___
[New Entry: Steelhide Direwolves.]
[Classification: Dungeon-Aligned Beasts.]
[Threat Level: Medium-High.]
[Special Abilities: Hardened Skin, Pack Coordination, Minor Telepathy.]
___
"Steelhide Direwolves," Cale murmured, watching the creatures pace through the ruins. "Whoever named these things was clearly feeling creative."
"You should focus a bit more, Master," the Core's voice chimed in, her tone seemed sharper than usual.
"These creatures are not to be underestimated. Their coordination suggests they have some intelligence."
Cale smirked faintly. "Let's see how coordinated they are with my dagger in their throat."
The lead wolf froze mid-step, its glowing eyes locking onto him. The second followed, a low growl rumbling in its throat.
Then they charged.
___
They were fast.
The first wolf lunged, its steel claws screeching against the stone. Cale ducked low, rolling beneath the swipe, but the second wolf was on him immediately.
Fangs snapped inches from his arm as he twisted away, heart pounding.
He cursed under his breath. The ruins boxed him in, leaving little room to maneuver. Glowing symbols along the walls pulsed faintly, siphoning mana into the wolves like some twisted feeding ritual.
"Nasty dogs," Cale muttered, gripping his daggers tighter. He infused them with mana, the blades humming faintly.
The wolves hesitated. Just barely.
It was enough.
Cale darted forward, slashing at the nearest wolf's legs. The blade sparked against its steel-hide, leaving little more than a shallow gash.
"Oh, come on."
"Master," the Core interrupted. "Their weakness is near the jawline. Aim there if you want results."
"Noted."
The lead wolf lunged again, claws outstretched. This time, Cale sidestepped and drove his dagger upward with all his strength.
A sickening crunch.
The wolf yelped as the blade pierced its jaw, its metallic blood spilling across the ground. It collapsed in a heap, twitching once before going still.
No time to breathe.
The second wolf struck, raking its claws across Cale's arm. Pain flared, but he retaliated, driving his second dagger into the beast's neck.
It didn't die.
Snarling, the wolf shoved its weight against him, knocking him flat. Its teeth snapped inches from his face, it's hot breath reeking of blood and iron.
"Master?" the Core called, her voice edged with concern.
"I've got this!" Cale snapped, twisting the blade deeper.
The wolf let out a strangled cry before finally collapsing on top of him.
___
[Steelhide Direwolf Defeated: Experience Gained. Stat Increase Pending.]
___
Cale groaned, shoving the corpse off and staggering to his feet. His arm throbbed, blood trickling down his sleeve.
"That was… unpleasant," he muttered, dragging himself upright. He scanned the area, half-expecting more wolves to appear from the shadows.
"You need healing," the Core said, her tone more concerned than usual.
"Yeah, thanks for noticing." Cale pulled a small vial from his belt and downed it in one gulp. The taste was vile, but warmth spread through his body as the wounds on his arm began to close.
"Better," he said, flexing his fingers.
The Core's voice softened, almost curious. "You seem... energized when you fight. As though you thrive on it. What drives you, Master?"
Cale blinked, caught off guard by the question. He thought for a moment before replying, his tone casual.
"Survival, I guess. Maybe I'm just stubborn like that."
"Hmm." The Core's tone was neutral, but he could sense her lingering curiosity.
He didn't press the issue.
Instead, he turned his attention to the ruins ahead. The air felt heavier, charged with the remnants of mana from the fight.
He reached into his cape and pulled out a crumpled map, its edges worn from handling.
Unfolding it, he studied the scrawled markings. The map was crude, little more than a series of rough lines and barely legible notes. It was what he got from Leira's father, given to him back in Black Hollow.
"Didn't he say that cursed noble drew this?" Cale muttered, squinting at the mess of scribbles.
"And here I thought nobles were supposed to be well educated…"
Still, it was all he had.
Squinting, he managed to piece together the noble's shaky scribbles. After a moment, his eyes landed on one particularly messy section labeled 'The Fallen Idol.'
He traced the route with his finger, muttering to himself. "So this is where I'm headed…"
The noble who had scribbled out this map hadn't been much help. Judging by the erratic lines and half-finished notes, even he hadn't fully understood the place he'd stumbled across.
Whatever it was, it had cursed him, leaving behind only this messy attempt at retracing his steps.
