The forest stretched in every direction, its mana-rich flora humming with a subtle, otherworldly glow. Kiran adjusted his grip on the crude stone blade he'd fashioned, glancing at the **wolf corpse** beside him. The shimmering **Mana Core** he had pried from its teeth pulsed faintly in his palm.
(So materials can trigger **special conditions**… That means the Akashic Record isn’t just passively tracking me—it actively pushes me toward evolution.)
{Special Condition Discovered: Gather 5 Mana Cores for Talent Evolution (1/5).}
(If five of these can evolve my **talent**, then… what about my class?)
He focused on his **status screen**, searching for a clue.
---
**[STATUS]**
**Name:** Kiran
**Level:** 5
**Class:** Cataclysm Survivor
**Subclass:** Pending
**Talent:** Weaver of Ruin
**Titles:** Catalyst of Chaos, Rift Survivor
**Skills:**
- Adaptive Reflexes (Lv 1)
- Basic Extraction (Lv 1)
- ??? (Sealed)
- ??? (Sealed)
---
(Class advancement is at **Level 50**. The conditions are still **unknown**… but maybe they also involve gathering something?)
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
A rustling in the underbrush snapped him back to reality.
He froze.
Low growls echoed from the shadows.
(Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me—)
**Two more** direwolves emerged, their glowing eyes locked onto their fallen kin. Their crystalline teeth shimmered in the dim light, their bodies rippling with raw mana.
{Entities Detected: Mana-Touched Direwolves (x2).}
{Level: 10, 11.}
{Threat Level: High.}
(…I just had to take the Mana Core, didn’t I?)
One of the wolves let out a deep, reverberating **howl**—
And the entire **forest** answered.
A dozen other howls rose in response, echoing from **all around him.**
Kiran’s stomach **dropped.**
(Oh. I am **so** screwed.)
---
The wolves charged.
Kiran **bolted**, leaping over the fallen log and darting deeper into the dense undergrowth. The ground blurred beneath him as he pushed his legs to their limit, dodging between thick trees and leaping over exposed roots.
Behind him, the **thunder** of paws **shook the earth.**
{Danger Level Rising: Surrounding Area Increasingly Hostile.}
{Adaptive Reflexes (Lv 1) → Lv 2!}
Kiran’s movements became sharper, his instincts keener. He twisted mid-sprint, barely avoiding the snapping jaws of a wolf lunging from the side.
But he wasn’t fast enough.
A **third** wolf came from the right, slamming into him with its massive bulk.
Pain **exploded** across his ribs as he was sent tumbling through the dirt.
He hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop against a jagged rock.
(Shit, shit, shit—)
The lead wolf pounced.
In that split second, Kiran’s **bad luck** activated.
A sharp **crack** split the air—
And the **ground beneath them collapsed.**
---
Kiran barely had time to process what was happening before he was **falling.**
A hidden **sinkhole** swallowed him and the wolf whole, the loose earth crumbling in a landslide of dirt and roots.
The wolf **snarled**, twisting mid-air to try and claw at him—
But the collapse was **too fast.**
They hit **something solid**.
---
Kiran groaned.
His vision was **spinning**. His entire body ached. He was lying on **stone**, deep within some kind of underground **chamber**.
Dust filled the air, illuminated by an eerie blue glow. The wolf lay **motionless** nearby, its neck twisted at an unnatural angle.
It was dead.
{Level Up!}
{Level: 5 → 6}
(…That actually worked?)
Kiran exhaled, pushing himself up on shaking arms.
And then—he saw it.
In front of him, embedded in the chamber wall, was an **intricately carved doorway.** Ancient symbols glowed faintly, their energy pulsing in rhythmic patterns.
A **dungeon entrance.**
{Hidden Dungeon Discovered: Ruins of the Forgotten Depths.}
{Recommended Level: 15+.}
(Oh, fantastic. Of course I fall into a **dungeon.**)
And just as he was debating whether he should attempt to **leave**—
The **ground trembled.**
Something **moved** within the dungeon.
Kiran clenched his jaw.
(…Welp. Time to add ‘accidentally finding a death trap’ to my list of talents.)
And with that, he stepped inside.
