Eren’s body slammed into the ground as he barely dodged another fiery strike from the drake looming over him. His breath was ragged, his muscles screamed in protest, and the oppressive heat of the dungeon didn’t help. He was at his limit.
But there was no way out.
The creature in front of him, an Ash'Terak, was a drake known for its fiery breath and relentless aggression. Its thick, blackened scales gleamed in the dim light, and its red eyes burned with fury.
Eren glared up at the beast, refusing to give in. "Come on, is that all you've got?"
As if responding to his taunt, the Ash'Terak roared, unleashing a massive wave of fire in Eren’s direction. He rolled just in time, narrowly avoiding being incinerated.
The system window popped up.
Dungeon Objective:
Ash'Terak Solo Raid
Objective: Defeat the Dungeon Boss to progress.
Completion Reward: 500 EXP, 10 Dungeon Tokens.
Failure: Death.
"Of course, death. Always death," Eren muttered sarcastically.
Despite the pain coursing through his body, he forced himself up. His mana armor flickered, barely holding on after the countless blows it had absorbed. He knew the end was near—either his or the Ash'Terak’s.
Eren’s focus deepened as his instincts took over. He could feel the beast’s movements, anticipate its attacks before they happened. His Mana Sense, which had been evolving steadily, suddenly surged to a new level.
Mana Sense Evolved to Level 3
* Expanded range of mana detection.
* Ability to perceive mana flow in enemies.
As soon as the notification popped up, Eren’s world became sharper. The entire dungeon was alive with mana, but more importantly, he could now see the Ash'Terak's mana flow. The creature’s weak points were like bright targets on its body, and Eren knew exactly where to strike.
Gripping his sword tightly, he dodged the drake’s next attack with newfound agility. His perception heightened, everything slowed as he predicted the beast's movements with perfect clarity.
He dashed forward, his blade glowing with dark purple mana, evolving once again as he poured more power into it.
Swordsmanship Evolution: Low-Tier → High-Tier Swordsman
Eren moved faster, each strike flowing with more precision. His footwork felt lighter, his reflexes sharper. With a swift step, he activated a new skill that had awakened within him.
New Skill Unlocked: Wind Step (Active)
Speed increased by 30% for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute.
Using Wind Step, he dashed behind the Ash'Terak, evading its massive claws. In an instant, he aimed for a glowing weak spot on the drake’s side, driving his blade deep into its scales.
The Ash'Terak roared in pain, thrashing violently, but Eren wasn’t done yet. His sword hummed with dark mana as he activated another ability.
New Skill Unlocked: Enhanced Dusk Blade (Active)
Coats the blade with dark mana, increasing attack power and cutting force. Duration: 15 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
His sword tore through the Ash'Terak’s tough hide, the dark mana slicing through like a hot knife through butter. With a final, decisive blow, Eren severed the drake’s neck, and the massive creature collapsed to the ground in a heap of smoldering ash.
The dungeon shook as the Ash'Terak breathed its last, and a system notification appeared.
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Dungeon Boss Defeated: 1000 EXP Gained
Level Up: Level 19 → Level 20
Reward: 20 Dungeon Tokens
A surge of strength washed over him as his level increased, and new power flowed through his veins. Eren clenched his fists, feeling his body’s improvements.
Title Acquired: Low-Tier Dungeon Conqueror
* +10% damage in low-tier dungeons.
* +5% resistance to all status effects.
Title Acquired: Drake Hunter
* +15% damage against draconic enemies.
* Increased critical hit rate against large beasts.
Eren glanced at his system window, reviewing his updated stats and new titles.
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Status Window:
Name: Eren Valestrix
Level: 20
Titles:
* Low-Tier Dungeon Conqueror: +10% damage in low-tier dungeons, +5% resistance to all status effects.
* Drake Hunter: +15% damage against draconic enemies, increased critical hit rate against large beasts.
Stats:
* Strength: 45
* Vitality: 43
* Agility: 42
* Perception: 38
* Mana: 22
Skills:
* Mana Armor (Active): Creates a protective barrier.
* Mana Sense (Level 3 - Passive): Expanded range of mana detection. Ability to perceive mana flow in enemies.
* Heightened Perception (Active): Increases awareness and reflexes in battle.
* Wind Step (Active): Increases speed by 30% for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute.
* Enhanced Dusk Blade (Active): Coats the blade with dark mana, increasing attack power and cutting force for 15 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
* Swordsmanship (High-Tier): Mastery over sword techniques, enhancing combat efficiency.
----------------------------------------
Eren wiped the sweat from his brow, a grim expression crossing his face. This victory wasn’t enough. It never was. There was a deeper anger simmering beneath the surface, one that he couldn’t shake. Clenching his fists, he made his way out of the dungeon.
As he emerged from the dark portal, the sun greeted him, but so did someone else—Azar.
Azar sat lazily under a tree, wearing casual clothes and sunglasses, casually petting a baby griffith. The small creature chirped happily in his lap, completely oblivious to the tension in the air.
Azar noticed Eren approaching and raised a hand in greeting. "Well, well. You actually pulled it off—"
Before he could finish, Eren’s face twisted with anger, and without a word, he activated Wind Step, charging at Azar at high speed, his sword still drawn and rage in his eyes.
Azar blinked, looking bemused. "Huh?"
Eren swung his blade down with all his might, but just before the blow could connect, Azar casually raised a hand, blocking the sword effortlessly with his forefinger.
"You know, Eren, attacking your mentor right after a hard-fought battle doesn’t seem very—"
Before Azar could finish, Eren roared, his sword crackling with dark mana as he activated Enhanced Dusk Blade, slashing horizontally. Azar, still grinning, sidestepped effortlessly and patted his shoulder, making the whole thing look casual.
Eren’s frustration only grew, and without hesitation, he fired off a Mana Slash.
Azar raised an eyebrow. "Ah, a mana slash. Cute."
He lazily waved his hand, dispersing the slash into harmless sparks as if swatting away a fly. Eren’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he unleashed Heightened Perception, speeding up his movements even further as he darted around Azar in a blur.
Azar simply leaned back against the tree, adjusting his sunglasses, and with a laugh, effortlessly dodged every one of Eren’s attacks.
"Stop laughing!" Eren shouted, sweat pouring down his face as he pushed himself to the limit.
Azar laughed even harder, leaning on the tree casually. "I can’t help it! You’re so serious! C’mon, I was just trying to congratulate you."
Eren was beyond furious. "I’ll show you congratulations!" He lunged forward with another strike, but Azar, without even looking, caught Eren’s blade between his fingers, freezing the attack mid-air.
The baby griffith, sensing the hostility, squawked in panic and flew into the air, its tiny wings flapping frantically as it tried to escape the chaos.
"See? Even the griffith knows you’re overreacting!" Azar chuckled, pushing Eren back gently.
Eren gritted his teeth and charged again, but this time, Azar jumped over him with ridiculous ease, laughing all the way. The griffith spiraled in circles, adding to the absurdity of the situation, squawking loudly as it flew around in confusion.
Azar landed gracefully behind Eren and playfully ruffled his hair. "Better luck next time, kid."
"YOU—!" Eren swung again, but Azar ducked, his sunglasses still perfectly in place as he moved with mocking precision.
"Hey, I’m only trying to help," Azar said with a grin. "Besides, you should be thanking me. Look how much stronger you’ve gotten."
The baby griffith screeched, spinning awkwardly in the air before diving headfirst into a bush, only to get stuck.
Eren, panting, dropped to his knees, exhausted. He glared up at Azar, who was still laughing, the situation now so absurd it almost made him want to laugh.
Almost.