Kael had spent the past two weeks in Eldenshire, training, taking low-level monster hunting jobs, and getting accustomed to working alone.
He had avoided the Adventurer's Guild Hall, not ready to deal with the sideways glances or whispers from those who had heard about his departure from Ironclaw.
But avoiding the world wasn't an option anymore.
Tonight, standing in front of the quest board, Kael's eyes locked onto a B-rank dungeon request.
Dungeon Name: "The Abyssal Hollow"
Objective: Investigate the dungeon's unstable mana fluctuations and retrieve a corrupted dungeon core.
Location: 15 miles north of Eldenshire, underground cave system.
Threat Level: High – Abnormal monster activity detected.
Reward: 500 gold, bonus upon retrieval.
He clenched his fists. This was his chance. A way to prove to himself that he didn't need anyone.
A way to silence the voices in his head that still whispered the words of his former guildmates:
"You're nothing without us."
Kael tore the request from the board and left without hesitation.
The entrance to the Abyssal Hollow was an ominous, jagged opening in the side of a rocky cliff. A thin mist clung to the air, carrying the faint scent of damp stone and decay.
Kael stepped inside, his dagger drawn, his senses alert.
The deeper he went, the colder the air became. The walls pulsed faintly with eerie blue mana veins, and the flickering light cast shifting shadows that almost seemed alive.
"This place feels... wrong."
Then, from the darkness—they attack.first
A low growl echoed. Kael barely had time to react before two Abyss Stalkers lunged at him from the shadows.
Abyss Stalkers – Panther-like creatures with black, mist-like bodies that phase in and out of reality.
Kael sidestepped the first attack, barely dodging aimed at his throat. He spun, slashing his dagger across the creature's chest, but the blade phased right through it like mist.
"Damn—!"
The second Stalker struck from behind. Kael activated Energy Channel, absorbing the ambient mana in the air to launch himself upward, just barely avoiding the bite aimed at his leg.
Adapt. Find a way.
He focused, watching their movements—their bodies only solidified when they attacked.
The next time one lunged, Kael let it come closer. The moment its claws materialized, he released a precise burst of energy, blasting the Stalker into the cavern wall. It screeched, dissipating into a cloud of black mist.
The second charged—but this time, Kael was ready. He surged forward, dodging left, then right, before plunging his dagger into the beast's skull the instant it became solid.
It crumbled into nothing.
As Kael ventured deeper, the dungeon's atmosphere shifted. The mana veins in the walls pulsed erratically, almost as if they were alive.
Then, he found it.
At the heart of the dungeon lay an unnatural-looking stone pedestal. Floating above it was a dungeon core—but it was corrupted, black and twisted, pulsing like a beating heart.
The moment Kael stepped forward, a wave of energy pulsed through his body. His Energy Channel reacted violently, sending sharp pain through his veins.
His knees buckled.
Absorbing energy—
But not just in small bursts.
More.
Much more.
A sharp, ugly surge tore through his chest, into his arms, down his legs.
His body twisted.
His head dropped.
Blood hit the floor from his nose.
He could barely move.
Barely breathe.
This wasn't like Gloamwood.
That had been close.
Barely-survive close.
But this—
This was like trying to drink the ocean.
His Energy Channel tried to take it. All of it.
Tried to funnel the raw magic into his system, to force it somewhere—anywhere.
And it couldn't.
It overflowed.
The energy didn't just pulse through him—it pushed back, hard. Like it didn't want to be absorbed. Like it refused to fit inside something too small to hold it.
And the side effects hit instantly.
His skin felt like it was buzzing beneath the surface. His vision rippled. His heartbeat stuttered in his ears like it didn't know what rhythm to follow anymore.
Every limb screamed. His bones felt hot.
His body had tried to adapt again—
but this time, it failed.
His Energy Channel wasn't ready. Not for this kind of power.
And now it was breaking him.
