Kaiza descended into the depths without a clue where he was headed. But one thing was certain—he was about to fight a deadly creature in his hunt for the crystal ball.
He stepped carefully down the stairs, guided by the dim light seeping in from the entrance above.
But that light didn't last long.
A loud thud echoed through the space as the entrance sealed shut, plunging him into complete darkness.
Kaiza froze.
For a few seconds, he stood stiff, unsure of what would happen next. His mind raced with worst-case scenarios.
What if the creature was already waiting?
What if he took one wrong step and fell right into its clutches?
A bead of sweat trailed down his temple.
But then, logic cut through the fear.
He couldn't stand here forever.
Swallowing his hesitation, Kaiza reached for his system interface, thinking perhaps the faint glow from the screen could help light his path.
Just before he could complete his action, a deep, guttural groan echoed from below.
Kaiza stiffened.
His fingers hovered over his system interface, but he didn't dare move recklessly.
There were no barricades on these stairs—one wrong step, and he could tumble straight into whatever was lurking beneath.
But he knew one thing.
"The fire creature."
The realization sent a shiver down his spine.
Yet, despite his fear, curiosity gnawed at him. He had only seen projections of these creatures, but now… he was about to face one.
Taking a cautious step forward, he peered down—
And saw it.
Flames flickered below, swirling hypnotically in the darkness. The creature's fire was alluringly pleasant, almost mesmerizing, like a dangerous beauty.
It moved gracefully—too smoothly for something so deadly.
Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the fiery glow slipped into the shadows beneath the stairs.
Kaiza's heart pounded.
He quickly shifted his gaze, scanning for any trace of the creature, but all he found was emptiness.
And then—
A sudden flicker.
Bulbs overhead snapped to life, flashing erratically in the void. Their harsh, white glow pulsed through the space, flickering on and off as if deciding whether to work or not.
Finally, they settled, casting a dim, eerie glow.
For the first time, Kaiza could see his surroundings.
His eyes widened.
This place…
It was a dungeon.
A chaotic, decayed mess filled with things he couldn't yet identify.
The dim light barely revealed the details, but the sight alone sent a wave of unease through him.
As he continued descending cautiously, a strange smell wafted through the air.
Thick. Rotten. Unsettling.
And with every step he took, the stench only grew stronger.
The space around him was cold and unnervingly quiet, the only sound being the distant echoes of his footsteps on the stone steps. Yet, the thick, rotting smell only grew stronger with every step.
Kaiza's eyes darted, straining in the dim light, until he stepped on something.
He paused. His heart skipped a beat.
The sharp crack of what he stepped on sent a shiver through his body, and for a moment, he thought it might be the fire creature.
But it wasn't.
He quickly glanced down and saw the shape beneath his foot. It didn't extend far, but it was unmistakable.
Kaiza crouched and lifted it into the light—
"Bone!" he echoed aloud in realization.
A jolt of fear shot through him. He instinctively dropped the bone, his heart racing.
Was it human? Or had it been the fire creature's meal?
His mind whirled with possibilities, but before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, his system interface appeared unannounced, abruptly in front of him.
[Hunt]
[Duration – 10 minutes]
A list of familiar details flashed across his screen, much like before.
Kaiza glanced through the information quickly, not lingering on the details. He could feel the weight of time pressing on him.
At the bottom, a button beckoned:
[Activate Hunting Mode]
Without hesitation, Kaiza tapped the button, his finger pressing with determination.
[Hunting Mode Activated]
Suddenly, the interface became more translucent, allowing him to see through it. He was no longer trapped in the sterile glow of the system's interface—the real world was now clearer, with the map overlayed on it.
His heart beat faster as the map appeared. It was his guide through the dungeon—just like before, it would help him navigate the perilous path ahead.
He studied it for a moment, his eyes darting over the familiar routes and obstacles, and then he started to move forward, taking the first careful step into the unknown.
Kaiza took another deep breath, forcing himself to focus. The unknown stretched before him, and although his legs felt heavy, and his mind threatened to spiral, he pushed forward. His gaze was cold, unwavering—his face a mask of composure, betraying none of the inner turmoil swirling in his mind.
"It'll be as easy as that."
