The creaking of the gate drew the Hellhound's attention.
Its three heads turned toward AK.
With a deafening screech, the Hellhound charged at him like a bolt of black lightning.
AK froze for a moment, thinking, How is an E-Rank boss in a F-Rank dungeon? The last time there was a Goblin Priest here, it was a piece of cake. But this Hellhound? It's a real pain in the ass.
As he thought, he instinctively dodged to the right, just in time to avoid the Hellhound's attack. Hazzy and Phaphy, watching from the sidelines, were shocked at AK's agility. Phaphy, who had a healing skill, began to heal Hazzy while the Hellhound was distracted by the newcomer.
Meanwhile, AK had an idea. I can't defeat this Hellhound unarmed. I need a weapon. Without hesitation, he activated his skill: Stealth.
[ STEALTH SKILL ACTIVATED ]
But the Hellhound, being far stronger, could still smell AK's presence and immediately charged toward him again.
This is going to be tough, AK thought. But there were still two more hunters. He shouted, "Hazzy, is the healing done? I can't defeat it alone!"
"Yeah, I'm ready!" Hazzy and Phaphy replied in unison.
"You just need to gain the Hellhound's attention for five minutes. I've got a plan," AK ordered.
Without hesitation, Hazzy rushed forward, yelling to grab the Hellhound's attention. The beast immediately turned its focus to Hazzy. Phaphy, using his water skills, cast Water Tornado, a powerful attack against fire-based creatures. But due to the rank difference, it's only give few damage to the Hellhound.
Meanwhile, AK, standing in the corner, began throwing punches at the wall with all his might. After ten powerful strikes, the wall collapsed, revealing a hidden room with a chest inside. As AK opened the chest eagerly, he received a notification:
---
[ ITEM STATUS WINDOW ]
Item Name: Wolf Slayer
Rank: E (Common Tier Weapon)
Type: Dagger (One-Handed)
Attack Power: +15
Critical Rate: +5%
Attack Speed: +10%
Bonus Effect: +10% Damage Against Beast-Type Monsters
---
[ PASSIVE ABILITY ]
"Predator's Fang": Increases critical hit damage by 20% when targeting weak points of wolf-type creatures.
---
Description: A dagger forged from the fang of a dire wolf, tempered with silver alloy. Its blade is lightweight and sharp, designed to pierce through thick hides. Once wielded by a fallen hunter, it now thirsts for the blood of beasts.
---
Upgrade Potential: Can be enhanced up to Rank C with Mana Stones.
Next Upgrade Bonus: +5 Attack, +2% Critical Rate.
---
AK's eyes widened. What is this? I thought this chest was supposed to contain the Goblin King's sword, but instead, I get an OP dagger with an ability I actually need. And it even has upgrade potential… This isn't the world I know anymore. But I need to focus on the fight.
"Hellhound, get ready to die!" AK shouted, charging toward the beast.
Despite his stats only being 10, the Hellhound was distracted by Hazzy and Phaphy, allowing AK to make a high jump and slash with the Wolf Slayer Dagger. The Hellhound didn't take significant damage, but its attention was now on AK.
Now, three F-Rank hunters fought a low E-Rank dungeon boss. The trio worked together, attacking simultaneously. AK jumped again, this time aiming for the Hellhound's left eye. His dagger found its mark, and the Hellhound let out a pained growl. The hunters immediately attacked the right eye, blinding the beast.
Now completely blind, the Hellhound began attacking wildly using its keen sense of smell. But with three hunters relentlessly attacking, it soon collapsed from its wounds. AK, determined to be sure it was dead, kept stabbing and slashing until the beast stopped moving.
AK stood victorious, but there were no rewards, no experience points. Instead, the only thing he gained was an upgradable dagger. Furious, he shouted, "Where are my rewards and experience, you weakest Primordial Being?"
[ RED: I AM NOT ABLE TO GIVE YOU QUESTS, REWARDS, OR EXPERIENCE. ]
"Then how am I supposed to level up?" AK asked, fuming.
[ RED: YOU NEED TO GIVE ME 1000 MANA STONES, AND I WILL INCREASE ANY OF YOUR STATS BY +5. ]
"What kind of fucking deal is this?" AK muttered in disbelief.
[ RED: MANA STONES WILL HELP ME TO INCREASE MY RANK IN THE PRIMORDIAL BEING RANKING. ]
[ RED: IF I BECOME STRONGER, YOU WILL ALSO BECOME STRONGER. BUT IF YOU BECOME STRONGER, IT DOESN'T MEAN I WILL. ]
"So, you're telling me I have to mine Mana Stones after a fight with the Hellhound and give them all to you?" AK asked, incredulous.
[ RED: YES, AND YOU NEED TO DO IT FAST, BECAUSE THE DUNGEON IS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE. ]
As AK exchanged words with RED, Hazzy and Phaphy reached him and asked, "How are you so strong? How did you find that dagger hidden inside the wall?"
"I'm strong because I'm a gym boy," AK said with a grin. "As for the dagger, it called out to me."
[ RED: YOU'RE GOOD AT LYING, AK. ]
"Is that a compliment, or are you making fun of me? Whatever it is, let's get out of here."
Hazzy and Phaphy nodded. "It doesn't matter who you are. You saved our lives today, so let's call it a day."
After a short conversation, the trio left the dungeon. As they exited, AK activated Stealth again to avoid the army officers. Once home, AK opened his sub-space inventory given by RED and mined all the Mana Stones he could find during his journey.
[ RED: YOU HAVE ONLY 430 MANA STONES. YOU STILL NEED 570 MORE TO INCREASE YOUR STATS. ]
AK's happiness faded. How am I supposed to gather that many Mana Stones?
Despite his frustration, he managed to exchange contact details with Hazzy and Phaphy.
However, clearing one dungeon was just the beginning. Dungeons began to appear all over the world, and hunters began forming their guilds. The government was no help in this collapsing world.