Rio equipped his gear, but before that, he pricked his finger and dropped a bead of blood, then infused it with mana to bind ownership of the storage ring. Afterward, he placed both his phone and the man's phone inside the ring, removed his shoes, and stored them as well.
He stood before the dungeon, his body fully encased in a dark iron armor laced with faint glowing lines of blue light. He wore metal gloves, a helmet with sharp edges, and tightly fitted guards around his arms and legs. In his right hand, he held a massive axe whose blade gleamed in the darkness, and a large shield rested firmly on his back.
Only his burning black eyes were visible behind the mask of the helmet.
He let out a heavy breath, its echo soft and hollow inside the metal helm, then activated the "True Eye."
> [Dungeon Rank: F
Type: Cave of Dire Wolves
Number: 50 normal individuals
Boss: Rank F
Allowed party size: 1 to 8 members
__
Hidden Info:
In the boss room, dig three feet into the left wall—there's a hidden reward.]
Rio's eyes widened slightly behind the mask, and a flicker of joy lit up his heart. He hadn't expected a hidden reward in his very first dungeon.
"Eva, why doesn't the True Eye reveal information about the hidden reward?"
A faint light suddenly appeared before him, gradually forming into Eva. Her expression was calm, but her eyes reflected strict seriousness.
> [Because that reward is protected by "Fate." But thanks to the True Eye, you managed to detect a trace left behind by its fate.]
She paused briefly, then looked at him with glowing eyes and continued in a firmer tone:
> [Host, due to the "True Eye" and the "Information Roulette," you are breaching the law of fate... As a result, you're altering the destinies of many.]
Rio's eyes widened like gateways opening onto an infinite void. Shock surged through his chest, but he didn't flinch.
He slowly raised his head and said calmly:
"If what I'm doing causes harm, then would I have even been granted the Information Roulette or the True Eye? Isn't that proof enough that the 'True Universe' wants fate to be changed to some extent? That it doesn't mind if I alter fate... to grow stronger?"
Eva stared at him for a moment, then sighed softly:
> [Honestly... I'm still shocked by your intelligence level. When I first met you, you were... how should I describe it?]
Rio smirked behind his mask.
"Just a pathetic fool, right?"
> [Yes.]
Rio let out a faint chuckle, then spoke with a cold tone:
"Eva, truth is… you're wrong. I am smart. So smart, in fact, that I was once labeled as a future top-tier Awakened even before undergoing awakening… But because of what happened, and you know exactly what I mean, my spirit was shattered. But with the appearance of the SSS-level Luck Roulette, I came back... no, I became better than I ever was."
He didn't finish his words. Instead, he gripped his axe tightly, his knuckles creaking, then reached out with his other hand and picked up the unconscious man like lifting a sack of straw.
> [What are you going to do with that man?]
"Heheh... Something that'll help me speed up the hunt of the dire wolves inside the dungeon."
> [How will a useless man... be useful?]
"His blood. Fresh blood will attract the wolves."
He spoke his words with icy coldness, a faint aura of evil rising around him. It was as if he were preparing to slaughter a chicken, not a human.
Ryo entered the dungeon without hesitation or another word.
---
The moment he crossed the gate, he felt a slight dizziness, as if his body had been torn apart and reassembled. Entering the dungeon felt like being teleported to another world.
In reality, dungeons were connected to parallel worlds. It might seem like a game, but Ryo felt the truth ran much deeper.
"It's as if someone is preparing a battlefield... and the Earth is just a prize they fight over."
He looked up at the dark cave ceiling and whispered:
"If my suspicion is correct... then why are they fighting over Earth? What's their real goal?"
Ever since he connected with Hercules' power, he felt that his perception had exceeded normal levels. The truth of how the dungeons suddenly appeared, causing mana to emerge and steadily increase in the atmosphere, kept haunting him. With every new dungeon appearance, the concentration of mana seemed to rise.
Even the monsters, once savage ten years ago, had become more organized and cunning—especially during dungeon fractures. It was as if they were scout armies testing a foreign land.
"If something is moving behind the scenes... then peace on Earth is a lie. Humanity is facing a greater disaster than ever before, so I have to get stronger... fast."
People might think Ryo wanted to save the world. But the truth? He just wanted to survive.
And if the world burned? Then let its ashes be his pillow of survival and warmth.
As they say: "The boy who never felt the warmth of a kiss... will return to burn it, just to feel its heat."
---
Ryo snapped back to awareness and looked around the dark cave. It was cold, with no source of light or warmth—only darkness and stillness.
