CHAPTER 36: The Dungeon of Discipline
The next morning, Darius stood outside the facility's rooftop, his golden wings stretched under the morning sun. He gazed down at the city like a god watching over mortals.
Inside the base, alarms rang briefly as a massive aircraft approached from the southern horizon.
Everyone looked up. The aircraft was black, heavy, and shaped like a fist.
When it landed, the metal doors opened, and a tall, muscular man stepped out. His skin was dark as bronze, his body massive like a walking mountain. Each step he took made the ground tremble. His hands were wrapped with glowing energy lines that pulsed with every heartbeat.
The guards whispered among themselves.
"That's him…"
"The Iron Muscle…"
"Another S ranker…"
The man looked around once, then his deep voice echoed across the rooftop. "Where is Darius?"
Darius turned from where he stood. Their eyes met. One glowing gold, the other deep red like molten iron.
A tense silence filled the air as their auras clashed faintly, rippling through the air like pressure waves.
The African S ranker cracked his knuckles. "I was told you're causing trouble."
Darius smirked faintly. "Trouble? No. Just efficiency."
The man stepped closer, his shadow huge over the deck. "Then let's see if your efficiency can stand a real challenge."
Darius chuckled, golden wings flaring behind him. "Careful. You might regret what you wish for."
From below, the officers watched nervously.
"Dear god," one whispered. "If they fight here, the entire base will be gone."
The elder officer pressed his palm to his forehead. "Let's hope the higher government plan works," he said quietly. "Or we'll be collecting ashes by nightfall."
As the two S rankers stood face-to-face, the air around them began to hum with power; gold and crimson light swirling between them, hinting at the chaos that might soon unfold.
And in the cell below, Max opened his eyes. For the first time since his capture, he felt the tension.
Something outside was stirring again.
The air inside Level 19 of the dungeon was thick with mist and heat. The ground glowed with faint red cracks that pulsed like veins, and every now and then, small sparks of blue fire floated through the air before vanishing. The deeper they went, the darker it became, but the silence was broken by the distant roars of monsters waiting in the shadows.
Kelvin stood in front of the team, his expression calm but sharp. Kora, Mia, and Lyra stood behind him, all visibly tense. The air pressure on this floor was heavier than anything they had experienced so far.
"This level," Kelvin said quietly, his hands behind his back, "is not about fighting stronger enemies. It's about surviving your own weakness."
The three of them looked at him, unsure what he meant. Kelvin smiled faintly and turned toward them.
"I won't fight here. You three will."
Mia's eyes widened. "What? Alone?"
"Yes," Kelvin said. "You'll each face monsters while I observe. My role is to train you, not babysit you."
Kora gripped her sword, her eyes glowing faintly as the blade whispered with a red aura. Lyra clenched her fists, trying to calm her nerves, while Mia took a deep breath and adjusted her bow.
Kelvin closed his eyes for a moment, then pointed ahead. "Your targets are up ahead. Move."
The ground trembled as several large creatures emerged from the mist, huge, lizard-like beasts with molten scales and bright golden eyes. They hissed, their tails smashing into the ground with enough force to break stone.
"Spread out," Kelvin said.
The three moved at once. Kora ran to the left, Lyra stayed in the center, and Mia took the high ground by leaping onto a cracked stone ledge.
Kora's sword flared with dark red energy as she rushed in, slashing at one of the beasts. The blade sliced through the air, leaving trails of heat behind, but the monster countered with a tail swipe. Kora barely dodged, but as the sword shone brighter, her breathing became unstable.
Kelvin watched closely, his sharp eyes noticing how her steps grew heavier. The sword's energy pulsed irregularly, almost as if it was drinking her strength.
"She's letting it feed on her again," he murmured.
Kora growled and swung again, but her movements became sluggish. Suddenly, the blade's red glow deepened, and for a moment, her pupils shifted to a faint crimson.
Kelvin appeared behind her instantly, catching her wrist before she struck again. "Stop."
She froze, breathing heavily. "I can handle it...."
"You're not handling anything," Kelvin said calmly. "You're letting the sword handle you."
Kora looked down, the sword still humming with faint energy.
"Listen carefully," Kelvin said, his voice calm but firm. "That sword doesn't belong to you. It's alive. Every drop of your blood you feed it makes it stronger and you weaker. Right now, it's not your weapon. It's your master."
Kora bit her lip, trembling slightly. "Then what should I do?"
Kelvin stepped closer. "Control starts from the mind. The sword listens to desire. It senses weakness. If you can't control your emotions, you'll never control the weapon."
He crouched slightly and tapped her forehead. "Put more of your stats into mental power. The sword respects strong will. When you draw it next time, think of it as a partner not a tool."
Kora nodded slowly, breathing deeply to calm her pulse. As she did, the red glow dimmed slightly.
Kelvin smiled faintly. "Good. Now, show me you can fight without losing yourself."
She nodded and dashed back into the battle.
Meanwhile, Mia was struggling. She had fired several arrows, but they barely scratched the monster's scales. Every time she aimed, her hands shook slightly, and her shots went wide.
Kelvin teleported beside her with immense speed, watching silently as she fired another arrow that missed entirely.
Mia lowered her bow, her voice breaking. "I… I don't just get the hang of it."
Kelvin's tone was gentle but cold. "Mia, do you know what your biggest problem is?"
She shook her head.
"You're trying to be someone else," Kelvin said. "You're forcing yourself into your brother's shadow. Archery doesn't suit you."
Mia froze. Her heart dropped at his words. "What do you mean? I've been practicing every day...."
"And yet you're still average," Kelvin interrupted. "You think skill comes from imitation? It doesn't. You're not your brother, Mia."
