The air grew warmer as Noel descended the final steps.

Mana-infused crystals pulsed gently along the walls, guiding him into the vast chamber below. The underground domain stretched out like a hidden world — jagged terrain, shadowed ridges, streams of dense mana fog drifting across the ground.

Every rumble in the distance hinted at something powerful moving deeper inside.

Noir inhaled sharply. 'Dad… everything here is strong. This is perfect.'

Noel adjusted the Veil of the Silent Sentinel around his shoulders. The cloak responded instantly, softening his presence until he felt like he barely existed in the air.

At the base of the stairs, three hunters turned toward him — two humans and an elf.

Their armor was worn from real battles, their weapons carried the dull shine of constant sharpening.

They looked at him with mild surprise, not suspicion — just genuine curiosity.

The elf stepped forward slightly, offering a polite nod.

"Didn't expect someone so young down here," he said. "Ascending alone?"

Noel returned the nod. "Yeah. Just training."

One of the humans chuckled, not unkindly. "Well, you've got guts. Most don't touch this place until they're older."

The other added, "If you're confident enough to come alone, you'll fit right in. Welcome."

Noel offered a simple "Thanks," and continued forward.

None of them recognized him — not with the hood of his cloak shadowing his features, not in a place where power spoke louder than faces.

A deep growl rippled through the chamber. Something massive shifted behind a cluster of dark stone pillars.

Noir's tail flicked with excitement. 'Dad… that one's big.'

Noel slid a hand to Revenant Fang's hilt.

"Good," he murmured. "We came for big."

A tremor rolled through the cavern floor—

a slow, deliberate THUD… THUD… THUD… like a heartbeat made of stone.

From behind a jagged rock formation, something enormous pushed through the shadows.

A Stoneback Grottotaur.

Its legs were thick as pillars, each step cracking the stone beneath. Jagged mineral plates jutted from its spine and shoulders, scraping the cavern wall with a shrill grind. Steam hissed from its nostrils, glowing orange eyes locking straight onto Noel.

Noir's voice brushed against his thoughts. 'Ascendant rank… Common type. Heavy, slow, and extremely territorial.'

The Grottotaur snorted—

and the air vibrated.

Then it lowered its torso, claws ripping trenches along the ground as it built momentum.

BOOOOOM.

The charge came like a landslide.

Noel didn't move immediately. He let the creature's killing intent wash over him—

and that's when the Veil of the Silent Sentinel awakened.

Thin mana threads rippled across the cloak, bending the beast's perception.

Its aim drifted—barely, but enough.

At the last heartbeat—

Noel stepped sideways with a sharp pivot, boots sliding across dust as the Grottotaur's massive horns swept past his ribs. Wind pressure alone tugged his cloak backward.

He could feel the heat of its breath brush his cheek.

The monster skidded, claws digging deep grooves to brake. Mineral shards broke off its spine as it twisted violently to face him again.

Noel's fingers tightened around Revenant Fang's hilt.

"Alright," he murmured. "Let's test this."

Lightning flickered at his fingertips, racing up his arm before exploding along the blade. The cavern dimmed as if the light were being devoured into a single point at the sword's tip.

He whispered—

"Stormpiercer."

Time seemed to stretch.

Then—

CRACK.

Noel vanished in a streak of white-blue lightning.

The Grottotaur didn't even have time to turn. A spear of electricity tore through its chestplate, melting mineral armor on entry and blasting out through the back in a shower of crackling arcs.

The beast staggered forward on instinct—

—then its entire weight collapsed like falling rubble, shaking dust from the ceiling.

Silence followed.

A faint electric hum faded from Noel's silhouette as he reappeared several meters behind the corpse, Revenant Fang still crackling with residual sparks.

A translucent window shimmered to life:

[You have slain Stoneback Grottotaur (Ascendant – Common).

You have received 0.02% Core Progress.]

[Current Core Progress: 82.70% — Mana Core: Ascendant]

Noel flicked the blade once, sending the last arcs snapping into the air before sheathing it.

Noir leaned forward on his shoulder, tail curling.

'Clean hit. And stylish. Dad, you're showing off.'

He shrugged lightly.

"Wanted to make sure the cloak's reactions sync with mine."

Then he looked deeper into the cavern, where distant roars echoed.

"Let's move. We need stronger prey."

Noel advanced deeper into the cavern, boots kicking up pale dust.

The air grew hotter. Denser. A faint metallic smell drifted through the tunnels.

