The monster's roar faded into a low, guttural growl as it uncoiled itself. Its tail slammed the ground with a thunderous crack, sending tremors across the dungeon floor. Each step it took felt like the final toll of a bell.
Allen stood frozen.
He couldn't move, couldn't think. Every cell in his body screamed at him to run, to survive—but there was no escape. The portal had already begun to fade, and the others had fled, leaving him as bait. As a sacrifice.
His fists clenched.
Then—
DING!
A sharp chime echoed in his skull. A light, bluish screen flickered into view in the corner of his vision.
His heart skipped a beat as the letters etched themselves across the screen:
[TASK: DEFEAT THE AWAKENED B-CLASS MONSTER: VARNOK THE DREADHORN]
REWARD: ????
TIME LIMIT: Until Death
Allen's breath caught in his throat. He blinked.
"Defeat that?" he croaked. "This—this has to be a mistake."
No response. The system window hovered coldly in front of him, uncaring.
More words appeared without prompt:
> [Hint: You cannot escape. Survival requires completion of task.]
The monster snarled and scraped its claws along the stone floor. Its crimson eyes locked onto Allen like he was the only thing left in the world worth killing.
Suddenly, something shifted.
The pounding fear in Allen's chest didn't disappear, but it stopped controlling him. His breathing steadied. His legs no longer felt like stone. The dagger in his hand didn't feel so useless anymore—it felt... anchored.
It wasn't courage. It wasn't rage. It was necessity.
He was going to die here. Unless he fought.
He gritted his teeth and whispered, "If I'm going to die, I'll do it standing."
Varnok growled low, then charged.
Allen threw himself to the side, narrowly dodging the bone-crushing weight of the beast's charge. He rolled, stumbled, and forced himself upright again, slashing at the monster's flank. The dagger left only a shallow cut—but it was a mark.
It felt real. He could fight.
He circled the beast, panting, mind spinning with instinct.
Varnok snarled, whirling toward Allen with terrifying speed for its size. Its horn glowed faintly now, flickering with crimson energy—awakening, just as the system had said. The ground blackened wherever its claws struck. This was no ordinary monster. It wasn't just strong—it was evolving.
But Allen didn't stop, instead , he ducked another swipe and drove the dagger into the beast's hind leg. The blade scraped against bone before snapping completely, the handle spinning from his hand.
"Shit—!"
He threw himself backward just as the tail lashed at him, but not fast enough. The blow clipped his ribs and sent him flying into a broken pillar.
Everything went white. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't feel anything for a moment.
But the system wouldn't let him fall.
> [Task: ACTIVE]
[Vital signs critical. Initiating Adrenal Response Surge.]
[Temporary buff: Pain Resistance increased. Mobility enhanced.]
His eyes snapped open. Allen rolled to the side as Varnok pounced, its claws raking through the stone where he had just been. He gasped in shallow breaths, forcing his body up. His broken dagger was useless now. His strength was slipping, there was no backup. No weapons to use.
Except…
He glanced toward the fallen corpses of monsters from earlier—the ones killed perhaps by Varnok.
And then, he remembered.
His father's words, years ago:
"Slayers aren't always the strongest. Sometimes, the ones who live are the ones who adapt faster."
Allen's eyes darted to a nearby corpse—a smaller beast with jagged claws. Its body was still partially intact. He ran for it.
Varnok chased him, screeching in fury.
Allen dove, tore the creature's claw free with a grunt, and spun mid-motion.
He rammed the sharp edge into Varnok's eye as the monster lunged.
A sickening squelch. A roar of agony. The beast thrashed wildly.
Blood sprayed. Allen was knocked aside again, skidding across the floor like a ragdoll, but Varnok staggered back, one eye now blinded and oozing dark blood.
Allen coughed violently, pushing himself up with shaking arms. His lungs burned. His vision blurred.
But he'd made it bleed.
> [Task Progress: 6%]
[Status: One Eye Disabled | Movement Slowed (Minor)]
Allen let out a shaky, breathless laugh.
"Okay," he whispered hoarsely. "Okay, I can do this."
He grabbed the fallen claw again, wrapped cloth around it as a makeshift hilt, and ran toward Varnok once more.
Allen's legs nearly gave out as he sprinted behind a collapsed pillar. He needed time. Just a few seconds to think, to breathe. Varnok roared again, the sound thick with blood and fury. Its injured eye leaked dark ichor, but the other burned brighter than ever.
He had to end this.
But how?
He gripped the torn claw tighter. His fingers were raw, his ribs cracked, his breathing shallow and rapid. Every step felt like his body was splintering apart.
'I can't win by force,' he thought. 'I need a weakness.'
His eyes scanned the arena.
Then he saw it—the beast's horn. It glowed faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat. The energy source.
If he could destroy it… maybe that would stop it for good.
Allen gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.
Varnok snarled, spotted him, and charged.
Allen didn't dodge and ran straight at it.
The floor trembled with each monstrous stride. Claws sliced the air and the horn gleamed brighter.
Allen dropped low, sliding beneath the charging beast, scraping his side on its claws as he rolled under its belly. Pain exploded across his back—but he forced himself up, climbed its leg, and leapt—Onto its back.
Varnok bucked violently.
Allen screamed as claws slashed at the air behind him, but he held on. He scrambled forward, claw in hand, and with the last of his strength, he drove it into the base of the glowing horn.
A crack of light split the air and then the horn exploded.
Varnok screamed—an unearthly, animalistic howl, and convulsed. Allen was thrown into the air as light erupted from the monster's skull. He crashed against the wall and slumped down, unmoving.
The monster collapsed beside him. Its chest heaved once… then stopped.
A long moment passed before Allen gasped, blood sputtering from his lips. He was alive—but barely.
The air shimmered.
DING!
[CONGRATULATIONS]
Task Complete: You have slain B-Class Awakened Monster: VARNOK THE DREADHORN
His vision blurred as the system screen filled his sight.
[Rewards Granted:]
– +3 Level Up
– Hidden Stat Unlocked: Speed
– Unique Skill Acquired: Instinctive Reflex [Passive]
A rare gift born from extreme survival. Your body reacts faster than thought in moments of danger. Grants a permanent +10% boost to evasion speed and reflex-based responses. In life-threatening scenarios, this skill may trigger an automatic dodge or parry once per encounter. Cannot be manually activated.
– Inventory Unlocked
– Item Received: Beastcore of Dreadhorn (Grade: B)
A pulsing, ominous crystal formed in the heart of Varnok the Dreadhorn. Radiates unstable energy. Can be used to enhance weapons, skills, or traded for rare materials.
Warning: Absorbing its power directly may have unknown effects.
– Item Received: Cloak of the Fallen Hunter (Grade: C+)
A tattered cloak once worn by a forgotten warrior who hunted alone. Its fibers hum with stealth magic.
– Increases movement speed by 15% when health is below 30%.
– Slightly masks the wearer's presence from monsters and detection spells.
– Reduces fall damage by 25%.
Allen stared, barely able to process it.
His trembling hand reached toward his inventory, now glowing in the corner of his vision.
–Minor Health Potion]
Use now? [Yes] / [No]
His finger hovered. Then clicked 'Yes.'
His body glowed blue, warmth rushed through him, washing over his wounds like a tide. Cuts sealed. Bruises faded. The worst pain dulled. Not gone—but bearable.
Allen slumped back, panting.
The dungeon floor was soaked in blood, but this time—it wasn't his.