"...Huff… huff…"
Kael leaned against the cold stone wall, his body trembling as he forced himself into the narrow gap between the rocks.
"…Man… I'm tired…"
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
Sweat mixed with blood as pain spread through every part of his body.
After barely escaping and killing the goblins that chased him, this tiny space was the only place he could hide.
"…Haa… haa…"
"…My whole body hurts like hell…"
{Ding! Of course it does. You are a weak, pathetic loser.}
"…Hey… can you please stop… for the love of god…"
"…Not right now…"
Kael closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steady his breathing.
"…I'm only at the first floor… right?"
"…And you said this dungeon has multiple floors…"
"…With monsters ranging from F-rank to SSS-rank…"
He took a deep breath.
"…Which means every three floors, the rank increases…"
"…So after the first three floors…"
"…E-rank monsters…"
"…Then D… then C…"
"…Am I right?"
{Ding! Looks like your brain is functioning correctly for once.}
{Ding! Also, time inside this dungeon flows differently.}
{Ding! One day inside equals one hour outside.}
"…That's not reassuring at all, you know…"
"…That just means I'll suffer longer…"
He let out a weak laugh.
"…So… does that mean I can log in faster here?"
{Ding! No. The login timer is based on the outside world.}
"…Great…"
"…Just great…"
"…So basically…"
"…I have to survive 24 days in here for one login…"
{Ding! Correct.}
"…Yeah… that sounds fair…"
"…For someone trying to kill me…"
Kael sighed, then slowly opened his eyes.
"…Alright…"
"…Focus…"
"…Right now I have Void Step…"
"…Primordial Mana Control…"
"…And Elemental Lord…"
"…Elemental Lord gives me control over all elements… right?"
{Ding! Correct.}
"…Then…"
"…How do I increase my rank?"
There was a brief pause.
Then—
{Ding! To increase your rank, there are several methods.}
Kael listened carefully.
For the first time—
The system sounded almost… serious.
{Ding! First method: Self-Training.}
{Ding! Push your body beyond its limits.}
{Ding! Strength, agility, endurance—these improve through repeated strain, damage, and recovery.}
{Ding! The more you exhaust your body, the faster it adapts.}
Kael looked at his trembling hands.
"…So basically…"
"…Suffer more…"
{Ding! Correct.}
{Ding! Second method: Mana Exhaustion and Recovery.}
{Ding! Continuously use your mana until depletion.}
{Ding! When your mana is fully exhausted and then recovered, your capacity and control increase.}
{Ding! This is especially effective with your Primordial Mana Control.}
"…So… I just keep using it until I collapse…"
{Ding! Yes. Preferably without dying.}
"…Very helpful."
{Ding! Third method: Combat Experience.}
{Ding! Fighting stronger enemies forces rapid adaptation.}
{Ding! Your instincts, reaction speed, and efficiency will improve significantly.}
{Ding! Survival in battle is the fastest way to grow.}
"…Yeah… I figured…"
"…Almost dying really does help…"
{Ding! Fourth method: Monster Cores.}
Kael's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Monster cores?"
{Ding! Yes. Every monster has a core containing condensed energy.}
{Ding! By absorbing these cores, you can directly increase your mana, stats, and overall rank.}
{Ding! However, improper absorption may result in backlash or death.}
"…Of course it can…"
"…Why wouldn't it…"
{Ding! Fifth method: System Rewards.}
{Ding! Daily sign-ins can grant talents, skills, bloodlines, or items that significantly boost your strength.}
{Ding! However, results are random and dependent on your luck.}
Kael went silent for a second.
"…My luck…"
"…Right…"
{Ding! Sixth method: Titles and Achievements.}
{Ding! Completing difficult feats, breaking limits, or achieving the impossible grants titles.}
{Ding! Titles provide passive effects and can significantly enhance your abilities.}
"…Like the ones I already have…"
{Ding! Final method: Evolution through Danger.}
Kael frowned.
"…That sounds… bad."
{Ding! When pushed to the brink of death, your body and abilities may evolve.}
{Ding! This method has the highest growth rate…}
{Ding! …and the highest chance of death.}
"…Yeah… I'm not surprised…"
Silence filled the small space again.
Kael leaned his head back against the rock.
