CHAPTER 52: CH 52: HIDDEN LOOT- PART 2

Fenrir scowled as he fired off another shot, watching the creature drop with ease.

[Skill Shot]

He muttered under his breath.

Despite all his earlier complaints about relying on a low-grade, low-cost skill, Fenrir had used it non-stop through the entire dungeon.

Ding!

[[Skill Shot has gained enough experience. Evolve skill?

[Yes / No]

Fenrir blinked at the system message and sighed.

"I don’t even know what evolving it will do, but fine... better than staying stuck."

He selected [Yes], and the notification vanished, replaced by a vague "Skill Evolution in Progress" bar.

He holstered his weapon and leaned against a rock, finally catching his breath.

The monsters were cleared out for now, but there was more to do. The dungeon map appeared before him, filled with blinking dots.

Dozens of resources pulsed in soft colors: rare herbs, mana crystals, and dungeon ore. Fenrir grimaced. The temptation to gather everything was overwhelming, but he steeled himself.

"No. Focus. The scroll."

He muttered.

He zoomed in on the map until he found what he was looking for—a lone golden marker far in the back of the dungeon.

That was where the skill scroll was hidden. Ignoring everything else, Fenrir began moving swiftly through the twisting corridors.

It took him longer than expected to get there, thanks to the twisted terrain and mana disruptions in the air.

By the time he finally arrived at the large chamber housing the skill scroll, his steps slowed.

Dain and Elaine Croix were already there.

The pair stood before a massive reptilian boss monster, its scales glimmering with poison.

They were engaged in fierce combat—Elaine darted around the edges, attacking with precision while Dain threw powerful punches imbued with flame.

Fenrir narrowed his eyes.

Of course they would be here.

Dain looked more capable than the last time he saw him, and Elaine moved like she had something to prove. Fenrir watched them for a few moments, calculating.

He glanced at the mini-map.

The skill scroll was still showing—right behind the boss monster, nestled in the rocky outcrop behind it.

With all his stats buffed and his many artifacts cloaking his presence, Fenrir knew he had a narrow window.

And he took it.

Sliding along the wall like a shadow, Fenrir activated every stealth and agility buff he had.

The boss monster didn’t even flinch as he passed right under its massive tail. Dain and Elaine were too focused to notice—until it was too late.

His fingers wrapped around the scroll. It was glowing faintly with power, radiating a type of mana he hadn’t seen in years.

That was when all hell broke loose.

The boss monster roared, spinning around with rage now that someone had entered its treasure zone.

Dain’s head whipped toward Fenrir. Elaine made a wounded, frustrated noise that was halfway between disbelief and fury.

"Hey! That’s ours!"

Dain shouted, his gauntlets sparking as he charged after Fenrir.

But Fenrir was already moving. His agility was too high, his movement clean.

He activated his movement skill and blurred into motion, dodging around the monster and past a collapsing tunnel.

Dain tried to chase, but Fenrir could hear his muttered curses as he lost ground.

Elaine launched a spell toward him, but it fizzled before it could reach him through his defensive artifact’s shield.

Dain clenched his fists as he watched the masked intruder snatch the skill scroll right from under their noses.

The boss monster shrieked behind them, but Dain’s focus was entirely on the thief vanishing into the distance.

"Hey! You bastard! That scroll—it’s not just loot! It’s a matter of life and death for Elaine!"

He roared.

Elaine, who had just managed to stabilize herself from the boss’s last attack, grit her teeth and glared after the escaping figure.

Her expression was cold and furious, and her breathing was labored.

Fenrir, hidden behind his mask and already halfway through his retreat, turned to glance back at the two. His eyes met Dain’s, and he paused just long enough to speak.

"It’s life or death for me, too."

Fenrir said flatly.

His tone was cool and calm, but that only seemed to enrage Dain further.

"Don’t give me that crap! If you don’t drop that scroll right now, I’ll be forced to use my ultimate move! I’m warning you!"

Dain snapped, aura flaring as flames licked up his arms.

Fenrir stared at him in silence, the same way an adult might look at a child throwing a tantrum. Then he sighed.

"Juvenile."

He muttered.

Without another word, he tossed a small vial to the ground. It shattered instantly, releasing a thick cloud of white smoke that spread across the cavern like a rolling fog.

"Damn it!"

Dain cursed, covering his mouth and trying to locate the figure through the haze.

Elaine activated a wind-based spell to disperse the smoke, but by the time visibility returned, the masked thief was gone.

The skill scroll, their only chance at fixing Elaine’s condition, had vanished with him.

"Damn it all! Who the hell was that guy?"

Dain punched the ground hard enough to crack it.

______

Meanwhile, Fenrir sprinted through the winding corridors of the dungeon.

His breath was steady, his steps swift.

Every few seconds, he activated a different artifact—one cloaked him in shadows, another enhanced his speed, and another erased his presence from detection-type spells.

Once he was certain that no one was following him, he stopped at a quiet alcove deep in the dungeon and took a deep breath.

The scroll was still clutched in his hand, pulsing faintly with heat. He sat down on a flat rock and finally inspected the item properly.

[Skill Scroll: Lava Lake

Type: Fire-Affiliated Magic

Description: Grants passive fire resistance and the ability to cast high-level explosive fire spells. Consumes user’s mana. Usable only by individuals with a fire affinity.

Grade: B+

Rarity: High

Compatibility: 78% (Adjusted by Fire Affinity Boosting Artifact)]

Fenrir raised a brow.

"Lava Lake...This isn’t just any basic spell. It’s meant for siege-level combat."

He murmured, watching as the scroll’s text shimmered faintly.

It wasn’t the scroll he had been aiming for—he had hoped for a passive support-type skill—but he wasn’t disappointed.

Fire resistance was a major boon in dungeons known for flame-type enemies, and the offensive capabilities would only grow with his stats. But he was more excited about what it meant for his potion making and weapon making.

"This will work."

He muttered.

Still, he couldn’t help but replay what Dain said in his mind.

’A matter of life and death for Elaine, huh?’

He had seen how hard she’d been fighting. The way she clutched her side, the unstable pulses of mana around her—it had been obvious something was wrong.

And yet... it hadn’t stopped him.

Fenrir shook his head.

"This world doesn’t reward hesitation. There are no guarantees in dungeons. No ownership but strength. I need every edge I can get."

He whispered to himself.

The scroll shimmered again. Fenrir pressed his hand to it, and the knowledge poured into him. Fiery heat spread through his veins as the skill integrated itself into his system.

[Skill acquired: [Lava Lake]

Effect: +30% fire resistance. Unlocks [Volcanic Surge] and [Molten Shards] when fire mana is channeled at high concentrations.]

A slow smile spread across his face.

"Yeah. This’ll do."

He stood up, tucking the now-inert scroll into his inventory.

The dungeon was quiet around him, and he knew that by now, Dain and Elaine were either still looking for him or had given up. Either way, he had what he came for.

He’d made enemies today, no doubt.

But he had also taken another step forward.

And in this world—where towers would rise and chaos was inevitable—every step forward counted.