Stage One had given him control.
Stage Two demanded balance.
The moment he stepped beyond the silver hall, the dungeon shifted again. The stone beneath his feet darkened, veins of faint blue light running through it like a living pulse. The air felt heavier—not crushing, but dense, as if every movement required intent.
[Human Form Mastery Trial: Stage 2 Initiated]
[Condition: Sustained Combat While Maintaining Core Stability]
[Warning: Core Overload May Cause Permanent Damage]
He stopped walking.
"…Permanent," he repeated quietly.
The system wasn't threatening him.
It was informing him.
He rolled his shoulders and took a slow breath. His dragon core beat steadily within his chest, contained but powerful—like a sealed furnace.
"Guess there's no shortcut," he said.
The dungeon answered.
The ground ahead rippled, and figures began to rise—not constructs this time, but creatures of flesh and bone. Humanoid beasts with dark skin and glowing eyes, their bodies etched with symbols similar to the dungeon's runes.
[Enemy Type: Dungeon Wardens]
[Level: 26–28]
[Trait: Anti-Transformation | Core Disruption]
His jaw tightened.
"Of course."
They didn't rush him.
They surrounded him.
The pressure spiked.
The first attack came from behind.
He turned just in time, blocking a clawed strike with his forearm. Pain exploded up his arm—not bone-breaking, but deep.
[Core Stability: 92%]
He countered with a punch, releasing a controlled surge of dragon energy. The Warden flew back, crashing into the wall hard enough to crack it—but it stood up again.
"Still standing?" he muttered.
Two more attacked at once.
He ducked, spun, and kicked one in the knee, following with a palm strike to the chest of the other. Flames flickered briefly around his hand—too much.
His chest tightened.
[Core Stability: 85%]
He grimaced.
Too much output.
The Wardens pressed harder, their movements sharp and coordinated. Every strike they landed sent a strange vibration through his body, directly targeting his dragon core.
This wasn't just combat.
It was erosion.
He was forced backward, breath growing heavier as sweat ran down his face. His instincts screamed at him to transform—to unleash everything and end it.
But the system didn't lock his transformation this time.
It tempted him.
[Suggestion Detected: Transformation Available]
His teeth clenched.
"No," he said firmly. "That's the point, isn't it?"
He steadied his breathing again.
Instead of drawing power outward, he anchored it—circulating dragon energy in tight, controlled loops through his core, spine, and limbs. Less power.
More precision.
The next attack came.
This time, he moved first.
He slipped inside a Warden's guard and struck its throat—not with brute force, but a focused vibration of dragon energy. The creature froze, then collapsed lifelessly.
[Core Stability: 88%]
Better.
He didn't stop.
He flowed.
Every movement became efficient. No wasted steps. No flaring power. Just enough force, applied exactly where it mattered.
One by one, the Wardens fell.
But Stage Two didn't end there.
The dungeon shook.
A deeper pressure descended, far heavier than before. The remaining corpses dissolved into mana, which surged toward him instead of dispersing.
His eyes widened.
"Wait—"
The energy slammed into his body.
[Forced Absorption Initiated]
[Core Stability: Dropping Rapidly]
Pain tore through his chest like his heart was being squeezed by a giant hand. His vision blurred as heat and cold collided inside him.
[Core Stability: 63%]
He dropped to one knee, gasping.
"This… isn't training," he growled. "This is torture."
A voice echoed—not from the system, but from the dungeon itself.
"Power without endurance is failure."
He laughed weakly.
"Then watch carefully."
Instead of resisting the incoming energy, he changed how he received it. He split the flow—some into his core, some into his muscles, some into his bones.
It hurt worse.
But it didn't break him.
His veins glowed faintly beneath his skin. His eyes flashed gold, then settled.
[Core Stability: 71%… 74%… 78%]
The pressure eased.
The dungeon went silent.
He stood slowly, every muscle screaming, every breath burning—but he was standing.
[Human Form Mastery: Stage 2 Achieved]
Warmth spread through his body, deeper and more permanent than before.
[Passive Enhanced: Dragon Core Integration II]
[Effect: Increased output capacity in human form | Reduced backlash | Partial resistance to core disruption]
He exhaled, long and steady.
"So this is Stage Two," he said quietly.
He clenched his fist.
The air around it warped—not with wild flame, but compressed force.
"Still human," he murmured. "Still a dragon."
The dungeon didn't challenge him further.
Instead—
[Notice: Further Advancement Requires External Conflict]
[Human Form Mastery – Stage 3: Locked]
He looked ahead, eyes calm but sharp.
"Good," he said. "I was getting tired of fighting walls."
As he walked forward, his presence felt different now—heavier, quieter, dangerous in a way that didn't scream for attention.
A dragon, wearing human skin.
And the world outside the dungeon was nowhere near ready for him.