The shadow golem lunged at Nova, jagged teeth bared in a twisted grin. Its eyes gleamed with malice, its hulking frame a blur of darkness as it closed the distance.
CHAOS ARCANA: FOREST OF JUDGEMENT!
A deafening crack split the air as giant thorns—twisting, red and black, like the spines of a demonic rose—erupted from the earth. They surged forward in a line, racing toward Nova with violent intent, tearing through stone and soil like paper.
But Nova didn't flinch.
MAD DOG HOWL!
With a snarl, Nova summoned the blast again—only this time, it was far more massive, charged by the bottomless pit of rage and hatred boiling within him. The air rippled as a shadowy sphere began to form in front of him, swirling with chaotic energy. It was a writhing mass of black and purple shadows, dense and pulsing, large enough to rival a two-story house.
Then, with a sound like a heartbeat collapsing in on itself, the enormous sphere shrank—compressed into a marble-sized orb of pure, condensed destruction.
Nova caught it in his jaws.
And then—
He fired.
The instant the marble left his mouth, it detonated into a colossal blast of energy, howling like a demon unchained. The shockwave shattered the advancing thorns, tearing them apart in an instant before slamming into the golem with the force of a meteor.
The shadow creature was launched backward like a ragdoll, its body smashing through the jagged forest of its own creation before crashing into a stone wall with a thunderous boom that shook the battlefield.
Dust and smoke filled the air—but Nova didn't stop to admire his work.
He was just getting started.
Nova dashed forward, grabbing the golem by the neck and slamming it into the ground. He grinned like a madman, laughing as he pummeled the creature without mercy.
The golem thrashed, trying to break free from his grip—
Nova simply let go, then seized its head instead, locking it in place before driving his knee hard into its face.
The impact left the golem reeling, stunned and disoriented.
DARK MATTER FANG
Nova sank his fangs into one of the golem's arms, tearing it clean off. He tossed the severed limb aside and licked his lips, eyes gleaming with feral hunger.
[FANG SHARPNESS +1]
[FANG SHARPNESS: Represents the increase in power that Dark Matter Fangs gain from landing a hit.]
With a roar of pain, the golem retaliated, blasting Nova away with a shockwave.
He crashed into a wall but caught himself mid-impact, digging his claws in to hold on. Without hesitation, he launched himself back at the golem, refusing to give it even a second to recover.
Sensing the threat, the golem activated another ability in a desperate attempt to end the fight.
CHAOS ARCANA: CORRUPTED MONARCH
A massive surge of dark energy erupted behind the golem, forming a grotesque shape—a writhing mass of eyes and shadow. The twisted entity let out a low, mocking laugh as it pointed at Nova, as if declaring his fate.
The nightmarish form charged at him.
But Nova was faster.
Echo Step.
In an instant, he vanished—teleporting behind the golem in a blur of movement.
Then he raised his hand.
HOWL OF IMPERIAL DEMISE
Dark matter spiraled into the air, forming colossal orbs that hovered around the golem. The space between them twisted unnaturally, reality bending under the pressure.
And then—they all descended at once.
A barrage of destruction rained down, tearing the golem apart piece by piece, until there was nothing left.
Silence followed.
Then, standing amidst the ruin, Nova tilted his head back—
—and let out a deafening howl of triumph.
Nova's body shimmered as the last remnants of his transformation faded, his monstrous form retreating into that of a battered human. His knees buckled. He collapsed to the ground, panting hard, every breath scraping his lungs like fire.
"Hah… haah… haaaah… Damn," Nova wheezed, a shaky grin tugging at his bloodied lips. "That was… exhilarating."
A booming laugh erupted in his mind, deep and thunderous like an avalanche crashing through the clouds.
"Hahaha! Kid," Kan Sha's voice roared with glee, echoing through Nova's consciousness, "I'll be damned… I never thought you had that kind of fire in you!"
Nova groaned, half in pain, half in pride. "You sound surprised," he muttered, trying to sit up. "Guess I'm full of surprises."
Suddenly, the system's familiar chime rang in his ears, clear and mechanical.
