The 13th floor of the dungeon was a cavern of jagged stone and flickering shadows, the air heavy with the stench of blood, sweat, and the faint, electric tang of beast crystals. Bioluminescent moss clung to the walls, its greenish-blue glow casting an eerie light across the carnage at Henry Gray's feet. The corpses of thirteen massive gorilla-like beasts lay strewn across the floor, their bulging muscles slack, their glowing red eyes extinguished. The ground bore scars from their thunderous blows, dust settling in the silence of their defeat. Henry stood, panting, his F2 Enhanced Blade slick with dark blood, his body a patchwork of bruises and freshly healed wounds. His tattered clothes clung to his sweat-soaked skin, but his grin was fierce, a spark of triumph in the darkness.
The system's rewards surged through him, a pulse of power that made his muscles hum. You have reached Level 6, F Rank. +100 Skill Points. All Stats Increased by 30. New Skill Acquired: Dash. The Dash skill had already transformed his combat, blurring his movements into a streak of speed that left afterimages. His earlier battles—against Lesser Crawlers, the Dungeon Priest, and the dungeon boss—had been brutal lessons in survival, forging him through pain and blood. The system's gifts—Recovery, Precision Strike, Dash—were his lifeline, turning a novice F1 Hunter into a force to be reckoned with.
Henry wiped blood from his cheek, his breath steadying as he knelt to collect the beast crystals. Each crystal shimmered, warm and pulsing, dissolving into EXP +25 as he absorbed them, their energy fueling his ascent. His status screen materialized in his mind, a translucent blue interface: Name: Henry Gray, Level: 6, Rank: F, EXP: 4200/6000, HP: 200/200, Strength: 115, Agility: 100, Endurance: 68, Perception: 55, Skill Points: 100. He'd allocated earlier points to Strength and Agility, the surge nearly tripping him as his speed outpaced his coordination. The thrill was undeniable, his body stronger, faster, a weapon honed by the system.
"Man, this system loves me," Henry muttered, stretching his arms, the ache of battle fading under Recovery's cool touch. The skill was a game-changer, sealing wounds, banishing exhaustion, and restoring his HP without cooldowns. He'd used it to survive the gorillas' onslaught, each activation a defiance of the dungeon's brutality. Dash, tested in the heat of battle, let him weave through crushing blows with unnatural speed, a tool he was still mastering.
Henry's smirk faded as he surveyed the cavern. The dungeon was a relentless gauntlet, each floor escalating in danger. The system's original quest—Defeat a Dungeon Boss, Solo—was complete, but its silence hinted at more trials. He wasn't foolish enough to think the dungeon's depths would let him walk away unscathed. With a deep breath, he sheathed his blade and moved toward the next passage, the moss's glow guiding his steps through the damp, claustrophobic tunnel.
Meanwhile, floors below, the dungeon's air crackled with tension. Flickering lights cast jagged shadows across stone walls, the distant growls of beasts a constant pulse. Two groups of hunters stood in a cleared chamber, their faces etched with frustration and disbelief. The first group—four hunters who'd tried to recruit Henry at the entrance—huddled near a larger, more imposing team led by Boros, an F9-ranked giant whose great axe gleamed with menace. His muscular frame radiated fury, his aura a tangible weight that made the others flinch.
"Who the hell is clearing out these floors so fast?" one hunter muttered, his dagger gripped tightly, his eyes flicking to a rotting beast carcass.
"It sure as hell ain't us," another spat, kicking the corpse, its flesh crumbling under the blow.
They'd been methodical, sweeping each floor with precision, but every chamber was already empty, the beasts slain, the crystals gone. "How many groups went in today?" a hunter asked, his voice tight.
"Two, including us," came the reply.
"Then who's the other one?" Silence fell, heavy and unsettling.
The realization hit like a blade. Someone was ahead, moving alone. Boros's scowl deepened, his grip tightening on his axe. "Someone's messing with us," he growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.
"But who?" a subordinate ventured. "The only other guy we saw was that idiot who refused to team up."
