The morning sun had barely risen when the gates of Draxia opened, five adventurers walked out together, Kaleb led from the front, his crimson cloak swaying with every step. Behind him followed Terry carrying his enormous shield across his back, Natalia quietly reading through the investigation files, Saria casually twirling one of her daggers, and Asura walking with his young wyvern perched on his shoulder.
None of them spoke.
The report they had read the previous night lingered heavily in their minds. A fourteen-year-old girl executed without proof or rather, sentenced to a fate worse than execution. The World-Class Dungeon.
Three days later...
Ikasa Village.
The peaceful farming village sat quietly beneath the afternoon sun, children played in the streets, farmers tended their crops.
To an outsider it looked like an ordinary village but Kaleb wasn't fooled. The moment they entered through the front gate, every villager stared at them.
Some looked nervous, others curious. An S-Rank adventurer visiting such a small village was almost unheard of. An elderly guard hurried over.
"W-Welcome, Lord Kaleb!"
Kaleb nodded politely.
"We're conducting an investigation."
"I'd like to speak with your village chief."
The guard's expression stiffened.
"...Of course."
Several minutes later inside the village hall.
The chief sat comfortably on a polished wooden chair. His beard was neatly trimmed, his clothes were expensive compared to everyone else's, standing quietly behind him was his son. The very same young man who had orchestrated Maira's downfall, his expression remained calm, too calm. Kaleb immediately noticed.
"I wasn't expecting visitors from the Guild."
The chief smiled.
"What brings such distinguished adventurers to our humble village?"
Kaleb placed the investigation file onto the table.
"We're looking into several unusual incidents. I'd like to ask you about a girl."
The chief's smile barely changed.
"What girl?"
He looked at the report closely, then he immediately knew who the report was talking about.
"Maira?"
For the first time something flickered across the faces of both father and son only for a moment. But Kaleb saw it.
Fear.
Tiny yet unmistakable. The chief quickly composed himself.
"...Ah that murderer."
Kaleb remained expressionless.
"I'd like to hear exactly what happened."
The chief folded his hands.
"It was unfortunate, her mother died from poison. She claimed mysterious attackers were responsible but no evidence supported her story, so she was sentenced according to our laws."
Saria narrowed her eyes.
"...No investigation?"
"We investigated."
Natalia spoke next.
"The report also mentioned her body lacked a significant amount of blood, did you deeply investigate the matter."
The chief smiled politely.
"We... lacked proper documentation."
Kaleb quietly observed every reaction, then he looked toward the chief's son.
"You knew her?"
The young man shrugged.
"Everyone knew her, she seemed kind. A shame she snapped."
Asura frowned slightly.
"Did she have enemies?"
"No."
"Anyone interested in her?"
"...No."
Saria noticed it immediately, he answered far too quickly. Kaleb continued calmly, never taking his eyes off the chief's son.
"You're certain?"
The young man nodded without hesitation.
"Absolutely."
Kaleb remained silent.
Silence.
It was one of his greatest interrogation tools, most people became uncomfortable trying to fill it. Sure enough, after several seconds, the chief's son shifted his footing.
Kaleb noticed.
"So," Kaleb said quietly, "she had no enemies..."
"No."
"No one ever threatened her?"
"No."
"No one ever tried forcing a relationship with her?"
For the first time the young man's expression twitched only slightly but Kaleb caught it.
"...Not that I know of."
Saria leaned against the wall, folding her arms.
"Funny."
Everyone turned toward her.
"I've been watching you ever since we walked in."
She pointed directly at the chief's son.
"Every time Maira's name comes up your right hand reaches for your sleeve."
The young man instinctively looked at his arm, a mistake. Saria smirked.
"Thanks for proving my point."
The chief immediately spoke.
"My son is merely nervous."
Kaleb raised a hand, stopping Saria from pressing further. Instead, he changed the subject entirely.
"I'd like to visit Maira's home."
The chief blinked.
"...Her home?"
"Yes."
"It has remained untouched since her sentencing."
"Good."
Kaleb stood.
