Chapter 19: Sweet Rewards
After all the strange messages—which left Lucien scratching his head in confusion—he sat down to count his gains.
He had somehow cleared the Dungeon, though it didn’t feel like victory. The system claimed he’d earned rewards for becoming a Dungeon Boss, but his level and stats told a different story.
He’d started as a level –1. After defeating several Wolves and even conquering the Dungeon itself, he now stood at level 0. Barely a step forward.
Still, the loot wasn’t terrible. He’d gained two short swords, one long level 50 blade that looked like a Katana, and a full set of armor.
The armor caught his attention like a flame in the dark.
"Equip Whitesteel Shroud," Lucien said, his voice tight with excitement.
Light washed over his body, then faded, leaving him wrapped in white armor that seemed forged from winter itself—frost and steel made manifest.
His helm was the face of the hunt. A sleek wolf mask stared back from reflective surfaces, expressionless and cold, with glowing slits where eyes should be. Pale blue light flickered behind them like glacial fire. Twin ears jutted from the top, not for show but for fear—echoing the beast whose spirit now cloaked his soul.
Layered plates rested on his shoulders, each one catching light like polished silver. His gauntlets ended in precise claws at the fingertips—not crude weapons, but tools crafted for a predator who struck with winter’s patience.
Lucien studied his reflection and nodded, satisfaction rolling through him like warm honey.
’Now this is what armor should look like.’