Avince stood in the eerie forest, his heart racing as he tried to make sense of what just happened. One moment, he had been with his family, testing his newly awakened ability, and the next—everything had changed. He looked around at the towering, glowing trees and the dense, unfamiliar foliage. The sky above was dark, despite it being midday just moments before.

What is this place? Avince thought, panic creeping in.

The forest was unlike anything he had ever seen—unnatural, almost alien. The air was thick with mana, far more concentrated than what he was used to. Every breath felt like he was drawing in pure energy. He reached out, trying to gather mana, but to his horror, his reserves were completely drained.

His mind raced. Where am I? Did I just get... transported to another world?

It felt real—too real. The ground beneath his feet was solid, the air heavy, and the distant sounds of creatures moving through the underbrush were all too vivid. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was no longer on Earth.

Avince took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. His thoughts raced back to what he had learned about dungeons and mana-rich environments during his studies. The dense mana, the strange surroundings—it wasn’t a different world. This was something else.

“I’m... in a dungeon,” he whispered to himself, the realization hitting him hard.

He had heard of rare abilities that could teleport a person from one place to another, but he had never encountered one that could directly transport him to a dungeon. Dungeons, even the weakest ones, were notorious for their dimensional cracks, which could easily kill anyone who attempted to teleport inside. The first recorded instance of someone trying to do so barely made it back, suffering heavy injuries. Still, this is a more likely scenario than being transported to another world.

“Alright,” Avince muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Calm down. You’re not in another world. You’re in a dungeon.”

He glanced around, scanning the trees and dense foliage for any signs of danger. Dungeons weren’t just mysterious—they were dangerous. Monsters, traps, environmental hazards—it was a miracle he hadn’t run into anything yet. And with no mana reserves to defend himself, he was vulnerable.

“I need to find an exit,” he told himself, clenching his fists. “Or figure out what this ability of mine can actually do.”

He began moving cautiously through the forest, his senses heightened as he took in his surroundings. The glowing trees emitted a soft hum, and the ground was uneven, covered with strange, iridescent plants that pulsed faintly with mana. Every few steps, he paused, listening for movement, his pulse quickening at every rustle of leaves or snap of a branch.

As he walked, Avince couldn’t help but feel the overwhelming presence of the dungeon around him. It was like being inside a living organism—everything felt alive, connected by the thick mana that permeated the air. He had read about dungeons in class, how they were dangerous pockets of space that formed after the world integration, and how they sprouted monsters that could break through if left unchecked.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Suddenly, the sound of something moving in the distance caught his attention. Avince froze, crouching low behind a large, glowing tree. His heart pounded in his chest as he strained to listen. The sound grew louder—heavy footsteps, snapping branches. Whatever it was, it was big.

Damn, Avince thought, gripping the tree’s rough bark.

He stayed perfectly still, barely breathing. The footsteps came closer, and for a moment, he could feel the ground tremble beneath him. Then, through the thick foliage, he saw it—a massive, hulking creature lumbering through the forest. Its body was covered in dark, stone-like armor, and its eyes glowed with the same eerie light as the trees.

Dungeon monster, Avince realized, his pulse quickening. It was just like the ones they had studied in class—creatures born from the dungeons, sustained by the mana that filled these unnatural spaces.

The monster paused, sniffing the air, as if sensing something out of place. Avince held his breath, praying it wouldn’t notice him. His mind raced. Without mana, he couldn’t fight. His best chance was to avoid it altogether.

After what felt like an eternity, the creature snorted and turned away, disappearing back into the dense foliage. Avince let out a slow breath, relief washing over him. But the encounter left him shaken.

I need to be more careful, he thought, rising to his feet. If that thing had spotted me...

He moved quickly but cautiously, keeping low and using the strange trees for cover. His mind was still reeling with the implications of his ability. This dungeon, this strange space—it wasn’t just a random occurrence. His power had brought him here for a reason.

But how? Avince wondered. How did I get transported into this dungeon?

He needed answers—and fast.

After a while, he found a small clearing surrounded by more of the glowing trees. It seemed safe enough, for now. Avince sat down on a large stone, catching his breath. His body was still buzzing with the aftereffects of the awakening, the new energy inside him waiting to be understood.

He focused inward, trying to tap into whatever power he had gained. Slowly, he reached out with his mind, searching for the familiar flow of mana. It took a moment, but then—there it was. Faint, like the last embers of a dying fire, but still there. He could feel the remnants of his mana reserves, depleted but not completely gone.

“I can still... do something,” Avince muttered. “If I can just figure out what this ability is.”

Closing his eyes, he focused harder, trying to reconnect with the strange energy that had brought him here. He reached deeper, searching for that spark of power he had felt earlier. Slowly, he began to feel something—like a thread he could pull on.

Suddenly, he was overwhelmed by a rush of images and sensations—flashes of the dungeon’s layout, its creatures, its dangers. It was as if the dungeon itself was trying to communicate with him, showing him its secrets. The knowledge flowed into his mind, disjointed but powerful. He could sense the dungeon, feel its structure, its walls, its pathways.

“I can see... the dungeon,” Avince whispered, his eyes snapping open. His ability wasn’t just about transporting him here. It was more than that. He could understand the dungeon, navigate it, almost like the space itself was opening up to him.

It was a powerful realization—and one that gave him hope.

“I can find a way out,” Avince said to himself, determination hardening in his chest. “I just need to keep moving.”

With a new sense of purpose, he stood and began to walk again, this time with more confidence. His mind buzzed with the knowledge of the dungeon, and though his mana reserves were low, he could feel them slowly recovering.

Whatever his ability was, it was far more than he had expected. And as he ventured deeper into the dungeon, he knew this was just the beginning.