It turned with savage intent, jaws snapping toward the shield rushing at it. The fangs met reinforced steel—parried cleanly—before the shield slammed forward with brute force, dazing the tiger on impact.
While the tiger was stunned, a shadow dropped from above.
Talia landed squarely on its back—her daggers a blur of motion. She unleashed a flurry of slashes, precise and rapid, each one carving deep gashes through the beast’s thick hide. The tiger thrashed beneath her, but her footwork remained planted as the blades danced, leaving trails of blood spraying into the air.
Before the tiger could even release a roar of pain—
Thwip. Thwip. Thwip.
Reese’s arrows whistled through the air and struck with brutal precision—each one landing inside the open gashes Talia had created. The force behind the impact buried them deeper into its muscle, amplifying the damage tenfold. The tiger staggered violently, its legs buckling beneath its weight.
Crackles of lightning sparked across its fur, its Aether flaring wildly.
“It’s going berserk!” Reese warned.
But Kai was already moving.
His body shot forward in a blur, his Adrenaline Force kicking into overdrive. His new spear gleamed, his grip steady and fierce as he closed the distance. With a low slide, he ducked beneath the tiger just as it tried to rise again.
A clean slash tore across its hind tendons—forcing it to collapse under its own weight.
Then—
Kai twisted his body upward, muscles tensed, and drove the spear straight into the exposed belly of the beast. Spiraling veins of Aether flared from the tip of the weapon, his skill igniting. The spear drilled through muscle and hide like a spinning blade of destruction, tearing up through the beast's core.
The tiger shrieked, its body convulsing violently, eyes wide in primal agony.
Then it slumped—its body crashing to the ground in a thundering heap.
Steam hissed from its body. The battlefield went silent.
[Grade F Dungeon Cleared – Hard Difficulty]
[Dungeon Type]: Lightning-Touched Jungle Temple
[Boss Defeated]: Thunderfang Tyrant (Storm-Tiger Variant)
[Team Performance Rating]: A-
[Individual Performance Breakdown]:
- Talia [Mirage Force]: A-
Created key openings with illusion tactics. Maintained battlefield disruption and enemy misdirection.
- Reese [Vector Force]: A
Excellent ranged support. Coordinated with allies to land high-damage follow-ups. Efficient arrow economy.
- Owen [Bastion Force]: A
Maintained front-line pressure. Timely blocks and counter-shield strikes created multiple stun windows. Exceptional tanking performance.
- Kai [Adrenaline Force]: A+
Final blow delivered with high-precision. Kept up offensive momentum throughout the fight. Exceptional use of burst power.
[Bonus Aether Rewards Applied Based on Performance]
[Special Notice]:
Participant: Kai
Achievement: Final Blow + Highest Combat Momentum
Unlocked: [Dungeon Slayer’s Spiral] – Bonus Skill Scroll (Bound)
+ Additional Reward: 1x Equipment Voucher [Rare]
Everyone took a moment to check their rewards, and Kai, despite receiving the bonus skill, just gave it a casual glance before stuffing it away like it didn’t matter.
“To think we’ve come this far in such a short time... it’s honestly kind of shocking,” Talia said, still catching her breath.
“I know, right? We used to struggle with moderate dungeons. Now we’re pulling off an A-rank clear in a Hard dungeon?” Reese added, still flipping through his reward notifications.
“Too bad we had to get broken in the process. I swear Zeph shattered my shield with a punch, then glared at me like I was next,” Owen groaned, rubbing his arm. “I really thought I was going to die.”
“You stole his food,” Talia snapped. “Kei explicitly warned you not to touch his stuff. Even Hachi backed him up, and that little guy’s usually the chill one.”
“You’re lucky Kei crafted you a new shield at all,” Kai added.
“I was hungry!” Owen shot back, then looked down at the shield strapped to his arm. “Still... this shield is insane. It’s perfectly attuned to Earth Force. I don’t know how Kei managed it, but even if I emptied out all my past ten lives’ savings, I wouldn’t be able to afford a down payment. A Bronze-grade shield, made with pristine aether? That’s not something you just find lying around.”
