The ruined city dungeon swallowed Zael in silence.
Broken towers leaned over cracked streets. Dim orange light seeped from fissures in the ground, and distant metallic groans echoed through the ruins.
A status panel appeared.
---
[STATUS — ZAEL]
Level: 19
EXP: 42,180 / 50,000
---
"…7,820 left."
He moved alone.
No teammates.
No escort.
No intention of helping anyone.
A massive shape shifted behind a fallen wall.
A panel unfolded.
---
[Stone Warden]
Level: 22
Type: Construct Beast
Strength: 82
Agility: 41
Vitality: 110
Perception: 36
Mana: 30
Skills:
• Stone Body (Passive): Reduces physical damage by 40%
• Ground Slam: Area shockwave
• Core Guard: Repositions stone plates to shield core
Core Location: Chest (internal)
---
The Warden charged.
Zael activated Blade Domain.
The monster slammed its fists down.
> Skill — Ground Slam
Stone rippled outward.
Zael jumped back but the tremor still rattled his bones.
"High vitality… internal strike."
It shifted its plates.
> Skill — Core Guard
Zael vanished.
> Void Step
He reappeared at its side and slashed.
The blade skidded off stone.
The Warden struck him across the street.
Pain bloomed in his ribs.
He inhaled.
Let it hit.
The monster swung again.
> Resonance Strike
The force poured into him.
Zael twisted and released it back through his blade.
The impact detonated inside the Warden's chest.
Then—
> Night Sever
The blade ignored armor.
It pierced the glowing core.
The Warden froze.
Collapsed.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 720
Current EXP: 42,900 / 50,000
---
Far down the street, Zael heard shouting.
Three freshmen sprinted past him with skeletal creatures behind them.
He didn't move.
Not his fight.
One monster veered toward him anyway.
---
[Grave Stalker]
Level: 21
Type: Predator Construct
Strength: 54
Agility: 88
Vitality: 40
Perception: 72
Mana: 25
Skills:
• Bone Dash
• Predator Leap
• Core Bite
Core Location: Head
---
It lunged.
Zael activated Phantom Split.
Afterimages scattered.
The Stalker bit through an illusion.
Zael cut sideways.
Its skull split.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 580
Current EXP: 43,480 / 50,000
The other skeletons chased the freshmen away.
Zael didn't follow.
---
Further in, the ruins widened into a plaza.
A heavy shape emerged.
---
[Obsidian Crusher]
Level: 24
Type: Heavy Guardian
Strength: 135
Agility: 28
Vitality: 180
Perception: 44
Mana: 60
Skills:
• Crushing Charge
• Obsidian Armor (Passive): 50% damage reduction
• Seismic Smash
Core Location: Deep torso
---
Two seniors were already fighting it.
Zael changed direction.
Not worth the entanglement.
But the Crusher charged blindly—
Straight toward him.
Zael sighed.
> Blade Domain
The Crusher rammed forward.
> Crushing Charge
Zael stepped aside.
It smashed into a broken tower.
Stone fell.
Zael used Void Step and appeared above it.
> Night Sever
The blade pierced directly through its torso.
The core ruptured.
The Crusher fell.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 1,350
Current EXP: 44,830 / 50,000
The seniors stared.
Zael walked away.
---
Heat pulsed beneath the street.
Three shapes burst from cracked asphalt.
---
[Basalt Reaver]
Level: 23
Type: Pack Hunter
Strength: 78
Agility: 92
Vitality: 55
Perception: 65
Mana: 40
Skills:
• Pack Lunge
• Flame Veins (Passive)
• Core Rush
Core Location: Neck
---
They attacked together.
Zael blocked one.
Fire burned his arm.
> Resonance Strike
The rebound shattered it.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 640
Current EXP: 45,470 / 50,000
He turned.
> Night Sever
Second fell.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 660
Current EXP: 46,130 / 50,000
The third fled.
Zael caught it with Void Step.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 620
Current EXP: 46,750 / 50,000
---
The ground trembled.
Something enormous rose from beneath the road.
---
[Ancient City Sentinel]
Level: 26
Type: Guardian Construct
Strength: 170
Agility: 22
Vitality: 240
Perception: 50
Mana: 90
Skills:
• Tower Slam
• Fortress Body (Passive): 60% damage reduction
• Guardian Roar (Stun)
• Core Fortress: Shifts core deeper
Core Location: Deep center
---
It swung a broken pillar.
Zael dodged too late.
The impact smashed him into a wall.
Blood ran down his cheek.
> Guardian Roar
His head rang.
Zael forced movement.
> Resonance Strike
The next blow fed him power.
He vanished.
> Void Step
Reappeared inside its guard.
> Night Sever
The blade pierced its core.
The Sentinel froze.
Collapsed.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 2,300
Current EXP: 49,050 / 50,000
---
One last monster crawled from rubble.
