Leaves crunched beneath James' boots as he walked through the forest path, the morning fog still clinging to the roots like stubborn ghosts. Sunlight broke through the trees in shafts of gold, but it did little to warm the air.
His new armor creaked with each step, the scaled plating shifting like a second skin. Heavy, but bearable.
Need to get used to the weight. That lake freak almost tore me in two—can't let that happen again.
Behind him, Nysilus floated lazily, upside-down as usual, spinning in slow loops above the trail like a twisted balloon animal.
"You really don't know anything, do you?" the fairy mused, voice coated in syrupy smugness.
James didn't bother looking back.
"About what?"
"Everything. Your face is screaming 'Where am I?' 'How does the system work?' 'Can I get a new arm?'Like a lost toddler with anger issues."
"Keep flapping your wings and I'll make it my life's mission to clip them."
Nysilus tsked.
"So touchy. Fine. I'll educate you, peasant-style."
He flipped forward, now floating just beside James, legs crossed midair.
"First off, since we're headed vaguely north, you should know we're approaching the Kingdom of Iskaris—one of the Five. Real charming place. Mageocracy ruled by a council of seven archwizards, each more paranoid and power-hungry than the last."
"So, a bunch of old men throwing fireballs at each other."
"And children, actually. Some of their 'lords' are thirteen-year-old prodigies who'd dissect you just to see how your armor tastes on the inside."
James grunted.
"Sounds like my kind of vacation."
"Oh, and they love collecting rare monster parts. Your armor? That's basically waving a red flag in front of a mana-drunk bull. If we go there, keep your damn coat buttoned."
They kept walking, brush thickening around their ankles.
"Speaking of monsters," Nysilus continued, "let's talk cores—since clearly you've been tossing them around like candy without the faintest clue how they work."
James raised an eyebrow.
"I used one to make this armor. What else is there to know?"
Nysilus gave him a pitying look.
"You used an E-rank core—low tier garbage. Not bad for armor if you want basic stat boosts, sure. But cores can do way more. Think: passive evolutions, magical circuits, even full-on limb regeneration if you get the right kind."
That made James stop mid-step.
"Back up. Regeneration?"
"Oh, now you're listening?" Nysilus snickered. "Yeah. If you find a B-rank core or higher—something with biological adaptability—you might be able to grow a new arm. But not just slap it on. You'd need to craft it, shape it, bind it to your nervous system with soul threads. Real DIY nightmare fuel."
"So I'm supposed to rip the heart out of a mini-boss just to maybe get a flesh arm that doesn't explode?"
"That's the spirit!"
James sighed, shoving a branch aside.
"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Immensely. Watching you stumble through a death forest with a shiny new coat and half a body is my version of opera."
They kept moving.
"But seriously," Nysilus added more softly, "you can get stronger. And yeah, maybe even whole again. But you'll need better cores, smarter crafting, and eventually… a kingdom or four to fall."
"No pressure."
James didn't respond. He just walked.
But somewhere behind his eyes, gears were already grinding—cold, ruthless, and focused.
The forest was quiet—too quiet.
James trudged through the undergrowth, boots sinking into soft soil, his new armor clinking with every weighted step. Sixty extra pounds wrapped around his torso, shoulders, and thighs—a fortress he could barely breathe in. Every breath fogged the cool morning air.
Then, he felt it.
Bloodlust.
Sharp, distinct, but not aimed at him. A pressure in the air, like a blade drawn inches from someone else's throat.
He stopped. Eyes narrowed.
Someone's hunting.Someone's dying.
He steadied his breathing, focused his mind.
[Activate Skill: Phantom Dash]
The world blurred—trees streaking past in flashes of green and gray. His body surged forward, gliding just above the ground like a ghost on rails, pulled toward the source of the malice.
James skidded to a halt near a jagged hillside where roots curled unnaturally around a yawning black hole. The entrance to a den—old, damp, reeking of rot and iron.
