The Chase
Henry stepped onto the 14th floor, his breaths slow and controlled. His body screamed for rest, but he didn't have the luxury to stop. The dull ache from the brutal clash with the gorilla beasts still pulsed through his muscles, a reminder of how close he had come to breaking.
But the dungeon didn't care if he was tired.
And neither did the ones hunting him.
A cold unease prickled at the back of his neck.
Something was wrong.
It wasn't just the stagnant, humid air or the eerie silence that stretched endlessly through the stone corridors. It was something more—a pressure, an unseen force pressing against his senses like a storm waiting to break.
Henry's grip on his sword tightened, but he forced himself to move forward.
Then—
BOOM!
The ground behind him exploded.
A split-second reaction saved him. Dash activated instinctively, his body blurring as he launched himself backward, barely avoiding the massive crater that formed where he had been standing.
Chunks of stone and dust shot into the air, cascading down in a thick cloud. The sound of destruction echoed through the dungeon like a war drum.
As the dust settled, Henry's eyes locked onto the cause of the destruction.
A battle axe was buried deep into the cracked stone floor. The weapon was massive, its blade wide enough to cleave a man in two. The sharp edge glistened under the dim dungeon light, still humming with the raw power of the swing that had nearly taken his life.
And standing beside it—
Boros.
The F9-ranked hunter loomed over the wreckage, his hands gripping the axe handle like it was an extension of himself. His broad chest rose and fell, his breathing slow, controlled—too calm for the sheer fury burning in his scarred face.
He was pissed.
"You."
Boros's voice was rough, like gravel grinding against steel. His narrowed eyes burned with a hunger for violence, the kind that didn't need an explanation.
With deliberate ease, he yanked the axe from the ground, lifting it over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing. Dust and debris slid from the blade's surface, revealing the jagged steel underneath.
"Come here."
Henry didn't wait.
The axe swung—fast, brutal, a flash of steel and death.
He dodged—barely.
WHAM!
The impact of the missed strike sent shockwaves through the floor, shaking the very walls of the dungeon. A deep fissure spread outward from the point of impact, like a wound torn into the earth itself.
Shit, he's fast!
Boros was already moving, his massive frame a blur of power.
Another swing.
Henry ducked.
A third.
He pivoted left.
But the fourth—
CRACK!
Pain exploded in his ribs. The axe clipped his side, sending him flying into the nearest stone wall. The impact rattled his bones, and a sharp, stinging sensation tore through his chest.
He barely held in a pained gasp as blood dripped from his lips.
[ HP -20 ]
For a brief moment, Henry lay against the cracked wall, the taste of iron thick on his tongue. He coughed, spitting blood onto the ground.
Damn… that hurt.
Then he heard them.
Footsteps.
Multiple.
His vision cleared, and his heart sank.
Boros wasn't alone.
At least ten hunters had arrived, spreading out like wolves surrounding prey.
Henry's mind raced. Where the hell did they come from?!
Smirks formed on some of their faces.
"He's not so tough now, huh?" one of them sneered.
"Thought he could clear this dungeon alone? Idiot."
A wiry man with twin daggers eyed Henry's bag, his gaze filled with something predatory. "Look at him clutching that thing… must be loaded with beast crystals."
Henry's grip on the bag tightened.
So that was it.
This wasn't just about revenge.
They wanted his loot.
Boros pointed his axe at Henry, his expression dark and unyielding.
"You've got two options, kid." His voice was almost lazy, like he had already won. "One, you hand over that bag like a good little rookie. Two, I beat you until you do."
Silence stretched between them.
Henry slowly got to his feet, rolling his shoulders. His ribs protested in agony, but his stance was steady.
"You guys talk a lot."
The air shifted.
The group's expressions soured, and one of them cracked his knuckles, stepping forward. "Alright, enough games. Let's just—"
ROOOOAAAARRRR!
The entire dungeon trembled.
The hunters froze.
Then—chaos.
From the shadows, hundreds of dungeon creatures surged forward.
Fangs. Claws. Glowing red eyes.
The beasts poured through the corridors in a frenzied stampede, drawn to the scent of blood and the noise of battle.
And these weren't weaklings.
Some of them looked even stronger than Boros.
"Shit!" a hunter cursed, barely blocking an incoming strike.
Another was tackled to the ground, his screams cut short as razor-sharp claws tore into him.
The dungeon had sent reinforcements.
Henry's eyes flickered.
An opening.
While the others were distracted, he moved.
"He's running!"
Boros roared in fury.
"GET BACK HERE, YOU BASTARD!"
Henry ignored him.
Dash.
His body blurred, weaving through the chaos. He dodged, slashed, and sprinted forward, every movement fueled by sheer adrenaline.
[ EXP +50 ]
[ EXP +50 ]
[ EXP +50 ]
He barely noticed.
His only goal—
The 15th floor.
If he could kill the boss, he could escape before Boros and his gang caught up.
His feet barely touched the ground as he pushed forward, his speed unmatched.
Then—
The final door.
He didn't hesitate.
Henry slammed into the boss chamber, the massive doors closing shut behind him with a deep, resounding thud.
Silence.
The air shifted.
Something huge stirred in the darkness.
Henry's breath hitched.
The 15th-floor boss loomed before him.
And it was massive.
A hulking troll-like creature, standing at least four meters tall.
Its thick, stone-like skin gleamed under the dungeon lights, muscles bulging beneath the rocky surface.
In its hands—
A towering iron club, easily twice Henry's size.
[ Boss Identified: Stonebreaker Troll (F1) ]
[ HP: 5,000 ]
[ Threat Level: High ]
Henry exhaled slowly.
"Alright, big guy…"
He adjusted his stance, tightening his grip on his sword.
The troll's eyes flickered open—glowing with primal rage.
It moved.
The floor cracked under its sheer
weight.
Henry's muscles tensed.
This was it.
"Let's dance."
BOOM.
The battle began.