The third floor was darker than the ones above it. The walls were coated with thin blue crystals that hummed quietly as Akimitsu walked past. Each monster he defeated—whether through instinctive strikes, bursts of magic he didn't know he had, or sudden speed that startled even him—added more power to the warmth in his chest.
By the time he reached the fifth floor, he no longer doubted the truth.
His ability wasn't a mistake.
It was evolving every time he survived.
And this labyrinth… it was pushing him to survive.
Akimitsu stepped onto the sixth floor and immediately sensed it—an unsettling, heavy pressure in the air. Not enough to crush him, but enough to warn him that the monsters here were stronger.
He tightened his fists.
"Calamity Absorption… if you really are my skill, then please don't activate only when I'm about to die."
The corridor stretched long and winding. Strange plant-like creatures crawled along the walls, glowing faintly. Akimitsu avoided them, choosing instead to conserve his strength. He'd been relying on raw instinct and borrowed power—something inside him warned that he'd need everything for later.
The exit appeared sooner than expected—a spiral staircase leading down.
But the moment his foot touched the first step, the dungeon rumbled again.
And the notification window flickered into existence.
< Warning: Dungeon Irregularity Detected >< Threat Level Rising >
Akimitsu clenched his jaw. "I know. I can feel it too."
He continued downward and defeat all the monster that stood on his way.
The seventh floor opened into a wide forest-like space hidden beneath the earth. Purple-leafed trees swayed in a wind that didn't exist, and faint light filtered through branches like an underground sunrise.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
A weak cry broke the silence.
Akimitsu's heart jumped. He sprinted toward the sound, branches snapping under his feet. When he reached the clearing, he froze for half a second.
A huge wolf-like monster was lunging toward a small figure trapped between twisted roots.
A girl.
She had soft, shoulder-length pink hair, messy and dusted with dirt from the fight. Her uniform—white with blue accents—was torn at the sleeves. She hugged a wooden staff to her chest, her arms trembling as the monster towered over her.
The creature opened its jaws.
Akimitsu moved before he could think.
"Get down!"
Akimitsu and Senia walked deeper into the glowing forest. The air grew heavier, filled with the scent of moss and something metallic, like a storm waiting to break.
Senia tightened her grip on her staff."Th-This feeling… it's too strong for a normal monster."
Akimitsu nodded. "This floor might have a guardian."
As they stepped into a wider clearing, the ground faintly trembled. Vines across the stone pulsed with green light. The air hummed.
Then—A notification flickered before Akimitsu's eyes.
< Floor 7 – Mini-Boss Room >< Boss: Verdant Guardian Treant >
A deep creaking echoed through the clearing.Roots tore through the earth as a massive tree-like creature rose from the ground. Its wooden body was thick like armor, glowing with veins of emerald light. Two hollow eyes opened, staring at them.
Senia's breath caught. "A Treant…? At this level?"
The Treant raised an arm made of twisted roots. The dungeon shook.
Akimitsu stepped forward. "Stay behind me. I'll take the front."
Senia nodded, but her eyes stayed sharp.
He launched himself forward, Air Jump activating mid-stride. He landed between her and the monster with a burst of force that pushed the wolf back several steps.
The girl gasped. "W-Who—?"
"Someone who doesn't want to see you get eaten," Akimitsu said, keeping his eyes on the monster.
It roared, its orange eyes narrowing.
The warmth inside him surged again—Calamity Absorption reacting.
Perfect.
"Stay behind me," he said firmly.
This time, the girl didn't argue.
The wolf charged. Akimitsu dashed forward, Super Sprint activating with a spark of energy. He dodged the swipe of its claws and countered with a burst of fire magic that singed the ground and halted its advance.
The wolf shook itself and lunged again.
Akimitsu raised his hand. A small orb of dark energy formed above his palm.
The pull of the spell dragged the monster's movements down, slowing its charge.
"Now!" he called out.
The girl lifted her staff with shaking hands. Light pulsed from its tip, firing a beam of golden energy that struck the monster's chest. It stumbled.
Akimitsu rushed in and delivered a decisive strike enhanced by his absorbed strength.
The monster fell.
Silence settled over the clearing.
Akimitsu exhaled, finally lowering his arm. "That was close…"
The girl let out a small breath, relief washing across her face. Now that the danger had passed, he noticed how young she looked—about his age, but small, maybe around his chest height. Her bright pink hair made her stand out against the dark forest.
"I… I thought that was the end," she said softly.
"You're safe now," Akimitsu replied. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head. "Just scared. But thank you. Really…"
She stepped forward, hugging her staff tightly, then bowed.
"My name is Senia," she said. "I got separated from the team I was traveling with… I've been stuck here for hours."
"Akimitsu," he introduced himself. "And, well… I'm also stuck. The dungeon's messed up. I can't go back up, so the only path is down."
