I continued walking deeper into the forest.
The air felt different now.
Not threatening.
Not overwhelming.
Just… another hunting ground.
Before long, I spotted more goblins moving between the trees. This time, I didn't hide immediately. I observed their pattern, their spacing, their weapons.
They're slower than yesterday, I thought.
Or maybe—
I've just become faster.
When one separated from the group, I moved in.
A single clean strike.
Down.
Another tried to run.
I dashed forward and cut it down before it could even scream.
As the morning turned to noon, I kept hunting.
Group after group.
Sometimes two.
Sometimes three.
Sometimes five at once.
But it wasn't like before.
No trembling hands.
No panicked breathing.
When they rushed me, I stepped aside calmly.
When they attacked together, I read their movements.
Parry.
Slash.
Strike.
Finish.
At one point, three goblins charged at the same time. I lowered my stance and swung wide, forcing them back. Before they could regroup, I stepped in and cut through the nearest one's chest, then spun and drove my blade into another's throat.
The last tried to flee.
I threw a small burst of acid from my palm—
It struck its back.
The goblin screamed as it stumbled.
I closed the distance and ended it with one final swing.
Silence returned again.
Breathing steady.
Body warm.
But not exhausted.
I crouched and collected the cores from each fallen goblin, placing them carefully into my pouch.
By the time the sun began to lower slightly, I finally stopped.
I stepped back into a quiet clearing and knelt down beneath a tree.
"Let's see…"
I emptied the pouch in front of me.
One by one, I began counting.
"…one… two… three…"
The pile grew larger.
"…ten… fifteen… twenty…"
I blinked.
"…twenty-three… twenty-four…"
I picked up the last one.
"…twenty-five."
I stared at the pile of goblin cores in front of me.
Twenty-five goblin cores in total.
A slow smile formed on my face.
Not just because of the money.
But because of what it meant.
Yesterday, three goblins made me panic.
Today—
I hunted them.
In groups.
Without fear.
"I really am changing…" I whispered quietly.
The forest no longer felt like a place where I survived.
It felt like a place where I grew stronger.
Before I could take another step—
The ground trembled.
At first it was subtle. A vibration beneath my boots.
Then—
Rumble.
The earth cracked open several meters ahead of me. Dirt and stone shifted unnaturally, not collapsing—but rearranging.
I stepped back instinctively, gripping my sword tightly.
The shaking intensified.
The soil split in a perfect circle, and from within the fracture, something unnatural began to rise. Stone walls pushed upward from beneath the ground, smooth and carved, ancient symbols glowing faintly along their surface.
A staircase slowly revealed itself.
And at the entrance—
Light.
Not sunlight.
A pale, bluish glow that shimmered like a curtain covering the doorway.
My heart pounded.
"T-this is… a dungeon…"
I had heard stories from townspeople and adventurers.
Sometimes, without warning, dungeons appear in random locations. No one knows why. No one knows how.
But they all say the same thing—
If a dungeon forms in front of you, there's a high possibility of treasure inside.
Rare items.
Magic weapons.
Cores far stronger than goblins.
I stared at the glowing entrance.
My mind raced.
This could be dangerous.
But…
This could also be my chance.
After a moment of hesitation, I tightened my grip on my sword.
"I'll just see what's inside," I muttered.
Carefully, I stepped forward and passed through the curtain of light.
The moment I entered, the forest sounds disappeared.
The air felt colder.
Heavier.
The interior was made of dark stone walls stretching down into a wide corridor. Along the walls, embedded at regular intervals, were glowing magic crystals. They emitted a steady blue light, illuminating the path without flickering.
The floor was smooth stone, surprisingly clean.
Too clean.
Each of my footsteps echoed softly.
Drip.
Drip.
Somewhere in the distance, water fell from the ceiling.
The deeper I walked, the more I felt it—
Mana.
Dense mana filling the air.
This wasn't like hunting goblins outside.