Nysilus hovered above, unease creeping across his face.
"Don't go in. This reeks of death... and stupidity."
Then—A scream. Human. Female.
James leapt without hesitation.
The inside was pitch black. Not just dark—consuming. But James' eyes adjusted instantly.
[Passive Skill: Sixth Sense – Active]
His instincts mapped the cavern like sonar, revealing a twisting tunnel that sloped deep underground. His armor groaned with each step, metal plates dragging like anchors.
"It's still not too late," Nysilus whispered behind him, unusually solemn. "You can turn back. You should turn back."
James turned briefly, placing a glowing mark on the wall with his finger—searing a rune of flame that pulsed like a heartbeat.
"Relax," he muttered. "I'm not planning on dying down here."
Nysilus didn't respond. But he watched James more closely than ever.
As they descended, the cave widened—and the path grew littered with the dead.
Small creatures, skinned and snapped in half. Shredded robes. Scattered weapons. A child's earring.
James stepped over the carnage in silence, his hand twitching.
At the end of the tunnel: light.
He broke into the open—and froze.
The chamber was massive, glowing faintly from luminous fungus blooming along the ceiling. At its center—
A party of three adventurers—two men and a woman—being torn apart by giant, insectoid horrors. Chitin-plated beasts with blade-like limbs and segmented mouths filled with gnashing teeth.
[System Notification – Zone Discovered]
Location:Nest of the Hollow BroodClassification:Hostile Dungeon Biome – Hive-Type
Threat Summary:
Estimated Inhabitants: 3,000+
Dominant Species: Hollow Swarmspawn (Insectoid, Parasitic)
Average Rank: E
Queen Status: Unconfirmed – Proceed with Caution
Environmental Warning:
Swarm-Type Dungeons possess exponential threat potential.Low individual rank ≠ Low danger. Avoid prolonged engagements.
Reward Potential:Moderate to High
One man already missing a leg. The other pinned and screaming. The woman? Crumpled nearby, unconscious or dead.
James moved to leap forward—only to find himself rooted in place. A field of pressure around him like invisible chains.
He turned. Nysilus hovered inches from his face, eyes glowing blue.
"This isn't your battle," he said. "There are too many. You need to leave."
James shook his head, straining against the weight.
"Let go," he growled. "I can still save them. I refuse to let anyone else be killed in front of me."
There was a pause. Then, with a slow nod, the fairy released him.
"Fine. Idiot."
James exploded into action.
[Active Skill: Hair Pins – Full Body Release]
His armor erupted—sprouting razor-sharp teeth from every scale. They launched forward in a storm of white-blue shards, impaling the bugs, stalling their advance.
He dove forward, scooping up the fallen woman as her blood pooled beneath her. One of the dying men—gasping, broken—reached up.
"Please… save… my wife…"
James met his gaze.
"From someone who wanted nothing more than that…""I give you my word—she will live."
And just like that—
[Activate: Run and Hide]
Effect: Teleport instantly to any location marked
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
He vanished in a blur, carrying her out of the chamber as behind them, the remaining two were swallowed by the swarm.
They burst from the den's entrance, James collapsing to his knees, the woman still in his arms.
Nysilus hovered behind him, arms folded.
"You're unbelievably stupid," he said flatly. "That wasn't a den. That was a nest. You just painted a target on your ass the size of a mountain."
James didn't answer. He was already sealing the woman's wounds with items from his inventory—burning through resources faster than he could count.
Worth it.
Then—a rustle. A sharp shift in the air.
James turned—and froze.
A small army had surrounded the entrance.
Dozens of armed warriors in mismatched gear, carrying spears, staffs, and glowing weapons of various origin.
Their leader, a tall figure in dark silver robes, stepped forward, face unreadable.
"You just came out of that nest alive?"
James didn't respond.
"Damn," he thought, tightening his grip on the unconscious woman. "I hope this ends well."