The blue light hovered in the air, sharp and unreal.
Kael blinked hard, half-expecting it to vanish. It didn't.
Pain still burned through his ribs. His side was still wet with blood. Whatever this was, it wasn't a dream.
"System…" he whispered.
The light shifted.
[Enhancer Authority — Active]Rank Restriction: F-RankAuthority Level: 1Available Functions:– Self Enhancement– Targeted F-Rank Enhancement– Custom Quest Creation (Manual)
Kael sucked in a breath that turned into a cough.
Custom… quest?
His vision swam, but he forced himself to focus. He had seconds—maybe minutes—before blood loss or whatever was growling down here finished the job.
"Self… enhancement," he muttered.
Nothing happened.
A new line appeared.
[Insufficient Conditions]Enhancement requires an active quest.
Kael clenched his teeth.
"So I have to earn it," he said hoarsely. "Figures."
Another growl echoed closer this time. Heavy. Wet. Multiple footsteps scraping against stone.
He didn't have time to hesitate.
"Create quest," Kael said.
The system responded instantly.
[Custom Quest Creation — Manual Input]Define Objective.Define Difficulty.Define Failure Condition.
His hands shook as he thought.
Objective: Survive.
No. Too vague.
Kael swallowed and forced clarity through the pain.
"Objective," he said slowly. "Stop the bleeding and remain conscious for ten minutes."
The blue light pulsed.
"Difficulty… high."
If the system judged risk, then he wouldn't lie.
"Failure condition," he breathed. "Loss of consciousness… or death."
Silence followed.
Then—
[Quest Registered]Quest: Refuse to DieDifficulty: High (F-Rank)Reward: Skill Enhancement — Random (Permanent)
Kael laughed weakly.
"Random," he said. "You're cruel."
Another shadow moved at the edge of the broken corridor. Too close now.
Kael dragged himself toward the shattered supply crate, fingers closing around a cracked potion vial. Glass cut into his palm as he forced it open and poured the contents onto his wound.
White-hot pain tore a scream from his throat.
The growl turned into a snarl.
Footsteps charged.
Kael pressed his back against the stone, knife slipping into his trembling grip.
"Ten minutes," he whispered. "That's all."
The system watched.
The dungeon closed in.
And Kael Draven refused to die.