The grand hall of the guild buzzed with the usual background noise—stars coming and going, their chatter filling the air.
Akira sat calmly, his sharp black eyes half-lidded as he tapped his fingers against his knee in thought. His mind was elsewhere, replaying the encounter with that S-rank. It had been brief, but revealing.
"The difference is massive," he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening."That S-rank stood before me like an insurmountable wall. If even an elite star like Lester isn't at the very top, then what of those beyond? The true monsters."
His grip tightened as the weight of his ambition pressed down on him.
Just then, Cha-Jong's voice pulled him back to reality. "Akira!"
Akira's gaze flickered up as Cha-Jong and Grido approached him. Cha-Jong exhaled sharply, still catching his breath. "We've got something. A mid C-rank dungeon—it's under the guild's control. Sound good to you?"
Akira barely hesitated. "Yes. Let's go."
Grido, who had been flipping through his notes, raised a hand to interject.
"Before that… This dungeon mostly requires close-range combat. Cha-Jong, you and I can handle it, but we need one more. A C-rank or above."
Akira frowned, his thoughts darkening. "No one else available?"
Grido shook his head, his expression grim. "The guild's in a rough spot. The Imzar Party is gone—wiped out. Imzar himself is in the hospital because of a certain someone," he said, glancing pointedly at Akira, who remained indifferent.
"We don't have enough manpower to clear all the dungeons we've claimed. If we pull members from other teams, it'll cause problems for them."
Cha-Jong crossed his arms, his tone serious. "If we force it with just the three of us, we're taking unnecessary risks. We still need someone solid."
Akira exhaled through his nose, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
"Tch… That's troublesome. I need to raid higher-level dungeons. I don't have time to wait around." His thoughts darkened further. "After what I saw today, I know for a fact—I'm still far from strong enough. If I want revenge, I need to get stronger now."
The hall fell into a brief silence, the weight of their predicament hanging heavy in the air.
Then—"Can I join?"
The voice was firm, steady, and familiar.
All three of them turned their heads—Victor.
He stood tall, his star uniform crisp, his massive frame radiating strength. There was a sharpness in his eyes, but more than anything—he looked ready.
Grido's eyes widened in surprise before breaking into a grin. "Victor! You're back?"
"Yeah," Victor smirked, rolling his shoulder. "Kicking at full power again."
Akira's gaze lingered on him for a moment, then narrowed slightly in amusement.
"Nice. With you, we can go right away."
Victor chuckled, turning to face Akira directly. "How have you been, brat?"
Akira's lips curled into a taunting smirk. "Better than you, I guess."
Victor barked out a laugh. "Hah! That's true."
Then, Akira's expression softened just slightly. "Glad you're still standing, though."
"Let's go then," Victor said, his tone shifting to one of readiness.
The group made their way toward the dungeon entrance, the energy between them shifting. For Akira, it was another step forward—another opportunity to level up.
A slow smirk played on his lips as they approached the looming dungeon portal.
The four of them stood before the swirling green portal, the air around it humming with faint magical energy. The location was a quiet park in Seoul, different from the one Akira usually visited. Despite the serene surroundings, the presence of Terra Agents—two of them stationed near the portal—served as a reminder of the dangers beyond.
Grido stepped forward, speaking briefly with the agents, who nodded before giving their approval.
"Go on in," one of them said. "And good luck with the raid."
Akira, clad in his usual black costume, moved forward without hesitation.
Victor, in his heavy armor, stretched his shoulders. The guild's emblem gleamed on the left side of his chest plate, the symbol of their team's authority.
Cha-Jong checked his weapons, ensuring everything was in place.
Grido, with his bird perched on his shoulder, turned to the team.
"This dungeon is the same type as the one Imzar and his party entered," he began, his voice serious. "The one where they all died… and the one Akira cleared after."
Victor, who had been tightening his gauntlets, suddenly paused. His brow furrowed slightly, and he turned to look at Akira.
"Wait." His voice carried a note of disbelief. "You cleared a C-rank dungeon alone?"
Akira didn't even glance at him, only responding with a faint smirk.
Victor exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "Tch… I leave for a bit, and you're already pulling stunts like this?"
Akira remained silent, but his thoughts churned. "If it's the same type of dungeon, then maybe… another Troll King?" A sharp glint flickered in his eyes. "That could be interesting. Maybe he knows and can tell me more about The Merger thing."
