My name is Tenta, the only commoner in the Athalian Academy, an institution of nobility that is full of the wealthy and powerful aristocrats. Although I try to stay quiet and not bother anyone, it seems that my very existence provokes their annoyance.
Today was like any other. I was being chased by them again. Laughter echoed from behind me as I was shoved to the ground, the stones embedded in the dirt cutting into my knee, causing blood to seep out.
"A commoner like you dares to fight back?" The voice of Edgar, the high-ranking noble who led the group, rang out. He stood over me, looking down with contempt.
"Why can't you just leave me alone?" I asked, still unable to get up. My voice trembled, but my gaze remained defiant.
"Because you don't belong here! This place is for nobles, not worthless people like you!"
Before they could approach again, a voice interrupted them.
"Stop it, Edgar!"
It was a voice I knew well—Luna, the daughter of the Duke. She entered with grace, but her eyes were cold as she glared at Edgar and his group with disapproval.
"Luna... don't get involved," Edgar said, his tone softer now, but Luna ignored him. She stepped between me and the others.
"If I catch you bullying Tenta again, I'll report it to my father. And I know how much you fear him," Luna's voice was sharp, and the nobles dared not meet her gaze.
Edgar muttered under his breath before stepping back with his group, but not without leaving a threat. "You're safe this time, but next time… I won't let you off."
"You didn't have to help me this much," I said softly as Luna offered her hand to help me up.
"I'm helping because you don't deserve this, Tenta," she replied, her tone gentler than the one she had used with Edgar.
I looked at her with complicated feelings. Luna was always there for me. She was the only one who stood by me in this institution, but I didn't know whether to feel grateful or awkward.
"Thanks, Luna," I finally said
That evening, I walked home as usual. The pain from my wounds still stung, but what hurt more was the feeling inside me. Being in a place where no one accepted me made me feel as though I was sinking into darkness.
But at the same time...
"What is this?"
In front of me, a large black door appeared in the middle of an empty alley. It looked out of place, its surface seemed to be moving as though dark shadows were struggling.
Before I could step back, the door opened. A powerful gust of wind rushed toward me, pulling everything into the darkness.
"Wait! What's going on?!" I shouted, but before I could resist, I was sucked in.
When I opened my eyes again, what lay before me was a dungeon straight out of a novel. The black stone walls emitted a green glow from old lanterns. The atmosphere was cold and eerie, so quiet that I could hear my own heartbeat.
"Where is this?" I mumbled.
Before I could explore further, a voice echoed in my head.
[Welcome to the Dungeon of Shadows]
[Player: Tenta]
[Level: 1]
[Survival begins]
"Wait... What is this?!"
Footsteps echoed from the hallway ahead. Dark shadows moved closer, and that was the beginning of a journey I never expected...
The footsteps grew louder, making me freeze. My heart raced in my chest. I turned to look at the dark corridor, but all I saw were vague shadows moving as if alive.
"What is that..." I whispered, but in that instant, something leaped from the shadows.
It was a wolf, but not just any wolf. Its body was made of pure darkness, and its glowing red eyes fixed on me like prey. I felt paralyzed with fear, my legs refusing to move.
[Warning: Enemy approaching]
[Name: Shadow Wolf]
[Level: 3]
"Level 3? And me!?" I quickly scanned my surroundings, hoping for something that could help, but there was nothing.
The Shadow Wolf didn't give me time to think. It lunged at me with incredible speed. I instinctively dodged, but its claws grazed my arm, tearing my shirt and leaving a deep wound. Blood began to seep out.
"Ugh!" I gritted my teeth, trying to stay focused. The voice in my head spoke again.
[Tip: Use the dormant power to survive.]
"Power? How could I have any power...?" I muttered as the Shadow Wolf charged at me again.
Suddenly, the dark shadows around me began to stir, almost as if responding to something. The voice in my head came once more.
[Unlocking Power: Kankaku no Mayoi]
[Path of Destruction and Distortion – Distorting the enemy's senses]
I felt something change inside me. The dark shadows that had been moving around me started to envelop my body. The fear I once had seemed to be replaced by something mysterious and powerful.
The Shadow Wolf lunged again, but this time, I didn't dodge. The black shadows around me shot out before it could reach me.
The wolf's red eyes changed. It froze mid-air, looking confused, before it began to growl lowly and snap at the empty air around it.
"It... can't see me?" I watched in shock. The Shadow Wolf seemed lost in an illusion. It was attacking something that didn't exist.
A voice in my head explained further.
[Kankaku no Mayoi: Distorts the enemy's senses, causing it to be unable to distinguish between reality and illusion.]
"So this... is my power?" I was stunned by my newfound abilities, but now was not the time for shock.
"Then... let's try this!"
I charged forward and struck it at the neck, knocking it unconscious before unleashing a barrage of punches. The Shadow Wolf let out one final roar before collapsing and dissolving into black shadows that slowly faded away.
[Enemy defeated]
[Experience gained: 50]
[Level up to: Level 2]
"I did it..." I muttered, watching as the shadows around me settled down. The dark shadows slowly returned into my body.
