The dungeon did not forgive mistakes.
Aiden realized that the moment the second wave of stone-scaled wolves emerged from the shadows.
They came silently this time.
No warning growls. No reckless charges.
Their eyes glowed faintly blue, reflecting the mana crystals embedded in the walls, and their movements were coordinated—predatory, patient.
"Formation!" Lina shouted instantly.
The hunters reacted on instinct. Shields rose, blades angled outward, magic users retreated a step back.
Aiden didn't move immediately.
He watched.
Not the wolves—but the flow of mana around them.
Ever since the system activated, the dungeon felt different to him. Like a massive living structure breathing slowly, its mana currents flowing in patterns instead of chaos.
The wolves weren't just attacking.
They were following those currents.
"They're circling," Aiden said calmly.
Lina glanced at him. "I know."
"No," he corrected quietly. "They're herding."
Her eyes widened.
"Left flank," Aiden continued. "They'll strike there first."
The words left his mouth before he consciously decided to speak.
And then—
The wolves attacked.
Exactly where he said they would.
"Block!" Lina barked.
Steel clashed against stone.
The impact echoed through the chamber, sparks flying as claws scraped against shields. The formation held—but barely.
One wolf slipped through.
Too fast.
Too precise.
It lunged straight toward Lina's blind spot.
Aiden moved.
He didn't think.
He stepped forward, twisted his body, and drove his shoulder into the beast mid-leap. The impact sent both of them crashing into a broken pillar.
The wolf snarled, jaws snapping inches from his throat.
Aiden's heart pounded.
Then the system chimed.
[Combat Alignment Detected.]
[Bloodline Resonance: Stabilized.]
His fear vanished.
Not suppressed.
Replaced.
Aiden grabbed the wolf's neck with both hands and slammed it into the stone floor.
Once.
Twice.
The third time, the monster stopped moving.
Silence followed.
The hunters stared.
Even Lina froze mid-swing, her blade dripping with blood that wasn't hers.
"…You killed it," someone whispered.
Aiden released the corpse slowly and stood.
His breathing was steady.
Too steady.
"I disrupted its mana channel," he said. "They're weaker than they look."
The words sounded natural.
As if he had done this his entire life.
The remaining wolves hesitated.
And that hesitation cost them everything.
The hunters surged forward, momentum shifting instantly. Blades struck deeper. Spells landed cleaner. Within moments, the chamber was filled with fallen monsters and the sharp scent of blood.
When it was over, no one spoke.
They just looked at Aiden.
The F-rank.
The model.
The son of the world's strongest SSS-rank hunter.
Lina finally broke the silence.
"You weren't guessing earlier," she said slowly. "You were reading the dungeon."
Aiden nodded once. "Yes."
"How?" another hunter demanded. "That's not something you learn from books."
Aiden didn't answer immediately.
Because the system interface had expanded again.
[Beast Archive: Partial Unlock Initiated.]
A new screen unfolded before his eyes, more detailed than before.
Dark background.
Golden text.
Multiple sealed entries pulsing faintly
At the center—
A familiar silhouette.
[Legendary Entry Identified.]
Name: Ignis Draconia
Race: Dragon Beast Girl
Classification: Cataclysm-Class
Status: Sealed
Sealed By: Rael Blackwood
Aiden's throat tightened.
So it wasn't just a reward.
It was history.
The system added another line.
[The Beast Archive contains entities defeated, sealed, or dominated by the Blackwood Bloodline.]
His father hadn't just killed monsters.
He had conquered them.
Bound them.
And now—
The archive recognized Aiden as the inheritor.
A subtle tremor ran through the dungeon.
Not violent.
Acknowledging.
Aiden clenched his fist.
"…So this is what you left behind," he murmured.
Lina watched him carefully.
"You're different," she said. "From what they say about you."
He met her gaze.
"What do they say?"
"That you're just a pretty face," she replied bluntly. "That you hide behind your father's name."
Aiden smiled faintly.
"And now?"
She hesitated.
"…Now I think they're wrong."
The system chimed softly.
[Emotional Influence Increased.]
[Conquest Progress: +5%]
Aiden turned away before she could say more.
The dungeon wasn't done with them yet.
They pushed deeper.
The air grew hotter.
The stone beneath their feet darkened, veins of red mana pulsing like molten blood.
Aiden felt it immediately.
"This zone is different," he said.
"Boss territory?" Lina asked.
"No," he replied. "Older."
The walls trembled.
A roar echoed faintly—distant, but unmistakable.
Dragonkin.
The hunters stiffened.
"This dungeon doesn't list a dragon-class," someone muttered nervously.
Aiden's gaze darkened.
"Because it's not active," he said.
The Beast Archive pulsed again.
[Ignis Draconia — Memory Fragment Detected.]
The world around him blurred.
Heat flooded his senses.
Chains.
Fire.
A massive throne carved from obsidian.
A woman sat upon it.
Tall.
Powerful.
Horns curved elegantly from her temples.
Red hair cascaded down her back like living flame.
Golden eyes snapped open.
"…Another Blackwood," she growled.
Aiden stood before her.
Unchained.
Unbowed.
"I'm not here to finish what he started," he said calmly.
Her lips curled into a sharp smile.
"Then why are you here, child of my conqueror?"
"To claim what comes next."
The chains rattled.
The vision shattered.
Aiden staggered slightly—but didn't fall.
Lina caught his arm instinctively.
"Hey—what did you see?"
He looked at her.
Something ancient lingered in his eyes.
"A dragon," he said. "And she remembers my father."
The dungeon shook violently.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
The system rang clearly.
[Beast Archive Progress: 35%]
[Condition Updated:]
Complete 3 Female Conquest Missions to unlock Summoning Trial
(Current: 1/3)
Aiden exhaled slowly.
So that was the path.
Not brute force.
Not slaughter.
Connection.
Influence.
Conquest of will.
The dungeon wasn't testing his strength.
It was preparing him.
Lina released his arm reluctantly.
"Whatever you're becoming," she said quietly, "this dungeon isn't your limit."
Aiden looked ahead, toward the deeper darkness where heat and power twisted together.
"I know," he replied.
Because somewhere beyond the seals—
A dragon waited.
And the Beast Archive had finally begun to awaken.