Kaito found a quiet ridge overlooking the southern fields—far from the merchant alleys and guild recruiters—and sat beneath a warped spiritvine tree. The wind stirred the leaves softly as he summoned the game's interface.
[Open Forum: Player Market]
[Category: Dungeon Strategies → Echoing Deep]
He pulled up two draft files he had written in his spare minutes:
— Guide to Clearing Echoing Deep – Normal Difficulty
→ Price: 50 Silver
— Guide to Clearing Echoing Deep – Intermediate Difficulty
→ Price: 100 Silver
Each guide was annotated with strategy notes, boss mechanics, recommended builds, and annotated minimaps with trap zones and elite placements. He tapped [Publish].
[Uploading...]
[Files successfully published to Player Market]
He leaned back slightly, watching the golden sun hover over South Glade's horizon. Two hours before nightfall, he estimated.
As soon as he leaned back against the spiritvine trunk, closing his eyes briefly.
But peace, as always, was short-lived.
[System Notification – Dungeon Remittance Received]
+30 Silver (Echoing Deep – Normal)
+60 Silver (Echoing Deep – Elite)
+30 Silver (Echoing Deep – Normal)
+30 Silver (Echoing Deep – Normal)
+60 Silver (Echoing Deep – Elite)
The notifications kept blinking—half a dozen, then a dozen more. It seemed half the world had queued up to enter the dungeon already. Most remittances alternated between one and two gold—clearly Normal and Elite tier clears flooding in.
Kaito stared at them for a moment. The corner of his mouth twitched.
Annoying. Profitable… but annoying.
He disabled the remittance alerts with a flick of his interface.
Only for a new wave to immediately crash into his display.
[Guide Sold – Echoing Deep (Normal)]
+50 Silver received
[Guide Sold – Echoing Deep (Elite)]
+100 Silver received
[Guide Sold – Echoing Deep (Normal)]
+50 Silver received
[Guide Sold – Echoing Deep (Elite)]
+100 Silver received
He sighed—caught somewhere between ecstasy and mild despair.
"They really don't stop," he muttered, then promptly turned off the guide sale alerts too.
Only silence remained.
And for a moment… he almost missed the noise.
So he got up ready for further actions.
After uploading the guides and managing the materials, Kaito strolled through the quieter corners of South Glade, his eyes scanning every shadowed crevice and lantern-lit alleyway. He wasn't searching aimlessly—he was tracking the respawn points of the Lantern of Dusk.
Near the edge of an abandoned smithy tucked behind the herbalist district, the air shimmered faintly. There it was—nestled between broken crates and dusted cobblestone, a soft blue glow pulsing from an ancient iron lantern.
[System Prompt: You have discovered the Lantern of Dusk. Claim it?]
Without hesitation, Raen reached down and claimed it.
Lantern of Dusk
Effect: Negates nighttime debuffs within 10 meters of the bearer.
Duration: Unlimited
Cannot be dropped or traded
Now with this he and his team can continue to grind in the night again.
He opened the team interface.
"Let me know if you've completed your advancement quests. I'll meet you at the main plaza."
One by one, green indicators lit up across the top corner of his display.
Mei Rin was the first to reply:
"Done. Heading there now."
Soon after, Aika, Suzune, Daichi, Kaede, and Hiroto all confirmed. Within minutes, the team gathered again at the heart of South Glade—just as the sky began to deepen to twilight.
Kaito greeted them with a nod. "We've got a solid two hours before nightfall. Before that we will try to level up as much as we can. Let's go"
He took them to a ridge three maps west—Blackstone Ravine. Where the mob range is 13 to 14, mixed with some elites. We'll level fast if we stick tight.
They moved quickly—crossing through the winding forest paths until molten-glass crystals began sprouting from the dirt. The grass gave way to blackstone cracks and red ore veins.
The ground crumbled in pockets of black and crimson as the group moved deeper into the cracked terrain. Steam hissed faintly from glowing red veins in the stone, the heat making the air shimmer.
Kaito scanned the area carefully.
'This is it…' he thought, eyes locking onto the flickering veins beneath the earth. 'Fire-Infused Ore. And Molten Ember Shells. '
He opened his interface, bringing up the unique blacksmithing design from the loot of Echoflame Sovereign:
[Forging Design: Echocore Emberplate][Lvl 10]
Grade: Bronze
Required Materials: Fire-Infused Ore, Molten Ember Shells, Copper Ore, Bronze Ore...
