The trio—Kazuki, Garron, and Elara—stood at the edge of a dark, overgrown ravine that served as the entrance to the dungeon known as “The Forgotten Cavern.” Locals had described it as cursed and unstable, often avoided even by seasoned adventurers.

  “Doesn’t seem too friendly,” Garron muttered, gripping his sword.

  “It’s not meant to be,” Kazuki replied calmly, stepping forward with emotionless resolve. His aura was cold, distant, yet powerful. Ever since the battle with the shaman ogre, a change in him had become more visible.

  Elara looked nervous but focused. “Let’s watch each other’s backs in there.”

  The three entered. The stone corridors were damp, echoing with drips of water and the distant screeches of unknown creatures. Immediately, they were greeted by low-tier dungeon monsters—stone goblins and cave snakes.

  They moved efficiently. Garron charged into combat, cutting down enemies with precision. Elara backed him up with healing spells and fire bursts when needed. Kazuki was far more methodical. Every move was clean, almost surgical. He tested new spells, refining his control over Earth, Wind, and Fire magic. His mana pool had expanded so much that he could now cast higher-level spells back-to-back without strain.

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  Further inside, the dungeon’s core shifted. Traps littered the path—falling rocks, pit holes, and poisonous gas clouds. Kazuki activated his “Search” and “Analysis” skills, identifying each trap before it triggered.

  “Still can't believe how you spot all that,” Garron said after narrowly avoiding a hidden spike pit.

  Kazuki didn’t respond. He was lost in thought again, analyzing enemy patterns, mana signatures, and even the dungeon’s structure. “This place was artificially designed… I can feel it.”

  At the heart of the dungeon, they faced a mid-boss: a giant stone golem embedded with mana crystals.

  It roared as it awakened, swinging massive arms laced with arcane energy.

  Elara erected barriers and healed the others when they got clipped by debris. Garron focused on brute strength, chipping away at the golem’s armor.

  Kazuki, meanwhile, was patient—reading the creature’s movements. “Its core is exposed every time it swings.” With that, he cast “Swift Swing,” dashed in a blur, and slashed at the exposed core. The golem staggered.

  Kazuki then activated Elemental Fury, but with only Earth, Fire, and Wind—sending a focused blast that fractured the golem’s core. The creature collapsed, crumbling into lifeless rubble.

  A system screen appeared before them.

  ---

  [Dungeon Cleared – The Forgotten Cavern]

  +400 XP | +100 SP | Rare Material: Mana Crystal Core x1

  Elara: Level Up!

  Garron: Level Up!

  Kazuki: Level Up!

  ---

  As they exited the dungeon into the late afternoon sun, Elara wiped the sweat from her brow. “That was… intense.”

  “Too easy,” Kazuki said quietly.

  Garron gave him a look. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine,” he replied, expression unreadable.

  They set up camp for the night just outside the dungeon. Though the stars twinkled above, a growing tension lingered in the air. None of them voiced it—but they all knew.

  Kazuki was changing. And fast.