The creature burst from the darkness.
Kael barely had time to see it—low to the ground, all muscle and wet black fur, its mouth split wide with too many teeth. A dungeon hound. Fast. Mean.
Too fast for a fair fight.
Kael pushed himself upright, pain screaming through his body as he hurled the knife.
The throw was sloppy.
The blade clipped the creature's shoulder instead of its eye.
It didn't slow down.
"Damn it—"
Kael rolled just as the hound slammed into the stone where his head had been. Claws scraped rock. Its momentum carried it past him for half a second.
Half a second was all Kael ever got.
He snatched another knife and threw again—closer this time. The blade buried itself in the hound's neck. It shrieked, thrashing, blood spraying across the floor.
Kael didn't stop.
Knife after knife left his hand. Each throw hurt. Each breath burned. But he didn't hesitate.
The hound collapsed with a wet thud, twitching once before going still.
Silence returned.
Kael sagged against the wall, chest heaving.
The blue light flickered.
[Quest Complete]Quest: Refuse to DieDifficulty: High (F-Rank)Reward Granted
His vision blurred again—but this time, warmth spread through his arm instead of pain.
[Skill Enhanced]Knife Throw (F-Rank → E-Rank)Enhancement: Trajectory Correction (Minor)Effect: Throws subtly adjust mid-flight toward vital points.
Kael froze.
He lifted his trembling hand, staring at it like it belonged to someone else.
"…Permanent," he whispered.
The pain in his side hadn't vanished—but it was manageable. His breathing steadied. His grip felt surer.
He laughed softly.
Not because it was funny.
Because for the first time in his life, something had gone his way.
Footsteps echoed from the broken corridor ahead.
Kael tensed, knife already in hand.
A man stepped into the torchlight, spear raised—then hesitated when he saw the dead hound.
"…You killed that?" the stranger asked.
F-rank armor. Worn. Patched.
Same as his.
Kael met his eyes. "Looks like it."
The man exhaled slowly. "Good. Because I really didn't want to run again."
He lowered the spear just a fraction. "Name's Riven. Riven Holt."
Kael nodded once.
"Kael."
Somewhere deep in the dungeon, something else roared.
Kael's grip tightened.
This time, he wasn't alone.