The morning air was cold and heavy with mist when Kai stepped out of his small room in the guild. The faint hum of mana stones powered the lamps that lit the hallways, giving the place a ghostly blue glow. He rubbed his neck, still sore from yesterday's training, and exhaled deeply.
Today was the day — his first official dungeon mission.
He could feel the weight of the new flame power simmering under his skin. It felt alive, as if fire itself now slept inside his veins. But with power came risk, and after nearly burning his training room yesterday, Kai wasn't completely confident he could control it yet.
Down in the main hall, Gladis and Gladiator were already waiting. Gladiator leaned against a pillar, polishing his axe with a serious look, while Gladis looked… unusually quiet. She usually greeted him with teasing remarks, but today her gaze was sharp, assessing.
"You sure you're ready for this?" Gladiator asked, tossing the axe over his shoulder.
Kai nodded, straightening his armor. "Ready as I'll ever be. I can't keep staying in the guild forever."
Gladis folded her arms, her armor glinting under the mana lights. "This isn't like the lower dungeons, Kai. The monsters here are smarter, faster. You'll need more than luck."
"I have fire now," Kai said simply. "And I'm not planning to hold back."
That made her smile — just a little. "Good. Because once you step inside, there's no turning back."
They headed toward the dungeon gates together, joining a small group of adventurers at the checkpoint. The air near the entrance was thick with mana. The portal shimmered like a sheet of liquid glass, swirling with shadows and flickering lights. The guards scanned each adventurer's guild badge, noting their ranks.
Gladiator stepped up first, his badge glowing silver. "Gladiator, B-rank. Escort mission."
"Cleared," said the guard.
"Gladis, B-rank. Escort mission." She followed, confident as ever.
Then it was Kai's turn. The guard eyed him for a second before scanning his badge. The tiny crystal embedded in it flickered orange — still unranked, a rookie.
"Kai… D-class trainee," the guard muttered. "You're entering with a B-rank pair? Bold."
Kai just smiled faintly. "Guess we'll find out if I'm ready."
With that, he stepped through the portal.
---
The air on the other side hit him like a wave of humidity and heat. The medium-rank dungeon looked like a vast underground jungle — glowing moss on the rocks, twisted trees with crimson leaves, and rivers that hissed with steam. The faint sound of growls echoed somewhere in the dark.
Gladiator grinned. "Feels like home."
"Feels like a trap," Kai muttered.
Gladis chuckled. "Both are true."
They moved in formation — Gladiator up front, Gladis in the middle, and Kai covering the rear. The deeper they went, the more oppressive the dungeon felt. Even the ground pulsed faintly, as if alive. Monsters lurked in the shadows, eyes gleaming like dying embers.
Then came the first wave — goblins, but not like the weak ones from lower dungeons. These had armor made of bone and wielded rusty short swords.
"Five of them," Gladis called.
"I'll take three," Gladiator replied, rushing forward.
Kai took a deep breath and summoned his fire. A sphere of heat flared to life around his hand — the Flame Burst he had been practicing. It was smaller now, more focused. He launched it toward a charging goblin, and the explosion sent the creature flying back with a burning shriek.
But the others didn't stop. One lunged at him from behind, and he barely rolled aside, slicing upward with his dagger. The blade bit into flesh, but the goblin kept fighting, slashing wildly.
"Damn!" Kai grunted, blocking with his forearm guard. Sparks flew as the metal clashed.
Gladis appeared beside him in a blur, her sword cutting clean through the goblin's neck. "Keep your stance tighter. You leave too many openings."
Kai gritted his teeth. "Noted."
Within minutes, the skirmish was over. Gladiator wiped his axe clean, grinning. "Not bad, rookie."
Kai looked down at the charred goblin corpses. His fire control was getting better — but not good enough. He could still feel the mana drain from each burst, the unstable flicker that made his arms ache afterward.
They continued deeper.
The dungeon began to shift — the air growing hotter, the monsters more aggressive. Lizardmen with claws like daggers prowled the next section, and poisonous gas seeped from cracks in the walls.
When they reached a wide chamber lit by crimson crystals, Gladis stopped. "We're halfway through. We can rest here."
Kai slumped against a rock, catching his breath. Sweat rolled down his temples. He had underestimated the toll this place would take on him. Every sense screamed to stay alert — even resting here felt dangerous.
Gladiator threw him a bottle of glowing liquid. "Mana tonic. Drink it. You look half-dead."
Kai nodded, drinking it in one gulp. The warmth spread through his chest, dulling the exhaustion.
"Why do you push yourself so hard?" Gladis asked quietly, sitting beside him.
Kai looked at her, surprised. "Because I have to. I can't stay weak forever."
Her gaze softened a little. "You remind me of us… back when we started. Hungry, reckless, thinking we could take on the world."
"And now?"
She smiled faintly. "Now we know better."
Before Kai could respond, the ground trembled. A low growl echoed through the chamber — deeper, heavier than anything before. Gladiator was on his feet instantly. "We've got company!"
From the shadows emerged a massive creature — part wolf, part reptile, with molten scales along its back. Its eyes glowed red, and every breath it took made the ground rumble.
"A mid-boss," Gladis hissed. "A Flame Fang!"
Kai's pulse spiked. "You're kidding. That's a C-rank monster!"
"Exactly why we didn't want you to come alone," Gladiator said, stepping forward.
But Kai's instincts screamed otherwise. He could feel his own fire answering the creature's aura, almost resonating with it. He tightened his fists. "No. Let me handle it."
Gladis's eyes widened. "Kai, don't—"
But he was already moving.
He summoned everything he had — mana flooding through his body, heat crackling along his arms. His vision burned orange. The Flame Fang roared, charging at him like a comet of molten flesh.
Kai dodged to the side, barely avoiding the claws, then thrust his hand forward. "Flame Burst!"
The explosion lit up the chamber, shaking the walls. The creature staggered back, its scales blackened — but still very much alive. It lunged again, faster this time. Kai rolled, slammed his dagger into its leg, and blasted another burst point-blank. The air ignited around them.
Pain shot through his arm. His mana reserves were burning out fast. He could hear Gladis shouting, Gladiator moving closer — but Kai pushed harder, forcing his last bit of strength into one final attack.
"Flame Burst — Overdrive!"
The explosion this time wasn't just heat. It was pure fire erupting from his core, engulfing the beast completely. The creature howled, thrashing wildly before collapsing in a heap of smoke and scorched scales.
When the light faded, Kai was on his knees, breathing raggedly. The smell of burnt stone and blood filled the chamber.
Gladis ran to him, kneeling at his side. "Idiot," she whispered. "You could've died."
Kai managed a weak smile. "But I didn't."
Gladiator clapped him on the shoulder, his laughter booming. "You've got guts, kid. And maybe… just maybe, some talent too."
Kai looked at the smoldering corpse of the monster, the faint glimmer of mana stones and treasures shining within. His system interface flickered before his eyes:
> [System Notification]
Mid-Boss Defeated: Flame Fang (C-rank)
Rewards: +350 EXP | Flame Core x1 | 2,000 Gold | Stat Boost: +Strength +Agility +Mana
He grinned faintly. "Guess it was worth it."
Gladis shook her head, but there was a smile tugging at her lips. "You're insane, Kai. But I think… you're going to be something great."
Kai pushed himself to his feet, flames still faintly glowing around his hands. "Yeah," he said quietly, looking deeper into the shadows of the dungeon.
"Something great — or something dangerous."