His whisper barely reached his own ears, the words offering little comfort in the face of the unseen danger lurking ahead. The images of highly skilled soldiers, abilities flaring, battling monstrous foes in the shows he had watched before, kept flashing in his mind, but they felt distant, like someone else's reality.
[Target within the perimeter]
The system's message came at a startling volume, cutting through the silence like a sharp knife. Instantly, Kaiza's grip tightened around his weapon without thinking, his body shifting into a more guarded stance.
He paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the translucent interface again. That familiar red dot glowed ahead of him, marking the position of the fire creature, now only steps away. But his focus shifted back to his immediate surroundings.
The basement was dark, damp, and cold—its silence pressing in on him, smothering any thoughts of reassurance. The air felt thick with unease, and the looming blackness of the space around him seemed to swallow everything in its wake.
Then, the thought crept in. A whisper of fear—a terrifying possibility that could break him.
If I really fail... no one will ever find me... I'll be food to this creature...
The image of his demise played in his mind like a twisted nightmare. His heart skipped, a cold sweat finally forming on his brow. The fear was real now, clawing at him, making his body stiffen. He had always feared failure, but now, that fear felt tangible, standing before him in the form of a beast—an enemy that showed no mercy.
But Kaiza refused to break. Not here. Not now.
He took a steadying breath and shook off the creeping panic. His thoughts shifted back to the task at hand.
One step at a time.
GROAN.
A loud noise echoed from the direction marked by the interface. Kaiza moved towards the source, his dagger angled upward and concealed behind his arm, making it invisible to anything in front of him.
"There it is," he muttered as the creature stepped into fire. Its presence was overwhelmingly majestic. A towering figure, just like the one he had seen in the projection. Ug was strikingly similar.
Emerging from the darkness with eerie calmness, the creature held Kaiza's gaze, rooting him to the spot.
This wasn't the aggressive beast his system had described.
Was it?
Kaiza couldn't believe what this breathtaking creature was the very thing he had come to hunt, to kill. Yet, it showed no signs of hostility.
[Fire Creatures - Kishi]
A brief system prompt provided additional information before vanishing. But Kaiza remained frozen, lost in thought momentarily forgetting the hunt warning and its consequences.
The creature was now less than ten meters away.
Then, without warning, Kaiza was sent flying. A single strike to his chest, swift and powerful, hurled him backwards. His body crashed into a pillar, the impact sending a sharp pain through his back as he hit the ground hard.
[HP - 7]
[Strength - 6]
Kaiza coughed and glanced at his stats on the screen. He didn't dwell on them for long—his focus immediately shifted back to the Kishi, the fire creature. He was trying to process what had just happened.
What hit him so hard that it sent him flying in an instant?
Everything had happened too fast for him to grasp. But then, as he observed the Kishi more closely, he noticed something he hadn't seen before—two flaming chains curved from behind its back to its front. Now, they were retracting, shrinking in length as they hovered above the creature.
"The fire chain," Kaiza murmured, realization dawning.
Before he could analyze further, the creature began moving toward him again. Instinct kicked in—he had to attack, not fall for its strange allure.
But then he realized—his dagger was gone.
"Where did it go?" he wondered, his eyes darting around as he scrambled to his feet. Then, he spotted it—just beside him, partially submerged in a pool of some liquid.
Kaiza reached for it but hesitated. The substance was thick, almost like blood, but the dim lighting made it hard to determine its exact color. Still, now wasn't the time to be concerned about that.
Survival came first.
Get the crystal ball.
Defeat the fire creatures.
Survive the next wave in five minutes.
He grabbed the dagger, shifting it into his right hand. But as he did, a thought struck him—how was this weapon connected to his system? Was it linked to his bloodline through the symbol, or could he wield it with either hand?
The answer came immediately.
As soon as the weapon settled in his right hand, something activated.
Unlike before, a sharp pain shot through Kaiza's palm as the weapon attempted to connect with him. Then, his system blared:
[Extra Bloodline Detected]
[Green Bloodline – Higher Rank]
[Rank: 2]
[Abilities: Dash
[H-Kai, do you want to connect to this bloodline?]
Kaiza skimmed through the stats displayed on his screen. A powerful bloodline lay at his fingertips, offering clear benefits—but no mention of potential drawbacks.
Without hesitation, he accepted.
