The moment he stepped through the gate, the world changed. Not gradually. Instantly. The stable flow of energy within the academy vanished, replaced by something wild… unstable… alive.
The air felt heavier, thicker, carrying a faint metallic scent that lingered at the edge of his senses. The ground beneath his feet was uneven, layered with cracked stone and patches of dark, overgrown vegetation that seemed to breathe faintly with ambient energy.
"…This is really a dungeon… as I saw and read in novels. Still quite interesting seeing and experiencing this with real body..."
Lee Hyun's eyes sharpened as he slowly scanned his surroundings. The sky above wasn't truly a sky—it was a distorted dome of shifting darkness, as if the space itself had been sealed off from reality.
Silence dominated. But not peace. Something was watching. Then, The system appeared.
[Quest Triggered]
[Objective: Clear E-Rank Dungeon]
[Reward: Random Skill, Special Lottery Ticket, Attribute Points]
A faint breath escaped his lips.
"…Good. As expected! Still works like those in novels."
No hesitation. No delay. He stepped forward. The first movement came from the shadows. Subtle. Fast. Too fast for an untrained eye.
A blur shot across his peripheral vision, followed by a faint scratching sound as something landed on a rock formation nearby.
Lee Hyun turned instantly. And saw it. A rabbit. But not ordinary. Its body was lean, muscles tightly packed beneath pale gray fur, its eyes glowing faintly with a sharp, predatory light. Its hind legs were slightly enlarged, coiled with explosive strength, and its claws—unnaturally long—scratched against the stone beneath it.
Then another. And another. Within seconds, five of them appeared, surrounding him from different angles, their movements erratic yet coordinated.
[Monster Detected: Razorfang Rabbit]
[Level Range: 5–10]
"…Agility-type monsters…"
His grip tightened slightly.
"…Good for testing."
The first one moved. Without warning. A sudden burst and it vanished from its position. Then, impact.
Lee Hyun reacted instantly, shifting his body just enough to avoid a direct hit, but the claw grazed past his shoulder, tearing through fabric and leaving a thin line of blood behind.
"…Faster than expected."
No panic. Only adjustment. The second came immediately. Then the third. They didn't attack one by one. They swarmed.
Each movement unpredictable, each strike aimed at a different angle, forcing him to constantly reposition.
"…So they're testing openings…"
His eyes sharpened further.
"…Then I'll break their rhythm."
He moved. Not retreating. Advancing. The Demon's Sword appeared in his hand, its presence dark, silent, yet heavy with restrained power.
The first clash came fast. A rabbit lunged toward his neck, he stepped forward instead of back. The blade moved. A clean arc. The monster's body split mid-air, its momentum carrying it past him before it hit the ground lifeless.
No pause. The second was already there. From below. Claws aimed at his legs. He twisted, barely avoiding the strike, his footing shifting as he brought the blade down again.
Impact. Another one fell. But, still three remained. And they adapted. Their movements became sharper, more cautious, their attacks less reckless, more calculated.
"…They're learning…"
His breathing grew slightly heavier. The pressure increased. One attacked from the front. Another from the side. The third waited, watching. Timing.
Lee Hyun moved again, activating the Dragon Blade Dance, his body shifting into rhythm, each step flowing into the next. His movements became smoother, more controlled, his blade tracing arcs that deflected and redirected attacks rather than meeting them head-on.
The first pattern unfolded. He dodged. Turned. Struck. One more fell. But, a mistake. A slight delay. The waiting one struck. Its claws sank into his side, not deep—but enough to break his rhythm.
"…Tch—"
He pushed back immediately, creating distance, his breathing uneven for the first time.
"…Still lacking…"
Pain lingered. Fatigue followed. Even with his talent, his body wasn't fully adapted to real combat yet. His technique was strong—but his experience was not.
The last two circled him again. Faster. Sharper. More aggressive. They had sensed it. Weakness. Lee Hyun exhaled slowly.
"…Then let's end this."
He adjusted his stance. Lower. Sharper. More aggressive. The next moment, he moved. Faster than before. The blade cut through the air, not defensively—but decisively.
The first rabbit lunged, he stepped inside its range. The Demon's Sword flashed. Clean. Precise. It fell instantly. The last one hesitated, for a fraction of a second. That was enough. He closed the distance in a single step. The blade descended. And, silence returned..
Lee Hyun stood still. Breathing. Heavy. Controlled. The bodies of the monsters lay scattered around him, their faint energy slowly dissolving into the dungeon itself.
"…So this is my real combat limit… quite good.. but.."
Not controlled. Not staged. Not predictable. His body felt heavy. Fatigue settled into his muscles, his breathing uneven as the aftereffects of the fight caught up to him.
"…Still not enough…"
His grip tightened slightly.
"…I lack experience."
A simple conclusion. Clear. Undeniable. Then, the system responded.
[Enemies Defeated]
[Experience Gained]
A brief pause. Then, a surge. Energy flooded into his body, warm, stabilizing, refreshing.
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Two levels at once…?"
His body changed instantly. Fatigue, gone. Pain, reduced. His muscles felt lighter, stronger, more responsive. His senses sharpened slightly, his energy flow stabilizing further.
"…So this is leveling…"
A faint breath escaped him.
"…Good."
He stood upright once more, his expression returning to calm. But this time, there was something different. Confidence. Not arrogance. But understanding. He had fought. He had struggled. And he had grown.
His gaze lifted toward the deeper parts of the dungeon. Dark. Silent. Unknown.
"…Let's continue."
---
To be continued..