"Alright, we're spreading out a little," Kaito said. "Suzune, can you lure some monsters back here?"
Suzune gave a sharp nod, quickly vanishing toward a cluster of boulders on the far right. In the silence that followed, faint scraping and chewing sounds could be heard — something gnawing away at the red-hot rock.
Moments later, she returned.
Three creatures barreled behind her, snarling and twitching. They had hunched, thick bodies with soot-darkened hides and mouths full of jagged flame-licked teeth. Bits of glowing stone crumbled from their jaws as they skidded into view.
[System Prompt]
Scorchgnaw Runners – Level 12 – [Common Monsters]
These volcanic beasts chew through fire-infused rock to absorb elemental energy.
"There they are!" Suzune called, dashing sideways to clear space.
Kaito immediately raised his sword. "Don't bunch up. Daichi, left side. Mei Rin, cover fire. Kaede, aim wide and burn them. Aika—keep buffs rolling!"
Everyone moved without hesitation.
Daichi dove to the left, fists charged with internal energy. Kaede launched a wide-angled burst of flame just as one of the beasts tried to leap. Mei Rin's arrows struck the ground ahead of another, forcing it to jerk sideways and stumble.
"Hit the one in the center first!" Kaito shouted.
He dashed in — Cross Slash erupting in a clean double arc of steel and light that carved across the lead beast's shoulder. It let out a gurgling screech before collapsing.
Within moments, the others fell too, overwhelmed by the synchronized barrage.
[Loot Acquired]
Fire-Infused Ore x2
Flame Dust x4
Molten Ember Shell x1
EXP Gained: 950
Kaito picked up a gleaming red chunk, holding it to the light. The ore practically pulsed with heat.
'Good….'
But just as he pocketed the last of the loot, the ground trembled slightly.
A deeper growl echoed through the ridge.
He turned slowly—and saw it.
A silhouette emerged through the shimmering heat—twice as large as the others, its obsidian-plated hide cracked with molten seams. Flaming steam hissed from its nostrils with every breath. Its jagged teeth pulsed with emberlight, and a single horn jutted forward like a volcanic blade.
[System Prompt]
Scorchgnaw Alpha – Lv. 15 – Boss
"Formation!" Kaito snapped. "That's the herd boss. Expect charge attacks—wide swings and a cone breath. Same species, but built for destruction."
A tremor burst from beneath the creature's paws. With a bone-splitting roar, the Scorchgnaw Alpha lunged.
"Hiroto, intercept now!"
"Kaede, launch a bind!"
"Suzune—trap its left side. Mei Rin, get behind it!"
"Aika, prep burst heals!"
Hiroto surged forward and caught the boss with a shield slam, but the force still drove him back two meters. Sparks flew as his boots dragged across rock.
"Staggered… but still holding!" he grunted.
Kaede lifted both palms. "Lightning spark!"
Chains of Lightning lashed around the boss's legs, momentarily halting its momentum.
Kaito dashed in.
[Cross Slash – Activated]
Twin arcs carved across the boss's side, sending sprays of molten blood hissing into the air. The Alpha roared, spinning wildly.
Suzune's trap triggered beneath its left paw—a burst of pressure hooks flaring upward.
Mei Rin's arrows rained down, targeting its joints with precision. One embedded just below the horn—stunning it for a heartbeat.
That's all Kaito needed.
"Cut!"
His blade split a glowing line down its flank.
But then—
"Brace! Breath incoming!" he shouted.
The Alpha opened its jaws and exhaled a cone of pressurized flame. Suzune dove behind a rock. Aika threw up a radiant shield. Kaede, barely out of range, launched a retaliatory fireburst.
The flames faded.
HP: 32%
"Time to finish it," Kaito growled.
"Daichi—on me!"
The two charged together. Daichi's fist glowed with shock energy while Kaito's blade burned red.
Daichi struck first: "Flash Palm!"
The Alpha's leg snapped inward from the blow—off balance.
Kaito jumped—sword blazing—
[Flame Arc slash]
The blade tore down through the boss's back, searing through its core.
The monster gave a dying screech—then collapsed with a trembling quake.
[Boss Defeated – Scorchgnaw Alpha – Lv. 15]
[EXP Gained: +1650]
[Loot Acquired]
Fire-Infused Ore x15
Molten Ember Shell x13
[Unique Drop] Charred Treasure Map