My Cheat Skill Lets Me Copy Powers....But only if i kill-Chapter 31: Whispers Of The Dungeon

Chapter 30 - Whispers of the Dungeon

The scent of sweat, steel, and smoke clung to Renji's cloak as he stepped through the guild's heavy double doors, his boots trailing dust and dried blood across the polished floorboards. The moment he crossed the threshold, he knew something was off.

The usual clamor of the guild was still there—voices loud, mugs clanking—but underneath it all was a current of tension, a buzzing energy he couldn't ignore.

Eyes flicked toward him—some curious, others cautious. He ignored them all, weaving through the crowd with quiet purpose until he reached the counter.

Mira looked up from her ledger, eyes widening slightly as she caught sight of him.

"You're back" Her gaze swept him, noting the streaks of dried blood, the nicks in his armor. "Let me guess. High orcs didn't go down easy."

Renji placed the quest parchment on the counter, his movements deliberate, precise.

"They're down."

He Puts a bag of orc ears on the counter...

Mira took the parchment, glancing over it before reaching for her stamp. Her brow arched, but she didn't ask for details. Instead, she reached beneath the counter, pulling out a small pouch of silver coins and a sealed notice, marked with the guild's emblem.

"Your reward. And this—" she slid the sealed paper toward him "—just came in this morning. Dungeon manifestation. Valkris outskirts. Rank C or higher."

Renji didn't move immediately, eyes fixed on the notice. The chatter behind him grew louder, fragments of conversation rising and falling like static.

"An actual dungeon..."

"Bet it's crawling with monsters."

"Think anyone's crazy enough to dive in first?"

He unfolded the notice, scanning its contents. No deadline. No specifics on what lay inside. Just a simple message: explore, assess, report.

"You planning to take this on?" Mira's voice dropped lower, only for him.

Renji folded the paper carefully, sliding it into his cloak. "Maybe."

"You're not exactly the 'wait and see' type," she added, reaching for another ledger. "Just... don't go dying. Valkris is short on legends."

A faint grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he turned away. "Not planning to die."

As he walked toward the exit, the murmur of voices trailed him, the weight of the dungeon notice heavier than it seemed.

Something was coming.

And he would be ready.

Sunlight filtered through the windows of the inn's common room, catching dust motes in golden shafts. Elara stirred her tea absentmindedly, eyes unfocused, the table before her empty save for two cups and a plate of half-eaten bread.

Across from her, Lena tapped her fingers against the wood, brows furrowed, the silence between them loud.

Finally, Elara broke it.

"We shouldn't have read it."

Lena's gaze flicked up. "Would you rather be in the dark, wondering what was inside? Guessing while she—a princess—makes her move?"

The spoon clinked against her cup. "Still feels wrong."

A beat passed. Lena leaned back, folding her arms.

"You saw his face. The way he shoved that letter into his pocket like it burned him. He's hiding it. From us."

Elara's fingers tightened around the cup. "Because it burns us, too."

They both fell silent again, the weight of the truth hanging in the air.

"She wants to marry him," Lena murmured, eyes distant. "Not because she loves him—because of his power. She wants to own him."

"And we don't?" Elara's voice was softer, laced with something raw.

That earned a sharp glance.

"Don't twist it. We care about him. We've fought beside him, bled for him. We're not using him."

Elara looked away. "Still feels like we're losing."

Lena leaned forward, intensity burning in her eyes. "Only if we give up."

The front door creaked open downstairs. Footsteps—heavy, familiar.

They both looked toward the staircase instinctively.

Elara stood first, her voice low. "Let's not tell him. Not yet."

Lena nodded slowly, rising to follow.

Their steps echoed softly as they climbed, a shared determination in their silence.

They wouldn't lose him.

Not without a fight.

Far from Valkris, nestled in the heart of a crimson-hued mountain range, stood the Demon Lord's fortress — a towering black spire of obsidian and stone, shrouded in mist and flames that never died. The air was thick with heat, the scent of brimstone lacing every breath.

