Kael could not stop wondering why the A rank looked so confident after everything they had faced. Then it clicked. This was a C rank dungeon. No matter how ugly and strong the monsters looked, they were still below an A rank hunter. On paper, this should have been easy for them.
Still, something felt off.
The others looked tired. Weak, even. Yet somehow, their eyes burned with more hunger than before, like gamblers who had already lost too much to quit.
The A rank suddenly dashed toward the boss orc.
Then it happened.
He clutched his chest mid-step, his face twisting in pain. His balance slipped for just a second. That was enough.
The orc roared and lifted its two massive upper arms, swords flashing as it swung them in a brutal X-shaped slash through the air. The A rank barely dodged. He twisted aside, but his footing failed him. He crashed hard into the crystal wall of the cave, the impact echoing loudly.
"What is wrong with me?" he growled as he pushed himself up. Pain spread through his chest like fire. "This feels like poison."
Almost on cue, the water elementor tried to form an ice spike. He gagged and coughed, dark blood spilling from his mouth. His spell collapsed.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
The more they used their powers, the worse the pain became.
The orc boss charged.
Kael tried to activate Stealth again.
Nothing.
A blue window flashed in front of him.
[ Ding ]
[ 5 hours remaining before Stealth can be activated again ]
The orc swung both swords in a wide arc. Kael dove aside, rolling across the rough stone. The others were not so lucky. Their bodies felt heavy, slow. The B rank woman screamed and threw up a barrier just in time. The blow slammed into it and shattered the ground beneath them, sending everyone flying.
"We've been poisoned!" the A rank shouted as he forced himself back to his feet.
Kael smiled faintly.
So they finally noticed.
Everything was already in motion. The only problem was time. He still needed their strength to finish the boss.
The water elementor landed close to Kael, groaning as he tried to form another water spike. Rage twisted his face. He turned toward Kael.
Before the spike could even take shape, Kael was already moving.
A cold flash of steel.
Kael sliced through the man's hands, then stepped in and cut his throat in one clean motion. Blood sprayed across the cave floor.
The others froze.
Where did that dagger come from? How did a D rank move like that?
They tried to turn on Kael together, but the orc interrupted them, swinging its massive blades again. Chaos swallowed the room.
An arrow flew and struck the orc's chest. The archer grinned for half a second, then screamed. The pain hit him harder than before. He dropped to his knees, coughing blood.
The orc did not hesitate. One sword came down.
The archer was split in two.
The B rank woman's eyes went blank. She snapped her own neck and collapsed, lifeless.
The A rank roared in fury. He charged at Kael without thinking.
That was his mistake.
He ignored the monster behind him.
A massive sword came down toward his head. He blocked it at the last second, but the force sent him flying across the chamber.
Kael did not waste the chance.
The fire elementor was barely standing, vision blurred, blood dripping from his mouth. He never saw Kael coming. The dagger slid in, quick and silent.
[ Ding ]
[ 4/6 hunters dead ]
[ You have been awarded 50 points ]
[ 10 minutes left to complete your task ]
The A rank staggered to his feet again, madness burning in his eyes. He charged the orc, rage drowning out the pain. Even poisoned, his speed was terrifying. Blade after blade tore into the boss.
After several brutal strikes, the massive orc finally collapsed, shaking the cave as it hit the ground.
The A rank slowly turned toward Kael and began to walk.
Kael stepped back, his heart pounding. Fighting the orc was one thing. Facing this man was another.
Without hesitation, he opened the system and dumped every single point he had into Strength.
He raised his eyes, gripping his dagger tighter.
STATUS]
[Name: Kael Yorkshire]
[Rank: C]
[Title: Knight Hunter]
[Class: Pending]
[Level: 59 (64%)]
[HP: 100 / 100%]
[MP: 100 / 100%]
[FATIGUE: 0%]
[ATTRIBUTES]
[Strength: 81%]
[Agility: 12%]
[Vitality: 10%]
[Intelligence: 15%]
[Sense: 30%]
[SKILLS]
[Active Skills]
[Stealth (Lv. 3)]
Description: Become undetected by enemies for 30 seconds.
