The chamber felt impossibly large—and impossibly small all at once.
Kael's chest burned as the golden warmth of the Dragon Core pulsed violently. He had faced S-rank monsters before, but nothing like this. This creature was… alive in a way that felt almost intelligent. Its massive body was armored with scales that shimmered crimson and gold, veins of energy pulsing through them like lightning in stone. Its eyes glowed like molten gold, and it didn't just look at him—it assessed him.
[Unknown S-Rank Core – Threat Level: Extreme]
Kael's hands trembled slightly, though his voice was steady. "Alright… let's do this."
The monster moved first. Not fast—its pace was deliberate, almost lazy—but every step it took shook the ground beneath him. The sheer size of its claw alone could crush a human without effort.
Kael ducked instinctively as a shockwave blasted past him, dust and rock raining down. His vision sharpened as the system whispered probabilities in his mind.
[Dragon System – Analysis Active]
[Adaptive Influence Lv.2 Engaged | Minor Manipulation Lv.2 | Observation Lv.2 | Calm Influence Lv.2]
He had learned in small fights how to manipulate the environment, but this… this was a battlefield that demanded every skill simultaneously. Every instinct, every tiny advantage, every predictive move mattered.
---
The monster's claw struck again, faster this time. Kael ducked, rolling behind a shattered pillar. His hand flicked subtly, sending debris into its path. The creature staggered slightly, but only for an instant.
Kael exhaled. It's stronger than anything I've faced… I can't rely on luck alone.
He focused, letting Observation calculate the micro-movements—the weight shifts, the eye tics, the subtle wind changes from its wings. Calm Influence rippled outward, subtly dampening its aggression. Minor Manipulation nudged rocks, subtly shifting its balance. Adaptive Influence adjusted continuously, responding faster than his conscious thought could manage.
The creature paused, almost curious. Kael noticed the faintest hesitation in its rhythm. His heart leapt. That's my opening.
---
Kael acted. Not with brute force—but precision. He rolled forward, brushing another piece of debris into the creature's path. It stumbled fractionally. He attacked with his sword—not for damage, but to force a reaction. The creature swung its claw, but Kael had already predicted the arc and dodged, letting the swing smash harmlessly into a wall behind him.
Golden sparks flared along his arms. The Dragon Core pulsed, amplifying every movement, every micro-manipulation.
[Adaptive Influence Lv.3 Unlocked]
The world seemed to slow. Kael's senses sharpened. He could feel the creature's intent before it acted, the microsecond before its claws sliced through the air. He was no longer reacting—he was orchestrating the fight in tiny, invisible ways.
---
Minutes passed—or maybe hours. Time felt meaningless. Kael moved like a shadow, dodging, shifting, manipulating the battlefield. The creature roared, the sound vibrating in his chest, but Kael felt no fear. Only calculation. Only survival.
Then, a surge of energy from the core entity hit him squarely, blasting him backward. Rocks tore through the chamber, cutting into stone and debris alike. Kael hit the ground hard, pain shooting through his limbs. The system screamed in response, Golden light rippling across him as Adaptive Influence countered instinctively, preventing fatal damage.
He coughed, struggling to rise, but the Dragon Core whispered: You can survive this. Push further.
---
Kael's eyes snapped open. His hand glowed with golden energy as he activated every skill simultaneously. Observation predicted, Calm Influence delayed, Minor Manipulation shifted, Adaptive Influence reacted—almost as if the system itself was moving through him.
He darted forward, narrowly avoiding a crushing claw, and kicked a jagged rock into the core entity's path. It stumbled, one massive wing slamming into the chamber wall. The system pulsed violently.
[Dragon Core Mastery Lv.1 Unlocked]
Kael felt raw energy flooding his veins, instincts enhanced beyond conscious thought. The battle was no longer just survival—it was his awakening.
He smiled faintly through the sweat. "I see you now… and I'll survive this."
The creature roared, shaking the chamber, but Kael didn't back down. This was only the beginning.
Somewhere deep in the dungeon, beyond this fight, something even older, more dangerous, was stirring. And Kael—weakest E-rank hunter of Ardent—was about to step onto a path that no one in the city could even imagine.
The world doesn't know me yet… but it will.