I Ascend Alone-Chapter 43: C-rank Dungeon Part III

The chamber rumbled as five towering figures rushed toward me, their rusted blades raised high. Their sheer presence alone would have made an ordinary D-Rank hunter hesitate.

But I wasn't an ordinary D-Rank.

Leon thought I was still struggling at the bottom.

I stepped forward, calm, relaxed—just as their first strike descended.

A massive greatsword cut through the air, aiming to cleave me in two.

Too slow.

I tilted my head slightly, the blade whistling past my ear. The moment it missed, I countered—my fist driving into the Berserker's chest with bone-crushing force.

CRACK!

The monster flew backward, slamming into the cavern wall with enough force to leave an imprint.

The others hesitated.

For a fraction of a second, they wavered.

I grinned.

I blurred forward, closing the distance before they could react.

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The second Berserker swung at me—a horizontal slash meant to sever my torso.

I ducked under it, pivoting on my heel, and delivered a devastating uppercut.

BAM!

Its jaw shattered, the impact lifting it off the ground before it crumpled.

Three left.

Leon hadn't said a word yet, but I could feel his gaze sharpen. He was watching. Studying.

I needed to be careful.

The remaining Berserkers let out guttural roars and attacked all at once.

My body flickered—an afterimage remaining in place as I reappeared behind them.

CRACK!

I grabbed one by the back of its skull and drove it straight into the stone floor. It didn't get back up.

The last two turned to face me, fear creeping into their movements.

They hesitated.

I dashed forward, grabbing one by the throat before it could react. With a single motion, I lifted it off the ground and slammed it into the last remaining Berserker.

The impact crushed both their bodies, silencing their roars instantly.

Then—nothing.

Silence.

I exhaled, rolling my shoulders.

I turned to Leon, and he was staring. Not with shock, but with something else—something calculating.

"You're still a D-Rank, right?" His voice was even, but there was an edge to it.

Leon's eyes narrowed slightly. I could tell that he wasn't convinced.

As we ventured deeper into the dungeon, the air grew heavier. The usual dampness of underground caverns was now mixed with something else—something oppressive.

Leon, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped.

His body tensed, his instincts flaring as he stared at the massive stone doors leading to the boss room. His fingers twitched slightly, as if ready to draw his weapon at any moment.

"...No." His voice was low, sharp.

I raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

Leon didn't answer immediately. He simply stared at the door, his expression dark.

"This isn't right," he muttered. "The mana coming from inside... it's too strong. Way too strong."

A chill ran down my spine.

At that moment, a notification flashed before my eyes.

***

[ System Alert ]

[ WARNING: The dungeon boss has undergone an anomaly. ]

[ C-Rank Boss: Crimson Fang Alpha → A-Rank Abyssal Warchief ]

[ Identification: Abyssal Warchief ]

[ Rank: A ]

A warlord among the abyssal beasts. This wolf-like entity possesses immense physical strength, enhanced regenerative abilities, and the ability to command lesser creatures. It is driven by pure, primal warfare.

[ Threat Level: EXTREME ]

***

Leon exhaled, his gaze fixed on the massive stone doors before us. The air had changed—it was heavier now, thick with something unnatural. He flexed his fingers near his gauntlets before glancing at me.

"Something's off," he muttered. "This presence... it doesn't feel like a C-Rank boss."

I remained silent, my expression neutral.

Leon frowned, stepping closer to the entrance. He reached out and pressed a hand against the stone. A faint tremor pulsed through the air, like a heartbeat echoing from deep within.

His grip on his gauntlet tightened.

"Tch. This isn't normal," he muttered. Then, without looking at me, he added, "I'll go in first. Stay out here."

I blinked. "What?"

Leon turned to me, his expression serious. "If the boss has mutated or something, it's my job as an S-Rank to handle it. You—" He gestured at me. "—shouldn't be anywhere near that thing."

I suppressed the urge to smirk. Instead, I tilted my head. "Shouldn't we at least check what's inside first?"

Leon shot me a look. "You think a D-Rank can afford to check? If this thing is beyond a C-Rank, you'd die before you even react."

I shrugged. "Then you'll be there to stop it, won't you?"

He narrowed his eyes. "That's not the point."

I took a step forward, placing my palm against the door. A deep, chilling vibration coursed through me.

I exhaled slowly. "I just want to see what's inside. That's all."

Leon hesitated. He really didn't like this. But after a moment, he exhaled sharply.

"Fine," he muttered. "But stay behind me."

I nodded. And the doors rumbled, shifting open.

As the stone doors groaned open, a wave of oppressive energy seeped through the widening gap. The air inside was thick—almost suffocating—like stepping into a storm moments before it fully unleashed its wrath.

Leon tensed immediately, his battle instincts flaring. "Tch. That's not normal."

He stepped in first, his posture cautious but firm, as if expecting something to lunge at us the moment we crossed the threshold. I followed closely behind, though my steps were deliberate—I already knew what was waiting.

The cavernous chamber before us was different from any C-Rank boss room I had ever seen. The usual, predictable layouts—where a monster would be resting on a throne of bones or standing in the center like an executioner—were absent.

Instead, the room looked scarred.

Massive claw marks gouged deep into the stone walls. Faint embers still burned in cracks across the ground, as if the battlefield had only just begun to cool. The entire chamber reeked of war—the aftermath of something far beyond a C-Rank skirmish.

Then, a low, guttural growl reverberated through the darkness.

Leon's eyes sharpened. He raised a hand slightly, signaling me to stay put.

The shadows shifted.

Two luminous crimson eyes burned through the void, staring straight at us.

The creature emerged, each step deliberate, predatory. It was wolf-like—but to call it a mere wolf would be an insult.

Towering at least three meters tall, its body was a monstrous blend of sinewy muscle and jagged, abyssal plating. Its fur, dark as the void itself, rippled with unnatural energy. A jagged crown of bone jutted from its head, marking its dominance. Clawed gauntlets of abyssal steel adorned its forelimbs, engraved with ancient, unreadable markings.

Leon inhaled sharply, finally recognizing the danger.

"What the hell—?"

The Abyssal Warchief bared its fangs, black mist curling from its maw as it let out a thunderous snarl.

Then—it vanished.

Or at least, that's what it seemed like.

One moment, it was standing at the far end of the chamber. The next—

BOOM!