This was different.
Suddenly—
A low growl echoed from ahead.
I stopped.
Three figures emerged from the shadows.
They were larger than goblins—much larger.
At first glance, they looked like dogs.
But standing upright.
Their bodies were muscular, covered in coarse dark fur. Their legs bent slightly like beasts, but their torsos were humanoid. Sharp claws extended from their hands, and their jaws were filled with long, jagged teeth.
Their glowing yellow eyes locked onto me.
They snarled.
Then rushed forward.
Fast.
Too fast.
I raised my sword just in time.
Clang!
One claw slammed against my blade, the force pushing me back several steps.
Another attacked from the side.
I twisted and blocked again.
Clang! Clang!
Their attacks didn't stop.
They struck repeatedly, claws scraping against metal, sparks flying.
I gritted my teeth.
"I need to find an opening…"
Their coordination was better than goblins. They attacked in turns, not recklessly.
One lunged forward.
I blocked.
Another followed instantly.
I blocked again.
My arms began to ache from the constant impact.
Then—
A small mistake.
The monster directly in front of me overextended its swing.
There.
I stepped forward instantly and slashed upward.
My blade cut deep across its torso.
Dark blood splattered against the dungeon floor.
I stepped back immediately, sword raised again.
The wounded monster howled in pain.
The other two rushed in anger.
This time, instead of standing my ground, I stepped back slightly—
Then swung wide.
The blade connected with one's arm.
Slice—
Its arm separated cleanly.
It cried out, staggering.
I didn't hesitate.
I closed the distance and struck downward.
My sword split through its head.
It collapsed.
The remaining two attacked together.
One aimed for my legs.
I jumped back just in time.
The other lunged at my chest.
I twisted sideways and drove my blade straight into its chest mid-lunge.
The force carried us both forward—
I shoved it down and slammed it onto the stone floor.
The last one roared and kicked toward me.
I rolled aside and came up with a full swing.
The blade tore across its neck.
Silence.
Heavy breathing filled the corridor.
Three bodies lay motionless on the cold stone.
I stood there, chest rising and falling, sweat forming on my forehead.
"These are… stronger than goblins…"
But—
I won.
Slowly, faint lights began to form above their bodies.
Monster cores.
Larger than goblin cores.
And glowing brighter.
The three larger cores glowed faintly in my palm.
They were heavier than goblin cores.
Denser.
The mana inside them pulsed slowly, like a heartbeat.
"Should I try absorbing this…?" I murmured to myself.
These weren't low-level monsters like slimes.
Not even goblins.
If I absorbed these—
"My strength will increase… and I can fight monsters like them without getting tired."
The thought alone made my pulse quicken.
I looked around the dungeon corridor.
Silent.
Cold.
No immediate movement.
"…Alright."
I held the first core tightly.
Slowly, I focused the same way I did before.
Draw it in.
Let the mana flow.
The core began to dim as energy seeped into my palm.
At first, it felt cold.
Then—
Heat spread up my arm.
Not burning.
Not painful.
Just intense.
The mana flowed through my veins, rushing toward my chest.
My heart pounded harder.
My breathing deepened.
The core cracked softly in my hand—
—and turned to dust.
I exhaled sharply.
"Whoa…"
My legs felt steadier.
My arms felt… stronger.
Not just strength—
Stamina.
Endurance.
As if something inside me had reinforced my muscles.
I grabbed the second core without hesitation.
This time, the absorption was faster.
The moment I focused, the mana surged inside me like a wave crashing against my ribs.
My senses sharpened.
The air felt clearer.
Even the faint dripping water in the distance sounded louder.
The second core crumbled.
I clenched my fist.
There was no trembling.
No exhaustion.
Only power.
I stared at the last core.
A small grin formed on my face.
"One more."
I absorbed the third.
This time—
The mana spread instantly through my entire body.
From my fingertips to my toes.
My back straightened.
