The rabbit-man's sudden appearance sent a chill down Renji's spine.
It didn't pounce immediately. It stood tall—nearly six feet—with dark gray fur and amber eyes that shimmered with something far beyond animal instinct. Its claws were sharper, longer, and it held a crude, jagged blade that reflected the dungeon's dim light. Muscles rippled beneath its fur as it stared him down, snorting steam through its nostrils.
"A boss…"
It moved without warning.
Clang!
Renji barely brought his sword up in time to deflect the first blow. His arms shook from the impact. The rabbit-man was faster and stronger than any of the thirty-five he had slain before—this one wasn't mindless. It feinted, dashed, leapt off walls, and used its reach with that blade to test his defenses.
Renji held on, dodging and blocking, but he was losing ground. His breathing grew heavy. The creature was relentless.
30 seconds in.
He was barely surviving.
Then—just as the next strike nearly reached his throat—his eyes glowed faintly.
[Predator's Gaze: Activated]
In that moment, the world slowed.
He saw it—the subtle shift in the boss's footing before it dashed. The twitch of its shoulder before a swing. Every pattern burned into his mind like a simulation running at double speed.
Skill Copied: Dash
A faint aura burst from beneath his feet—and he vanished.
He reappeared behind the boss, sword slashing upward. It blocked—but now Renji was different. Faster. Sharper. Calculated.
The room echoed with the clash of steel and claw. Sparks flew. The boss bled. So did Renji.
But he was adapting.
He began predicting its strikes, countering, dodging with inches to spare. His movements blurred. Every time it dashed, he dashed harder.
Then—it slipped.
It feigned an overhead slash, expecting to bait him, but Renji didn't fall for it. He had studied the move ten times already. He pretended to fall back, then sidestepped and baited the same feint.
The rabbit-man took the bait.
It lunged forward for a finishing blow.
Too late—it realized its chest was wide open.
Renji roared and drove his sword upward, straight through the ribcage.
The blade sank deep.
The boss staggered—then collapsed to its knees.
Silence.
Then—
[DUNGEON CLEARED]
[Level Up!]
Current Level: 5 → 6
Promotion Unlocked: Human Rank – F (Silver)
[Stat Points Allocated]
Renji's vision blurred as a surge of energy rushed through his veins. His body pulsed—stronger, faster. His wounds slowly closed.
Then another notification blinked across his vision.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Congratulations! You have killed your first dungeon boss!
Reward: +5 Speed, +5 Perception
He dropped to one knee, panting, letting the stats settle in.
He felt it—Speed enhanced beyond anything he'd felt before. His body lighter, faster. But it wasn't just that.
Perception.
He could hear everything now—the faint flicker of dungeon energy, the wind change, even his own heartbeat. His mind sharpened.
Stat Summary:
Strength: 7
Speed: 20
Perception: 15
Endurance: 8
Vitality: 7
Points:8
He let out a deep breath, then a small grin.
"I did it…"
His voice echoed in the now-silent chamber.
He drank the last healing potion, let it soothe the bruises and cuts that remained, and looked toward the fading gate ahead.
He rose, sword over his shoulder, and stepped through.
He didn't scream from pain.
He screamed from victory.