《The Woundkeeper》


 Embers in the Ash

    The air stank of blood and burnt wood. Smoke lingered in the alleys like a living thing, coiling around the crumbling buildings, refusing to dissipate. The flickering glow of guttering torches barely kept the darkness at bay, their light revealing jagged, broken streets littered with the refuse of a city that had given up on itself.


    She wasn''t sure how much longer she could survive out here, but she was told thathewould be here. And she really needed his help. And then, as if the heavens had heard her desperate thoughts, she saw him.


    He limped through the mulch, his boots squelching in unidentifiable filth. It looked like there was something wrong with his leg, and a grimace appeared on his face every time his foot planted on the ground.


    Desperate to sieze the opportunity she had been waiting for, she stepped towards him.


    "Oi, you." she hissed.


    The man turned his head to look at her, and a glint flashed in his eye as his arm fell towards his dagger.


    "Whatever your selling, I ain''t buying." He muttered, his voice carrying towards her with intent.


    A twinge of annoyance sparked through her,he thinks I''m some sort of crackhead. Can''t he see I''m a poor, innocent girl?She thought to herself.


    "I''m not trying to sell you anything, idiot. I need your help."


    "Like that''s any better." He snapped, clearly having dealt with people who needed "help". But she was different to them. She stepped closer, and immediately he fully rounded on her, his presence envoloping her. Then she truly felt how out of her depth she was, and now truly understood how hopeless she had felt to be driven tohim. And now, there was no question.


    "You... you''re the one they call theWoundkeeper, aren''t you?"


    A grimace appeared on his face at her question. But he didn''t reply.


    ****


    The nickname hit him like a fist to the gut, it never stopped feeling like an accusation. TheWoundkeeper.A man who survived what others didn''t. A man who carried the scars of a dozen lives lost. He didn''t answer, and the girl took another step forward.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "They said you could help me. That you''ve been through... worse than this." She gestured at the ruin around them, her voice catching on the words.


    Dorian barked out a hollow laugh. "Worse? Maybe. Doesn''t mean I''ve got anything left to give."


    But even as he said it, he knew it wasn''t true. If he''d learned one thing in the years since his life had been torn apart-since the system had forced itself into his world, twisting reality into stats, skills, and progressions - it was this: he couldn''t ignore someone who needed help.


    The girl stared at him, her eyes wide, hollow, desperate. Dorian recognised that look. He''d seen it in the mirror once, a lifetime ago. With a sigh, he reached into his coat and pulled out the last of his rations-a piece of stale bread wrapped in oilcloth. He tossed it to her.


    "Eat that. Slowly. Then tell me what you want."


    She caught the bread with trembling hands, tearing into it like a starving animal. He watched her for a moment, his eyes scanning the streets. This place - Greystone District - was a graveyard with delusions of life. The system had crushed it long ago, its people left to rot as monsters prowled the outskirts and the powerful built their empires elsewhere. He''d come here looking for... something. Answers, maybe. Or vengeance. But all he''d found was more ruin.


    A translucent screen flickered in his peripheral vision, a dull green rectangle only he could see.


    [Status Update: Hunger (Severe)]


    [Current HP: 38/121]


    The message hovered like an unwelcome guest, but Dorian waved it away with a twitch of his fingers. The system had a cruel sense of humour, reminding him of just how close to the edge he always lived. He pulled his coat tighter against the cold, feeling the weight of the single dagger strapped inside¡ªhis last weapon, its blade chipped and dulled. He pulled out a health potion and chugged it down, he didn''t see anyone else nearby, and he doubted she would be a threat.


    "I need someone to kill them," the girl said through a mouthful of bread.


    Dorian blinked. "Kill who?"


    Her hands shook as she gripped the crust, her knuckles white. "The ones who took my brother. The... theguild.They''ve got him chained in the pits."


    The pits. Of course. Dorian''s stomach twisted at the memory-dark, reeking caverns where the strong fought for scraps and the weak were devoured, a sick place the system allowed and supported. Facilitated by thosescum, the guild. He''d been there once. He''d crawled out. Barely.


    "You''ve got the wrong man," he said, his voice flat. He turned to leave.


    "Wait!" Her cry cut through the night like a blade. "Please! They said you were strong. That you-"


    "I''m not strong," Dorian snapped, rounding on her. The bitterness in his voice startled even himself. "I just don''t die easy. That''s not the same thing."


