Luke stood in the backyard of the house.

Silvery moonlight bathed the ground as he gripped a single war hammer in one hand.

Taking a deep breath, he lifted the weapon and swung it in a controlled horizontal arc.

Using the momentum, he stepped back, twirled the hammer above his head, and brought it down in a diagonal strike, stopping it mere inches above the ground.

He pulled the weapon over his shoulder and thrust it forward, displaying remarkable strength for someone wielding such a heavy armament with only one hand.

But he didn’t stop there.

Drawing the hammer back, he drove it forward again. This time, he extended the strike even farther before bringing his other hand onto the handle and springing off his feet to kick the imaginary opponent in front of him.

As his body surged forward with the kick, he pulled the hammer overhead with both hands.

The weapon rose to its highest point.

Then, with every ounce of strength he could muster, he brought it crashing down.

"Ah..."

It took immense focus and effort to halt the hammer barely an inch above the surface.

Luke knew that if the blow had connected, the impact alone would have echoed through the neighborhood and drawn everyone from their homes to investigate the commotion.

Exhaling a sigh, Luke rested the hammer on the ground and called out,

"You can come out now."

He turned over his shoulder, and just as he expected, a lone figure emerged from the shadows, his weight partially supported by a crutch.

"Did I disturb you?" Lex asked, his voice as heavy as ever.

Luke shook his head.

"I wasn’t doing anything important to begin with."

His only goal had been to get used to the weapon’s weight. Truly becoming accustomed to its swings and strikes would only happen in real combat.

"Is that so?" Lex replied.

He leaned against the wall and rested the crutch beside him.

"I never noticed when you became that strong."

Luke shrugged.

"I just had a sudden awakening. After that, I realized I could do things far more easily than before."

"No, that’s not it."

Lex rejected the explanation immediately, as though he had expected it.

"Many people possess power, but they lack the courage to wield it. You overcame that weakness. That’s why you’ve grown."

Luke’s brows rose slightly.

"Well..."

Lex wasn’t wrong.

The old Luke had been a weakling who never truly tried. Someone who feared failure. Someone who feared pain.

So yes, Lex was right.

His awakening wasn’t the sole reason behind his sudden transformation.

"Anyway, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night instead of resting?" Luke asked. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward Lex’s injured leg.

It had healed by roughly seventy percent. In a few more days, he would likely be able to walk normally again. Running and placing significant strain on the leg, however, would take considerably longer.

"Just came out to try walking a bit. But as I expected, this leg has grown considerably weaker," Lex sighed.

A single foolish mistake had cost him dearly. Every day since then, he had been forced to live with the consequences, and every day brought fresh regret.

Luke crossed his arms.

"Why are you so eager to get back on your feet? Is it because of Toras, or is it your craving for the hunt?"

Lex lowered his gaze to his hands before slowly clenching them into fists.

"It’s actually both..."

He released a quiet breath before continuing.

"Until a few days ago, I would’ve said hunting was all I cared about. But after spending time at home and watching Dalia struggle to keep our family fed and afloat, I realized my priorities were wrong."

Luke stared at him in disbelief.

The power-drunk, arrogant bastard who had once looked at everyone as though they were beneath his notice was actually saying something sensible.

Just then, a notification appeared before his eyes.

[Host, it is advisable to invest in the target.]

[The system believes the subject possesses the qualities necessary to become a useful servant of the host.]

"..."

Luke was caught off guard.

Was the system seriously suggesting that he enslave Lex?

To be fair, the man was undeniably capable.

He had built a name for himself throughout the village by hunting more beasts in a single year than anyone else. At one point, he had also been among the wealthiest people in the area.

However...

’I don’t trust him,’ Luke stated bluntly.

His personality may have changed, but I still feel like he’d stab me in the back the moment I exposed a vulnerable side.’

The system remained silent.

And Luke found that silence far less reassuring than any argument.

He had the means to heal Lex’s leg and help him regain his former strength.

However, he wouldn’t do it.

Luke had already done more than enough by saving and treating him a few days ago. Anything beyond that would feel forced on his part.

"Anyway, continue what you were doing. I’ll head back inside," Lex said.

Picking up his crutch, he slowly made his way toward the house.

Luke watched his retreating figure for several moments.

Tired.

Defeated.

The sight lingered in his mind long after Lex disappeared through the doorway.

With a sigh, Luke pushed the matter aside and returned his focus to the task at hand.

The dungeon.

It would open tomorrow.

And once again, he would step into that hellhole.

His expression hardened.

The last time he entered, everything had ended in a way he never could have anticipated.

Pain.

Despair.

Death.

He had paid the ultimate price for his weakness.

But this time would be different.

This time, he would enter better prepared.

Better equipped.

And stronger than before.

He knew his goal and he was determined to achieve it in the second attempt.

No more dying and no more redos.

The second floor ends tomorrow.

••••••••

A/N:- Thank you for reading. Mind sharing your thoughts on the story in the review section?