"I'd like to see it."
The chief forced another smile.
"Certainly."
Three days had passed since Maira entered the Verdant Wilds, what had once been an unfamiliar forest had gradually become her training ground. Under Arcanis' guidance, she mastered the basics of her newly awakened Forest Magic while refining her Wind Magic through constant battles. Every day followed the same routine.
Hunt.
Fight.
Recover.
Repeat.
She learned how to weave vines around enemies using Forest Binding, bombard distant targets with Nature Cannon, and even use Self Heal to recover from minor injuries after combat. Dozens of monsters had fallen beneath her twin Stonefang Daggers.
Although Arcanis insisted they were among the weakest inhabitants of the floor, Maira could already tell they were leagues beyond anything that existed on the surface. She wiped the sweat from her forehead after finishing off another creature.
"Damn..."
She exhaled heavily.
"This floor is crawling with terrifying monsters."
Arcanis floated beside her with an amused tone.
"Naturally, this is still the World-Class Dungeon and unlike your first day here..."
He gestured toward her.
"You've had proper food, proper sleep and an environment perfect for training."
Maira nodded.
"You're right."
She looked down at her hands, the wind that once barely obeyed her now flowed naturally around her fingers. Small vines occasionally sprouted from the ground wherever she stood.
She had grown stronger, far stronger than the frightened village girl who had first fallen into the dungeon. Then she looked ahead, her expression immediately became serious.
"...Which means whatever comes next is probably going to be even worse."
"Correct."
Arcanis answered without hesitation. Maira sighed.
"I don't even know why I asked."
The forest suddenly grew silent, the birds stopped singing, the wind itself seemed to calm. Arcanis slowly turned toward the clearing ahead.
"We've arrived."
Beyond the ancient trees stood an enormous circular meadow bathed in golden sunlight. At its center rested a magnificent creature, it resembled a great stag yet its body was covered in shimmering emerald scales like those of a dragon.
A flowing lion's mane cascaded gracefully around its neck, towering antlers of glowing crystal stretched toward the heavens, radiating gentle green light. Its mere presence filled the forest with overwhelming serenity.
A glowing screen materialized before Maira.
Sanctuary Floor Boss
Elder Guardian Kirin
Rank: High A (Floor Boss)
A sacred beast entrusted with protecting the Verdant Wilds. Unlike ordinary dungeon bosses, the Elder Guardian does not immediately attack, it first judges whether those who stand before it are worthy of advancing.
Maira swallowed.
"...That's beautiful."
"It is."
"And terrifying."
"...Also yes."
The Kirin slowly opened its brilliant emerald eyes, its gaze settled upon Maira. Rather than hostility she felt something examining her as if every thought, every memory, every emotion within her heart was being weighed.
The creature slowly rose to its feet, its hooves never disturbed the grass beneath them. Golden particles drifted around its body like fireflies.
Then...
To Maira's surprise it spoke.
"I sense hatred within your heart."
Its voice echoed gently throughout the meadow.
"But I also sense kindness, you carry vengeance but you have not abandoned compassion."
The Kirin took a single graceful step forward.
"Tell me, child, for what purpose do you seek greater power?"
Maira stood in silence. Arcanis quietly whispered beside her.
"...Careful, this boss doesn't merely test your strength It also judges your heart."
Maira slowly tightened her grip around the Stonefang Daggers. Then she looked directly into the Kirin's glowing eyes.
"I seek power to make those who destroyed my life answer for what they've done."
The Kirin remained silent.
"And after your revenge?"
It asked.
Maira hesitated, she didn't have an answer.
The meadow fell silent, only the gentle breeze moved between them. The Elder Guardian Kirin continued watching her patiently.
Waiting.
Judging.
Deciding whether the girl before it was worthy... or whether she would remain trapped within the World-Class Dungeon forever.
Meanwhile
The five adventurers walked through the quieter part of Ikasa Village, eventually they arrived before a small wooden house. The windows were covered in dust, the roof had started collapsing, it looked abandoned. Kaleb slowly pushed open the front door.
Creak...