"Alright, enough standing around," Cha-Jong said, cutting through the tension. "Let's move."
With that, they stepped forward—crossing into the portal.
A moment of weightlessness. Then—solid ground beneath their feet.
They stood in a vast cave, the walls slick with moisture, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting meat. A faint green luminescence pulsed through the rocky walls, casting eerie shadows throughout the cavern. Unlike some dungeons, this one had enough natural light to navigate without needing external sources.
Akira glanced around, his sharp eyes sweeping the area. He didn't bother creating a white mana orb light to illuminate the space. It was already clear enough.
Then—movement.
Grey trolls.
Their hulking forms emerged from the shadows, their grotesque, muscular bodies covered in thick, rock-like skin. Beady yellow eyes locked onto them, and low growls rumbled through the air.
Grido tensed. "Alright, team. Get ready—"
Before he could finish—A whisper.
"Finally."
Then—BOOM!
Akira shot forward like a missile. His foot slammed against the ground, leaving a cracked imprint as he exploded toward the nearest trolls with inhuman speed.
Grido sighed, already rubbing his temples. "Oh, here we go again… I knew it."
Victor let out a small chuckle. "Guess it only takes one raid to figure out how this brat acts."
Cha-Jong adjusted his stance, drawing his weapon. "Yeah. Let's just focus on the trolls and let him run wild."
Akira wasn't listening. He was already in the fight.
Two trolls loomed before him, their massive, grotesque arms raised, ready to crush him.
But Akira had seen this before. "I don't even need to scan them. I've already beaten their kind once."
His hand clenched into a fist. "Time to end this."
A smirk tugged at his lips.
The air crackled as Akira shot forward, his body moving with sharp, deadly efficiency. Unlike before, he didn't even bother activating Soul Infusion—there was no need.
The first gray troll let out a guttural roar, raising its massive club high.
Too slow.
With a precise slide, Akira extended his hand and fired a streak of white lightning. The crackling bolt snapped through the air and slammed into the troll's chest.
ZZZHHHHTTTT!!
The creature convulsed violently, its body locking up. Its muscles tensed, frozen in place.
Before it could even process what had happened, Akira summoned his Panthoblade—the weapon materializing in his grip in an instant from his inventory.
SWISH—!!
A single, clean slice.The massive troll's head separated from its body.
THUD.
Its lifeless form crashed onto the cave floor, blood pooling beneath it.Akira's cold, piercing eyes had already moved to his next target.The second troll snarled, swinging its clawed hand in desperation.
But Akira had already moved.
His Panthoblade hummed with power as white mana flooded into it, the edges flickering with crackling lightning. "Let's see how well you split"
As he closed the distance, he swung. "Energy Infusion"
FWOOOOOM!!
A wave of blinding white energy erupted from his blade, tearing through the troll's midsection.
The troll split apart in two—cleanly severed down the middle. Its upper body slid off its lower half before both halves hit the ground with a sickening THUD.
Akira stood amidst the carnage, watching the flickering arcs of white lightning dance along his sword's edge.
"This… Energy Infusion is really OP. The only downside is that it takes 10% of whatever amount of mana I have left to unleash it at full charge. But I really like it," he said, exhaling as he let the mana settle.
Then, without hesitation—He moved to the next.
The cave became a slaughterhouse.
One by one, the trolls fell.
They barely had time to react. Akira weaved between them, his attacks relentless, precise, and utterly ruthless.
A horizontal slash—another troll decapitated.A downward strike—its body split apart.A thrust infused with lightning—a troll fried from the inside out.
His movement was flawless.
A system notification popped up.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have leveled up.]
[+5 Stat Points awarded.]
[Perfected Symmetry in effect. Allocating stat points equally across all attributes: Strength, Agility, Stamina Endurance, and Intelligence increased by +1 each.]
[The user's level has increased, the body will be restored to peak condition.]
Akira glanced at it. He was growing.As he wiped his blade, a warm, energizing flow surged through his body. He felt his muscles strengthen and his fatigue dissipate.
Victor stood frozen for a moment, watching the sheer brutality unfold before him.
His thoughts raced. "The difference in power, skill, and sheer dominance is massive. He isn't just stronger—he has evolved."
Victor clenched his fists. "How the hell did he get this strong in such a short time?!"
And yet—Akira had.
Grido exhaled sharply, watching the last troll collapse. "That brat… never stops surprising me."
