"Ouii... That's some excitement," I muttered sarcastically.

  When I looked around, the scene that greeted me almost made me forget the madness we had just escaped. A dense forest stretched endlessly before us, cloaked in a gentle tranquility that soothed the nerves. The air was crisp, light, almost too pure to be real. I drew a long breath, and for a fleeting moment, all my burdens seemed to fade into the wind.

  Sunlight filtered through the leaves, breaking into uneven patches across the forest floor. Each step sank softly into damp moss and fallen leaves, sound swallowed almost too easily.

  Too easily.

  A faint mist drifted through the trees, curling into the entrance of a dark, silent cave ahead. It felt less like nature and more like an invitation. Or a warning. I narrowed my eyes at the cave, every instinct telling me to back off.

  Is this the dungeon Mr. James mentioned? I thought, stepping back cautiously. The aura that seeped from the darkness didn't feel natural. It was heavy. Ancient.

  And watching.

  Whoosh.

  A bird shot past my face and perched on a nearby branch, chirping as it fed its chicks nestled in a cradle of twigs. Around us, other animals lounged peacefully; deer, squirrels, even a fox sunbathing on a rock. It reminded me too much of home.

  Of her.

  Of the quiet mornings when Ma would gently hum while tending the garden. Of Iz's teasing voice. Of fights over who had to do the dishes and who ate the last dumpling. Of greasy fingerprints on the table. Of the way steam always fogged the windows when Ma cooked. Our little world that once felt eternal, now just a memory too sacred to touch.

  I covered my face with both hands, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. I can't go back. Not now. Maybe not ever.

  "You crying?" Rona peeked through my fingers like a curious child.

  "Ah... I'm okay, Rona." I forced a small smile. "This place... it just reminded me of home."

  Rona nodded solemnly, as if she understood a little more than she let on.

  Isaac stretched under a sunbeam, arms behind his head. "So this is what a forest really looks like, huh? Pure. Untouched. Like a relic from the world before we ruined it."

  "Because of that," I said, plopping down beside him, "every day used to be stupidly hot."

  "Mm. Small price to pay for fresh air and birdsong." Isaac's voice, for once, didn't sound like he was about to pick a fight.

  Behind us, chaos was still unfolding.

  "Did you see that monster's face?! It was ugly!"

  "It crushed the tunnel..."

  "What even was that thing?"

  "I think I'm gonna hurl."

  Their voices faded into the background as Mr. James materialized with an obnoxious clap.

  "Congratulations, little bunnies!" he beamed. "Looks like we've got... 50 of you left!"

  "50?" I stood up. "Wait. There were 55 of us before!"

  "There were," Mr. James said cheerfully. "The monster ate five."

  Nobody laughed.

  A timid girl near the back asked, "B-but... why?"

  "Why?" Mr. James tilted his head, genuinely puzzled. "Why not?" He waved his hand dismissively. "Anyhow, let's welcome our favourite mascot, Looney!"

  A tiny brown worm popped out onto his shoulder.

  "Is that edible?" Rona whispered, eyes sparkling.

  Isaac facepalmed. "Monica-killer already murdered the first mascot. Now you're eyeing the second?"

  "I thought Monica was your favorite?" I asked cautiously.

  "Monica who?" Mr. James replied with a deadpan grin.

  "Ouii..." I gulped.

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  A boy with a sharp, predator's gaze raised his hand. "How do we kill the monsters in the dungeon?"

  Mr. James smiled thinly. "Figure it out yourselves."

  Isaac whispered, "Still salty we offed Monica, huh?"

  Mr. James cleared his throat. "Now, the rules. The dungeon is split into two stages... plus one bonus. Each stage is guarded by a different entity. Survive those, and you'll reach the boss stage, where the dungeon core lies. Your mission? Destroy it. No time limit. Oh, and a surprise awaits at the end."

  "Why are there only 10 of us here?" the same menacing boy growled.

  "Ten?" I turned and counted. He was right.

  "Ever played a dungeon where 50 players enter at once?" Mr. James rolled his eyes. "Ten's already too generous."

  "Any more questions?" Silence. "Good! Then pick your weapons."

  Somewhere deeper in the cave, something shifted. Stone scraped against stone. A slow, heavy tectonic drag that sent a shiver straight up my marrow.

  I froze, my breath hitching in my chest.

  Then, the darkness was obliterated. A wall of neon blue light exploded in front of us, searing my retinas. The screen was a frantic mosaic of weapon icons. Hundreds of them, shimmering with a cold, digital promise of survival.

  "You can only pick two, and once it's gone, it's gone. Stock's limited, kiddos. Good luck. Try not to die. Ciao~!"

  He vanished, but the silence he left behind lasted only a heartbeat.

  The scene didn't just break into chaos; it ruptured.

  The "bunnies" were gone. In their place was a pack of starving animals. A girl to my left shrieked as someone caught her hair, yanking her backward so hard her head hit the stone with a sickening thud. Children weren't just shoving; they were clawing at eyes and biting skin to get their desire weapon.

  "Give it to me!"

  A boy screamed. A high, wet sound that cut through the roar of the crowd. I saw a flash of steel, and then he was on the ground, his hands clamped over his stomach as a dark, hot stain spread across his shirt. He wasn't the only one. The air, already heavy with the smell of the mountain, was suddenly thick with the salt-and-copper tang of fresh blood.

  The screams didn't stop when the blue screens flickered out. They just became more desperate.

