CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 62 - ARCHON OF TIME

Unlike when I faced the lizard monsters during the previous Dungeon Break, where I was trapped in an open field and forced into a fight I could not avoid, this Dungeon was far more advantageous.

The narrow stone walls and cave-like formations allowed me to hide, control my breathing and plan my kills far more efficiently.

I pressed my back against the cold stone. Dim yellow crystals flickered along the walls, casting jagged shadows that slithered like living creatures. The scent of damp earth and faint sulfur stung my nose. Heavy orc footsteps echoed closer in a steady rhythm.

Three orcs.

Two wielded long, rusted daggers. The third carried a bow and a thick arrow with black feathers. Their dark green skin glistened with sweat, rough breaths growling from their broad throats.

I waited. No breath. No sound.

As they passed by... now.

Mindrender shot from behind the rock, its blade shimmering with a dark haze that looked like living smoke. I appeared behind the first orc and drove my sword straight through its back.

KRAGHH.

The orc coughed blood and fell, and I was already rushing the second target.

A sweeping slash struck the side of its neck. Not deep enough to decapitate, but blood sprayed violently like water from a burst pipe. It collapsed, twitching on the ground.

The last orc, the archer, flinched in shock. Its eyes widened as it roared in anger. It spun and raised its bow, trying to draw the arrow...

Too late.

I lunged forward, feet pounding the ground. Mindrender sliced the air, dancing between us. The orc’s large hands struggled to block the blow, but its strength and skill were inferior. I rammed my knee into its stomach and thrust upward, beneath the ribs, piercing its heart.

Its massive body convulsed. The final breath escaped as a choked and pitiful growl. Then it hit the ground, dead.

The System responded at once.

[Successfully killed Orc Archer]

[Received 30 EXP]

[Successfully killed Orc]

[Received 15 EXP]

[Successfully killed Orc]

[Received 15 EXP]

I exhaled softly. Warm blood dripped from the blade’s tip, trailing down my sleeve. I was getting far more used to Mindrender now. It was as if the sword was teaching me combat techniques I once knew but had slowly forgotten.

"Father..." I whispered, a tiny memory striking my consciousness. Years without a sword, yet the feeling was returning.

I wiped the blood off my cheek and continued forward.

So far, I could conclude that Rank E monsters, like the goblin I killed before, gave me 10 EXP. Rank D monsters gave me 15 EXP, Rank C monsters gave me 30 EXP, and Rank B monsters gave me 50 EXP. I had no idea how much Rank A and above would provide because I had not faced any yet.

At first, I wondered why the Goblin King gave such little EXP, even though it was far stronger than normal goblins. I only needed to kill five regular goblins to earn the same amount of EXP.

A ratio that seemed disappointing at first. But thinking again, in higher-ranked Dungeons, Rank B monsters were probably just common creatures. It might even serve as a warning: do not recklessly challenge something far beyond your reach just for higher rewards.

Although I doubted any monster could truly threaten me with my [Time Stop] skill.

Besides, the EXP required for me to level up was quite low, making it surprisingly easy to gain levels.

Level, yes. Level, not Rank.

That had bothered me since the beginning.

Normal Awakeners received their Rank the moment they awakened. Some immediately became Rank A due to talent or absurd luck. Others had the misfortune of awakening as Rank E and remained stuck there for life.

A perfect example was Angeline, my stepsister, who had barely reached twenty years old and was already Rank A. Meanwhile, many older Hunters who battled for decades were still stuck at Rank C.

Could a Rank be raised? It was possible. Awakeners had to train relentlessly, take risks that could kill them, then reach a complicated enlightenment. Only then might they experience a Second Awakening. And none of that could be forced.

Meanwhile, I...

I had something completely different. This System.

It allowed me to level up with almost ridiculous ease. All I needed was to kill monsters and complete quests.

Should I feel grateful... or suspicious?

As I thought about it, the same questions crawled back into my mind. Why me? Where did this System come from? Was someone watching every move I made? Was this world a simulation? And if so, who played the role of god? The questions piled endlessly.

I shook my head slightly, brushing away the doubts. This was not the time to drown in possibilities.

One thing was certain.

All these advantages were mine.

I sheathed Mindrender behind my waist and moved deeper into the cavern. The dim green crystal light made every shadow appear like a monster waiting to pounce.

I slipped into the darkness again.

And as the next orcs appeared...

I was already prepared to weave their deaths with my blade.

Mindrender whispered again.

And the slaughter continued.

Around ten hours passed, and behind me dozens of green corpses lay scattered. A slow-burning feeling crept into my chest... the feeling of dominion.

I stopped for a moment, staring at both hands gripping my sword so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

"I am... getting stronger."

The whisper escaped before I realized, accompanied by a hunger that began to surface... pride and thirst.

Thirst not only for strength...

but for proof. To crush every bastard who once laughed at my suffering.

I began walking again, deeper into the tunnel that split the cave like the gaping jaws of a beast.

.

.

.

Outside the Dungeon gate, bronze-brown with a faint copper shine, three meters tall and swirling slowly like a dimensional vortex, a dozen security officers stood guard. Their armored plates reflected the fading sunlight as the yellow barricade tape flickered slightly from the portal’s magical pressure.

The wind suddenly stopped.

A silence far too quiet.

Something emerged from thin air.

SHRRK KRKK...

Insect-like legs slammed against the ground. Then came a tall, chitin-covered body, resembling a humanoid forest beetle. Six thin wings folded against its back, vibrating gently with a low buzzing hum. Six long antennae curved forward like demonic horns, sensing prey.

In its hand, it held an object shaped like a crystal compass. The needle spun wildly before locking toward the portal.

Its mandibles clicked. Cold insectoid noises scraped together. If translated... the meaning might be:

"At last... I have found you. Archon of Time."

One of the guards finally noticed its presence.

His eyes widened.

"W... What is that!? HEY!!"

His voice instantly alerted the others.

The creature did not react at all. It simply raised a clawed hand and clenched its fist.

Then...

An invisible blast erupted.

Every guard was lifted into the air like severed puppets. Their bodies shot backward with terrifying force, crashing into nearby buildings. Bones shattered. Flesh burst like smashed clay. None of them managed a second scream.

BRAGH KRAKK.

The monster never even checked its work.

No emotion. No concern. As if it had simply removed tiny insects from its path. What an irony...

With deliberate steps, it walked past the mangled bodies and entered the swirling portal.

The gate swallowed its figure.

And the outside world was left in deadly silence.