In the throne hall, dark and vast, torches flickered with blue fire, casting twisted shadows against jagged walls. The floor gleamed like polished onyx, and at the far end sat the Demon Lord, draped in armor as dark as night, a single horn curving from his brow.

Below the throne, kneeling on one knee, the demon girl—Selira—kept her gaze low, heart pounding in her chest.

"You faced him again," the Demon Lord's voice echoed, low and thunderous. "Renji Hurozawa."

"Yes, my Lord. He's... stronger than before."

Selira's fingers curled into her palm. The memory of their clash, the speed of his blade, the silver glint in his eyes, haunted her.

The Demon Lord rose, each step shaking the floor. "And yet you failed again to bring him in... or eliminate him."

A pause.

"He resists us. He resists all sides." His voice was thoughtful now. "He grows dangerous."

Another figure stepped from the shadows — a hooded advisor, eyes gleaming red.

"My Lord," the advisor intoned, "reports confirm a dungeon has manifested near Valkris. Hurozawa is likely to engage."

Selira's head snapped up, eyes narrowing.

A dungeon? That changes everything.

The Demon Lord's lips curled into a smile, cold and calculating.

"Then we will let him descend. If the dungeon doesn't break him, perhaps... you will."

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He turned his gaze to Selira. "Go. Watch him. Test him again, if needed. If he falls, his power dies with him. If he survives... we may finally see what he truly is."

Selira bowed lower, jaw tight. "As you command."

As she turned to leave, the Demon Lord's voice echoed once more.

"Do not let personal interest cloud your duty."

Her steps faltered for the briefest moment.

Then she was gone.

The door to Renji's room creaked shut behind him, muffling the distant sounds of laughter and clinking mugs from the inn's common room. Silence settled, broken only by the faint rustle of his cloak as he dropped into the chair by the window.

He pulled the dungeon notice from his coat and unfolded it, eyes scanning the contents once again. No deadline. No concrete details. Just a warning:

"Manifestation confirmed. Unknown depth. Unknown threat. Rank C or higher. Expeditions form immediately."

The parchment trembled slightly between his fingers, not from fear — from anticipation.

He stood and crossed the room to the corner where his gear lay. With practiced motions, he checked his blade's edge, adjusted the straps of his armor, and reached for his item box — a flick of his fingers summoning it to his hand, light pulsing faintly.

Inside, neatly arranged, were potions, rations, spare daggers, and now... a scroll-bound manual labeled Beast Tamer: Interface Basics.

Renji opened it, eyes narrowing as he read. The skill allowed him to bond with beasts, bending their will — but at a steep cost in mana. Stronger beasts could drain him dry if not careful.

He shut the book, a plan forming.

"This dungeon... maybe I'll find something worth taming."

A light knock at his door pulled him from his thoughts. Familiar voices filtered through — Elara and Lena, laughing softly, then fading as they moved down the hall.

Renji didn't call out.

Not tonight.

He fastened his cloak and took one last look at the letter still hidden beneath his bedroll. Unread again since last night — but its words haunted him.

He'd deal with that later.

For now, there was only one thing on his mind.

Strength. Progress. Control.

He extinguished the lantern and stepped into the night.

The dungeon awaited.

Deep beneath the surface of the Valkris outskirts, stone walls pulsed faintly with unnatural light, casting a dull glow across ancient, crumbling architecture. The air was thick with mana, heavy and suffocating, and the only sounds were the distant drips of water echoing through the halls.

In the heart of the dungeon — a vast, domed chamber — a massive gate of blackened bone and steel stood sealed, its surface etched with runes that shimmered faintly in hues of crimson.

Beyond the gate, something stirred.

A low growl echoed in the darkness, followed by a tremor that rattled the chamber walls. A massive silhouette shifted, chained and unmoving, yet alive with malevolence.

[Dungeon System Activation – Boss Chamber: Sealed]

"Entity: ???

Status: Dormant. Binding at 92%.

Trigger: Intrusion by marked soul."

Awaiting release.

The chamber fell silent once more.

But the dungeon had awakened.