Dust drifted through the air. Inside everything remained almost exactly as it had been. A small wooden table, two chairs, simple shelves, bundles of dried herbs hanging from the ceiling. Natalia quietly walked toward them.
"Medicine..."
She gently touched one bundle.
"These were prepared recently before they died."
Her eyes softened.
"Whoever lived here was treating someone."
Kaleb looked around carefully, his eyes stopped at a worn blanket resting beside the bed. A second sleeping mat lay beside it.
Small, clearly belonging to a child. Terry quietly scratched the back of his head.
"Doesn't look like a murderer lived here."
Nobody answered.
Asura slowly walked toward a shelf. There he found dozens of handwritten notes.
Medicine schedules.
Dosages.
Daily reminders.
One page caught his attention. Mother's medicine.
Morning.
Afternoon.
Evening.
Never forget.
Drink plenty of water.
Another note read: If Mother smiles today, then today was a good day.
Asura froze.
"...Guys."
The others gathered beside him, Natalia covered her mouth, Saria looked away, even Terry lowered his head. Kaleb silently read the pages, each one carried the same handwriting.
Gentle.
Neat filled with care. There wasn't a single complaint, not one sentence expressing resentment only reminders to care for her mother. Eventually Kaleb spoke quietly.
"...This doesn't fit."
Saria nodded.
"No It doesn't."
A murderer capable of poisoning their own mother wouldn't spend months recording medicine schedules, wouldn't write hopeful notes, wouldn't dedicate every day to keeping someone alive. Kaleb's suspicion deepened. Then Natalia stopped near the doorway.
"...Wait."
She crouched.
There were faint scratch marks across the wooden floor.
Very old.
Almost invisible.
She traced them with her fingers.
"These, they weren't made naturally."
Kaleb walked over.
"What do you see?"
"They're drag marks."
She looked toward the entrance.
"...Someone was pulled across the floor."
The room became silent, Saria immediately searched the rest of the house. A few moments later—
"I found something."
Everyone gathered.
Hidden beneath one of the cabinets barely visible were tiny dried stains.
Brown.
Almost black.
Natalia's healing magic formed around her fingertips. The mana reacted, her expression immediately changed.
"...Blood."
Kaleb's eyes narrowed.
"So there was violence."
Natalia nodded.
"And quite a bit of it."
Terry frowned.
"But the report said there were no signs of struggle."
"There weren't."
Kaleb answered quietly.
"Which means..."
His voice became cold.
"...someone cleaned the scene."
Silence.
The five adventurers slowly looked at one another, every clue they had found pointed in one direction, the official story was false.
Someone had erased the evidence, someone had wanted Maira to be convicted.
Kaleb slowly closed the notebook containing Maira's careful reminders. His grip tightened.
"I think..."
He looked toward the village hall in the distance.
"...our murderer is still living comfortably in this village."
The meadow fell silent. Maira lowered her gaze.
"...After my revenge?"
She repeated the words quietly. Until this moment she had never thought beyond them, ever since she had been thrown into the dungeon, every waking thought had revolved around one thing.
Revenge.
She remembered her mother's smile. The poison, the laughter of the five boys, the villagers who called her a murderer, the chief who condemned her without listening. She clenched her fists.
"I..."
No words came.
The Kirin watched patiently. It did not rush her, it simply waited, Arcanis remained silent as well. This wasn't his question to answer.
Several moments passed before Maira finally looked up.
"...I don't know."
She took a deep breath.
"I don't know what comes after but I do know one thing."
Her voice became steadier.
"I don't want anyone else to suffer what I did."
The Kirin's ears twitched.
"My mother spent her whole life helping people, she never hated anyone. She taught me to be kind."
Tears threatened to form in Maira's eyes.
"But those people, they repaid her kindness by taking her away from me."
She swallowed hard.
"I want justice."
Her grip tightened around her daggers.
"Maybe revenge is part of that but..."
She closed her eyes for a moment.
"I don't want to become someone who hurts innocent people. If I become the same as those who destroyed my life then my mother would cry."