"…So basically…"
"…Train… fight… suffer… absorb… survive…"
"…Repeat…"
{Ding! Correct.}
"…This system is messed up…"
{Ding! The cosmos is not kind, Host.}
"…Yeah…"
"…I'm starting to see that…"
He slowly clenched his fist.
"…But…"
"…At least now I know what to do…"
His eyes opened.
A faint determination appeared in them.
"…First…"
"…Recover…"
"…Then…"
"…Start hunting."
A small smile formed on his face.
"…This dungeon…"
"…Let's see who survives."
After some time…
Kael's eyes slowly opened.
"…Huh…?"
For a moment, everything felt quiet.
Too quiet.
"…Did I… fall asleep…?"
His body felt slightly lighter, but the soreness hadn't gone away.
"…Damn… I really passed out…"
{Ding! Due to exhaustion and complete mana depletion. Expected behavior.}
"…Yeah… thanks for the reminder…"
Kael pushed himself up, wincing slightly.
"…Did I clear this floor?"
{Ding! Yes and no.}
"…What does that even mean?"
{Ding! The previous wave has been cleared. However, monsters may respawn.}
{Ding! Additionally, every three floors may contain a safe zone.}
"…'May' contain…?"
{Ding! Correct. There is no guarantee.}
"…Of course there isn't…"
Kael stretched slightly, then paused.
"…You said something about monster cores, right?"
{Ding! Yes. They are usually located near the heart of the monster.}
"…Then where are they?"
{Ding! The monsters you killed earlier have already dissolved back into the dungeon.}
"…You're kidding me."
{Ding! You did not ask earlier.}
"…Haa…"
"…Whatever."
Kael activated his eyes.
"…All-Seeing Eyes…"
The world shifted.
Mana flowed.
The cave became clearer.
"…Yeah… no corpses…"
"…Great."
His gaze moved deeper.
"…There they are…"
Groups of goblins had already begun forming again.
"…How many…"
He focused.
"…Forty-one…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…Alright…"
"…I can't fight them all at once…"
"…So… pick them off…"
Kael crouched low, hiding behind a rock formation.
"…Two at a time…"
"…Maybe three…"
"…No more…"
A pair of goblins wandered away from the group.
Perfect.
Kael moved silently.
Step by step.
Controlled.
"…Closer…"
The goblins didn't notice.
"…Now."
"…Void Step."
—Flash.
Kael vanished—
And appeared behind them.
For a split second—
They didn't react.
That was enough.
He grabbed one goblin's head and slammed it down—
—Crack!
The second turned—
Too late.
Kael snatched its dagger and drove it into its throat.
—Slash!
Blood sprayed.
Both bodies dropped.
"…Two."
He exhaled slowly.
"…Okay…"
"…That works…"
{Ding! Primitive, but effective.}
"…Say that again and I'll stop listening to you."
He repeated it.
Again.
And again.
Each time—
Hiding.
Waiting.
Striking.
Using Void Step only at the last moment.
Taking their weapons.
Killing quickly.
Efficiently.
But—
After the fourth time—
Kael staggered.
"…Ghh…"
His vision blurred slightly.
"…Mana… almost gone…"
{Ding! Mana reserves: Critically low.}
"…Yeah… I can feel it…"
He leaned against the wall.
"…How many left…"
"…Twenty-nine…"
Silence.
Then—
"…I can't keep doing this…"
"…Not like this…"
He looked at the remaining goblins.
Clustered.
Grouped.
Alert.
"…Then…"
"…I kill them all at once."
{Ding! Probability of death: Extremely high.}
"…Yeah…"
"…I know…"
Before moving, Kael looked at the fallen goblins he had just killed.
"…Cores…"
This time—
He didn't forget.
Using a dagger, he cut into the chest.
"…There…"
A faint glow.
"…So this is it…"
He pulled out a small core.
Warm.
Pulsing.
"…Got it…"
He repeated the process quickly.
One by one.
Then tied them in a piece of cloth torn from his shirt.
"…Not losing these again…"
"…Alright…"
Kael stood up.
"…Plan…"
His eyes scanned the terrain.
A depression in the ground.
A natural pit.
"…Perfect."
He stepped out into the open.