    She stared at him, her eyes wide, glistening in the torchlight. "Then don''t do it for me. Do it for him. Or for... whoever you lost."


    The words struck something deep, something raw. He stood there for a long moment, the wind biting at his face, the girl''s plea hanging in the air. His past clawed at him, the weight of all he''d lost pressing down like it always did.


    Finally, he sighed. "Fine. I''ll help you." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a growl. "But don''t expect mercy. Not from them. And definitely not from me."

 The Woundkeepers Curse

    The girl''s name was Calla, and she followed Dorian like a stray dog¡ªsilent, watchful, and impossible to shake. He''d barely gotten a dozen steps before her quick, uneven footfalls caught up to him.


    "Do you have a plan?" she asked, her voice muffled by the scarf she''d pulled over her face to block the smoke.


    Dorian grunted. "Plans are for people with resources. All I''ve got is this." He patted the hilt of his dagger, the weight of the weapon almost mocking. "If you were hoping for a hero with shining armour and a full arsenal, you''re out of luck."


    Calla didn''t laugh. She didn''t even flinch, a product of being brought up in this unforgiving place. You got used to being dealt shitty cards by a callous hand. "I''ve seen what they do in the pits. No one comes out of there unless they''re like you."


    He stopped short, turning to face her. The intensity in her voice, the quiet certainty¡ªhe''d heard it before. People whispered about him in the places where the system had sunk its claws deepest, the ruins and slums where only the desperate lingered. The Woundkeeper. A man cursed to survive. A man who didn''t break, no matter how many pieces they tried to shatter him into.


    It wasn''t a title he''d chosen. But the stories stuck like scars.


    "You think I''m special," he said, his voice low. "That I''ve got something that makes me invincible. Let me tell you something, Calla." He crouched slightly, meeting her eyes. "There''s no magic in this world that doesn''t cost you something. No bloodline, no blessing, no system skill that comes free. You pay for it. Every second. Every breath."


    She stared at him, unblinking. "Then why are you still alive?"


    The question hung in the air, heavy as the smoke. Dorian straightened, his jaw tightening. He didn''t answer. Instead, he turned and kept walking, his limp more pronounced as the ache in his leg flared. Calla followed without another word.


    They reached the edge of the district by nightfall. The streets narrowed here, twisting into a labyrinth of collapsed buildings and makeshift barricades. Fires burned in steel drums, casting long, jagged shadows across the walls. This was no-man''s-land, the buffer between the pits and the rest of Greystone.


    Dorian knew the area well. Too well.


    As they passed a cluster of people huddled around a fire, he caught a few wary glances, followed by sharp whispers. The nickname floated through the air like an accusation.


    "That''s him. The Woundkeeper."


    "Thought he was dead..."


    "...Can''t be killed. He just gets back up..."


    Dorian ignored them, his focus on the looming silhouette of the pits in the distance¡ªa jagged maw carved into the earth, its edges reinforced with rusted iron and blackened wood.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    As they walked, the memories came unbidden.


    It had been three years since the system had awakened his bloodline. He hadn''t known what it meant at first, only that his status screen had changed, the words burning themselves into his mind.


    [Bloodline Trait Unlocked: Iron Will (Tier III)]


    Effect: When reduced to critical condition, all healing is enhanced by 300%. Wounds regenerate at an accelerated rate. Cannot die from cumulative injuries until total HP reaches 0.]


    It had sounded like a blessing. But the first time he''d felt it¡ªthe searing heat of flesh knitting itself together, the agony of bones resetting without warning¡ªhe realised the truth. It wasn''t a gift. It was a sentence.


    He could survive what others couldn''t, yes. But the system demanded its price. His bloodline didn''t just keep him alive¡ªit made sure he felt every moment of survival. Pain sharper than any blade, exhaustion that sank into his marrow, the memories of every death he hadn''t been allowed to embrace.


    It had been in the pits where his bloodline had earned him the name.


    He''d been captured, thrown into the fighting rings with nothing but a broken sword and a handful of HP. The guilds ran the place like a game, and they loved watching people like him¡ªlow-level scavengers with no gear¡ªget torn apart for entertainment.


    They hadn''t expected him to keep standing.


    Every time he fell, every time a blow crushed his ribs or left him gasping on the floor, he''d get back up. His wounds would close, his body dragging itself back together even as his screams echoed through the cavern. The crowd had started chanting then, their voices cruel, mocking.


    "He won''t die! The Woundkeeper lives!"


