A few days after Kael's first dungeon training, he woke up feeling stronger. His body didn't ache like before. His movements were smoother. And when he opened his system, he saw a pleasant surprise.
[Level Up – Kael is now Level 8]
[1 Stat Point Gained]
[Skill Fragment (Common) +1]
He quickly used the stat point on Agility. He had noticed in the dungeon that speed helped him more than power.
Then he checked his skill fragments.
[Skill Fragments: 3 (Common)]
Finally enough.
He tapped the message.
[3 Skill Fragments Combined – Unlocking New Skill…]
[New Skill Gained: Quick Reflex (Passive) – Slightly increases reaction speed during battle]
Kael grinned. That would help.
He dressed quickly and headed to the training hall. But before he could start, Ren stopped him in the hallway.
"Change of plans," Ren said. "You're coming with me."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Where?"
"To a real dungeon."
The city was protected by magic walls and guarded by powerful cultivators and guilds, but outside it, things were dangerous. Wild beasts, bandits, and worst of all—dungeons.
Dungeons were strange zones where monsters spawned endlessly. Inside each dungeon was a core—a glowing crystal that powered everything. If the core was destroyed, the dungeon collapsed. But if left unchecked, it could grow stronger and overflow.
Today, Ren explained, they were going to check on a small dungeon that had recently reawakened just outside the city.
"You're coming to learn," Ren said. "You won't be on the front line."
Kael nodded. "Understood."
They traveled with a group of five guild members: Ren, Elira, Mira, Doro, and a tall woman named Lysa who used light magic. Kael was the only rookie in the group.
After an hour of walking through the wild woods outside the city, they reached a hill with strange black rocks. Hidden at its base was a deep cave entrance.
A cold wind came from inside.
"This is it," Elira said. "Stay sharp."
The group entered.
The dungeon felt different from the training one. The air was heavy. The walls glowed faintly, like something alive was pulsing within them. The ground was covered in green moss, and strange red mushrooms grew along the sides.
Kael followed behind Mira, holding his pipe tightly.
[DUNGEON ENTERED – Rank: F+]
[Warning: Core Energy Unstable]
Kael frowned. "Unstable?"
Ren glanced at him. "Means something inside is wrong."
They kept moving. The first monsters they saw were small lizard-like creatures with sharp claws. Doro and Elira handled them easily, smashing them with brute force.
Kael didn't even need to step in.
But the deeper they went, the stronger the creatures became. A lizard twice Kael's size charged at them with glowing eyes.
This time, Ren nodded at Kael. "Your turn."
Kael stepped forward.
He activated Shadow Step, dodging the beast's first attack. Then he swung hard, hitting its side. It roared and slashed at him, cutting his arm.
[HP -9]
Kael gritted his teeth. He used Endure Pain to ignore the sting and kept moving. He dodged again, then stabbed the creature in the throat with a sharp piece of broken pipe he had hidden behind his back.
[Lizard Beast Defeated – XP +45]
He stood over the body, breathing hard.
Ren clapped slowly. "Nice work."
Kael wiped the blood off his arm. "Thanks."
After defeating a few more monsters, they reached a large stone door. It was carved with strange runes and glowing cracks.
Lysa stepped forward, placing her hand on the door. A wave of light spread from her palm, and the door slowly opened.
Behind it was a chamber with a floating crystal at the center.
The Dungeon Core.
But something was wrong.
The crystal wasn't its normal blue color—it was glowing dark red.
And it was cracking.
"Back!" Elira shouted.
Too late.
The core shattered.
A burst of energy hit the group, knocking everyone off their feet.
Kael slammed into a wall, pain shooting through his back. He coughed and stood up slowly.
From the broken core, something was forming—black mist twisted and shaped itself into a tall shadowy figure with glowing red eyes.
[Warning: Core Guardian Mutation Detected]
[New Monster: Abyss Wraith – Level 15]
Kael's system flashed bright red.
[Danger Level: Extreme]
Ren cursed under his breath. "This wasn't supposed to happen."
The shadow monster floated in the air, a dark sword forming in its hand. It let out a scream that shook the room.
"We're not ready for this," Mira said, fear in her voice.
Elira grabbed her sword. "We don't have a choice."
The fight was brutal.
Ren and Elira went head-on, their blades clashing with the shadow's sword. Lysa supported with bursts of light that burned the dark mist. Doro swung his club, but the monster was fast—too fast.
It struck Doro in the chest, sending him flying.
Mira screamed, rushing to help.
Kael froze for a moment.
This wasn't training.
This was real.
Someone could die.
But then he saw Ren bleeding from a cut on his leg. Elira was breathing heavily, already hurt.
I can't just stand here.
Kael rushed forward.
Using Shadow Step, Kael got behind the monster. He struck hard, aiming for the back of its head.
The attack passed halfway through—but it slowed the beast down.
Lysa shouted, "Hold it steady!"
Kael did his best, dodging and distracting the creature while the others regrouped.
Ren leapt forward, slicing through one of the creature's arms.
Elira followed up with a heavy blow, cutting it in half.
The monster screamed one last time before dissolving into black mist.
[Abyss Wraith Defeated – XP +250]
[Kael Leveled Up – Level 9]
[New Skill: Focused Strike (Active) – Increases damage on next attack if user stands still for 1 second]
Kael collapsed to the ground, heart pounding.
They had won.
Barely.
Later, the group stood over the broken dungeon core.
Ren stared at it. "Something corrupted this dungeon. This wasn't just a random spawn."
Elira nodded. "We need to report this to the elders."
Kael wiped blood from his face. "What happens now?"
Ren looked at him. "Now? We find out who—or what—is twisting these dungeons. And we train harder."
He clapped Kael on the shoulder. "You did good, rookie."
Kael gave a tired smile.
Inside, he felt different.
This fight wasn't like the others. It wasn't just about skill or speed. It was about teamwork… and courage.
He had both.
And he was ready for more.
End of Chapter 7