Ethan stood at the entrance of the cave, his heart thumping so intensely he could hear it ringing in his head.
Chilly fog streamed out of the Shadow Fang Den, twisting around his boots like ethereal fingers. The trees that stood behind him were gnarled and warped, their bark split and cracked like aged bones.
He was about to take a step forward when a voice boomed through the quiet behind him.
"Hey, rookie. You're seriously going in there by yourself? You wanna die or something?"
Ethan walked silently.
A woman stood under the glimmering light of the forest. One hand lay on the hilt of the enormous greatsword at her back. Her silvered hair was cut short, her face serene but sharp. Her amber eyes blazed with Ethan, evaluating him like a merchant appraising ruined goods.
She wore a lightly armored adventurer's set—tight-fitting leather layered over steel mesh that showed off her toned build.
She looked strong. Way too strong for this dungeon. She was definitely not an E-rank adventurer.
"Yeah," Ethan said, trying to keep the quaver out of his voice. "That was the plan."
She scoffed. "You trying to get yourself killed, huh?"
Ethan smirked. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just confident in my skills."
She crossed her arms over her chest, speaking in a relaxed tone. "Confidence won't save you when the black fangs are tearing your spine out."
He moved in close. "Well. perhaps now I don't have to go by myself." He winked.
The woman cocked an eyebrow. "You're offering to partner with a stranger, ya know that?"
I'm requesting to partner with someone dangerous I know," Ethan said with a smile. "In addition, you appear to be capable of hoisting a boulder single-handedly and battling monsters off with the other. You're the most reliable person here to assist me at getting out of this dungeon alive."
She gazed at him wordlessly.
Ethan turned on Charm Lv. 1 as discreetly as possible. A soft, golden glow swept over his face—not enough to blast her, just enough to tip the balance in his direction.
"I don't work for charity," she replied flatly.
"Of course not," Ethan replied, shrugging slightly. "But I'm not doing it for charity. We'll share the loot. You can pick whatever you want from the boss drop. I just want the mana cores—and all the regular monster kills but the boss."
She looked him up and down for a moment longer, then finally reached out to shake his hand.
"Reyna. B-rank Tank adventurer. I'm here for the Nightglass Shard."
"I'm Ethan. Total nobody," he said with a grin, shaking her hand. "But lucky to have you."
"Don't slow me down, ya know," she warned as they turned toward the cave entrance.
Inside the cave, the air grew colder, and the mist thickened, swirling around uneven stones. The only light came from blue mana stones embedded deep in the walls, casting eerie glows across the rocky surfaces.
Each drop of water was sounded like whispers. The air reeked of beast blood and wet fur.
The first Shadow Fang attacked them from the left—low, swift, and quiet. Ethan dodged out of pure reflex, swinging his rusty sword. The sword bit the side of the creature but almost jammed in the heavy muscle.
Another monster charged, but Reyna was in motion before Ethan could even blink. Her greatsword shone in a straight, flowing arc, splitting the creature in half.
"Keep that blade low, would you?" she whispered. "They prefer to charge for the throat."
"Noted," Ethan said, swiping Shadow Fang blood from his cheek.
The two of them pushed deeper into the den, taking down beasts singly. Ethan fought strategically—conserving his strength, moving all the time, never overextending himself.
Reyna was a machine—productive, ruthless, and silent. When she spoke, she did so only in sharp commands or coarse observations:
"Left."
"Behind."
"Too slow."
She didn't need to save Ethan, though. Not at all. He saw to it that she never got the opportunity.
They arrived at a huge chamber twenty minutes later. Shattered stone pillars towered above them, wrapped in heavy, black vines.
***
[Boss Room Detected: Shadow Fang Alpha's Den]
***
Ethan gazed through the archway into the next room. His frame was sore. His chest rose and fell with every breath. But the flame in his eyes burned that much hotter.
This. this was what he'd longed for. What he'd hoped for.
Reyna glanced over at him. "Ya ready to take on the boss?"
He flashed her a small, self-assured smirk. "There's only one way to know—and that's by going for it.
She gave a soft, mocking smile. "Don't embarrass yourself in front of the beast."
They approached the mist-covered archway together.
Ethan was one step further toward validating he fit into this world.