Her eyes welled up slightly, and she clenched her bow. "Then… what am I supposed to do? If I'm not good at this, then what?"
Kelvin sighed softly. "You're not talentless in archery. You'll just reach your limit soon. But…" He smiled faintly. "You have another gift that's limitless."
She blinked, confused. "Limitless?"
"Summoning," Kelvin said. "Your energy signature is not one of a fighter or sniper. It's that of a caller.
Someone who brings others to fight by her will. Summoners are rare, and most die early because they never discover their gift."
Mia looked down, processing his words.
Kelvin pointed to her status screen hovering faintly beside her. "Use the dungeon diamonds you've been collecting. Purchase a basic summoning skill. Now."
She hesitated but followed his order, opening her status menu. A faint white light wrapped around her as she selected Basic Summon: Spirit Familiar.
The ground under her feet began to glow.
"Focus," Kelvin instructed. "Imagine a creature that matches your soul's rhythm."
Mia closed her eyes, breathing softly. The energy around her thickened, and soon, shadows began to swirl at her feet. A small growl echoed. Then a black cat made entirely of smoke and shadow stepped out from the light, its eyes glowing pale purple.
The cat sat beside her leg and purred softly.
Mia's eyes widened. "I… did it?"
Kelvin nodded. "A shadow cat. Not bad for your first summon."
He crossed his arms, thinking to himself.
" In my past life, she was able to summon an SSS-rank phoenix dragon… but this is a good start."
He smiled faintly, proud despite the quiet memory.
"Don't lose that confidence," he told her. "You just stepped onto your real path."
On the far side of the dungeon, Lyra stood in front of a massive beast. It had three eyes and thick scales, and its roar shook the cave.
Kelvin walked up to her calmly. "This one's yours."
Lyra gulped. "I can't..."
"Yes, you can," he interrupted. "You have the gift of psychological influence, remember? You can manipulate emotions, even from a distance. But you've been holding back."
She clenched her fists. "It's hard. Sensai Hood, this damsel needs your wise words."
Kelvin was short of words as he watched her wink at him like it wasn't even serious.
"I guess you think this is a joke... Maybe it's too easy for you... Maybe I should just..."
"Wait" lyra interrupted in a serious tone, and continued "Every time I try, I feel its emotions flooding into me instead. It's like I'm drowning."
"That's because you're letting it control the link," Kelvin said. "You're feeling its pain, fear, anger, all at once. But emotional power is not about feeling with the target. It's about commanding the emotion you want them to feel."
He stepped closer to the monster and nodded to her. "Focus on its rage. Bend it."
Lyra took a deep breath, her eyes glowing faintly blue as she extended her hands. A thin wave of psychic energy connected her mind to the creature's. Instantly, she gasped as a wave of emotion slammed into her burning anger, hunger, bloodlust.
She staggered, nearly collapsing, but Kelvin didn't move to help.
"Hold it," he said calmly. "Don't run from it. Turn it."
Lyra screamed softly as tears streamed down her face. The beast roared and thrashed, but then, slowly, its movement began to slow. The blue glow from Lyra's eyes deepened, and the red in the beast's eyes started to fade.
Her voice trembled, but her tone was steady. "Calm… calm down."
The monster froze, its breathing growing shallow. Then, like a miracle, it lowered its head and backed away slowly.
Lyra fell to her knees, panting. "I… I did it."
Kelvin smiled faintly. "Good. You didn't just calm it. You broke its mental dominance."
He helped her up. "Remember this feeling. You can't control others without mastering your own fear first."
She nodded, wiping her tears.
After hours of battling and correction, the atmosphere in the dungeon began to shift. The girls moved smoother now, their attacks more precise. Kora swung her sword without letting its aura consume her. Lyra attacked from distance, focusing her psychological power to distract and weaken the enemies' instincts. Mia stood in the back, summoning her shadow cat again and again to fight alongside them.
Kelvin watched with his hands in his pockets, eyes following every motion.
He thought silently, They're finally learning.
The last monster roared, a huge black serpent with molten scales, and charged toward them.
"Kora," Kelvin called. "Now's your chance."
Kora nodded and dashed forward. The serpent lunged at her, but she swung her sword with perfect focus..no overreaction, no wild energy. The red glow around her blade stayed stable as she sliced through its neck.
The monster fell, crumbling into dust.
Lyra used her psychic power to stabilize the dungeon's energy waves, while Mia summoned her shadow cat again to scout the area for any remaining enemies.
Kelvin clapped his hands once, and the sound echoed. "That's enough for today."
The three of them turned to him, breathing heavily but smiling.
"You've improved," Kelvin said, his voice calm but warm. "Each of you overcame something real."
He walked past Kora first. "You controlled the sword instead of feeding it. That's a huge step."
Then to Lyra. "You turned fear into focus. Keep that up, and your power will be unmatched."
Finally, he looked at Mia. "And you… you found your path. Summoning will take you farther than archery ever could."
Mia smiled shyly. "Thanks, Kelvin."
He nodded and turned around, facing the glowing exit gate of the dungeon.
In his mind, though, his expression darkened slightly. They're growing fast… but not fast enough. Soon, the real threats will appear.
He sighed quietly, then smirked faintly. Still, I'm proud of them.
He turned to them one last time and said, "Rest well. Tomorrow, your real training begins."
The air grew quiet again, the dungeon's mist swirling around them as they walked toward the exit.
Each of them was tired, but something new burned in their eyes.
And as they left the glowing chamber of Level 19, Kelvin couldn't help but smile to himself.
Step by step, he thought. They're becoming monsters worth teaching.