The silence stretched.

  Four strangers stood before Kei, their expressions ranging from confusion to mild suspicion. Meanwhile, Kei himself remained unmoving, his unreadable deadpan gaze fixed on them.

  One of them, a guy with a scar along his cheek, finally spoke up. “So… uh. Who are you?”

  Kei’s brain stalled. He hadn’t processed the situation yet. One moment, he had been minding his own business, studying the dungeon distortion. The next—

  Boom. Sucked into a dungeon.

  With four strangers.

  “...Huh,” he repeated, because his mind wasn’t quite catching up to reality fast enough.

  “Hey, are you okay?” the only girl in the group asked, concerned. She had short, sharp-cut hair and an exasperated air about her. “I don’t know how you got here, but seems like we’re stuck together.”

  “Wait,” the tall one with glasses interjected, pushing them up with a frown. “There were only four of us when we activated the dungeon… But the system said five participants.”

  The realization hit them all at once.

  Their gazes snapped back to Kei.

  “…It was you?” Scar-cheek asked, narrowing his eyes.

  Kei internally screamed.

  His hands twitched at his sides, fingers flexing slightly as he forced himself to think. He hadn’t noticed them approach. They hadn’t noticed him either. That meant they had all just stumbled into the dungeon at the same time by accident.

  Which meant—

  His head tilted. “Wait… so this is your dungeon?”

  The short-haired girl groaned, rubbing her temples. “We happened to find it and were preparing to take it on. We were literally about to go in when you—somehow—got counted as our fifth.”

  Kei sighed. “…My bad,” he muttered. “Didn’t mean to join your party.”

  “You didn’t—” The girl gestured wildly. “You didn’t even join, you just—got sucked in?”

  “Well,” the tall guy muttered, checking the dungeon interface that had appeared before them. “It looks like we’re locked in. Can’t leave until we clear it.”

  Kei exhaled slowly. Just his luck.

  Scar-cheek folded his arms. “Alright, since we’re stuck together, we might as well do introductions. I’m Kai.”

  The girl huffed. “Talia.”

  The tall one adjusted his glasses. “Reese.”

  The last member, a stocky guy with heavy gauntlets, grunted. “Oren.”

  They all turned expectantly to Kei.

  He stared at them for a moment longer before sighing. “Kei.”

  Reese glanced at the dungeon interface. “This is a Level 5 Dungeon—Fellhorn Labyrinth. Moderate difficulty. Standard dungeon layout, expect environmental hazards and ambushes.”

  Kai nodded. “We should move. We don’t know if anything roams this starting area.”

  Kei took another deep breath before exhaling slowly. Alright. Fine. He wasn’t exactly thrilled about this situation, but he’d deal with it. One way or another.

  Talia was still side-eyeing him. “You have any combat experience?”

  Kei gave her an unreadable look before slowly holding up a single finger.

  …“What?”

  He pointed at himself, then at the ground, then to the sky, and finally traced the shape of a zero in the air.

  Reese frowned. “Wait… Are you saying you’re Level 0?”

  Talia threw up her hands. “Oh, great. We’re stuck in a dungeon with a guy who hasn’t even leveled once. We’re so screwed.”

  Oren grumbled, “I don’t even have a sword. Sam was going to bring me one so we can do the dungeon. Sorry guys, seems like you’re going to have to carry two people this time.”

  “Here you go.” A sword with a curved horn guard flew toward Oren.

  “Wait, are you serious?” Oren asked, baffled.

  “Sure, I got it a few minutes ago and other than the beginner sword I used that broke, I haven’t used a sword since.” Kei shrugged.

  “Seems like a sword you’d get from a Fellhorn Sheep. Probably even better than whatever Sam was going to get you. How did you defeat them?” Talia asked.

  “I learned martial arts since coming here, not like there was much of a choice,” Kei replied.

  Kai gave him an evaluating look. “Well… guess that’s better than nothing.” He turned toward the dungeon path ahead. “Let’s get moving.”

  Kei exhaled and followed, wondering just what kind of mess he’d gotten himself into this time.

  Kei’s eye twitched. He opened his mouth—

  A distant BAAAAAAAA echoed from the misty depths of the dungeon.

  Oren tensed. “Movement.”

  Kai drew his spear, muscles tensing as a surge of energy flooded his system. “Here we go.”

