Far from the depths of the dungeon, in the Kingdom of Christope—
the territory of Clan Origin was engulfed in flames.
Massive buildings collapsed one after another, their stone walls shattering under relentless assaults. Smoke darkened the sky, and the screams of battle echoed through the ruined streets. Members of Clan Origin fought desperately, pushing back the invading forces with everything they had left.
Outside the territory, beyond the shattered gates, several luxurious horse-drawn carriages stood in silence.
Elite soldiers, high-ranking adventurers, and representatives from Clan Aegis, Clan Obsidian, and the Adventurer Guild waited calmly—far too calmly—for news of total annihilation.
At the center of it all sat Victor.
He lounged comfortably on an ornate chair, legs crossed, a glass of wine in hand, watching the destruction of Clan Origin unfold before his very eyes. To his left stood the newly appointed leaders of Clan Aegis and Clan Obsidian. Behind them, a grand carriage loomed—within it sat a man whose presence alone bent the air around him.
Helberg of the Arden Family.
Laughter echoed among them.
Victor smiled wide, his eyes gleaming with greed.
“Finally… I get to witness the fall of this clan with my own eyes. There must be countless valuable treasures hidden inside.”
The Leader of Clan Aegis burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha! Victor, this is nothing more than a trivial matter. Anyone who dares oppose the Arden Family is destined for destruction.”
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted within the territory. The group outside burst into even louder laughter, delighted by the chaos.
Moments later, a lone adventurer stepped out from the smoke.
An overwhelming presence followed him.
Level 79.
He dragged three figures behind him—each bound, bloodied, and barely conscious.
They were captains from Division 13, 16, and 20 of Clan Origin. Their levels ranged between 55 to 63, yet they had been defeated effortlessly.
Victor rose from his chair and approached them slowly, his footsteps deliberate.
He raised two fingers.
“I’ll give you two choices,” Victor said coldly.
“First—be executed and die together with Clan Origin.”
He lowered one finger.
“Second—you swear loyalty to the three of us and live the rest of your lives as servants in our Guilds and Clans.”
The three captains trembled. Their bodies were battered beyond recognition. The captain of Division 20—her leg twisted unnaturally—let out a hoarse scream.
“I will never live for trash like you!”
SLAP!
Victor struck her across the face without hesitation.
His expression twisted in rage.
“Hey, you woman. Are you tired of living?”
He turned away and gestured to his guards.
“Bring my carriage forward,” he ordered.
Then, staring down at her with a vile smile, he added,
“From today onward, you’ll be serving me personally.”
The other two captains screamed in desperation.
“Lord Willson! Lord Alex! Please—save us!”
Victor laughed loudly, joined by the others.
“Your filthy leaders won’t survive on the Seventh Floor,” Victor sneered.
“Do you really think Floor Seven is easy to conquer? Even the Kingdom of Xylandra had to sacrifice countless S-Class Adventurers just to clear it.”
Suddenly—
SPLASH.
Blood sprayed across the ground.
Victor’s laughter died instantly.
His right arm fell to the earth.
“Aaaaaaghhh!!”
Victor screamed in agony as pain ripped through his body.
Before anyone could react, a figure appeared like lightning.
Willson.
With unwavering strength, he lifted the Captain of Division 20 and pulled her away from danger. At the same moment, Eris lunged forward—her kick crushing the chest of the Level 79 adventurer who held the other captives.
The man collapsed instantly, dead before his body hit the ground.
Tears streamed down the captains’ faces.
“Our… our leaders…”
Victor stared in disbelief, clutching the stump where his arm once was.
“Willson… you!”
Willson’s gaze was cold—deadly sharp.
“Victor,” he said slowly,
“I will kill you.”
His aura exploded outward.
The crushing pressure slammed down on Victor and the Leaders of Clan Aegis and Obsidian, forcing them to their knees.
But then—
A heavier presence emerged.
From within the carriage, a deep, thunderous voice echoed.
“Willson… you dare stand before me?”