When Leira's father handed Cale the map, the old man's grim words had stuck with him: "Give up. If it were easy to find, the countless adventurers who scavenge these ruins daily would've uncovered it by now."
The man hadn't been joking. If anything, his expression had carried pity, as though he believed Cale wouldn't survive the attempt.
Still, Cale smirked as he pressed onward. "The system will give me a hint when I'm close," he thought, reassuring himself.
The ruins stretched out endlessly. Ancient remnants of a once-mighty city rose around him, crumbling yet still looking majestic. Every now and then, he paused, struck by the sheer scale of the place.
Yet, despite its grandeur, the silence was eerie.
He hadn't encountered a single adventurer. Odd, considering he'd seen dozens passing through the warp gates before entering the ruins. Either the gates had scattered them far and wide, or the ruins were larger than he'd ever imagined.
Still, Cale's steps were careful, his senses remained sharp. He cast them outward, feeling for any trace of danger. The ruins answered back—a warning.
Danger.
This place reeked of monsters.
The map in his hand trembled, though whether from his own tension or the strange pulses emanating from the ruins, he couldn't tell.
Ahead, the path opened into a clearing. A wide, circular space surrounded by massive statues of humanoid figures, their features worn and weathered by time.
His destination.
The map's markings matched this place. The Fallen Idol.
His arrival didn't reek of any warmth. If anything, trouble.
"Grrr-grrr"
From the shadows around the area surrounded by the large statues, emerged more beasts. Several of them, each more monstrous than the last.
Creatures with jagged limbs, their bodies shimmering like molten obsidian. Spectral apparitions that flitted between the statues, their forms barely solid but brimming with strange energy.
"Shit! What a shitty situation. Coincidence right?"
Cale cursed under his breath, stepping back instinctively.
With the timing, he found it difficult to believe these monsters hadn't just been placed here, expecting his arrival.
His twin daggers thrummed with mana. As the hum settled in his ears, it brought with it a small comforting effect against the dreadful sight before him.
The Core's voice cut through his mind. "You're surrounded, Master. Their movements… they seem to be in some sort of formation. Their strength might not be much, but due to their number…. Fleeing might—"
"No." Cale's sharp voice cut her words. He crouched low, his daggers spinning deftly in his hands.
"I'll preferred to fight"
As his response fell, the beasts closed in immediately, and Cale moved.
Cale ducked low, his blades flashed upward and severing the limb in a clean strike.
Another beast leapt from his side, forcing him to twist and parry. The impact jarred his arms, but he recovered quickly, driving a dagger into its throat.
But they kept coming.
No matter how fast or precise he was, their sheer numbers began to overwhelm him.
Claws raked across his side. Teeth sank into his shoulder. Blood seeped through his armor, dripping onto the stone.
"Master!" The Core's voice was laced with panic now.
Cale gritted his teeth, his vision swimming. His mana reserves were draining rapidly, the daggers in his hands growing heavier with each swing.
A desperate thought flared in his mind:
'My Domain ability.'
"It's risky…" the Core began, sensing his intention.
She was right. Activating his Domain here, in a place that possibly belonged to a dungeon master was risky.
But he had no choice.
"No choice!" Cale growled, slamming one of his daggers into the ground.
The air shifted.
—
[System Alert: Domain Activation Detected.]
[Effect: Dungeon Encroachment Initiated.]
---
A transparent barrier expanded outward, rippling through the clearing. The beasts faltered, their movements slowing as confusion flickered in their eyes.
And then the ground cracked.
A deep, resonant hum echoed through the ruins, growing louder with each beat. The runes etched into the statues flared to life, casting a low light that bathed the entire area.
The air rippled violently, and the space at the center of the clearing began to distort.
A rift tore through the ground, spiraling open like a wound. The void within churned with raw energy, pulling everything around it toward its center.
---
[System Alert: Void Rift Generated.]
[Warning: Dungeon Encroachment Unstable. Transport Imminent.]
---
"What the—" Cale's words were cut off as the pull of the rift intensified.
The beasts screeched, their forms distorting as they were dragged into the swirling void.
Cale braced himself against the pull, but it was futile. The force was too strong. His feet left the ground.
The last thing he saw before being swallowed was the statues, their glowing runes flashing brighter as if watching him disappear into the unknown.