The moment Clan Origin stepped fully into the Frost Dragon’s territory, the atmosphere shifted.

  An overwhelming pressure descended upon them like an invisible hand crushing their bodies. The air itself felt heavier, colder—every breath biting into their lungs.

  Rey stepped forward.

  His aura surged outward, dense and violent, pushing back against the Frost Dragon’s overwhelming presence. The two forces collided, creating invisible shockwaves that rippled through the frozen domain.

  The Frost Dragon narrowed its blazing crimson eyes.

  “Not bad… for a human.”

  Rey smirked faintly.

  “You’re dying by my hand.”

  He vanished in a flash.

  Rey’s fist shot forward, wrapped in raw power, slamming directly into the Frost Dragon’s massive body.

  BOOM!

  A thunderous impact echoed through the dungeon.

  But—

  The Frost Dragon did not move.

  A translucent barrier shimmered briefly around its body, absorbing the full force of Rey’s strike.

  The monster laughed.

  “FIFTY YEARS AGO… THERE WAS A HUMAN WHO MANAGED TO SUPPRESS ME.”

  “AT THAT TIME… I WAS ONLY LEVEL 96.”

  Its voice deepened, filled with rage.

  “AFTER I OVERWHELMED HIM… I HID MYSELF.”

  “AND IN THAT MOMENT… MY MASTER GRANTED ME NEW POWER.”

  The entire battlefield fell silent.

  Every member of Clan Origin stared in shock.

  “A master…?” Rey thought.

  “Do monsters inside dungeons… have masters?”

  Rey straightened, his expression turning cold.

  “So you have a master,” he said firmly. “Then why don’t you call your master here?”

  A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

  “I’ll erase both of you.”

  The Frost Dragon burst into laughter.

  “HAHAHAHA! ERASE THEM?”

  “HUMAN… YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A MINOR NUISANCE TO THEM.”

  “YOU ARE LIKE A FLY THAT LANDED IN THEIR SIGHT.”

  The monster raised its claw, icy magic swirling violently around it.

  “YOU WOULDN’T EVEN HAVE TIME TO BREATHE WHEN MY MASTER DECIDES TO KILL YOU.”

  Rey’s heart tightened.

  “Who… exactly is this ‘master’ it keeps talking about?”

  He pressed on, searching for answers.

  “So you’re saying you alone are enough to kill me?” Rey asked calmly. “Fine. After you die… I’ll hunt down your master on the deeper floors.”

  The Frost Dragon’s laughter echoed once more.

  “HAHAHAHA! TO THEM… THIS DUNGEON IS NOTHING BUT A TOY.”

  “THEY CREATED IT FOR AMUSEMENT… AND TO SEARCH FOR SOMETHING THEY HAVE SOUGHT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.”

  Rey’s eyes widened slightly.

  “This dungeon… was created?

  What kind of existence would be worth building an entire dungeon for?”

  He continued probing.

  “So your master isn’t even inside this dungeon?” Rey asked. “Are they hiding somewhere in powerful realms… concealed from the world?”

  The Frost Dragon’s expression twisted with fury.

  “WATCH YOUR TONGUE, HUMAN!”

  “DO NOT COMPARE MY MASTER TO THE LOWLY HUMANS OF THIS WORLD.”

  “EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS NOTHING MORE THAN A TOOL TO ACHIEVE MY MASTER’S GOALS.”

  Then the monster’s gaze sharpened.

  “YOU… YOU ARE A PLAYER, AREN’T YOU?”

  Rey’s breath caught.

  Cold sweat formed along his neck.

  “It knows…?”

  The Frost Dragon sneered.

  “PLAYERS FROM THE OUTER WORLD ARE INDEED STRONG.”

  “BUT EVEN THEY ARE NOT A TRUE THREAT TO MY MASTER.”

  Without warning, it unleashed a massive wave of ice magic.

  Vincent reacted instantly, erecting a powerful barrier reinforced by Evelyn and the other magic units.

  CRACK—!

  The barrier shattered violently.

  Rey moved at once, absorbing the remaining magic into his dagger.

  “So what you’re saying,” Rey said sharply, “is that your master isn’t from this world.”

  “Are they… an external existence?”

  The Frost Dragon only laughed mockingly.

  “OH? NOW YOU WANT TO KNOW?”

  “IT’S TOO LATE, HUMAN. YOU ARE FAR TOO WEAK.”

  Suddenly, the monster’s body began to glow.

  A cold blue-silver light enveloped it entirely.

  The Frost Dragon’s massive form began to shrink, condense—bones shifting, scales rearranging.

  In mere seconds, a humanoid figure stood before Rey.

  Two curved horns rose from its head.