The lingering soreness from yesterday disappeared completely.
It felt like invisible weight had been removed from me.
"Amazing…"
I swung my sword once.
Whoosh.
It cut through the air effortlessly.
Again.
Faster.
The blade felt lighter than ever, as if it were an extension of my arm.
I stepped forward and did a quick practice slash.
Smooth.
Controlled.
Precise.
A smile slowly formed on my face.
"This is… incredible."
Before I could enjoy the moment longer—
A low growl echoed from deeper within the dungeon.
Then another.
And another.
Six figures emerged from the shadows ahead.
The same humanoid dog-like monsters.
But more of them.
Six this time.
Their claws scraped against stone as they spread out, surrounding me slowly.
If this were earlier—
I might have panicked.
But now?
I adjusted my grip on my sword.
My body felt light.
My breathing steady.
"Come."
The six monsters lunged forward at once.
The six creatures lunged at the same time, their claws scraping sharply against the stone floor as their snarls echoed throughout the corridor, creating a suffocating pressure that pressed against my chest.
But this time—
I didn't feel cornered.
I stepped forward instead of back.
The first monster reached me in a blur of fur and claws, its arm swinging downward toward my head. I lifted my sword smoothly, blocking the strike with far less effort than before, the impact no longer rattling my bones but instead feeling manageable—predictable.
Before it could recover, I twisted my wrist and slid my blade along its extended arm, cutting deep into the muscle. Dark blood splashed against the dungeon floor as the creature howled in pain.
The second one leapt toward my side, jaws open wide, aiming for my shoulder.
I lowered my stance and pivoted, narrowly avoiding its bite, then drove my sword upward from below, the tip piercing through its torso and emerging from its back. Its body went limp almost instantly, collapsing heavily against me before sliding to the ground.
Four left.
Two rushed together from the front while another circled behind me, clearly attempting to flank me like trained hunters.
"They're coordinating…" I muttered under my breath.
The two in front attacked in alternating strikes, forcing me to block and shift my footing repeatedly, their claws striking my blade again and again in rapid succession. Sparks flickered in the blue crystal light as metal met claw.
I could feel the difference now.
Yesterday, this would have exhausted me.
Now, my breathing remained steady.
I waited.
Watched.
And then—
One of them stepped just slightly too far forward.
I lunged.
My blade carved across its chest in a wide arc, the cut so deep that the creature staggered backward, clutching at the wound as it screeched.
I didn't give it time to recover.
Closing the distance in two swift steps, I slashed horizontally at its neck.
Its head separated cleanly.
The remaining three roared in fury.
The one behind me charged, claws aiming for my back.
I sensed it at the last second and spun around, meeting its attack head-on. Instead of blocking, I stepped inside its range and drove my shoulder into its torso, throwing it off balance before slamming the hilt of my sword into its jaw.
The crack echoed.
As it reeled, I swung downward with full force, splitting its skull.
Two left.
They attacked together in desperation, their movements faster, more reckless.
One clawed at my leg while the other aimed for my throat.
I jumped back just enough to avoid the first strike, then used the momentum to bring my blade down diagonally across the second monster's arm, severing it completely.
It screamed, stumbling.
I stepped forward and thrust my sword into its chest without hesitation.
The final monster hesitated.
For the first time—
It hesitated.
It growled low, backing away slightly as if reconsidering its chances.
A slow smile formed on my face.
"You're too late."
I advanced steadily, forcing it backward until its back nearly touched the stone wall.
With one final powerful swing, I cut through its torso, the blade slicing cleanly from shoulder to waist.
Silence fell over the dungeon once more.
Six bodies lay scattered across the stone floor, blood pooling between the cracks in the ancient tiles.
I stood in the center of it all, my chest rising slowly, not from exhaustion—but from exhilaration.
Not long ago, three of these creatures had forced me on the defensive.
Now—
Six had fallen.
Without overwhelming me.
Without breaking my rhythm.