After resolving himself to temper his body, Wilhelm didn't waste a single minute. His old training techniques were out-of-date and useless for his current prowess, so he developed an entirely new training regiment. He practiced his dagger skills in the morning, his hand-to-hand combat in the afternoon, and exercised in the evening. It was a simple, yet effective routine.

He would exercise in the mana-filled water, practice his daggers on the nearby monsters, and shadow box to strengthen his hand-to-hand combat. In his downtime, before bed, he attempted to improve his sleight of hand and acrobatic expertise further. All of this was so that he could become well-versed in his fundamentally new body.

Like this, days slowly turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Wilhelm enjoyed his harmonious days of only training, eating, and sleeping on repeat.

Unlike before, when he was stead-fastly attempting to escape the dungeon, Wilhelm was progressing at a much slower pace. His stats had only gone up a few times in the past few months, but his expertise had grown astronomically. The streamlined muscles that decorated his body was a testament to this fact.

However, not only was his process different, but the way he viewed things changed a little as well, albeit slightly. Perhaps it was due to his class advancement, but Wilhelm was much more relaxed than before. No, it couldn't even be considered relaxed. It was both refinement and sophistication. He completed most tasks in an elegant manner, except when burying bodies.

Nevertheless, all good things must come to an end. "I suppose it's about time.. the monsters on the second floor have grown scarce."

Wilhelm extended his shoulders and tied his long hair into a pony-tail, using a piece of torn string. His now red eyes glimmered within the dark as he made his way out of the enclave. It had been somewhat of a home to him, but he felt no emotional attachment to it; he always knew that leaving had been inevitable.

Strong confidence exuded from Wilhelm as he made his way through the narrow caverns, up to the next floor. Over the last few months, he had mapped out not only the entire second floor but also got increasingly more used to the dark atmosphere. Of course, his 'Night-Eye' ability made this objective much easier than it should have been for just any ordinary traveler.

Like this, Wilhelm gradually made his way up the spiral staircase made out of weathered limestone. Vines intertwined with each other and intersected around each step, revealing an almost beautiful passage. Wilhelm couldn't help but admire the small flowers which were flourishing on every additional step.

It was a stark contrast in comparison to the rest of the lower floors; it was mesmerizing. Yet, the steady footsteps didn't falter in the slightest.

'I suppose not everything inside of this dungeon is repulsive.'

Wilhelm thought.

He didn't squander much more time on the staircase and soon arrived in front of a thick, wooden door. It was relatively dull and didn't appear to possess any out-of-the-ordinary characteristics. In fact, it was so casual that Wilhelm couldn't help but squint his eyes and grasp the dagger at his waist.

Wilhelm lightly pushed on the door as he held his daggers close. Although he had mapped the entire second floor, he never trespassed the staircase. Everything behind the door was unseen and new territory to explore. As such, Wilhelm strained his eyes to see what was inside of the darkroom.

'Nothing?'

As he thought to here, a sconce suddenly lit up on the eastern side of the spherical chamber. It didn't stop there, a few more flames were lit, and the entire room began to vibrate with life. It wasn't enormous, but the flickering flames emanated a slightly eerie atmosphere.

Wilhelms muscles tensed up as he observed the dark figure in the middle of the room. It wasn't nearly as grotesque or excessive in size as the rest of the monsters in the dungeon. No, it was normal.. as if it were the silhouette of a human. White hair cascaded down the unknown figure's shoulders and drooped down to the ground.

"Welcome to my lair, human," a deep voice reverberated throughout the lit halls.

Wilhelm raised his daggers and waited for the strange being to finish its speech. Of course, dallying wasn't his primary intention, so he scanned for any weaknesses and possible escape routes while the thing continued to talk. If he had learned anything in the dungeon, it was to use the overflowing arrogance of these creatures against them.

"My name is Althan'aral, the lord of disharmony and displacement, " he paused, "a mere shadow of my former self.. Sentenced to serve here for the rest of my miserable life."

Wilhelm didn't immediately reply as Althan'aral slowly turned his body toward him. He looked similar to humans, disregarding the ash-like skin and violet eyes. Long, pointy ears decorated the side of the elf-like creature's head, alongside intricate tattoos that covered its face and shirtless body. It was clearly not human, but it was the closest thing to a man that Wilhelm had seen in months.

"You.. are you an enemy, or an ally?" Wilhelm inquired with a suspicious voice. He was not one to deny information or help, but he was also not easily fooled. Judging by the man's words, not only was he imprisoned, but he referred to himself as some lord.

The elf sighed, "If I were still alive, I would have certainly assisted you on the path that you are currently walking on," he replied, "alas, my soul has been chained to dozens of regulations and rules. I cannot control my body nor my magic."

Hearing this, Wilhelm took a step back and prepared for battle. There was not a single trace of sympathy inside of his red eyes.

"Fret not human; this low-level dungeon would never face you against someone like me," the elf quickly explained, "I am a guide so-to-speak, one that will give you a few trials."

After his words ended, Wilhelm could feel his mind shake. The walls inside of the chamber disappeared one by one, followed by the delicately placed tile. That was just the beginning. Soon, the entire roof vanished into thin air as well, following the rest of the halls.

"Enthralling.." Wilhelm muttered.

It was replaced by a cloudless blue sky, full of vitality and life. A cool breeze swept across the lands and fluttered the blades of grass, carrying a few packs of birds within the wind. Pine blanketed the grounds and wafted up a pleasing aroma, teasing Wilhelm's nose. If you included the sound of chittering squirrels and singing birds, it was possibly one of the most relaxing places he had ever borne witness to.

"Now human, it is time for you to start my first trial," The elf interrupted Wilhelm's train of thought, "depending on how well you do during my three trials, varying set of rewards will be granted to you."

Wilhelm glanced at the elf and edged him to continue — he was quite aware of the massive difference in power between them.

"There are many different grades you can achieve during each trial; some will bestow you much better trophies than others," he paused, "of course, if you happen to achieve the highest grade, S, successfully, then you will be given a gift by me, personally."

Then, with a clap of the elf's hands, the scenery once again began to change. "I wish you luck, human. The first trial is relatively simple; survive!"

Wilhelm wasn't even given a chance to question the elf before he disappeared, leaving Wilhelm alone in what appeared to be a forest. Many questions irked the man, but he cooled down his thought as he focused on the task at hand.

"This damned world is full of pompous idiots.." he whispered, dejectedly, "all of them speak in some sort of code and fluff up their words. None of them explain a single thing correctly; they just make up more and more mysteries," he continued with an exasperated sigh.

Suddenly, while Wilhelm was busy cursing the damnable elf, a dozen green eyes appeared within the darkness; hungry beasts.

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Wilhelm did not miss such a sight. He positioned his back against a robust tree and raised his daggers. A bitter smile formed on his lips, "Ah, well, here we go again.."