Stone slammed into Asher's back.
Hard.
He rolled on instinct, narrowly missing a jagged spike of rock where his head had been a second earlier. Pain flared up his spine, knocking the air clean out of his lungs.
"…Ow," he wheezed. "Okay. Not a dream."
That was disappointing.
The dungeon smelled wrong.
Not rot. Not blood.
Dust. Dry stone. The kind of air that said nothing living belongs here.
Asher pushed himself up and immediately regretted it when his knees wobbled.
"Combat Training Zone," he muttered. "Real subtle."
The cavern was huge—far bigger than he expected. Uneven stone terraces rose and fell around him, faint blue crystals embedded in the walls providing just enough light to see all the ways he could die.
Deep gouges scarred the ground.
"…Someone definitely lost here."
Something moved.
Then something else.
Three shapes crawled out of the shadows.
Low to the ground. Lean. Bone-white hides stretched tight over tendons. Claws scraped against stone as they spread out like they'd done this before.
Dungeon Wolves.
F-rank.
Asher stared.
They stared back.
"…Okay," Asher said slowly. "Hear me out."
The wolves snarled.
One crouched.
Another circled.
The third tilted its head, like it was deciding whether to go for his throat or his legs first.
"I'm new," Asher continued. "First day. Maybe we don't start with murder?"
The first wolf lunged.
"—Rude!"
Asher barely raised his arms in time. Claws raked across his shoulder, tearing through fabric and skin. Pain exploded down his arm.
He screamed.
Then—
Something answered.
[Damage Conversion – Active]
Temporary Strength Increased.
Asher staggered back, eyes wide.
"…Oh no."
The second wolf attacked.
Asher panicked.
Then he moved.
Not gracefully. Not skillfully.
But just enough.
[Adaptive Combat Sense – Learning]
Pattern Recognition: 9%
He sidestepped by accident. The wolf's claws missed his chest by inches.
Asher swung wildly.
His fist connected with bone.
There was a very loud crack.
The wolf flew backward and slammed into the cavern wall, sliding down in a limp heap.
Asher froze.
"…I hit that too hard."
The third wolf tackled him from the side.
They hit the ground hard, claws snapping inches from his face. Asher yelped, grabbed whatever he could reach—which turned out to be the wolf's neck—and slammed it into the stone floor.
Once.
Twice.
A third time for emotional closure.
The wolf stopped moving.
Asher rolled off it and lay there, staring at the ceiling.
"…I'm alive."
The first wolf recovered, shaking itself and snarling.
Asher pushed himself to his feet, blood dripping down his arm, heart pounding.
His lungs didn't burn.
His legs didn't shake.
[Endless Stamina – Active]
Asher blinked.
"…That's cheating."
The wolf charged.
Asher charged too.
They collided in a mess of claws, fists, and very poor technique. Asher took hits—pain flaring, strength surging in response. Every mistake made him stronger. Every second sharpened his instincts.
[Adaptive Combat Sense – Learning]
Pattern Recognition: 27%
"Oh," Asher grunted, ducking a swipe. "I see what you're doing."
He stepped inside the wolf's guard and punched.
Once.
Twice.
The third punch caved its chest inward.
The wolf collapsed.
Silence fell.
Asher stood there, chest heaving, hands shaking, covered in blood that was at least partially his.
"…I did it."
A screen appeared.
[Personal Dungeon – Cleared]
Performance: Above Expected Parameters
Rewards:
• Angelic Coin x10
• Skill Fragment Detected
Asher dropped to his knees and started laughing.
Not nervous laughter.
Not hysterical laughter.
The kind that bubbled up when adrenaline finally let go.
"…I almost died," he said, wiping blood off his face. "That was awful."
A pause.
Then—
"…I want to do it again."
Another screen appeared.
[Notice]
Personal Dungeon Reset Available.
Asher's smile widened.
"Oh no," he said. "I'm definitely broken."
Somewhere deep inside him, Heaven's Heart pulsed.
And for the first time since awakening—
Asher Black wasn't just surviving.
He was getting stronger.