Troll King

With each step Akira took, the air in the dungeon grew heavier. The damp, rotting walls of the cave pulsed softly, and the stench of blood and death mingled with the sharp tang of sulfur, warning of the dangers ahead.

Behind him lay the bodies of four trolls, their massive forms twisted and broken. Blood pooled beneath them, steaming in the cold air. Akira glanced at his hands, now stained with their dark blood, but he felt no fatigue. His body was alive with energy, renewed and ready.

A rapid beeping sound interrupted his thoughts as a status window popped up before his eyes.

!DING!

[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]

[+5 Stat Points awarded.]

[Perfected Symmetry in effect. Allocating stat points equally across all attributes: Strength, Agility, Stamina Endurance, and Intelligence increased by +1 each.]

[The user's level has increased, the body will be restored to peak condition.]

Akira stood motionless for a moment, his chest rising and falling as newfound energy surged through him. Cuts and bruises vanished, and his strength returned to its peak, leaving him revitalized.

"Evolved beasts," he thought, glancing back at the fallen trolls. "Their strength surpassed mine in sheer power. But that's all they had. Too slow... too predictable."

He turned his gaze to his right wrist, where energy coursed through him. "And I didn't even need to use it," he mused. "Cursed Infernal Weep…"

As he moved forward, the atmosphere shifted. A wave of immense mana washed over him, dense and suffocating, making the air feel thick, like walking through the eye of a storm.

"This immense mana…" Akira whispered, his piercing eyes narrowing. "It has to be him."

His grip tightened around his weapon, his heart pounding not with fear but with anticipation.

Meanwhile Outside the dungeon, Sylara arrived in a burst of energy. She approached the T.E.R.R.A. agents stationed at the gate, their faces pale and uneasy.

"Someone's already gone in," one of the agents stammered, his voice trembling.

Sylara's brows furrowed. "Who?"

"We... we didn't see who it was. He moved so fast… it was like lightning passed by," the agent admitted, looking down in shame.

Sylara clicked her tongue in irritation as she thought, He's entered the dungeon alone before us.. "That boy only brings trouble," she muttered under her breath.

She turned to the agents, her voice firm and commanding. "When my guild members arrive, tell them to follow me directly into the dungeon. Do not delay."

The agent nodded quickly. "Understood."

Without another word, Sylara stepped into the dark portal entrance of the dungeon, her energy illuminating the path ahead. Her eyes shone with determination.

Deep inside the dungeon, Akira approached the end of the cave. The room ahead glowed an ominous red, a clear sign that the dungeon boss awaited him. The closer he got, the stronger his emotions grew—anger, sadness, and a fierce determination.

White lightning crackled around him, growing brighter and more intense with each step. His eyes, once cold and calculating, now shone with a bright white light, reflecting the storm within him.

At the end of the dark hallway, just before the massive doors leading to the boss's chamber, Akira paused. He stepped into the lair, his footsteps echoing through the cavernous room. The air was thick with the scent of blood and damp stone.

His sharp eyes fell upon a creature seated on a broken stone throne. It was a troll, unlike any he had ever seen—towering over 20 feet tall, its grotesquely muscular body resembling carved stone. Its gray skin gleamed under the faint red light of the room, and its two bright red eyes with black pupils locked onto Akira, radiating immense power. In its massive hand, it held an axe so large that wielding it seemed absurd.

"Shit," Akira muttered, his jaw tightening. His heart pounded wildly, not from fear but from the sheer magnitude of the creature before him. "He's huge."

The troll's throne creaked ominously as it shifted its weight. A low rumble emanated from its chest as it lifted one massive hand and pointed directly at Akira, signaling for him to come closer.

Akira didn't move. His instincts screamed at him to tread carefully, his body tense as if anticipating an attack at any moment.

"What the hell is the deal with this beast?" Akira thought, his fists tightening. "This dungeon's evolved, but this is insane. He's on a completely different level."

The troll's eyes narrowed at Akira's defiance, and then it did something that froze the young hunter in place.

It spoke.

"Didn't you understand me, human?"

Akira's breath hitched as shivers raced down his spine. His thoughts spiraled. "It talks? A monster… that speaks. It's just like that vampire we encountered in the double dungeon."But amidst the shock, realization struck. "If it can speak… then it has the ability to tell me about that bastard."

Akira's voice was firm, masking the storm brewing within him. "I understood you," he said. "But first, I have a question."

The troll tilted its head slightly, an eerie smirk tugging at its lips.

Akira's voice hardened. "Did a person with red eyes come here?"

The troll's expression barely changed, its massive shoulders shrugging with disinterest. "Yes.What about him?"

"So he truly was here," Akira thought, his fists trembling with anger. "Can you tell me what he wanted and where he went?"

The troll leaned back slightly, resting its massive axe beside it. "I don't want to tho."

That single statement shattered Akira's restraint. His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, his voice rising sharply. "Tell me!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls.

The troll remained unmoved, its massive body still as stone.

"Tell me right now!" Akira yelled, his voice breaking with anger as his emotions threatened to overflow.

The troll's smile vanished, its eyes narrowing into threatening slits. It slowly rose to its full height, casting a long shadow over Akira—a towering mountain of flesh and blood. The ground shook under its weight as its voice boomed like thunder.

"You dare to raise your voice at me?" the troll growled, its tone dark and mocking. "Do you know who I am, petty human? I am the TROLL KING!"

It lifted its massive axe effortlessly, the blade gleaming with a sinister red glow. "If you want answers, earn them."

Akira's breath grew ragged as his emotions overwhelmed him. "System scan him," he commanded.

Ding!

[System Scanning…Providable 0%]

[Data undetected.]

[Unable to provide information about the creature before the user.]

"FUCK THIS!" Akira shouted.

The air around him crackled with electricity, his vision narrowing as white lightning etched itself across his limbs. The oppressive presence of the Troll King weighed heavily on the air, but Akira's anger burned even hotter. It clawed at his chest, demanding release.

He gritted his teeth, his voice a low growl of fury. His eyes glowed brighter, white-hot with rage.

"Earn them?" Akira spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You want me to earn them? Fine. I'll make you beg to tell me, you fucker."

In an instant, Akira activated Soul Infusion. His entire body surged with raw energy, lightning crackling around him in violent arcs. The overwhelming force propelled him forward, his speed so fast that the Troll King barely had time to react.

With a deafening crack, Akira appeared behind the giant monster, his eyes blazing with anger. He gathered all his power and delivered a devastating kick to the back of the Troll King's head.

"BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!"

The impact was colossal. The Troll King's massive body lurched forward, its balance faltering. Its knees buckled under the immense force, and the ruler of the dungeon fell to one knee, the ground beneath him shattering like glass.

"HUH!" the Troll King roared, his deep voice filled with both anger and surprise.

Akira stood behind him, his chest heaving with labored breaths. His body crackled with energy as he stared at the kneeling giant, ready for whatever came next.