[Daily Quest Completed: Enter 2 F-Rank Dungeons. Earned: 10 Combat Mastery Points. Optional Objective Achieved: Solo Clear Without Injury — Bonus: +1 Dexterity]
Dawn bathed the city of Dravengarde in warm hues as Thorne, now known to the world as Masked Fang, strode through the bustling plaza near the Dungeon Conqueror's Guild. His black mask concealed not only his face, but his past—and with it, the legacy that threatened to unravel the world if revealed too soon.
[System Notification: New Quest Synced — Coinciding Dungeon Paths Detected. Recommended: C-Rank Flame Warren. Estimated Completion Time: 2 Hours. Optional Objective: Minimal Damage Taken.]
"Looks like we're heading back in," Thorne muttered beneath the mask, eyes narrowing toward the eastern portal square.
The C-Rank dungeon known as the Flame Warren was deceptively unassuming—a fissure in the ground framed by scorched rock. But the moment he stepped inside, the system buzzed.
[System Alert: Dungeon Environment Recognized — Similar Anomalies Present in Legacy Locations. Minor Synchronization Detected. Legacy Progress +0.1%]
The realization settled deep in his chest. Even seemingly unrelated dungeons were part of a greater puzzle. The Sovereign legacy ran deeper than ruins and murals.
Flames surged from the ground like geysers. Lava trickled through the fractured terrain while fire-creatures roamed the narrow passages, emboldened by the dungeon's intense heat. Thorne moved quickly, his eyes scanning every corner.
He met the first wave with deadly precision. Salamanders lunged from molten cracks, but Sovereign's Will carved through them, its adaptive blade humming as if in tune with the inferno.
[Enemy Defeated: Flamebound Lizard. Combat Proficiency +3]
He ducked under a whip of fire and leapt across a crumbling ledge, slashing down another beast midair. The system fed him constant data—enemy types, weaknesses, the safest route.
By the halfway point, sweat clung to his skin beneath the armor. Still, he pressed on, determined to meet the optional objective.
[Optional Objective Progress: Minimal Damage — 87% Complete]
A towering golem awaited him near the dungeon's core—its body a fusion of magma and stone, crowned with a flaming horn.
"Let's see how far you've come," Thorne whispered.
He darted in, narrowly avoiding a fist that shattered the floor. The air shimmered with heat. A single blow from the golem would end most D-Rank Conquerors.
But Thorne was far beyond that.
He wove between attacks, blade singing. Each strike weakened the creature's hardened shell. Flames burst outward in a ring, but he rolled through the gap, landing a decisive upward slash that tore through its core.
[Boss Defeated: Molten Golem. Dungeon Cleared. Rewards Acquired — Emberhide Mantle, Ignition Core x3, Heat-Treated Bone Blade] [Adaptive Stat Bonus Triggered: Thermal Resistance +5%]
As the dungeon crumbled behind him, Thorne stepped onto the worn stone of the guildyard—only to sense a gaze fixated on him.
Among the crowd, standing still as marble, was a woman. Silver-white hair draped across her shoulder, her armor a subtle blend of obsidian leather and reinforced cloth. Her expression unreadable, her icy blue eyes locked with his for a brief, chilling moment.
She said nothing.
Instead, she tilted her head—just enough to acknowledge his presence—then turned and disappeared into the passing crowd, leaving only questions behind.
"Kaela..." he murmured, the name lingering like smoke in his mind.
[System Silent. No Threat Detected. Observation Logged.]
The mystery lingered.
Back at the Guild, Thorne handed over the gathered materials. Coins transferred swiftly, recorded under his registry.
"Masked Fang," the clerk nodded, checking his performance. "Efficient run. Word's spreading."
Thorne nodded once, accepting the pouch without a word. Rumors would swirl, names would be whispered—but his identity would remain buried beneath the mask and system's veil.
[System Message: Legacy Path Progress Locked — Time Limit Set: 12 Years. Countdown Active. Synced Dungeon Trails Available. Initiating Tracker Update.]
He glanced at the pulse of light in the weapon sheathe on his back. Sovereign's Will was stirring again.
He didn't need the world to know who he was.
Not yet.
And with every dungeon conquered, the shadow of the past grew just a little more defined.