CHAPTER 29: SUPREME THIEF!

’Why would the System warn me about this death match... but not when I accepted the one with the chickens? Is it because the ravens are stronger? No... I’m sure it’s not just that.’

’Then what the heck is wrong!? What the hell is going on? What am I not seeing? What are the ravens, and the Crystal hiding from me?’

Leon ransacked his aching head for answers, but none came. It was like trying to piece together a puzzle with missing edges.

He wasted no time.

’System... please, what’s wrong?’

...

’Say something!’ Leon shouted inwardly, confusion and frustration crawling under his skin like ants. He hated being left in the dark. If there was one thing he knew could kill faster than a beak or claw—it was the unknown.

His instincts, those trustworthy senses that had saved him countless times, were now screaming louder than ever. Blaring like an emergency siren, telling him something was off—something was very wrong.

His heart grew heavy.

When the Crystal finally spoke, its voice was low. Almost like a whisper.

[I am restricted from giving off information about this to the Host.]

And then... silence again.

That single sentence stopped Leon cold.

’Restricted?’

’System, I thought I was the only one with access to this dungeon!’

[You are.]

’Then who?! Who’s restricting you?! Is it the natives of this dungeon!? Damn it, tell me! I need to know who or what I’m dealing with!’

The Crystal’s reply was a single word.

[You.]

And that word shattered him more than any beast’s attack could.

’Me...? What... the hell does that mean?’ His mind spiraled. ’When? How? Why? When did I... what the hell did I do!? How am I supposed to fight something I don’t even understand!?’

Confusion spun in his eyes like a raging storm, and across the battlefield, the ravens noticed.

Their cold, golden eyes narrowed at the sudden shift in his demeanor.

Their leader, a proud Level 6 raven, cackled with amusement. A screech followed, sarcastic and sharp, filled with disdain. It was enjoying the show.

’He doesn’t know... perfect,’ it thought. ’By the time he finds out... it’ll already be too late.’

The beast’s grin widened.

’Still, let’s see if he has the strength to back those bold words from earlier...’

Whether Leon accepted the challenge or not didn’t matter to the raven king. Either way, he was confident the ending would be the same—Leon would fall.

If he accepted, it would mean he was walking straight into their trap.

If he declined, then he was a coward... and they would swoop in and rip him apart without honor. A meal. Breakfast.

Time was ticking.

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1:25:43

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He was losing time.

’Instead of wasting it overthinking... face it all head-on. It’s not like I’m in control of anything here anyway.’

He wanted answers. Desperately.

But it was clear he wouldn’t be getting them now.

Leon accepted the invitation.

A sharp pulse of instinct lashed through him like lightning. Every fiber of his being screamed that he had just taken the most dangerous step of his life.

And then—

They came.

The ravens didn’t spare him a second. All of them rushed in with wild ferocity. Claws out. Beaks sharp. Wings slicing through the air like blackened blades.

Leon fought back.

He wasn’t overwhelmed—not yet.

They were stronger, yes. But he had fought worse. And more importantly, their attacks were limited. No mana. No elements. Just close-ranged, physical strikes. And to land a blow, they had to get too close.

That’s where Leon had the advantage—and he used it well.

Any time one of them got close, he’d intercept with a powered punch or a bone-shattering kick, sometimes using the rebounding force of his Mana Shield to throw them off balance.

His shield pulsed around him like a second skin, absorbing blows and retaliating with force like a divine armor forged from energy itself.

He didn’t let them breathe.

And they didn’t let him either.

Clash after clash, Leon tore through them.

One by one, the beasts dropped, feathers torn, beaks shattered, bodies scattered across the field like fallen black stars.

He hadn’t realized it yet... but with each battle, his aura grew heavier.

Each punch refined his fighting rhythm.

Each dodge sharpened his instincts.

Each kill deepened his bloodlust.

His skill in combat was evolving—not just through effort, but through instinctual adaptation. As if some deep part of him was awakening.

The Level 6 Raven King simply watched.

It never moved.

Grinning coldly, it let Leon enjoy the slaughter.

’Let him kill. Let him dance in the illusion of victory. It makes the fall more satisfying.’

It perched high, confident and calm.

’When I descend... it ends.’

The raven was so happy, it could even sacrifice its own life—just to see its plan succeed.

Leon didn’t know what was going through its mind, but one thing was clear—he needed to end this quickly.

He had already used up nine hours out of the forty-eight, and frankly... he didn’t like how slow his progress was.

He continued killing.

One after the other, the ravens dropped from the sky, their bodies twisting, breaking, lifeless.

Each time a raven died, the same eerie phenomenon took place—its carcass vanished like it was never there in the first place. Disintegrating into nothingness.

And that was when Leon noticed something strange.

All the chicken carcasses had dropped something—coins, weapons, gear.

So naturally, Leon thought all dungeon beasts dropped loot upon death.

But now...

From the corner of his eye, he noticed something disturbing.

Not all of the ravens dropped anything.

And that small detail saddened him more than it should’ve.

’You love thrill, so I just want to make things interesting,’ the crystal said softly, its tone unreadable.

’So you’re saying the more I level up... the less likely the beasts are to drop items?’ Leon asked, eyes narrowing.

’Yes, you guessed it right. The drops will begin to reduce... until, eventually, they disappear altogether. At that point, you’ll have to "steal" one item—or more—per dungeon. Sometimes it will come as missions... challenges... or opportunities disguised as death.’

The voice paused, letting that sink in before continuing.

’Your stealing ability isn’t what you think it is. You’re the Supreme Thief. You can steal anything. From cultivation—which can be converted to mana and used to level up—to affinities... to skills... even entire worlds from gods. You might be weak now, but your potential... is far greater than you can imagine.’