---
[Ruin Watcher]
Level: 21
Strength: 45
Agility: 60
Vitality: 35
---
Zael ended it.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 520
Current EXP: 49,570 / 50,000
Another leapt from above.
---
[Iron Skitterer]
Level: 22
Strength: 48
Agility: 83
Vitality: 38
---
Zael cut upward.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 620
Current EXP: 50,190 / 50,000
---
> [EXP Threshold Reached]
Level Up!
Level 20 Achieved
---
Heat surged through him.
Not strength.
Evolution pressure.
A new message formed:
> [Awakening Level Achieved]
Proceed to Awakener Hall for Awakening Task Assignment
Zael exhaled slowly.
"…Level 20."
Around him, battles still raged.
Freshmen. Seniors. Monsters.
None of it mattered now.
He turned toward the exit portal.
The Awakener Hall awaited.
---
The exit portal shimmered ahead of him.
Zael had just taken a step toward it when—
"Move!"
A figure burst from between the ruined buildings.
The red robe marked him instantly.
Sophomore.
Not a freshman like Zael.
Not weak.
And behind him—
The ground shook.
Something enormous barreled through the street, smashing aside rubble as it chased him.
In the sophomore's arms was a large, cracked egg, still radiating heat and mana.
Zael's eyes narrowed.
…He stole it.
A status panel forced itself into Zael's vision as the creature surged into view.
---
[Volcanic Broodmother]
Level: 40
Type: High-Tier Guardian Beast
Strength: 210
Agility: 68
Vitality: 300
Perception: 95
Mana: 160
Skills:
• Molten Charge – High-speed impact coated in magma
• Infernal Roar – Fear + stun effect
• Egg Link (Passive): Enters berserk state if egg is removed
• Lava Spit – Long-range magma projectiles
Core Location: Deep chest cavity
---
Zael stopped.
The sophomore saw him.
And smiled.
A quick, ugly smile.
Zael felt it instantly.
Intent.
Not panic.
Calculation.
The sophomore's eyes flicked to the exit portal behind Zael.
Then back to him.
"…Perfect."
He veered sharply.
Straight toward Zael.
Zael stepped aside instinctively—
But the sophomore twisted his body mid-run, brushing past him with practiced agility.
Their shoulders almost touched.
The egg stayed clutched to his chest.
"Thanks, freshman," the older student laughed breathlessly.
And ran.
Straight for the exit portal.
Zael turned—
Too late.
The Volcanic Broodmother skidded to a halt where the sophomore had been.
Its gaze locked onto the nearest target.
Zael.
Its pupils burned molten gold.
It inhaled.
> Skill — Infernal Roar
The air exploded with heat and pressure.
Zael's head rang.
His knees bent slightly as fear-instinct tried to seize control.
"…Tch."
He planted his foot.
"I don't have time for this."
The beast charged.
> Skill — Molten Charge
Its body became a streak of lava and muscle.
Zael activated Blade Domain.
Space tightened.
Time felt thinner.
The beast slammed into him.
Zael raised his blade and braced.
> Resonance Strike
Impact.
Pain tore through his arms.
But the force poured into him instead of breaking him.
The street cratered beneath his feet.
He slid back five meters.
Released the stored power in a single counter-slash.
The shockwave tore across the beast's chest.
It howled.
Magma splattered.
Vitality dropped—but not enough.
It reared back.
> Skill — Lava Spit
Three molten globes flew toward him.
Zael vanished.
> Void Step
He reappeared to its left and slashed.
> Night Sever
The blade ignored heat, scale, and muscle.
It cut deep into the creature's chest.
The Broodmother screamed and lashed out blindly.
A burning tail clipped his side.
Zael was thrown across the street.
Stone shattered.
Pain flared along his ribs.
He rolled once and rose immediately.
"Level forty…" he muttered. "And enraged."
The beast slammed its fists down.
> Molten Charge
Zael activated Phantom Split.
Afterimages scattered.
The beast tore through two illusions before hesitating—
Just long enough.
Zael stepped in.
> Void Step
Reappeared directly beneath its chest.
> Night Sever
Straight into the glowing core.
The blade sank deep.
The Broodmother convulsed.
Molten blood poured from the wound.
Its roar cut off mid-sound.
It collapsed forward and slid to a stop meters from him.
Silence.
Zael stood there, breathing slowly.
Then a message appeared.
> Monster defeated — EXP gained: 4,800
Current EXP: 55,000 / 50,000
He exhaled.
"…Worth it."
But his eyes turned toward the exit portal.
Toward the fleeing sophomore.
The one who had used him.
Zael didn't chase.
Not because he couldn't.
Because he didn't need to.
"…I'll remember your robe and I'll remember you."
He turned away from the corpse and stepped toward the exit.
The dungeon light swallowed him.
And somewhere above—
A certain sophomore felt a chill crawl up his spine without knowing why.