"…Hey."
The goblins noticed him instantly.
—SCREECH!
"…Yeah…"
"…Come get me."
They charged.
All of them.
"…Good…"
Kael turned—
And ran.
Leading them.
Step by step.
Toward the pit.
"…Closer…"
"…Closer…"
—Swoosh!
An arrow flew past him.
"…Almost there…"
At the last second—
He jumped.
Rolled forward—
The goblins followed blindly—
And fell.
—CRASH! THUD! SCREECH!
"…Now."
Kael stood at the edge.
Below him, dozens of goblins screeched, their bodies tangled as they tried to climb out.
"…This won't work…"
His earlier attacks had weakened them—but not enough.
"…If I go down there…"
"…I die."
He clenched his fists.
"…Think…"
"…There has to be a way…"
His eyes activated again.
The world shifted.
Mana flowed.
Clear.
Visible.
"…Everything is connected…"
"…So why am I using it separately…?"
A thought formed.
"…Wait…"
"…Combination…"
His eyes widened slightly.
"…I did it before…"
"…Wind… and fire…"
"…So…"
He looked down at the pit again.
"…What about something better…?"
He thought carefully.
"…Fire burns…"
"…But it's not enough…"
"…Ice… too slow…"
"…Wind… won't kill them…"
Then—
"…Water…"
His gaze sharpened.
"…Water spreads…"
"…It covers everything…"
A faint smile appeared.
"…Then…"
"…Lightning."
He raised his hand slowly.
"…Let's try this…"
Mana gathered.
Unstable.
Heavy.
"…Water…"
Moisture in the air condensed.
Then more.
And more.
A wave of water formed above the pit—
—and crashed down.
—SPLASH!!!
The goblins screeched as they were drenched.
Some slipped.
Others struggled to move.
"…Good…"
Kael's breathing grew heavier.
"…Now…"
His hand trembled slightly.
"…Lightning…"
Energy crackled around him.
Wild.
Uncontrolled.
"…Focus…"
"…Don't lose it…"
The mana resisted.
Violent.
Unstable.
"…Move…"
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
—CRACK!
Lightning formed.
Thin.
Unsteady.
"…Not enough…"
Kael gritted his teeth.
"…More…"
The energy intensified.
"…Come on…"
"…MOVE!"
—BOOM!!!
A bolt of lightning shot down into the pit.
For a split second—
Silence.
Then—
—CRACKLE!!!
Electricity spread through the water instantly.
Jumping from one goblin to another.
Screams filled the cave.
Bodies convulsed violently.
The smell of burnt flesh returned—stronger this time.
"…It's working…"
Kael didn't stop.
"…Again!"
Another surge.
—CRACK!!!
The lightning intensified.
The water became a conductor of pure destruction.
The goblins collapsed one by one.
Their movements slowed.
Then stopped.
Silence.
Complete.
"…Huff…"
"…Huff…"
Kael dropped to one knee.
"…Did I…?"
He looked down.
No movement.
No sound.
"…I did it…"
His hands trembled.
"…That… was all me…"
{Ding! …Finally using your brain?}
"…Tch."
"…You didn't help at all."
{Ding! Observation: Host shows minimal signs of intelligence. Growth detected.}
"…Minimal?"
"…Say that again and I'll throw you into the pit."
{Ding! Noted.}
Kael let out a weak laugh.
"…Damn…"
"…That almost killed me…"
He slowly stood up and looked at the bodies below.
"…This time…"
"…Don't forget the cores."
Carefully, he climbed down.
The smell hit him immediately.
"…Yeah… this is bad…"
One by one, he began extracting the cores.
Each one faintly glowing.
Warm.
Pulsing with energy.
"…So this is power…"
He tied them together using a torn piece of his shirt.
"…Not losing these again…"
As he climbed back up, he paused.
"…Forty-one goblins…"
"…All dead…"
"…And I'm still alive…"
A faint smile appeared.
"…Maybe…"
"…That survival probability is broken too…"
{Ding! Do not get overconfident, Host.}
"…Relax…"
"…I'm just getting started…"
Kael turned toward the deeper part of the dungeon.
Dark.
Unknown.
Dangerous.
"…Next floor…"
"…Let's see what's waiting."
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