Bell stood alone in the eerie silence of the Instant Dungeon, his thoughts racing.
Could he actually clear this place by himself?
Most adventurers wouldn't even dream of tackling a dungeon alone. A party was essential for survival. But...
This dungeon was unique.
No one else had access to it. Only him.
Then—it had to be possible.
Before he could dwell on it further, a deep, guttural growl sent a shiver down his spine.
Glowing red eyes pierced through the darkness.
A beast stepped into the dim light—massive, menacing.
[Steel Fanged Lycan]
The name hovered above its head in glowing letters.
Standing at five feet tall, it was covered in coarse, blood-red fur. Its most terrifying feature was its jaw—made of steel, glistening like sharpened blades.
The wolf lunged.
Bell barely dodged, his body moving on instinct. The rush of air from the beast's attack sent a chill down his spine.
He was outmatched.
His hands trembled. He had barely managed to fight common goblins before. What was he supposed to do against something like this?
The wolf snarled, its predatory gaze locking onto him.
Move! Move! Move!
But his legs wouldn't respond.
The Lycan charged.
Bell ducked just in time, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp steel jaws as they snapped shut right where his head had been.
Adrenaline kicked in.
His instincts flared. He clenched his fist and, in sheer desperation, threw a punch at the creature's jaw.
CRACK!
The wolf soared through the air, smashing into the side of a stone building with a sickening impact.
Bell gasped.
His heart thundered in his chest. His body felt... light.
I just did that?
But the fight wasn't over. The Lycan recovered instantly, shaking off the damage like it was nothing.
It bolted at him again.
Bell tried to dodge, but pain erupted in his leg.
Its claws had torn into him.
He nearly collapsed. But he couldn't stop.
I have to survive!
He turned and ran. The wolf pursued, snarling hungrily.
Then—an idea hit him.
Inventory.
"Inventory!" he shouted.
A screen materialized in front of him, displaying his items. Bell thrust his hand inside and pulled out the first weapon he could grab.
A dagger.
[Item: Common Dagger]
Type: Dagger
Attack: +10
No time to hesitate.
As the Lycan lunged, Bell tightened his grip and drove the dagger straight into its skull.
The beast let out a final, pained howl.
A sickening shlck echoed as he pulled the blade free.
The Steel Fanged Lycan collapsed, unmoving.
Notice:
You have defeated the [Steel Fanged Lycan].
Level Up!
Bell stumbled back, panting. His muscles ached, his leg was bleeding, but—
He did it.
But before he could recover—footsteps.
Bell turned his head slowly.
Three more red-eyed monsters stepped into view.
More Lycan.
He tightened his grip on the dagger, his bloodied hand trembling. But instead of fear, something else surged through him.
Excitement.
His lips curled into a grin.
"Come at me..."
The wolves snarled and lunged.
Bell charged.
His dagger struck, but one of the beasts caught the blade in its steel jaws.
SNAP.
The dagger broke.
Bell punched the wolf so hard its neck twisted violently, snapping on impact.
Its lifeless body crumpled to the ground.
The second Lycan hesitated.
It had seen.
Bell wasn't prey.
He was the predator.
And he was just getting started.
Bell stood alone in the empty cityscape of the Instant Dungeon, his breath steadying as he wiped the sweat from his brow. His body was sore, but the rush of battle had left him invigorated.
He opened his status screen, eager to see the fruits of his labor.
Name: Bell Cranel
Level: 2
Job: None
Title: None
HP: 205
MP: 22
[Strength: 20]
[Health: 11]
[Agility: 11]
[Intelligence: 11]
[Sense: 11]
Available Ability Points: 0
[Passive Skills]
Liaris Freese Lv.? - The user experiences accelerated growth as long as they are in love. The strength of the growth is directly proportional to the intensity of the user's feelings. Additionally, it grants the user immunity to charms.
Tenacity Lv.1 – Enhances endurance and pain resistance.
[Active Skills]
Speed Lv.1 – Temporarily increases movement speed.
Bell analyzed his growth carefully. He was taken aback by the Liaris Freese skill.
Could this have something to do with how he felt about Ais?
Each time he leveled up, every stat increased by one. And from what he gathered, completing a daily quest rewarded him with three extra ability points.
It was clear now—hunting monsters was the fastest way to grow stronger.
His excitement grew.
Each battle, each kill, each level-up would push him closer to his goal. To become strong. To stand above the rest.
But there was more to his system than just leveling up.
Bell had discovered something new.
A Shop.
His Shop Menu was currently locked due to his low level, but it did allow him to sell items.
Curious, he retrieved a wolf fang from his inventory and selected the option to sell.
[Sell Item: Wolf Fang – 20 Gold?]
[Confirm] [Cancel]
Bell selected Confirm.
A faint light enveloped the fang before it vanished, and his system displayed a +20 Gold notification.
Gold.
A new resource. One that might be vital once his Shop Menu was fully unlocked.
But for now—he needed to keep hunting.
Bell reached into his inventory again, this time pulling out a sword.
It was longer and sturdier than his old dagger. A weapon better suited for prolonged combat.
The young adventurer gripped the handle tightly and pressed forward.
Through the empty streets, past the abandoned buildings, deeper into the city.
Then—he found them.
A large pack of Steel Fanged Lycans.
At least ten.
Their red eyes glowed in the dim light. Some prowled low to the ground, others stood ready to lunge. They sensed his presence.
Bell tightened his grip on the sword.
A week ago, he would have frozen in terror.
But now—
"There's nothing to be afraid of," he told himself.
His heartbeat quickened—but not in fear.
In anticipation.
Then—he dashed forward.
The hunt was on.
Bell moved like a blur, his sword carving through fur and flesh as more wolves fell before him. The stench of blood filled the air, the sound of claws scraping against stone echoing through the empty dungeon city.
Notice:
[Level Up!]
A dead wolf collapsed at his feet. Bell turned his gaze forward. More enemies.
Notice:
[Level Up!]
Another beast lunged. He sidestepped, driving his sword deep into its skull before wrenching it free. More blood splattered across his clothes, but he didn't care.
Notice:
[Level Up!]
His heart pounded in his chest, his breath came in short gasps, but his body felt stronger.
He wasn't the same reckless boy that others dismissed.
He would prove them wrong.
He lunged forward again, eyes burning with determination.
Notice:
[Level Up!]
Bell cut through another Steel Fanged Lycan, and then another. The larger pack fell, one after the other. His strikes became more precise, his movements more controlled. The beasts that once terrified him were now nothing more than stepping stones.
Then—
Notice:
[You have gained the Title: Wolf Assassin.]
Bell blinked.
A title?
He quickly opened his status screen to check.
New Title: Wolf Assassin
Increases damage dealt to wolf-type enemies by 40%.
Instills fear in weaker beast like creatures.
Bell clenched his fists.
He wore a resolute expression.
---
Next: The Weak Becomes The Relentless