Dungeon C-14 lay beneath the eastern sector of the Fortress City—a restricted zone wrapped in steel gates, arcane barriers, and a dozen armed guards.
Most students only heard rumors about it.
Low survival rate.
Unstable mana.
Creatures that mutated unpredictably.
Aren arrived at dawn, badge in hand.
Two soldiers stepped aside immediately when they saw it.
"Elite Class clearance," one muttered. "He's the one from the reports."
Their eyes lingered longer than Aren liked.
When he stepped through the final gate, Kane was waiting beside a large metal lift descending into the depths.
"You're early," Kane said.
"So are you," Aren replied.
Kane smirked slightly. "I don't trust leaving you alone in a dungeon like this. Not yet."
Aren wasn't sure if that was concern… or monitoring.
The lift shook as it descended into the cavern.
The deeper they went, the colder the air became.
Mana thickened like fog.
Kane spoke without looking at him.
"This dungeon collapsed two months ago. Something destabilized the mana core. Creatures inside started mutating beyond normal ranks."
Aren frowned. "And I'm going in alone?"
"Yes. Because your power—whatever it is—responds to unstable mana."
Kane paused.
"And because standard parties would only slow you down."
The lift clanked to a stop.
A cavern stretched before them—dark, broken, filled with dim violet crystals that pulsed weakly.
Kane handed Aren a small device.
"Emergency flare. Activate this only if you're at risk of death."
Aren tucked it away.
"Time limit?"
"One hour. After that, I pull you out by force."
Aren nodded once.
Kane's eyes sharpened.
"Remember:
You're not here to clear the dungeon.
You're here to survive.
Observe.
Adapt.
Grow."
Aren stepped forward.
The dungeon swallowed him.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Inside, the cavern was eerily silent.
No footsteps.
No echo.
Only faint whispers carried by the mana-saturated air.
Aren walked cautiously, bow in hand.
Spatial Awareness (F → E): Activated.
Distortions shimmered across the cavern floor—like ripples in invisible water.
Something moved.
A shadow detached itself from the wall.
A creature with elongated limbs, pitch black skin, and a skull-like face. Its body flickered unnaturally, as if it wasn't fully inside the world.
Aren drew his bow.
Void energy gathered faster than before—almost eager.
He fired.
FWIPP—
The arrow vanished—
—and reappeared inside the creature's chest.
BOOM.
The monster collapsed, dissolving into a puddle of dark liquid.
Kill Confirmed.
Experience Acquired.
Aren eyed the puddle.
It wasn't normal monster essence.
It looked like… void residue.
"What is this place?"
He stepped deeper.
The whispers grew louder.
Then the dungeon floor trembled.
A massive shape rose from the darkness—
A mutated ogre, three times larger than normal, with violet veins pulsing across its body.
Its eyes glowed the same color as Aren's awakening light.
Kane's voice came through a distant echoing communication crystal:
"Aren! That's not an F-rank! Retreat!"
Aren didn't move.
The ogre roared and charged.
Aren's heart pounded—but everything else slowed.
The air distorted in dozens of shifting lines.
Impact points.
Weak points.
Escape routes.
Aren drew the string.
Void energy surged.
Stronger than ever.
Void Flicker Arrow (E) → (E+)
Micro-Evolution Triggered.
He released.
FWIPP.
The arrow didn't teleport once.
It teleported five times, flickering around the ogre like a stuttering shadow.
Then—
BOOOOOM!
The ogre's entire chest cavity imploded, collapsing inward like crushed paper before erupting in a violent shockwave of void energy.
Aren staggered slightly.
The whispers in the dungeon went silent.
Then—
Level Up!
Level: 3 → 4 → 5
Free Stat Points: +20
Aren exhaled.
His growth was accelerating unnaturally.
Almost too fast.
He turned to leave—
—but the cavern wall cracked.
Something massive pressed from the other side.
A cold voice rumbled through the stone:
"Void… bearer…"
Aren froze.
The chained dragon beneath the city awakened further, sensing him across the dungeon layer.
Stone splintered.
A massive violet eye stared through the crack.
Aren drew his bow immediately—
—but the eye vanished as the wall sealed back up, like nothing had been there.
Aren stood still, heart pounding.
Kane's voice crackled urgently:
"Aren! Your mana signature just spiked! Report your status!"
Aren stared at the sealed wall.
"…I saw something."
"What?"
"Something watching me."
Kane went silent.
Then:
"Get out. Now."
Aren didn't argue.
He jogged back toward the lift, the whispers starting again as he left the core chamber behind.
But someone else was whispering deeper below—
"Grow, boy. Grow…
until you can free me."