The gathering point was just outside Babel Tower, where the morning sun cast long shadows across the wide plaza. Guild banners fluttered in the breeze, and adventurers passed by without sparing more than a glance.
Noah stood near the fountain, pistols holstered, cloak fluttering lightly at his sides.
He didn't look like a leader.
He looked like a storm waiting to happen.
The people he was waiting for arrived slowly—some curious, others annoyed.
Six in total.
None of them belonged to any major Familia.
All were misfits.
And they weren't subtle about it.
The first to speak was a broad-shouldered dwarf with burn scars across one cheek. "You're Noah?"
"That's me."
"…You don't look like a leader."
Noah smiled. "Good. I don't have to pretend to care what you think."
The dwarf scowled.
Next came a catgirl with faded armor and sharp yellow eyes. She leaned on her spear, flicking one ear lazily. "They really stuck us with the wonder boy, huh?"
"You got something to say?" Noah asked calmly.
"Only if you're not deaf."
Another one chuckled—an elf with mismatched armor, his blade chipped and dull. "This is what the Guild thinks leadership looks like now? A pretty boy with fire tricks?"
Noah let the words hang for a moment.
Then he said, "Alright."
They blinked.
"That's your reaction?" the dwarf asked.
"You're all waiting for me to posture," Noah said. "To prove myself to people who've already decided they don't want to listen."
He looked at them one by one.
"I'm not here to earn your respect. I'm here to finish the job and keep you alive."
Silence.
The catgirl tilted her head. "…Cocky."
"Confident," Noah corrected. "You'll know the difference soon."
---
The plan was simple: scout through floors 12 to 14, clear out any lurking monster nests, recover rare drop items for the Guild's special collection.
But Noah could already feel something was off.
The layout of floor 13 had changed slightly—corridors that didn't line up with his mental map. Strange heat lingering in the walls. And shadows that twitched just a little too much.
By the time they reached the target zone—a wide cavern lined with glowing crystals—the tension had grown thick.
"Something's wrong," the catgirl said, tail twitching.
"Finally," Noah muttered. "Someone says it."
The elf laughed. "You paranoid or just dramatic?"
Then the ground cracked.
A monster burst from below—a massive, red-scaled Crimson Ravager—twice the size of any creature native to floor 13.
The air roared with heat.
"SCATTER!" Noah barked.
Too late.
The elf took a direct hit from the beast's tail and was thrown across the chamber like a rag doll, crashing into the far wall. Blood followed.
The dwarf charged in with a roar, swinging his hammer—only for the beast's claws to snap his weapon like a twig.
It turned, baring fangs dripping with lava.
Noah moved.
Flame Step activated.
He appeared behind the monster, both pistols already glowing.
"Twin Shot – Piercing Burn!"
Two blasts of fire slammed into the beast's back—but didn't pierce deep enough.
Too tough.
Noah cursed and rolled aside as the beast's claws gouged a chunk from the floor.
[Warning: Boss-level mutation detected.]
[Name: Crimson Ravager – Floor Breacher]
Threat Rank: A-
Abilities: Thermal Roar, Regeneration, Armor Scaling
The dwarf was unconscious.
The elf wasn't moving.
The catgirl was breathing heavily, bleeding from a shoulder slash.
The other three were paralyzed with fear.
And Noah… was done holding back.
"Get behind cover!" he shouted. "Now!"
They obeyed, for once.
Noah stood alone.
He holstered one pistol—and his hand caught fire.
The flames didn't burn him.
They shaped around him. Flowed up his arm like a second skin.
The system chimed.
> Template Sync: 60% Reached
Skill Unlocked: Flame Armament – Gauntlet Form (Lv1)
Converts physical blows into explosive kinetic bursts. Strength greatly increased. Cooldown: 2 minutes.
Noah charged forward.
No afterimage this time. No trick.
Just raw speed.
He punched the monster in the side—flame erupting from his fist like a rocket, launching the beast into the cavern wall.
The shockwave flattened the crystal spikes nearby.
The catgirl stared, jaw slack.
"Did he just—punch it?"
Noah didn't stop.
He followed up with another dash, slammed his elbow into the Ravager's jaw, and unloaded a point-blank shot into its eye.
BOOM.
Screech. Smoke. Blood.
And then silence.
The beast dropped like a stone, twitching once, then still.
[Crimson Ravager Defeated.]
[Rare Drop Acquired: Infernal Core – Unstable]
[Flame Core Resonance increased to Lv6]
Noah stood in the rising dust, one arm glowing with fading flame.
Breathing slow. Calm.
The others stared at him in stunned silence.
The catgirl whispered, "What the hell are you…?"
He turned to them. "Told you. I'm not here to impress you."
He paused.
"I'm here to keep you alive."
---
When they returned to the surface hours later, battered and quiet, the Guild officials were already waiting.
Eina stared at Noah with wide eyes. "A Crimson Ravager? On floor 13?!"
"It was bait," Noah said. "Someone wanted this team to die."
Hestia, standing beside Eina, clenched her fists. "A trap?"
"Professional setup. They knew who I'd be leading. They picked a weak team on purpose."
Eina paled. "That's… assassination by proxy."
The dwarf, now bandaged, stepped forward. "He's telling the truth. We wouldn't be here if not for him."
The catgirl added, "He didn't just save us. He carried us. Alone."
The Guild officials scribbled notes, already overwhelmed.
Noah turned to Hestia and Eina.
"I want access to deeper intel. Restricted files. I need to know who's pulling strings."
Eina looked hesitant. "Noah, you're strong. But that's dangerous."
He looked her in the eyes.
"So am I."
---
And far, far below…
In a dark chamber where even adventurers never tread, a voice laughed.
"So… the boy survived."
Another voice rasped. "He's growing too fast."
"Then it's time we test his limits."
A shadowed figure stepped into the dark.
And the Dungeon… began to twist.