The moment I stepped into the illusionary dungeon, everything changed. The air turned cold and damp, heavy on my skin. Endless stone walls surrounded me, and the flickering light of torches barely lit the narrow path ahead. It felt real—like I’d stepped into another world.
[System Notification]
Warning: Monsters range from Level 15 to Level 30.
I''m Level 17. Right in the middle of the danger zone.
I tightened my grip on the sword, feeling the strain in its worn blade. Weeks of relentless training had pushed it to its limit. If it snapped in the middle of a fight, I’d be in serious trouble.
Then they appeared.
Five undead knights.
They eyed me like they wanted to end this fast and brutal.
Their levels ranged from 14 to 15—not too bad if I fought them one-on-one. But together? That’d be a whole different story.
The one farthest from the group caught my eye. I darted toward it, closing the gap quickly. It reacted, raising its shield just in time.
I swung.
Clang!
The blade clashed against steel, its defense holding firm—but I had the upper hand.
[Wrath of Fenrir is active]
With a quick kick, I threw it off balance and went straight for the neck.
Swishh!
One clean slice. Its head dropped, and the rest of the body crumbled into the ground
One down.
The others closed in, not giving me a second to breathe.
Two of them attacked from both sides, their swords cutting through the air in perfect sync. I ducked just in time, feeling the rush of wind as their blades narrowly missed.
Swishhh!
I drove my sword straight into the chest of another knight, shattering its core.
The last three backed off slightly, circling me. They weren’t underestimating me anymore.
"You think I’m losing steam? I’m just getting warmed up."
Swoosh!
I surged toward the next knight, catching it off guard. My overhead strike smashed through its shield, and with one swift follow-up, I took it down.
Two left.
They charged together. I deflected one strike, but the other grazed my arm, sending a sharp pain through me. But I couldn’t stop now.
I swept low, knocking one knight off its feet, and drove my blade into its chest.
The last knight hesitated, its empty eyes flickering. Too slow.
I lunged, driving my sword through its core. It let out a hollow scream before crumbling on the ground.
Huff... huff...
I stood there, breathing heavily, surrounded by heaps of broken armor and shattered bones.
[System Notification]
Victory. All enemies defeated.
"Guess I''ll need a new weapon soon," I muttered, wiping the sweat from my brow.
But it wasn’t over yet. In the darkness ahead, I spotted countless lights—eyes, all staring right at me.
Bing!
[+5 to all stats, excluding Aura]
You receive: Potions x5
Nice.
The boost was solid, and those potions were a lifesaver—literally. I tucked them into my belt pouch, knowing I’d need them later.
But Aura? That was a whole other problem. Trying to improve it was like trying to fill a bottomless pit. You couldn’t just grind it out.
No, Aura needed something big—an epic win or a battle with someone way stronger than you. Otherwise, it barely moved.
I glanced at my stats again. The system was helpful, sure, but it also kept reminding me how much further I had to go.
Then I stepped deeper into the dungeon.
Grrrrr...
The growl rumbled, vibrating through the room like a war drum. And then, out of the shadows, they appeared.
Dire Wolves.
[Dire Wolves]
Level: 16 to 17
Six of them. Great. Just what I needed—an all-you-can-eat buffet of teeth and claws.
I tightened my grip on my worn-out sword. “Alright, boys,” I muttered, trying to sound braver than I felt. “Let’s dance.”
The first wolf lunged, faster than I could blink.
Swishh!
"Damn."
I barely dodged, feeling its claws scrape across my side. Another one charged from the left, forcing me to roll just in time to avoid getting torn to shreds.
They weren’t just strong.
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They were coordinated. They moved like a pack, circling, waiting for an opening.
I swung at the nearest wolf, aiming for its legs. It jumped back, but not before my blade cut through its front paw. The wolf yelped and stumbled.
Three minutes of pure survival mode.
Finally, the last wolf staggered and collapsed at my feet. Blood soaked my clothes, my breath came in ragged gasps, and my sword—yeah, it was pretty much done for.
Bing!
[+5 to all stats, excluding Aura]
I leaned on the hilt of my sword, catching my breath.
