Akira's breaths were ragged, his blood-soaked face twisted in frustration.
"The Merger… what does it mean?" he muttered, his thoughts racing. "Damn it! How could he die without finishing his sentence?"
His entire body ached, screaming in agony. The System had yet to calculate his experience, leaving him stranded in his weakened state.
Then—
DING.
[System Notification]
[The user's endurance and stamina have hit the bottom limit.]
[Cursed Infernal Weep will be deactivated.]
Akira gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching tightly. "So even this has limits…" he growled.
If his stamina and endurance ran dry, the passive ability shut down automatically. The crimson glow of his wrist tattoo dimmed, reverting to its original form.
And then—the weight hit him.
Like iron shackles dragging him down, exhaustion crashed into his body. His vision blurred. His knees buckled slightly.
Then—rage.
A primal, furious scream tore from his throat, shaking the dungeon's walls.
"DAMN ITTTTT!!"
His voice echoed, bouncing off the cavernous stone, drowning in the suffocating darkness.
Before him, the lifeless body of the Troll King lay still, its massive form sprawled across the blood-soaked ground.
Victory.Yet, no satisfaction.
Akira clenched his fists, his dark eyes flickering with a faint, eerie white glow.
"I need to search the dungeon," he muttered. "Now. If he's still here…"
Then—
DING!
[System Notification]
[Experience Calculation Complete.]
Another window materialized before him.
[Congratulations, you have leveled up.]
[Congratulations, you have leveled up.]
[Congratulations, you have leveled up.]
[+15 Stat Points awarded.]
[Perfected Symmetry in effect. Allocating stat points equally across all attributes: Strength, Agility, Stamina Endurance, and Intelligence increased by +3 each.]
[Due to the user's level and stat increase they have reached the needed numbers and, Energy Infusion will now be permanently available for use.]
[The user's level has increased, the user's body will recover to peak condition.]
PAF. PUM.
A surge of energy exploded through him. His weary, battered body snapped back to its best shape—his wounds vanishing in an instant. The blood that had stained his skin disappeared, as if the battle had never happened. Only his tattered black clothing remained, a silent testament to the brutal fight.
Akira rolled his shoulders, feeling the raw power coursing through him. His fingers flexed. No longer trembling. No longer weak.
"Ahh…" he exhaled, a slow smirk curling on his lips. "Much better."
His once-white eyes, now dark as they returned to their original color, flickered toward the still-open system window.
"Let's check my current level," he muttered.
[System Notification]
[Displaying current stats…]
Status Window:
[Name: Akira Shoto]
[Level: 58]
[Attributes: White Lightning]
[Strength: 86]
[Stamina: 86]
[Agility: 86]
[Endurance: 86]
[Intelligence: 86]
[More details...]
Akira's gaze sharpened as he read the numbers. A slow grin formed.
"Not bad… I've made some real progress," he said, his restored body radiating a quiet intensity.He flexed his fingers, a faint current of energy crackling between them.
"Since I have Energy Infusion permanently now and somehow I learned how to use it and control white mana more," he thought, "I can take on even stronger monsters without worrying that much."
His dark eyes flickered with cold determination.
"But I wasted too much time fighting that damn Troll King. If that demonic human is still here, I need to find him before—"
PAF!
A sharp sound echoed behind him.
Akira's instincts flared. His body reacted instantly. He spun around, his dark eyes gleaming with white energy, his foot shifting into a combat stance.
"Who's there?!" he demanded, his voice cutting through the dungeon's eerie silence like a blade.
Then—from the shadows—a figure emerged.
But it wasn't who Akira had expected.
It was her.
The violet-eyed Guildmaster, Sylara.
Her piercing amethyst gaze illuminated the dim cavern as she stepped forward, her long silver hair swaying slightly with each movement. She radiated authority, a presence so overwhelming it wrapped around her like a second skin. Her armor, adorned with silver etchings, barely had a scratch—proof that she had walked through this perilous dungeon without so much as breaking a sweat.
She stopped, her arms crossed.
"It's me," she said, her tone calm yet commanding.
Akira's expression hardened. "Sylara?" he said, his mind racing. "Why is she here?"
Then, realization struck. "Wait… This dungeon was under the guild's jurisdiction. And if that demonic human was here… of course, the Guildmaster herself would move in."
Sylara's violet gaze swept across the battlefield—the massive corpse of the Troll King, the blood-stained dungeon walls, and Akira, standing alone, his torn black clothes clinging to him, still exuding an overwhelming killing intent.
She exhaled slowly, then her gaze locked onto him.
"What happened here?" she asked, her voice calm but carrying weight. A demand for the truth "And why have you come here alone, Akira? Explain."
"Shit." Akira kept his face neutral, but his mind scrambled. "What can I say to her? That I was chasing someone to get revenge on my family? That I had my own reasons? Of course not"
No—start simple first.
He took a steady breath.
"I came here because I thought I could gain more experience," he said smoothly, keeping his voice even. "If I fought stronger monsters, I'd grow even faster."
Sylara studied him. For a long, silent moment.Then—she tilted her head slightly.
"Is that so?" she said, her voice calm. But something in her tone felt… off.
She took a step closer, her movements deliberate, her boots clicking softly against the stone floor. Her violet eyes narrowed, sharpening like daggers.
"If you wanted a challenge, you could have asked Cha-Jong to join the raid," she said, her voice low, deliberate, like a predator sizing up its prey. "Why did you come alone? Rushing in like this... You've arrived faster than even my guild."
"Damn it." Akira clenched his jaw. She wasn't going to let this go. His mind raced, a storm of frustration and irritation brewing beneath the surface. "Of all the people to catch me, it had to be her. And now she's digging. Great. Just great."
He exhaled, forcing his voice to remain steady.
"I thought since I could reach the dungeon faster with my speed, I'd get here first and maybe even save someone before it was too late," he said, his tone carefully neutral.
A slow smirk tugged at Sylara's lips, but it didn't reach her eyes. Her gaze remained piercing, unyielding.
"Oh? How thoughtful of you," she said, her tone dripping with amusement.But there was an edge to her words, a challenge beneath the surface and mockery.
Akira's eyes narrowed. "She's not buying it. Of course she's not. Why would she? I act like a jerk all the time" His annoyance flared, but he kept it buried. "This is such a pain. I don't have time for this. I need to find that demonic human before he slips away again."
Then—
Sylara's smirk vanished, and her next words sent a chill through the air.
"But if you're really that thoughtful, Akira… then why did Cha-Jong call all of us to stop you from entering this dungeon at all costs?"
Akira froze. His breath hitched.
"...What?" he said, his heart pounding. "Cha-Jong had called everyone? To stop me?" The realization hit him like a punch to the gut.
The air between them grew heavier, thick with tension.
Sylara's violet gaze locked onto his. Unblinking. Unwavering. She took another step forward, her movements slow and deliberate, like a predator circling its prey. Her arms remained crossed, but her fingers tapped lightly against her bicep—a subtle, rhythmic motion that only added to the pressure.
"Well?" she said, her voice low and steady. "I'd like to hear your answer."