I had grown used to sights like this—or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

  Still, watching Chorma devour humans as if they were nothing more than afternoon snacks sent a wave of nausea through me that was hard to ignore.

  “Ugh…” I frowned, turned my face away, and started walking.

  [Calm yourself, Master. You will grow accustomed to it eventually,] Apolo said in his usual flat tone.

  “Yeah, I hope so. What about the other coordinates? Are you done analyzing the terrain?”

  [Of course.]

  A transparent hologram projected before me—a complete map of the dungeon’s structure. Red and green dots blinked across its surface. Red for threats. Green for allies.

  “Alright. First priority: secure Alex and Len at this point. After that, we pick up old man Eggar, and we’re done.”

  [A remarkably simple plan,] Apolo replied.

  Leaving Chorma to continue his “feast,” I followed Apolo’s navigation and reached an intersection where three men in black robes were already waiting.

  Seeing me appear without a scratch, they looked startled—but quickly drew their swords and charged.

  Rey Lucien possessed the Stigma: Memorize.

  After several experiments, I realized it was far more than super memory. It was high-level data processing.

  The way they placed their feet. The tension in their arm muscles. The direction of their gaze. Everything was readable. I could visualize the trajectory of their attacks before their blades even moved.

  The first man launched a diagonal slash from above. I shifted just an inch, following the crude angle of his strike, then thrust a looted sword straight into his neck in one fluid motion.

  The second attempted a direct stab. I pivoted slightly, letting the blade pierce empty air, and answered with a clean cut across his throat. Blood sprayed—but I was already moving forward.

  One remained.

  As I prepared my stance, he suddenly froze. His face turned pale, eyes widening at something towering behind me.

  Before he could turn to flee, a massive black silhouette lunged from the darkness.

  Chorma bit down on his head in a single motion—the crunch sounded exactly like stepping on a grape.

  “Well then. This area’s clear,” I said, sheathing my bloodstained sword.

  [Master, weren’t you determined to become a mage? You should have used the pebble magic you learned. Why are you busy cutting enemies down with a sword?]

  “Who cares? Just because I’m on the mage path doesn’t mean I’m banned from using a sword,” I replied casually. “This isn’t an RPG where a Mage suddenly becomes crippled for holding a blade.”

  Crunch. Crack. Crunch.

  Behind me, Chorma completed his cleanup. He devoured the remaining corpses until not even a fragment of bone was left on the dungeon floor.

  After walking for some time—and once Chorma returned to his adorable puppy form—we finally reached Alex’s location.

  There, Alex, Len, and a female knight from Eggar’s group were surrounded by traitorous soldiers.

  “Alright, Apolo. Time to use magic and launch a surprise attack from the shadows,” I said, pulling out my mini staff from beneath my robe.

  [Excellent. Shall I record this? A historic moment—Rey Lucien using magic for the first time,] Apolo mocked.

  “Quiet. I need full concentration.”

  I closed my eyes briefly, recalling the theory from my mother’s journal. As a first-circle mage, I drew mana from my heart and channeled it toward the tip of my staff. I visualized the basic spell structure, forming geometric patterns in the air, and recited the incantation as instructed.

  A brown magic circle materialized at the tip of my staff. From nothingness, a stone the size of a baseball formed.

  “Stone Cannon!” I declared confidently as I released the spell.

  The stone launched… but at a speed far from “cannon.”

  It floated forward lazily and struck the back of a soldier’s head with a dull thunk.

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  “Ow! Who threw a rock?!” the soldier groaned, rubbing his head. He turned around in confusion.

  The opening was enough.

  With a swift slash, Alex ended the distracted soldier’s life.

  [Incredible. Truly incredible, Master,] Apolo said in an extremely flat, sarcastic tone. [You just used magic to throw a pebble. It wasn’t even strong enough to scare a stray dog. It would have been more efficient to pick up a stone and throw it manually.]

  Woof!

  Chorma barked softly as if fully agreeing.

  “Shut up! It’s my first time using magic in real combat. Of course the output isn’t optimal yet!”

  [Yes, yes. A very classic excuse, Master.]

  Alex ran toward me with a relieved expression. “Big Brother Rey! Thank you for the help. Thanks to your rock throw, his attention shifted and I could finish him.”

  I froze for a second.

  Wait… did he just call my Stone Cannon spell a “rock throw”? Was this some new form of humiliation for beginner mages?

  I wanted to protest, but seeing Alex’s sincere face, I simply swallowed my pride.

  My gaze shifted to the blue-haired female knight near Len. For a merchant family’s guard, her aura was too sharp. Her movements too efficient. She was clearly no ordinary knight.

  But my attention was completely stolen when I looked at Len directly.

  For the first time, she had removed the cloak that concealed her identity. Her long silver hair was braided to one side, framing a sweet face with warm brown eyes. A small beauty mark beneath her right eye gave her a melancholic yet alluring charm.

  My gaze drifted lower—and my breath caught.

  The mage outfit she wore was incredibly tight, as if struggling to contain her extraordinarily voluptuous figure. The fabric clung perfectly to her slender waist, creating a provocative contrast with her impressively generous chest. Each breath she took made the upper portion of her body rise boldly against gravity.

