The air outside was heavy.
Hunters moved in groups—confident, loud, powerful.
Adrian walked alone.
In front of him…
A gate.
A swirling mass of dark energy floating midair.
A Beginner Dungeon Gate.
"Last call for party members!"
A bulky man shouted nearby.
"Need one more healer!"
Adrian ignored them.
He stood in front of the gate.
Took a deep breath.
"I've got nothing to lose."
And stepped inside.
Darkness swallowed him.
[Entering Dungeon…]
The smell hit first.
Blood.
Rot.
Death.
Adrian staggered as the environment shifted.
A cave.
Dimly lit.
Wet.
Alive with distant growls.
[Warning: Host is significantly under-leveled]
"…Yeah, I figured."
A sound echoed behind him.
Grrrrr…
Adrian turned slowly.
A creature emerged from the shadows.
A wolf.
But wrong.
Its body was larger than a human.
Eyes glowing red.
Fangs dripping black saliva.
[Monster Detected: Shadow Fang Wolf]
Level: 3
Adrian swallowed.
"I'm level… zero, right?"
[Correct]
"…Great."
The wolf lunged.
Adrian barely rolled to the side.
Its claws tore into the ground where he stood.
"Think, think—!"
He had no weapon.
No skills.
No strength.
Just—
[Emergency Skill Unlocked]
Skill: Instinct Drive (Level 1)
Effect: Temporarily boosts reaction speed
Time slowed.
Adrian's eyes widened.
"I can see it—!"
The wolf moved again.
Faster.
Deadlier.
But now—
So was he.
He grabbed a sharp rock from the ground.
Waited.
Timed it.
"NOW!"
He lunged forward.
And drove the rock straight into the wolf's eye.
A scream tore through the cave.
The beast thrashed violently—
Then collapsed.
Silence.
Adrian stood there, shaking.
Breathing hard.
Covered in blood.
"…I did it."
A chime echoed.
[You have defeated your first enemy]
[Level Up!]
[Level: 1 → 2]
His body surged with energy.
Pain disappeared.
Strength filled his limbs.
Adrian laughed.
Loud.
Wild.
Unbelieving.
"…So this is leveling…"
His eyes sharpened.
Darkened.
Hungry.
"Let's keep going."