The Kirin continued staring at her. Then
Something unexpected happened, the enormous beast smiled. It was small, gentle almost impossible to notice.
"You have answered."
Golden light began flowing from its antlers.
"The hatred within you is great, but your hatred has not consumed your heart."
It took another graceful step forward.
"Those who seek power only for destruction eventually destroy themselves but those who seek strength to protect what remains walk a far more difficult path."
The meadow suddenly trembled. Arcanis smiled.
"...Looks like you passed."
The Kirin lowered its head.
"I acknowledge your resolve but conviction alone cannot open the path ahead."
Its emerald eyes sharpened.
"Show me the strength worthy of carrying that resolve."
BOOOOOOM!
A pillar of emerald mana erupted from the Kirin's body. The peaceful atmosphere vanished instantly, the surrounding forest responded, gigantic roots burst from beneath the ground, flowers bloomed in seconds, ancient trees bent toward their guardian.
Arcanis floated backward.
"The trial begins."
Maira exhaled slowly.
"No holding back?"
"No holding back."
The Kirin lowered its stance.
Then...
It disappeared.
"...Fast!"
Maira barely reacted.
CLANG!
One of the glowing antlers collided with her crossed daggers. The impact launched her backwards across the meadow rolling several times before stopping.
"So that's High A-Rank..."
She smiled despite the pain.
"...This is going to hurt."
The Kirin didn't pursue. Instead, countless vines erupted around Maira.
"Forest Binding."
She recognized the spell immediately.
"It's using my own magic!"
"Correction," Arcanis replied. "You're using its magic."
The vines surged toward her.
"Wind Burst!"
BOOM!
Compressed wind exploded outward, shredding dozens of vines. But before the dust settled golden light descended from above. Maira looked up.
"...Light Magic?"
Hundreds of radiant spears formed in the sky.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
They rained down.
Maira activated Feather Step repeatedly.
She became a blur racing across the battlefield as explosions erupted behind her.
The Kirin calmly watched.
Studying her.
Testing her.
Not trying to kill her.
Trying to measure her.
Arcanis noticed immediately.
"...Interesting."
"What?"
"It hasn't used Nature Judgment."
"What does that do?"
"...I'd rather you not find out."
"THAT DOESN'T HELP!"
The Kirin finally moved again, its horns glowed brilliantly, the entire meadow became enveloped in emerald light. A majestic voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Show me whether your resolve can overcome despair."
The air itself grew heavy. Maira felt her legs become difficult to move.
"...What is this?"
Arcanis' voice became unusually serious.
"...Master."
"I've changed my mind, this isn't merely a boss battle. This is an initiation."
Maira looked toward the Kirin. The guardian stood like an ancient king beneath the emerald sky.
Watching.
Waiting.
Judging.
She slowly raised both Stonefang Daggers, wind began circling her, vines wrapped gently around her boots. For the first time wind and forest magic flowed together as one. Maira smiled.
"Then let's prove I'm worthy."
The Kirin lowered its head, a smile crossed its noble face.
"Come."
And in the next instant both of them vanished, colliding at the center of the meadow in a brilliant explosion of emerald light.
Meanwhile in Ikasa.
Kaleb slowly closed the notebook and returned it to the shelf exactly where he had found it. The small house fell silent once more, dust drifted lazily through the afternoon sunlight streaming through the broken windows. After several moments, Terry broke the silence.
"So..."
He scratched the back of his head.
"What do you think?"
Kaleb took one last look around the room.
"...I think we're missing something."
Saria frowned.
"You don't believe the report."
"No."
Kaleb answered without hesitation.
"But I also don't have enough evidence to call it false."
Natalia nodded in agreement.
"Everything here tells us Maira genuinely cared for her mother."
She looked toward the neatly arranged medicine bottles.
"A child doesn't spend months nursing someone just to suddenly poison them yet that's not proof," Kaleb added. "As adventurers, we're trained to separate instinct from evidence."
Saria sighed.
"I hate when you're right."
Kaleb allowed himself a faint smile.
"I know."