  A wild thought crossed my mind; with assets like that, she would surely be an outstanding mother someday…

  No, no, no! What the hell am I thinking in the middle of a battlefield littered with corpses?

  Damn it. It seemed Rey Lucien’s perverted tendencies had fused far too deeply with my consciousness. I quickly turned away, trying to calm the inappropriate surge.

  [Master, I am detecting a heart rate increase of 40% above baseline. Additionally, blood flow is drastically concentrating toward the vital region between your legs,] Apolo reported innocently.

  “Shut up, Apolo,” I muttered through clenched teeth.

  “So, where do we go next?” Len asked, pulling me back from my ridiculous thoughts.

  “We need to head to Eggar’s location immediately. He’s currently trapped in the Boss Monster’s chamber.”

  “Do you know the way?” Len asked doubtfully.

  “No problem. I’ve got a reliable guide.” I clapped once. Chorma barked energetically and began trotting ahead.

  Of course, Apolo would not reveal himself to others—much less project a dungeon map. The guiding role was now fully entrusted to Chorma, who was actually following Apolo’s voice inside my head.

  “Are you sure that little dog can find the way?” the blue-haired knight asked skeptically.

  “Hey, don’t underestimate a dog’s sense of smell!” Len defended quickly. “He even found us in all this chaos, didn’t he? Smart boy.” She patted Chorma proudly.

  Considering Len had shared pork steak with him earlier, it seemed this alien dog had officially added her to his “inner circle.”

  We ran through the dark corridors until we reached a massive open gate.

  Beyond it lay a terrifying sight.

  Eggar was fighting desperately despite being heavily injured. His robe was torn, blood seeping through the sleeves.

  “Master!” Len screamed hysterically and tried to rush forward, but I grabbed her arm firmly.

  “Stop! Don’t be stupid—you can’t just run into their battlefield!” I snapped.

  The fight ahead was terrifying in intensity. Eggar continuously cast defensive spells to withstand lethal blows, occasionally launching counterattacks.

  But my eyes weren’t on Eggar.

  They were on his opponent.

  I froze.

  What he was facing was no ordinary low-level dungeon Boss Monster.

  It was a walking catastrophe powerful enough to flatten half a city in a single night.

  Massive bulging muscles. Hot steam snorting from its nostrils. A gigantic stone axe gripped in its hands.

  The Great Minotaur.

  An A-Class Disaster.

  “Damn it…” I forced myself to think, searching for the fastest solution. I couldn’t allow Chorma to transform into his true form in front of this many witnesses.

  “Master…” Len began sobbing as Eggar was driven further into a corner.

  Alex and the blue-haired knight remained frozen. They were sensible enough to know charging in now would only make them burdens.

  Think!

  The creature possessed strength comparable to a level-5 aura knight. It was intelligent and prioritized eliminating mages first—which meant Len and I would be primary targets.

  But its weakness lay in its vision.

  If I could blind it, a massive opening would appear.

  “Listen carefully. I have a plan. Follow my instructions exactly!” I commanded.

  Tang!

  Eggar was blown backward as the Minotaur’s massive axe slammed against his magic shield. Fortunately, it held.

  “Hey, ugly monster! Over here!” the female knight suddenly shouted, drawing its attention.

  The stone axe swung wildly at her. She dodged nimbly, luring the monster left as instructed. Meanwhile, Alex slipped toward the panting Eggar to whisper the final part of the plan.

  Clang!

  This time, the knight wasn’t fast enough. She was struck by a side blow and sent flying. Though she blocked with her sword, the impact clearly injured her.

  As the monster roared triumphantly, I accessed the Cosmic Pocket and pulled out an item worth 500 cosmic energy points:

  Flash Bomb.

  I pulled the pin and hurled the small metal sphere directly in front of the Minotaur’s snout.

  “CLOSE YOUR EYES!” I shouted.

  Zhing!

  A blinding white explosion erupted, followed by a high-frequency blast. The Great Minotaur roared in agony, clutching its face—temporarily blinded.

  “Alex, NOW!” I yelled.

  Alex dashed forward, condensing his aura until his blade glowed sharply. He spun and sliced the tendon in the monster’s left leg. The female knight, back on her feet, struck the same point from the opposite side.

  “Len, your turn! Destroy that stalactite support!”

  Without hesitation, Len cast her spell. Destructive magic struck the rock cavity above the Minotaur’s head. Sharp cone-shaped stone collapsed, crashing onto its back and forcing it to its knees.

  This was the final chance.

  Eggar rose with the last of his strength, chanting his most lethal spell. A brilliant blue magic circle expanded across the floor.

  Tier-5 Magic: Chain Lightning!

  Bolts of lightning ravaged the Minotaur’s massive body, burning flesh and nerves within seconds. The A-Class monster finally collapsed, smoke rising from its body.

  Not giving it any chance, Alex and the female knight simultaneously drove their swords into the Minotaur’s neck, ensuring its life was truly extinguished.

  Silence enveloped the chamber.

  The titan had fallen.

  We had won.