"I know you have to go. Just come back safe, okay?"
Leon's mother held him tightly in their small kitchen. Morning sunlight streamed through the clean windows, filling the modest apartment with warmth and hope. Her arms felt stronger now, no longer frail from months of illness.
"I will," Leon promised, adjusting his pack one last time. His mana gun rested securely in its holster, and fresh ammunition filled his belt pouches. Everything was checked and ready for whatever awaited him below.
She pulled back to study his face. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone."
"This isn't about proving anything. It's about getting stronger."
Leon had explained his plan the night before: a solo dungeon run to test his abilities without distractions. It was the kind of training that separated survivors from victims in their world.
His mother nodded, understanding reflected in her eyes. "Then go. But come home for dinner."
Leon kissed her forehead and stepped into the morning air. The Shadow Quarter was already alive with activity. Vendors arranged their wares, and children played in narrow alleys—normal people living ordinary lives while hunters like him descended into darkness.
The equipment district buzzed with early customers. Leon stopped at Hark's stall, where the weathered dealer was polishing a set of throwing knives.
"Morning, lad," Hark said without looking up. "Off somewhere interesting?"
"Solo training run. Nothing fancy."
"Good hunting." Hark's tone carried genuine respect; the old dealer had seen too many young hunters leave cocky and never return.
Leon purchased additional medical supplies and emergency rations. It was better to carry too much than to find himself unprepared. The dungeon wouldn't forgive poor planning.
The registration building stood at the district's edge, all official stone and adorned with Hunter Association banners. Leon approached the desk clerk calmly.
"Dungeon access request," he said, sliding his license across the polished wood.
The clerk studied his F-Rank badge with evident doubt. "Which dungeon?"
"Serpent's Den. Solo classification."
"That's an E-Rank dungeon. The recommended party size is three minimum."
"I'm aware of the requirements."
The clerk stamped his papers with evident reluctance. "Sign the liability waiver. Emergency extraction costs extra."
Leon signed without bothering to read the details. Legal disclaimers wouldn't save him if things went wrong underground.
Before entering the dungeon, Leon found a quiet corner and accessed his system interface. Blue text materialized in his peripheral vision, invisible to anyone else.
[Leon Graves - Level 7][Health: 180/180][Mana: 240/240][Available Zombies: 2/2][Elite Grave Mage: Ready][Undead Assassin: Ready]
His accumulated experience points reflected steady progress. The mechanics of the system had become clearer through trial and understanding. For every five snake-type monsters he defeated, he would earn an additional stat point on top of the normal experience gains. It was an efficient farming opportunity for anyone willing to take risks.
Leon closed the interface and approached the dungeon entrance. The Serpent's Den gaped like a wound in the earth, with stone steps descending into a phosphorescent gloom.
A checkpoint guard lounged beside the entrance, his bored expression shifting to amusement when he spotted Leon's badge. "You sure you want to do this alone, kid?"
Leon met his gaze with a stoic expression and walked past without a word.
"This place eats F-Ranks for breakfast," the guard called after him. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
The warning faded as Leon descended the carved steps into the living darkness. The air changed immediately—cold and damp, filled with the scents of moss and something sharper that made his nose itch. Phosphorescent fungus painted the walls in a sickly green light.
Each footstep echoed strangely in the confined space. Leon moved with deliberate care, testing each surface before committing his weight. A slick stone could mean the difference between life and death in such tight quarters.
After fifty meters, the tunnel branched. Leon marked his route with minor chalk marks, ensuring he could find his way back even if disoriented. Getting lost could be deadlier than the monsters themselves.
A faint slithering sound echoed from the left passage. Leon froze, his hand instinctively moving to his weapon. The sound repeated—definitely organic movement across the stone.
His first opponent emerged from a wall crevice like a liquid shadow. A serpent with scales as dark as wet obsidian, its body thick as his arm, and fangs gleaming with natural venom. It struck without warning.
Leon's reflexes kicked in. His mana gun cleared its holster in one smooth motion. The shot hit the snake squarely in the center mass, explosive energy vaporizing its midsection. Dark blood splattered across the phosphorescent moss.
[XP +12][Snake Count: 1/5]
The system confirmed his kill and updated his progress toward the next stat bonus. Leon reloaded quickly, scanning for additional threats. Where there was one snake, others usually followed.
He summoned his Elite Grave Mage for backup. The spectral figure materialized silently, blue fire flickering in its empty eye sockets. Its presence offered both psychological comfort and a tactical advantage.
