Three days later, Kaelen stood at the entrance to the Sunken Catacombs, watching his breath mist in the cold
morning air.
He had spent the previous days hiding in the abandoned districts, testing his limits, allocating his
remaining attribute points. He had discovered that [Infinite Regression] had already created a 'Save Point' the
moment he awakened—if he died now, he would return to that moment in the gallows square, memories
intact, but the world would reset.
It was terrifying. It was exhilarating.
He had also learned that his level progression was... different.
[Notice: As a Void Archon, you do not gain experience from conventional
means.]
[Leveling Requirements: Absorb mana from high-grade monsters, consume rare
resources, or complete 'Trials'
.]
[Current Level: 1]
[Next Level: Absorb the core of a B-Rank monster or higher]
Which brought him to the Catacombs.
According to the [Eyes of the Sovereign], the dungeon entrance pulsed with crimson energy—indicating a
B-Rank threat level, perfect for his needs. Normal adventurers wouldn't touch this place without a party of
ten. Kaelen walked in alone.
The darkness inside was absolute, but his eyes adapted instantly, painting the stone corridors in shades of
blue and silver. He saw the traps—the pressure plates, the poison dart holes, the magical tripwires—clear as
daylight.
7The First Dungeon
[Dungeon: Sunken Catacombs (B-Rank)]
[Floor: 1]
[Monsters: Undead (Skeleton Warriors, Ghouls), Traps (Active)]
A skeletal warrior clattered around the corner, rusted sword raised. Kaelen didn't even slow down.
"Weakness identified: Cervical vertebrae connection point (occipital region).
"
He flicked his wrist. A sliver of void energy—barely a needle—shot forward and punched through the
skeleton's skull. The creature collapsed into bone dust.
[Kill confirmed: Skeleton Warrior (Level 8)]
[Void Archon ability activated: Essence Absorption]
[MP +10]
Kaelen smiled.
"This is going to be easy.
"
He was wrong.
By the third floor, he was bleeding. By the fifth, he had used [V oid Pulse] three times and his MP was
critical. The Catacombs were a labyrinth designed to kill, and the monsters grew stronger with each descent.
On the seventh floor, he found the Warden.
It was a horror of stitched flesh and iron, twelve feet tall, wielding a cleaver that hummed with cursed
magic. The boss room was a cathedral of bone, and the Warden's roar shook dust from the ceiling.
[Boss Encounter: Flesh Warden (B-Rank)]
[Level: 35]
[Recommendation: Retreat]
"Yeah,
" Kaelen muttered, wiping blood from his lip.
"Not happening.
"
The Warden charged.
Kaelen dodged left, feeling the wind of the cleaver pass inches from his face. He countered with a V oid Lance
—his newest skill—but the monster regenerated the wound instantly.
[Warning: Enemy possesses High-Speed Regeneration]
8The First Dungeon
[Weakness identified: Core located in sternum (requires precision strike)]
The Warden backhanded him. Kaelen flew across the room, crashing into a pillar. Ribs cracked. His vision
swam red.
[HP: 45/150]
[Critical Condition]
"Okay,
" Kaelen groaned, pushing himself up.
He died four times that afternoon.
"Let's try that again.
"
The first death was messy—the cleaver caught him in the spine. He woke up at the entrance, gasping,
memories of agony fresh in his mind.
The second death, he lasted longer but fell to a surprise trap.
The third, he almost won but ran out of MP.
The fourth attempt...
"V oid Step,
" Kaelen whispered, and reality bent. He stepped through a tear in space, appearing directly
behind the Warden. His hand, coated in concentrated void energy that cost half his total MP, punched forward.
"V oid Piercing Strike.
"
His fingers passed through iron-hard flesh and grasped something warm and pulsing. He ripped it out—the
core, a beating heart of corrupted mana.
The Warden froze. Then it collapsed.
[Boss defeated!]
[Essence Absorption: High-Grade]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Current Level: 4]
Kaelen fell to his knees, clutching the core. Power flooded his veins, healing his wounds, strengthening his
muscles. He laughed, the sound echoing in the empty chamber.
9The First Dungeon
"I am unstoppable,
" he whispered.
[Notice: Arrogance detected. Probability of fatal encounter within 48 hours:
73%]
"Quiet, you,
" Kaelen said, but he was still smiling.
