Chapter 5: A Dungeon Appeared

The air trembled. A disturbance, subtle at first, rippled through the atmosphere.

A single dot of energy, no larger than a marble, hovered in the distance. It pulsed, an eerie glow shifting through an array of colors—red, green, violet—before expanding. The small dot became the size of a fist, then a basketball, and in mere moments, it had grown as large as a house.

The oppressive energy it emitted made the very ground tremble, and the creatures lurking nearby recoiled. Every monster within the vicinity hesitated, their primal instincts warning them—this was something beyond their understanding.

"What the fuck is that?" Dylan muttered, his eyes widening as he took an unconscious step back.

"It's… changing colors," John added, his voice filled with awe and trepidation. His muscles tensed—an instinctive reaction, his strength-type talent responding to the overwhelming force before them.

Before they could react further, the energy stabilized, turning a deep, ominous blue. The circular mass of power settled in place, hovering just above the cracked asphalt, its surface rippling like liquid.

Then, a mechanical voice rang in their minds.

[DETECTED: A DUNGEON GATE HAS APPEARED NEARBY.]

A dungeon?

"What the hell do you mean, a dungeon?!" Ardeus barked, his voice rising in frustration.

Dylan, still staring at the anomaly, swallowed hard. "Boss, I think… this thing is dangerous. We should stay the hell away from it."

"The energy coming from it…" John muttered. "It's too strong."

Ardeus hesitated. He was about to agree when a voice interrupted him.

"You're just going to ignore this opportunity?"

The voice was calm, carrying a faint amusement, yet tinged with an edge of challenge. They all turned.

Maximus.

A minute before the gate had appeared…

Maximus had been watching them from a distance, analyzing.

Even with their abilities, he was confident they couldn't take him down. He wasn't invincible—yet—but he had options. If it came down to a fight, he could eliminate the fire-user with a well-placed knife. His main concern was the one with metal reinforcement—that ability would be troublesome.

Still, fighting was unnecessary. He had a different approach in mind.

But before he could act, the energy fluctuation had begun.

Now, standing before them, he smirked. "This dungeon… it must be filled with strong monsters. That means high rewards. You've noticed, haven't you? These zombies barely give us anything. If you want to break into the top ten, this is your chance."

Silence.

Dylan clenched his jaw. "You're insane. That thing—" he gestured at the dungeon gate "—screams 'certain death.'"

Maximus chuckled. "And yet, you're still hesitating instead of walking away. Why?"

Dylan stiffened. He had no response.

Then, Ardeus exhaled through gritted teeth. "...I'll go."

John hesitated, then clenched his fists. "Me too."

Dylan cursed under his breath, shooting a glare at Maximus before finally spitting, "Fine."

Maximus smiled. "Good. Then let's work together."

He extended a hand toward Ardeus.

Ardeus hesitated, his pride screaming at him not to acknowledge Maximus. Memories of their last encounter flashed through his mind—the cold, indifferent look on Maximus's face as he defeated him effortlessly.

But this wasn't the time.

Ardeus shook his hand.

Maximus's eyes flickered with a hidden glint.

[Copy Everything: Copy Fire Talent]

[Insufficient MP]

Maximus frowned slightly. Not enough MP? He had over 400 MP, yet it wasn't sufficient?

Wait…

His mind raced. Talent is different from simple energy. While mana is an external force that any being can harness, talents are intrinsic—an extension of the user's very essence.

That means…

Maximus's ability didn't just copy power—it had to recreate the fundamental essence of that ability. And that required an immense amount of energy.

Fine. I'll copy something else.

He turned to John.

[Copy Everything: Copy Strength Talent]

[MP: -350]

A sudden surge of power coursed through his body. His muscles tensed, his bones vibrated, his very blood seemed to thrum with new intensity. A rush of strength unlike anything he had ever felt before spread through his limbs.

Maximus clenched his fist, testing his grip.

So this is what enhanced strength feels like…

Stepping away, he took a deep breath before launching a punch at a nearby concrete wall.

CRACK!

His fist shattered through it, sending shards of stone flying. The force of the impact sent a ripple up his arm, but there was no pain—only raw, unfiltered power.

He exhaled sharply, a grin forming.

This… is just the beginning.

Turning back, he saw the others watching him.

"Hey, it's time," Maximus said, snapping them out of their thoughts.

The three approached.

Ardeus crossed his arms. "So, what's the plan?"

Maximus raised an eyebrow. "Plan? There is no plan. You're on your own."

Dylan scowled. "You're just going to rush in?"

Maximus nodded. "That's right."

He glanced around.

Then, he frowned.

"Where's the fourth guy?"

John scoffed. "You mean that weak brat? We left him behind." He pointed toward a corner where a young man sat alone, his face shadowed.

Dylan smirked. "He doesn't even have a talent. Why would we take dead weight?"

A cruel chuckle escaped his lips as he thought of something. "Well, he's not entirely useless. His sister, though—"

His words cut off.

The young man, Daniel, had raised his head.

A fire burned in his eyes—not a literal one, like Ardeus's, but something far more terrifying. A deep, seething rage.

Overwhelming. Consuming.

"You think… you'll ever lay a fucking hand on my sister?"

His voice was low. Dangerous.

John's grin twisted. "What? You suddenly grew a spine, huh?"

He cracked his knuckles, stepping forward.

"I'll make sure you regret running that mouth."

As he raised his fist—

SMACK!

A hand caught his wrist.

Dylan turned, furious. "Who the fuck—"

His voice caught in his throat.

Maximus.

His grip was firm, unyielding.

Ardeus's eyes narrowed. "What's your problem? Just because I'm wary of you doesn't mean I won't fight you. This isn't like before—the world has changed."

Maximus's expression remained unreadable.

"The world may have changed," he said, his voice steady. "But one thing remains the same."

He turned his gaze to Ardeus, the weight of his stare suffocating.

"If I could beat you before… I can beat you again."

A tense silence filled the air.

Then—

John lunged.

A punch aimed straight for Maximus's face.

Maximus ducked. His muscles coiled, and in an instant—

CRACK!

His uppercut connected with John's ribs, sending him flying.

The fight had begun.