The faint smell of rot clung to the air like mold on a grave.
Shadren's current body—muscular, scaled, and twitching—had lasted six days. Four more and the decay would start showing in combat. The claws were still sharp, and the muscles hadn't shriveled yet, but the internal systems… they were going. He felt it every time he moved too fast.
I need a replacement soon, he thought. Rotten corpses don't win boss fights.
The dungeon's fourth floor was brutal. Every stone glowed dim red from the ambient heat, and steam hissed out of cracks in the jagged volcanic terrain. The lizard monsters—scaled berserkers with bloodshot eyes and molten saliva—roamed in hunting packs.
He crouched behind a jagged obsidian rock, narrowing his yellow eyes at two monsters by a lava spring. They hissed at each other, exchanging guttural growls.
"Level 4… no, level 5," Shadren muttered. The system had shown him just enough.
A flicker of pain stabbed through his spine. His host's nerves spasmed again. Time limit's ticking.
Shadren leaped, shadow trailing behind him like smoke. His claws raked the first lizard's throat before it could roar. The second turned—
Too slow.
Shadren ducked under its tail whip, drove his claw into its underbelly, and twisted. Blood hissed on the hot floor. The creature's death gave him a surge of warmth.
> [Shadowbound defeated: +25 EXP]
[Level Up! You are now Level 5]
"Level 5… still squishy, but better."
But then—a loud roar. Deeper. Stronger. Not from above or below.
Shadren's sharpened senses felt the tremor in the stones. And then it emerged—a massive, crimson-horned version of the lizards he just killed. Double the size. Double the rage. It wasn't alone. The corpses had attracted it.
[Level 9 - Flamehide Ravager]
"Of course. I kill two idiots and their dad shows up."
The monster lunged.
Shadren sidestepped, but his decaying host reacted slower than usual. The Ravager's claws grazed his ribs, tearing through scale and tissue. Black ichor oozed.
This body's done.
He dashed around the Ravager, avoiding the wide swings with pure instinct and memorized monster patterns. I remember this boss from the beta version. Weak knees. Slow turning radius. Can't handle sharp pivots.
He baited it—pretending to limp. The Ravager charged.
Too predictable.
Shadren flipped over its back and plunged his claw into the softer joint behind its skull. The monster thrashed and rolled—crushing his decaying body underneath—but he held on.
"Time to switch up the playbook."
He focused.
> [Shadow Bind - Active]
[Temporary control attempt successful: 72% sync]
His essence flowed into the creature.
Pain. Rage. Fire. Heat. And scattered memories—
—A flash of a flame nest. A brood of dying eggs. Hunters in silver armor. Spears.
Shadren gasped. Even monsters have memories… interesting.
But his grip on the creature slipped. The sync broke.
The Ravager roared one last time—and collapsed.
> [Level Up! You are now Level 6]
[Shadow Form slightly strengthened. Decay limit extended by 1 day.]
He rolled out from under the corpse, coughing from the smoke and internal damage.
That was way too close.
---
Meanwhile… on the 3rd Floor
In a magically lit stone changing room just outside a raid gate, four young women prepped for their first major expedition of the week.
"You think Zai ever had a crush on any of us?" giggled Nira, the bubbly Archer, tightening her chest wrap with a wink. "He always looked at us like we were the prettiest woman in the world."
"You are exaggerating it. I'm still sore from the last trap," muttered Kaela, the proud Swordswoman, as she adjusted her leather armor. "But… I wonder how he would look at us now after all we have gained some muscles?"
"He's smart," said Lira, the calm Mage, brushing a few stray silver hairs aside. "Do I hope he won't do anything embarrassing."
"Who knows he might even date one of us," teased Serin, the gentle Healer, her white robe still unbuttoned as she turned away from the mirror. "Come on, admit it."
They all laughed—even Lira cracked a smile.
Fan service moment? Definitely.
---
Back to the Dungeon…
Shadren pulled himself up onto a rock, panting, body leaking dark fluid from three wounds.
"This is bad. No corpse means no disguise. I need to hide before someone—"
A sudden pulse.
Steps. Clean, confident, and human.
Shadren's eyes widened.
Across the magma flow, through the drifting mist, stood a man—tall, cloaked, and wearing a black hood that shimmered with enchantment sigils.
He had just slain a Level 12 monster. Alone.
The man turned.
Eyes like glowing ice locked onto Shadren.
Shadren didn't even flinch in fear because he could tell that this man was out of his league.
---
To Be Continued…