Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Water trickled down the stone walls, echoing through the cavern.
Ray crouched near a glowing mushroom, breaking off a piece. The pale light lit his face as he studied it.
"Still can't believe this place," he muttered. "It's like a world inside a world."
Behind him, Shade sniffed the air while Grin crouched nearby, sharpening a bone dagger with surprising focus. Every few seconds, he grinned at Ray—proud of his work.
Ray smiled faintly. "You're getting better at that, Grin."
The gremlin straightened, puffing his chest.
> "Grin… work. Make… sharp!"
Ray chuckled. "Yeah, it's sharp. Just don't point it at me."
He turned to Shade. "You sense anything?"
The wolf's eyes glowed faint amber.
> "Big one… close. Air shakes."
Ray frowned. "Big one? Like what?"
> "Strong scent. Iron. Blood. Boar smell."
Ray's pulse quickened. "Boar… you mean like a boss monster?"
> "Maybe. Strongest here."
Ray exhaled slowly. This was only the first floor, but he knew what that meant—each floor had a guardian.
If he wanted to survive, he had to defeat it.
"Alright," he said. "Then we prepare."
He opened his system screen.
> [Status]
Name: Ray Zenith
Strength: 0
Agility: 0
Intelligence: 0
Magic: 1
Vitality: 1
Luck: 0
Skills: Infinite Taming (Active), Tamer's Link (Lv.1), Beast Sense, Shared Vision
Beasts: Shade (Lv.3), Grin (Lv.2)
He grimaced. "Still weak… but not helpless."
He glanced at the Abyss Cores he'd gathered—three glowing blue orbs.
He clenched his hand. "Absorb."
The orbs dissolved into light.
> [Vitality +1]
[Magic +1]
[Agility +1]
Ray stretched. "Better."
Shade tilted his head.
> "Master grow fast."
Ray smiled. "Thanks to you."
Grin nodded eagerly.
> "Master strong! Grin fight too!"
Ray patted his head. "Yeah, yeah. Let's hope you don't stab yourself."
Grin blinked. "No… stab self. Stab bad thing!"
Ray laughed softly. "Good enough."
He stood, tightening his grip on the obsidian shard. "Alright, team. Let's hunt our first boss."
---
They followed the trail deeper into the tunnel.
The walls began to widen. The air turned hot, heavy. Steam hissed from cracks.
A faint tremor ran through the ground.
Shade lowered his body, ears twitching.
> "It moves."
Ray whispered, "Stay quiet."
The tunnel opened into a massive cavern.
Stalagmites jutted upward like black spears. Pools of molten rock glowed faintly red.
And in the center—
a creature the size of a house snorted, steam pouring from its nostrils.
> [Abyss Boar – Floor Guardian Lv.6]
Its body was armored in stone-like hide. Two tusks jutted out, glowing faint orange. Its eyes gleamed with fury. Chains of black mist wrapped around its legs, binding it to the floor.
Ray's breath hitched. "That thing's huge…"
Shade's fur bristled.
> "Strong. Dangerous."
Grin gulped.
> "Big pig…"
Ray nodded slowly. "We'll need a plan."
He crouched, eyes darting.
"Shade, you're fastest. Circle behind it, draw its attention."
Shade growled low, understanding.
"Grin, you and I will attack from the sides. Aim for its legs."
Grin nodded quickly. "Grin stab! Fast!"
Ray took a breath. "Alright… go!"
Shade exploded into motion, a blur of black.
The Boar roared, stomping, stone cracking underfoot. Its eyes locked on Shade, tusks flashing.
Ray charged left. Grin darted right, small feet pattering across stone.
The Boar swung its tusks, tearing through rock. Shade leaped aside, claws raking its flank. Sparks flew, but barely scratched it.
Ray gritted his teeth. "Its armor's tough!"
He sprinted, slashing at the back leg with his shard. The blade cut, but shallow. The boar bellowed, twisting, its tail smashing down.
"Move!" Ray shouted.
He rolled aside as the ground exploded, shards flying.
Grin squeaked, diving behind a rock.
Shade leapt again, aiming for the eyes. The Boar jerked its head, but Shade's claws tore across one eye.
