Oh? Someone's already here?
Ethan raised an eyebrow in surprise. But then he remembered—this dungeon wasn't instanced. It was open to multiple players.
Not everyone was cautious or considerate. He shrugged and continued moving forward.
The stone corridor ahead offered only a single route for a while. But as Ethan reached a fork, he paused.
Two figures were locked in battle nearby.
One was a massive, floating sword with a dark red glow. It hovered menacingly mid-air. This was the dungeon's first-floor monster: the Level 20 Silver-grade Wild Monster — Scarlet Greatsword.
A flying sword as a monster? Even Ethan, who had studied strategy guides thoroughly, found it fascinating to witness in real life.
BOOM!
The massive sword slammed into the stone wall beside it, leaving a deep gash. Its destructive power was terrifying.
But the other figure darting around the blade was even more mesmerizing.
Like a graceful butterfly, the young woman moved with practiced precision, narrowly dodging each strike.
Ethan squinted, and recognition dawned.
"Wait… is that Lily Winters?"
He hadn't expected her to enter the dungeon. From what he observed, even someone as skilled as her was struggling against the powerful boss.
She didn't have the raw stats to tank the monster's attacks, but her footwork and timing were impeccable.
With every slash of her simple long blade, she chipped away at the enemy.
Her moves were clean, sharp, and controlled. She lacked the brute force to dominate the fight outright, but her strategy was clear—grind the opponent down, one move at a time.
This was impressive considering it was only her second day since career advancement.
While her combat power score likely wasn't above 40 stars, her technique was on a whole other level.
Ethan found his gaze drifting to her blade.
He remembered seeing that same plain-looking long knife back at school.
It was always with her—always strapped to her back.
Back then, everyone had been curious about the unremarkable weapon she carried around like it was priceless. Now, he understood why.
It still looked the same… but something had changed.
The blade shimmered faintly, sharper and more refined than before.
"Could it be a growth weapon?" Ethan wondered. "A blade that evolves with its user?"
Such weapons were rare and valuable—far beyond what most beginners could get.
Now, Ethan couldn't help but feel curious about Lily's background.
---
Ten minutes later, the giant sword shattered into pieces, breaking apart and scattering like fragments of glass.
The fight was over.
Lily exhaled deeply, wiping sweat from her forehead. Just as she began to relax, she felt something—
A presence. Someone was watching her.
She spun around, eyes sharp.
But all she saw was the back of a shadowy figure vanishing around a corner.
And then came a familiar, annoying voice nearby:
> "Hey, buddy! Join us and you won't regret it!"
She scoffed, recognizing the voices of the loud group of four she'd passed earlier.
Without paying them any attention, Lily turned and continued deeper into the dungeon.
---
Meanwhile, Ethan wiped his own forehead—though there wasn't any sweat.
It wasn't guilt that made him avoid speaking to her.
Rather, he remembered something embarrassing—how she had once caught him digging around an ant nest.
That memory alone was enough to make him turn and sneak away.
He wasn't ready to face her. Not now.
Besides, with all the winding tunnels in this place, the chance of bumping into her again was slim.
Turning a few more corners, Ethan found himself face to face with his own Scarlet Greatsword, floating ominously mid-air.
Rebel Bone Boy, his skeletal summon, tilted its head in confusion.
"Why is that thing flying?"
But before any answer could form—
WHOOSH!
The giant blade sliced through the air and slammed into Bone Boy's back.
CLANG!
The strike echoed through the corridor like metal on metal.
A shallow dent appeared on Bone Boy's back.
He froze.
Ethan didn't step in. He watched, curious.
He treated his summons like experimental pets—observing their behavior in different situations.
He could have commanded Bone Boy to retaliate immediately, but watching his natural response was more interesting.
Clearly irritated by the ambush, Rebel Bone Boy's jaws sparked against the stone floor as he paced back.
He tensed.
Then—BOOM!—he leapt!
An ant… jumping? Ethan raised his brows.
The timing was perfect.
As the sword struck again, Bone Boy caught it between his giant pincers. Sparks flew.
But it wasn't a perfect hold.
The heavy sword crashed down between his jaws, grinding against his mouth like a mallet hitting a tooth.
Even if Bone Boy's mandibles were tough, pain still surged through him.
Like someone tapping your teeth with metal chopsticks—enough to make your skull ring.
His grip faltered.
WHAM!
He was thrown back, crashing into the stone wall before flopping onto the ground.
He looked dazed—but not injured.
Ethan almost laughed. He looked just like that tiny Poisonfire Ant he had booted away last night.
Karma?
Bone Boy's antennae twitched furiously.
He sprang back to his feet and scrambled up the nearby wall. His next charge was more calculated.
This time, he tackled the sword mid-air and clung on with all his might.
CREEAAAK—CREEEAK!
That horrible screech rang out—like fingernails clawing a chalkboard.
Stone chips and metal flakes rained down as he gnawed ferociously.
The Scarlet Greatsword flailed in the air and finally shook him off.
But Bone Boy didn't land face-up this time.
He twisted in mid-air and landed firmly on all six legs.
Ethan's eyes lit up. "He learned from the last hit… Not bad."
With renewed confidence, Bone Boy lunged again—this time targeting the blade's weak points.
CHOMP!
The sword trembled, cracked, and—
SHATTERED!
> "System Notification: Silver-tier monster 'Scarlet Greatsword' defeated. Experience gained!"
> "Item Obtained: Silver Material – Blood Sword Heart."
---
Time flew. Ethan hadn't expected to spend the whole day inside the dungeon, but the grind had paid off.
He glanced at his stats.
> "Level Up! Current Level: 10."
And then, something special popped up—
> "Congratulations! You have fulfilled the requirements to unlock the SSS-tier Talent Gift Pack!"
> "Would you like to open it now?"
Yes or No.
Ethan stared at the prompt, his heart racing.
The second SSS-level talent was within reach.
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