[Passive Skills]
[Echo Dominion (Lv. 3)]
Description: Detects whispers, footsteps, and heartbeats up to 2 km away.
[Unique Skills]
None
"You know… something feels off about you," the A rank said as he staggered closer. His steps were shaky and every cough sprayed more blood onto the dungeon floor. "You are not Snake Eyes. And I don't know what grudge you have with my team."
Kael kept silent, watching him with cold eyes behind the mask.
The A rank laughed weakly. "Let's just say karma wants to punish us. We planned to kill you after this raid, and somehow you turned everything around. A D rank killing my people? No. You are hiding your real power the same way you hide that face."
More blood dripped from his lips, but his grin didn't fade. "Weak or not, I promise you one thing. You will not walk out of this dungeon alive."
He pushed off the ground and shot forward. His movement blurred, but it was still slower than before. The poison was killing him from the inside.
Kael reacted on instinct. He yanked up the shotgun and fired. The A rank twisted aside and deflected the shots with his dagger, sparks flashing. He kept circling Kael, boots scraping against the stone floor.
Kael closed his eyes for a second and listened. The man's footsteps were uneven. His breath was broken. His speed was fading bit by bit.
After a few more bursts of gunfire and sharp turns, the A rank pulled back and scoffed.
"You think that toy can kill me? I'm only testing you. Trying to see if you still have tricks hidden up your sleeve." His smile widened in a cruel way. "You are nothing but a lucky fool. A loser. And before this poison takes me, I will enjoy slicing you open piece by piece."
He charged again.
This time, Kael did not shoot. He stood still and waited.
The blade came for his throat. Kael's arm moved faster. He caught the man's face in his palm and slammed him straight into the floor. The ground shook violently. The A rank's eyes went wide, stunned by the sudden stop.
Where did he get that strength? How did he move faster than me? The thoughts raced through his head as he choked on his own breath.
Kael looked down at him and smiled.
"Your speed kept dropping. You were too confident to notice."
The man's eyes widened further.
"Goodnight."
Kael grabbed the fallen dagger and sliced clean across the man's neck.
A crisp sound echoed in his head.
[ Ding ]
[ 5 / 6 hunters dead ]
[ You have 3 minutes left to complete your quest ]
"What…?" Kael froze. "They are all dead. Who's left?"
Before he could take another breath, the B rank mage girl's body lifted from the ground. A soft glow wrapped around her as her wounds began to close on their own.
Kael did not waste a second.
He pumped the shotgun once and blew her head apart.
[ Ding ]
[ QUEST COMPLETED ]
[ You have gained 150 points ]
Kael exhaled long and slow as the system notification faded from his sight. So she snapped her own neck to trigger her regeneration. Smart move, but not smart enough. He wiped the dust off his gloves and gave a short nod to himself.
"With these points, I can climb up the ranks fast," he thought. "Soon I'll have enough money to hire an S rank healer… and save Emiko."
That thought alone steadied his heartbeat. He walked toward the dungeon exit with a new kind of confidence in his steps. His posture was different now. His eyes no longer carried the timid look of someone waiting to die. He moved like someone who finally understood his own worth.
But the moment he stepped out of the shimmering dungeon gate, his boots stopped cold.
Waiting for him were Renji, the leader of Tiger's Claw, and two familiar faces. One of them was the same B rank who killed the former Kael, standing there with arms folded and the same smug look. Beside him stood his loyal lackey, glaring like a hungry dog.
And the resemblance between the dead A rank in the dungeon and this man was too sharp to ignore. Same jawline. Same eyes. Same arrogant tilt of the head.
His brother. No doubt.
Kael felt the tension rise, but this time it did not shake him. The old Kael would have broken down on the spot. But the Kael standing here now… he was not the same weakling who once begged for mercy. A grin pulled at his lips.
"Now this is getting interesting," he said softly.