[System Notification: No Return Dungeon - Floor 2]
[Exploration Rate: 0.21%]
Jinhyuk wiped the blood off his face as he stood over the corpse of the Elder Feral Gnoll. The battle had been rough, but he had won.
Yet, there was a problem.
He glanced down at his dagger, now little more than a chipped, half-broken blade. The edge was dull, the steel cracked, and it barely cut deep enough to finish his enemies anymore.
"This piece of junk isn't going to last much longer."
In a world where even monsters used weapons, running around with a failing dagger was a death sentence.
He needed something better.
Something worthy of a hunter.
The Search for a New Weapon
Jinhyuk scanned his surroundings, looking for anything useful. The Elder Gnoll had been carrying a crude stone spear, but it was barely more than sharpened rock strapped to a stick. Not worth using.
He needed real steel.
Which meant one thing—
"I need to find an armory."
If this dungeon was once a civilization, then there had to be blacksmiths, warriors, and weapons left behind.
And if there were ruins of an ancient city in the distance…
"There must be a forge."
Jinhyuk tightened his grip on his failing dagger and started moving.
---
The Abandoned Stronghold
The ruined city loomed before him, its black stone towers rising high into the sky. Ancient buildings, now covered in vines and glowing moss, stretched across the landscape. Some were collapsed, while others remained eerily intact.
Jinhyuk moved cautiously, keeping to the shadows.
Even without the system telling him, he could feel it—
Something was watching.
He wasn't alone.
"There are enemies here."
If this place still had inhabitants, that meant there had to be weapons left behind.
The question was—who got to them first?
---
Encounter at the Forge
Jinhyuk followed the scent of burned metal and ash until he reached a massive structure.
A forge.
The building was half-collapsed, but inside, massive furnaces lay dormant, their coals long extinguished. Rusted weapons and shattered armor were scattered across the ground, signs of a battle that had happened long ago.
And at the center of the forge—
A massive stone anvil.
On top of it, a sword remained untouched by time.
Jinhyuk's breath hitched.
Unlike the rusted weapons around it, this blade was pristine. The hilt was wrapped in black leather, and the steel gleamed under the dim dungeon light. Ancient runes ran along the blade's surface, pulsing faintly with dormant power.
[Unnamed Relic Weapon Detected.]
Status: Unawakened.
Grade: ???
Special Condition: Only a worthy hunter may claim it.
Jinhyuk reached out.
The moment his fingers touched the hilt, a system notification flashed.
[Warning: Relic Guardian Detected.]
A deep, guttural growl filled the air.
Jinhyuk's eyes snapped upward—
And he barely had time to react before a massive figure crashed down from the rafters above.
---
The Guardian of the Blade
The force of the impact sent dust and debris flying. Jinhyuk leapt back, heart pounding as his new enemy stepped into view.
It was a hulking beast, standing over four meters tall. Its body was a mix of iron and flesh, its arms covered in burned, melted metal as if it had once been forged inside the very furnace of this ruin. Two burning red eyes locked onto him, filled with unyielding hatred.
[Relic Guardian: Ashen Iron Golem (Level 55)]
[Status: Protector of the Forgotten Forge]
"Level 55?!"
Jinhyuk gritted his teeth. This thing was 15 levels above him—stronger than the Elder Gnoll and Bloodstone Gargoyle combined.
But he wasn't about to back down.
If he wanted that weapon, he had to earn it.
---
The Battle for Power
The Iron Golem moved first.
It swung one massive fist, its sheer force shattering the ground beneath it.
Jinhyuk barely dodged, activating Shadow Step to shift out of the way. He reappeared behind the golem, aiming a strike at its leg joints—
CLANG!
His dagger bounced off the metal, leaving nothing but a faint scratch.
"Shit. Its defense is too high!"
The golem turned, slamming its other fist down. Jinhyuk rolled away, barely avoiding death.
"I need to find a weak point."
He activated Predator's Instinct, scanning for vulnerabilities.
Then he saw it.
The runes along the golem's chest were faintly cracked—as if the magic keeping it alive was unstable.
"There. That's my target."
But there was a problem.
The weak spot was on its chest, and with his current weapons, he had no way to pierce that armor.
"I need a real weapon."
Jinhyuk's gaze flickered toward the sword on the anvil.
"If I can get to that sword, I might stand a chance."
But to do that, he had to survive first.
---
The Risky Play
Jinhyuk feinted left, baiting the golem into swinging wide.
The moment its fist came down, he Shadow Stepped, dodging to the right.
The golem slammed into the ground, its arm momentarily stuck.
Now!
Jinhyuk sprinted for the anvil, lunging toward the relic blade.
The moment his fingers grasped the hilt—
A surge of power roared through his body.
[You have claimed the Relic Weapon: Ashen Fang.]
Status: Partially Awakened.
Grade: Unique.
Effect: Ignores 20% of enemy armor. Gains power with each kill.
Jinhyuk's vision flashed red as the power of the blade merged with his system.
"This… is perfect."
Behind him, the Iron Golem tore its arm free, letting out a deafening roar of fury.
Jinhyuk grinned, lifting the Ashen Fang for the first time.
"Alright, big guy." He rolled his shoulders, the weight of the weapon feeling perfect in his hands.
"Round two. Let's go.