I choose Phantom Step.
***
[Exclusive Skill Acquired: Phantom Step] (Active/Passive Hybrid)
Passive: Enhances agility-based movements, improving reaction speed and fluidity.
Active: Grants a burst of speed and evasiveness. Leaves afterimages to confuse enemies. (Cooldown: 10 seconds)
Advanced Effect: Mastery unlocks Phantom Dash, allowing short-range teleportation.
***
The moment I made my choice, my body shifted. It wasn't painful like before—it was subtle, like I had shed invisible weights. My muscles felt… lighter. My steps smoother.
I inhaled and took a step forward. My body blurred.
When I stopped, I was three feet ahead. Behind me, an afterimage lingered for a half-second before fading.
A slow grin spread across my face. "Speed wins fights."
Vance raised an eyebrow as he caught sight of my grin. "What's with that face, kid?"
Dane chuckled, slinging his massive hammer over his shoulder. "Yeah, you look like you just won the damn lottery."
Roth gave me a suspicious glance but said nothing.
I quickly wiped the grin off my face, shaking my head. "Nothing. Just… I feel good, y'know? That was my first time fighting monsters. The adrenaline, the rush… it's something else."
Vance studied me for a moment before smirking. "Heh. Rookie's got a taste for it already. Careful, kid. That thrill? It's addictive."
Dane patted my back hard enough to make me stumble. "Welcome to the life of a Hunter, then!"
Roth finally spoke up, his tone dry. "Alright, let's celebrate later. We got what we came for. Time to get out before more monsters spawn."
Vance nodded. "Yeah, let's wrap this up. We'll split the loot once we're out." He glanced at me. "You good to move?"
I clenched my fists, still feeling the strange lightness in my body. The Phantom Step skill was already influencing my movement—I could feel how much smoother and faster I was. But I couldn't let them notice anything strange.
I gave a casual shrug. "Yeah, I'm good. Let's go."
We moved in silence, our footsteps echoing through the dungeon corridors as we made our way toward the exit. The air was thick with the lingering scent of blood and mana, remnants of the battles we had fought.
The swirling blue light of the exit gate came into view ahead, its familiar glow a promise of safety.
Vance sighed in relief, rolling his shoulders. "Finally. Let's get the hell out of here and split the loot."
Dane chuckled. "Damn right. I could use a drink after this."
Roth merely nodded, flipping one of his daggers between his fingers.
I followed behind, keeping my steps light. My body still felt different after choosing Phantom Step—faster, smoother, more efficient. I felt like I could move effortlessly if I wanted to.
I grinned to myself.
This power… It was real.
But just as Vance was about to step through the gate but something happened.
BANG.
A violent tremor tore through the dungeon. The stone beneath our feet cracked, dust and debris raining down from above.
Then, the gate's color shifted.
The once-calming blue glow flickered, distorting into a swirling vortex of black and crimson.
A sudden wave of pressure slammed into us. The air itself grew heavier, filled with something… wrong.
Roth reacted first, cursing as he jumped back. "The hell—?!"
Dane instinctively raised his hammer, eyes narrowing. "Something's not right."
Vance, usually the calmest of the group, took an uneasy step back. "Shit. No way. Is this—?"
A notification flashed in my vision.
***
[Warning: Gate Anomaly Detected]
[Current Gate is Undergoing Mutation]
[Exit Sealed – Escape Impossible]
***
Gate Mutation: A phenomenon where a dungeon transformed—the difficulty skyrocketing, new monsters emerging, sometimes even a new boss spawning.
The tremors grew stronger. Cracks spread like spiderwebs across the walls. The air pulsated with mana, dense and suffocating.
Then, A deep, monstrous growl rumbled from the darkness behind us.
Vance was the first to react.
"Move! Get through the gate—NOW!"
He lunged forward, aiming to pass through the swirling black-and-crimson vortex.
The moment his foot touched the edge of the mutated gate—
BOOM!
A pulse of pure force blasted outward, sending him flying backward like a ragdoll. His body slammed against the dungeon floor with a sickening thud.
"Vance!" Roth shouted, rushing toward him.
Vance groaned, gripping his chest. His face was pale, sweat beading on his forehead. "Shit… What the hell was that?"
Dane scowled. "Tch. Let me try."
The massive man gritted his teeth and charged, swinging his hammer at the gate as if trying to break through by force.
CRACK!
The moment the hammer touched the swirling energy, an even stronger shockwave erupted.
BOOM!
Dane was blown backward, his massive frame colliding into the stone wall with a loud crash.
He coughed, eyes wide in shock. "Damn thing… repelled me like I was nothing."
Roth's jaw tightened. "We really are trapped…"
The realization sank in. No escape.
Then, a golden system screen flashed before my eyes.
***
[New Quest: Survive the Mutated Gate]
Objective: Clear the Mutated Gate.
Time Limit: Indefinite.
Rewards: ???
Penalty for Failure: ???
***
I stared at the system screen, my pulse hammering in my ears.
'A mutated gate. A dungeon that had suddenly transformed into something unknown, far more dangerous than before. The rewards were unknown. The penalty was unknown.'
'The time limit? Indefinite. That meant one thing—we weren't leaving until we cleared this place.'
My fingers curled into a fist. This is bad.
Roth clicked his tongue, his usual sharp demeanor now laced with unease. "Standing here won't change anything. We need to fall back—find shelter before more of those things show up."
Dane exhaled heavily, pushing himself off the wall. "Tch. Annoying, but he's right. We can't waste energy fighting nonstop if we don't know what's ahead."
Vance, still catching his breath from the impact, nodded. "Yeah… Let's move before the dungeon throws something nastier at us."
The air around us felt different. Thick with mana, shifting as if the dungeon itself was watching.
Monsters inside mutated gates didn't follow normal patterns. They could appear anywhere. Any time. Without a plan, we'd be wiped out.
"Alright," I said, swallowing hard. "We find a place to rest. Somewhere we can defend ourselves if we get attacked."
No one argued. Moving as quietly as possible, we retreated deeper into the dungeon, scanning for any kind of shelter.