The howls faded.
Silence returned to the Abyss.
Ray stood still, breathing hard, his hand resting on the black wolf's fur. It was warm. Solid. Real. He could still feel the faint hum of the glowing runes fading from his palm.
"…Did that really happen?" he whispered.
The wolf tilted its head.
> "Master. Danger close."
Ray stiffened. "Danger? Where?"
> "Smell… blood. West."
Ray turned. His eyes adjusted slowly to the dim violet glow that bled through cracks in the ceiling. The air down here was thick and heavy, like breathing smoke. Every sound echoed.
Abyssal Dungeon.
That voice—the system—said so.
They threw him here to die.
But he wasn't dead.
He had a beast. A power. A chance.
"Alright," he murmured, tightening his fists. "Let's see what this place looks like."
He started walking.
Each step echoed. The stone beneath his boots was rough, uneven, almost alive—pulsing faintly like veins running beneath glass. The walls shimmered faint blue. Some parts oozed a dark mist that curled upward and vanished.
Ray swallowed. "Creepy."
The wolf padded beside him silently. Despite its size, its steps were soundless. Its fur shimmered with shadow, blending into the dark.
Ray glanced at it. "Hey… what should I call you?"
The beast blinked, surprised.
> "Call… name?"
"Yeah. You're my partner, right? You need a name."
It growled softly, thinking.
> "I… no name."
Ray smiled faintly. "Then I'll give you one."
He looked into those glowing amber eyes.
"…How about Shade?"
The wolf paused.
Then bowed its head.
> "Shade. I… accept."
A faint chime echoed.
> [Bond Level +1]
[Skill Unlocked: Shared Vision]
Ray blinked. "Shared Vision?"
His eyes flashed.
For a second, his perspective split.
He saw through Shade's eyes—the world tinted gold, every motion slow, clear. He could see heat, smell blood, sense tremors underfoot.
Then he gasped, clutching his head. "Whoa—okay, that's weird."
Shade huffed, amused.
> "You learn fast, Master."
Ray laughed softly. "Guess I'll have to."
He walked on.
The tunnel opened into a vast cavern. The ceiling vanished into darkness. Stalactites hung like fangs. Pools of glowing blue water rippled quietly.
Ray's breath caught. "It's… beautiful."
Then the ground shook.
He froze.
From the shadows ahead, a shape slithered out. Scales scraped stone. A forked tongue flicked. Twin eyes glowed red.
> [Abyss Serpent – Level 4]
It hissed, tail coiling.
Shade growled.
> "Enemy. Hungry one."
Ray's pulse quickened. "Can we fight it?"
> "If you command. I obey."
Ray swallowed.
He'd never fought anything before. Not even in games, not in life.
But now… he had no choice.
He clenched his fists. "Alright, Shade. Let's try."
Shade leaped.
The serpent struck, fangs flashing.
Shade twisted midair, landing on its back. Claws slashed down. Sparks flew as they met scale.
The serpent roared, tail lashing. Shade rolled aside, biting into its neck.
Ray stepped back, heart pounding. He wanted to help—but how?
"System!" he shouted. "I need a weapon!"
No reply.
He cursed under his breath. "Figures."
The serpent slammed its tail down. Shade dodged, barely. The ground cracked, sending dust flying.
Ray scanned the area—then spotted a chunk of black crystal half-buried in stone. He grabbed it. It was heavy, jagged—like a shard of obsidian.
"This'll do!"
He ran forward, adrenaline surging. "Shade, pin it!"
Shade growled, leaping again. His claws dug into the serpent's head, forcing it down.
Ray swung the shard with all his strength.
CRACK!
The serpent hissed, scales splitting.
Ray swung again. And again.
Until finally—the beast collapsed, twitching once… then still.
He stumbled back, chest heaving. Sweat dripped down his face.
Shade stepped beside him, panting softly.
> "Victory. Prey slain."
Ray looked at the serpent. It was huge, easily five meters long.
Then a soft glow rose from its body.
A small, floating orb—dark blue, like a miniature star.
> [Loot: Abyss Core – Grade F]
[Absorb? Y/N]
Ray blinked. "Absorb?"
He hesitated. Then nodded. "Yes."
The orb dissolved into his chest. Warmth flooded him.
> [Vitality +1]
[Magic +1]
He gasped. "My stats went up?!"
Shade nodded.
> "Abyss feeds strength. Eat the fallen. Grow."
Ray exhaled slowly. "So I can get stronger here…"
His fists tightened.
"They threw me in here because I had zero stats. But if I can absorb cores…"
His eyes gleamed.
"I'll climb out of this dungeon stronger than all of them."
> [New Objective: Survive and Evolve]
[Sub-Goal: Clear Floor 1]
Ray smirked. "Challenge accepted."
He turned to Shade. "Let's move."
They walked deeper. The tunnels branched, twisting like veins. Ray marked walls with scratches, keeping track. Strange mushrooms glowed faintly, lighting their way.
At times, distant roars echoed. Once, they passed a skeleton of something massive, its bones fused into the stone itself.
The deeper they went, the more the air changed—thicker, heavier, charged with faint static.
Shade sniffed the air.
> "More beasts ahead. Stronger."
Ray nodded. "Good. We need more cores."
They reached a narrow clearing—a chamber lit by veins of glowing ore.
There, clustered together, were three creatures—small, goblin-like things with sharp claws and glowing green eyes.
> [Abyss Gremlins – Level 2 ×3]
Ray froze. "Three of them?"
Shade growled low.
> "We fight?"
Ray thought fast. "No—wait. Let me try something."
He raised his hand. "System! Tame!"
A circle of blue runes formed. One gremlin froze, eyes widening.
> [Beast Taming… 42%... 78%... Success.]
> [New Tamed Beast: Abyss Gremlin]
Ray exhaled. "It worked!"
The other two hissed, confused. The tamed one turned on them, screeching. Shade lunged, slashing through one. The other fled, but Shade's claws caught it mid-run.
Silence.
Ray stared at the remaining gremlin. It stood awkwardly, eyes blinking, clutching its club.
He smiled faintly. "Welcome to the team, uh… Grin."
> [Bond Level +1]
[Skill: Basic Crafting unlocked]
Ray blinked. "Crafting?"
The gremlin picked up a bone shard and started sharpening it into a knife.
Ray grinned. "Okay… I'm starting to like this."
He looked at Shade. "We're building a team."
Shade rumbled in agreement.
> "Many beasts in Abyss. All can serve."
Ray turned, gaze firm. "Then let's tame them all."
> [Quest Updated: Form Your First Squad – 3/3 Members]
[Reward: Hidden Skill Awakening]
A notification shimmered.
Ray's pulse quickened.
A skill awakening already?
The screen glowed.
> [Skill Unlocked: Tamer's Link – Level 1]
[You can now share senses and commands instantly between tamed beasts.]
Ray smiled.
For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt… hope.
He looked at his small squad—Shade the wolf, Grin the gremlin.
They stared back, loyal eyes glowing in the dim light.
From zero attributes… to this.
"I'll show them," Ray whispered. "I'll show this whole world what a Zero can become."
Above them, the ceiling rumbled faintly. Dust fell from cracks.
Something massive moved far below.
Shade's ears perked.
> "Master. Deeper ones wake."
Ray glanced at him. Then grinned.
"Good. Let them come."
He turned toward the next tunnel.
Deeper into the Abyss.
Toward monsters, mysteries, and evolution.
The Zero Hero took his first squad…
and marched forward.
To be continued...