Dungeon Conqueror
The crimson letters hovering above the monster seemed to dye the entire chamber red.
Arachnid Queen
Dungeon Boss
Level 12
Its eight crimson eyes slowly fixed themselves upon Aster.
An invisible pressure descended over the chamber.
Every instinct screamed the same warning.
Run!
Aster instinctively took a step backward.
His grip on his sword loosened.
"...I can't win."
Level 12.
A Dungeon Boss.
Three levels above him.
No teammates.
No escape.
No outside communication.
The safest choice...
Was to retreat.
His heel slid backward.
Then—
He stopped.
His fingers slowly tightened around the sword hilt.
"...No."
His breathing steadied.
The rhythm of Iron Body Foundation calmed his racing heart.
"If I run now..."
"When will I stop running?"
His eyes hardened.
"I've spent my entire life lying on a hospital bed."
"I've already run from enough things."
"This..."
He lowered his stance.
"...isn't the person I want to become."
The Primal Codex quietly shimmered.
No guidance appeared.
No hints.
Only silence.
As if it wished to know the answer as well.
Aster smiled.
"I won't die."
"I won't be a coward."
The Arachnid Queen shrieked.
The battle began.
---
The Arachnid Queen used Venom Burst that spewed dozens of poisonous spheres.
Each exploded upon impact.
The entire battlefield became covered with corrosive venom.
Twin Flash Step!
Aster disappeared.
His body slipped between explosions with incredible precision.
Slash!
Slash!
The first two attacks landed.
Only—
-1
-1
"...!"
Its hardened shell almost completely nullified his attacks.
"So durable..."
---
Seing that Aster damages her, the Arachnid Queen used Web Prison.
Countless silk threads erupted from every direction.
The sticky webbing sealed every escape route.
Aster cut one strand.
Two more replaced it.
Soon...
He found himself surrounded.
The Queen lunged.
Twin Flash Step!
His acceleration barely carried him through a tiny opening.
The silk snapped behind him.
"...Too close."
---
The Queen's rage further intensifies as it's target has escaped from his webs.
She casts Spider Spawn and slammed its massive legs into the ground.
Dozens of smaller venom spiders crawled from hidden nests.
They surrounded him instantly.
Aster changed tactics.
Instead of attacking the Queen...
He focused on eliminating the hatchlings.
Twin Flash Step.
Slash.
Turn.
Slash.
Iron Body Foundation allowed every movement to remain balanced.
Minutes passed.
The chamber became littered with defeated spiders.
Only the Queen remained.
---
Seeing the dead hatchlings, the Arachnid Queen went crazy and activates Crimson Frenzy.
Its body glowed dark red.
Every movement doubled in speed.
Its claws carved deep trenches into the stone floor.
Aster was forced completely onto the defensive.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Twin Flash Step saved him repeatedly while doing damage to the Arachnid Queen.
It's defenses lowers as more damage she takes from Aster.
Yet every dodge came a fraction slower.
His stamina rapidly declined.
The Queen's health dropped below thirty percent.
Then...
Everything became silent.
The boss stopped moving.
Its crimson eyes glowed brighter than ever before.
The system screamed.
---
Warning!
Dungeon Boss is preparing a Fatal Skill!
---
Aster's pupils contracted.
---
Judgment of the Brood Queen
The enormous spider climbed the ceiling.
An enormous crimson magic circle formed beneath Aster.
Every exit sealed shut.
Venom condensed into a gigantic spear hanging directly above him.
The pressure alone made breathing difficult.
"...A sure-kill skill..."
There was nowhere to dodge.
Nowhere to run.
The spear descended.
Like divine punishment.
BOOM!
The entire chamber exploded.
Stone pillars shattered.
The floor collapsed.
Dust swallowed everything.
Several seconds later...
The dust slowly settled.
The Queen looked downward.
Standing at the center of the crater...
Aster remained alive.
Barely.
His body trembled violently.
His armor had almost completely shattered.
Blood dripped from countless wounds.
---
Health
11%
---
He had survived.
Only because his doubled attributes from Codex Bearer, strengthened by Iron Body Foundation, had barely allowed his body to endure the devastating blow.
One more point of damage...
Would have returned him to Mistvale.
Aster slowly stood.
His breathing was ragged.
His sword remained firmly in his hand.
"I said..."
"...I wouldn't run."
The Queen lunged.
Aster smiled.
Twin Flash Step.
His final burst of speed carried him beneath the descending monster.
First Slash.
The Queen instinctively shifted.
Exactly as the skill intended.
Second Slash.
The blade pierced the weakened joint beneath its head.
A terrible screech echoed throughout the chamber.
Cracks spread across the Queen's body.
Light erupted from within.
Then—
The Dungeon Boss exploded into countless particles.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then—
Golden light engulfed Aster.
---
Level Up!
Level 10
The light intensified.
---
Level Up!
Level 11
---
His exhausted body instantly recovered.
Health restored.
Mana restored.
Fatigue vanished.
Three beams of light emerged where the Queen had fallen.
Aster approached the first.
---
Equipment Acquired
Veil of the Nameless
Rank: Rare
Type: Evolvable Coat
Effects:
* Conceals the wearer's identity.
* Hides player name and appearance from other players.
* Evolves alongside its owner.
---
The second item floated upward.
---
Equipment Acquired
Shadowfang Twin Blades
Rank: Rare
Dual weapons favored by swift assassins.
Increases attack speed and agility.
---
Finally,
A thick ancient tome.
---
Skill Book Acquired
Venom Edge
Rank: Rare
Imbues equipped blades with venom, causing poison damage over time.
Compatible with dagger and twin blade weapon types.
---
Aster carefully stored all three treasures inside his inventory.
Before he could inspect them further—
The heavens themselves trembled.
A golden voice echoed across the entire world of Divine Nexus.
---
WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT
Congratulations to player -----
for becoming the First Adventurer to clear a Hidden Dungeon.
Reward:
2 Gold Coins
---
A second announcement immediately followed.
---
WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT
Congratulations to player -----
for becoming the First Adventurer to defeat a *
Dungeon Boss.
Reward
2 Gold Coins
---
The entire world erupted.
Guilds.
Cities.
Villages.
Millions of players looked toward the sky in disbelief.
"Who did that?"
"A Hidden Dungeon already?!"
"Four gold coins?"
"Impossible!"
Meanwhile...
Inside the quiet dungeon chamber...
Aster smiled faintly.
Just before the announcement had been transmitted...
A confirmation window had appeared.
Reveal your player name during World Announcement?
YES | NO
Without hesitation...
He selected NO.
The announcement concealed his identity behind a field of obscured characters.
He had no intention of becoming famous.
Not yet.
He was still too weak.
The Primal Codex had taught him one thing above all else.
Truth flourished in silence.
Power revealed too early only invited unnecessary enemies.
As the dungeon began collapsing around him, Aster quietly equipped the Veil of the Nameless.
The cloak settled across his shoulders like flowing midnight.
His player name faded from existence.
For the first time since entering Divine Nexus...
Aster truly became a nameless shadow.
And hidden within that shadow...
The future Divine King continued his ascent.