The chamber was quiet.
Unnaturally so.
The battle had ended, yet the air still clung with its memory.
Dust floated through the faint green glow that seeped from cracks in the stone walls, drifting lazily as if the world itself was still recovering from what had just transpired.
Broken stone littered the ground.
Scorch marks.
Deep claw gouges.
The faint scent of battle lingered—steel, earth, and something… metallic.
Blood.
For a moment—
There was only silence.
Then—
Rio stirred.
Her eyelids slowly opened, her vision adjusting to the dim light.
Her body felt heavy.
Not just physically—but emotionally.
The kind of exhaustion that came from pushing beyond limits.
She exhaled softly.
"…Hah…" She checked the time
"Guess I fell asleep for two hours"
Something warm rested against her.
Heavy.
Steady.
Her eyes shifted slightly downward.
"…Ryota."
He was asleep.
Completely.
His head rested against her shoulder, his breathing slow and even, his body finally surrendering to rest after the intense battle they had just endured.
His grip—loose, relaxed.
For once, there was no tension in his hands.
Rio blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"…Get up."
No response.
She frowned slightly.
"…Ryota."
Still nothing.
"…You're heavy."
A pause.
Then—
Ryota shifted slightly, letting out a quiet murmur before his grip tightened briefly, as if instinctively trying to stay where he was.
"…Five more minutes…"
Rio stared at him.
Her expression didn't change—but her eyes narrowed just a little.
"…Get off We been sleeping for two hours."
This time—
He reacted.
Ryota slowly opened one eye.
"…Alright, alright… I'm up."
With a quiet groan, he lifted himself off her, stretching his neck and shoulders as the stiffness from the fight set in.
He rolled his shoulder, exhaling.
"…That was a rough one."
Rio adjusted her own posture, rolling her shoulder where he had been leaning.
"…You fell asleep on me."
Ryota gave a faint, tired smirk.
"…Yeah. Didn't mean to."
A pause.
"…But best sleep I've had in a while."
Rio huffed softly.
"…You're unbelievable."
Their attention shifted.
A chest.
Near where the boss had fallen.
Ryota squinted.
"…Hey."
His voice dropped slightly.
"…Was that there before?"
Rio turned.
Her gaze sharpened.
Focused.
"…No."
No hesitation.
No doubt.
They approached cautiously.
Each step echoed faintly through the chamber.
The dust stirred under their feet.
The faint green light reflected across the surface of the chest, giving it an almost otherworldly glow.
Rio stopped.
She knelt.
Her fingers hovered for a moment.
Then—
Gently, she placed them against the worn wood.
A breath.
Then—
She lifted the lid.
Inside—
A saber.
Pure silver.
The blade reflected the green light in the chamber, its surface flawless, untouched by time.
The hilt was engraved with a wolf crest.
It shimmered.
Not just visually.
But faintly… as if something inside it was still alive.
Rio's eyes widened.
Just slightly.
Ryota stepped closer, fatigue still present in his face, but his curiosity overriding it.
"…You said this dungeon only had the Fenrir Blade."
His gaze lingered on the weapon.
"…How come there's an extra chest here?"
Rio didn't respond immediately.
Her gaze remained locked on the saber.
Studying it.
Understanding it.
"…The boss…"
Her voice was quiet.
"…Resurrected."
Ryota blinked.
"…Huh?"
Rio lifted the saber carefully, her movements slow and deliberate.
"…Into Blood Release."
She ran her fingers along the blade's edge.
"When that happens…"
A pause.
"…Defeating it triggers a hidden weapon drop."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"In my previous life…"
Her voice softened.
"…It never triggered."
Silence.
She exhaled.
"…So this…"
Her eyes shifted back to the blade.
"…This is new."
Ryota leaned slightly forward, studying it.
"…So it's rare?"
Rio nodded once.
"…Unique."
Ryota tilted his head, then gave a small, tired smile.
"…Then why don't you take it?"
Rio blinked.
"…What?"
"You fought the boss too."
His voice was calm.
Certain.
"You almost died."
A brief silence settled between them.
Ryota's gaze softened slightly.
"…It wouldn't be fair if you didn't get anything."
Rio frowned.