“That’s… more like it,” I muttered, watching the glowing text fade.
It wasn’t easy, but I was getting stronger.
The rest of the dungeon passed in a blur of chaos.
Giant goblins wielding clubs the size of tree trunks. Skeleton mages hurling fireballs and ice shards. And spiders—huge, hairy beasts that spat poison and moved way too fast for comfort.
Each fight pushed me a little closer to getting stronger.
Bing!
Bing!
My stamina was dropping fast, and my swordplay was starting to falter. But I kept going, somehow managing to push through and grab another +10 to all stats. Not bad, but something felt off—the gains were slowing down.
The deeper I went, the tougher the battles got, but the rewards? They weren’t matching up to the risk.
It was tempting to turn back. My body was screaming at me to stop, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep going. But just as I was about to give in, I saw it.
A massive door. No, a gate.
[Boss Room Detected]
Great. Just great.
The gate creaked open, and there it stood—a towering skeleton, easily the size of a small building. Its rusted armor looked ancient but sturdy, and in its hands was a colossal sword, sharp enough to cleave through stone.
Yeah, this was definitely the boss.
I pushed the panic aside and focused. No room for fear now. I swapped out my worn-out sword for the double blade I’d snagged earlier. It wasn’t flashy, just a straightforward weapon, but it had a solid weight to it, and it felt right in my grip.
“Alright.” I said, tightening my grip. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
When I stepped into the room, the giant undead knight was already stirring. Its hollow eyes glowed faintly, a cold blue light that felt like it was staring straight through me.
[Observer’s Eye]
[Giant Undead Knight - Level 30]
Level 30? I was barely scraping by at 25.
"Fantastic.”
Greater risk, greater rewards.Of course, the flip side was equally motivating—greater risk, instant regret and maybe death.
The knight began to move, each step crashing down like thunder.
THOOM. THOOM.
It stood a towering 15 feet, its shadow swallowing me whole. I had to crane my neck just to see its face. Meanwhile, I was stuck at 5’6, feeling like an ant about to get stomped.
“Alright, Let’s do this.”
The knight’s sword slammed down, and I barely managed to dodge.
BOOM.
A crater opened up where I’d just been standing.
I tightened my grip on the double blade. No room for mistakes. This fight was going to push me to the edge.
But something felt off.
Yeah, the knight was slow—every swing of its massive sword left a window big enough for me to slip in and land a few hits. Its armor was tough too; every time my blade connected, it was like trying to carve into a boulder. But for a level 30 boss? This guy felt... underwhelming.
Its vision sucked. The narrow slits in its helmet made it easy for me to dodge its line of sight. When I did, it could only flail around, swinging at nothing. I used the openings, circling it, chipping away bit by bit.
“This is way too easy,”
"Solid defense, sure—but where’s the offense?"
The knight stumbled a bit, its hollow eyes flickering faintly. It barely even reacted to my attacks—no sudden counters, no burst of speed. Just the same slow, clumsy swings.
Something was definitely off.
I sidestepped another heavy slash and took a few steps back, catching my breath. Why does this thing feel weaker than it’s supposed to?
Rumble... Rumble...
The knight stopped moving, its sword planted into the ground.
“No,” realization hitting me.
“It’s been holding back.”
The system screen appeared.
[Warning: Phase Two Initiating]
“Oh, come on,” I groaned.
I gripped my double blades tighter, sweat trailing down my face. My breathing was heavy, but I didn’t dare make a sound.
Then, without warning—
Shing! Shing! Shing!
Out of nowhere, swords—dozens of them—began raining from above, each one gleaming as it pierced the ground around us.
"It’s a mage knight huh?"
The swords weren’t normal, either. They fell fast—way faster than I thought possible, sinking into the stone floor without breaking a sweat. Dodging wasn’t a choice anymore; it was do or die. I darted, ducked, and rolled, barely staying one step ahead of the attack. Just when I thought I’d found a rhythm, another blade would come from a completely new angle, forcing me to adjust again.
And they just kept coming.