But the relief didn't last long. More footsteps echoed from the hallway ahead, and a faint red light appeared again.
"Not over yet..." I gritted my teeth, knowing I had to prepare for what was coming.
This was just the beginning of a journey I couldn't escape...
The footsteps from the shadows grew louder once more. I shifted into a ready stance, my gaze fixed on the shadows moving closer. Even though I was still scared, the excitement from unlocking my power earlier lingered.
"If I survived once... I can survive again," I said to myself, before the shadow in front of me revealed its form.
But instead of another Shadow Wolf, what emerged was a large, ancient stone chest, sitting in the middle of the hall as though it was waiting for me to open it.
"This... a reward?" I walked cautiously toward it. This dungeon didn't seem to offer anything easily, so I didn't trust it.
[Player unlocked the treasure room after defeating the first enemy]
[Do you want to open the treasure chest?]
A message appeared before me. For the first time, I saw something that might actually help me.
"Alright... let's see."
I reached out and touched the chest's lid. A blinding light shot out, as if consuming everything around me. When the light faded, what appeared inside the chest was a katana.
It was a beautiful katana, its blade reflecting silver light. The dark shadows surrounding the blade seemed alive, evoking both fascination and fear.
[Received: Shadow Slayer Katana]
[Attributes: Increases shadow attack power, perfectly synergizes with Kankaku no Mayoi.]
[Special Ability: Amplifies the effect of distortion, creates shadow waves for long-range attacks.]
"This sword..." I reached for the hilt. A cold sensation spread throughout my body before I felt a connection. The shadows that had calmed within me began to stir again, seemingly responding to this katana.
"This... is a new power?" I murmured to myself as I gazed at the katana in my hands.
But before I could examine it further, a roar echoed once again, louder than before. The heavy footsteps vibrated from the other side of the dungeon.
"What now..." I took a deep breath, the katana in my hands beginning to glow with dark light, as though preparing for battle.
The roar reverberated throughout the dark room, making it clear that I could no longer rely on the silence. I turned and saw a red light growing from the hallway behind me, expanding as something moved into the darkness.
"They're here..." I clenched my teeth, my legs ready to run, but my hands still gripped the Shadow Slayer Katana tightly.
A new wave of enemies was approaching. The increasing footsteps made it clear there was more than one. The roars that followed echoed throughout the room, trembling ominously.
Suddenly, what emerged from the darkness made me pause for a moment. A group of massive, shadowy creatures, resembling dragons but made of pure blackness. Their glowing red eyes locked onto me with no mercy.
[Warning: New enemy appeared] [Name: Shadow Dragon] [Level: 5]
The Shadow Dragon flapped its wings and roared aggressively. It had a massive, dark body, with red veins running across it. It seemed to hold enormous power within.
"Level 5..." I could feel the difference. Its level was far higher than mine, but something inside me made me feel less afraid than before.
"If we're going to fight... let's go all out," I said to myself, preparing. The Shadow Slayer Katana in my hand began to glow with dark brilliance, and the calm darkness seemed to trigger something within me.
The Shadow Dragon charged toward me with incredible speed. Its wings flapped, creating gusts of wind that shook the room. I dodged to the side as if time slowed down, but what I couldn't avoid was its devastating roar. It made my heart tremble and my ears ring for a moment.
"Now's not the time to be weak!" I yelled in my mind and began moving forward.
The Shadow Slayer Katana in my hand began to glow with dark light, and when I swung it, a massive shadow spear shot toward the Shadow Dragon. It tried to dodge but was struck, causing a wave of shadows to spread across its body.
The Shadow Dragon roared in anger. It began to breathe black fire, threatening everything in its path. The flames shot toward me with incredible speed, but I could feel myself responding much better. My body no longer felt as heavy as before.
"Path of Destruction and Distortion, Kankaku no Mayoi!" I shouted in my mind. The power of the dark shadows I now controlled made the Dragon's attacks seem inaccurate.
The black flames that came toward me turned into an illusion. The Shadow Dragon was misled into attacking something that didn't exist. At the same time, I used the shadow power to counterattack again.
"Take this!"
I released the shadow power in a long-range attack. The shadow wave sped toward the Shadow Dragon with high velocity. It struck the creature, causing its body to tremble, and eventually, it broke free from its control, collapsing to the ground. Its body began to dissolve into dark shadows.
[Enemy defeated]
[Experience gained: 300]
[Level up to: Level 4]
I panted heavily, my body covered in sweat, a chill running through every part of me. But my heart felt the strength that had grown within. The terrifying Shadow Dragon had finally been defeated.
But the voice in my head reminded me that this fight wasn't over.
[Warning: Another group of enemies is approaching]
"It's not over yet..." I smiled faintly, preparing to face the next group of enemies.
The journey through this dungeon continued. Though the path ahead was filled with obstacles and unknown enemies, I wouldn't give up.
"I will reach my goal..."
This isn't the end, but the true beginning of my survival journey in this dungeon.
"If we're going to fight... let's go all out," I said to myself, ready to face the next enemy...