The ground shook again.
Leaves rained from the trees as something massive pushed through the dense forest.
Rivan felt his knees weaken—not from fear, but from instinct.
Mutated beasts only appeared in high-rank dungeons…
But this was a C-rank gate.
Lina swallowed hard.
"Aria… tell me that thing is just a very ugly wolf."
Aria didn't blink.
"That is an A-rank Forest Ravager. A mutated variant."
Lina screamed.
"WHY IS AN A-RANK BEAST HERE?! THE GATE IS SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE!"
Rivan's system screen blinked coldly:
[Emergency Quest: Survive]
Objective: Do Not Die
Reward: ???
Rivan muttered, "Yeah… thanks for the advice."
---
The Beast Emerges
The creature stepped fully into view—
a giant wolf-like monster, taller than a truck, covered in black vines that pulsed like living veins.
It stared right at them.
Aria gripped her blade.
"Lina, fall back. I'll stall it."
Lina tugged her arm.
"Wait! We should run!"
"We can't," Aria said. "The exit won't open until the dungeon boss is defeated."
Rivan's heart dropped.
"So… this mutated thing is the boss?"
Lina pointed at him.
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT. YOU ENTER A DUNGEON FOR ONCE AND WE GET AN A-RANK BOSS!"
Rivan deadpanned.
"Yeah, clearly the universe hates me."
The beast lowered itself, ready to pounce.
Aria whispered, "When it jumps, scatter—!"
It leaped before she could finish.
---
The Fight Begins
BOOM!
The ground exploded when the beast landed, sending dirt flying. Rivan rolled away, barely avoiding the shockwave.
Aria slashed, but her blade only grazed the monster's hide.
Lina hurled an energy blast—
it bounced off the creature's forehead like a pebble.
Lina froze.
"...I'm useless. We're dead."
Aria gritted her teeth.
"Rivan! Keep moving! If it targets you, dodge— don't block!"
"Wasn't planning to block," he muttered.
The beast charged at him.
Its speed was unreal.
Rivan felt his system-boosted body react before his mind did—
he jumped sideways, rolling under a fallen log.
The monster smashed through it like paper.
[Agility Check Passed]
Rivan exhaled sharply.
"So this is the difference between F-rank and A-rank…"
The creature turned toward Aria next.
Aria dashed forward, using her aura to boost her speed. She sliced across the beast's leg, drawing real blood this time.
The Ravager howled in pain and fury.
"Good," Aria said, breathless. "I can hurt it—"
The beast's tail slammed into her like a whip.
She flew across the clearing.
"ARIA!" Rivan and Lina screamed together.
---
Rivan's Breaking Point
Rivan ran to her side.
Aria groaned, clutching her ribs.
"I can still fight," she whispered.
Rivan shook his head.
"No. You'll die if you stand up again."
Lina rushed over, terrified.
"Aria, stay down! Don't be stupid! I'm… I'm not carrying you home! You weigh too mush muscular!!"
Rivan looked toward the beast.
It was regenerating.
Rapidly.
Even worse—the vines covering it began to glow.
[Warning: Monster Mutation Stage 2 Detected]
Rivan's blood turned cold.
Stage 2 meant the beast was getting stronger.
Much stronger.
Aria tried to stand.
"We can't retreat. If we don't kill it…"
Rivan clenched his fists.
If we don't kill it, we die.
Then something unexpected happened.
Ding.
A system window appeared—urgent and red.
[Hidden Quest: Take the Lead]
Your current party cannot win.
If you do not act, your teammates will die.
Objective: Deliver the first critical strike.
Reward: Class Fragment]
Rivan's heart pounded.
A class fragment…
A chance to get a real class.
Lina grabbed his sleeve, voice shaking.
"Rivan… we're not strong enough. What do we do?"
Rivan took a deep breath.
Then he walked forward.
Aria's eyes widened.
"Rivan—stop! You can't fight that thing!"
"I'm not fighting it alone," he said.
He held up the dagger he'd taken earlier.
"But I'm not watching anyone die."
The beast roared at him, its eyes glowing green.
Lina whispered, "He's going to get killed…"
Aria closed her eyes painfully.
"No… look at him."
Rivan's stance had changed.
He looked… calm.
Focused.
More than ever before.
Aria whispered, "He's awakened to something."
---
The Charge
The mutated beast lowered itself, preparing another leap.
Rivan raised the dagger.
I need one critical strike.
Just one.
When the beast jumped—
Rivan sprinted straight toward it.
Lina screamed, "WHY ARE YOU RUNNING AT IT?!"
Rivan didn't answer.
He slid under the beast's shadow—
and the world slowed.
Like the penalty zone.
Like the strange dream.
Like the spark inside him opened.
His instincts screamed at him:
Now.
He slashed upward, across the beast's jaw.
A deep cut.
A critical strike.
DING!
[Critical Hit Achieved]
[Hidden Quest Complete]
Reward: Class Fragment (1/?)
Rivan landed behind the monster, panting heavily.
Aria and Lina stared at him in shock.
The beast turned around, furious—
bleeding heavily.
The fight had only just begun.
But for the first time—
Rivan wasn't the weakest one anymore.