The first five levels of [Ebon Veil Labyrinth] were nothing but warm-up material. Packs of twisted shadow-beasts ambushed me from every angle, all built for agility, terror, and mind-games — but not strength.
Monster Types — Levels 1–5
Zephyr Wraithlings (E-rank):
Blinking, flickering humanoid shadows that whisper your own thoughts back at you.
Dartclaw Phantoms (E-rank):
Four razor-armed insectoid shapes that pop out of micro-shadows.
Whimper Lurkers (F-rank):
Goblin-shaped shadows that blast fear pulses like heart palpitations.
I let Unseen Aegis and Event Horizon handle a few of them, but mostly?
I used it as target practice.
[Genesis Singularity]
A thought.
An orb.
A scream.
An implosion.
Cores and items streamed into my Spatial Inventory automatically. No sweat. No effort. No mercy.
And with every kill, I felt more of the old owner of this body bleeding into me — his hatred for monsters, for what they did during the apocalypse. Felt like our souls were syncing deeper with each fight.
Five levels down.
Zero resistance.
LEVELS 6–20 — RISING THREATS
From Level 6 onward, the dungeon finally stopped babysitting.
Everything got tougher, faster, and a hell of a lot more aggressive.
Beasts charged in packs — bigger, meaner, louder.
Monster Types — Levels 6–20
Nightlash Jaguars (D-rank):
Shadow-fused felines built entirely for slicing speed.
Screechmaw Horrors (D-rank):
Batlike humanoids that weaponize sound into concussive blasts.
Umbral Gorefiends (Peak D-rank):
Horned giants made of shadow-muscle, strong enough to tear a normal D-rank apart.
This was where my control really tightened.
Whatever I imagined — happened.
One thought: Freeze.
Packs stopped mid-air like someone hit pause.
Another: Shatter.
They dropped in hundreds of neat little pieces.
Another: Erase.
They simply ceased to exist.
By the time I hit Level 20, the dungeon threw the first real challenge:
Floor 20 Boss — "Shadeclaw Behemoth"
A twelve-foot panther-demon with space-ripping claws.
Its aura began at F-rank.
Then it roared.
[Boss Mutation Triggered]
Rank: F → Peak C
Stat Boost: +400%
Aura: Savage/Predatory
Cute.
I deleted it with three singularities and kept moving.
LEVELS 20–40 — DANGER, PRESSURE, AND ESCALATION
Now the dungeon showed its true colors.
Everything from Level 20 all the way to 40 was insane.
Monsters jumped from C-rank → Peak C → Low B in a steady stream.
More claws.
More teeth.
More murderous intent.
I had to use footwork this time.
Had to fire multiple singularities in rapid succession.
Had to stay ahead of being surrounded.
Not because I was in danger — because the dungeon wanted me dead badly enough that it felt personal.
By Level 39, the air was shaking with pure malice.
Something enormous waited beneath me.
My instincts screamed.
My spine went cold.
I stepped onto the last platform anyway.
LEVEL 40 — BOSS ROOM
The ground rumbled.
The walls cracked.
A presence suffocated the entire floor.
And then it stepped out.
FLOOR 40 BOSS — "Dread Sovereign Mal'Kharth"
Peak B-Rank
Intelligent
Boss Variant: Shadow-Royalty
A five-meter-tall humanoid demon with six bladed arms, bone crown fused to its skull, and a chest cavity burning with violet hellfire. Its eyes were voids full of murder.
It smiled when it saw me.
Its voice was static dipped in venom.
"A human… alone? Curious. Arrogant. Delicious."
A peak B-rank in an E-rank dungeon was straight bullshit.
Even a C-rank party couldn't survive this.
A lose-lose situation for anyone else.
I snapped.
"You gotta be fucking kidding me!
A B-rank?! In an E-dungeon?!
You bastards think this is funny?!"
My frustration boiled out of me, exploding into a vow that shook the room.
"I'm not losing ANYTHING in this life!
Not family.
Not friends.
Not myself.
I don't care if it's a god, demon, beast, or human —
I'll destroy ANYTHING that gets in my way!"
The universe answered.
DING — DING — DING — DING
Four Achievements Unlocked
[Unbreakable Oath] — vow infused into your soul
• +30% stat boost when protecting your goals
[Tyrant's Resolve] — you refuse to bow
• Enemies above your rank suffer stat compression
[Fatebreaker's Spark] — you reject destiny
• +40% resistance to fate/prophecy effects
[Limit Shatterer] — you face impossible threats
• +20% boost to all skills vs. stronger enemies
My aura blazed platinum and obsidian.
Even Mal'Kharth paused.
"...Impossible."
"Get used to it."
And I attacked.
FINAL BATTLE — KAELEN VS. DREAD SOVEREIGN MAL'KHARTH
Twelve singularities appeared instantly around the boss.
BOOM — BOOM — BOOM — BOOM
The entire chamber imploded in waves.
When the smoke cleared?
Mal'Kharth was missing an arm…
and pissed.
He teleported behind me, claws tearing the air open. I barely dodged.
The pressure was unreal.
Every hit he made warped the room.
My Aegis shattered twice.
He nearly ripped out my spine.
I countered with:
[QP-Array — Full Deployment]
Edge-Judge (katana): severing tendons, cutting void-flame.
Anchor-Lancer (spear): piercing the chest-core repeatedly.
Perimeter Suppressor (P90): curving bullets to destabilize his form.
Singularity Kusarigama (chain sickle): dragging him into gravity wells.
But still — he kept pushing me back.
Until I gambled everything.
Chain sickle locked his throat.
Katana sliced into his core flame.
P90 hammered the same weak point.
Twelve singularities detonated on his chest point-blank.
KRAK—BOOOOM—
The boss dissolved into violet particles.
I hit a knee, panting.
"That… was TOO fucking close."
One second later and I would've been done.
Lesson learned:
I might be Boundless, but I ain't untouchable.
LOOT — LEVEL 40 CLEAR & BOSS REWARDS
Dungeon Loot (Levels 1–40)
300+ monster cores (40% Focus/Spirit)
• 30 Shadow Essences
• 40+ crafting materials
• 14 Skill Seeds
• Multiple items upgraded via Boundless Potential
• First Clear Achievements for Level 20, 30, 40
• Solo Clear Bonus (Major)
Boss Drops — Mal'Kharth
Skill: Iron Will — Paradox Fortress
Defensive (Rare → Unique Potential)
• Soul & mind "fortress mode"
• +70% resistance to mental/soul attacks
• Auto-stabilizes emotions
• Fear effects nullified
• Scales insanely when upgraded
Skill: Endless Cycle Pulse
Passive — Kaelen-Exclusive
Born from your vow + Boundless Focus.
Every kill gives a micro-pulse
• Permanently increases reaction time, control, comprehension
• Enough pulses auto-upgrade skills
• Infinite growth
• Synergizes with Boundless Potential
Straight broken.
Made for you.
Literally.
I touched the teleport crystal and appeared back outside. It was already night. A couple guards stared at me like I was a monster that just finished eating another monster.
Whatever.
I called an Uber and went straight to Awakeners Stay, the hotel awakeners use to rest between runs. Most awakeners lived on the road; I still had my crappy apartment, but tonight?
Nah.
I needed sleep.
After checking in, I made it to the 6th floor, opened the door to my room, and face-planted onto the bed.
"Finally," I muttered.
Sleep claimed me instantly.