Asura had remained unusually quiet. He walked slowly around the house, occasionally touching the furniture with his fingers.
"...This place feels strange."
Everyone looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Natalia asked.
He frowned.
"I don't know, It feels..." He closed his eyes.
"...empty."
Terry raised an eyebrow.
"Well, no one's lived here for months."
"No."
Asura shook his head.
"Not empty because it's abandoned, my summoner instincts are telling me something."
He looked around again.
"Strong emotions linger in places."
"Joy."
"Hatred."
"Fear."
"This house..."
He hesitated.
"...feels like someone suffered here."
Silence settled over the room. Kaleb looked toward the bedroom.
"I felt something similar the moment we entered."
Saria exhaled quietly.
"So we know something happened but not what."
Kaleb nodded.
"And assumptions solve nothing."
He turned toward the door.
"We'll continue gathering information."
Outside, the villagers watched cautiously as the five adventurers walked through the streets. Whispers spread almost immediately.
"They're investigating..."
"Do you think it's about Maira?"
"Why would outsiders care now?"
"They're from the Guild..."
"They'll leave eventually."
Children stopped playing to stare but the older villagers quickly pulled them away, none wished to become involved. At the center of the village, Kaleb suddenly stopped.
"There."
He pointed toward a modest wooden building, a weathered sign hung above the entrance.
Ikasa General Store
"If anyone knows the daily lives of the villagers..."
Natalia smiled.
"It would be the shopkeeper."
"Exactly."
Inside, the little shop smelled of dried herbs and fresh bread. Behind the counter stood an elderly woman arranging jars of preserved fruit, she looked up and nearly dropped one.
"Oh my, welcome honored adventurers."
Kaleb smiled politely.
"We're only here to ask a few questions."
"If I can answer them."
"You knew Maira?"
The woman's expression softened immediately.
"...Little Maira?"
She smiled sadly.
"Of course I did, she came here almost every other day."
"What kind of girl was she?"
The old woman chuckled quietly.
"Too kind."
Everyone looked at her.
"She'd spend her last few coins buying medicine for her mother. If I gave her extra bread she'd thank me ten times."
Terry blinked.
"...Seriously?"
The old woman nodded.
"That child never thought about herself."
She looked toward the window.
"Even when she looked exhausted she still smiled."
Natalia quietly glanced toward Kaleb, neither of them spoke. The old woman continued.
"Her friends adored her. The boys her age certainly did."
Saria immediately noticed Kaleb's eyes narrow.
"The boys?"
The woman laughed softly.
"Oh yes, they followed her everywhere. Poor thing she rejected every single one."
"Were any persistent?"
The elderly woman paused.
"...Well? there was the chief's son."
Everyone remained silent.
"He asked her many times."
"And?"
"She always refused politely."
"Did he ever threaten her?"
The old woman frowned.
"I never saw anything like that."
"I see." Said Kaleb.
Silence lingered.
Kaleb thanked the woman before the party left the shop. Outside, Saria folded her arms.
"The chief's son definitely liked her."
"As did half the boys in the village," Terry replied. "But liking someone isn't a crime."
"No," Kaleb said quietly. "And suspicion isn't evidence."
He looked around the village one more time.
"Keep asking questions. Eventually, someone will say something that doesn't fit."
As the afternoon sun began its slow descent, Kaleb and his party had finished speaking to nearly everyone willing to answer their questions.
The village guards.
Several farmers.
A few childhood friends.
Every story sounded nearly identical.
"Maira was kind."
"She always smiled."
"She took wonderful care of her mother."
Yet none of them could explain what had happened on the night her mother died. It was as if that part of the village's memory had simply vanished. Kaleb stood at the edge of the village, staring toward the distant forest.
Something felt wrong, not because of what he had learned but because of what he hadn't.
Too many gaps.
Too many people claiming they hadn't seen anything.
Too many questions without answers.
Natalia stepped beside him.
"What are you thinking?"
Kaleb remained silent for a moment.
"Someone is lying."
She looked at him.
"You sound certain."
"I am."
He folded his arms.