"…What about you?"
Ryota shrugged lightly.
"My sword's somewhere back there. I dropped it earlier."
A faint smirk formed on his lips.
"But you?"
His eyes met hers.
"You earned this more than I did."
A pause.
Then—
He leaned back against a broken pillar, clearly exhausted, but still smiling.
"…Besides…"
His smirk deepened slightly.
"…I got to sleep on your shoulder after that fight."
Rio stared at him.
"…Really that what matters to you?"
Ryota chuckled quietly.
"…Totally worth it."
For a moment—
Rio just looked at him.
Then—
A sharp, quiet laugh escaped her.
"…I should have let the boss howl at you."
Ryota grinned.
"…You wouldn't dare."
Rio rolled her eyes slightly—but her lips softened.
Just a little.
She turned back to the saber.
And then—
She made her decision.
She equipped it.
The moment it was in her hands—
The blade reacted.
A surge of energy—
Then—
A crimson shockwave erupted from the saber.
A perfect crescent.
Cutting through the air with precision and power.
The dust in the chamber scattered violently, pulled apart by the force of the strike.
For a brief moment—
The space itself seemed to tremble.
"…Wow…" Rio whispered.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…It's… like it remembers."
Ryota raised an eyebrow.
"…Careful."
A faint smirk returned.
"…Don't fall in love with it."
Rio didn't look at him.
But her grip tightened slightly.
"…You'd get jealous."
Ryota chuckled.
"…Maybe I would."
Rio huffed softly.
But this time—
There was no annoyance.
Only a faint warmth lingering beneath it.
Rio then clicked the equipped weapon
A soft system chime echoed.
Crimson Bloodmoon
— Fenrir's Legacy Reforged —
Weapon Type: Saber
Rarity: Mythic (Evolution-Type)
Requirement: Swordsman
Base Stats (at Acquisition)
Physical Attack: +12
Attack Speed: +0.4%
Critical Interaction: Moderate (Enhanced on bleeding targets)
Core Ability — Moonlight Melody
A technique born from the soul of the fallen Silver Werewolf.
When activated, the wielder channels blood-infused energy into the blade, releasing a crescent-shaped crimson shockwave that tears through enemies in a straight arc.
Mana Cost: 65
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Effect:
Deals 150% weapon attack as AoE damage in a crescent path
Applies Blood Mark to enemies hit
Enemies affected by Blood Mark take increased damage from subsequent attacks (stacking up to 3 times)
Passive Effect — Blood Resonance
The weapon strengthens itself through combat.
Gains bonus attack scaling based on wielder level
Enhances damage output when fighting enemies with:
Bleed status
Beast-type classification
Boss-tier enemies
Scaling Effect — Bloodmoon Growth
The Crimson Bloodmoon evolves alongside its wielder.
Weapon Attack increases per level gained
Each level grants additional attack scaling:
+1.5 Attack per Level (Base Growth)+Bonus Scaling:
Every 10 levels → Attack scaling increases by an additional +2
Every 25 levels → Skill damage multiplier increases by +5%
Special Trait — Crimson Awakening
When the wielder's HP drops below 30%:
Weapon enters Bloodmoon State
Attack speed increases by +15%
Skill damage increases by +25%
The moment Rio finished reading the weapon's description, she didn't move.
Her fingers remained wrapped around the hilt of the Crimson Bloodmoon.
The blade rested in her hands, its silver surface faintly pulsing with a deep, almost living crimson glow—like something breathing beneath the metal.
"…Rio?"
Ryota's voice broke the silence.
She didn't respond.
"…Hey."
He stepped closer, his brows furrowing with concern.
"…Are you okay?"
Still no answer.
For a moment, Ryota thought something was wrong.
Her breathing was steady—but her eyes…
They weren't focused.
"…Rio?"
Then—
"…This…"
Her voice came out quiet.
Almost disbelieving.
"…This is not possible."
Ryota blinked.
"…What's not possible?"
Rio slowly lowered the blade, her grip tightening as if confirming that it was real.
"…A Mythic weapon…"
Silence.
Ryota frowned slightly.
"…Is that… bad?"
Rio finally looked at him.