  Its body was covered in blue-silver scales.

  A long tail swayed behind it.

  Its hands ended in long, razor-sharp claws.

  Frost Dragon Level 124 — ‘Humanoid Evolution’.

  Before anyone could react—

  It was already in front of Rey.

  Rey barely managed to move, but the monster’s tail lashed out.

  BAM!

  Rey was sent flying into the dungeon wall.

  His armor activated instantly, absorbing part of the impact.

  Before the monster could follow up—

  Rey vanished.

  Special Ability Activated — ‘Absolute Offensive’.

  Critical Hit Rate: 85%.

  Rey’s fist pierced straight into the monster’s chest.

  A massive hole was blown through its body.

  The impact was catastrophic.

  For a brief moment—

  Rey almost smiled.

  “Got you.”

  But then—

  The monster smiled back.

  Its leg slammed into Rey’s body.

  BOOM!

  Rey was sent crashing across the battlefield.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Again, his passive abilities activated—

  ‘Authority Execution’

  ‘Absolute Offensive’

  Yet Rey already knew.

  “That attack… didn’t finish it.”

  The monster’s chest began to glow.

  Skill Activated — ‘Super Regeneration’.

  The gaping hole in its body regenerated instantly, scales reforming as if nothing had happened.

  Shock spread through Clan Origin.

  Willson’s eyes trembled.

  “That… that’s impossible…”

  Alex clenched his fists tightly, fury burning in his gaze.

  Rey stared at the monster, teeth clenched.

  “This… this is far superior from the effect of a Grand-tier potion, he thought.

  Troublesome… what a troublesome ability.”

  Then—

  Rey smiled faintly.

  “But it can’t last forever.

  The MP consumption must be insane.”

  He vanished again.

  A lightning-fast kick struck the monster.

  Its right arm shattered and flew off.

  Rey followed up instantly—

  A brutal kick smashed into the monster’s face.

  Half of its face was obliterated.

  Yet again—

  ‘Super Regeneration’ activated.

  The damage vanished.

  Rey activated ‘Invisible Sight’ and checked the monster’s status.

  His eyes widened.

  “Only a quarter of its MP is gone…?”

  Doubt crept into his mind.

  “I can defeat it…

  But it’s going to take time. ”

  And time—

  Was something they might not have.

  Suddenly—

  CRACK.

  A sharp sound echoed behind them.

  Everyone turned.

  The massive crystal had begun to crack.

  Rey’s expression darkened.

  He looked straight at the Frost Dragon.

  “Hey,” he said coldly.

  “What are you planning to do with the person inside that crystal?”

  The Frost Dragon’s smile widened.

  And for the first time—

  True malice filled the frozen domain.

  The monster’s voice echoed heavily through the vast chamber, low and filled with mockery.

  “I was merely bored… and when I saw that person possessing a special ability… I was ordered by my master to save her and imprison her.”

  Eris froze.

  Her eyes widened as the meaning of those words finally reached her. The crystal—no, the person sealed inside it—was her younger sister.

  Her breathing grew uneven.

  Tristan and the others were no less confused, their expressions tightening at the mention of a master.

  “Master…? Imprison?” Tristan muttered under his breath. “What does it mean by that?”

  The monster chuckled, its massive form shifting slightly as frost spread across the floor beneath it.

  “And I was also waiting for you,” it continued calmly, its gaze locking onto Rey with unmistakable hostility.

  “The one who slaughtered my child on the eighth floor long ago.”

  For a brief moment, time seemed to slow.

  Rey’s eyes narrowed.

  A memory surfaced—sharp and vivid.

  A Frost Dragon, Level 89.

  A desperate battle.

  A party on the brink of annihilation.

  “Tch…” Rey clicked his tongue and replied coldly, “That was your own fault for being too stupid to manage your child properly.”

  The air trembled.

  The monster roared in fury, its killing intent exploding outward.

  “You—! I will kill you!”

  Without warning, the monster launched itself forward.

  The ground cracked beneath its movement.

  Rey leaped aside, barely evading the first strike as shards of ice tore through the space he had occupied moments earlier.

  While dodging the relentless assault, Rey spoke quickly in his mind.

  “System… is there no way to counter its Regeneration Skill?”

  The response came instantly.

  “Host must reduce its MP as much as possible so that it can no longer regenerate.”

  “Tch… troublesome,” Rey muttered. Then, mid-dodge, he added, “Earlier… you were about to say something, weren’t you?”

  “Yes,” the system replied.

  “The person inside the crystal is a Candidate for the Chosen One.”

  Rey’s eyes widened.

  He twisted his body, narrowly evading another devastating blow, then counterattacked—his fist slamming into the monster with immense force.

