The chamber shook as the Death Knight's final evolution began.
Its skull split open, revealing a cursed crystal heart, black as obsidian but pulsing with violet light. Chains of runes erupted from the ground, lashing onto its body, as if the dungeon itself was restraining the monster's true form. Yet one by one, the chains shattered.
The system's voice thundered in Belial's mind:
[Warning: Floor Guardian—Limit Break Evolution Initiated.]
[Classification: Abyssal Death Knight, Tier—Unknown.]
The knight's armor now dripped molten shadow, reforming into jagged spikes. Its greatsword grew into a colossal zweihander, carved with glowing crimson runes that oozed with death mana. The corrupted mist surged outward, twisting the air. Even the stone floor beneath its feet began to rot and decay.
Belial staggered, his chest heaving. Blood seeped from his lips, sweat stinging his eyes.
I can't… keep up. Even with Mana Devourer, my body isn't ready for this much power. If I keep absorbing, I'll burn myself alive from the inside out.
The knight raised its zweihander and charged. The ground split like fragile glass under its step.
Belial clenched his teeth, forcing himself to stand.
No choice. I'll burn everything I've got.
He spread his arms wide. All seven elemental affinities sparked into existence—flame ignited across his hands, lightning danced along his arms, water swirled into a coiling spiral, earth hardened under his feet, wind howled behind his back, light glowed from his chest, and shadows slithered around his eyes.
The Death Knight swung. Belial roared.
The collision was cataclysmic.
The zweihander cleaved downward, wreathed in abyssal flame. Belial crossed his arms, channeling every ounce of mana into a single forbidden weave—a union of all seven elements. For a heartbeat, the chamber was silent. Then—
BOOOOM!
Light and shadow exploded outward, pillars cracked, and the ground tore open. The shockwave of their clash sent mana ripples tearing through the dungeon walls.
Belial screamed as blood poured from his nose and ears, his veins glowing like molten rivers under his skin.
This is it…! If I don't end it here, I won't get another chance—
The Death Knight forced its blade downward, crushing through Belial's defense. He dropped to one knee, nearly broken.
The screen flickered:
[Emergency Protocol Unlocked.]
[Forbidden Element Accessed: VOID.]
Darkness swirled into Belial's hand—a pure emptiness, a wound in reality itself. The void burned colder than ice and hotter than fire, devouring all it touched.
Belial gritted his teeth.
"…Void Burst."
He slammed his palm against the zweihander.
The forbidden element surged, devouring the Death Knight's weapon, its armor, and even the cursed core within its chest. The knight's flaming eyes widened for the first time—as though it understood fear—before its body cracked apart, consumed entirely by nothingness.
The dungeon went silent.
Belial stood there, swaying, his chest heaving like a dying flame. His vision blurred. The elements faded from his grasp. His knees gave way.
Did I… win?
As his consciousness faded, the pale blue screen appeared before his eyes:
[Congratulations.]
[You have cleared the First Stage of the Dungeon.]
[Reward: ???]
[Proceed to Next Stage? Y/N]
Belial's lips curved into the faintest of smiles.
"…Hah… stage one, huh? You've got to be kidding me…"
And then darkness swallowed him as he collapsed.
When the Death Knight dissolved into nothingness, the dungeon chamber cracked apart like shattered glass.
The pale blue system window blinked once more:
[Transfer Initiated.]
[Stage One Clear—Entering Relic Chamber.]
A blinding white light engulfed Belial.
When his vision returned, he stood in a vast circular hall unlike anything he had seen before. The air was heavy with the scent of old parchment, dust, and mana crystals.
The walls were carved from smooth obsidian stone, etched with glowing golden runes that pulsed like a heartbeat. Floating braziers of blue flame circled the room, casting an ethereal glow that made everything shimmer. At the center, on a raised platform, was a stone pedestal with seven grooves, each filled with a relic.
Belial staggered forward, still clutching his chest.
What is this place…? This doesn't feel like part of the dungeon. It feels… older.
He looked around, wide-eyed.
A black grimoire with no title, its cover sealed by silver chains that rattled faintly as though alive.
A crystalline dagger, so thin and sharp it looked as though it could cut light itself.
A dragon's scale, scarred with ancient battle marks, still humming with draconic mana.
A ring of seven colors, each gem shifting to represent an elemental affinity.
An hourglass, its sand flowing upward instead of down, glowing with threads of time magic.
A cracked mask, half white, half black, emanating both serenity and malice.