A monstrous figure rose from the corrupted core's altar. Towering twelve feet tall, its body was a grotesque mix of stone, metal, and writhing abyssal mist. Glowing blue eyes burned with raw mana, and jagged claws dripped with dark energy.
Abyssborn Tyrant – The dungeon's ruler, formed from corrupted energy itself.
Kael gritted his teeth. "I can do this."
He surged forward, dodging as the Tyrant swung a massive claw, shattering the ground where he had stood. Kael countered, unleashing an energy blast at the beast's core—but it absorbed it.
"Shit—!"
The Tyrant roared, releasing a shockwave that sent Kael crashing into the cavern wall.
Pain shot through his ribs. Blood dripped from his mouth. He wasn't strong enough.
The beast loomed over him, raising a claw for the finishing blow.
And then—
A flash of silver.
An arrow pierced the Tyrant's shoulder.
A flaming sword sliced across its chest.
A monstrous panther tore into its back.
Silverstar had arrived.
Kael barely had time to register the shock before Silverstar moved in sync, like a well-oiled machine.
Valerion took command, his spirit beasts attacking in perfect coordination—the Firehawk blasting the Tyrant with flames while the Waterserpent coiled around its legs, slowing it down.
Eryn called out commands, Shadowfang darting through the shadows, cutting at the Tyrant's joints.
Sylara shifted into Mountain Lion form, weaving between attacks with blinding speed before clawing deep into the Tyrant's exposed flank.
Kaelis morphed his arms into bear-like limbs, delivering earth-shattering blows that sent the monster staggering.
Lyanna stood at the front, absorbing the Tyrant's counterattacks with Ironpaw's massive shield-like defense, ensuring her team remained unharmed.
Kael watched in awe. This is what a real team looked like.
And yet… they didn't even know he was here.
With the Tyrant weakened, Valerion called out, "Eryn, now!"
Eryn and Shadowfang lunged forward. With one precise slash, she severed the core from its chest.
The Tyrant roared one final time—before crumbling into mist.
The dungeon trembled. The corruption faded. It was ove
Kael staggered back against the cavern wall, breathing heavily, his clothes scorched and torn, blood drying at the corners of his mouth. He watched as Silverstar regrouped, their formation tight, their movements unified.
Even after the chaos, they looked steady. Unbreakable. Together.
He hadn't meant to be found. He'd come here to prove something—to himself. But watching them fight…
He couldn't look away.
Eryn turned, scanning the area. Her gaze landed on him—and her eyes widened.
"…Kael?"
Her voice was soft, stunned.
Valerion's sharp eyes followed hers. His hand subtly relaxed from the hilt of his sword, but his posture remained alert.
Sylara blinked. "Wait—he was here this whole time?"
Kaelis stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You took on a dungeon like this… alone?"
Kael didn't speak for a moment. His breathing still ragged, every limb sore. Then he looked up at them, his voice hoarse:
"I didn't know anyone else would be here."
Eryn moved toward him, concern etched across her face. "You look like hell."
He gave a faint, tired smirk. "Feel worse."
There was a long pause. Then Valerion stepped closer. "You fought well. For someone soloing a B-rank dungeon without backup... that's not nothing."
Sylara gave him a look. "That was insane. Stupid. Brave. But still insane."
Kael lowered his head slightly, voice quiet. "I had to prove something. To myself."
The cavern went silent for a moment longer—then Lyanna stepped forward, looking him in the eye.
"You survived. That means something."
Eryn looked down at the blood on his hands, then back into his eyes. Her voice dropped to a whisper—soft, fragile.
"…You didn't tell me how bad it was, Kael."
She took a small step closer, her expression torn between guilt and disbelief.
"Why weren't you with your guild? Why were you in this place alone?"
He said nothing. He couldn't.
But in that moment, surrounded by a team who worked like one heart, one mind—something shifted in him.
Maybe… maybe there was still a place in the world for someone like him.