The words "Soul Weapon" echoed in Zane’s mind like a haunting chime.
He stared at the broadsword, now glowing with a dazzling white light—still radiating power from the Radiant Strike skill infused into it.
Then he heard it again.
A cheerful baby-like voice, echoing inside his head.
"Tasty, tasty, tasty..."
Suddenly, the sword began to vibrate.
Zane’s grip loosened as the weapon shook violently in his hand, and then—clink—it slipped from his grasp.
To his astonishment, the sword hit the ground and slid toward the broken remains of the orc’s cleaver. A screeching metal sound followed.
Zane cautiously stepped closer.
The moment he got a good look, his jaw dropped.
From one side of the broadsword, a giant mouth had emerged—complete with a long, wriggling tongue and rows of jagged, saw-like teeth.
"...It’s eating the cleaver," Zane muttered, eyes wide in disbelief.
The sword chomped down on the shattered black metal, drool pouring from its monstrous mouth, the sound of crunching metal echoing off the dungeon walls.
The childlike voice hummed again, more delighted than before.
"...Whatever," Zane sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. "If it wants to eat broken weapon parts, that’s not my concern."
He turned his attention to his wristwatch interface. With a tap, a translucent, three-dimensional screen appeared above his arm.
"Hmm..." He narrowed his eyes. "No idea if that’s good or bad... Guess I’ll find out later."
Just then, a familiar system chime rang out.
[Quest Complete: Grade E Dungeon Cleared!]
You’ve received five Special Keys:
1 Key to the Temple of the Assassin’s Secret Library
1 Key to the Weapon Augmentation Chamber
3 Keys to access other dungeon-linked Temples
Three shimmering virtual keys flashed briefly in his field of vision before fading.
[Bonus Quest Complete: Kill the Dungeon Master within 15 minutes.]
Time Taken: 13 minutes 45 seconds
Reward: One Secret Map
+20 added to all base stats
[Updated Stats — Host: Zane Carter]
Strength / Physical: 66 + 20 (Base) + 5 (Radiance) + 10 (Radiant Strike) = 101
Agility / Speed: 65 + 20 (Base) + 5 (Radiance) + 10 (Luminous Step) = 100
Magic / Intelligence: 69 + 20 (Base) + 5 (Radiance) + 10 (Sacred Barrier) = 104
Health Bar: 300 / 300
The broadsword, now calm and inert, lay on the ground. Its mouth was gone, as if it had never existed.
Zane picked it up, its surface warm and faintly pulsing with power.
Just then, the ground trembled, and a massive stone door materialized ahead—glowing softly, a clear sign of the dungeon’s exit.
Zane sheathed the broadsword on his back and stepped forward.
The moment he passed through the stone door, the world seemed to vanish into nothingness. It was like falling without movement—like drifting through a dream made of shadows.
With a blink, he was standing again, feet firmly planted on the polished floor of the First Hall inside the Temple of the Pre-Academy of Whistler Town.
"I knew it! You can do it!" a wild, familiar voice erupted.
Thor Shelby let out a laugh that echoed through the chamber, filled with sheer pride and excitement. His eyes quickly scanned Zane—spotting the sidearm, the watch, and the broadsword strapped across his back.
There was no doubt now.
The kid had passed. He had registered.
Zane met Thor’s gaze and saw genuine happiness in the man’s face. All of today’s progress—his survival, success, and advancement—had begun because of Thor Shelby bringing him here. Because of Thor’s faith.
Zane felt a sudden sense of obligation—and gratitude.
After a brief moment of reflection, he asked, "Mister Shelby, do you want to join the Temple of Assassins?"
Thor blinked. Then he chuckled. "Heh. Yes-yes, technically, both of us can get into that group if someone with the right status recommends us. It’s just a matter of time. If we make big enough contributions to the Hero Association, maybe they’ll invite us." He waved his hand dismissively. "Let’s not worry about the future. Let’s get out of here—I can’t hold this place much longer."
Zane didn’t move. His voice was firm.
"No, I mean... do you want to join right now?"
"What?" Thor laughed again. "Ha! That’s a brutal joke, kid. I told you, this place—this Temple—it strains me too much. Let’s go."
Zane didn’t answer with words.
Instead, he tapped his watch.
In an instant, a black cassock materialized around him—flowing from head to toe in dark, shadowy fabric. The hood dropped low over his eyes. The material shimmered subtly, like moonlight on water, yet it radiated menace.
[Cloaking Mode Activated!]
[Bonus: +1 to All Stats]
Then he deactivated it.
The cassock vanished without a trace.
Thor stared, mouth slightly open, speechless.
Zane looked him in the eye and said calmly, "I’m now a rookie member of the Temple of the Assassins."
Then, more firmly, "I’ll ask again. Do you want to join... or not?"
Thor was silent. His expression flickered between disbelief, awe, and something else—pride.
At last, he said, "Hmm... you really did it. And there’s nothing shameful about that."
He smiled faintly. "There’s no shame in age—not in this Awakening Era. If you can... recommend me, Zane."
"Recommend? I’ve got something better."
With a mental command, a Special Key materialized in his palm. In response, a virtual keyhole appeared midair, pulsing with shadowy energy. He inserted the key, twisted it—
And a black door appeared, shimmering with a dazzling white light from within.
Zane stepped through without hesitation.
Thor took a deep breath and followed.
The moment they both entered, the black door vanished behind them.
Zane had expected to arrive in another dungeon—and he was right.
The air was heavy. The space around them warped slightly, as if logic didn’t apply here. They stood on a smooth stone platform at the edge of a massive underground cavern.
Virtual notifications popped into Zane’s vision.
[Dungeon Scan Completed]
[Dungeon Rank: D — Special Case]
[Clearance History: 13 Previous Attempts]
[Quest Challenge Available]
"...Stop the quest. This isn’t mine," he muttered.
The system powered down.
Thor glanced around the eerie cavern landscape. "Where... are we? That a dungeon?"
"You know about them?"
Thor scoffed. "Kid, I cleared my twenty-first dungeon last month. The Academy’s been pushing students and heroes to clear them—to stop those monsters inside from leaking into the real world."
Zane nodded approvingly. "Good."
He turned toward the yawning cavern entrance before them.
"This is one of the Grade D – Special Case dungeons assigned only to members of the Temple of Assassins."
Then, with a sly grin, he added—
"Clear this... and you’ll become a rookie member too."