    But he had died. A piece of him had stayed there, in the pits, with the blood and the screams and the system notifications that never stopped. He''d killed his way out eventually, leaving a trail of bodies and a reputation he hadn''t wanted.


    The scars hadn''t faded. Neither had the nightmares.


    "Is it true?" Calla''s voice broke the silence as they approached the edge of the pits.


    Dorian glanced at her, his expression guarded. "Is what true?"


    "That you can''t die."


    He snorted. "Everyone dies. I just take longer than most."


    She didn''t laugh. Instead, she looked at him with something close to pity. He shook his head, gesturing for her to stay close as they crept along the outskirts of the pit''s defences. The stench of sweat and blood grew stronger with every step, and the sounds of fighting echoed from below¡ªroars of pain and triumph interspersed with the system''s cold, mechanical announcements.


    [Combat Alert: Gladiator defeated. Winner: Guild Champion Yuros.]


    Dorian''s hands clenched into fists. The pits hadn''t changed. The system still fed off suffering, still rewarded those who turned violence into currency.


    "Where''s your brother being held?" he asked, his voice sharper than he''d intended.


    Calla pointed to a cluster of cages near the edge of the main fighting arena. Figures moved inside, shadowy and hunched. Dorian scanned the area, his mind already mapping the routes, calculating risks.


    "I''ll get him out," he said, his tone flat. "But once this starts, there''s no going back. You ready for that?"


    Calla nodded, though her hands trembled. Dorian didn''t press her. Fear was normal. It was courage that mattered.


    As he turned back to the pits, his fingers brushing the hilt of his dagger, a faint flicker of green appeared in the corner of his vision.


    [Quest Alert: Blood and Iron.


    Objective: Rescue Calla''s brother from the pits. Bonus: Ensure all prisoners are freed.


    Reward: 2500 EXP.]


    Dorian smiled grimly. He didn''t care about the reward. This wasn''t about progression or stats.


    This was about making sure the system¡ªand the people who used it¡ªremembered one thing.


    The Woundkeeper was still standing.

 Chapter 3: The Weight Of The Past

    The city of Greystone had been a kingdom once. A hundred years ago, before the system came, it had been a place of towering spires, bustling markets, and banners that fluttered in the wind. Now, it was nothing more than a carcass, its bones picked clean by those strong enough to survive. The system had reshaped the world in its own image, turning life into numbers, turning struggle into progression, turning men into monsters.


    Dorian had walked its streets long before the pits, before the war, before everything had been stripped away. He had grown up in the lower districts, where the system''s blessings were sparse and the people who lived there were little more than background noise to the powerful. His parents had been merchants, their business barely enough to keep food on the table. He remembered his mother''s hands¡ªrough, cracked from years of hard work¡ªand his father''s voice, a deep rumble of quiet authority. They had been ordinary people in a world that had no place for the ordinary.


    And then the system had changed everything.


    One day, the sky had burned with emerald fire, and the world had been rewritten. The Great Awakening, they had called it. Notifications had flooded into the minds of every living person. Levels. Classes. Skills. Status screens that determined your worth with cold, unfeeling precision. The strong had adapted. The weak had been crushed beneath the weight of a world that no longer had patience for them.


    Dorian had been nineteen when his father had died. Not in battle, not at the hands of some monstrous beast, but because the man who had controlled the district¡ªan Enforcer with a rare combat class¡ªhad decided that their shop was taking up space. His father had stood his ground. The system had determined he wasn''t strong enough to survive.


    [Lv. 23 Enforcer has slain Lv. 7 Merchant.]


    Dorian had watched his father die, watched his mother weep, watched the Enforcer walk away without a second thought. That was the moment he had realised the truth of this new world.


    Justice was a fairy tale for those who had the luxury of dreaming.


    He had left the lower districts soon after, throwing himself into the only thing that mattered now: survival. He had trained, fought, bled, and climbed. And he had learned. The system didn''t care about morality, only power. And if he wanted to change anything, if he wanted to make sure no one else suffered the way his family had, he would have to become something more than just another forgotten name in the slums.


    That was how he had met her.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Seren had been the first person who had ever made him believe in something other than pain. She had been a healer¡ªnot the kind who sat in safe guild halls charging gold for their services, but the kind who walked the blood-soaked streets, tending to the wounded with hands that glowed with soft, golden light. She had patched him up more times than he could count, never asking for payment, never asking for thanks. She had simply been there. And it never hurt.


