When the two-headed serpent awakened…
When its roar split the dungeon walls…
When the entire cavern felt like it was being swallowed by a living storm—
—every hunter except Drax and Isis ran.
They didn't hesitate.
They didn't look back.
They sprinted like terrified animals, scrambling over each other toward the exit.
One of the mages tripped but used another hunter as a foothold to push himself forward.
A healer screamed, "Just run! It's waking up!! We're dead—GO!"
Boots hammered the stone floor.
Torches fell.
Supplies scattered.
And in less than ten chaotic seconds—
all of them burst out of the dungeon entrance, panting and drenched in fear.
The sky outside looked peaceful, almost mocking.
A guard stationed near the dungeon blinked at them.
"W-What the hell happened?!"
The highest-ranked among the fleeing hunters, a B-rank spear user, grabbed the guard by the collar.
"It—it—it—THERE'S A MONSTER—S-S-SNAKE—IT'S A DAMN S-S-RANK!!"
"Call the Association!! CALL THEM NOW!!"
Within minutes, sirens echoed across the district.
Black-armored vans pulled up.
Hunters with rank badges glowing on their coats poured out.
Cameras mounted on drones scanned the dungeon gate.
One officer stepped forward.
A tall woman, silver eyes, calm expression.
Her badge: A-Rank Inner World User — Investigator Tessa Vorn.
She stared at the dungeon as if reading its heartbeat.
"The gate's energy is unstable," she murmured. "Something's happening inside."
The fleeing hunters crowded behind her.
"Look, we told you—everyone inside is dead!"
"T-There was this kid—Drax—he went flying into the wall. He's gone!"
"And that rich boy—Isis—he definitely died!"
Tessa didn't reply.
She only narrowed her eyes at the trembling, unstable gate in front of her.
And then—
A ripple passed through the dungeon like breath being exhaled.
Black mist swirled around the entrance.
And the gate… began to crack.
"GET BACK!" Tessa shouted, stepping forward.
The hunters stumbled away in panic.
A deep rumble shook the ground.
Light burst from the seams.
The dungeon flared—
—and two figures walked out.
Wind stirred.
Dust settled.
First came Isis, dragging a huge bag stuffed with crystals, glowing teeth, scales, and pieces of the serpent's body.
His armor was dented. His hair was a mess. His breath was shaky.
Behind him—
Drax stepped out.
Completely calm.
Shirt slightly torn at the shoulder.
Blade at his hip.
Eyes cold and unreadable.
The gate shimmered once, then collapsed behind them, fading into nothing.
The B-rank hunter who ran earlier dropped to his knees.
"…H-How… you're alive…?"
Drax's boots tapped lightly against the ground as he walked past them, expression blank.
Tessa Vorn stepped forward, trying to regain her composure.
"Y-You two… survived? What happened inside?"
Isis opened his mouth to speak, but Drax raised a hand.
He looked around slowly, his gaze sweeping over the hunters who fled.
"Who reported the dungeon?"
The spear user pointed to himself and the others, still breathing heavily.
"S-Sir… w-we did… we thought—"
Drax nodded once.
Then pointed at them.
"Good. Because they're also the ones who planned to kill me."
Silence.
All the association members froze.
"What…?" Tessa muttered.
Drax's voice was flat.
Cold.
Almost bored.
"They planned to kill me, steal Isis's gear, and sell his body for items. If you want witnesses, ask the dungeon walls. They hit me into them hard enough."
Isis swallowed and nodded quickly.
"He… he's telling the truth. They tried to take my armor. They told me to hand everything over if I wanted to live."
Tessa's expression darkened instantly.
She turned sharply toward the hunters.
"Is this true?"
They stuttered.
"I—no—we—it was panic!"
"T-They're lying!"
"Do you really believe a kid—"
Drax turned his head.
Just turned it.
His eyes, two abyssal voids, shimmered with quiet hunger.
The hunters fell silent.
Some dropped to their knees.
One nearly fainted.
Tessa didn't miss that reaction.
She snapped her fingers.
"Detain them."
Inner World Association agents surged forward, binding the would-be killers in mana restraints.
"Tessa—WAIT—!!"
"We didn't—"
"YOU CAN'T—"
"You'll be investigated," she said calmly. "Attempted murder inside a regulated dungeon and theft of S-rank gear is a felony."
Drax stepped past them, hands in his pockets, voice dripping with dry arrogance.
"Next time," he said lazily, "choose victims who won't stand back up."
He didn't look at them again.
Tessa exhaled slowly as she approached Drax and Isis.
"…Drax, right?"
Drax didn't answer. He just looked at her once with a bored expression.
Isis hurriedly bowed. "T-Thank you… for coming."
"We need statements from you both," Tessa said. "This incident could classify as an S-rank anomaly."
Drax started walking away.
"You can get my statement later. I'm tired."
Tessa blinked.
"You're just… leaving?"
Drax shrugged.
"The dungeon's dead. The monster's gone. The criminals confessed. What else do you want?"
Isis jogged behind him carrying the big bag of loot.
"Drax! D-Wait up! That thing is heavy—you walk too fast!"
Drax didn't break his stride.
Behind them, the association scrambled.
The detained hunters screamed.
Officials argued over protocols.
Investigators inspected the collapsing gate remnants.
But Drax…
He walked away like none of it mattered.
Because to him—
It didn't.
Only his abyss mattered.
Only his growth mattered.
And the world…
The world was just beginning to understand who they were dealing with.