As he ventured deeper into the tunnels, encounters became more frequent. Snakes dropped from ceiling cracks or erupted from shallow pools of stagnant water. Some were barely larger than his thumb but carried toxins potent enough to paralyze. Others stretched longer than he was tall, powerful enough to crush ribs.
Leon adapted his tactics to each threat. Small venomous species required precision shots to avoid being splashed with poisonous blood, and constrictors needed to be eliminated rapidly before they could establish a grip. His zombie provided excellent support, its spectral bolts ideally suited for targeting mobile foes.
[XP +9][Snake Count: 2/5]
[XP +15][Snake Count: 3/5]
The progression felt steady and manageable. Leon allocated his stat points as he earned them, concentrating on Vitality and Agility to enhance his survivability. Each improvement brought subtle yet noticeable changes, making him feel more capable and resilient.
[Vitality: 30 → 32][Agility: 21 → 23]
A new chamber opened before him, circular and domed, with multiple tunnel entrances lining its perimeter. Water dripped steadily from somewhere above, creating a rhythmic sound that filled the air. The phosphorescent fungi here grew in intricate patterns that almost seemed intentional.
Leon approached the center of the chamber cautiously. His zombie flanked him on the left, keeping a watchful eye on the various passages. Something felt off about the acoustics; sounds echoed strangely as if the space were larger than it appeared.
A low rumble emanated from the largest tunnel. This time, it was not the slithering he had encountered before but something heavier moving deliberately. Leon raised his weapon as shadows shifted at the mouth of the passage.
The mid-boss emerged in segments. First came the massive triangular head, easily twice the size of his torso. Then, the thick, coiled body, muscular and covered in scales marked with glowing green bands that pulsed with an inner light. The creature's length seemed impossible in the confined space, filling Leon with awe and dread.
[Giant Viper - Level 12][Warning: Venomous Bite, Crushing Coils, Acid Spit]
Leon's zombie opened fire immediately, spectral bolts hammering into the creature's flank. The shots left smoking craters but barely seemed to register. This was not a standard dungeon snake but something specifically bred for lethality.
The viper's tail whipped around with frightening speed. Leon dove aside just as the appendage pulverized the stone where he had been standing. Debris rained down, with some pieces large enough to crack skulls.
Leon rolled to his feet and fired three rapid shots at the creature's head. His rounds struck the scales and deflected, sending sparks flying across the chamber. The viper's armor was too thick for standard ammunition to penetrate.
Acid sprayed from the creature's mouth, hissing as it struck the walls. Leon's zombie withdrew to avoid the corrosive attack, its blue flames dimming as toxic fumes filled the air.
The battle became a deadly dance of positioning and timing. Leon targeted the softer scales along the viper's throat while his zombie provided distractions from multiple angles. The creature's size worked against it in the confined chamber, limiting its ability to unleash its full strength.
After twenty minutes of brutal exchange, Leon found his opening. The viper reared back to unleash another acid attack, exposing the pale scales beneath its jaw. Leon's shot and his zombie's spectral bolt struck simultaneously.
The creature's head snapped back, dark blood erupting from the wound. It thrashed once more, then went still, leaving Leon breathless and on edge, the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
[XP +89][Giant Viper Defeated][Stat Point Gained]
Leon leaned against the chamber wall, breathing heavily. Sweat mingled with minor cuts from flying debris stinging his skin. His zombie flickered with damage but remained operational, a testament to its resilience.
Partially hidden behind the viper's coils was a heavy iron coffer. Leon pried it open, revealing enchanted bracers that hummed with protective energy and a pouch filled with silver coins. Excitement surged through him as he realized the potential of his newfound treasures.
[Enchanted Bracers of Warding][+5 Magic Resistance, +3 Physical Defense]
Leon strapped on the bracers, feeling their energy settle into his bones. Every advantage mattered in solo operations.
The far door of the chamber stood slightly ajar, the heavy stone moving on ancient hinges. As Leon approached, a deep animal growl echoed from the darkness beyond. Something massive shifted in the shadows, chitinous limbs scraping against the carved walls.
Leon raised his mana gun, his heart racing as adrenaline surged through his system. In the gloom ahead, the dungeon's final boss emerged, step by calculated step.
The towering mantis filled the doorway, its bladed forearms gleaming with a cold light that hinted at supernatural sharpness. Its compound eyes fixed on Leon with a predatory intelligence, promising a fight unlike anything he had faced before. A mix of fear and determination coursed through him as he prepared for the battle ahead.