The next morning came with a storm.
Not of rain—but of anticipation.
Noah stood at the Dungeon entrance again, hood pulled up, pistols resting easy at his hips. His fusion rate had hit 40%, and the system hadn't stopped whispering new possibilities into his head since.
The Kevin Template was no joke.
Even his body was changing. His movement felt tighter. His balance sharper. Recoil didn't knock him back anymore—it pushed him forward.
He was becoming something else.
And today, he planned to test that evolution.
Floor 17.
That's where the Guild said a Class B target had been spotted. Too strong for solo adventurers, they said.
Perfect for Noah.
He descended quickly, bypassing other adventurers, ignoring the strange looks and whispers.
Some called him arrogant.
Others called him suicidal.
But deep down?
More and more were starting to call him the next monster of Orario.
---
Dungeon – Floor 17
The air was humid. Dark. The path opened into a massive stone chamber filled with shattered columns and rotting debris.
And in the center—
A Giant Orc King.
Easily fifteen feet tall. Wearing bone armor. A black war axe the size of a tree trunk gripped in one massive hand.
The moment Noah stepped into the chamber, the creature let out a bellow that shook the walls.
[BOSS MONSTER DETECTED]
Name: Orc Warlord
Rank: B+ Threat
HP: ???
Special Traits: Regeneration / Bone Armor / Shockwave Roar
Noah smirked. "Finally. Someone ugly enough to match my mood."
The orc charged with surprising speed, axe raised to cleave him in two.
Noah's pistols were already drawn.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
Explosive shots struck the beast's chest—but bounced off the thick bone armor, leaving only scorch marks.
[Warning: Armor integrity 90%]
"Tch." He flipped backward to avoid a massive swing that shattered the floor. Dust and rubble exploded into the air.
The beast stomped after him, letting out a roar so loud it nearly ruptured Noah's eardrums.
He skidded to a stop behind a pillar, heart pounding.
Alright, he thought. We'll do this your way.
Then he whispered the command:
"Activate: Flame Step."
And suddenly—he vanished.
The system roared to life:
> [Flame Step – Afterimage Dash Lv1]
Temporarily boosts movement speed by 150%, leaving behind a flame-based afterimage.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Noah reappeared behind the Orc King in an instant, leaving a trail of burning flame that seared across the floor.
He fired both pistols—aiming at the joints this time.
BOOM. BOOM.
The beast roared and dropped to one knee, left leg crippled.
Noah didn't stop.
He kept moving—circling, blinking in and out of the shadows, each Flame Step leaving a trail of fire that slowly caged the boss in a ring of heat.
Then he felt it.
The next threshold.
> Fusion Rate: 50% Reached
New Technique Unlocked: Blazing Finale – Twin Barrel Overload Lv1
His pistols began to glow bright red.
The heat surged through his arms like lava.
He could feel the pressure, the power, the risk.
This wasn't a normal shot.
This was Kevin's finisher.
The Orc King raised its axe for one final, desperate strike.
Noah exhaled.
Then squeezed both triggers at once.
"BLAZING FINALE!"
The pistols unleashed twin columns of burning energy—white-hot, blinding, roaring like a furnace.
They slammed into the Orc King's chest, ripping through its armor, flesh, and bones in an instant.
BOOOOOOM!
The entire chamber lit up in a wave of red and gold. The shockwave blasted dust and stone across the battlefield.
When the light faded…
The Orc King was gone.
Only ashes remained.
And in the center stood Noah, one knee on the ground, smoke rising from his arms, his coat in tatters—but his eyes blazing with fire.
[Boss Defeated.]
[Rare Drop Acquired: Orcbone Core – Fire Variant]
[Flame Core Resonance increased to Lv5]
[Template Sync Progress: 52%]
Noah staggered to his feet.
"…Now that's a boss fight."
---
Back at the surface, the Guild went into a frenzy.
Eina stared at the mission board, hands trembling.
"Orc King… defeated… solo…?"
Adventurers whispered. The news spread like fire.
One name echoed in every corner.
Noah.
---
At the same time, Freya smiled from her balcony.
"Ottarl," she said softly. "He's done it again."
"Yes, Lady Freya."
"Do you feel it?"
"Yes."
"The city is waking up. Because of him."
She closed her eyes, voice breathless with anticipation.
"Noah… shine brighter."
---
And far below the earth, in the blackened pit of the lower Dungeon, something stirred.
An eye opened in the dark.
It had felt the flame.
And it was waiting.