"This kid, how long can you keep going?"
Ren questioned himself after seeing Judas slay another group of monsters.
Initially, he hadn't expected much.
Just keep an eye on the newbie to make sure he didn't die on his first dungeon exploration and then report to Loki.
But the deeper they went, the more speechless Ren became.
At this point, the two had already stepped into the 9th floor.
The ninth floor wasn't much to a level 2 like him, but for most level 1 adventurers, soloing here was nothing short of suicidal.
The monsters on this floor were stronger, more aggressive, and spawned in greater numbers.
It was generally recommended that Level 1 adventurers have at least E-rank status in their basic abilities before coming here.
'He just received his falna yesterday, with all his basic stats at zero, yet he's already surpassed most level ones in the city. Just from pure combat effectiveness alone.'
Ren clenched his jaw.
"This kid... he's definitely pushing himself. Let's see how long he can hold on."
Even so, his guard stayed raised. The dungeon was never merciful, and complacence was a poison.
'It's been several hours and I'm barely making it through the ninth floor.'
Judas thrust his spear into the head of a purple moth, the monster shrieking before dissolving into ash.
Out of all the enemies so far—needle rabbits, killer ants, and war shadows—the purple moth was by far the most troublesome.
It wasn't stronger in raw power, but its ability to fly and spread poisonous powder made it a persistent threat.
The powder didn't kill instantly, but prolonged exposure caused adventurers to weaken and collapse.
Judas wiped sweat from his brow, feeling his body grow sluggish, his vision slightly blurred.
'I think I've been poisoned.'
His eyelids grew heavy, his movements slower.
'This is why Abnormal Resistance is such a popular choice for a development ability among adventurers.'
He could dispel this poison easily—he knew dozens of recovery spells.
A single surge of Estelon's true power could wipe the venom from his body instantly.
'I think can even dispel this with my skill [Blessing of the World Tree]'
But he had made a promise.
For today, he would only rely on his falna and himself.
'So this is my limit without Estelon's help?'
Judas knelt on one leg, spear braced against the ground.
"Looks like the purple moth's poison finally got to you."
Ren approached from the side, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"I didn't bring a potion with me... never thought we'd end up going all the way to the ninth floor."
He patted Judas on the shoulder and helped him stand.
"You did well on your first try, kid. I basically had no chance to intervene and save your ass."
'Our familia has obtained another genius.'
Though no longer an active adventurer, Ren felt genuine pride.
With someone like Judas, their familia's future grew brighter.
"Thanks," Judas muttered, though his thoughts raced on whether to continue.
'Maybe tomorrow.'
He wasn't desperate to raise his power through the falna.
Compared to his original strength, it was still minuscule.
This was more of a curiosity. A learning experience.
'The ninth floor... on his first exploration... all by himself. He's already stronger than some level ones who've been at this for months. If I hadn't seen it myself, I never would've believed it.'
Ren marveled, though he kept the thought unspoken. Praise could only inflate arrogance, and arrogance in the dungeon was death.
On the way back, Ren handled the monsters while Judas followed quietly.
Ren assumed Judas was still weakened by poison, but in truth, Judas was already back to peak condition.
He said nothing, letting Ren take the lead.
'He must be bored, watching me the whole time. Let him have his fun.'
By the time they reached the 4th floor, Judas caught sight of a goblin sneaking from the shadows, aiming to ambush Ren.
'I guess I can help him out. Now that I have that skill...'
A thin disc of wind materialized at his fingertip.
No chant. No mana. No spell.
Just pure elemental control.
As Spirit King, Estelon had never needed to be a mage to command the elements.
Judas, his inheritor, could do the same—though until now it was too weak to matter in combat.
But with [Elemental Master], even the smallest elemental attack became lethal.
The disc whirled forward, cleanly severing the goblin's head.
'Estelon's power inside me keeps growing, slow but steady. Still weaker than my true spells... but progress nonetheless.'
His thoughts drifted to the memories he had inherited.
'I can't believe Estelon was taught by the First Mage, the Supreme Sage herself. I wonder what she's doing now...'
Judas didn't realize the danger he had just sparked.
Unaware that using Estelon's power inside the dungeon, however briefly, had stirred something ancient.
Suddenly, a crushing sense of crisis flooded his heart.
A wailing cry, full of horror and anguish, echoed inside his mind.
"What was that?!"
Judas shouted, sweat trailing down his face.
"Kid? What's wrong?"
Ren turned, but his words fell silent.
The dungeon trembled.
Small vibrations spread from the walls and floor, growing stronger with each second. Cracks spidered along the stone until whole chunks collapsed around them.
ROAAAAAR!!!
It came.
A roar so overwhelming it shattered the air itself.
The sound reverberated through their chests, rattling their bones, making their ears ring in agony.
The ground trembled as if the earth itself recoiled from the voice.
For a heartbeat, all was silence.
Every adventurer froze, breath caught in their throats, as if time itself had stopped.
Then—
"Run!"
Ren grabbed Judas' wrist and pulled him forward, sprinting at full speed.
But the danger had already arrived.
Monsters emerged from the dungeon walls, but these were no ordinary spawns.
From the shadows, an ash-colored lizard leapt, its claws slashing across Ren's torso. Blood splattered as his shirt turned crimson.
"Agh!"
Ren staggered, countering with his dagger, but the beast dodged effortlessly, shattering the blade between its teeth.
A guttural noise tore from its throat as more creatures closed in.
Judas' eyes narrowed. These weren't normal monsters.
The goblins were larger, gray-skinned, covered in glowing tattoos.
The kobolds were obsidian-black, magma dripping from their maws, scorching the ground beneath their feet.
"Irregular monsters! Why are there so many?"
Ren pulled his sword, his stance tightening. Sweat dripped from his brow as every instinct screamed of danger.
"Dammit... the one time I forgot to bring potions. Kid, I'm sorry, but we might not make it out alive."
His voice cracked with desperation, clutching his bleeding wound.
Judas scanned the monsters, then looked at Ren's bleeding chest.
『Unseal』
A calm voice cut through the chaos.
The air itself rippled as a crushing pressure descended.
The irregular monsters were slammed into the ground, pinned by invisible force.
"I was planning to take it easy, since it was my first dungeon dive."
Ren turned, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Kid...?"
Judas raised his spear, his calm expression hardening.
"Change of plans."