Kim Yong-woo trembled as the towering creature stopped mere steps away from him. Its heavy breathing filled the air, the growls reverberating like a death knell. Yet it didn't strike. Not yet.
Instead, it stood frozen, its glowing red eyes locked onto something—or someone—behind it.
"Grr?"
The sound was questioning, almost hesitant.
Kim Yong-woo cautiously opened his tightly shut eyes, expecting the worst. Instead of the creature advancing on him, he saw something that made his breath hitch.
A man stood at the other end of the corridor, past the Black Warrior.
The man wasn't like the creatures. His face was striking—sharp features framed by dark hair, his expression calm and calculating. He didn't seem human, yet there was no monstrous aura about him. If anything, the man radiated an unnerving stillness, like a predator in control.
A black sword hung at his waist, its hilt polished and gleaming with a faint magical glow. But it wasn't just his appearance that startled Kim Yong-woo; it was his demeanor.
The man exuded confidence, the kind that spoke of overwhelming power.
"Dark Warriors… they're such a bother," the man said, his voice smooth and unhurried.
Kim Yong-woo's gaze darted between the Black Warrior and the man. The creature hadn't attacked, as though it sensed the overwhelming threat standing before it.
"Ah… no, I…," Kim Yong-woo stammered, his bravado from earlier shattered. He could barely form words, reduced to incoherent gibberish.
The man turned his eyes toward him, assessing.
"A guest?"
The question was laced with disinterest, as though Kim Yong-woo's life or death was a minor detail in his day.
"N-no… no, sir, I…."
Kim Yong-woo felt his survival instinct kick in. This wasn't someone to argue with. His previous arrogance was replaced by an overwhelming desire to beg for mercy.
The man regarded him briefly, then muttered, "Still immature."
Immature? What did he mean by that? Kim Yong-woo didn't dare ask. There was no mistaking it—the man was looking at him the same way the Black Warrior had moments ago. Like prey.
And then, the man's attention shifted back to the creature.
"Grrr!"
The Black Warrior growled and began to move.
The man sighed, his hand drifting to the hilt of his sword. With a slow, deliberate motion, he drew the blade.
Kim Yong-woo's eyes widened as a powerful scent of magic hit him. As an Awakened, he could detect the faint traces of magic in enchanted items, but this sword was different. The intensity of its aura was overwhelming, suffocating.
'What kind of Core was used to make that?' Kim Yong-woo thought, his mind racing. 'There's no way a blacksmith could refine a Core to this extent… not without a rare-grade skill.'
The blade itself gleamed like polished obsidian, radiating a dark energy that made even the Black Warrior hesitate.
Clang!
The first strike came without warning.
The man's blade met the Black Warrior's arm, and Kim Yong-woo gasped as the creature's impervious skin gave way. The sword sliced through it like butter.
"Oh my god…."
The battle unfolded at a speed Kim Yong-woo could barely process. The man moved with precision, each strike of his sword deliberate and devastating.
Kang! Kang! Kakang!
The Black Warrior roared, swinging its massive weapon with raw power. The air around it seemed to warp with the force of its attacks. Yet the man was always one step ahead, dodging with ease and countering with brutal efficiency.
Kim Yong-woo swallowed hard, too stunned to even think of fleeing.
The Black Warrior was one of the most feared creatures in dungeons—a monster that could annihilate entire raid teams. Yet here it was, being overwhelmed by a single man.
'This can't be real….'
Kim Yong-woo felt his perception of the world crumble. He had always seen himself as superior, a king among ants. The other Awakened were beneath him, and ordinary humans were little more than pests.
But now, as he watched this man toy with the Black Warrior, Kim Yong-woo felt like an ant himself.
Each precise swing of the man's sword chipped away at the creature's defense. It was a dance of death, and the Black Warrior was losing.
The final blow came with terrifying speed.
Chwack!
The creature's right arm was severed at the shoulder, the limb crashing to the ground with a thud. The Black Warrior let out a guttural roar, falling to one knee.
The man didn't hesitate. His blade flashed again, and the Black Warrior's head rolled cleanly from its shoulders.
The severed head tumbled across the floor, stopping inches from Kim Yong-woo's feet.
"Huup!"
Kim Yong-woo recoiled, his back pressing against the cold dungeon wall. His breathing was ragged, his heart pounding in his chest.
He stared at the head, its lifeless eyes still glowing faintly.
Kim Yong-woo's body shook as he looked up at the man.
He wasn't just strong. He was terrifying. An elephant towering over an ant.
Kim Yong-woo felt tears prick his eyes. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. He was chosen! He was supposed to be the king of this world!
Yet here he was, groveling in the presence of someone far beyond his understanding.
"Spare me," Kim Yong-woo whispered, his voice trembling.
The man tilted his head slightly, as though considering the request.
"You can leave the dungeon safely now," the man said, his tone indifferent.
Kim Yong-woo blinked. "Y-you'll let me go?"
The man raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to kill you instead?"
Kim Yong-woo frantically shook his head. "No! No, sir, thank you!"
"Then go," the man said. "Before I change my mind. Three seconds. Three… two…."
Kim Yong-woo didn't wait to hear "one."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" he cried, bowing deeply before scrambling to his feet.
He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, not daring to look back.
The man stood alone in the corridor, watching Kim Yong-woo's retreating figure.
For a moment, his expression softened, a faint smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
"Immature indeed," he murmured, his gaze shifting to the lifeless body of the Black Warrior.
The air in the dungeon was still once more, the silence broken only by the faint hum of mana.
Kim Yong-woo might have escaped with his life, but the encounter would stay with him forever.
And the man? He disappeared into the shadows, leaving behind nothing but the lingering sense of dread.