    "You can''t just keep throwing yourself into fights, Dorian," she had told him once, wrapping his arm after a particularly bad run-in with a group of slavers. "One day, your bloodline won''t be enough."


    He had laughed then, bitter and sharp. "That''s the point, Seren. The system keeps taking, keeps pushing people like us into the dirt. I''m just pushing back."


    She had frowned but said nothing. She never agreed with his methods, but she had never abandoned him either. Even when he had become the Woundkeeper, when his name had become something whispered in fear, she had stayed. She had believed in him.


    And then she had died.


    He had fucked up, he had gotten into trouble with the same Enforcer that had killed his father, stupidly thinking that he could enact his revenge. And had almost died because of it, Seren had already been suspicious of his actions and had followed him. After just one hit from the Enforcer, he had almost died, and Seren had immediately come to his aide.


    "Dorian!" She had screamed; it had been so long since he had heard someone say his real name. She ran to him but before she could even begin to try to help, the Enforcer cruelly decapitated her, using some sort of long-range skill, and her headless body crumpled to the floor.


    [Combat Log: Lv. 36 Enforcer has slain Lv. 47 Healer.]


    Before he could even react, a System message popped up.


    [Bloodline Trait Unlocked: Iron Will (Tier I)]


    Effect: When reduced to critical condition, all healing is enhanced by 100%. Wounds regenerate at an accelerated rate. Cannot die from cumulative injuries until total HP reaches 0.]


    And so, he had not died from the hit. The Enforcer had decided to bring him to the pits, likely impressed by his ability to stay alive. And probably thinking that he would be good entertainment in there.


    He thought the System had some semblance of morality; Seren had never hurt a fly, she had saved many lives. And Dorian had learned, in that moment, that even she had not been untouchable. He had played with both their lives, and he had paid dearly for it.


    That had been the final break. The moment he had stopped caring about the rules. The moment he had vowed to tear down everything the system held sacred.


    And now, years later, he stood at the edge of the pits, staring down into the darkness, feeling the weight of his past settle around his shoulders like a cloak of iron. Calla was watching him, her eyes filled with the same kind of desperate hope he had once carried.


    "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked.


    Dorian exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders. His wounds still ached, but they were already healing. They always did. His bloodline made sure of that.


    "This isn''t about what I want," he muttered. "It never was."


    The system had taken enough from him. Now, it was his turn to take something back.


    [Objective Updated: Rescue all the Prisoners.]

 Chapter 4: Blood and Chains

    The pits were more than just an arena¡ªthey were a statement. A declaration from the ruling guilds that power was the only law that mattered. Fighters bled for sport while nobles and criminals alike placed bets, turning suffering into spectacle. If Dorian wanted to destroy it, he would need more than just anger.


    He would need a plan.


    The outer perimeter of the pits was guarded by mercenaries from the local guild, men and women clad in mismatched armor, their weapons gleaming under the torchlight. Most of them were low-level fighters, hired thugs who took coin over conscience. Dorian could deal with them easily. The real problem lay within¡ªthe Enforcers, the ones who ran the pit itself. Men like the one who had taken everything from him.


    He crouched behind a stack of rusted barrels, scanning the area. Calla was beside him, her small form tense with anticipation.


    "You sure you can do this?" she whispered.


    Dorian didn''t answer immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes, letting his breathing steady. He could feel his wounds, the dull ache of barely healed injuries, but his bloodline was working, keeping him on his feet. Keeping him alive.


    "We don''t have a choice," he murmured back. "You wanted your brother out. This is how we do it."


    She swallowed hard, nodding. He could see the fear in her eyes, but beneath it, there was steel.


    "Alright," she whispered. "What''s the plan?"


    Dorian traced a line in the dirt with his finger. "First, we need to take out the outer guards. Quietly. We can''t afford to alert the Enforcers until we''re inside. Once we''re past them, we move through the prisoner cages, find your brother, and get him out before the alarms go off."


    "And if they do?" she asked.


    Dorian smirked grimly. "Then we make sure they don''t live long enough to raise the alarm."This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Calla didn''t argue. She just nodded.


    They moved quickly, sticking to the shadows, their steps silent against the damp ground. Dorian struck first, slipping behind a guard and driving his dagger into the soft spot between the man''s armor plates. The body hit the ground without a sound. Calla watched, her breathing shallow, but she didn''t flinch.


    One by one, they dispatched the outer sentries, dragging the bodies into the shadows. Dorian wiped the blood from his blade and motioned for Calla to follow. They approached the entrance to the lower pits, where the prisoners were kept. The stench of sweat, blood, and rot filled the air, thick and suffocating.