Her expression—
For the first time—
Was shaken.
"…No."
A pause.
Then, more clearly—
"…It's not bad."
Her fingers tightened around the saber.
"…It's just…"
She exhaled slowly.
"…I shouldn't have one."
Ryota tilted his head.
"…What do you mean?"
Rio looked down at the blade again.
The crimson glow reflected faintly in her eyes.
"…Mythic weapons are… extremely rare."
Her voice steadied, but there was still a quiet tension beneath it.
"…They don't just drop."
She paused.
"…They choose."
Ryota didn't interrupt.
Rio continued.
"…In most cases, players never even see one in their entire lifetime."
A faint pause.
"…Let alone at level three."
That made Ryota raise an eyebrow.
"…So… we just got lucky?"
Rio shook her head slowly.
"…No."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"…Luck doesn't explain this."
She lifted the weapon slightly.
"…This is a Mythic Growth-Type weapon."
Ryota blinked.
"…Growth-type?"
Rio nodded.
"…It evolves."
She glanced at him.
"…It grows with the user."
A beat.
"As my level increases…"
Her voice softened slightly, but carried weight.
"…so will this weapon."
Ryota crossed his arms slightly.
"…So it just gets stronger over time?"
Rio nodded again.
"…Yes."
Then she added, more quietly—
"…But not just that."
Her grip tightened.
"…It also adapts."
Ryota's expression shifted.
"…Adapts?"
Rio looked back at the blade.
"…To my fighting style."
She paused.
"…To my abilities."
Another pause.
"…To me."
Silence filled the space between them again.
Ryota exhaled slowly.
"…That sounds… broken."
Rio didn't deny it.
"…It is."
She looked at him again.
"…That's why I said I shouldn't have one."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"…This kind of weapon…"
A faint pause.
"…should not be in the hands of someone this early."
Ryota studied her for a moment.
Then spoke, quieter than before.
"…Do you regret getting it?"
Rio immediately shook her head.
"…No."
No hesitation.
"…Never."
She looked back at the Crimson Bloodmoon.
Her expression softened.
"…This weapon… I got it because of you."
A faint, almost invisible smile formed.
"…thank you.. I don't know what to say..."
Ryota let out a small breath.
Then—
"…Well."
He shrugged slightly.
"…I don't really care much, I'm just glad you like the weapon and you're alright."
Rio glanced at him.
"…You're too calm about this."
Ryota smirked faintly.
"How are we suppose to rise to the top if we don't have you at your best."
Simple.
Direct.
No doubt.
Rio stared at him for a moment.
Then looked away.
But this time—
She didn't argue.
Instead—
She tightened her grip on the weapon.
"…Let's see how far it grows."
And for the first time—
The Crimson Bloodmoon pulsed in her hands.
As if in agreement.
[Level Up]Rio has reached Level 3
A holographic interface appeared before her.
[Stat Update]
Level: 3
Abilities Leveled Up:
Chronos Eye — Level 1-> Level 2
Chronos Eye Enhancement:
Time manipulation window increased to 4 seconds
Rio's eyes narrowed slightly as she processed the change.
"…Four seconds…"
Ryota tilted his head.
"…Is that good?"
Rio nodded once.
"…Very. I'll fix my stat tree later for now-"
Then—
The world changed.
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
A global notification echoed across Evermount.
A hidden dungeon has been cleared.
Dungeon Name: Silver Wolf Dungeon
Status: Cleared
First Clear Bonus: Activated
Silence fell across the world.
Then— Chaos.
In the Town of Beginnings— Players froze mid-step.
"…What?"
"…Already?"
"…A hidden dungeon?"
Whispers spread.
Then panic.
Guild leaders shouted orders.
"Buy weapons!""Upgrade your gear!""We're not ready for hidden dungeons yet!"
Fear spread like wildfire.
Because everyone understood one thing:
Someone had just stepped ahead of everyone else.
And in the quiet chamber—
Rio lowered her blade.
"…Let's go. Fenrir's Fang is in the room next to us"
Ryota nodded.
No questions.
No hesitation.
Just forward.
The two of them stepped out of the boss room—
Heading towards the hidden room where the dagger Fenrir's Fang was.