Noir's ears twitched sharply. 'Dad… two signatures up ahead. One weak, one… strong.'

"Perfect," Noel murmured.

He stopped at a narrow choke point—two stone pillars leaning toward each other, forming a natural funnel. An ideal place to kill something fast.

Noel pressed one hand to the ground.

A soft fwoom pulsed beneath his palm as orange glyphs began to form.

"Flare Trap."

Lines of fire traced across the stone in a circular pattern, thin but glowing like molten metal. He expanded it—wider, wider—until it covered nearly the entire floor between the pillars.

He stepped back and waited.

From the dark emerged a creature shaped like a wolf but built like a hunting cat, covered in patchy magma-like fur and glowing fissures.

Lavafang Carver — Adept Rank (Rare). Its claws dripped molten residue, eating into the ground as it walked.

Noir whispered. 'This one spits magma… don't let it build pressure.'

The Carver halted—

hackles rising—

then it lunged with a blast of molten breath.

The trap ignited.

WHOOOOSH—!!

A vertical pillar of flame erupted upward, engulfing the beast mid-leap. The explosion snapped its body sideways, crashing it into a pillar with a bone-cracking thud.

But it didn't die.

The Carver snarled, body steaming, molten blood sizzling on the rocks as it staggered to its feet.

Its eyes burned bright red as it inhaled—preparing a massive magma blast.

Noel didn't give it time.

He rushed forward, heat curling around his cloak but unable to breach the Sentinel's mana barrier.

Revenant Fang flashed.

"Ignition Surge."

Flames wrapped the blade, casting a red shine across his eyes as he closed the distance.

The Carver spat its magma burst—

—and Noel cut straight through it, the cloak's Silent Guard absorbing the edge of the heat as he surged through the attack.

He drove Revenant Fang down from above—

CRACK—BOOM!

The flaming blade cleaved into the Carver's spine, splitting the glowing fissure line perfectly.

The creature convulsed once, twice—

—and collapsed in a pool of cooling magma.

A glowing window appeared.

[You have slain Lavafang Carver (Adept – Rare).

You have received 0.025% Core Progress.]

[Current Core Progress: 82.73% — Mana Core: Ascendant]

Noir hopped from his shoulder and inspected the corpse. 'Dad… you cut its core in half. That's overkill.'

"It aimed a full blast at my face," Noel replied. "I consider that fair trade."

The cloak shimmered faintly, threads readjusting around him.

More roars echoed deeper in the cavern—louder this time.

Noel's fingers slid along the hilt again.

"Let's keep going. Something elite has to be nearby."

Noir's eyes glowed purple. 'Oh, I smell one. And it's big.'

He smiled.

"Good." He stepped forward, cloak billowing.

The cavern widened into a dome-shaped chamber, crystalline growths casting blue-white light across the walls.

The air vibrated with mana — heavy, electric, alive.

Noir tensed on Noel's shoulder.

'Dad… straight ahead. Ascendant Elite. And angry.'

A deep, rumbling snarl answered her words.

From behind a fallen pillar, a massive beast stepped out — tall as a carriage, plated in obsidian armor. Its body resembled a lion twisted with draconic traits: jagged scales, a split tail, and four red eyes glowing like embers.

Obsidian Mauler — Ascendant Elite.

Its claws scraped sparks from the floor as it lowered its stance.

Noel rolled his shoulders.

"Yeah," he muttered, "this one will hit harder."

The Mauler roared — blasting a wave of pressure that cracked nearby crystals.

Then it charged.

The ground shook.

Noel's cloak reacted instantly, Hostile Veil dimming his presence as he closed his footing.

The first strike came like a falling boulder.

He met it head-on.

"Frost Wall!"

A thick barrier of ice erupted between them — only to shatter on impact as the Mauler plowed through it, claws tearing through cold shards.

Noel pivoted sideways, cloak flowing.

"Chain Flash!"

Lightning shot from his palm, splitting mid-air into multiple arcs. The bolts slammed into the Mauler's flank — scorching, staggering it…

…but not slowing it nearly enough.

'It barely felt that, Dad!' Noir warned.

"Yeah, I noticed."

The Mauler swung its tail like a whip—

—Noel ducked beneath it, sliding across the floor in a burst of sparks, Revenant Fang drawing a gleaming arc.

"Fire Arc!"

The flaming blade carved a burning slice through the beast's hind leg, forcing it to stumble.

But the Elite retaliated instantly, exhaling a blast of black heat — molten, compressed, hotter than magma.