Three days later, Kaelen stood at the entrance to the Sunken Catacombs, watching his breath mist in the cold
morning air.
He had spent the previous days hiding in the abandoned districts, testing his limits, allocating his
remaining attribute points. He had discovered that [Infinite Regression] had already created a 'Save Point' the
moment he awakened—if he died now, he would return to that moment in the gallows square, memories
intact, but the world would reset.
It was terrifying. It was exhilarating.
He had also learned that his level progression was... different.
[Notice: As a Void Archon, you do not gain experience from conventional
means.]
[Leveling Requirements: Absorb mana from high-grade monsters, consume rare
resources, or complete 'Trials'
.]
[Current Level: 1]
[Next Level: Absorb the core of a B-Rank monster or higher]
Which brought him to the Catacombs.
According to the [Eyes of the Sovereign], the dungeon entrance pulsed with crimson energy—indicating a
B-Rank threat level, perfect for his needs. Normal adventurers wouldn't touch this place without a party of
ten. Kaelen walked in alone.
The darkness inside was absolute, but his eyes adapted instantly, painting the stone corridors in shades of
blue and silver. He saw the traps—the pressure plates, the poison dart holes, the magical tripwires—clear as
daylight.
7The First Dungeon
[Dungeon: Sunken Catacombs (B-Rank)]
[Floor: 1]
[Monsters: Undead (Skeleton Warriors, Ghouls), Traps (Active)]
A skeletal warrior clattered around the corner, rusted sword raised. Kaelen didn't even slow down.
"Weakness identified: Cervical vertebrae connection point (occipital region).
"
He flicked his wrist. A sliver of void energy—barely a needle—shot forward and punched through the
skeleton's skull. The creature collapsed into bone dust.
[Kill confirmed: Skeleton Warrior (Level 8)]
[Void Archon ability activated: Essence Absorption]
[MP +10]
Kaelen smiled.
"This is going to be easy.
"
He was wrong.
By the third floor, he was bleeding. By the fifth, he had used [V oid Pulse] three times and his MP was
critical. The Catacombs were a labyrinth designed to kill, and the monsters grew stronger with each descent.
On the seventh floor, he found the Warden.
It was a horror of stitched flesh and iron, twelve feet tall, wielding a cleaver that hummed with cursed
magic. The boss room was a cathedral of bone, and the Warden's roar shook dust from the ceiling.
[Boss Encounter: Flesh Warden (B-Rank)]
[Level: 35]
[Recommendation: Retreat]
"Yeah,
" Kaelen muttered, wiping blood from his lip.
"Not happening.
"
The Warden charged.
Kaelen dodged left, feeling the wind of the cleaver pass inches from his face. He countered with a V oid Lance
—his newest skill—but the monster regenerated the wound instantly.
[Warning: Enemy possesses High-Speed Regeneration]
8The First Dungeon
[Weakness identified: Core located in sternum (requires precision strike)]
The Warden backhanded him. Kaelen flew across the room, crashing into a pillar. Ribs cracked. His vision
swam red.
[HP: 45/150]
[Critical Condition]
"Okay,
" Kaelen groaned, pushing himself up.
He died four times that afternoon.
"Let's try that again.
"
The first death was messy—the cleaver caught him in the spine. He woke up at the entrance, gasping,
memories of agony fresh in his mind.
The second death, he lasted longer but fell to a surprise trap.
The third, he almost won but ran out of MP.
The fourth attempt...
"V oid Step,
" Kaelen whispered, and reality bent. He stepped through a tear in space, appearing directly
behind the Warden. His hand, coated in concentrated void energy that cost half his total MP, punched forward.
"V oid Piercing Strike.
"
His fingers passed through iron-hard flesh and grasped something warm and pulsing. He ripped it out—the
core, a beating heart of corrupted mana.
The Warden froze. Then it collapsed.
[Boss defeated!]
[Essence Absorption: High-Grade]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Current Level: 4]
Kaelen fell to his knees, clutching the core. Power flooded his veins, healing his wounds, strengthening his
muscles. He laughed, the sound echoing in the empty chamber.
9The First Dungeon
"I am unstoppable,
" he whispered.
[Notice: Arrogance detected. Probability of fatal encounter within 48 hours:
73%]
"Quiet, you,
" Kaelen said, but he was still smiling.