  Oren adjusted his grip on his new sword, feeling an unexpected connection to the weapon. “Alright, stay behind us and we’ll help you get through this dungeon. Think of it as thanks for the new sword.”

  Then—

  A stampede.

  A deafening BAAAAAAAA echoed through the dungeon as a herd of Fellhorn Sheep barreled toward them, their thick wool shaking, their horns gleaming with a faint energy. The ground rumbled beneath their weight.

  Each member of the group tightened their grips and moved in.

  Talia flickered forward, her dagger flashing as her Mirage Force activated. Her body distorted mid-motion, splitting into afterimages that blurred and wove unpredictably.

  One Fellhorn Sheep charged at her, locking onto what it thought was her form—only to miss entirely.

  She appeared beside it in an instant, slashing her dagger across its exposed flank. A swift twist of her wrist, and she followed up with another brutal stab to its side. The beast let out a strangled bleat before crumpling.

  Another came at her.

  She vanished.

  Then reappeared behind it, slitting its throat before it even realized its mistake.

  Kai roared, his Adrenaline Force kicking in like a floodgate had been released. His muscles swelled, his speed doubled, and every fiber of his being pulsed with raw combat instinct.

  He lunged forward, his spear a blur as he impaled one sheep straight through its chest, twisting his weapon before yanking it out. The next beast reared up, aiming to slam its hooves into him.

  His reflexes snapped—too fast, too sharp.

  He pivoted to the side, dodging the attack by a hair’s breadth, then retaliated with a ruthless upward slash. His spear severed the creature’s leg, sending it crashing down.

  Another two charged at him.

  He grinned.

  This was his battlefield.

  He ducked under one’s wild horn swing, planting his feet before spinning his spear in a controlled arc. One precise slash—two gushing wounds. The beasts staggered back, their movements faltering as blood poured onto the dungeon floor.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  His movements were a seamless blend of speed and brutality, every strike sharper, faster, more devastating than the last.

  From the backline, Reese exhaled, his mind locking onto the battlefield with absolute focus. His Vector Force was subtle—unseen—but deadly.

  His fingers loosened, releasing an arrow.

  It didn’t fly straight.

  Instead, it curved, as if yanked mid-air by an invisible hand. The arrow twisted around one sheep’s thick fur before embedding itself perfectly into a joint—where its leg met its body. The creature collapsed instantly, legs no longer able to support its weight.

  Another arrow.

  It veered sideways at the last second, bypassing a sheep’s thick skull and piercing clean through its exposed eye.

  Again.

  And again.

  Every shot manipulated, redirected, altered just enough to always find its mark.

  He didn’t fire at specific targets—he fired into the flow of battle, his force doing the rest.

  Oren stood his ground, solid as an immovable pillar. His Bastion Force flowed through him, linking him to the very earth beneath his feet.

  A Fellhorn Sheep rammed into him at full speed—only to stop as if it had crashed into a mountain.

  Oren barely flinched.

  He exhaled, planting his feet deeper into the ground. The energy he absorbed from the impact surged through him, and with a single upward slash, he redirected all that force into his sword.

  The sheep was launched into the air from the sheer impact, flipping wildly before crashing down, motionless.

  Another beast lunged—Oren twisted his sword downward, striking the ground. The dungeon floor shook, sending a ripple of force outward. The tremor disrupted the charging sheep’s balance, making it stumble just before his next swing cleaved through its throat.

  Every strike he landed counted.

  The battle raged on, the group tearing through the stampede with precision, force, and sheer grit. The dungeon echoed with the sounds of clashing weapons, cries of the beasts, and the rhythmic breathing of warriors locked in combat.

  One by one, the Fellhorn Sheep fell.

  Until silence reigned.

  Kai exhaled, his body still pulsing from the aftereffects of his force, but slowing. Talia stretched her arm, shaking off the tension. Reese slung his bow back over his shoulder, and Oren let out a breath, standing firm, victorious.

  Kei, who had simply watched the entire battle, gave a small nod.

  “…Not bad,” he muttered.

  Talia wiped some blood off her blade and arched a brow at him. “You seriously just stood there the whole time?”

  Kei shrugged, pointing at a few motionless Fellhorn Sheep scattered around them.

  “They also drop this armor. Anyone want it?” he asked, nudging a piece of sturdy Fellhorn leather with his foot.