A pause, then Boros's humorless chuckle echoed. "You mean that F1 nobody? You're telling me that little rat is clearing these floors before us?"
"It… shouldn't be possible, but—" the subordinate began, only to be cut off.
"Enough," Boros snapped, hefting his axe onto his shoulder, its edge glinting. "If it really is that weakling, I'm going to find him and make him pay."
The hunters shuddered. Boros's temper was a storm, his F9 strength unmatched. "Move faster," he commanded, his voice brooking no dissent. The group surged forward, their footsteps echoing as they raced toward the upper floors, driven by Boros's wrath.
On the 13th floor, Henry exhaled, his heart still pounding from the gorilla battle. The passage ahead was narrow, its walls slick with moisture, the moss's glow dimming as it descended. The air grew colder, the metallic tang sharpening, a faint hum vibrating through the stone. His enhanced Perception caught subtle shifts—a drip of water, a distant scrape, the pulse of something alive deeper within. The dungeon was a living entity, its depths a maze of death.
Henry's boots crunched against loose gravel, his sword drawn, its balanced weight a comfort. Dash made him faster, Precision Strike sharper, but the gorillas had taught him caution. Each floor was a test, the beasts growing stronger, their attacks more coordinated. Recovery kept him standing, but his stamina wasn't infinite, and the system's silence offered no clues about what lay ahead.
The passage opened into a vast chamber, its ceiling studded with stalactites dripping with moisture. A chasm split the floor, a rickety rope bridge swaying over a void that swallowed the moss's light. Across the bridge, a massive iron gate loomed, its surface etched with runes that pulsed a sickly red, echoing the altar from the boss chamber. The air was thick with energy, a pressure that made Henry's skin prickle.
A low growl sounded, not from the gate but from the shadows to his right. Four beasts emerged, their forms leaner than the gorillas but no less deadly. They resembled oversized panthers, their black fur matted with blood, their eyes glowing emerald. Their claws clicked against the stone, their movements fluid, predatory.
Henry smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Alright, let's dance."
The first panther lunged, its jaws snapping. Henry activated Dash, his body blurring as he sidestepped, the air whistling past. He slashed with Precision Strike, the blade cutting deep into the panther's flank. EXP +20. The beast yowled, collapsing, but the others were already moving, their coordination lethal.
A claw grazed his thigh, pain flaring. HP -6. Henry gritted his teeth, ducking another swipe and countering with a slash to the second panther's leg. EXP +20. The third and fourth circled, waiting for an opening. Henry's enhanced Agility kept him ahead, but the panthers were swift, their attacks relentless.
He took a hit to the arm, HP -7, and stumbled, his back against a stalactite. "Recovery," he rasped, the skill's warmth sealing the wound, restoring his focus. He lunged, using Dash to close the distance, and drove his sword into the third panther's chest. EXP +20. The fourth panther pounced, but Henry was ready, sidestepping and slashing its side. EXP +20. The chamber fell silent, the panthers' bodies crumpling.
Henry panted, collecting their crystals: EXP +25, EXP +25, EXP +25, EXP +25. His total climbed, EXP: 4615/6000, but the gate's red runes pulsed ominously. This wasn't the boss chamber, but it was a threshold, a gauntlet. He approached the bridge, its ropes creaking under his weight. The chasm below was a void, its depths whispering of failure.
Halfway across, the bridge swayed, a distant rumble shaking the chamber. Henry froze, his Perception catching a faint clatter—human footsteps, echoing from the passage behind. Hunters. The group from the entrance? Or someone worse? He didn't know, but the weight of their pursuit was a pressure he couldn't ignore.
He quickened his pace, reaching the gate. The runes flared, the iron groaning as it parted, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness. The air grew colder, the hum louder, a promise of greater threats. Henry's heart pounded, but his grin returned, fueled by the system's power. He was stronger, faster, a Hunter forged in blood.
As he descended, the footsteps grew louder, a growl carrying through the stone: "Find that rat!" Henry didn't look back. The dungeon's depths awaited.