Avince’s POV

The weight of Althiel’s words pressed heavily on Avince’s mind as he stood in the forest, trying to make sense of it all. An entire dungeon, a whole world, separate from our own? He replayed everything she’d told him, piecing together clues that had been scattered in his mind since he’d first awakened his ability.

As far as I know, he thought, there’s no dungeon on Earth that’s supposed to contain a sealed elf—let alone one with powers like this. The possibilities were staggering, and his mind raced with theories he’d previously dismissed as unlikely.

One theory that had floated around in his head was that he was simply teleporting to various dungeons on Earth. Or that his mind was creating them somehow—just complex landscapes from his imagination shaped by his ability. And yet, here was something that shattered those assumptions. If my ability can actually reach other worlds, and dungeons really are connected like this… he trailed off mentally, struggling to come to terms with the implications. The complications alone… other worlds? Other beings that are also that powerful?

He let the idea sink in, the enormity of it filling him with both fear and excitement. It was a lot to process, but a strange thrill coursed through him as well, the thrill of discovering just how far his ability might reach.

“So, your name’s Avince? ” Althiel said, her voice steady as she gestured toward the vast landscape around them. “This dungeon is vast, with landscapes and resources you may never get to experience anywhere else. But before we get started, I need to know the extent of your strength.” She waved a hand, and the forest around them shifted, the trees pulling back and the ground morphing into a wide, open area of soft forest dirt, leaves scattered across the ground.

In a flash of golden light, a massive creature materialized before him. Avince’s eyes widened as he took in the size of the summoned beast—a hulking, muscular creature nearly as large as a bus, with fur gleaming like polished bronze and fierce amber eyes that locked onto him.

Avince looked to Althiel. “Is that… your ability?”

She raised a brow, a small, amused smile gracing her lips. “Not quite. Unlike humans, we elves don’t possess varied abilities. We’re born with one innate power, though some of us are born stronger or weaker than others in our race.”

He listened intently as she explained. “Elves as a race hold an affinity with nature, with each clan in harmony with a particular element. Sun Elves, like myself, are also aligned with sun magic.”

Althiel raised her arm, her eyes reflecting a flicker of golden light as she pointed toward the sky. “See that sun above us? I made that.”

Avince’s jaw dropped, words momentarily failing him. She created that sun? He’d sensed she was powerful, but to be able to create something like that, even if only in a dungeon, was beyond anything he’d thought possible.

“Enough talking. Show me what you’re capable of.”

Avince nodded, feeling the tension in the air shift. He activated his storage ability, retrieving the mithril-coated ring with the rune he’d crafted, and slid it onto his finger. The subtle thrill of the rune’s power hummed through him, fortifying his confidence.

A curious expression flickered across Althiel’s face as she observed the ring materialize out of thin air. So, he has some manner of space magic? she thought, intrigued. There was no artifact on him before, yet here he stands with a ring appearing from nowhere. Perhaps it’s also part of his ability…

Avince didn’t waste time. He quickly surveyed the battlefield, his mind already crafting a strategy. The bear before him was enormous, easily towering over him with muscles rippling beneath its thick fur. Judging by its sheer power and aura, he estimated it to be near the bottom of the C-tier—a tough opponent for him, especially considering how he’d struggled with opponents in this range before. But he hoped things would be different now. He had experience, and he was prepared.

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With a deep breath, he started the fight by channeling both water and earth magic, feeling the ring’s channeling rune accelerating his control. He cast a spell to soften the ground beneath them, creating an uneven surface designed to slow the bear’s charging speed. This move cost him a significant amount of mana, but the ring helped minimize the casting time, giving him just enough of a head start.

The bear charged forward, roaring in frustration as it stumbled on the softened ground. Its immense weight worked against it, each step sinking slightly, causing it to lose balance. Avince seized the opportunity, using his mana to harden patches of ice under his own feet to stabilize himself as he repositioned, keeping out of the bear’s direct path.

But the fight was far from easy. The bear was relentless, and each misstep seemed to fuel its rage. As Avince tried to shift his position again, the bear lunged, swiping with its massive claw. He barely managed to dodge, the attack grazing his chest and tearing through his shirt. A searing pain flared, but he quickly propelled himself backward with a burst of wind magic, putting space between them.

Close, he thought, feeling the sting. Too close.

Avince’s breath came in sharp bursts as he kept his distance from the bear, a hulking mass of fur and muscle that charged at him with relentless aggression. He knew he had to conserve his mana; every spell had to count, or he’d be defenseless before the beast’s next attack.

The bear lunged, and he sidestepped just in time, the ground quaking from the impact of its massive paws. Avince unleashed a quick burst of mana to create a thin barrier, just enough to deflect the worst of the blow without draining his reserves. The bear roared in frustration, claws scraping at the earth as it scrambled to close the distance once more.

Avince darted backward, keeping the bear at bay with minimal bursts of energy. He focused on kiting it around the clearing, dodging its swipes and strikes while allowing his own stamina to rebuild slightly. Every step and movement was measured, his mind racing as he searched for an opening.

Occasionally, he struck out with swift but precise attacks—enough to irritate and wound the bear, but not enough to exhaust him. A surge of mana reinforced in his hand as he slashed at the bear’s side with a wind slash, leaving a shallow cut before retreating once again.

Each exchange pushed Avince closer to his limit. His breaths grew heavier, and though the bear bled from several wounds, it seemed no less fierce, shaking off dirt and blood as if they were nothing more than minor irritants.

As the bear charged again, Avince steadied himself, carefully biding his time. It took several more tense exchanges, each one testing his endurance as he dodged and observed, studying the bear’s movements, its timing, the way it lunged with feral commitment. Gradually, he pushed it to commit more fully to its attacks, nudging it closer to recklessness.

Finally, the opening he needed arrived. The bear lunged forward, its full weight thrown into a charge, too committed to stop. Avince’s hand flicked, hardening the ground beneath its front paw just as it landed. The bear stumbled, its balance momentarily broken as it struggled against the sudden resistance.

Without hesitation, Avince gathered the last of his mana, channeling heat and energy into a single, blazing lance of fire. He aimed for the bear’s open maw, and with a final shout, released the spell, sending the fiery lance hurtling toward its mark.

The spell struck true, a piercing lance of fire that shot directly into the bear’s open maw, cutting off its final roar. In an instant, the massive creature froze, eyes wide with a fading light. Then, as if caught in a gentle breeze, its form began to break apart. Shards of mana splintered from its body, shimmering like fragments of glass, each piece aglow with a soft, ethereal light.

Avince watched, his breath coming in heavy gasps, as the bear dissolved before him. The shards of mana drifted upward, swirling and shimmering in the air before floating back in a delicate stream toward Althiel. She watched them approach, an unreadable expression on her face, as the fragments merged into a cloud of iridescent dust that surrounded her, absorbed into her skin and clothing as if she were drawing in the beast’s very essence.

For a moment, the clearing was still. Avince, blood pounding in his ears, took in the sight of his vanquished opponent—reduced now to a trail of light that vanished around the elven figure before him.

As he turned to Althiel, a breathless laugh escaped him, his chest heaving with exhilaration and relief. “You’re full of lies,” he said, grinning through his exhaustion. “You knew exactly how strong I was, you summoned an opponent you knew I could take down.”

“Lies? Me?” she replied, her voice light and mocking as a glint of mischief sparked in her golden eyes. She folded her arms, watching him with a faint, amused smile that only deepened his suspicion.