Senia's eyes widened, hope flickering. "Then… maybe we can escape together."
Akimitsu looked at the shadowy trees around them, the air heavy with the feeling that the dungeon was watching.
"Yeah," he said, nodding. "Let's make it out alive."
Deep beneath them, the labyrinth rumbled—almost as if it knew they had teamed up.
Akimitsu and Senia walked deeper into the glowing forest. The air grew heavier, filled with the scent of moss and something metallic, like a storm waiting to break.
Senia tightened her grip on her staff."Th-This feeling… it's too strong for a normal monster."
Akimitsu nodded. "This floor might have a guardian."
As they stepped into a wider clearing, the ground faintly trembled. Vines across the stone pulsed with green light. The air hummed.
Then—A notification flickered before Akimitsu's eyes.
< Floor 7 – Mini-Boss Room >< Boss: Verdant Guardian Treant >
A deep creaking echoed through the clearing.Roots tore through the earth as a massive tree-like creature rose from the ground. Its wooden body was thick like armor, glowing with veins of emerald light. Two hollow eyes opened, staring at them.
Senia's breath caught. "A Treant…? At this level?"
The Treant raised an arm made of twisted roots. The dungeon shook.
Akimitsu stepped forward. "Stay behind me. I'll take the front."
Senia nodded, but her eyes stayed sharp.
The Treant slammed its arm down. Akimitsu dodged with a burst of Super Sprint, landing beside Senia.
"It's strong," he said. "But it's slow. We can work with that."
Senia steadied herself and raised her staff. "I can support you with magic. My strongest spells are light-based."
Perfect.
The Treant roared, and thick vines shot from the ground. Akimitsu jumped upward—Air Jump activating instinctively—and flipped over the attack.
"Senia, left side!" he shouted.
Senia thrust her staff, releasing several pellets of light that burst against the Treant's side. They weren't strong enough to harm it, but they distracted it long enough for Akimitsu to land behind it.
Power warmed inside his chest, responding to the danger.
Calamity Absorption… give me something useful.
His hand tingled as he reached forward. A faint black outline formed around his fingers.
He slashed at a glowing vine on the Treant's back, tearing it loose. The Treant staggered and turned, enraged.
The ground split open as more vines lashed out.
Akimitsu landed, skidding back. "It's getting serious."
Senia bit her lip, then raised her staff higher. A bright ring of light formed overhead.
"I can weaken it!" she called. "Cover me!"
Akimitsu nodded and sprinted toward the Treant, drawing its attention. The monster struck the ground and sent shockwaves through the clearing, but every hit it attempted boosted the warmth in Akimitsu's chest.
His vision sharpened.
His reflexes quickened.
The more dangerous it got, the stronger he became.
"Senia, now!" Akimitsu shouted.
The ring of light above Senia exploded into a rain of glowing sparks that fell onto the Treant, coating it in shimmering dust.
The Treant roared, stumbling.
< Senia's Skill Activated: Lightweave Weakening >
"Go!" Senia cried.
Akimitsu lunged forward. Shadows spiraled around his hands.
A small sphere of swirling darkness formed, pulsing with gravity. He thrust it forward, not at the Treant itself, but at its legs.
The sphere dragged its movement down, pulling the Treant's lower body toward the ground.
"Claws of Destruction…" Akimitsu whispered, feeling power surge into his arms.
He struck the Treant's chest.A burst of wind shook the clearing.
The Treant let out a final groan—then collapsed onto one knee. Its body dissolved into bright leaves that scattered across the forest.
Senia lowered her staff, exhausted but smiling in relief."We… we did it."
A notification appeared before them.
< Mini-Boss Defeated >< Reward Unlocked: Floor 7 Safe Zone >
A soft blue light formed a circle on the ground.
Akimitsu turned to Senia. "Let's rest. We'll need our strength for the next floors."
She nodded. "Right… thank you. I couldn't have survived this alone."
Akimitsu looked at the path ahead—darker, deeper, and full of unknown dangers.
"Neither could I," he admitted.
Together, they stepped into the Safe Zone's light as the dungeon settled into an eerie quiet.
The blue circle of light pulsed softly as Akimitsu and Senia stepped inside. The oppressive air of the forest faded instantly, replaced by a gentle warmth that soothed their exhausted bodies.
Senia exhaled shakily and sat on a patch of moss.Her pink hair fell across her face, messy from the battle, and she pushed it aside with a small laugh.
"I must look terrible right now," she said.
Akimitsu blinked. "Not really. You look… fine."
Senia tilted her head. "Fine?"
Akimitsu realized he had spoken without thinking.Heat crept up his neck.
"I mean—you fought well. You didn't panic. Most people would have."
Senia looked down, her cheeks slightly pink—whether from the battle or something else, Akimitsu couldn't tell.
"…Thank you," she said softly.