Arthur moved through the dark corridors of the Shadow Caverns like a phantom. His new C-Rank stats felt more natural with every passing second. Behind him, the cries of Zane and Elara faded into the distance. He felt no guilt. In this world, the weak were stepping stones, and the traitors were trash.
He looked at the golden dragon pendant in his hand—the 'Heart of the Shadow Dragon'. Even though it was sealed, he could feel a rhythmic thrumming coming from it, like a heartbeat.
"System, how do I unseal this?" Arthur asked.
[Ding!]
[Requirement to unseal S-Rank Artifact: Reach Level 50 and absorb the mana of 1,000 Shadow Monsters.]
Arthur gripped the hilt of his shortsword. "Level 50, huh? I'm currently Level 38. If I find enough monsters on the second floor, I'll hit that in no time."
He reached a massive spiral staircase carved directly into the obsidian floor. This was the gateway to the Second Floor. A thick, purple mist swirled around the stairs, smelling of sulfur and ancient magic.
As Arthur descended, the temperature dropped sharply. The Second Floor wasn't a series of caves; it was a vast, underground forest of glowing, crystalline trees. But these weren't ordinary trees. Their branches were sharp as glass, and their roots moved like snakes.
[Warning! You have entered the 'Crystal Forest of Agony'. Danger Level: B-Rank.]
Suddenly, the ground beneath Arthur's feet erupted.
Three massive Crystal Wolves, their bodies made of jagged violet glass and their eyes burning with green fire, leapt from the shadows. These were B-Rank monsters—monsters that could wipe out an entire squad of C-Rank hunters.
Arthur didn't panic. He activated his heightened senses. The world slowed down. He could see the vibration of the wolves' crystalline fur as they growled.
The first wolf lunged, its glass claws aimed at Arthur's throat. Arthur didn't even use his sword. He ducked, grabbed the wolf's front leg, and used its own momentum to slam it into a nearby crystalline tree.
CRASH!
The tree shattered, and the wolf was buried under shards of glass.
[Ding! Host has killed a B-Rank Crystal Wolf.]
[Base EXP: 5,000]
[100x Multiplier Activated: 500,000 EXP gained!]
[Ding! Host has leveled up to Level 39!]
[Ding! Host has leveled up to Level 40!]
Arthur didn't stop to celebrate. The other two wolves attacked from both sides. Arthur jumped high into the air, performing a mid-air flip. As he descended, he unsheathed his sword and slashed downward in a perfect 360-degree circle.
SHATTER!
Both wolves were sliced clean in half, their crystalline bodies exploding into thousands of tiny, glowing fragments.
[Ding! Host has killed a B-Rank Crystal Wolf x2.]
[1,000,000 EXP gained!]
[Ding! Host has leveled up to Level 41... 42... 43... 44... 45!]
The surge of power was like a tidal wave. Arthur's muscles rippled, and a faint blue aura began to glow around his body. This was the sign of a high-tier warrior.
But the forest didn't stay quiet for long. The scent of shattered crystal and spilled mana had attracted something much worse.
The ground began to shake. From the center of the forest, a terrifying roar echoed, so powerful it sent a shockwave that cracked the crystalline trees.
A massive Shadow Drake, its scales blacker than the night and wings spanning fifty feet, soared into the air before landing heavily in front of Arthur. It was an A-Rank Boss—the Guardian of the Second Floor.
[Warning! A-Rank Field Boss detected: 'The Obsidian Shadow Drake'. Recommended Party: 20 S-Rank Hunters.]
Arthur looked at the dragon, then at his own hands. "A-Rank, huh? Normally, I should be terrified. But with 100x rewards... you're just a giant treasure chest waiting to be opened."
The Drake opened its mouth, and a stream of black, necrotic flames erupted toward him. Arthur didn't retreat. He stood his ground, his eyes glowing with the fierce determination of a man who had been at the very bottom and was now reaching for the heavens.
"Come on then," Arthur whispered, his aura flaring up. "Let's see how much EXP an A-Rank boss is worth!"