[Item Name]: Terraheart Bulwark
Type: Shield
Grade: Bronze
Crafted by: Kei Yuichi using Pristine Aether
Description:
Forged from refined ores and imbued with primal Earth resonance, this shield pulses with the calm yet unyielding rhythm of the planet itself. Kei's unique crafting method preserved the essence of Bastion Force, granting the bearer heightened resilience and synchronization with the ground beneath them.
Effects:
- Rooted Bastion: While stationary, damage taken is reduced by 10%.
- Gaia Pulse: When struck, there’s a 15% chance to trigger a pulse of Earth Force that staggers nearby enemies.
- Weight of Will: Blocking consecutive hits builds up Earth Momentum. At 3 stacks, next shield bash deals increased knockback and briefly stuns target.
- Force Compatibility: Enhances Bastion Force effects by 8%.
Glancing at his new spear, Kai’s eyes scanned over the familiar system prompt that greeted him:
[Item Name]: Spiraltip Vigor
Type: Spear
Grade: Bronze
Crafted by: Kei Yuichi using Pristine Aether
Description:
A sleek weapon forged with intent, this spear channels the raw, chaotic surge of Adrenaline Force into focused lethality. Its spiral-pointed tip captures kinetic energy mid-battle, growing deadlier with each heartbeat. A weapon that grows alongside its wielder’s desperation.
Effects:
- Momentum Spike: Each successful strike increases attack speed by 2% (max 10%). Resets if no hits are landed within 5 seconds.
- Adrenaline Flow: When health drops below 50%, critical chance increases by 10%.
- Spiral Drive: Heavy thrusts accumulate force at the tip, causing the next strike to ignore 15% of the target’s defense.
- Force Compatibility: Enhances Adrenaline Force effect scaling by 10%.
Kai’s fingers tightened on the shaft of the weapon.
“Yeah… he really is amazing,” he murmured, the words leaving his mouth slower than he expected. “I feel kinda guilty, though. He was so happy when he gave these to us—hyped them up like it was nothing. We were too caught up in the excitement to realize how badly his hands were shaking.”
“Right?” Reese said quietly, glancing over at Owen and Talia. “He tried so hard to hide the pain. But his hands were blistered to hell. And even getting Zeph to train us cost him. I don’t think it’s healthy to be giving that much blood, especially with how many creatures he’s bonded with. At this rate… he’s gonna bleed himself dry.”
They all went quiet, staring at the weapons in their hands. And in their minds, they remembered it clearly now—
A kid with his arms covered in bandages, skin raw from overuse, muscles trembling from exhaustion, and steam rising from his body as he stood over a makeshift forge. He still managed to grin when he handed them their weapons. Still tried to make jokes. Still said, “I just wanted to make something cool for you guys.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
That kid—
Because yes, that’s what he was. Not even sixteen. A boy.
While they were already in their twenties, struggling to adapt to this new world, Kei had been surpassing them at nearly every step. And still—
There was no resentment. No ego. No pride to bruise.
Because Kei had earned every inch of it. Every skill, every moment of growth, every connection.
He didn’t stumble upon greatness.
He bled for it.
And they would make sure that effort wouldn’t be wasted.
Taking final stock of their rewards
“This should be able to help him,” Owen said, holding up a scroll with a rare recipe inscribed on it. “He’s been stuck trying to figure out how to improve his healing salves. They’re already better than the beginner potions we started with, but he’s obsessed with recreating actual potions. This might be the breakthrough he needs.”
With the dungeon cleared and their spirits lighter, the group returned to Kei’s clearing. What was once a humble setup had now grown into something more—simple, but comfortable homes carved from natural materials. Thanks to Wooloo’s wool, soft bedding filled their resting spots, easing the tension from overworked muscles and bruised joints.
Their newly earned rewards were carefully placed away, and one by one, they made their way toward the stream to wash up.
But before anyone could reach the water, a rapid succession of thuds echoed through the forest—
Thud. Thud. THUD.
A blur soared through the sky.
Kei flipped overhead in midair, his body twisting with precision. Landing firmly on a tree branch, he coiled his body like a spring, then launched forward with blinding speed. His fist pulled back—
Boom!