Then there was Cha-Jong.His mouth was slightly open in disbelief.He had spent the most time around Akira, but it had been a while since he last saw him in action.And now? "Incredible."
He had heard about what Akira did in the previous dungeons.
But this?
This was something else. "He's not just strong. He's… growing way faster than any other Awakened."
A part of him wanted to ask.But deep down, he already knew the answer.
Grido finally broke the silence. "Time to go for the boss and end this."
Victor nodded, shaking off his thoughts. "Right."
Cha-Jong adjusted his gloves. "Let's finish it."
The team moved deeper into the cave, stepping over the remains of the fallen trolls.
Akira walked at the front, his mind already focused on the next fight.
The heavy stone doors groaned as they opened, revealing the final chamber of the dungeon. A cold, damp wind blew past them, carrying the scent of blood and decay.
Akira's sharp eyes immediately locked onto the creature standing in the center.
His expectations crumbled. "A Troll King? No."
Instead, what stood before him was nothing more than a mindless brute—a massive gray troll, nearly three times the size of the ones before, with thick, scarred skin and dull, empty eyes. It huffed and growled, its grotesque muscles twitching as it sensed their presence.
Akira frowned. "Why? Why isn't it the same kind?"
The Troll King he had faced before was different—intelligent, cunning, capable of speech. But this? This was just a beast.And then, a thought surfaced.
No, a memory.
Jin-Ael's words…"The demonic human mentioned that a lower had descended."
Akira's expression darkened. "It must've been meant for that Troll King. That's why it was different."
His fingers tightened around his Panthoblade. "This is getting weirder and weirder."
But then, just as quickly, he dismissed the thought.Because in the end—It didn't matter.
He had his goals.
His eyes hardened. He turned to the others. "Don't interfere. I'll handle this."
Grido and Victor barely reacted. They knew.
Cha-Jong hesitated for a second, but as he saw Grido and Victor step back without question, he exhaled and did the same.
Akira stepped forward. "Soul Infusion—active."
BOOM!
White energy exploded around him, cracking like lightning. His eyes burned with a pure white glow, his aura surging. His power skyrocketed.
The troll grunted, taking a step back.
The beast sensed danger.
Akira moved.In an instant, he was gone.
A blur—no, a flash of white lightning.The troll roared and swung its massive arm, aiming to crush him.
Useless.
Akira had already dodged, appearing behind the monster in a blink.His Panthoblade hummed, pulsing with condensed white mana.
A single, precise slash.
SHIIING—!!
A white arc of destruction cut through the air.A moment later—The troll's entire arm was severed.
THUD!
The beast howled in agony, staggering back. Its blood sprayed across the cave floor.Akira didn't stop.He shot forward again, his blade coated in crackling lightning.
A second slash—One leg—gone.The troll collapsed, its massive body shaking the ground.
It tried to roar—Tried to resist—But Akira was already above it.A final downward strike, infused with his full power—
FWOOOOOM—!!
The Panthoblade plunged deep, white lightning erupting from the wound.
BOOOOM!!
A violent explosion of light consumed the creature.When the brightness faded—The troll boss was dead.Its massive body split apart, twitching one last time before falling lifelessly.Akira exhaled.
His status window popped up.
DING!
[Calculating the experience points earned from defeating the Boss.]
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
[+5 Stat Points awarded.]
[Perfected Symmetry in effect. Allocating stat points equally across all attributes: Strength, Agility, Stamina Endurance, and Intelligence increased by +1 each.]
[The user's level has increased, the body will be restored to peak condition.]
In an instant, a familiar rush flooded his body—his mana surged anew, his stamina fully restored, his strength back at its peak.
He had leveled up twice in total in this dungeon.His grip on his sword tightened."Two levels in one day… this is good."
His earlier curiosity about another Troll King? Gone.Because now, he understood—It didn't matter.Only leveling up mattered.
He turned, walking back toward the others.Victor's eyes followed Akira as he approached.The fight had been too fast.He knew Akira was strong, but this was something else.
His thoughts raced. "Super fast. Super easy. He's… a monster."
Grido let out a breath, watching him.Then, a small smirk formed on his lips.He muttered under his breath."Some people really are meant for greater things, don't you agree?"
Victor said nothing.
Cha-Jong just stared.
Akira stopped in front of them. His glowing eyes dimmed back to normal, his power settling.He simply said—"Done."
And as he spoke—The portal to exit the dungeon appeared.