But that didn't stop him.
He carefully focused mana into his eyes, fully aware that a slight mistake could cost him his vision. After confirming there was no immediate threat, he let out a breath of relief, though his caution only doubled.
Ryo muttered, "Status."
A transparent screen appeared in front of him, its light reflecting faintly off his armor:
[Name: Ryo Kim
Title: None
Level: 0
Strength: 25+36 (Bonus Points)
Mana: 21
Trait: Superhuman Strength - SSS Rank (Hercules - Progress: 0.02%)
Potential: Unlimited
Skills: True Eye]
Ryo's status hadn't changed much since he first saw it, except for an increase in the "superhuman strength" progress from 0.01 to 0.02.
As he studied his status screen, he sensed a faint movement beside him. He looked down to find the man who had been unconscious beginning to stir.
"Ah... my head hurts... where am I?"
He slowly raised his head, only to see a man clad in heavy armor, holding a massive axe on his shoulder, with eyes as cold and emotionless as winter.
The memories came rushing back, and the man trembled in fear—terror seeped into his very bones.
"Please... please spare me!"
He immediately began to beg, his voice trembling and broken.
Ryo looked at him with icy eyes and spoke in a voice as quiet as a blade:
"From the moment you chose to fight an Awakened... you bought yourself a ticket to hell."
"Please! I didn't want to do this... It was all because of that bitch! She's the one to blame! Please, let me live, I'll give you everything I have!"
Ryo smiled faintly, but there was no life in that smile.
"Unfortunately... there's no cure for regret. And if there's someone to blame, blame yourself."
Before the man could continue begging, Ryo had already raised his axe and severed his head with one clean strike.
The head flew through the air, frozen in shock and fear, before crashing to the ground. Blood burst like a fountain, painting the ground a deep red as if the earth drank from it.
Ryo whispered as he gazed at the corpse:
"If you were in my place, you'd have done the same. If you must blame something, blame your weakness."
Ryo felt nothing as he beheaded him. He was calm, as if he had done nothing at all—why feel pity for someone who had come to kill him?
He wiped the blood off his axe, then crept slowly among the rocks, searching for a good hiding spot for a surprise attack.
He didn't have to wait long. Giant wolves appeared, each about a meter tall, with gray fur and pitch-black eyes. They cautiously scanned the area, moving silently but with measured steps.
Ryo held his breath and suppressed his mana to avoid detection. Once the wolves confirmed no immediate danger, they approached the corpse, though still wary. One began to eat, while the other kept watch.
Ryo activated "True Eye," and a window appeared:
[Name: Dire Wolf
Rank: Common
Level: 2
Traits: Wolves live in packs and are usually found in pairs or more.
Skills: Claw Attack, Bite
Weakness: Highly sensitive sense of smell, making them vulnerable to overwhelming scents.]
The other wolf had the same status.
Ryo observed them patiently. Once the wolves lowered their guard while eating, he gripped his axe and raised his massive shield.
He carefully chose his point of attack. A single surprise blow could mean instant death, making it easier to handle the other wolf.
Taking a deep breath, he infused his body with superhuman energy, feeling power surge through his veins.
He leapt from the rocks, axe raised high, shield glowing with energy.
The wolves turned at the sound of the shield's impact—but it was too late.
Ryo came crashing down, slashing his axe into one wolf's neck, severing it in a clean strike. The wolf's head flew into the air. A voice echoed in his head:
[Level Up]
[+1 Strength / +1 Mana]
Ryo didn't pay attention to the system's voice. He quickly raised his shield in a defensive stance.
The second wolf howled in fury at its fallen companion and lunged to tear Ryo apart. He raised his shield to block:
Boom!
The attack was blocked, but Ryo was pushed back by the impact. The wolf, enraged, attacked again, but Ryo blocked once more and countered with his axe, landing a deep wound.
They both stepped back—fear crept into the wolf's eyes for the first time. As for Ryo, though he felt some fatigue, he didn't back down. He struck his axe against his shield, producing a loud metallic sound, and roared:
"Come on! Show me what you've got!"
In that moment, Ryo no longer looked human to the wolf—he was a beast... a lion lunging at his prey.
He charged at the wolf with speed. Before the beast could react, Ryo slammed it with his shield, sending it crashing into a nearby rock.
The wolf staggered from the blow, and before it could recover, Ryo's axe came down on its neck and cut it without hesitation.
A voice rang in Ryo's head:
[Level Up]
[+1 Strength / +1 Mana]
_____
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