  “You’re basically shirtless,” Reese noted, eyeing Kei’s current state. “Why don’t you take it?”

  Kei frowned, picking up one of the armor pieces and inspecting it with mild distaste. “It’s too tight. Makes me feel really uncomfortable.” He looked up at the group, expression unreadable. “If you guys don’t want it for free, I’d be happy to trade for a shirt. Anyone?”

  The group stared at him.

  “…You’d trade armor for a shirt?” Talia deadpanned.

  Kei pointed at Oren. “You’re the biggest here. Your shirt should fit me fine.”

  Oren blinked, glancing down at himself, then at the armor Kei was offering. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “Uh, sure, I guess.”

  With a quick exchange, Oren handed over his shirt, while Reese took the armor, adjusting it over his existing gear. Kei pulled on the oversized shirt, rolling his shoulders a bit to test the fit.

  “Not bad,” he murmured, satisfied.

  Reese, now fastening the Fellhorn armor’s straps, shook his head in amusement. “You really traded a decent piece of armor for comfort?”

  Kei nodded without hesitation. “Comfort’s important.”

  Talia scoffed, crossing her arms. “Unbelievable.”

  As they walked past the remains of the fallen Fellhorn Sheep, the air felt heavier, the eerie silence of the dungeon pressing down on them. The deeper they went, the more the environment changed. What was once an open field with sparse trees and patches of wild grass began to shift into something more structured—like an abandoned ruin reclaimed by nature. Moss-covered stone pathways emerged beneath their feet, and crumbling archways stretched above them like skeletal remains of an ancient past.

  Kei, still collecting suitable bones for throwing, felt their gazes on him but didn’t bother explaining. He wasn’t about to let perfectly good materials go to waste. If they wanted to think he was weird, that was their problem.

  Reese walked beside him, glancing at the bones Kei was carefully selecting. “You’re really set on using those, huh?”

  “They’re free weapons,” Kei responded simply, twirling one between his fingers. “Lighter than metal, easy to reinforce with Aether, and better at penetration than rocks. Why wouldn’t I use them?”

  Reese hummed in thought. “Fair enough.”

  Up ahead, they found more Fellhorn Sheep lying lifeless, their bodies marked by precise, lethal puncture wounds—as if something had pierced them from a distance.

  Reese furrowed his brows and adjusted his glasses. “Wasn’t me,” he said, noting the others were already looking his way.

  Kai knelt down, inspecting one of the fallen creatures. “The wounds are too precise. These weren’t random strikes. Someone took them out intentionally.”

  “Oh, you guys were busy fighting those other ones, so I figured I’d make things easier,” Kei said nonchalantly, crouching to collect any useful drops. “Did anything good drop?”

  A beat of silence.

  The group turned to look at him, suspicion written all over their faces.

  Kei, feeling their stares, sighed. “What? I’m really good at sensing the environment and more deadly at throwing things.”

  Talia crossed her arms. “You’re telling me you killed all of these with throwing?”

  Kei simply nodded.

  Reese picked up one of the fallen arrows, turning it over in his hands. It wasn’t an arrow. It was a sharpened bone, still faintly glowing with Aether residue.

  “Wait.” His eyes narrowed. “You’re telling me you threw these? They’re not even proper weapons.”

  “They are if you put enough effort into it,” Kei replied. He pulled another sharpened bone from his inventory and casually spun it between his fingers.

  Kai let out a low whistle. “Alright. That’s actually impressive.”

  Talia looked relieved, “At least we don’t have to carry you completely. You’re somewhat capable.”

  “What’s your Force, anyway?” Reese asked curiously.

  Kei glanced at him and, without hesitation, answered, “Breeze Force.”

  Silence.

  Talia froze mid-step.

  Reese frowned.

  Oren blinked.

  Kai raised an eyebrow.

  “…Forget what I said,” Talia muttered, rubbing her temples. “We’re screwed.”

  Choosing to move forward despite Kei’s earlier revelation, they ventured further ahead.

  Kei, who had been studying the air currents ahead, suddenly spoke. “There’s movement up ahead.”

  The group tensed, instincts kicking in immediately.

  “How many?” Kai asked.

  Kei closed his eyes briefly, expanding his Breeze Force outward, feeling the small shifts in airflow. “At least six. Maybe more. Spread out, hiding behind the structures.”

