Arthur stood in the center of the crystalline clearing, his new shadow armor absorbing the faint glow of the surrounding trees. In front of him, the massive spectral form of Igris, the Shadow Drake Knight, stood as still as a statue.
[Ding!]
[Daily Quest: The Path of the Sovereign]
[Objective: Defeat 50 B-Rank monsters or 1 A-Rank Hunter without taking damage.]
[Reward: Level Up + Mystery Box x1]
Arthur's eyes sharpened. "A mystery box? And a guaranteed level up? This system really knows how to keep me motivated."
He turned his head as the sound of footsteps grew louder. The "suppression squad" had arrived. They were a group of five hunters, led by a man in polished silver plate armor. The man had a scar running down his cheek and radiated a powerful B-Rank aura.
"Look at this place," the leader growled, his eyes scanning the shattered remains of the Shadow Drake. "The boss is already dead? Who could have done this? The Second Floor was supposed to be uncleared!"
Then, they saw Arthur. A lone figure in dark armor, standing over the loot.
"Hey, you!" the leader shouted, drawing a massive two-handed claymore. "Who are you? Which guild do you belong to? That boss loot belongs to the Silver Dawn Guild. Hand it over and maybe we won't kill you for trespassing."
Arthur didn't even turn around. He was looking at his status screen. "Silver Dawn? Never heard of them. And the loot belongs to the one who killed the beast. That would be me."
The hunters laughed. A woman in mage robes stepped forward, her staff glowing with blue light. "You? A solo hunter clearing an A-Rank Field Boss? Don't make us laugh. You probably just found the corpse and are trying to scavenge. Move aside, kid, before I turn you into an ice cube."
Arthur finally turned. His eyes, glowing with a faint violet light, sent a chill down the hunters' spines. "I gave you a chance to leave. Now, you've become part of my quest."
"Igris," Arthur whispered. "Don't kill them. Just... break them."
From Arthur's shadow, the massive Drake Knight emerged. The ground beneath the hunters' feet turned into liquid shadow as Igris rose, his spectral cape flowing in a non-existent wind. The sheer pressure of a Commander-Grade Shadow Soldier hit the hunters like a physical blow.
"What is that thing?!" the mage screamed, her spell fizzling out in fear.
"A-A Shadow Summon?!" the leader stammered, his claymore trembling. "Only S-Rank Necromancers can do that! Who are you?!"
Igris didn't answer. With a burst of speed that shattered the obsidian floor, the Drake Knight moved. He was a blur of violet smoke.
CLANG!
Igris's spectral claw struck the leader's claymore, snapping the heavy steel blade like a toothpick. The leader was sent flying back, crashing through three crystalline trees.
The other hunters panicked. The two warriors charged at Igris, while the archer let loose a volley of enchanted arrows.
Arthur stood still, his arms crossed. He watched as Igris danced through the attacks. The Drake Knight moved with a grace that was impossible for a monster of its size. Every strike from Igris was precise—shattering armor, breaking bones, but leaving them alive.
In less than a minute, the entire "suppression squad" was lying on the ground, groaning in pain. They were the best the Silver Dawn Guild had to offer for the Second Floor, and they had been defeated by a single shadow.
Arthur walked up to the fallen leader. He looked down at the man who had just threatened his life. "You wanted the loot, right?"
Arthur opened his inventory and pulled out one of the 100 Dragon Scales he had gained earlier. He dropped it onto the leader's chest. "Here's a souvenir. Tell your guild that the Shadow Monarch owns this dungeon now."
[Ding!]
[Hidden Condition Met: Absolute Dominance.]
[Reward: 100x Multiplier has detected a 'Skill Seed' in the leader's inventory.]
[Skill Seed stolen and multiplied x100!]
Arthur's eyes widened. "Wait, I can even multiply items I steal from other hunters?"
[Ding! Passive Skill '100x Multiplier' works on all gains—whether from monsters, quests, or 'other' sources.]
Arthur looked at the pile of 100 Skill Seeds in his inventory. Each one was a 'Mana Burst' skill—a rare ability that doubled attack power for a short duration. Normally, a hunter would kill for just one. Arthur had a hundred.
"System," Arthur said, a predatory grin on his face. "Consume all 100 Skill Seeds."
[Ding!]
[Consuming 100 Skill Seeds...]
[Warning! Excessive Mana detected. Skill 'Mana Burst' is evolving...]
[New Skill Acquired: 'Eternal Sovereign's Wrath' - Increases all damage by 500% indefinitely.]
Arthur felt his mana core expand once more. The power was so immense that the air around him began to crackle with black electricity. He looked toward the portal to the Third Floor.
He didn't need to hide anymore. With Igris by his side and a power that multiplied every victory by a hundred, he wasn't just clearing the dungeon. He was conquering it.
"Next floor," Arthur commanded.
Igris bowed and melted back into his shadow. Arthur stepped through the portal, leaving the defeated hunters in the dust. The world was about to find out that the weakest F-Rank was gone forever.