The cavern was silent.

Lucian stood, still processing the dragon’s request.

To kill him.

To grant him an honorable death.

Ignis Aureum’s golden eyes burned dimly in the darkness, no longer holding the all-consuming pressure they once did.

Instead, they carried something colder, heavier.

Expectation.

He had already made his choice.

Now, Lucian had to make his.

The dragon exhaled slowly, the faint embers of long-forgotten fire glowing deep within his throat.

“You are weak.”

His words were not cruel, not mocking.

They were simply a fact.

“Pathetically so.”

Lucian’s jaw clenched. He already knew that.

He had barely survived the Abyssal Direwolf’s pursuit.

He had barely been able to breathe in the presence of the Titan Behemoth.

Even now, standing before Ignis, he knew—

If the dragon wanted him dead, it would take nothing more than a thought.

Ignis’s head lowered slightly, his gaze never breaking from Lucian’s.

“You would not last a second against even the weakest creature in this dungeon.”

Lucian flinched.

Not because the words hurt.

But because they were undeniably true.

He was nothing here.

An insect crawling through a land of giants.

And yet…

Ignis had not killed him.

The dragon studied him, as if measuring something beyond strength.

Then, with a slow exhale, he spoke again.

“And yet… you are here.”

Lucian’s fingers tightened into fists.

“You entered my domain.”

“You stood before me.”

“And you survived.”

Ignis’s massive form shifted slightly, the movement slow and deliberate.

“That alone is… interesting.”

Lucian’s breath caught.

The way he said it.

Like Lucian had already proven something.

Like his survival wasn’t just chance.

The dragon let out a low, rumbling breath, his voice carrying something different this time.

Not amusement.

Not power.

Something deeper.

“I do not seek revenge.”

Lucian stiffened.

“I do not wish to reclaim a throne long lost.”

Ignis’s eyes dimmed slightly, as if gazing into something beyond the cavern walls.

“I seek only one thing.”

His massive wings shifted against the ground.

“An honorable end.”

Silence.

Lucian swallowed hard.

He had expected many things.

A demand.

A test.

A challenge.

But this?

This was… something else entirely.

“But to die and be forgotten?”

The dragon’s voice lowered.

“That is unacceptable.”

Lucian felt it then.

The true reason for this conversation.

Ignis Aureum was not asking for death.

He was asking for a legacy.

The dragon’s massive golden eyes burned into him once more.

“You will carry my name.”

Lucian’s breath hitched.

“Not as a servant.”

The cavern seemed to close in, the very walls echoing the words.

“Not as a disciple.”

The weight of the dragon’s presence settled on Lucian’s shoulders.

“But as the one who will ensure my name does not fade into dust.”

Lucian stared up at him.

The implications ran through his mind at lightning speed.

This wasn’t just training.

This wasn’t just survival.

This was inheriting the will of a god.

And whether he wanted it or not—The choice was now his to make.

Lucian stood there, heart pounding, mind racing.

This wasn’t something he ever wanted.

He wasn’t a hero.

He wasn’t even strong.

Yet here he was—standing before a dragon god, being offered a path he never asked for.

His body felt heavy, as if the very air in the cavern was trying to crush him under the weight of this decision.

A successor.

His successor.

Lucian’s lips parted slightly, but no words came.

Because… what could he even say?

He wasn’t some prophesied warrior.

He wasn’t some chosen savior.

He was just a guy who got thrown into this nightmare.

And yet—

Ignis had picked him.

Lucian felt his hands clench into fists.

What happens if I refuse?

His mind supplied the answer immediately.

Ignis could kill him in an instant.

Even if he was spared, the monsters outside wouldn’t give him that mercy.

He had seen their strength firsthand.

The Abyssal Direwolf.

The Titan Behemoth.

Even the monsters lurking in the dark.

This dungeon wasn’t just a death sentence—it was a prolonged execution.

A slow, inevitable demise.

Unless…

Lucian swallowed hard.

There really wasn’t a choice, was there?

His shoulders tensed.

His body protested.

But in the end, his survival instincts drowned out everything else.

With a slow, measured breath, Lucian gritted his teeth and accepted.

"I don’t have much of a choice, do I?"

The words came out steady, but there was a bitterness to them.

Because he knew the answer.

And so did Ignis.

The dragon chuckled.

A deep, thunderous sound, filled with amusement rather than malice.

"No."

The golden eyes gleamed.

"You do not."

Lucian had stepped onto a path he couldn’t escape.

And now, there was only one direction left to go.

—————

Lucian followed as Ignis moved, each of the dragon’s massive steps causing subtle tremors in the cavern.

For the first time since entering the depths of this dungeon, Lucian wasn’t running.

He wasn’t scrambling for survival.

He was walking freely.

But that didn’t mean he felt safe.

The moment they stepped beyond the cavern’s threshold, the suffocating dread of the dungeon hit him like a wave.

The air was still thick with malice, an unseen force pressing down like an unspoken rule—

You do not belong here.

Lucian’s chest tightened.

His fingers twitched instinctively toward his sword.

But then—he noticed it.

Something was wrong.

Or rather…

Something was different.

Lucian’s eyes scanned the darkness, expecting something to lunge from the shadows.

To ambush.

To hunt.

To kill.

But nothing did.

The monsters were still there.

Lurking. Watching.

Yet…

They didn’t attack.

Not just that—

They were avoiding them.

Creatures that should have instantly ripped him apart now cowered at a distance.

Massive, abyssal horrors that once patrolled the tunnels like gods of death now lingered in the shadows, unwilling to come near.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Lucian’s breath came slow and unsteady.

"What the hell…?"

A Rank A predator should have already lunged.

An S-Rank horror should have already descended.

