Raito slowly stood up, steadying his breath. "Alright... only one monster left for Greed to consume," he muttered, brushing dirt off his leg. He looked around the dim cavern. "What floor should I move to next? Or... is there even another one beyond this?"
The only thing before him was the vast lake, still and eerie, reflecting the faint glow of green light from the ceiling. "I haven’t seen anything else yet. Just this place," he said softly. His voice echoed faintly across the cave. "But I’ve already defeated so many monsters... so what now? What do I do next?"
Just then, a deep rumble echoed through the cavern. The surface of the lake began to churn violently. "What the—?" Raito stepped back, eyes darting. The sound grew louder—water splashing, waves crashing against the rocky shore. Something massive was moving beneath the surface.
Raito’s grip tightened around his dagger. "This feeling... again. I can sense it." His heartbeat quickened. "It’s stronger. Way stronger. What’s coming out of there?"
The water exploded upward, and a monstrous shape rose from the depths. Raito’s eyes widened as three colossal heads emerged, hissing in unison. "No way..." he breathed. The creature’s full form came into view—scales glistening, fangs like blades. A Hydra.
It towered above him, nearly fifty feet long, each head moving with its own vicious hunger.
"What the hell is a Hydra doing here?" Raito shouted, stumbling back. "No... that’s a rancorous-class monster! I’m not strong enough for this!"
He turned and sprinted toward the dungeon entrance. The massive stone door loomed ahead—closed. He slammed his hand against it, then kicked it hard. "Open, damn it! Open!" The door didn’t budge.
The Hydra roared behind him, its three heads lashing out, water crashing around its body.
Raito’s breathing grew heavy. "Tch... there’s no way out." He turned to face the monster again, gripping his daggers tightly. "So I have to defeat it... to leave this place."
He lowered his stance, his shadow flickering beneath his feet. "A three-headed Hydra... impossible," he whispered, eyes locked on the beast. "But if I don’t fight, I die anyway."
Raito exhaled slowly, forcing his heartbeat to steady. The cold air inside the dungeon brushed against his skin as he stared at the Hydra. Its three heads loomed above the dark lake, each one dripping venomous saliva that hissed and smoked on contact with the ground.
He caught his reflection in the creature’s glistening scales—tired eyes, bruised arms, and a spark of defiance that refused to fade.
"So this is what I look like before dying," he muttered with a faint, humorless smile.
"What should I do..." His grip tightened around the dagger. "I’ll have to use Shadow Phase... and Physical Enhancement. There’s no other choice."
The Hydra’s central head tilted slightly, as if listening. Its six eyes locked on him, unblinking. The dungeon fell silent—only the slow drip of venom echoed across the cavern.
Raito lowered his stance. "I think I’m ready," he whispered. "I’ve studied monsters before. Its body’s submerged, but it can extend those necks anywhere on this floor... and those scales—" his eyes sharpened, "—they’re thick enough to shatter my blade if I strike wrong."
A faint vibration rippled through his mind.
[Skill Activated: Shadow Phase]
[Skill Activated: Physical Enhancement]
Dark mist coiled around his legs, spreading upward like smoke as his muscles tensed. His heartbeat slowed, his vision sharpened. Every sound, every droplet, every breath of the Hydra became clear.
"Let’s see..." he murmured, stepping forward, voice steady now. "Which of us disappears first?"
[Status Box – Greed Status]
The translucent screen flickered before Raito’s eyes, faint blue light reflecting off the dungeon walls. He quickly scrolled through Greed’s weapon creation log.
[Weapon Creation: Scorpion Stinger Dagger]
Progress: 15 minutes remaining...
"Tch... still not ready," Raito muttered under his breath, eyes darting toward the black lake.
The surface rippled. A low rumble echoed from beneath.
Without warning, one of the Hydra’s heads shot out of the mist like a bullet. The air cracked from the force of its movement.
Raito’s instincts screamed. He dove to the side, rolling across the stone floor just as the massive jaws crashed into the wall where he’d been standing a second earlier. The entire chamber trembled from the impact, dust exploding into the air like smoke.
Chunks of stone rained down as the Hydra recoiled, hissing violently. The wall it had struck was shattered—half collapsed from the sheer force.
Raito’s eyes widened slightly as he stared at the monstrous head—it was enormous, at least fourteen feet from jaw to crown, each fang the length of a short sword. Venom dripped steadily from its teeth, sizzling when it touched the floor.
"Yeah..." Raito whispered, tightening his grip on his dagger. "One wrong move, and I’m gone."
The Hydra pulled its head back, venom dripping from its fangs. Then, all three heads rose high and struck at once.
The first head lunged with blinding speed. Raito leapt to the side, barely avoiding its jaws as they slammed into the ground. The second head came immediately after, cutting through the air with a roar.
Still mid-air, Raito twisted his body and narrowly dodged the strike. The serpent’s jaws tore into the dungeon wall instead, leaving a crater of cracked stone.
The third head shot forward the moment he landed. Raito gritted his teeth, raised his dagger, and swung with all his strength. Metal met scale with a sharp clang, deflecting the Hydra’s attack just enough to send its head crashing against the wall beside the others.
All three heads recoiled, shaking off debris. Their glowing eyes turned toward him again—cold, furious, and alive with hatred. For origınal chapters go to 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝔫𝔢𝔱
Raito clenched his dagger, breathing hard. "I can’t pierce those scales ..."
His gaze hardened. "System—equip Minotaur Strength."
A chime echoed in his head.
[Skill Equipped: Minotaur Strength]
[Strength Increase: +80%]
A surge of power flooded his muscles, veins glowing faintly beneath his skin. His grip tightened around the dagger as the weight of the weapon suddenly felt lighter.