The dungeon didn't feel the same anymore.
Aiden noticed it the moment he took his next step.
The crushing pressure that had nearly forced him to his knees earlier was still there—but muted, as if something inside him was pushing back against it. His senses felt sharper. Sounds clearer. Even the glow of the mana crystals along the walls seemed brighter.
Behind him, the other hunters whispered.
"Did you feel that?"
"Yeah… the dungeon's flow changed."
Aiden didn't turn around.
He already knew why.
The Harem Conquest System hovered quietly in the corner of his vision, its translucent interface pulsing faintly like a living thing.
[Active Effects:]
• Enhanced Presence (Low)
• Bloodline Release: 1%
One percent.
It sounded insignificant.
But Aiden could feel it—something vast, sealed deep within his blood, stirring ever so slightly. Like a dragon shifting in its sleep.
The party advanced deeper into the dungeon.
Stone corridors widened into a massive hall, its ceiling lost in shadow. Broken pillars littered the ground, and scorch marks hinted at previous battles.
That was when he sensed it again.
A fluctuation.
Not mana.
Emotion.
Someone ahead of him faltered.
A female hunter staggered as the ground trembled, her balance thrown off by a sudden mana surge. Before she could fall, Aiden stepped forward and caught her wrist.
His grip was firm.
Warm.
Steady.
She froze.
Their eyes met.
Her name tag appeared.
[Name: Lina Voss]
[Rank: B]
[Status: Adult | Compatible]
Aiden released her wrist slowly.
"You're fine," he said calmly. "Just don't fight the mana. Let it flow around you."
She blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"…You talk like you've been here before."
"I've studied," Aiden replied.
That wasn't a lie.
He had spent years researching dungeons, monsters, and mana theory—mocked endlessly because he was "too weak" to enter one himself.
Lina exhaled quietly.
"Still," she said, glancing at his rank display, "you shouldn't be this calm."
Aiden shrugged. "Panic wastes energy."
For a moment, she simply stared at him.
The system chimed.
[Target Emotional State Fluctuating.]
Aiden felt it.
Her heartbeat.
Just slightly faster than before.
Then the system window expanded.
[Mission 2: First Female Conquest]
Objective:
Imprint your presence on a compatible female target.
Conditions:
• Maintain eye contact for 10 seconds
• Speak no more than one sentence
• End the interaction first
Reward:
• +10 All Stats
• Beast Archive Progress +15%
Failure Penalty:
• Mission lock for 24 hours
Aiden's expression didn't change.
Inside, however, his thoughts raced.
So this system really is centered on women…
Not physical acts.
Not lust.
Presence. Control. Emotional impact.
He met Lina's gaze again.
Directly.
Unflinching.
Not aggressive.
Not needy.
Confident.
As if he had never once doubted his place in this dungeon.
The seconds ticked by.
She shifted her weight.
"…Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, her tone sharper than intended.
Aiden leaned slightly closer.
Just enough.
"Because you're stronger than you think," he said quietly.
Then he stepped back.
Turned away.
And walked forward.
Silence fell.
Behind him, Lina stood frozen, her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something—but couldn't find the words.
The system chimed.
[Mission Complete.]
Power flooded Aiden's body.
Not violently.
Smoothly.
Like warm liquid spreading through his veins.
His muscles tightened. His breathing steadied. The dungeon pressure eased another fraction.
[All Stats Increased by +10.]
[Beast Archive Progress: 15%]
A new interface unfolded.
This time, clearer.
[Beast Archive – Locked Entries]
• ???
• ???
• Ignis Draconia (Legendary) – Sealed
The dragon silhouette sharpened.
Horns.
Wings.
A humanoid form wrapped in chains of glowing runes.
[Ignis Draconia]
Race: Dragon Beast Girl
Threat Level: Cataclysm-Class
Status: Sealed by Rael Blackwood
Disposition: Hostile
Aiden's breath caught.
So it really was her.
The dragon his father had defeated years ago—the battle that had shaken continents and cemented Rael Blackwood's status as the world's strongest hunter.
The system added another line.
[Summon Condition:]
Complete 3 Female Conquest Missions
(Current: 1/3)
Aiden clenched his fist.
Not from excitement.
From resolve.
If this system wanted conquest—
He would master it.
Not like a desperate man chasing power.
But like a king reclaiming what was already his.
A growl echoed through the hall.
Stone-scaled wolves emerged from the shadows—more than before.
Lina snapped out of her daze instantly, drawing her weapon.
"Formation!" she shouted.
The hunters moved—but their eyes kept drifting toward Aiden.
Toward the F-rank who stood unnaturally calm.
Aiden stepped forward again.
Not to the back.
Not to hide.
To the side of Lina.
She glanced at him.
"…Stay close," she said, then hesitated. "No—actually—don't fall behind."
Aiden smiled faintly.
"I won't."
The wolves lunged.
Mana exploded.
Steel clashed against stone.
And for the first time—
Aiden fought.
Not as the son of a legend.
Not as a model.
But as a hunter chosen by something far more dangerous than fame.
Behind the scenes, the world watched.
And somewhere deep within the Beast Archive—
A sealed dragon opened her eyes.