystal]

Consumable. Can be absorbed to slightly increase mana capacity.

In Mana Apocalypse, even the smallest mana crystals were invaluable to beginners. This was a stepping stone—a chance to build a proper foundation.

Also this system of information observation was only for dungeons, there is no system in mana apocalypse.

It was only raw skill and knowledge, The dungeon looks like it doesn't want me in it anymore so a portal should be appearing

A faint hum echoed through the chamber, and I felt a shift in the air. The runes scattered across the cavern floor flickered before aligning into a single circular pattern in front of me.

"A portal."

In Mana Apocalypse, tutorial dungeons always had one final mercy—a way out. Whether you survived by wit, luck, or sheer stubbornness, the dungeon would eject you if it deemed you unfit for deeper challenges.

The shimmering blue portal swirled in place, faint arcs of light dancing around its edges. It felt stable, reliable—like the dungeon itself was urging me to leave.

I looked down at my new katana, its silvery edge glinting faintly in the crystal light. In my other hand, the low-density mana crystal pulsed softly. These weren't just rewards; they were investments. The dungeon had patched me up and sent me away with tools to survive—because it knew I wasn't ready for what lay deeper.

"If I stayed… I'd die. Simple as that."

Dragging myself to my feet, I took a final glance around the cavern. The bodies of the goblins still lay where they fell, the faint smell of blood and poison hanging in the damp air.

I tightened my grip on the katana and stepped toward the portal.

As I crossed the threshold, a wave of cold washed over me, followed by a sensation of weightlessness. The light swallowed me whole, and for a brief moment, there was nothing but silence and swirling blue light.