The morning sky hung heavy with silent clouds, and a calm breeze stirred the air as Ein stepped into the grand hall of the Adventurers' Guild. His newly earned S-rank license, trimmed with gold, gleamed against his chest like a silent badge of destiny.
All eyes turned toward him.
"Is that the boy?"
"A twelve-year-old, an S-rank? No way."
"He was just a nobody yesterday…"
Ein ignored the whispers. His gaze was focused and fearless as he walked up to the guild master.
"You want a mission?" the guild master asked, his voice firm yet filled with cautious pride.
Ein nodded. "Give me the hardest one you've got."
With a deep breath, the guild master retrieved an ancient parchment. The yellowed scroll bore symbols soaked in blood and dread.
"This is the Abyss of Silence. Even S-ranks have failed here. The last party of seven never returned. You still want it?"
Ein smiled. "I don't just want to fight monsters—I want to test myself."
---
At the mouth of the dungeon, a strange sensation crept over him. The ground below exhaled like a slumbering beast, and shadows slithered from the stone walls.
As Ein descended, silence swallowed all sound but his footsteps.
The first floor was quiet. Too quiet.
But from the second floor onward, the true horror began. Traps sprung like vipers. Phantom figures rose from the stone, whispering forgotten memories into his mind. One tried to force a haunting vision into his soul—but Ein, with dragon-born will, shattered it with inner strength.
Deeper still, the monsters became more intelligent, more terrifying. Some cast ancient spells. Some were formless. Some were fear itself.
But Ein endured.
With every step, he adapted—mastering combat, sharpening his will, unleashing the strength of a dragon.
---
The final chamber shook as he entered.
From the darkness emerged a towering beast clad in black armor—The Gatekeeper of Silence.
It didn't speak, but its gaze said everything: "You will not pass."
The Gatekeeper charged, sword blazing. Ein dodged and countered with a blast of dragonfire—but the beast's armor resisted flame.
Their battle felt endless.
At last, summoning every drop of power left, Ein unleashed his "Shadow Blade," infused it with his "Armor-Piercing Force," and struck.
The blade pierced the unpierceable. The silence cracked.
The monster fell.
> [New Skills Acquired: Armor-Piercing Force, Mental Fortitude, Sword Mastery]
[Level Up: 68]
---
Sitting alone in the heart of the dungeon, Ein took a long breath.
Victory hadn't just made him stronger—it made him see deeper.
This was more than a battle. This was a mirror of the soul.
But even now, something darker awaited him—something that would test not just his power, but his fate…