  Oren tightened his grip on his sword. “Ambush?”

  “Looks like it,” Reese muttered, already nocking an arrow. “Let’s be careful.”

  The team slowed their pace, moving cautiously as they advanced into a partially collapsed courtyard. The stone pillars around them were covered in thick vines, the walls crumbling but still standing tall enough to cast deep shadows.

  Then—

  A low growl rumbled from the darkness.

  A pair of glowing eyes appeared first, then another. Then four more.

  From the shadows of the ruins, the next wave of enemies emerged.

  [Fellhorn Stalkers]

  [Level: 6]

  [Force Alignment: Shadow Veil]

  Unlike the previous Fellhorn Sheep, these ones were leaner, their muscles more compact. Their wool, instead of being thick and fluffy, was sleeker and darker, blending seamlessly into the dim surroundings. Their sharp horns curved slightly backward, built for speed and precision rather than raw power.

  Kei readied himself alongside the group, body tensed in anticipation for the fight ahead.

  Then—

  He disappeared.

  One instant, he had been beside them. In the next, he was behind a Fellhorn Stalker, his movements near soundless.

  The group barely had time to react before his weapon—a seemingly ordinary branch, now glowing with orange-engraved veins of Aether—struck true.

  Crack.

  The impact sent a shockwave through the creature’s body, staggering it as Kei landed smoothly on the ground.

  The moment his feet touched down, his senses screamed at him. An attack.

  Without turning his head, he shifted his stance, feeling the faintest ripple of movement behind him. Twisting to the side, he narrowly avoided the incoming strike from another Fellhorn Stalker, its horns aiming straight for his ribs.

  He spun on his heel and jabbed forward, his branch-turned-staff striking the creature's jaw with pinpoint accuracy.

  The beast recoiled, but Kei didn’t relent.

  His movements were fluid, his strikes methodical. Despite lacking a traditional weapon, he wielded the reinforced branch like an extension of himself, every strike backed by careful footwork and force manipulation.

  The others watched, momentarily stunned.

  Kai’s grip tightened around his spear. “He’s fast.”

  Talia let out a breath, eyes flickering between the moving shadows. “Not just fast. He moves like a ghost.”

  Reese adjusted his glasses. “Breeze Force or not… that level of movement control isn’t normal.”

  Oren grinned, tightening his stance. “Doesn’t matter. We’ll have to keep up.”

  And just like that, the fight began.

  With Kei already locked in combat, the rest of the group sprang into action, each unleashing their own strengths against the Fellhorn Stalkers that lurked in the mist.

  Launching forward with a flurry of martial arts kicks and punches, Kei weaved through the remaining Fellhorn Stalkers with precision. Each strike landed with practiced force, exploiting weak points with uncanny accuracy.

  Within moments, the last of them collapsed.

  Silence followed.

  The group still hadn’t fully processed what they had just witnessed. They were so caught up in watching him fight that they completely missed the question he had asked.

  “Huh?”

  Kei blinked, glancing at them before repeating himself. “I asked, how do dungeons typically go? Is there a certain requirement to complete them, or do we just beat up the final boss?”

  Kai, shaking himself out of his daze, answered, “Oh right, this is your first dungeon. For the most part, it’s usually just defeating the final boss. However, there have been reports of dungeons with additional conditions—certain tasks needing to be completed before the boss fight is accessible. But that’s typically in Hard-tier dungeons. This one is just Moderate.”

  Reese, still frowning slightly, tilted his head. “Better question—if you’re this strong, why are you still level 0?”

  Kei shrugged. “Never saw the need to level up. I’ve just been hoarding my experience points. Figured I’d use them all at once when I actually need to.”

  That answer caught them off guard.

  “You… hoard experience?” Talia repeated slowly, trying to make sense of it.

  Kai let out a low whistle. “That’s certainly a strategy.”

  Oren scratched his head. “I mean, it’s weird… but considering how you fight, I can’t say it’s a bad approach.”

  Kei smirked slightly. “Glad you guys aren’t calling me dead weight anymore.”

  Oren let out a laugh. “Yeah, uh—sorry about that. We definitely assumed wrong.”

  With the battle over and the tension lifting, the group collected their loot, still keeping an eye on the dungeon ahead. Whatever was waiting for them deeper inside, they had to be ready.