It crashed into a familiar blur of blue fur—Zeph.
The Zephyr Monkey’s arm caught the strike, sliding back from the force. But before it could fully recover—
Whap!
Zeph’s counter swung forward, quick and sharp, only for Kei to deflect it, shifting its momentum off-course in a smooth parry.
That motion opened a small gap in Zeph’s guard.
And Kei didn’t waste it.
He moved in—calculated, fluid, and fierce—making good on the opportunity his redirection created.
The forest stirred with wind pressure as the two blurred into a flurry of high-speed exchanges.
The two moved like rival tempests—forces of nature colliding again and again.
Each of Zeph’s strikes came with the ferocity of a sudden gale, sharp and relentless. But Kei, ever adaptive, moved differently. His style held something subtler, quieter—like the whisper of a breeze just before a storm.
He'd begun to weave Phantom Breeze into his movements.
A technique of presence suppression, now turned offensive. Kei manipulated perception mid-fight—every time Zeph’s attention slipped from one of Kei’s limbs, it became a phantom limb. Strikes would come from angles the eye didn’t track, or be forgotten the moment after they landed. Whether it was a jab that felt like it came from nowhere or a sweep that bent perception itself, Kei used the lapse—however brief—to punish, pressing forward with continuous aggression.
Whump—Whap—Crack!
A sharp gust surged as Kei’s leg shot upward, then crashed down in a violent axe kick, the air howling in its descent. He’d used wind to increase the speed and weight of the blow mid-fall, compressing air pressure behind his heel.
But Zeph was already gone.
Flip.
The Zephyr Monkey twirled midair, its body tucked in tight before uncoiling its tail like a whip.
Smack!
The strike landed clean, a blur of blue fury catching Kei in the ribs and sending him skidding backwards across the clearing.
“Gah—!” Kei wheezed as he dug his heels into the dirt, trying to stabilize.
Zeph landed softly, its wild fur swaying with residual momentum, head tilted as if to say: Keep up.
Kei straightened, wiping his lip. “Okay... Okay. You cheeky monkey. I’m getting real tired of that tail.”
His smile returned, wild and alive.
As if to taunt Kei, Zeph blurred forward, using its momentum to whip its tail cleanly across Kei’s neck.
THANG!!
The impact echoed like a drumbeat. Kei staggered back a few steps, hand clutching the side of his neck with a wince.
“Oh, so we’re fighting dirty now, huh?” he muttered, glaring.
Zeph—clearly proud of itself—froze as it caught the expression on Kei’s face. That look. The one that promised payback. Regret flickered across the monkey's face a second too late.
By now, the others had gathered to watch.
Even after days of training under Zeph, not one of them had ever landed a proper hit. Let alone forced it to fight seriously. Yet here Kei was—matching it blow for blow, adapting with every swing, each movement more refined than the last.
And this wasn’t even him at full strength.
They remembered it well: Kei had been training with his non-dominant hand for combat—his left. Every strike, every parry, every counter was done with a handicap. Even so, he was holding his own against an Apex Boss they could barely breathe in front of.
It answered the lingering question that had sat in all of their minds since the beginning—
How the hell did Kei beat this thing alone?
Now they understood.
Rubbing the cloth wrap around his neck, Kei winced at the pain beneath it but relished the texture of the finely woven material—painstakingly spun from Wooloo’s wool, specifically to help him survive being strangled by a certain someone.
“To think figuring out cloth weaving would be such a headache… the amount of time I wasted getting it right is ridiculous,” Kei complained internally. “But this thing really is impressive.”
[Item Name]: Whisperweave Guard
Type: Neck Wrap (Cloth Armor)
Grade: Bronze
Crafted by: Kei Yuichi using Pristine Aether and Wooloo Wool
Description:
A high-quality neck wrap made from Wooloo’s enchanted wool, carefully spun and woven by Kei. Designed for flexibility and protection, the cloth is lightweight yet deceptively strong. Soft to the touch but reinforced with Kei’s aether, it dampens impacts and cushions the neck against chokeholds, strikes, and pressure.
Effects:
- Softened Strangle: Reduces damage from grapples, strangling, or pressure-based attacks to the neck by 15%.