  The impact sent the creature flying far across the chamber, its massive body crashing violently into the stone wall.

  “Emily… is a Candidate?” Rey thought in shock. “But she’s from this world, isn’t she?”

  “Candidates do not originate solely from Earth,” the system answered calmly.

  “Some are born from the native inhabitants of this world.”

  Rey exhaled slowly.

  “I see…”

  But before he could fully regain his composure—

  The monster moved.

  Too fast.

  Rey failed to react in time.

  Its attack struck him head-on.

  He crossed his arms to block, but the sheer power shattered through his defense.

  A sharp crack echoed.

  Pain surged through his arm.

  Rey was sent skidding backward across the ground, his hand visibly trembling.

  “Even after activating ‘Absolute Veil,’ I still took that much impact…?” he thought grimly.

  Without hesitation, Rey pulled out a potion and drank it.

  “I need to end this quickly.”

  Using a mid-tier potion, Rey treated the fracture in his hand. The pain dulled, though not completely gone.

  The moment the healing stabilized—

  Rey vanished.

  With maximum speed, he reappeared above the monster and slammed his fist downward.

  The creature was driven violently into the ground.

  The earth caved in.

  Rey didn’t stop.

  He punched again.

  And again.

  Each blow thundered like a falling meteor, shaking the entire chamber.

  Cracks spread endlessly beneath the monster’s body.

  When Rey finally stopped, he stood over it, breathing steadily.

  A faint smile formed on his lips.

  “Tch… you’re going to die.”

  He crushed its head.

  The monster’s skull shattered into fragments.

  For a moment—silence.

  Then—

  CRACK!

  A deafening sound rang through the chamber.

  Everyone froze.

  Their eyes shot toward the massive crystal.

  But nothing happened.

  The crystal remained intact.

  Rey frowned.

  “That sound… wasn’t from the crystal.”

  Suddenly—

  “THIS—CLAN ORIGIN IS UNDER ATTACK INSIDE ITS OWN TERRITORY!”

  Alex’s voice exploded with rage and fear.

  Everyone turned toward him in shock.

  Willson’s face darkened.

  “What do you mean?”

  Alex clenched his fists, his teeth grinding.

  “Someone attacked Clan Origin while the core members were not there!”

  He slammed his fist into the ground.

  “This… this has to be the Arden Family!”

  Rey’s expression hardened instantly.

  “Alex, Drax, Willson—return to Clan Origin immediately,” Rey ordered sharply.

  Then he turned to the others.

  “Tristan, Eris. Division teams one, two, and three—secure the crystal and escort it safely.”

  They all looked at Rey.

  Victorious.

  Standing tall after defeating such a monster.

  Cheers erupted.

  But—

  SHLK!

  A sharp pain exploded through Rey’s back.

  Blood spilled.

  “Hey, you damn human…” a familiar voice whispered cruelly.

  “Did you really think I’d die that easily?”

  The monster stood behind him.

  Alive.

  Everyone screamed in shock.

  “REY!!” Elysa cried out, tears streaming down her face.

  Luna rushed forward, her hands glowing as she tried to cast healing magic—but the monster turned its gaze toward her.

  Its eyes burned with savage intent.

  Luna froze in terror.

  “You…” the monster growled slowly.

  “You also possess a special ability.”

  With a cruel smile, it withdrew its arm from Rey’s body.

  Then—

  It kicked him.

  Rey was sent crashing to the ground.

  The monster looked down at him and smiled.

  “You too will become a crystal block.”

  Before it could move—

  Rey grabbed its leg with crushing strength.

  The sound of tearing flesh echoed.

  Blood flowed.

  The monster howled in disbelief.

  “Still… alive?!”

  Rey had already used a high-tier potion, though its effect was incomplete.

  He rolled away, narrowly evading another attack, then clutched his head and laughed softly.

  “I know your weakness now.”

  He lunged forward.

  Grabbing the monster’s head—

  He crushed it.

  Again.

  The monster’s body trembled violently as regeneration activated.

  Flesh reformed.

  Bone reconstructed.

  But this time—

  It was slower.

  The regeneration lagged.

  Rey’s eyes sharpened.

  “So you need even more MP to regenerate a head that’s already been destroyed… huh?”

  The monster staggered.

  Its breathing grew erratic.

  Rey straightened his posture, his expression cold and focused.

  “This ends here.”

  With all the strength he had left, Rey twisted his body and attempted to unleash a powerful kick.

  But—

  It was stopped.

  The monster caught his leg mid-air with terrifying ease.

  Its grip tightened.

  The air around them trembled as its fury reached a breaking point.

  The monster’s eyes burned crimson.

  “GRAAAH!!”

  Its ability activated.

  Final Form.