---
[2ND ENEMY DEFEATED]
[REWARDS GRANTED FOR DEFEATING THE ENEMIES]
Sky Pearl: A mystical gem containing the radiance of over four billion stars. Holds the essence of the night sky itself. This item can be consumed to gain a secondery arcana or be used to upgrade weapons.
Black Lion Mane Coat: A trench coat forged from the mane of a shadow beast. Grants high resistance to arcana-based and physical attacks.
Moonlight Katana: A blade forged under a lunar eclipse. Each slash drains the enemy's energy and releases searing light-based projectiles.
[LEVEL 3 ACHIEVED]
New Abilities Unlocked!
MAD DOG: Shadow Bone Armor
A fearsome skeletal armor forged from seething red energy. It clings to the user like a second skin, amplifying both physical durability and arcana-based resistance. Its twisted design mirrors the wrath of a rabid beast—violent, unrelenting, and unstoppable.
MAD DOG: Armor Projection
Unleash the full fury of the Mad Dog. Manipulate and extend parts of the skeletal armor—tails , claws , or jagged limbs—to tear through enemies with brutal precision. Your armor is no longer just a defense... it's a weapon.
Nova blinked at the glowing holographic panels floating before him.
"Okay… that's actually sick," he muttered, reaching for the coat first. "Looks like I just hit the loot jackpot."
Kan Sha chuckled again, voice lower now, almost approving.
"Don't let it get to your head, boy. Stronger enemies are coming. This? This was just the opening act."
Nova stood, draping the black coat over his shoulders. His eyes gleamed with a new hunger.
"Good," he said. "Let the main show begin.
[AUTO-HEAL ACTIVATED]
Effect: After every 2 battles, your body will automatically recover from all injuries.
A warm green light burst around Nova's body like a healing wave, wrapping him in a soft radiance. In a matter of seconds, the bruises vanished, deep wounds sealed shut—and even his severed finger grew back with a sickening squelch and a flash of red energy.
Nova stared at his fully restored hand, jaw slightly slack.
"Hah… haha! No way—I actually got it back!" he shouted, laughing as he wiggled the regrown finger. "I thought I'd never see this guy again!"
His excitement didn't last long. There was still gear to test.
Nova reached down and unsheathed the Moonlight Katana, its blade gleaming with an ethereal silver hue. He took a deep breath, then slashed at the stone wall beside him.
A crescent wave of pale blue energy tore forward, carving a deep, jagged scar into the wall with a hiss of burning light.
"…That was sick," Nova grinned, eyes gleaming. "Oh yeah, you're staying with me."
He turned next to the Sky Pearl, the radiant orb pulsing with cosmic light—swirls of starlight dancing within like a miniature galaxy trapped in crystal. His eyes widened in recognition.
"Wait… is this what I think it is? An SS-Class Sky Pearl?" Nova said aloud. "I mean… this would've been super useful before I unlocked my new abilities, but… weapon upgrades, maybe?"
Kan Sha's voice rumbled in his mind, calm but amused.
"Or you could give it to someone else, once you're out," the ancient voice echoed. "Either way, you'll be getting a lot more loot from here on. And don't worry about storage. Just toss anything you don't need on the ground when you exit the dungeon—the system will convert the dungeon zone into a pocket dimension. Perfect for item storage… or even a personal base."
Nova blinked. "A base, huh? That's… actually pretty neat."
He cracked his knuckles and sheathed the katana.
"Well, now that that's out of the way…"
"Let's see what the next enemy has in store."
Time past and Nova finished fighting the rest of the systems enemies.
The last dungeon monster fell with a whimper, its black ichor evaporating into the air like smoke. Nova stood over it, barely winded. His breath was calm, controlled—even bored.
After the chaos of the shadow golem, the rest of the dungeon's monsters had been… well, laughable.
His body grew from the constant battles and healing of the systems his once sickly frame was now stacked with muscle giving him an athletic build.
He cracked his knuckles as the system chimed once again.
[LEVEL 100 ACHIEVED]
[ALL DUNGEON ENEMIES DEFEATED]
[NEW ABILITIES UNLOCKED]
> PACK CALL: Summon clones that listen to your every command with deadly precision.