I could hear the knight’s eerie laugh echo through the room, like it was enjoying this whole thing.
I needed to close the distance, fast. If I stayed back too long, one of these swords would eventually find its mark and pin me down. But up close? That’s where I had a shot.
I sprinted forward, weaving between the falling blades, every part of me screaming to just stop. A sword grazed my arm—just a quick cut, but the pain shot through me. I barely flinched and kept pushing forward.
The knight raised its massive sword, getting ready for another swing, but I wasn’t backing down now.
I just needed to find its weak spot.
There’s always a weak point. Always.
“C’mon,”
“Show me where to hit.”
I closed the distance, but my mind was working in overdrive. Slashing through its armor wasn’t going to cut it—not yet. I had to be smarter.
Where was its weak spot?
First, I tried the head. Solid helmet. No chance there.
Then the arms. Huge, armored, and tough. Definitely not there either.
I shifted focus to the body. The armor was thick, but there were small gaps. A hit might slip through, but I wasn’t sure it would do enough damage.
I checked its back—nothing.
The giant knight swung again, its massive sword cutting through the stone like it was butter. I barely rolled out of the way, and before I could catch my breath, the swords started falling again.
The pace was picking up. It was getting harder to dodge now. Blades littered the ground, forcing me to jump, twist, and dive to stay alive.
But I didn’t mind.
The adrenaline. The thrill of the fight. Taking on something stronger.
Thump-thump-thump-thump...
I was hooked.
“I could get used to this,”
I wasn’t backing down. I couldn’t. The thrill of this fight—the real, heart-pounding kind—was something I hadn’t felt in this new life. The kind of battle that makes you feel like you might not make it out alive, but also pushes you to get stronger anyway.
I grinned.
Maybe I wasn’t the best yet. Maybe I still had a long way to go. But one thing was clear: I was in this to win. And this knight? It wasn’t going to stop me.
I steadied myself, eyes fixed on its massive frame.
“Here we go,” I muttered to myself, charging at it again.
Then, I saw it. A strange, flickering glow coming from its body—nothing like I’d ever seen before. It almost looked like shifting particles, quick and faint, and something about it felt off.
I didn’t have time to think. I had to act now, or I might not get another shot.
I closed the distance again, waiting for the right moment. The knight raised its massive sword high, preparing for another swing. That was my opening.
I climbed up its arm, moving carefully so it wouldn’t spot me. The armor was heavy, but that worked in my favor. I positioned myself just out of its line of sight, near its shoulder.
3…
2…
1…
I leaped, launching myself straight into its view. It saw me coming, but there was no time for it to react. I dove toward its chest, aiming my double-bladed sword at the weak spot I thought I’d found.
But—
I missed.
The armor was tougher than I’d thought. My sword scraped off solid metal, and I cursed under my breath.
“Shit!” I muttered. If I didn’t find a way out of this, I was done for.
But then—
The glow appeared again, this time right in the center, above its chest. The spot I had missed.
This was my chance.
I gritted my teeth, pushed past the pain, and with everything I had left, I shoved my sword into the opening.
Boom.
The knight groaned, a low, echoing sound as it staggered back. The ground shook, and then—finally—it crumpled.
The massive undead knight hit the ground with a thud that shook the whole room.
“Well… that wasn’t so bad,” I said, glancing at the fallen giant. If I’d figured that out sooner, this whole thing might’ve been a lot easier.
<hr>
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU CLEARED THE DUNGEON]
[Plus 20 to all of the stats excluding aura]
[Plus 5 to your aura]
[Rewards]
- 2x Oblivion''s Gift
- 5 gold coins (Wait, I can even earn using this?)
<hr>
[You have Unlocked the following]
- Relationship System: See how others perceive you, their first impressions, and emotions toward you.
- Title Progression: You can now unlock titles.
<hr>
Alistair Quinlan
Level: 28
Age: 15
Role: Swordsman [beginner]
Title: Undead Slayer
Strength (STR): 93
Agility (AGI): 98
Stamina (STA): 100
Intelligence (INT): 87
Aura (AURA): 20
Perception (PER): 95
Endurance (END): 101