  BOOM—!

  A massive explosion erupted from its body, releasing an overwhelming shockwave that tore through the dungeon.

  Rey reacted instantly, throwing himself backward to evade the blast.

  The force still sent him sliding across the ground, his vision blurring for a moment.

  When the dust finally settled—

  Rey’s eyes widened.

  The monster had changed.

  Its grotesque draconic form was gone.

  Its body had evolved into something far more terrifying.

  Humanoid.

  Its scales had vanished, replaced by crystallized ice forming jagged armor around its shoulders. Its figure was tall and regal, almost elegant—its face resembling that of a queen ruling a vast, merciless empire.

  Its tail was gone.

  In its hand—

  A silver spear, gleaming coldly under the dungeon’s dim light.

  A brutal aura exploded outward.

  One by one, the members of every division collapsed to the ground, unconscious, unable to withstand the pressure of its presence.

  Rey gritted his teeth.

  “Alex—move now!” Rey shouted. “Take the crystal and go! Save Clan Origin!”

  Alex turned sharply, panic and rage twisting his expression.

  “Rey!! You’re exhausted! Let me take your place!”

  Rey cut him off instantly.

  “Alex! You’re my only friend!” Rey shouted back. “Please… go save Clan Origin. I promise you—I will come back.”

  Alex froze.

  His chest felt tight.

  His hands trembled.

  Tears welled up in his eyes as the weight of the situation crushed down on him.

  “Rey…” Alex choked. “You have to stay alive!”

  There was no time left.

  They began retreating.

  Tristan and Eris rushed forward, successfully securing the crystal.

  But the moment the monster noticed—

  It moved.

  Its spear crackled with icy energy as it turned toward them, killing intent flooding the space.

  It was about to strike.

  But—

  Rey appeared in its path.

  He blocked the attack head-on.

  Steel met flesh.

  Ice met bone.

  The impact was catastrophic.

  Rey was forced back, blood spraying from his arm as the force shattered deep within him.

  Crack.

  His bones screamed.

  Inside his mind, Rey grimaced.

  “…Its strength increased drastically.”

  The monster stared at him.

  Rey stared back.

  Two predators.

  No words.

  Only killing intent.

  Elsewhere — The Retreat

  Alex forced himself to move.

  He shouted orders rapidly, his voice sharp and desperate.

  “All units, retreat immediately! Follow the escape route!”

  He turned toward Willson and Eris.

  “You two—head to the dungeon exit first! You’re faster than the rest!”

  Willson nodded without hesitation.

  Eris hesitated—just for a second.

  Her gaze lingered on the crystal.

  On her sister.

  But this wasn’t the time.

  Tristan stepped beside her and shouted firmly.

  “Eris! I’ll protect Emily! You have to stay strong!”

  Eris heard his voice.

  Her expression softened.

  She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and nodded.

  A faint smile appeared as she forced her legs to move faster.

  Her thoughts drifted to the members waiting back at the clan.

  Hold on… please hold on.

  Behind them—

  A thunderous explosion echoed.

  The dungeon shook violently, stones falling from the ceiling.

  Alex flinched.

  Inside his mind, his thoughts spiraled.

  “…Useless… useless… useless… Was my calculation wrong? How did this happen…? I even hired strong members—people comparable to Willson and Drax…”

  Another explosion rocked the dungeon.

  Alex clenched his fists.

  “Rey… you have to survive, my friend.”

  Back to Rey

  Blood dripped steadily from Rey’s arm.

  His breathing had grown heavier.

  In front of him, the monster’s arms lay shattered on the ground—destroyed by Rey’s earlier counterattack.

  But regeneration activated.

  Flesh reformed.

  Bones reconnected.

  Yet—

  The crystallized ice on its shoulders failed to fully restore.

  Fine cracks remained visible.

  The regeneration was weakening.

  Rey noticed immediately.

  Inside his heart, his thoughts turned grim.

  “I’ve used too many potions… even high-tier potions barely work anymore.”

  His hand trembled as he reached into his inventory.

  “…My only chance is a Grand-tier potion.”

  His vision blurred slightly.

  Blood dripped from his mouth as he continued thinking.

  “I only have one left. I already gave the others to Luna and Alex.”

  One chance.

  One mistake—

  Death.

  The monster stared at him and smiled coldly.

  “You won’t survive, human,” it said calmly. “I will destroy you completely.”

  Rey straightened his posture despite the pain.

  His eyes burned with resolve.

  He was facing an opponent stronger than any he had ever fought.

  A being whose power surpassed even the strongest humans.

  This was no longer just a battle.

  This was a turning point.

  A new chapter in their fight was about to begin.

  And Rey—

  Would stake everything on it.