I didn't shout. I didn't panic. Amidst the dank, suffocating air of the dungeon, I gave a single, calm command.
"Eliminate it."
Seraphina did not hesitate. She didn't offer a battle cry or a dramatic stance. She simply stepped forward, placing herself between me and the snarling Dungeon Predator.
Her hand closed around the hilt of her blade. As she drew it, the sound wasn't the metallic rasp of steel against leather; it was a sickening, high-pitched whine—the sound of reality tearing.
Sealed Divine Skill — Sword Art: Fallen Star [Fragment] She swung.
It wasn't fast; it was inevitable. A crescent of pale-gold light detached from the blade, drifting through the air. It didn't roar like fire or crackle like lightning. It made no sound at all. It simply erased whatever occupied the space it traveled through.
The Predator froze mid-snarl. For a heartbeat, it stood there, a statue of malice. Then, a thin line of golden light appeared down its center. The creature separated—cleanly, perfectly— into two halves. Before the meat could hit the stone floor, the carcass dissolved into gray ash.
The dungeon shuddered.
Deep cracks spider-webbed across the cavern walls, glowing with unstable energy, threatening to bring the ceiling down upon us. Then, just as quickly, they stopped. It was as if the world itself had panicked, forcibly clapping its hands over the breach to stop the bleeding.
[⚠ ALERT: World Balance Seal Reinforced][Power leakage detected. Containment successful.]
Silence returned, heavier than before.
Seraphina lowered her sword, the pale light fading from the steel, and turned back to me.
She knelt, her movements fluid and devoid of pride.
"Threat removed."
A faint blue ether flowed from the drift of ash where the monster had stood, spiraling through the air and sinking into my chest.
[ LEVEL UP][Level: 1 → 3][Skill Acquired: Presence Control (Passive Lv.1)]Description: Reduces perceived threat level to enemies and NPCs.
My racing heart slowed instantly. The panic of being summoned to a strange place evaporated, replaced by a cold, precise sense of control. It felt unnatural, yet entirely right.
I gestured with a slight flick of my hand. "Stand. I want information."
Seraphina rose. Her posture was military-straight, her expression calm but utterly attentive. She looked at me not as a stranger, but as a sovereign.
"This world is called Aetherion," she began, her voice steady. "It is ruled by Kings, Churches, and Ancient Bloodlines. Heroes are summoned periodically by nations to fight wars or clear Dungeons—scars left by past calamities."
She paused, her eyes scanning the shadows of the tunnel before returning to mine. "True gods are absent here... but their systems remain. And you, Master, are not a summoned hero. You are an anomaly."
I frowned. "Explain."
"Your system violates world law," she said, her tone lowering. "The World Balance Seal exists to prevent reality from collapsing. My power is sealed to avoid triggering the Divine Enforcers or the Hero Councils. If I release more than permitted... the world will try to erase you."
She looked directly at me, her gaze piercing. "Not kill. Erase."
"And the Gacha?" I asked, looking at the invisible interface only I could see. "Why did I pull a level 9999 entity on the first try?"
"Your pulls are not random. They respond to your intent, your danger level, and the world's hostility toward you," she explained. "Higher danger yields higher-tier outcomes." A dry, humorless smile touched her lips.
"You pulled me because the world immediately recognized you as prey." She glanced at the pile of ash. "And it overcorrected."
She placed a gauntleted hand over her chest, bowing her head slightly. "There are beings watching now. They are not yet aware of who you are, but they are curious. Until you are strong enough, you must grow quietly."
She stepped aside, revealing the path ahead. The dungeon tunnel split into two distinct directions.
To the left, the path descended deeper into the earth, pulsing with a rhythmic, malevolent red light. The air there smelled of iron and blood.
To the right, the tunnel sloped upward, faintly lit by phosphorescent moss, leading toward the surface.
Seraphina moved to my flank, her hand resting lightly on her sword hilt. She said nothing more. She simply waited for my decision.