A suffocating aura surged forward.
Willson staggered.
His face paled.
Fear crept into his eyes.
Helberg stepped out of the carriage, his presence overwhelming.
“I want Clan Origin destroyed—today.”
Every word struck Willson and Eris like a hammer.
Helberg’s level was absolute.
Level 89.
With him present, even Willson, Tristan, Drax, and all the upper leaders combined stood no chance of stopping him.
Helberg waved his hand dismissively.
“Victor, tend to your injury.”
Victor gritted his teeth, screaming as he retreated.
“Willson!” he shouted bitterly.
“You useless bastard! Does it hurt seeing me take your position?”
Willson only smiled faintly.
“Hurt?” he replied calmly.
“That position was something I wanted to abandon long ago. I stayed only because the King demanded I oversee the Guild.”
His eyes sharpened.
“But now… I am the Leader of Clan Origin. And every single member of this clan is under my protection.”
His voice thundered.
“You—trash like you—dare to lay hands on my people? I will cut down anyone who dares harm a single member of Clan Origin.”
Victor roared in fury.
“Clan Origin will be buried! Don’t act strong here, Willson! Before the Arden Family, you are nothing! Just the son of a Baron!”
Helberg’s gaze snapped toward Victor.
“Victor,” he said coldly.
“What was my order?”
Victor froze, terror flooding his face, before retreating in silence.
Helberg turned back to Willson.
“Do not be arrogant. Clan Origin will be disbanded. This territory will be claimed by the Arden Family. The King has already signed the decree.”
Eris stepped forward.
“The King has no authority over this land. This territory was built through our blood and effort. It is ours by right.”
Helberg sneered.
“That is irrelevant. The Arden Family will offer three Mana Stones as compensation.”
A powerful voice echoed from behind.
“I refuse.”
A man on a warhorse rode forward with commanding presence.
Alex.
He stopped beside Willson and glared at Helberg.
“As the representative of Clan Origin’s leadership, I reject this decision.”
Alex removed his armored glove and smiled casually.
“If you want compensation… give us one thousand Mana Stones.”
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Helberg’s rage exploded.
“You brat! You dare challenge the Arden Family again! Do you even know who stands behind us?!”
Alex shrugged.
“Of course I do,” he replied calmly.
“The noble family of Xylandra, right?”
He stepped closer to Helberg, his smile unwavering.
“Don’t worry,” Alex said softly.
“The Kingdom of Xylandra will soon learn the true strength of Clan Origin.”
Helberg’s expression stiffened.
“What do you mean by that?” he demanded.
Alex answered with a faint, relaxed smile.
“Do I have any obligation to explain it to you?”
The air trembled.
Helberg’s eyes widened as fury surged through him. His aura exploded outward like a raging storm.
“You brat!” Helberg roared.
“Do you wish to die right now?!”
His presence swelled violently, crushing the ground beneath his feet. The pressure rolled outward in waves, forcing many to step back. Even veteran adventurers felt their breathing grow heavy.
Drax and Tristan immediately moved, positioning themselves in front of Alex. Both of them could clearly feel how terrifying Helberg’s aura was—dense, heavy, and overwhelmingly oppressive.
Alex, however, remained where he stood.
Though a thin layer of sweat formed on his temples, his tone stayed casual.
“Hey, hey… why so eager to start a war?” Alex said lightly.
“According to the laws of the Kingdom of Christope, noble families are forbidden from interfering directly in adventurer affairs. Are you planning to violate that law?”
He paused, then continued calmly.
“If you truly want this territory… if you truly want Clan Origin to fall—then I can give you a chance.”
Helberg burst into laughter.
The oppressive aura slowly receded.
“Ohhh?” Helberg said with interest.
“That sounds… intriguing.”
Willson, Eris, and the other high-ranking members of Clan Origin stared at Alex in shock. None of them had expected him to say such a thing—especially not in front of someone like Helberg.
Alex shrugged.
