The moon bathed the ancient forest in silver.
Hidden deep inside an A-Rank Dungeon, countless towering trees stretched toward the heavens. The air carried an ancient fragrance, and the silence was so profound that even a falling leaf could be heard.
At the center of the forest stood an enormous tree unlike anything found in the modern world.
Its trunk was wider than a castle.
Its branches reached beyond the clouds.
Blooming beneath it were dozens of glowing white flowers.
Each petal released tiny particles of light that floated peacefully through the air.
These flowers were known as Night Queen.
One of the rarest herbs ever discovered.
Besides possessing extraordinary healing properties, Night Queen purified mana, strengthened mana veins, and greatly improved mana recovery during sleep. For Hunters who constantly risked their lives, even a single flower was worth a fortune.
Naturally...
Treasures of this level were never left unguarded.
Curled beneath the giant tree was a massive silver wolf.
Its breathing alone caused the surrounding grass to sway.
Its silver fur shimmered beneath the moonlight like flowing metal.
The old Hunter standing beside Lucy lowered his voice.
"That beast is called Module."
"An Ancient Beast from the destroyed Planet Flager."
"No one knows how long it has guarded this place."
"But as long as it keeps sleeping..."
"...we still have a chance."
Every Hunter unconsciously swallowed.
The pressure released by the sleeping beast alone was overwhelming.
Lucy never took her eyes off the wolf.
"We need someone who can approach without being detected."
"An Assassin."
"Someone capable of becoming invisible."
A young Hunter standing near the back confidently raised his hand.
"I'll do it."
Everyone turned toward him.
"My name is Juri."
"Level Twenty."
"Assassin Class."
"My invisibility skill should be enough."
The old Hunter looked at him seriously.
"Don't be greedy."
"Take only three Night Queen flowers."
"The mission ends the moment you touch the third."
Juri smiled.
"I'll be back before anyone notices."
His body slowly faded until it completely disappeared.
Only his faint footsteps remained.
Step...
Step...
Step...
The entire team watched in silence.
Ten meters...
Eight...
Five...
The Silver Wolf remained asleep.
Juri reached the flowers.
His fingers carefully picked the first Night Queen.
Then the second.
Finally...
The third.
A smile appeared on his face.
'Too easy.'
Then...
The forest became silent.
No wind.
No insects.
Nothing.
Lucy's expression changed instantly.
"...Move."
The warning came a second too late.
One enormous silver eye slowly opened.
The beast's ears twitched.
A terrifying aura exploded throughout the forest.
AAAAAAWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
The howl echoed through the entire dungeon.
The earth trembled.
Birds scattered into the sky.
Several Hunters instinctively stepped backward.
Juri froze.
Despite remaining invisible...
The Silver Wolf looked directly at him.
"...Impossible..."
Before another word could leave his mouth—
A silver flash crossed the battlefield.
Slash.
Juri's invisibility shattered.
His body was sent flying through the air before crashing violently into the ground.
A deep claw wound stretched across his chest.
Blood quickly soaked the grass beneath him.
The Hunters stood frozen.
None of them had seen the attack.
The old Hunter shouted,
"Retreat!"
"Everyone, fall back!"
Panic spread immediately.
Some Hunters prepared their weapons.
Others began running.
Only Lucy remained where she was.
Her hand slowly rested on the handle of her sword.
---
Meanwhile...
Far away inside another dungeon...
Rayan quietly picked up the crimson crystal floating above the remains of the Stone Golem.
A blue screen appeared before him.
[Item Obtained]
Heart of the Golem
Classification: Monster Core
"So this is..."
"The Golem's heart."
Sketch flew around the crystal.
"It contains an incredible amount of mana."
Rayan carefully stored it inside his bag.
Before he could stand—
Ding.
His phone vibrated.
A news notification appeared.
[Breaking News
The newly graduated Elite Team has successfully cleared the first four floors of the First Tower today. Their incredible achievement has shocked Hunters across the country.]
"The Towers..."
"They're another way for Hunters to grow stronger."
"Before entering one, you must clear enough Gates, reach the required level, and survive the First Trial..."
He looked at the headline once more.
"Four floors..."
"I nearly died clearing my first dungeon..."
"...The gap between us is unbelievable."
The scene returned to the ancient forest.
Silence.
The Silver Wolf remained standing beneath the Night Queen tree.
Its crimson eyes stared into the darkness.
Then...
A thin red line appeared across its neck.
For a brief moment...
Nothing happened.
Then—
SHHK...
The wolf's head slowly slid from its body.
BOOOOOOOM!!
Its gigantic corpse collapsed onto the ground.
Blood erupted into the air like crimson rain.
White Night Queen petals slowly drifted through the blood-soaked battlefield.
Standing silently behind the fallen beast...
Her black coat stained red...
Her sword resting quietly at her side...
Was Lucy.
No one had seen her draw her blade.
No one had seen her attack.
They had only witnessed the result.
From that day onward...
The world would remember the woman standing before them by a single title.
The Blood Saint.
To be continued....