Yet they didn’t.

They simply watched.

Or rather…

They watched Ignis.

Lucian glanced up at the colossal dragon beside him.

And then it hit him.

"It’s him."

His presence alone was enough to silence the dungeon.

Lucian let out a shaky breath.

"Hah… so you’re basically the dungeon’s boogeyman, huh?"

Ignis let out a low, amused rumble.

"Something like that."

Lucian didn’t know what disturbed him more—

The fact that the monsters avoided Ignis so naturally, as if he was the true ruler of this abyss…

Or the fact that Ignis expected it.

They walked deeper, Lucian’s mind still reeling from the silent obedience of the dungeon’s creatures.

Then, Ignis spoke again.

"Before training begins, you must level up."

Lucian froze.

His body went rigid, the words slamming into him like a physical force.

"Level up?"

His voice cracked slightly, disbelief dripping from the words.

Ignis continued, undeterred.

"You cannot hope to grow stronger if you remain at the bottom."

"So before I shape you into something useful, you must prove you can stand on your own."

Lucian’s mind raced.

Level up? Here?

He turned, glancing at the dungeon walls, at the silent predators lurking just out of reach.

This wasn’t some starter zone.

This wasn’t some low-level hunting ground.

The weakest monster in this dungeon was Level 400.

Even with Ignis helping, the idea was insane.

Lucian stiffened.

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?"

But one look at Ignis’s unwavering gaze told him…

He had no choice.

Lucian’s training hadn’t even started yet.

And already, it felt like he was about to die.

Lucian’s breathing was steady, but his heart was anything but.

The cold, stale air of the dungeon pressed against his skin, every nerve in his body tensing with unease.

He already knew the truth—there was no way he could kill anything here.

Not at his level.

Not with his pathetic stats.

Ignis, still looming beside him, seemed to sense his thoughts.

Without even turning his head, the dragon’s deep, thunderous voice rumbled through the cavern.

"That is why I will assist you."

Lucian exhaled slowly.

But before he could feel any relief, the next words hit him like a hammer.

"But I will not fight your battles for you."

His muscles locked.

"Wait—what?"

Ignis’s golden gaze flickered down to him, amused.

"You will strike the final blow. If you cannot even do that, you are not worth training."

Lucian felt his stomach churn.

There was no room for argument.

If he refused, he wouldn’t be spared.

Not by Ignis.

Not by the dungeon.

"Shit."

The realization sank in.

Even with Ignis's help, this would still be my fight.

They continued walking through the dungeon’s endless corridors, the heavy silence stretching on for what felt like an eternity.

Lucian’s mind raced, his hands itching at his sword’s hilt.

Then—

Movement.

Lucian’s body reacted before his mind could process it, his instincts screaming at him to stop.

Something was there. Watching.

A shadow within the shadows.

Lucian barely whispered the command—

"Appraisal."

A familiar blue screen flickered to life.

[Ding!] Monster Identified

Name: Abyssal Lurker

Rank: A

Level: 402

Lucian gritted his teeth.

Level 402.

His own level? 1.

This wasn’t a fight.

It was execution.

But the system wasn’t done.

[Stats:]

Strength: 6,800

Agility: 7,200

Endurance: 6,500

Magic Power: 7,700

Intelligence: 6,200

Dexterity: 7,000

Perception: 7,500

Lucian felt his blood turn to ice.

These stats weren’t just high.

They were astronomical.

And then—

The skills appeared.

[Skills:]

[Abyssal Camouflage] – Blends seamlessly into shadows and dark environments, making detection nearly impossible.

[Silent Predator] – Completely nullifies movement noise and reduces presence, allowing near-invisible stalking.

[Umbral Strike] – A high-speed ambush attack that strikes from darkness, bypassing conventional defenses.

[Voidborne Reflexes] – Enhanced reaction speed and evasion when engaged in combat.

[Paralyzing Venom] – Coats claws and fangs in a fast-acting venom that weakens and slows targets.

[Shadow Warp] – Instantly teleports between dark areas within a limited range.

[Abyssal Awareness] – Detects movements and lifeforms even through magical concealment or physical barriers.

Lucian’s hand instinctively tightened on the only weapon he had.

[Ancient Ruined Sword]

Rank: B (Degraded)

A Rank B sword. Against an A-Rank monster.

Lucian knew how this would go.

Even with a perfect strategy, even with every advantage,

This thing could kill him in an instant.

Lucian’s breath shuddered.

"Ignis. I—"

Before he could even finish the thought,

Ignis moved.

The entire dungeon shook.

Lucian barely had time to react before a colossal force slammed into the Abyssal Lurker.

A shockwave tore through the cavern, rock and dust exploding outward as the air itself shuddered under the sheer impact.

Lucian’s ears rang, his body staggering from the aftershock.

And when the dust finally settled…

The Abyssal Lurker lay broken, its body embedded deep in a crater of shattered stone.

Half-dead.

Lucian’s breath hitched.

It hadn’t even been a real attack.

Just a casual movement from Ignis.

Like he had swept aside an insect.

Then, the dragon turned.

"Now, finish it."

Lucian froze.

"What?!"

The Abyssal Lurker wasn’t dead.

Even now, its body twitched, blood dripping from its shattered form, but—

It was alive.

And Ignis expected him to kill it.

The dragon’s eyes narrowed.

"Your first kill, Outsider."

"If you wish to survive, you must take it yourself."

Lucian’s chest tightened.

This wasn’t a battle.

This was a test.

And he was about to fail or die trying.

Lucian’s hands tightened around his sword.

He wasn’t ready.

He wasn’t strong.

But it didn’t matter.

Because the Abyssal Lurker was already starting to move again.