The beast screamed, staggering.
> [Abyss Boar – HP 75%]
Ray's system pinged.
He blinked. "We're actually hurting it!"
He dashed forward again, eyes glowing faint blue. "Link active!"
A faint line of light connected him to his beasts. He could feel their heartbeat, their movement.
He shouted commands instinctively—
"Shade, flank left! Grin, leg tendon, now!"
Shade darted low, biting the ankle.
Grin stabbed his dagger deep into the exposed spot.
The Boar roared, blood spraying.
Ray gritted his teeth. "Almost—"
The ground shook violently.
The Boar's tusks glowed bright red.
> [Skill: Molten Charge Activated!]
Ray's eyes widened. "Scatter!"
The beast lunged, molten fire spraying from its hooves.
Shade barely dodged. Grin screamed, jumping behind a rock as molten sparks scorched his arm.
Ray was thrown back, skidding across the floor.
Pain burned through his shoulder.
He groaned, forcing himself up. "We… can't take another hit like that."
Shade limped back, growling low.
> "It… strong…"
Ray's vision blurred. He could feel their pain through the link—Shade's wound, Grin's fear.
He clenched his fists. "No… I won't let it end here."
He looked up. The Boar scraped the ground, preparing to charge again.
Ray's eyes narrowed.
"Shade. Distract it. Grin—throw your knife at its eye."
Grin blinked, trembling. "Grin… try."
"Do it! I believe in you."
Something flickered in Grin's eyes—trust.
He nodded firmly. "Grin… believe Master!"
Shade dashed right, howling.
The Boar turned, snorting, steam rising.
Grin roared, jumping onto a rock.
"Now!" Ray shouted.
Grin threw.
The bone dagger spun—
—and struck deep into the beast's remaining eye.
The Boar screamed, blinded, thrashing wildly.
Shade leapt again, claws glowing faint blue.
Ray blinked. "Wait, that's—!"
> [New Skill: Shadow Claw Learned]
Shade slammed both claws down, cutting through the Boar's neck.
The beast stumbled, collapsing with a thunderous crash.
Dust and heat filled the air.
Ray stood still, heart pounding, as silence fell.
Then—
> [Boss Defeated.]
[Abyss Core (E Grade) Acquired.]
[EXP +100]
[Shade Level Up → Lv.4]
[Grin Level Up → Lv.3]
[Bond Levels Increased.]
Ray fell to his knees, laughing breathlessly. "We… did it. We actually did it!"
Shade padded over, panting, lowering his head.
> "Master… victory."
Ray smiled. "Yeah. Thanks to you two."
Grin jumped up, waving his arms.
> "Big pig down! Grin strong! Master strong!"
Ray laughed, clutching his shoulder. "We're alive. That's what matters."
The Boar's body began to dissolve, leaving behind a massive glowing orb.
Ray stared. "That core…"
He reached out.
> [Absorb E-Grade Core?]
[Y/N]
He pressed yes.
Warmth exploded through him.
Power flooded his veins.
> [Strength +2]
[Vitality +2]
[Magic +2]
[New Passive: Beast Resonance – Lv.1]
He gasped. "What is this…?"
> [Beast Resonance: You and your tamed beasts share part of each other's growth. As their bond deepens, power synchronizes.]
Ray looked at Shade and Grin. "We grow… together."
Shade nodded slowly.
> "We fight. We live. We rise."
Grin smiled wide.
> "Master strong. Grin talk good now! Heh!"
Ray blinked, smiling. "You're already improving."
He looked up.
At the far end of the chamber, a glowing portal shimmered—stairs descending deeper.
> [Floor 1 Cleared. Floor 2 Unlocked.]
Ray took a deep breath.
They were bruised, tired, hungry… but alive.
And for the first time, he didn't feel like a failure.
From zero, he had climbed one floor.
He turned to his beasts. "Ready for the next one?"
Shade's eyes gleamed.
> "Always."
Grin twirled his dagger.
> "We fight more! Get strong!"
Ray smiled, stepping toward the portal.
"Then let's keep moving."
Together, the Zero Hero and his first tamed beasts stepped into the light—
descending deeper into the Abyss
To be continued...