"But I don't know who."
Saria walked over, twirling one of her daggers between her fingers.
"I asked around about the chief's son."
"And?"
"He was apparently with friends that entire night."
"Several villagers confirmed it."
Kaleb wasn't surprised.
"Convenient."
"Asura couldn't find anything either," Terry added. "Even the mana around Maira's house has long since faded."
Natalia sighed.
"If there was evidence..."
"It's gone."
Silence settled over the group, after several moments, Kaleb spoke.
"We're leaving."
Everyone looked at him. Saria frowned.
"Just like that?"
"We have nothing that justifies further action."
He looked back toward the village.
"I won't accuse innocent people based on intuition and I won't condemn potentially guilty people without proof."
Natalia smiled faintly.
"That's exactly why you're our leader."
Kaleb gave one last glance toward the village hall.
"However..."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"This investigation isn't over. If someone truly fabricated this case they'll make another mistake eventually."
At the village hall, the chief watched the five adventurers walk toward the village gates.
Only after they disappeared beyond the fields did he finally release the breath he had been holding. His son entered the room moments later.
"They're leaving."
"I know."
"They didn't find anything."
The chief slowly nodded.
"Because there was nothing left to find."
He walked toward the window.
"But don't mistake this for safety."
His voice became cold.
"That S-Rank adventurer, he doesn't believe us."
The young man's confidence faded.
"What do we do?"
The chief looked at him sternly.
"You will do nothing, speak to no one and you will pray that the girl never returns."
Meanwhile
The instant Maira and the Kirin collided
BOOOOOOM!
A violent shockwave erupted across the meadow. Trees bent under the force, the nearby oasis rippled as waves crashed against its banks. Maira slid backward, her boots carving two deep trenches into the earth before she managed to stop herself.
"...Strong."
The Kirin hadn't moved an inch, it simply watched her. Its emerald eyes remained calm, almost gentle.
"Your determination is admirable," the guardian said. "But determination without skill is fragile."
The Kirin lowered its head, a green aura spread across the battlefield.
"Forest Dominion."
The ground erupted, thousands of vines burst from beneath the earth, weaving together into towering walls that surrounded Maira from every direction. The meadow had become a living maze.
"What now?" Maira muttered.
Arcanis answered immediately.
"The entire battlefield is under its control, so cut your way through!"
Maira nodded.
"Right!"
She lunged forward.
"Wind Burst!"
The compressed blast of wind tore through several vines. Before the opening could widen, the vines regenerated.
"...Seriously?!"
"Regeneration," Arcanis reminded her. "You'll need to strike faster than it can heal."
Maira clicked her tongue.
"So basically i have to overwhelm it."
"Precisely."
A roar echoed behind her, she spun around.
The Kirin was gone.
"Where—"
CRACK!
Its antlers slammed into her side, the impact launched her dozens of meters through the forest. She crashed through several trees before finally rolling to a stop.
"Cough..."
Pain surged through her ribs.
"...That definitely broke something."
Without hesitation she placed a hand over the injury.
"Self Heal."
Soft green light enveloped her body, the sharp pain gradually faded, she then smiled.
"This skill really is amazing."
"Don't get used to relying on it," Arcanis warned. "It consumes mana every second."
"I know."
Maira stood once more, her breathing had become heavier.
"So..."
She looked toward the distant Kirin.
"It controls the battlefield, it regenerates, it's faster than me, it has more mana."
Arcanis remained silent. Maira sighed.
"...You're waiting for me to figure it out."
"I am."
She closed her eyes.
Think.
Don't rush.
Mom always said panicking never solved anything...
Then it hit her.
The momentum enchantment.
Momentum...
She looked at her daggers.
"They become stronger the more movement they accumulate..."
Arcanis smiled.
"There it is."
Maira grinned.
"I don't need to overpower the Kirin. I just need one opening."
She activated Feather Step, wind gathered beneath her feet. Instead of attacking she began running around the battlefield, around the Kirin again and again. The Kirin quietly observed.
"What is the child doing?"
Arcanis chuckled.