“A Clan Selection Tournament will be held,” he said plainly.
“Clan Origin will participate. And the clan that wins will earn the right to represent Christope and compete against the nations of the Northern Continent.”
He then produced a document from his inventory—a formal agreement sealed with official markings.
“Now tell me,” Alex said, raising the paper slightly,
“does the Arden Family—and the other clans here—have the courage to accept?”
Helberg’s lips curled upward.
“Very well,” he said slowly.
“Of course, I accept.”
Then his eyes sharpened.
“But I will add one condition. If Clan Origin loses… every single one of your high-ranking members will face severe punishment.”
Alex nodded without hesitation.
“Fine,” he replied casually.
“I accept. I’ll personally add that clause myself.”
The leaders from Clan Aegis and Clan Obsidian exchanged uneasy glances, but none of them dared object.
Soon after, the agreement was written, sealed, and signed.
With that, the Arden Family ordered their forces to withdraw.
The invasion ended.
Clan Origin was spared—for now.
But the price was devastating.
Buildings lay in ruins. Countless members were severely injured. Several captains hovered between life and death.
As the battlefield grew quiet, anger simmered among the leaders of Clan Origin.
Alex clenched his fist.
“Rey…” he murmured quietly.
“You must survive.”
Though his voice was low, every high-ranking member understood exactly what he meant.
Seventh Floor — Deep Within the Dungeon
Cold dominated everything.
Shattered ice littered the battlefield, and the frozen ground was soaked with blood.
Rey stood at the center of it all, barely holding himself upright.
Before him loomed a massive figure—
Frost Dragon — Level 124.
The monster had already entered its Final Form.
Both of them were exhausted.
Rey’s body was riddled with wounds—many of them beyond the healing capacity of ordinary potions. Yet he still refused to use his Grand Tier Potion, choosing instead to save it for later.
The Frost Dragon wasn’t in good condition either.
The crystal embedded in its shoulder had shattered. One of its arms was destroyed, and although it was regenerating, the process was painfully slow.
Rey’s situation was dire.
“Hey, System,” Rey muttered internally.
“Is there really no way for me to defeat it? Even if its regeneration has slowed… I’m still at a disadvantage. I can’t regenerate like it can.”
The System responded immediately.
[Host must locate the monster’s Core and either extract or destroy it.]
[All high-tier evolved monsters possess a powerful Core.]
Rey’s eyes widened.
“Extract it?” he asked.
“Does it have another use?”
[That is correct, Host.]
[However, detailed information will be provided later. Host is currently engaged in combat.]
Rey exhaled slowly.
Understanding the System’s warning, he reached for a High Tier Potion with his broken arm and consumed it.
The shattered bones reconnected.
His arm could move again—but the pain was overwhelming. Every movement sent waves of agony through his body, making it difficult to launch proper attacks.
Still, Rey forced himself forward.
He attacked, carefully observing the Frost Dragon, searching for the location of its Core.
The monster retaliated, roaring as it swung its massive body.
“Human…” the Frost Dragon growled.
“You are impressive. You’ve pushed me this far.”
Their attacks clashed again and again.
“But…” the monster continued,
“you are still far too weak to kill me.”
Fueled by anger and pain, Rey drove his fist straight into the Frost Dragon’s chest.
CRACK.
Ice and flesh shattered.
Through the hole, Rey saw it—
A glowing green Core.
“There!” Rey thought as he reached out.
But the Frost Dragon reacted instantly, slamming its body backward and knocking Rey away.
Fear flashed in the monster’s eyes.
Its secret had been exposed.
Enraged, the Frost Dragon unleashed its power.
“Blizzard Domain!”
The temperature plummeted violently.
The domain it released was far more powerful than when it was still in its Beast Form.
“Human!” the Frost Dragon roared.
“I will tear your body apart!”
The battle escalated.
The monster lunged forward, stabbing with its silver spear at full power.
Rey tried to dodge—but his stamina was rapidly depleting.
He failed to evade completely.
