Kael stepped into the mouth of the dungeon, the cool, damp air brushing against his face. The Forgotten Depths had a reputation even among E-rank hunters for being unpredictable—small corridors twisted into dead ends, tunnels crumbled without warning, and faint golden light had been reported by those who dared venture too far.
He moved carefully, feet barely making a sound on the stone floor. The warmth in his chest—the Dragon Core pulse—throbbed softly, a subtle heartbeat that seemed to sync with the dungeon itself.
[Dragon Sense Lv.5 Active]
The system hummed faintly at the edge of his perception. Kael flexed his fingers, feeling the Dragon Core respond to his intent. His senses sharpened; he could feel the faintest vibrations in the walls, the tiniest movements of the air, the whispers of something alive, waiting.
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At first, the dungeon seemed deceptively quiet. Small scavenger monsters appeared, but they moved with intelligence, avoiding his line of sight, testing him silently. Kael didn't attack. He observed, letting the Observation Lv.6 guide him.
A faint shimmer caught his eye—a golden reflection along the wall. Kael crouched, noticing a hidden side passage. A soft vibration pulsed through the floor, and the warmth in his chest surged.
[Unknown Presence Detected: Moderate Threat]
Curiosity urged him forward. He stepped into the corridor, eyes scanning. The walls glimmered faintly, veins of crystal running through them. Every vibration, every whisper of movement was amplified. Kael's heartbeat quickened, and the Dragon Core responded, subtle sparks of energy dancing along his fingertips.
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Deeper inside, Kael found the first real obstacle: a trio of scavenger creatures far stronger than the usual E-rank fodder. Their eyes glowed gold, veins running along their limbs, and they moved with unnerving coordination.
Kael didn't attack. He extended his hand slightly, letting Calm Influence Lv.5 ripple quietly. The creatures hesitated, confusion flashing in their eyes, but they did not retreat entirely. Instead, they circled him, testing his patience.
Kael's pulse surged again. Observation and Calm Influence intertwined as he analyzed their patterns: the slight shift of weight before an attack, the twitch of a claw, the way they communicated without sound.
With a careful flick of his fingers, he activated Minor Manipulation Lv.1. A small rock shifted subtly in the path of one of the scavengers. The creature stumbled over it, losing balance just enough for Kael to slip past. Another he guided with a faint pulse, redirecting its momentum harmlessly into a stone pillar.
[Dragon Core Skill Progress: Strategy & Manipulation Lv.1]
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Kael pressed on. The dungeon narrowed, tunnels twisting unpredictably. He sensed something larger ahead—a presence he couldn't yet see. The Dragon Core pulsed sharply, warmer and stronger than it had ever been.
Then he saw it: a massive shadow moving in the distance, eyes glowing gold, veins of energy flickering across its scaled body. Its size dwarfed the scavengers he had just passed.
[S-Rank Threat Detected: Extreme Danger]
Kael crouched, letting Awareness Expansion Lv.4 stretch his senses. He could feel the creature's heartbeat, the pressure in the air, the faint exhale of its nostrils. Its gaze swept the corridor; it had not noticed him yet, but the system's warning was clear.
I can't fight it head-on… not yet.
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Kael observed, waiting for an opening. The creature shifted, its massive claws scraping the stone floor. From the shadows, smaller scavenger creatures emerged, apparently drawn to the S-rank presence. They moved faster, coordinated, aggressive—far beyond what Kael had faced before.
A spark of calculation lit in his mind. He extended his hands, letting the warmth in his chest ripple subtly. Calm Influence flowed outward. The smaller creatures faltered, confused, some retreating slightly, others hesitating mid-lunge. Kael's pulse quickened, synchronizing with their hesitation.
Then he focused on the massive S-rank creature. Just enough influence to make it hesitate—a minor disruption in its rhythm, not control, but sufficient to create a gap in its attention. Kael used this moment to duck into a side corridor, barely escaping its gaze.
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The corridor led to a chamber filled with faint golden light reflecting off crystalline veins. Kael crouched in the shadows, feeling the Dragon Core pulse stronger than ever. His Minor Manipulation extended cautiously: small rocks shifted, dust moved to obscure his position, and a faint vibration misdirected the S-rank creature's smaller minions.
He could hear it sniffing, growling softly, testing for him. Kael's pulse flared again, then receded as he focused. Observation, Calm Influence, Minor Manipulation—all three skills working in unison.
A sudden scrape—one of the smaller scavengers had broken cover and rushed toward him. Kael extended his hand, and with a soft ripple of energy, it stumbled mid-charge and retreated, stunned. He had survived the first real threat using strategy rather than brute strength.
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But the chamber wasn't safe for long. A distant rumble echoed through the dungeon. The S-rank creature had discovered the side corridor and was moving with terrifying speed. Kael's pulse surged sharply, the Dragon Core responding instinctively.
[Dragon Core Skill Response: Emergency Awareness Lv.1]
He felt the pressure in the air, the vibration of stone beneath his feet, and even the faintest shift in temperature. With careful calculation, he used Minor Manipulation to collapse a small wall fragment between him and the S-rank creature, just enough to slow it down.
The smaller creatures were corralled by his Calm Influence. Kael exhaled slowly, heart hammering, yet calm. He had survived, adapted, and even influenced his enemies, all without a single direct strike.
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By the time Kael exited the dungeon, the sun had climbed high. The streets seemed ordinary, yet he felt different. Stronger, sharper, more aware. The Dragon Core pulsed warmly, as if acknowledging his progress.
This is just the beginning, he thought. The S-rank threats are real, and I survived. Next time… I will be ready to face them fully.
A flicker of golden light at the edge of his vision vanished. Kael smiled faintly, chest warm, pulse steady. The world didn't know him yet, but it would soon.
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