The dungeon trembled.
Dust fell from the cracked ceiling like silent rain. The corpse of the Floor One Boss lay motionless across the shattered stone, its massive frame slowly dissolving into black particles.
Silence followed.
Not peace — but exhaustion.
Nova was on one knee, gripping her blade tightly to stop her hand from shaking. Albert leaned against a broken pillar, blood staining the edge of his sleeve. The air was heavy with the metallic scent of battle.
And in the center of the ruined chamber—
Souro stood frozen.
His sword slipped from his fingers and clattered against the ground.
For twenty long seconds… he could not move.
His eyes were open, but his body refused to respond. Not a twitch. Not a breath out of rhythm. It was as if invisible chains had wrapped around him.
Selene noticed first.
"Souro?"
No response.
Her heart skipped.
"Souro!"
She rushed toward him just as his body tilted forward. Albert reacted instantly, catching him before he hit the ground.
"He can't move," Albert muttered, eyes narrowing. "After using that skill… there's backlash."
Souro could hear them.
He just couldn't answer.
Inside his mind, everything burned.
That final attack — the power that surged through him — it hadn't felt natural. It had felt stolen. Forced. Like drawing lightning through a mortal body.
And now his body was paying the price.
A blue notification flickered faintly in front of his eyes:
Special Skill Activated: Absolute Severance
Penalty: Full-body paralysis — 20 seconds
Warning: Overuse may cause permanent damage
Permanent damage.
Souro forced his thoughts to steady.
He had no regret.
If he hadn't used it… they would have died.
The paralysis slowly faded like ice melting under sunlight. First his fingers twitched. Then his breathing deepened.
Selene noticed.
"He's moving!"
Albert stepped back as Souro sucked in a sharp breath and collapsed fully onto his hands and knees, coughing.
Pain shot through his muscles like needles.
But he was alive.
They were all alive.
Nova knelt beside him, her voice softer now. "You idiot… you scared me."
Souro gave a weak smile. "Guess… I overdid it."
Albert crossed his arms, watching carefully. His expression was calm, but his eyes were sharp — analytical.
"That wasn't a normal skill," Albert said quietly. "That was something else."
Souro didn't answer.
Because Albert was right.
That power — it didn't feel like something a normal awakened should have at Floor One.
The dungeon suddenly shifted again.
A low rumbling echoed through the chamber walls.
All three of them looked up.
The corpse of the Boss had completely vanished now, and in its place — a staircase of black stone slowly rose from the ground.
The path to Floor Two.
Selene stood, wiping blood from her cheek. "Already?"
Albert adjusted his glasses slightly. "The dungeon doesn't wait for the weak."
Souro slowly pushed himself to his feet. His legs trembled, but they held.
He looked at the staircase.
This was only Floor One.
And they almost died.
He clenched his fist.
"I'll get stronger," he whispered to himself.
Albert's eyes flickered toward him — just slightly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Hidden behind his calm expression, Albert was thinking something else entirely.
So you have one too.
Because when the Boss charged earlier — for a split second — Albert had seen something.
A faint aura around Souro.
A system signature.
Not common.
Not normal.
Not ordinary class.
Albert turned his gaze toward the staircase.
Floor Two awaited.
And this time… the dungeon felt different.
Darker.
As if it had noticed them.
Selene stepped forward first. "We move together this time. No splitting up."
Souro nodded.
Albert gave a small smile.
"Yes," he said quietly. "Together."
But deep in his thoughts, something stirred.
Another hidden class candidate had just revealed his power.
And Albert Wilson…
Had not shown his.
The staircase pulsed faintly, as if alive.
And the three stepped forward into the unknown.
The dungeon lights dimmed behind them.
Floor One was complete.
But the real trial—
Was only beginning.