  A boy lay face-down near the rock wall, fingers still twitching like he was trying to crawl back into his body. Someone had stepped in his blood. The footprints led straight to the weapon screen.

  I swallowed hard.

  Did someone just die so I could get these?

  "Humanity in its purest form," His voice was chillingly steady amidst the carnage. While the others fought over scraps, he moved with surgical precision, his hands darting into the light. He snatched a gun with a silencer and a sleek katana, the blades catching the dying blue glow. "I bet Mr. James is grinning from ear to ear."

  He looked at the bodies on the floor, then back at where the door was. I wonder. Who is truly the ugly one.

  I was scrolling through the blue screen when Isaac appeared beside me. His shoe left a dark smear on the stone as he shifted his weight.

  "If you press a weapon icon long enough," he said quietly, "a description shows up. Stats, skills. It's all there."

  "Oh?" Rona was examining her hammer and gloves like oversized candy.

  "You didn't check your weapons?" Isaac groaned. "And tell me. How are you going to switch between them?"

  Rona giggled and scratched her head.

  I found her weapon set, greyed out and tapped.

  [Blood Berserker Gloves]

  HP +50

  Madness (MP: 50)

  ? Lose HP to greatly increase attack

  [Blood Berserker Axe]

  Attack +30

  Taunt (MP: 30)

  ? Draws enemy aggression

  "Both are berserker-class weapons. Kinda terrifying, honestly." I glanced at Rona. "...But they suit her perfectly."

  The description wrote axe but she's clearly holding a hammer? Did she apply skin to it? How?

  "Yay!" Rona beamed.

  Isaac peeked over. "Those boosts are insane."

  "What about yours?"

  [Star Gun]

  +20% hit damage

  Drunk Fire (MP: 150)

  ? Shoots at random targets

  [Lost Katana]

  +10% attack

  Lost Art (MP: 1000)

  ? Description: -

  "Why does that last skill need 1,000 MP? What even is that?"

  I picked mine.

  [Cursed Dragon Twin Daggers]

  +20% critical damage

  Causes bleeding

  [Grim Reaper Customized Scythe]

  Instantly kills enemies at ≤10% HP

  Inflicts poison

  "They're short-range, but I can launch them with a chain." My stomach twisted. Just like in my nightmare... Just killing.

  Isaac stared at my screen. "...Those passives are lethal. I'm sorry for every insult I've ever thrown at you." He dropped to his knees dramatically.

  I patted his shoulder. "I forgive you. Let's move on?"

  Rona suddenly blocked us. "Status Window! Look! Look!"

  "Status Window?" Isaac and I echoed, and a translucent screen popped up.

  I squealed. "Whoa! This is just like in games!" I tapped through everything like a kid in a candy store.

  The numbers floated in the air like they weighed more than blood.

  "How'd you know we had this function?" I asked Rona.

  "The brute man told me. While you were sleeping, and Isaac was grumbling like an old fart, I made friends!"

  "Aww~ I doubt any human could hate such a lovable person like you, Rona," I pinched her cheek.

  Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Hello?"

  "He's not human," I whispered.

  "I heard that, Llyne."

  We checked our stats.

  Name: Llyne

  LV: 1 | HP: 30 | MP: 10

  ATK: 45 | DEF: 12

  STA: 84 | AGI: 55 | LUCK: 3

  Passive Skills:

  Precognition Lv.1 | Stubbornness Lv.5 | Dodge Lv.6 | Prank Lv.6

  Active Skills:

  Dash Lv.1 (MP: 5) | Lyndall [MAX] (greyed out)

  "I have trash luck. And stubbornness is a skill now?"

  Isaac smirked. "With your prank and dodge, you must've been that student. The one teachers always chased."

  "They were all ex-athletes," I whimpered. "My poor butt..."

  "What's Lyndall?" Rona asked.

  "Beats me," I lied.

  Name: Isaac

  LV: 1 | HP: 28 | MP: 55

  ATK: 27 | DEF: 25

  STA: 25 | AGI: 32 | LUCK: 30

  Passive Skills:

  Tenacity Lv.6 | Patience Lv.5

  Active Skills:

  Info Gathering Lv.7 (MP: 5) | Hunter's Game Lv.3 (MP: 15) | Eagle's Eye Lv.5 (MP: 5)

  "Pretty balanced, huh?" Isaac grinned.

  "Sure, but you still can't use Lost Art."

  Name: Rona

  LV: 1 | HP: 48 | MP: 20

  ATK: 15 | DEF: 38

  STA: 32 | AGI: 12 | LUCK: 52

  Active Skills:

  Merry Go Luck! Lv.7 (MP: 5) | Taunt Lv.1 (MP: 5) | Iron Wall Lv.1 (MP: 5) | Heal! Heal! Heal! Lv.1 (MP: 10) | Love Cherry Lv.7 (MP: 5)

  Isaac stared at her screen. "Conclusion: Rona is a cheat."

  "Can't argue that." I grinned. "Alright, time to explore the dungeon. I wonder what's inside."

  "Yay! Adventure! Food!" Rona bolted ahead.

  Isaac caught her collar. "We need a leash."

  I laughed and followed them both, toward the cave where something old had been waiting long before we arrived.

  This chapter officially marks the start of the Dungeon Core Hunt Arc. The system and weapon mechanics are going to play a bigger role from here on out, so pay attention to skill synergies and stat quirks ??

  Next chapter: the dungeon won’t be as quiet as it looks.