Royal Palace – Throne Room
"You say you saw someone enter the dungeon?" the king asked, his voice heavy with doubt.
A lone adventurer knelt before him, head bowed low."Yes, my lord… It was probably another adventurer, but I've never seen him before in this kingdom."
The king frowned deeply, his fingers tapping against the throne's armrest."Then why would a foreign adventurer enter that cursed dungeon without guild permission?"
The adventurer hesitated, his body tense."My lord... this is only my guess, but... I think he went to rescue your daughter. Because of your royal decree."
The king's expression darkened."The request has been out for three days… yet no one dared to take it. Not even the strongest S-rank parties. Even my personal battalion of a hundred soldiers was wiped out… and you say a solo dares to challenge it?"
The adventurer trembled as he recalled the memory."My lord... I cannot explain it. I don't know how strong he truly is. But... his presence..."He gritted his teeth, fear flashing in his eyes."...it cannot be felt. I only caught a glimpse by chance. He wore a silver coat and a full mask. I couldn't even see his face... but the killing aura that radiated from him... the sheer fury he carried..."He paused, shuddering."...it sent chills down my spine. I've never felt that—not even when standing before S-rank adventurers."
The king listened carefully, a flicker of hope lighting in his weary eyes."If even an experienced A+ rank like you describes him that way..." he murmured, "then perhaps... he truly might succeed. Perhaps my daughter still has a chance..."
He turned sharply toward his Minister of War, Obron."Minister Obron, assemble a team of 200 elite soldiers. Even if there is the slightest possibility of saving her, I will spare no effort. Move immediately."
Obron placed a fist to his chest in salute."At once, my lord!"
Meanwhile, inside the dungeon...
Ryouma moved like a phantom, weaving through the endless barrage of elemental magic.
Thunderous bolts cracked down.Spears of water sliced the air.Columns of flame roared upward.Earth spikes jutted like deadly fangs.Blades of wind screamed toward him.
Yet he remained untouchable.
Every time a tiny gap opened in the deadly storm—Sshhk!—an elite monster lost its head. Blood sprayed the ground like a crimson fountain.
DING![ CP Remaining: 170 / 45 ]
Ryouma clicked his tongue."Tch… running low."
The pressure mounted.The beast-man's elemental magic wasn't wild—it was precise, strategic. Each element sealed off Ryouma's movement, while the elite monsters filled every blind spot.
Even for him, it was becoming troublesome.
"I can't waste time dodging forever," he muttered.
He stilled himself.Locked eyes with the beast-man.A bold decision flashed through his mind.
His body sharpened. His senses flared.
And then—
BOOM!
He kicked off the ground, charging headlong into the storm.
A column of flame erupted toward him—He dived low, feeling the heat scorch his cloak.
An earth spike lunged from the floor—He twisted sideways in midair, narrowly avoiding it.
A water spear hurtled at his chest—CLANG!He angled his dagger, deflecting it mid-flight.
A blade of wind slashed for his throat—He ducked under it by a hair's breadth.
Still, several shallow cuts opened on his arms and legs, burning from the magic's residue.Blood dripped. Skin sizzled.
But Ryouma didn't stop.
He took the pain.
He embraced the fury.
He was pushing his body beyond its limits.
In a blur of relentless movement, he closed the distance.
The elite monsters roared, forming a wall of flesh between him and the beast-man.They swung giant weapons, magic circles glowing at their feet.
But they never even saw the moment of their death.
Shhhk! Shhhk! Shhhk!
Heads flew. Bodies split.Ryouma danced through them like a blade of inevitability, every kill a single, merciless strike.
Blood painted the broken hall.
DING![ CP Remaining: 170 / 30 ]
The beast-man snarled, feeling the pressure closing in.
Ryouma locked eyes with him.
"You think your magic alone can save you?"
Without warning, Ryouma slashed across the beast-man with his dagger—a clean, ruthless strike that tore through flesh.
The beast-man stared down at the wound, watching as dark energy surged along his body—sealing the gash almost instantly under the power of dark regeneration magic.
Ryouma noticed—and smiled coldly.
"So... you can heal too, huh?"
He glanced at his dagger.
DING![ Giftzahn Daggers | Skill in use: Venom Fang – Successful strikes cause continuous bleeding and poison damage. ]
The beast-man's regenerated wounds began bleeding again—thick black veins spiderwebbing across his flesh.His body convulsed as corrosion spread under the surface.
ryouma thought "This dagger skill... it's something else," feeling the venomous curse still eating away inside the beast-man's body."Even that monster's regeneration can't keep up."
Then, Ryouma spoke, his voice icy.
"I assume you're starting to feel despair... but this is just the beginning. And one more thing,"Ryouma said, his voice cold and steady.
He glanced down at his own burns and cuts, a faint smile curling on his lips.
"You're not the only one with a healing ability."
DING![ Player used: Restoration Pill ]
A green-glowing pill dropped into his hand. Without hesitation, Ryouma crushed it between his teeth. A warm light surged through him, instantly sealing his injuries.
"I got this after that mission in the forest," he thought. "Saved it for an emergency like this... and now's the time."
Seeing Ryouma's wounds disappear while his own body deteriorated, the beast-man's expression darkened.
Because of the venom from Ryouma's dagger skill Venom Fang, the beast-man's magic circulation grew unstable.Cracks began to spiderweb through the layers of his elemental magic.The glowing magic circles trembled violently.
The beast-man roared, trying desperately to force his magic to stabilize—
Too late.
CRASH!The magic shattered like broken glass, scattering into the air.
BOOM—!
With a single leap, Ryouma launched himself into the air, appearing directly in front of the beast-man.
