I kept moving.
Didn't look back.
Didn't need to.
Whatever was behind me—
Was already done.
The dungeon felt different again.
Not just quieter.
Deeper.
Heavier.
Like the air itself had weight now.
"…Yeah."
I exhaled slowly.
"This isn't the same floor."
The ground changed first.
Less worn.
Darker stone.
Almost black.
The torches—
Fewer.
And the light they gave off?
Dimmer.
Like something was eating it.
I slowed my steps.
Not stopping.
Just… adjusting.
Because this—
This felt like a new stage.
Not just stronger enemies.
Something else.
I took another step.
The sound echoed differently.
Shorter.
Muted.
Like the space itself was closing in.
"…Great."
I rolled my shoulder slightly.
Still sore.
Still holding.
Flow State sat in the back of my mind.
Ready.
Waiting.
Not active—
But there.
Like I could tap into it anytime.
Good.
I kept walking.
Further in.
And then—
The system reacted.
Clear.
Instant.
[Entering Deep Layer]
[Time Remaining: 2 Days 18 Hours]
[Threat Level: High]
"…High, huh."
That answered that.
No more testing ground.
No more buildup.
This was where things started getting real.
I stepped forward again.
And this time—
I felt it immediately.
Multiple presences.
Not scattered.
Not random.
Organized.
Moving.
Hunting.
"…Yeah."
I tightened my grip on the blade.
"They're not waiting anymore."
I didn't have to guess.
The moment I moved further in—
They came.
Three.
But not like before.
These moved differently.
Lower.
Quieter.
Faster.
They didn't rush straight in.
They circled.
Spacing out.
Controlling angles.
Smarter.
I stopped moving.
Let them come.
Watched.
Tracked.
One moved first.
Left side.
Fast.
Low strike—
I stepped back—
Barely—
Then shifted right.
The second came in immediately.
No delay.
Trying to catch me mid-move.
"…Tch."
I twisted—
Flow State kicking in—
Everything sharpening—
I saw it clearly—
Stepped through the gap—
Both attacks missed.
Then I moved.
Fast.
Closed the distance on the second.
Blade across—
Clean.
It dropped instantly.
Didn't stop.
Didn't watch.
The third was already moving.
Behind me.
I turned—
Blocked—
The impact lighter than before—
But faster.
I pushed off—
Stepped inside—
Thrust—
Down.
Two.
The last one didn't hesitate.
Didn't run.
It came in again.
Straight.
Aggressive.
"…Good."
I stepped forward.
Met it head-on.
Blade clashed—
Then slid—
Redirected—
I stepped inside—
Final strike—
Done.
Silence.
Again.
But shorter this time.
Because I could feel it—
More coming.
I exhaled lightly.
"…Yeah."
This wasn't about single fights anymore.
This was pressure.
Constant.
The light hit me again.
System appeared.
[Essence: 135]
"…Climbing."
But slower now.
Which meant—
Stronger enemies.
Better returns.
I rolled my wrist slightly.
The blade felt… sharper.
Not just physically.
Like I understood it better with every fight.
Weapon Proficiency.
It was working.
I looked deeper into the darkness.
More movement.
Harder to track now.
Less obvious.
"…They're hiding it."
That meant one thing.
Ambush.
I stepped forward anyway.
Careful.
Measured.
And then—
It happened.
Not from the front.
Not from the sides.
Above.
I felt it—
Flow State triggered instantly—
My body moved before I fully thought—
I stepped out—
Something slammed into the ground where I had been.
Hard.
Fast.
I turned immediately.
Blade ready.
"…Yeah."
This one—
Was different.
Bigger.
Heavier.
Not a group type.
Not a duelist.
Something else.
Its body was thicker.
More compact.
Built for impact.
It didn't circle.
Didn't wait.
It lunged again.
Fast.
Straight.
I stepped to the side—
Barely—
Its strike hit the ground—
Cracking the stone.
"…Strength type."
Good.
Now I knew.
It came again—
No hesitation—
I didn't retreat.
I stepped in.
Closed the gap.
Because big attacks?
Needed space.
I didn't give it any.
My blade drove forward—
Hit—
But—
Resistance.
"…Tch."
Thicker defense.
The creature reacted instantly—
Short-range strike—
Faster than expected—
I twisted—
Too close—
It clipped my side.
Pain flared.
Sharp.
Real.
"…Yeah."
That confirmed it.
Can't take many of those.
I stepped back—
Reset—
Focused harder.
Because this—
This was the next step.
Not speed.
Not skill.
Power.
And I needed to break through it.
I tightened my grip.
A small breath leaving me.
"…Alright."
Because now—
The real test of this layer had started.
And I wasn't backing down.