"Winning."
Every swing of her daggers through the air built momentum, every dash increased the enchantment's stored energy, the silver veins along the blades began glowing brighter, then brighter still. The Kirin finally understood, it raised its head.
"An interesting strategy."
It stomped the ground.
"Nature Judgment."
The world turned green, countless pillars of roots burst skyward. Massive branches fell from above, spears of light rained from the heavens, the entire meadow became a storm of attacks. Maira's eyes widened.
"So this is Nature Judgment..."
She pushed Feather Step to its limit, her body became a blur, she danced through the chaos sliding beneath roots, leaping over vines, twisting between beams of light. Every dodge added more momentum.
More speed.
More power.
Her daggers now hummed loudly. Arcanis' pages fluttered excitedly.
"Master!"
"They're reaching their limit!"
"I know!"
The Kirin lowered its stance.
"Then come."
Maira smiled.
"Gladly."
She exploded forward, the ground shattered beneath her feet. The Kirin charged as well, both became streaks of green light racing toward one another.
At the final moment Maira vanished. The Kirin's eyes widened.
"Behind you!"
Arcanis shouted. The Kirin turned—
Too late.
"Momentum..."
Both daggers glowed brilliantly.
"...Twin Fang Cross!"
Two arcs of compressed wind crossed together. The stored momentum from hundreds of movements erupted all at once.
SHRAAAAAAAK!!
The attack struck cleanly across the Kirin's chest. For the first time, the guardian staggered, a deep wound appeared across its scales. Silence filled the meadow, Maira landed on one knee, breathing heavily.
"...Did...did I win?"
The Kirin looked down at the wound.
Then It smiled.
"Excellent."
Golden light spread across its body, the injury disappeared completely. Maira's shoulders slumped.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
Arcanis laughed.
"No, Master, you didn't defeat it, you passed its test."
The Kirin stepped forward peacefully.
"The battle was never about victory. It was about proving your resolve, your adaptability... and your willingness to grow."
The guardian lowered its majestic head.
"You are worthy."
A brilliant emerald light enveloped Maira. A new notification appeared before her.
Trial of the Elder Guardian Complete
Rewards Obtained:
World Tree Seed
Wind Magic Mastery Increased
Forest Magic Mastery Increased
Unique Skill Acquired: Nature's Blessing
Access to new floor Unlocked
Light Magic Unlocked
The Kirin looked at Maira one last time.
"Walk your path wisely, child. Do not allow vengeance to consume the kindness your mother left within you."
Those words struck Maira harder than any attack. She lowered her head respectfully.
"I won't."
The Elder Guardian slowly dissolved into countless emerald particles, returning to the forest itself. The meadow became peaceful once more, Arcanis floated beside her.
"Congratulations, Master. You've conquered your first true dungeon floor."
Maira smiled tiredly.
"...One down."
At the far end of the meadow, space itself began to distort, a circular portal of swirling mana slowly formed between two ancient trees. Unlike an ordinary doorway, nothing could be seen beyond it, only darkness. Maira looked at it curiously.
"So... what's on the other side?"
Arcanis shrugged.
"No idea."
She blinked.
"...What do you mean, 'no idea'?"
"The World-Class Dungeon was designed by the Gods of Dungeons and Labyrinths to be unpredictable."
"The portal will send us to one of the remaining ninety-eight uncleared floors."
"It could be a frozen wasteland, a volcanic kingdom, an endless ocean, a city in the clouds, or..."
He paused dramatically.
"...a place much worse."
Maira sighed.
"I should've known."
Arcanis laughed.
"Ready?"
She tightened the straps on her daggers before taking one last look at the beautiful Verdant Wilds.
"I'll miss this place, It was peaceful."
"It was."
Then Arcanis added with a grin,
"Which means the next floor almost certainly won't be."
"Why do you always have to ruin the moment?"
"Because I'm usually right."
Maira smiled despite herself.
"Let's go, partner."
Together, the girl and the ancient grimoire stepped into the portal the emerald world vanished behind them.
The next destination as completely unknown.