Instantly, his stats updated, merging his existing abilities with the newfound power. A surge of energy flooded his body, strengthening specific muscle groups. He clenched his fists, feeling his newfound prowess settle within him.
Then he noticed something strange.
Everything had stopped.
Not just him—the entire battlefield was frozen. The Kishi, the countdown, even the air itself seemed locked in place. It was as if time had momentarily halted the moment he connected to the bloodline. But as soon as the update completed, reality snapped back into motion.
The Kishi resumed its approach—but this time, something had changed.
The once-majestic creature now radiated fury. The flames on its back had doubled in intensity, licking higher into the air. Its once-mesmerizing form had grown more aggressive, and with each breath, steam hissed from its nostrils and mouth.
Kaiza tightened his grip on his weapon, muscles tensing as he braced for combat.
Then, he attacked.
But before he could close the distance, the Kishi struck first—its powerful kick sent him skidding several steps backward.
Kaiza barely had time to process the hit before his body reacted on instinct. Instead of crashing to the ground, he twisted mid-air, landing in a controlled backflip. His feet hit the ground, steady and firm.
No hesitation. No retreat.
With renewed determination, Kaiza launched himself forward once more.
Kaiza's focus was no longer solely on the creatures face, his attention now extended to the fiery chains coiled behind its back, the true weapons it wielded instead of it limbs
The moment the chains shot out, he dodged once, twice but then before he could react again, one struck him.
[HP - 6]
"I have to increase my speed. I'm too slow!" Kaiza thought, frustration gnawing at him
Then. He remembers Dash.
Without accessing the system screen, he activated it instinctively.
The result was beyond his expectations his movement exploded in speed, his steps doubling, almost matching the kishi's agility.
The creature lasted out with its flaming chains again, swinging them towards him with deadly precision. But this time, Kaiza dodged with ease, weaving past them until he was within striking range.
He lunged, his dagger aimed at its side.
The blade connected
Kaiza paused, expecting the creature to react. But what the saw sent a chill down his spine.
The impact had left nothing more than a faint scratch, a shallow mark of metal scraping against an impenetrable surface.
"What...?!"
Before he could complete his thought, the kishi's chains shot out again. This time, they didn't just send him flying, they sent him swinging through the air.
One guy
A second
A third crashing him against a pillar.
Finally, the chains released him, letting him crumple to the ground.
Each impact had drained his strength.
[HP - 3]
Kaiza coughed, blood staining his lips. His vision blurred, his body weakened
"How am I supposed to defeat this in minutes before another creature appears?"
He struggled to his feet, forcing himself to stand strong despite the energy seeping out of him.
"It must have a weak point... I just have to find it."
Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on the dagger, stretching his sore limbs before launching another attack.
This time, he lived with caution, analyzing, calculating, waiting for an opening.
Then at the last moment he activated Dash.
To the creature's eyes, he vanished. Kaiza reappeared behind it, trying to climb onto its back but that was his mistake.
In his desperation, he had forgotten one crucial detail.
The flames.
The closer he got, the hotter they burned. By the time he realized it, it was too late.
The kishi's chains wrapped around him, their fiery heat scorching his skin. The pain was unbearable, the grip tightening around him like a death trap
But just before they could completely bind him. Kaiza acted
with all his strength, he drove his dagger into the nearest part of the chain, pushing against it as hard as he could.
The kishi roared in fury, its aggression surging. The heat intensified, but Kaiza refused to let go.
This was his chance
The struggle continued, the fiery chains tightening mercilessly around Kaiza. The heat was unbearable, searing into his skin, but he refused to stop fighting.
His body trembled from exhaustion, his vision blurring at the edges. Then, his system interface blinked again.
[HP - 2]
His health had dropped again.
A surge of worry shot through him. What happens if my HP hits zero? The thought clawed at his mind, but he shoved it aside. Survival was the only thing that mattered now.
Then, in his desperate attempt to break free, his gaze locked onto something.
The chains—where they connected to the creature's body.
The skin around that point looked different from the rest. Slightly thinner. Unusual.
A weak spot.
Ideas flooded Kaiza's mind. Without hesitation, he gathered what little strength he had left and jumped, driving his dagger straight into the vulnerable area.
A deafening GROAN tore through the air as the creature recoiled, a painful tremor coursing through its massive frame.
Kaiza had struck a nerve.