MAD DOG: SOUL FLARE: Create a massive spectral wolf avatar cloaked in purple-black flames. Scales with Arcana Output.
BERSERKER HOUND CRY: Unleash a bloodcurdling howl that temporarily stuns enemies
ELUSIVE EYE: When direct eye contact is made, instantly conjure a powerful illusion.
---
[NEW ITEMS OBTAINED]
> DRAGON BONE GOBLETS: Twin bone-crafted vessels that boost physical stats when worn as relics.
SHADOW KING BOW: A sinister longbow with unlimited arrows that by pass arcana defenses and deal massive impact damage.
SCROLL OF REFLECTIONS: A one-use magical scroll that absorbs and reflects back any single ability used against the wielder.
---
[CURRENT STATS: LEVEL 100]
STRENGTH: 200
SPEED: 400
ENDURANCE: 600
HP: 2500
ARCANA ENERGY: 500
ARCANA OUTPUT: 350
---
"Hmph. These stats aren't too far off from SS-Rank adventurers," Nova muttered to himself, watching the numbers flicker across his HUD. "Still room to grow… but this? This is enough to take on a fortress."
Kan Sha's voice crackled into his mind, deep and approving.
> "Alright. You've reached the point where I think you can handle yourself, kid."
Nova blinked in surprise. There was a strange warmth in Kan Sha's tone this time—an ounce of respect.
> "You're still reckless. Still hungry. But now?"
"Now you're a monster with direction."
There was a pause, heavy with implication.
> "It's time you left this dungeon... and went to get your sister."
Nova stood still, the words hanging in the air like a final verdict.
His fists clenched, not with rage—but with focus.
"Yeah," he said, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Yeah, it's time."
He took one last look around the battlefield. Cratered ground. Shattered walls. And yet, his body pulsed with power, renewed and unbroken.
With a single thought, the dungeon shimmered around him—its walls flickering, bending as the system's exit gate appeared in a swirl of data and golden light.
> [EXIT DUNGEON?]
[YES] — [NO]
Nova stepped forward, dragging his new coat behind him like a cloak of war.
"I'm coming, Sis," he whispered.
"And and to the Bluestones those monsters that took you from our family …?"
"They better pray I don't leave them to suffer after im done ."
The dazzling sunlight hit Nova's face like a slap—sharp, hot, and blinding.
He winced, squinting up at the sky as he stepped through the exit gate, landing on familiar soil. The same field where Reginald had first opened the portal to the dungeon.
"…Haaah—man, that's bright," Nova muttered, shielding his eyes. "I haven't seen the sun in… wait—how long have I been in there?"
Kan Sha's voice drifted in, calm and uncaring.
> "About three days out here. Three years in the dungeon."
Nova froze.
"Wait—three YEARS?! That's insane! It didn't even feel like a month!"
> "The first two monsters and the last three gave insane EXP," Kan Sha replied, almost bored. "The other ninety-five? Not so much. Plus, your sense of time was probably warped by the auto-heal and your beast mod state. You didn't notice the shift."
Nova blinked. "…You couldn't have told me that earlier?!"
> "Eh. You weren't gonna stop grinding either way," Kan Sha said with a casual shrug in his voice.
"Besides, only three days passed in the real world. So let's forget the semantics and focus on what's next…"
"Time to head for the Bluestones."
Nova exhaled sharply, brushing off Kan Sha's lack of concern. "Bluestones, huh…"
He rolled his shoulders. His body felt stronger—no, unstoppable. His breath came easy, his blood thrummed with arcana, and his mind was sharp like a freshly-forged blade.
Then he cracked his knuckles and dropped into a runner's stance.
"Alright then…"
The ground beneath his feet shattered as he launched forward.
BOOM.
Nova tore across the field, a blur of black coat and silver light. Trees whipped past in a blur, the wind howling in his ears as his speed surpassed lightning.
---
[MAD DOG SYSTEM: NEWAVAILABLE]
[NEW OBJECTIVE: REACH THE BLUESTONES STRONGHOLD]
---
I'm coming, Sis, Nova thought, his expression darkening.
No more delays.
No more mercy.