The first floor of the underground dungeon was a single vast chamber, its stone walls lined with flickering torches that pushed back the heavy dark. The smell of scorched fur still clung to the air, a reminder of the rats he had just burned alive.
Airen crouched beside the heavy chest he'd uncovered. Inside, two glass bottles gleamed faintly in the torchlight, each filled with a red liquid—bright, but slightly pale compared to the recovery potion he'd used earlier.
Huh. These two… the color's lighter.
[That's because they're low-tier.]
Low tier? Which tier then?
[Both are tier 5. You're lucky—not only did you find a tier 7 recovery potion earlier, but also two tier 5s.]
Are they rare?"
[If you sold a single tier 5 potion, you could build a medium-sized castle.]
A slow, hungry grin spread across Airen's face, eyes glinting like coins in the torchlight. His lips curved in a way that made him look less like a hero and more like a predator scenting prey.
He slipped both potions into his inventory and turned back to the chest. Four gold bars lay inside, catching the light with a warm, heavy glow. Airen snatched them up, rubbing their surfaces, inhaling their metallic scent—like an addict savoring a forbidden substance.
How much do they weigh?
[Store them first.]
He tucked the bars away. A moment later the System added:
[One kilogram each—four in total.]
Airen's eyes widened. Four kilos of solid gold. A thrill ran through him, feeding the greedy heat already building in his chest.
Next he found a piece of leather armor, a sleeveless vest hardened with simple stitching. Not impressive, he thought, but better than nothing. He shrugged it on, pleasantly surprised by how snugly it fit.
Scattered in the bottom of the chest were dull silver coins—five hundred by his quick count. He swept them into his inventory, then stood. Nothing else remained.
On the floor nearby lay the crimson-handled sword he'd dropped during the fight. Airen picked it up, running a thumb over the polished hilt before resting the blade across his shoulder.
[Now you can become a two-star knight.]
Oh right. How do I form the second star?
[Sit in a lotus position and focus, just as you did with the first star.]
Airen smirked. Lotus? Instead, he remained standing, closing his eyes for a heartbeat. Power coiled in his chest, and within seconds a second bright point formed beside the first in his heart. He opened his eyes with a small, satisfied smile—it had been almost too easy.
[That's because your strength grows by killing monsters. Now, concentrate and infuse mana into the sword.]
Airen exhaled, willing energy into the blade. A thin blue aura flared along its edge, humming faintly before fading after ten seconds.
Only a few seconds?
[You lack mana.]
So how do I increase it?
[The stars you create store mana. With every star, your capacity grows.]
Ah, I see. Not only do new stars add space, they make the old ones a bit bigger too.
He let that sink in, then looked toward the burned remains of the rats. The smell was stronger near the stairs—their blackened bodies still smoldered, tiny flames licking fur as they twitched in death.
You said this floor would be easy. I almost died.
[It wasn't hard. You simply needed to use your brain. Anyone else would have realized sooner that fire was the key. Stay calm next time.]
Airen shot the System a flat, unimpressed look. "Calm? Do you think I walk into dungeons every day just to stay calm while thousands of rats chew on me?"
The System stayed silent.
Fine. Tell me more about that glowing stone.
[You mean the rune? It's carved from a rare white crystal. The etched circuits let you cast magic without formal training.]
Circuits?
[Think of them as special marks.]
Then why did it hurt so much when I used it?
[Because the circuit engraved itself beneath your skin.]
Airen tugged down his collar but saw no mark.
[Recovery potions heal the burn, but the circuit remains below the skin, storing mana.]
[Right now it have enough for five fireballs. The supply will slowly recharge on its own.]
Got it. Five shots—for now.
He turned back to the staircase. Beside the steps he'd climbed earlier, another stairway had appeared, spiraling down into darkness.
Airen's lips curved again, this time with anticipation. "So it really did open… Next floor."
With sword in hand and torches flickering behind him, he stepped into the waiting dark.
The second floor stretched out like a mirror of the first—stone walls, torches, the same faint stink of rot. And waiting there, scattered across the floor, were more rats. Their patchy fur bristled, red eyes glinting in the torchlight. They trembled, tails lashing, as if starving for the flesh standing at the stair's foot.
The same as the first floor.
The horde screeched, a tide of hunger locking every gaze on him as though he were their only meal. Airen smirked. Not this time. He raised his hand, fire already flickering along his fingers, and unleashed all five fireballs in a sweeping barrage.
Flame erupted across the chamber. Rats shrieked, bodies igniting, racing aimlessly as their fur curled and blackened. Airen watched, lips curling into a relieved, almost pleasant smile while chaos consumed them.
Moments later a panel blinked before his eyes:
[Experience Gained: 10,654,000]
[Points Earned: 106,540,000]
[Level Up! Current Level: 44]
The number's the same too. Easy clear.
But he was wrong.
The scorched carcasses began to twitch. Half-burned meat slithered together, piling higher and higher until it towered like a grotesque mound. Clumps slid to the floor with wet splats; others clung, swaying, as a foul stench spread through the hall. Before his eyes the mass shaped itself into a manlike form, flesh dangling, smoke curling from still-burning scraps.
Airen's eyes widened, breath catching in disbelief. What… is that?
[I think this is a tier-3 parasite.]
A… parasite?
The creature straightened, dripping charred fat, and turned its faceless head toward him.