Etzel had one goal for the day.
A normal hunt. No anomalies. No dead creatures with impossible wounds. No mysterious influences. No dungeon authorities wearing other creatures like stolen crowns.
Just something alive, hostile, and preferably stupid enough to understand.
DK walked beside him. Etzel looked over. “Today, nothing mysterious.”
DK did not immediately answer. That was already a bad sign.
“You have said that before.”
“Today I mean it.”
“You meant it before.”
Etzel frowned. “Your memory is becoming inconvenient.”
“I remember yesterday.”
“That still counts.”
The hunting zone ahead was small. Low-threat. Monitored. Far from Sector 14. Exactly what Etzel wanted.
He checked the public map again. Then once more.
DK noticed. “You already checked.”
“I am developing responsibility.”
“You checked it three times before entering the forest where you found the dungeon anomaly.”
Etzel lowered the device. “That was a hostile use of historical information.”
DK continued walking. Etzel followed. “Today is different.”
“How?”
“I’m Level Seven.”
DK stopped. Etzel stopped too, then slowly closed his eyes.
“Six.”
“Yes.”
“Level Six.”
“Yes.”
“I knew that.”
“You did not.”
“I was testing you.”
DK resumed walking. Etzel stared at his back. “I’m surrounded by betrayal.”
Their first target appeared twenty minutes later. Nothing special. That was beautiful.
A narrow-bodied creature with long rear legs and a plated skull tried to rush Etzel from behind a fallen tree. Etzel saw it early. Set his feet. Held the spear line.
The creature swerved. Etzel adjusted. Thrust. Missed. Recovered.
The creature lunged again. Etzel moved. This time he didn’t chase the body; he controlled the space. The creature tried to cut inside the spear’s reach. Etzel shortened his grip, hit it across the shoulder with the shaft, created distance, extended again, and landed one thrust beneath the jaw.
The creature collapsed.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Event
Ashleg Runner Defeated
Progress
Level Progression Gained