- Aether-Conductive Weave: Increases aether sensitivity around the wearer’s throat and jawline, enhancing breath control and aether channeling during combat.
- Flexible Layering: Can be pulled up over the mouth and nose, offering minor resistance to dust, gas, or visual impairment.
- Comfort Fit: Automatically adjusts to the wearer’s neck size, maintaining airflow and comfort during movement or combat.
Additional Notes:
- Excellent for stealth, mobility, and sparring with creatures that don’t understand the concept of “friendly fire.”
- Can be washed and reshaped without losing its enchantment or form.
As if seeing its saving grace, Zeph quickly hopped, pointing to the others returning from the dungeon to shift Kei’s attention off itself.
“Oh hey guys, how was the dungeon?”
“All that training Zeph gave us really helped. We performed with an A average and got through without any serious injuries,” Reese said, immediately playing into Zeph’s clever distraction tactic.
“All those injuries the monkey gave us really paid off. We’re really grateful for it being here to train us,” the others added, taking turns to praise Zeph as their way of returning the favor.
The monkey took a moment to bow and thank each of them for diverting Kei’s attention away from its recent cheap shot.
“Here,” Owen said, handing over a folded parchment. “I got this potion recipe—figured it might help you figure out how to move forward with your potion crafting.”
Kei took it, nodding in appreciation. As he read, he adjusted the snug cloth wrapped around his forearms — a pair of fitted arm sleeves woven from Wooloo’s wool. The fabric stretched from just above his wrists to his biceps, hugging his arms like a second skin. Though soft to the touch, the weave had been reinforced, dense enough to absorb light impact.
For Kei, though, it was pure utility. The sleeves served as padding during sparring, improved his grip when wielding his sword or staff, and even doubled as makeshift pockets in a pinch.
They weren’t flashy or enchanted. But like everything else he made, they worked exactly the way he needed them to.
He glanced at the contents of the potion recipe, his brows furrowing more and more with every second. Frustration crept across his face until it was too apparent to ignore. With an annoyed sigh, he turned on his heel and marched off toward his workshop.
The others, knowing full well that once he got started they wouldn’t hear from him for a while, used the time to clean themselves up and organize their rewards.
Talia, in particular, made a beeline for the bath.
After all, Kei and Owen had used the bear to manipulate the earth enough to create a circular stone bath, and Kei had rigged a heating system beneath it to act like a natural hot spring. Combined with the bathing and spa products Kei crafted from the flora around the clearing, the experience was borderline luxurious.
Honestly, it was better than anything she’d ever tried back on Earth. The scents alone were so rich and calming, she remembered feeling intoxicated the first few times she used them—completely enveloped in that soothing, forest-fresh fragrance.
“All I was missing was Aether?” Kei mumbled, holding up the vial in his hand — the final product of his relentless effort. The liquid inside shimmered faintly, its potency undeniable. This wasn’t just a potion. No, it was beyond that.
It was an elixir.
Its effects were leagues ahead of anything given to participants so far, efficient on a scale that didn’t make sense.
Kai’s eyes bulged as he read the description.
“You really made this?” he asked, stunned. “This would start wars if it ever showed up at an auction.”
“Wanna help me test it?” Kei smiled, all his earlier frustration gone in an instant.
Trying to keep his soul from flying out of his body, Kai quickly pivoted.
“Y-you think this’ll help with that Exalted dungeon you found? I don’t know what you’ll run into in there, but if it really holds secrets tied to Earth… that kind of info could change everything — for the expanse and for when we get back home.”
Kei’s expression dropped, not from fear — but unease.
“That’s what’s been bothering me,” he said quietly. “We’re in a whole different world, so why would anything about Earth be buried here? And why me?”
He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowed.
“The dungeon tried to force me in like it was scripted to do that. And then something… something stopped it. I don’t know what. I don’t know why. And honestly—” Kei paused, glancing at the elixir still glowing faintly in his hand, “—I don’t know if I’m ready to find out.”
It was a rare moment of honesty. Kai didn’t interrupt.
Because no matter how terrifying Kei could be at times…
He was still a kid. And he was still figuring it out.