Chapter 5 – The First Dungeon
The growls grew louder.
One after another, Abyssal Spawn crawled out of the underground station, their crimson eyes glowing in the darkness like countless burning embers.
Azrael counted as many as he could.
"...Too many."
Three hundred monsters.
There was no chance they could fight them all.
Not yet.
The Crimson Devourer roared again, and the entire station shook violently.
Chunks of concrete rained from the ceiling as the massive creature slowly climbed toward the surface.
Unlike the ordinary Spawn, it walked upright.
Its body stood nearly five meters tall, covered in crimson crystal armor that gleamed beneath the afternoon sun. Two thick horns curved backward from its skull, while a row of jagged spikes ran from its neck to the end of its enormous tail.
Its most terrifying feature, however...
Was the giant crimson eye embedded in the center of its chest.
The eye slowly opened.
It stared directly at Azrael.
Boss Identified
Name: Crimson Devourer
Rank: Feral Tier II
Level: 10
HP: 2,500 / 2,500
Recommended Level: 8
Current Survival Chance: 8%
Azrael swallowed.
"...We’re Level One."
Seraphina let out a nervous laugh.
"I don’t think the System likes us very much."
The Devourer slammed both fists against the ground.
BOOM!
The shockwave blasted through the street.
Streetlights snapped in half.
Parked cars rolled onto their sides.
The weaker Abyssal Spawn screeched before charging together.
Azrael immediately shouted,
"Run!"
Neither twin hesitated.
They sprinted down the main road while dozens of monsters pursued them.
The ground shook beneath the boss’s heavy footsteps.
People hiding inside nearby buildings watched through shattered windows as the horrifying chase unfolded.
"They’re being hunted..."
"Oh God..."
"Someone save them..."
Unfortunately...
There was no one left to save anyone.
New Quest
Escape the Crimson Devourer
Objective: Survive for 30 Minutes
Reward:
500 Evolution Points
Beginner Equipment Chest ×1
Authority Experience +50
Failure: Death
"Thirty minutes?!"
Azrael nearly stumbled.
"Does it expect us to play tag with that thing?"
Seraphina glanced behind them.
"It isn’t slowing down!"
The Crimson Devourer bulldozed through abandoned vehicles, crushing them beneath its feet.
It didn’t bother avoiding obstacles.
It simply destroyed everything in its path.
Suddenly...
A city bus rolled down a nearby hill, smashing into the middle of the road.
The driver had abandoned it.
The bus blocked the entire street.
Azrael’s eyes lit up.
"I’ve got an idea."
"What?"
"Trust me."
He stopped running.
The Devourer roared triumphantly.
The distance between them rapidly closed.
Twenty meters.
Fifteen.
Ten.
Five.
"Now!"
Azrael raised his sword.
"Oblivion Edge!"
A crescent-shaped wave of black energy shot forward.
Instead of striking the monster...
It sliced through the support beneath a nearby construction crane.
The enormous crane tilted.
Its steel cables snapped.
The entire structure collapsed directly toward the road.
The Crimson Devourer looked up.
Too late.
CRASH!!
Hundreds of tons of steel buried the monster beneath twisted metal.
A massive cloud of dust filled the street.
The pursuing Spawn scattered in every direction.
Azrael grinned.
"See?"
"It worked."
Seraphina stared.
"...You just dropped a crane on a boss."
"I’ve played enough survival games."
For several seconds...
Nothing happened.
Then...
The pile of steel exploded.
The Crimson Devourer emerged almost completely unharmed.
Its crystal armor had only a few shallow scratches.
Azrael’s smile slowly disappeared.
"...I hate bosses."
The monster roared louder than before.
It was angry now.
Very angry.
They turned another corner and found themselves standing before a large shopping mall.
The entrance doors hung open.
Inside...
Everything was quiet.
Too quiet.
Azrael frowned.
"Something’s wrong."
Before either twin could react...
The System interrupted.
Special Location Detected
Elysia Grand Mall
Status:
Temporary Safe Zone
Hostile monsters cannot enter while the Barrier remains active.
Remaining Duration:
01:42:18
"A safe zone?"
Without another word, the twins rushed inside.
The moment they crossed the entrance...
A transparent golden barrier shimmered across the doorway.
Seconds later...
The Crimson Devourer slammed into it.
BOOM!
The entire mall shook violently.
The barrier rippled like water...
But it held.
The boss roared in frustration.
It clawed at the invisible wall again and again.
Nothing happened.
Finally...
It retreated.
Not because it wanted to.
Because it couldn’t enter.
Azrael collapsed onto the floor.
"I’ve never been happier to see a shopping mall."
Seraphina sat beside him, breathing heavily.
"We’re alive."
"For now."
Around them, nearly forty survivors stared in silence.
Families.
Children.
Police officers.
Hospital workers.
Everyone looked exhausted.
One middle-aged man cautiously approached.
"Were..."
"Were those monsters chasing you?"
Azrael nodded honestly.
"Yes."
The man’s face turned pale.
"Then we’re doomed..."
Before panic could spread...
A calm female voice echoed through the food court.
"Enough."
Everyone turned.
A young woman wearing a black combat uniform stepped forward.
She looked to be in her early twenties.
A long katana rested against her shoulder.
More surprisingly...
A blue System screen floated beside her.
Azrael’s eyes widened.
"...You have the System too?"
She nodded.
"So do all Awakened."
The entire mall fell silent.
Azrael frowned.
"Awakened?"
The woman extended her hand.
"My name is Elena."
"Level Four."
"I’ve been fighting since the first gate opened."
Azrael and Seraphina exchanged surprised glances.
Level Four already?
Elena looked at the twins.
"You two are Level One."
"You’ve got talent."
"But if you keep fighting alone..."
"...you’ll die before sunrise."
Azrael crossed his arms.
"So, what’s your suggestion?"
Elena smiled faintly.
"Form a party."
Almost as if waiting for those exact words, the Celestial Evolution System chimed.
Party Function Unlocked
Current Members:
Azrael
Seraphina
Maximum Capacity:
5
Would you like to recruit nearby Awakened?
Before Azrael could answer...
The lights inside the mall flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then...
Complete darkness.
The emergency generators failed.
A heavy silence filled the building.
Everyone instinctively held their breath.
Then came the sound.
Tap...
Tap...
Tap...
It echoed from somewhere inside the mall.
Not outside.
Inside.
The survivors looked around in confusion.
Elena slowly unsheathed her katana.
Her expression changed instantly.
"...Impossible."
"I cleared this place."
Another tap.
Closer this time.
The System flashed bright crimson.
Warning!
Dungeon Detected.
A Hidden Gate has manifested inside the Safe Zone.
New Quest
Clear the First Dungeon
Difficulty: D
Reward:
1,000 Evolution Points
Random Rare Skill
Beginner Angel Armor Set
Evolution Progress +5%
Failure:
Dungeon Break
A new monster emerged from the darkness at the far end of the food court.
It was humanoid.
Tall.
Thin.
Its body was wrapped in torn black robes.
Six broken wings dragged across the floor behind it.
Where its face should have been...
There was only a cracked porcelain mask.
The creature slowly raised its head.
A cold voice echoed throughout the silent mall.
"Sinners... shall not enter Heaven."
The survivors screamed.
Elena tightened her grip on her sword.
Azrael instinctively stepped forward, his Oblivion Iron Sword appearing in his hand.
Seraphina’s golden aura illuminated the darkness around them.
The apocalypse had entered its next phase.
They weren’t just fighting monsters anymore.
They had just encountered their first Dungeon Guardian.