The mutated Gate pulsed like a living heart, its red glow staining the shipping yard in a hellish light. Wind whipped around Kairo, scattering papers and debris across the cracked pavement.
Every instinct he had screamed to turn back.
But the new power coursing through his veins whispered a different message:
Go.
He tightened his gloves.
Zero and the new phase-shadow soldier knelt behind him, awaiting command like loyal hounds of darkness.
Kairo took a breath.
"Both of you—stay alert. This dungeon isn't what it was supposed to be."
Zero nodded.
"Understood, Master."
Kairo stepped forward.
The red Gate rippled—
—and swallowed him whole.
---
Inside the Gate
Darkness crashed over him like icy water.
When the world snapped back into focus, Kairo found himself standing in a long metallic corridor. The walls were rusted steel, the air thick with the smell of chemicals and rot.
A factory dungeon.
Except… different.
It didn't feel dead.
It felt alive.
The shadows around him twitched.
The lights flickered overhead.
Footsteps emerged in the distance—
small at first, then multiplying.
Dozens.
Kairo's pulse quickened.
Zero materialized beside him, eyes glowing with anticipation.
"Master. Hostiles approaching."
Kairo didn't hesitate.
"Form a wall. Nothing gets past us."
The corridor shook as creatures crawled into view—
small, deformed humanoids with metal sticking out of their bodies like twisted armor. Their mouths dripped black fluid.
Mutants.
Not normal dungeon mobs—
but corrupted experiments.
The System confirmed it:
[DUNGEON MUTATION DETECTED]
Enemy Type: Metal-Twisted Aberrations
Abilities:
— Pack Aggression
— Armor Plating
— Toxic Bite
Rank: D (but rising)
Kairo narrowed his eyes.
"So this dungeon really is evolving…"
The creatures screeched and charged.
But the shadows charged faster.
---
Shadow vs. Steel
Zero slammed into the first wave, his Abyssal Slash carving through metal armor like wet cloth. The new phase-shadow flickered through the mobs, slicing their throats before they even noticed him.
Kairo stepped forward.
His own shadow swirled.
He extended his hand.
"Shadow Bind."
Black chains erupted from the ground, grabbing three mutants and crushing them in midair with bone-snapping force.
The System chimed.
+1 Shadow Fragment
+1 Shadow Fragment
+1 Shadow Fragment
Kairo grinned faintly.
This… feels good.
More creatures poured from side tunnels—
twice as many as before.
Zero looked back.
"Master. Numbers increasing."
Kairo nodded.
"Good. I need the practice."
He dashed forward—
faster than he ever could before ascension.
His foot slammed into a mutant's chest, sending it flying. Another leaped at his back, but Kairo spun and sliced it open with a blade formed from pure shadow.
His movements were fluid.
Instinctive.
Natural.
He wasn't fighting like an E-Rank.
He wasn't fighting like a C-Rank either.
He was fighting like something else entirely.
---
The Mini-Boss
After the last mutant fell, the entire dungeon shook.
The walls groaned.
Pipes burst.
Red lights flashed overhead.
Zero stiffened.
"Master. A higher lifeform is coming."
Kairo felt it too.
A low, metallic growl rumbled through the corridor.
Then it stepped into the open.
A monstrous humanoid covered in thick plates of welded steel, arms replaced with spinning saws, its core glowing fiery orange.
A Forge Goliath.
The System flashed urgently.
[MINI-BOSS DETECTED]
Rank: C+
Threat Level: High
Weakness:
— Overload Core
— Shadow Implosion
Recommended Strategy:
Do NOT engage alone.
Kairo smirked.
"Guess the System hasn't caught up with me yet."
Zero moved to the front, but Kairo raised a hand.
"No. I'll take this one."
Zero hesitated.
"Master—"
"I need to see what I can really do."
The Goliath roared and charged, saws spinning like death wheels.
Kairo exhaled and sank into his stance.
---
King's Movement
The Goliath swung its saw-arm—
but Kairo vanished, reappearing behind it with Night Step, shadow mist trailing behind him.
He punched the back of the creature's knee.
It buckled.
He spun around, shadows gathering in his hand like molten darkness.
"Shadow Burst."
He slammed his palm into its chest.
A black explosion detonated, sending the Goliath stumbling backward, armor cracking.
The monster shrieked and swung wildly—
but Kairo dipped under the blades, flowing between attacks like water.
He was moving on instinct.
Like he'd fought monsters his whole life.
Like something inside him remembered.
The Goliath's core flickered.
Kairo saw his chance.
"Zero—hold it!"
Zero flashed forward, shadow tendrils gripping the boss's leg and pinning it.
Kairo leaped high, shadows coiling around his fist.
"BREAK!"
He slammed his shadow-charged punch into the glowing core.
A blinding flash—
then the Goliath collapsed, sparks flying from its broken frame before dissolving into ash.
The dungeon trembled.
Walls cracked.
The mutated energy pulsed violently.
The System chimed loudly:
[MINI-BOSS DEFEATED]
Shadow Eligible: YES
Convert?
[YES] [NO]
[DUNGEON BREAK IMMINENT]
Proceed deeper to stabilize?
Kairo wiped blood from his lip and smirked.
"…We're going deeper."
Zero bowed.
"Lead the way, Master."
Kairo tightened his fist, shadows responding like loyal dogs waiting to be unleashed.
This wasn't a normal dungeon anymore.
This was a test.
And he intended to pass it.