The spear pierced dangerously close to his heart.
Rey twisted at the last moment.
His chest tore open, blood spilling onto the frozen ground.
He glanced at his status window.
[Absolute Veil — Malfunctioning]
The System issued a recommendation.
[System advises repairing ‘Absolute Veil.’]
Rey immediately dismissed the idea.
The repair time was far too long.
If Absolute Veil entered repair mode now, he would be completely vulnerable—one clean hit would mean instant death.
The Blizzard Domain grew more violent.
The Frost Dragon’s Special Ability activated.
Within the domain:
— All living beings suffered a 35% reduction in speed
— The domain user gained 45% bonus damage
But that wasn’t all.
The domain’s passive effect further weakened Rey.
— Combat power reduced by 28%
The domain stretched across a massive area—25 meters in radius.
Rey tried to escape its range.
But with his speed reduced, the Frost Dragon chased him effortlessly.
He blocked and parried desperately.
Each clash sent searing pain through his body.
Many of his arm and rib bones were already fractured.
Breathing itself became agony.
Rey forced himself to calm down.
Using his high battle IQ, he suddenly burst forward with everything he had left.
His movement blurred.
For a brief moment, it looked as though multiple Reys existed at once.
The Frost Dragon recoiled in shock.
Rey struck its chest again, frantically searching for the Core.
But—
It wasn’t there.
Before he could react, the Frost Dragon smashed him with its silver spear.
Rey was sent crashing into the ground.
The monster advanced, lifting its weapon to finish him.
Rey rolled away at the last second and forced distance between them.
That domain skill is troublesome, Rey thought grimly.
But after that hit… I could feel its defense drop.
That must be one of the weaknesses of the Domain.
Rey reached a decision.
At last, he pulled out his final Grand Tier Potion and consumed it.
Power surged through his body.
Every wound healed.
His stamina fully recovered.
However, the side effect activated instantly.
From now on—every time Rey received damage, the pain would be far more severe than before.
Rey smiled faintly.
“So that’s how it is,” he thought.
“Then I’ll just dodge everything.”
With his stamina restored, his eyes sharpened.
I can finally use my full speed.
The battle wasn’t over yet. Rey’s expression hardened.
In the next instant, his body vanished.
He shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
The Frost Dragon’s pupils shrank as the world blurred before it.
“W–What?!” the monster roared internally.
“He… he used a potion to restore his stamina?! The effects of my Domain— they’re no longer restraining him properly!”
The Frost Dragon snarled, fury surging through its veins.
“But even so… I will still destroy you, human!”
Their clash shook the Seventh Floor.
Every collision of fist, claw, and weapon sent violent shockwaves tearing through the frozen battlefield. The dungeon trembled as if on the verge of collapse, cracks spreading through the ice-covered ground.
Within a radius of more than one kilometer, every monster fled.
Not a single creature dared to remain.
The aura clash between Rey and the Frost Dragon was too sharp—too overwhelming.
Minutes stretched into what felt like eternity.
The Frost Dragon’s breathing grew ragged.
Its Mana Points dropped rapidly, drained mercilessly by the sustained activation of its Blizzard Domain. The once-oppressive storm weakened, its violent pressure beginning to falter.
Rey noticed it.
Now.
In that fleeting moment of imbalance, Rey accelerated again.
He slipped past the monster’s vision and appeared directly behind it.
Before the Frost Dragon could react, Rey drove his attack forward, piercing straight through its back.
A heavy tremor ran through the dragon’s massive body.
Rey landed lightly behind it, a faint smile appearing on his bloodstained face.
“This time…” Rey said calmly, his voice firm,
“you will die.”
He plunged his hand forward.
Deep inside the monster’s shattered chest, Rey grabbed hold of something solid.
The Core.
With a sharp pull, he ripped it free.
The Frost Dragon let out a distorted roar as Rey immediately followed up with a powerful kick, slamming the monster face-first into the frozen ground.
