After collecting all the items scattered across the dungeon from his high-speed rampage, Twig returned to the dungeon's entrance at Kafra's waiting place to do what he always did — sell the junk, keep the good stuff, and grow his pile of Zeny.
Once done, he teleported back to the inn to meet his friends and plan their usual group grind for the afternoon.
By the time he arrived, it was almost noon. He followed the smell of smoke to the small corner where Jenny usually hides the meat and crops. There they were — Aron and Jenny — already eating.
When Aron saw him, he raised an eyebrow.
"Where the hell have you been, Twig? You vanished all morning!"
"I went to a dungeon," Twig answered casually, brushing dust from his gloves. "Now that I'm a Knight, I needed to test my new skills."
"Oh…" Aron muttered, half impressed, half annoyed.
Jenny frowned. "Wait — you went alone? To a dungeon? Without us? Wow, how selfish don't you?"
Twig raised his hand in mock surrender. "Easy, Jenny. We're still going together later, as usual. I just went early to get a few things done. You'll see soon enough why."
"'See'? What are you talking about?" Aron asked.
"You'll understand when we get there," Twig said, grinning. "For now, let's eat and rest. Then we'll head out for our usual hunt."
The siblings exchanged a look — curiosity burning behind their eyes. Whatever Twig had planned, it was definitely something new.
After a quick meal and some rest, the trio slipped out of the inn, heading quietly toward the forest near the water well like always. There, they activated their teleport crystals and warped straight into the Dungeon Shrine Fortress — the highest-level dungeon the group could currently access.
Inside, Aron and Jenny were immediately on alert, ready for battle. Twig, however, didn't rush in. Even with his gear equipped, he walked to Kafra Aliane's station and requested a Peco-Peco rental.
A bright pillar of light rose from the floor, nearly three meters high. Slowly, the light condensed into the shape of a giant bird — and with a flash, the creature took full form: a majestic Peco-Peco, fully saddled and battle-ready.
Both siblings stepped back in awe.
"Whoa! What is that thing?" they exclaimed in unison.
Jenny's eyes sparkled. "I never thought something that big could just appear out of thin air! And it's so calm — even with all these monsters around!"
Twig smiled proudly. "This, my friends, is a Peco-Peco — a magical creature used as a mount by knights. Now that I've advanced my class, I can ride it and fight at the same time. I can attack while moving — it's extremely powerful."
The two stared at the bird, visibly impressed.
"That's awesome," said Aron. "Will we get to ride one too?"
Twig paused and turned his gaze upward in thought.
"System, if they become Knights too, can they ride?"
[Ding!]
"Host, yes. The Riding Skill is a passive ability, as are Cavalry Mastery and Spear Mastery. Once your allies reach the Knight class, they'll be able to learn and improve those passives as they level up. Remember — they cannot acquire active abilities, since only you possess the distribution interface."
Twig turned back to them. "So yes, once you're officially Knights, you'll be able to ride and even master lances. Speaking of which, check it out — I'm not using a sword anymore."
Both stared at his new weapon — a long Pike gleaming faintly in the torchlight.
"True," Jenny said softly. "What happened to your old sword? It was so beautiful."
Twig's expression softened. "I don't have it anymore," he said. "I gave it away. Maybe one day… we'll come across it again."
The siblings exchanged puzzled looks. To whom had he given something so valuable?
Twig smiled faintly. "Alright, time for a live demonstration. Watch closely — this is how a Knight fights on a Peco-Peco. Hyah!"
He tugged the reins, and the mount surged forward like a bolt of lightning.
"Pick off the stragglers and collect the drops!" he shouted back. "I won't have time—"
Before he could finish, the Peco-Peco accelerated even faster and leapt over the fortress wall in a single bound.
Aron blinked. "Holy crap! Did you see that jump?!"
"I didn't even hear what he said," Jenny muttered. "Was it something about picking up loot?"
"Probably. Let's just start clearing the ground floor. He's already up there killing half the fortress!"
From their position, they could see Twig — or rather, the blur that was Twig — cutting down entire squads of monsters atop the walls.
"Damn," Aron muttered. "We'll have to fight our way up there."
Then, without warning, Twig and his mount came soaring back down from the ramparts, crashing into the courtyard like a meteor.
"By the gods…" Aron whispered, wide-eyed. "He's not just strong anymore — he's a full-blown storm of steel. He's so fast I can barely keep track of him!"
