"The Fated Rival of the Moon"

The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth as Azrael, Elaris, and Veyrin stood at the entrance of the ancient dungeon. Towering stone pillars, cracked with age, framed the dark abyss before them. Strange glyphs flickered faintly across the stone archway, remnants of an old civilization long forgotten.

Azrael exhaled sharply, gripping the hilt of Necrilith, his Abyssal Crown sword. Beside him, Elaris inspected the entrance with a critical gaze, her long blonde hair cascading down her back. Veyrin, ever the charismatic noble, cracked his knuckles with an easygoing grin.

"Well then," Veyrin said, stretching his arms. "Shall we begin our little adventure?"

Elaris scoffed. "Don't slow me down."

Azrael remained silent, stepping forward first. As soon as his foot crossed the threshold, the atmosphere shifted. A deep hum vibrated through the air, and an invisible force dragged them inward.

The next moment, they were inside.

The entrance behind them vanished.

"Tch." Azrael clicked his tongue, already expecting this. Most ancient dungeons were self-contained spaces, preventing easy escape.

The corridor ahead was lined with glowing blue runes, casting an eerie glow over the damp stone walls. The temperature was noticeably colder, and the air felt heavier, charged with lingering magic.

Veyrin whistled. "Damn, I love these places. So much history, so many relics to steal—ah, I mean, recover."

Elaris glanced at him. "Do you ever take things seriously?"

"Of course," Veyrin replied, his grin widening. "But only when I need to. You should try loosening up, Princess."

Elaris ignored him and turned to Azrael. "Since you're the one with dungeon experience, how do you want to proceed?"

Azrael placed a hand against the stone wall, focusing.

Presence detection... No enemies nearby.

"We move forward in formation," he said. "I'll take point. You handle mid-range combat. Veyrin covers the rear."

Veyrin raised a hand. "Wait, wait. Why am I in the back?"

"Because you're the weakest."

Veyrin's playful smirk twitched. "Ouch. That hurts, bro."

Ignoring him, Azrael moved forward.

---

First Encounter – The Spectral Guardians

Their footsteps echoed through the long corridor until the walls widened into an open chamber. Stone statues lined the sides, each depicting a heavily armored warrior holding a massive weapon. At the far end of the room stood a rusted gate.

Elaris narrowed her eyes. "This is too obvious."

Azrael nodded. "They're going to move."

The moment they stepped into the center—

Creak.

The statues groaned as they came to life, their stone bodies shifting as blue flames ignited in their hollow eyes. Each wielded weapons larger than a normal human, and they moved with unnatural speed.

[Spectral Guardians – Level 150]

Azrael's grip tightened around Necrilith.

"Elaris, take the right. Veyrin, the left. I'll handle the center."

Elaris smirked. "Finally, some action."

She dashed forward, her form a blur as she unsheathed her rapier, its silver blade glowing with condensed aura. In a single precise motion, she pierced through a Guardian's chest, causing cracks to spread along its body before it shattered into dust.

Veyrin, despite his laid-back nature, moved with deadly efficiency. His aura-coated daggers flashed as he weaved between the towering enemies, slashing at their joints and weak points.

Azrael activated Crimson Overdrive, flames erupting around him as his speed and strength surged. Necrilith sang through the air, carving through two Guardians in a single swing.

Boom!

The last enemy collapsed, the flames in its eyes flickering out.

Veyrin exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Whew. Not bad, not bad. You two are terrifying."

Elaris flicked dust off her rapier. "You weren't completely useless."

Veyrin clutched his chest dramatically. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Azrael ignored their banter, already analyzing the next path. The gate ahead rumbled open.

---

The Second Trial – The Abyssal Pit

Beyond the gate, a deep chasm stretched endlessly below. Floating platforms, each glowing with a faint blue light, hovered in the air. The far side was at least fifty meters away.

Veyrin let out a low whistle. "I assume we're jumping across?"

Azrael nodded. "Be careful. There's no telling what's below."

Elaris didn't hesitate. She leapt first, landing gracefully on a platform.

Azrael followed, using Shadow Step to teleport short distances, covering ground effortlessly.

Veyrin muttered under his breath. "Why did I agree to this…?" Before taking a running leap.

Halfway across, a deep growl echoed from below.

A massive, serpentine creature shot up from the abyss, its body covered in glowing black scales.

[Abyssal Serpent – Level 180]

Its golden eyes locked onto them before lunging.

"Move!" Azrael barked.

Elaris spun mid-air, golden light gathering in her palm before she unleashed a searing lance of energy, forcing the serpent to recoil.

Veyrin barely landed before flipping backward as the monster's tail smashed down, shattering a platform.

Azrael's eyes sharpened.

Fast. Strong. But not invincible.

Flames surged around him as he launched forward, Necrilith carving a deep wound into the serpent's side. The beast roared in fury, its tail whipping around.

Elaris dashed along the platforms, launching precise attacks that weakened its defenses, while Veyrin moved like a shadow, targeting its eyes and joints.

With one final Crimson Overdrive-enhanced strike, Azrael cleaved the serpent's head from its body.

The corpse fell into the abyss, vanishing into darkness.

Ding!

[You have defeated the Abyssal Serpent!]

+10 Stat Points

1,500 System Points Earned

---

After the Battle

Veyrin lay on his back, panting. "That was fun. Let's never do that again."

Elaris smirked. "Weaklings shouldn't complain."

Azrael wiped Necrilith clean before glancing at the passage ahead. "We keep moving. We're close to the core of the dungeon."

Veyrin groaned. "No time to rest, huh?"

Azrael simply walked ahead, his mind already calculating their next battle.

The real danger was still waiting.