Chapter 3: The Weight of Instinct
The dungeon's oppressive silence pressed against Ryo Aelren as the party ventured deeper, the air thick with the stench of damp stone and decay. Lysa's staff cast a wavering light, revealing jagged tunnels that twisted like the veins of some ancient beast. Ryo's shoulder still ached from the Riftspawn's claw, but the System's words—Level 0: 10/100—burned brighter in his mind. He'd killed a monster. He'd earned experience. For the first time, he felt like more than just a porter.
"Stay close, runt," Tor growled, his warhammer glinting in the dim light. The warrior's eyes scanned the shadows, wary of another ambush. Gav moved ahead, his dagger twirling as he checked for traps. Lysa trailed behind, her face taut with concentration, her mana reserves visibly strained after the last fight.
Ryo shifted the heavy pack, his rusted sword now strapped to his side. The System's chime hadn't returned since the battle, but he could still feel it—a faint pulse, like a heartbeat in his mind. Survival Instinct. Basic Strike. Those skills had saved him, but he didn't know how to summon them at will. He needed to understand the System, to test its limits, but the dungeon offered no room for error.
"Hold," Gav whispered, raising a hand. The party froze. Ahead, the tunnel widened into a chamber, its floor littered with bones—some animal, some disturbingly human. At the far end, a massive stone door loomed, its surface carved with the same intricate runes Ryo had seen on the altar. A faint hum emanated from it, like the drone of a distant storm.
"Boss room," Lysa said, her voice low. "This wasn't in the briefing. Low-rank dungeons don't have boss rooms."
Gav cursed under his breath. "Guild's intel is garbage. That door's trouble, but there's no turning back. The portal's one-way until we clear the dungeon."
Tor hefted his hammer, his expression grim. "We've handled worse. Lysa, how's your mana?"
"Enough for a few spells," she said, gripping her staff. "But if it's a high-rank Riftspawn, we're in deep."
All eyes turned to Ryo, who stood silently at the rear. Gav's smirk was sharp as a blade. "What about you, porter? Ready to swing that junk sword again, or you gonna hide behind the altar?"
Ryo met Gav's gaze, his jaw tight. "I'll do what I need to."
Gav snorted, but Tor cut him off. "Enough. He's a porter, not a fighter. Stay out of the way, kid, and we'll all get out alive."
Ryo nodded, but the System's presence in his mind made the words sting less. He wasn't just a porter anymore. Not entirely.
Lysa approached the door, her staff glowing as she examined the runes. "These are old," she murmured. "Older than the Rift itself. This dungeon… it's not just a spawn point. It's something else."
"Save the history lesson," Gav said, nudging her aside. He pressed his ear to the door, listening. "Something's moving. Big. We go in hard and fast."
Tor nodded, and Lysa began chanting, her mana weaving a protective ward around the party. Ryo felt a faint warmth as the spell touched him, but his focus was on the door. The hum grew louder, and with it came a pressure, like the air itself was tightening.
Gav pushed the door open, and the chamber beyond revealed itself. It was vast, its walls lined with glowing crystals that pulsed in sync with the hum. At the center stood a creature unlike any Riftspawn they'd faced—a hulking figure, humanoid but wrong, its body a patchwork of stone and flesh. Its arms ended in jagged blades, and its face was a featureless slab, save for a single glowing eye. The air around it shimmered with raw mana.
"Stone Reaver," Lysa whispered, her voice trembling. "Rank C at least. We're not equipped for this."
"No choice," Tor said, stepping forward. "Spread out. Hit it from all sides."
The Reaver's eye locked onto them, and the ground shook as it charged. Tor met it head-on, his hammer clashing against its blade-arm with a deafening clang. Gav darted to the side, aiming for its legs, while Lysa unleashed a bolt of lightning that scorched its stone hide. The Reaver didn't slow, its movements unnaturally fast for its size.
Ryo backed away, his instincts screaming to run. He was no match for this thing. But as he retreated, the System chimed, its voice cutting through the chaos.
Survival Instinct activated. Threat level: Critical. Agility boosted by 15%. New Skill Unlocked: Danger Sense.
A pulse of awareness surged through him. He saw the Reaver's blade-arm shift, aiming not at Tor but at Lysa, who was too focused on her spell to notice. Without thinking, Ryo shouted, "Lysa, move!"
She dove just as the blade slammed into the ground where she'd stood, sending shards of stone flying. Lysa's eyes widened, meeting Ryo's. "How did you—?"
"No time!" Tor yelled, parrying another blow. "Keep hitting it!"
Ryo's heart pounded, but Danger Sense kept his senses sharp. He could feel the Reaver's movements, its intent, like a ripple in the air. He wasn't strong enough to fight it directly, but maybe he didn't have to. He scanned the chamber, his eyes landing on the glowing crystals embedded in the walls. They pulsed faster now, in time with the Reaver's attacks.
"Lysa!" Ryo called. "The crystals—can you overload them?"
She followed his gaze, understanding dawning. "It might destabilize the chamber, but… it could work. Cover me!"
Tor and Gav redoubled their efforts, drawing the Reaver's attention. Ryo stayed close to Lysa, his sword raised, though he knew it was useless against the beast. Lysa channeled mana into her staff, directing a stream of energy at the nearest crystal. It flared, its glow turning violent.
The Reaver roared, its eye swiveling toward Lysa. It abandoned Tor and charged, its blade-arm raised. Ryo's Danger Sense screamed, and he acted on instinct, shoving Lysa out of the way. The blade grazed his arm, tearing through his sleeve and drawing blood. Pain seared, but the System chimed again.
Experience gained. Level 0: 20/100. Endurance increased by 1.
Ryo stumbled, clutching his arm. Lysa recovered, pouring more mana into the crystal. It shattered with a deafening crack, and a chain reaction began. One by one, the crystals exploded, sending waves of mana surging through the chamber. The Reaver staggered, its stone body cracking under the overload.
"Now!" Tor roared, swinging his hammer with all his strength. The blow connected with the Reaver's chest, shattering it into rubble. The creature collapsed, its eye dimming as the chamber shook violently.
"Out!" Gav shouted, sprinting for the door. The party followed, Ryo limping behind, his arm burning. The tunnel quaked as they ran, stones falling from the ceiling. They reached the portal just as the chamber collapsed, diving through the vortex.
They emerged outside Varnholt's Rift Gate, gasping in the cold dawn air. The portal flickered and vanished, sealing the dungeon behind them. Tor leaned on his hammer, panting. Lysa sat heavily, her staff dim. Gav clutched the mana crystal, his eyes wide.
"You're insane, porter," Lysa said, catching her breath. "That crystal idea… it saved us."
Ryo shrugged, wincing as he touched his arm. "Just a hunch."
Gav's eyes narrowed. "Hunches don't call out attacks before they happen. What are you, kid?"
"Enough," Tor said, standing. "He's earned his pay. Let's get back."
Ryo followed, the System's words echoing in his mind. Level 0: 20/100. He was still weak, still a nobody. But the System was growing with him, and so was his resolve. As Varnholt's gates came into view, he glanced at the sky, where the Rift glowed faintly.
Whatever the System was, it had chosen him. And he would make it his own.
To be continued…