The Core in Rey’s hand glowed vividly—
a brilliant green crystal, translucent, as if liquid energy flowed endlessly within it.
Rey raised his gaze, his expression cold and resolute.
“You are weak,” he declared.
“This is the end for you.”
BOOM!
Rey’s punch landed squarely on the Frost Dragon’s chest.
The impact shattered what remained of its body.
Ice, flesh, and crystal fragments exploded outward as the monster’s roar was abruptly cut short.
Silence followed.
The Frost Dragon—Level 124—was no more.
Rey staggered.
His strength drained all at once.
The pain from consuming too many potions surged violently through his body, far worse than before. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.
His breathing was shallow.
His vision blurred.
Rey lay there, staring at the frozen ceiling of the dungeon, barely conscious.
Then—
Ding. Dong.
The familiar system sound echoed.
[Congratulations.]
[Host has successfully leveled up.]
[Current Level: 55]
[By defeating a monster above Level 100, Host has obtained abundant rewards.]
[New Function Unlocked: ‘Absorption.’]
Rey’s eyes widened slightly.
“Absorption…?” he murmured weakly.
The System continued.
[Host can absorb a monster’s Core and acquire one of the monster’s skills.]
Rey’s breathing steadied a little.
“So that’s what you meant,” he said quietly.
“That’s the other use of a monster Core?”
[Correct, Host.]
[However, not all evolved monsters possess absorbable Cores.]
Rey frowned.
“What do you mean by that?”
[Only monsters with specific traits and compatible skills can be absorbed.]
Rey fell silent for a moment, then asked,
“Then… what skill will I obtain if I absorb the Frost Dragon’s Core?”
[Processing…]
A translucent interface appeared before him.
[Activating ‘Absorption.’]
[Cost: 1 Mana Stone.]
The green Core in Rey’s hand dissolved into light, breaking apart like a simulation before being drawn into the Absorption interface.
[Loading…]
Seconds passed.
Then—
[Absorption successful.]
[Host has obtained Special Skill: Regeneration.]
Rey’s eyes widened.
The System continued its explanation.
[Special Skill — Regeneration]
Level 1: Regeneration
Level 2: Enhanced Regeneration
Level 3: Super Regeneration
[Special skills can be leveled up to Level 3.]
[Requirement for Level 2: Host Level 100.]
Rey froze.
“…Level 100?”
He let out a long sigh.
“Haihh… alright, alright.”
Slowly, Rey pushed himself to his feet, his body swaying unsteadily.
At that moment, the newly acquired passive skill activated.
A faint warmth spread throughout his body.
Cracked bones began to mend. Torn muscles slowly repaired themselves.
The pain didn’t disappear—but it eased.
Rey clenched his fist.
As expected… it’s only Level 1, he thought.
I need to level this special skill up as soon as possible.
Still… because it’s a special skill, the mana consumption is much lower.
His expression turned serious.
Even so… it still consumes mana. Going forward, I’ll need to increase my MP significantly.
Rey began walking toward the exit of the Seventh Floor.
Along the way, he collected the dropped items—
a Rare-tier item and Lagendary-Tier item, glowing faintly with power.
“This item…” Rey muttered.
“I’ll give it to someone worthy.”
He also picked up the Frost Dragon’s head—now reverted fully into its Beast Form after death.
When Rey reached the exit, the dungeon itself reacted.
The environment trembled gently.
The path shifted.
A massive gate opened, revealing glowing letters etched into the air.
‘Kingdom of Christope’
The entrance to Floor Six had been unlocked.
The message was clear—
The Kingdom of Christope had successfully cleared Floor Seven.
They were now eligible to advance.
Rey stepped out of the dungeon.
The cold air faded, replaced by the open sky above.
He paused.
For a brief moment, he simply stared upward.
Then his eyes sharpened.
Anger burned within them.
“The Arden Family…” Rey said quietly, his voice trembling with restrained fury.
“I will act.”
The wind carried his words away.
But the weight of his resolve remained.
The storm had only just begun.