His dagger gleamed coldly in his hand, his aura burning like a collapsing star.In a blur of motion—SHHK!—he slashed across the beast-man's face, carving deep into one eye.
The beast-man howled in agony, clutching his ruined face.
Ryouma's voice was cold, almost whispering into the chaos:"You know why I only cut one eye?""Because I want you to witness your end... to see true despair with the one eye you have left."
Blinded by rage, the beast-man swung his massive wand like a hammer, aiming to crush him.
Ryouma calmly sheathed his dagger——and caught the full force of the blow with a single hand.
The beast-man's lone crimson eye widened in disbelief.
"Challenging me in brute strength?" Ryouma murmured, his voice like steel scraping stone."Very well."
Cosmic energy flooded his arm, warping the very air around him.
With a sudden twist—SSHHK!—Ryouma ripped the beast-man's arm clean from its socket.
The wand clattered uselessly to the stone floor.
The beast-man screamed in agony, clutching the bleeding stump.Dark energy surged wildly, trying to regenerate—
But Ryouma didn't give him the chance.
He grabbed the beast-man by the horn.Dragged his massive head downward.
With his free hand, Ryouma summoned his dagger again—And plunged it straight into the glowing red core embedded in the beast's chest.
CRACK—!
The core shattered with a deafening sound, like shattering crystal.
The beast-man froze—mouth wide in silent horror—as cracks spiderwebbed across his entire body.
Ryouma leaned close to whisper:
"True despair... is dying knowing you never had a chance."
And then—
BOOM—!!
The beast-man's body exploded into dust and broken bone, sending shockwaves through the crumbling hall.
Ryouma straightened, pulling his dagger free.
Blood dripped from the blade.
Around him lay only silence... and the bodies of the fallen.
Behind him, the princess still huddled under the silver coat, her body trembling, her eyes wide with awe.
"He... he really did it... he saved me..."
Ryouma didn't even turn around.He just sheathed his dagger, his mask gleaming coldly in the ruined light.
Outside the dungeon, the elite troops finally arrived at the entrance.But as the soldiers approached, an eerie chill ran down their spines—the air was thick with shockwaves of intense energy, and corpses lay cold and silent across the ground.
The commander narrowed his eyes."Now that the path is clear, move quickly!" he ordered, and the troops rushed inside.
Meanwhile, deep within the dungeon, Ryouma stood alone, his expression cold.He spoke, his voice cutting through the silence:"How long do you plan on hiding?"
The princess, still wrapped in the silver coat, blinked in confusion."Who is he talking to...?" she thought.
Ryouma stayed silent for five seconds.Then, without warning, he raised his dagger and hurled it toward a seemingly empty corner—Clang!The blade struck something unseen and returned to his hand.
Suddenly, from the emptiness, a man appeared—wearing a golden robe embroidered with a royal crest, and holding a staff.
The princess gasped."Marco...?"
Marco ignored her.Instead, he stared coldly at Ryouma."Who are you?" he demanded. "How long have you been aware of my presence?"
Ryouma answered casually, "From the moment I entered."
Marco's face paled."Impossible...! How could you see through my camouflage skill?!"
Ryouma shrugged."That's none of your concern."—but in truth, he thought:"I couldn't actually see his camouflage... but during the battle, a system message popped up—[Ding! Someone has used Mind Control Skill. Item: Verbergende Mask — Full Block activated.]That's when I realized something was wrong.And second—when I killed the beast-man, no 'mission complete' notification appeared.That confirmed it: someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes.Looks like Marco and the princess knew each other… but that's not my concern. My mission comes first."
Marco, gritting his teeth, growled:"So what if you found me? I still have a backup plan—"
He never finished the sentence.
Shhkk!
With a single flick of his wrist, Ryouma beheaded Marco.The golden-robed figure collapsed to the ground, blood pooling around him.
The princess stood frozen in shock—then collapsed to her knees with a thud."He killed him... without a second thought…"
Ryouma glanced at her coldly."Don't get the wrong idea. He was the true mastermind behind everything.He's a spirit controller.He set this entire stage up to kill you.As for why—well, that's your kingdom's problem, not mine."
He turned away."Now stand up. We're leaving."
Without waiting, Ryouma began to walk toward the dungeon exit.The princess, dazed but understanding the urgency, stumbled to her feet and followed him.
Ding![Mission Complete: Kill the Boss Existence][Reward: Skill — Telekinesis]
Ding![Level Up: 10][Special Gift for reaching Level 10: Skill — Shadowsight Assault]
[Skill: Shadowsight Assault]—This skill allows the user to momentarily pierce through defenses, revealing an opponent's critical weak points with uncanny clarity. Following the insight, the user launches a swift, deadly strike exploiting the exposed vulnerability.
[Skill: Telekinesis]—This mental discipline grants the user the ability to manipulate objects and forces with the power of their mind alone.
Then, another message popped up, catching Ryouma's attention:
Ding![Item Acquired: Key of Destiny][Use: Insert anywhere in "Blank Space" and unlock it (Rank: ????)]
Ryouma frowned slightly but pushed the curiosity aside.Not now... he thought.
Suddenly, voices echoed down the ruined hall:"Princess! Are you alright?!"
The commander and the soldiers rushed in, immediately surrounding the princess—completely ignoring Ryouma's existence.
Ryouma didn't even glance back.He muttered under his breath:"I saved you. Now it's your turn to fulfill your end of the deal.We'll meet again."
And with that, Ryouma disappeared into the shadows.
When the commander finally turned to thank the mysterious man who had saved them—there was no one there.
Only silence.