Sentinel's Pulse flared.

The cloak hardened around Noel for one heartbeat, absorbing the lethal edge as he leaped aside.

Noir hissed. 'That would've melted your lungs.'

"Yeah, thanks."

Noel planted his foot, eyes sharpening.

He needed to end this fast.

Lightning crawled up his arms.

Magic surged around Revenant Fang.

"Stormpiercer."

The world snapped.

Noel vanished — reappearing in a streak of blue-white light directly above the Mauler's back.

The sword plunged downward at near-supersonic force.

KRRRRAAAACK—!!

Scales split. Stone shattered beneath them. The Mauler roared in agony as lightning wrapped around its body like a strangling chain.

It collapsed to its knees.

Noel landed, twisted his stance—

—and dragged Revenant Fang upward in a decisive finishing arc.

SHRRRKK—!

The Mauler fell with a seismic thud, body twitching once before going still.

A golden window blinked alive.

[You have slain Obsidian Mauler (Ascendant – Elite). You have received 0.10% Core Progress.]

[Current Core Progress: 82.83% — Mana Core: Ascendant]

Noel exhaled through his nose.

"Hard hitter," he admitted. "But manageable."

Noir hopped onto the corpse, sniffing proudly. 'Dad, your cloak reacted perfectly! You barely took damage!'

"Good," he said. "We're just getting started."

The deeper tunnels opened into a vast chasm lit by molten streams running through cracks in the earth. Heat shimmered in the air. The floor vibrated constantly — as if something enormous breathed beneath it.

Noir leapt from Noel's shoulder.

'Dad… I need my big form.'

Noel nodded. "Go for it."

A pulse of shadow exploded around her.

FWOOOM—

Her tiny body stretched, expanded, darkened — until a towering wolf with black fur and purple streaks stood beside him, claws digging into the stone like roots.

Noir, in her full form, was the size of a carriage now. Eyes gleaming with hunger.

'Let's hunt properly.'

A roar thundered from across the chasm.

Then another.

Then several — echoing over each other in a chorus of rage.

Three massive beasts emerged from the molten-lit shadows:

Molten Fang Ravager (Ascendant – Common)

Cinderhide Basilisk (Ascendant – Rare)

Gloomback Ogre (Ascendant – Rare)

Noel rolled his neck.

"Perfect warm-up."

The Ravager lunged first — a four-legged beast with lava dripping from its fangs. Noir met it head-on, slamming her full weight into its flank.

CRUNCH—!

Bones buckled. The monster spun, tumbling like a ragdoll.

Before it recovered, Noel lifted his hand.

"Voltage Needle."

A spear of lightning shot clean through its skull.

[You have slain Molten Fang Ravager (Ascendant – Common). You have received 0.02% Core Progress.]

[Current Core Progress: 82.85% — Mana Core: Ascendant]

The basilisk struck next, its long body whipping forward, maw opening to spit burning venom.

Noel stepped sideways —

"Shadow Step."

—vanishing into his own shadow and reappearing atop the creature's back.

Revenant Fang ignited with flame as he slashed downward.

"Ignition Surge!"

FIRE roared along the blade. The basilisk shrieked as the strike split through scale and spine.

KRRSSHH—!!

It crashed to the ground, convulsing once before going limp.

[You have slain Cinderhide Basilisk (Ascendant – Rare). You have received 0.05% Core Progress.]

[Current Core Progress: 82.90% — Mana Core: Ascendant]

Noir, meanwhile, had pinned the Gloomback Ogre beneath her claws. It struggled wildly, swinging a boulder-sized fist at her jaw.

Noir snarled. 'Oh please.'

She bit down on its shoulder and tore half its torso clean off.

The ogre collapsed in a wet heap.

[You have slain Gloomback Ogre (Ascendant – Rare). You have received 0.05% Core Progress.]

[Current Core Progress: 82.95% — Mana Core: Ascendant]

Noel exhaled slowly, heat rising from the bodies around them.

But deeper in the lair…

THOOOM… THOOOM… THOOOM…

Something far heavier began to move.

Noir's massive tail swayed, excitement twitching through her fur.

'Dad… that one's BIG. Really BIG.'

Noel tightened his cloak and lifted Revenant Fang.

He smirked.

"Then let's finish strong."

He jumped onto Noir's back, her shadowy fur rising like armor beneath him. Together, they charged deeper into the chasm — two hunters ready to tear through anything that moved.

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