"Come on, Jenny!" he shouted. "If we don't hurry, we'll be left behind!"
Aron pulled his sister by the arm, and together they pushed forward through the dungeon halls, cutting down every monster in their way.
Hours later, after endless grinding, something finally changed.
The unusual glow surrounded both siblings — and though they lacked the full interface, the result was clear. Their appearance transformed before Twig's eyes. New armor shimmered across their bodies — shining plates, crimson capes, and crests of silver.
They had become Knights.
Twig dismounted and examined them with a proud smile. "Well, look at you two. Shiny new Knights already. Good work."
"Wait—does that mean...?" Jenny started.
Twig grinned. "Exactly. Let's head back to the entrance. Time to get you both your own mounts."
"Mounts?" Jenny blinked. "Now?"
"Of course," Twig said, patting his Peco-Peco's neck. "What's a Knight without a birdy mount?"
Aron and Jenny exchanged excited glances and shouted together, "Yes! We want one too!"
Twig chuckled and led them back to Kafra Aliane's station near the dungeon gate.
After paying 500 Zeny each, two new pillars of light appeared. A heartbeat later, two more Peco-Pecos materialized beside them, wings flaring, claws scraping the stone floor.
Aron, ecstatic, ran to his mount and tried to hop on in one go — a mistake.
"Alright, here we go—whoa, whoa!"
The Peco-Peco screeched, startled by his clumsy leap, flapping its wings and jerking wildly. Aron wobbled helplessly, nearly thrown off, before finally managing to grip the reins tight. "Easy, easy!"
Jenny laughed softly, then approached her own mount calmly. She placed a gentle hand on its neck and whispered, "Easy, birdy... be gentle ok."
With careful movements, she mounted without resistance. The Peco-Peco tilted its head, letting out a soft chirp — docile and obedient.
Twig, watching both of them, couldn't help but smile. "Good. But remember — don't push your luck. You're not ready for wild maneuvers yet. Start slow, feel the rhythm. The more you fight, the more your riding skill will grow naturally."
They nodded and started forward in a cautious trot, following Twig deeper into the dungeon.
At first, both siblings struggled to balance and control their mounts. Twig dismounted briefly and pulled two spears from his inventory: Partizan and Halberd.
"These are for you," he said, handing one to each. "Two-handed lances — no shields, just pure reach and impact. Let's see how you handle them."
Aron took the Halberd, heavier and longer, perfectly fitting his brute force. Jenny received the Partizan — lighter, faster, but still deadly. She wasn't used to two-handed weapons; her old sword style favored speed and agility. Now, mounted, her mobility came from the Peco-Peco itself, leaving her hands free for precision strikes.
It took a while to adjust, but soon enough, both were striking with rhythm and confidence.
As they advanced, their Knight passives skills steadily leveled up. Riding Skill. Cavalry Mastery. Spear Mastery. Each new level made them faster, stronger, more fluid.
And with every monster defeated, the rhythm of battle grew — faster, sharper, deadlier.
The grind became a dance of speed and destruction.
Within hours, both siblings had maxed out their passive Knight skills, their movements now seamless. Even Twig could barely believe how quickly they'd adapted.
And then, it happened again — another [Ding!] echoed through the air.
[Ding!]
Congratulations, Host! You have reached Level 60.
[Unlocked] New Dungeon Available: Volcano Lair (Levels 60–70)
⚠️ Warning: This dungeon's difficulty is extremely high — even for your current strength.
[Analysis Complete] Evaluating system parameters… ✅
[Reward Granted] One (1) year of bond fulfillment confirmed. Applying reward...
[Ding!]
Congratulations, Host. You have unlocked:
– Random Dungeon Mode
– Custom Dungeon Mode
Random Dungeon Mode
Selecting this mode will replace the fixed monsters of a known dungeon with new, random creatures not yet recorded in your Omnibook. Their levels will match the dungeon's natural range.
Result: You'll encounter new enemies, earn new rewards, and expand your bestiary with each discovery.
Custom Dungeon Mode
You may now create a dungeon by selecting up to four monster types from your Omnibook.
Restrictions: Chosen monsters must match the dungeon's level range, and only previously unlocked creatures can be selected.
Twig read the notifications in awe. "Random and custom dungeons… that's insane."
He tightened his grip on the reins, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Looks like the real grinding is just beginning."