And finally, at the center groove, a core of condensed mana, pale and radiant, like a piece of crystallized god-light.
Belial's throat went dry.
These… these aren't ordinary relics. Some of these shouldn't even exist anymore. Time magic? Dragon relics? This… this is a treasure hall.
The blue window appeared again:
[You may choose ONE Relic as your Reward.]
His heart pounded.
Just one? Damn it… I want them all.
He reached forward, his hand hovering over the glowing artifacts. His instincts screamed at him, each relic pulling at him in a different way. The black grimoire hummed louder the closer he got, almost as if whispering his name.
"Belial…"
His eyes widened. He snapped his head around—no one was there. But the voice… it came from the grimoire.
He hesitated, then clenched his fists.
If knowledge is power… then this book will give me what I need.
He reached out, grabbed the chained grimoire—and the room collapsed around him.
The relics dissolved into dust, the runes cracked, and the braziers flickered out. His body was yanked into darkness as if swallowed whole.
Belial gasped awake, bolting upright in his bed. His chest was drenched in sweat, his body trembling. The morning sun was peeking through the curtains of his room in the Lionheart estate.
For a long moment, he just sat there, breathing hard.
Was it… all a dream?
He rubbed his face, shaking his head. And then—he froze.
On the desk beside his bed lay the black chained grimoire.
Its cover gleamed faintly in the sunlight, whispering like a living thing.
Belial's eyes widened, a mixture of awe and dread curling in his chest.
"…So it was real."
Belial lay flat on his back, blinking up at the glowing blue screen above him. The aches and wounds from his battle with the Death Knight were… gone. Completely.
He sat up quickly, patting his arms and chest.
"Wait—what the… all my injuries are gone? Hah! I'm not even sore. This is better than Mom's healing magic."
The window flickered again.
[Congratulations. You have cleared the First Stage.]
[There are 7 Stages in total. Tutorial Complete.]
Belial's jaw dropped.
"…Tutorial? This was the tutorial?!"
He threw his arms in the air.
"Are you kidding me?! I almost died! I got stomped, slashed, and yeeted across the room, and you're telling me that was the easy part?!"
He flopped back onto the ground, groaning.
"…I'm doomed. Absolutely doomed. Ten years old and already in a death simulator."
Another message blinked into view.
[Notice: You have obtained Nyx Grimoire.]
[Absorb the Grimoire to gain skills?]
[Yes] [No]
Belial sat up, squinting at the screen.
"Absorb the book? Isn't that how curses start? This is literally the part in the story where the idiot kid says yes and then boom—evil possession."
The book floated in front of him, pulsing faintly. Its black chains rattled as if daring him.
Belial crossed his arms, muttering.
"…But if I say no, I'll just be the idiot who missed free skills. And if Dad ever finds out I skipped free skills, he'll kill me before the dungeon does."
He reached out with a sigh.
"…Fine, fine, I'm already cursed anyway."
The moment his hand touched the glowing [Yes], the grimoire burst open. Chains whipped around his arm and latched onto his right hand with a metallic snap. The book melted into black mist and seeped into his skin like ink.
The window flickered again:
[Nyx Grimoire absorbed.]
[Skill Obtained: Concealment (F-Rank) — Allows you to hide within shadows.]
[Skill Obtained: Shadow Step (F-Rank) — Teleport to a location you have previously visited.]
[??? — Locked.]
Belial blinked at the glowing text.
"…So… I'm basically a ten-year-old ninja now? Sweet."
He raised his hand, shadows curling faintly around it.
"Concealment… nice. This is perfect for sneaking cookies at night."
He tapped the other ability, eyes sparkling.
"Shadow Step… oh my god. You mean I don't have to use the stairs anymore?! Best. Power. Ever."
Then his eyes fell on the last line.
[??? — Locked.]
Belial squinted at it, leaning closer.
"…Oh no. Nope. This is definitely the cursed part. Whatever's behind those question marks is either the coolest thing ever or the kind of thing that eats your soul while you sleep."
He rubbed the back of his neck, forcing a laugh.
"…Knowing my luck? Probably both."
The window flickered once more, then vanished, leaving him alone in silence. Belial sat cross-legged on the floor, staring at his right hand.
"…So this is my life now, huh? A walking tutorial with a cursed ninja skillset. Great. Fantastic. Ten years old and already one bad decision away from becoming the family disappointment."
He sighed, but a grin tugged at his lips.
"…But damn, I can't wait to try this out."