    Dorian felt the weight of his past press down on him. He had been here before, fighting for scraps, enduring pain for the amusement of others. Not this time. This time, he wasn''t here to fight.


    He was here to end it.


    They slipped into the shadows of the underground tunnels, the distant sounds of battle echoing through the stone corridors. They walked briskly through the tunnels, Dorian navigating them perfectly, he had come back here a few times to scout it out. He had always intended to destroy the place, this was just the catalyst. It was needed, because he wasn''t sure he would''ve ever mustered up the courage. He might''ve just left Greystone instead of confronting his past captors.


    Speaking of past captors, he saw the first of the inner guard. There were 2 standing by a large, wooden door. He inspected them using [Cat''s Eye].


    [Lv. 24 Guard]


    [Lv. 26 Guard]


    They had their backs to the wall, and were around the corner. They couldn''t see him now, but if he tried to approach them they would see him immediately. There was no way to sneak up on them. He knew what to do, but he didn''t want to use her, it was dangerous - but necessary.


    "Calla, I need your help." He whispered as he turned to her, "I can''t get close to them without them potentially shouting or tripping an alarm. I need you to lure them near this corner so I can kill them both swiftly."


    Calla nodded, she was only 13, but life in Greystone forced you to become cold-blooded and mature. She stepped round the corner. And she had the attention of the guards now. Dorian''s heart drummed in his chest, he hoped these guards weren''t as evil as the rest. Some might just kill her for being in this place, or worse.


    "Guards they need your help! There''s a load of people trying to break into the pits and free the people!"


    The guard looked at her and snorted, "We''re not as gullible as you think we are, little girl." He took a few steps towards her, and hefted his spear. His companion stayed at the door, his eyes looking around for a sneak attack. "Now get the fuck out of here, before I stab you through the throat."

 Chapter 5: A Dangerous Plan

    Dorian quitely whispered to Calla, "Say Morghan sent you."


    Her eyes flicked to him for a second, and his heart rate spiked. Luckily, it seemed the guards did not notice.


    "Morghan sent me! Please, they need your help. There''s no point standing here if you are overrun."


    At the mention of Morghan, both the guards stiffened. They looked at each other, and a non-verbal agreement formed between them to follow the young girl. The one in front turned and nodded to Calla, "Take us there, quickly."


    Calla nodded as well, and turned towards the corner, she was still looking in their direction, clearly trying to communicate thay they should follow her and hurry up. They understood quickly, and started jogging toward the corner.


    "He really needs the guards help. There''s quite a lot of intruders."


    Shit. Dorian thought. Both the guards stopped, just a few metres away from the corner, but not close enough to easily surprise attack them.


    "He? Morghan is a woman. What''s going on here?" The higher-leveled guard asked, he was positioned behind his comrade.


    Dorian realised that the jig was up, and dashed round the corner, he drew his blade and quickly sliced the first guards throat.


    [Lv. 24 Guard killed by You. No EXP gained.]


    The second guard was quick to react, he pulled out a sword and blocked Dorian''s incoming strike to his midsection. Dorian quickly used the backward momentum of the jarring block to twist his upper body and landed a solid punch to the man''s ribs with his left hand.


    The guard doubled-over, before he could gather his defenses again. Dorian''s knee met his nose and he straigtened up again. Before the blood could even leave his nose, Dorian grabbed the back of the guard''s head with his left hand, and his dagger sliced through the man''s neck, decapitating him.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    [Lv. 26 Guard killed by You. No EXP gained.]


    Calla stared at him, certainly surprised at his impressive actions. Dorian sighed, there was no point trying to hide his power anymore.


    "I- I thought you said you were weak?"


    He didn''t reply, he only willed his status to appear before her.


    [Name: Dorian Grey


    Age: 21


    Class: Bandit (Uncommon)


    Level: 64


    Skills:


    - Forbidden Rush (Tier I): "Move with the elusivity of the wind."


    - Self-heal (Max Tier)(Passive): "Who cares about teammates? Keep yourself alive by healing your own body."


    - Slash (Tier III): "Slash with more force than usual with this skill. Increases the speed and strength of your slash."


    - Iron Skin(Tier IV): "Turn your skin into iron, so you may block powerful strikes. Duration: 2 minutes."


    - Cat''s Eye(Tier III): "Discern details about items and enemies with the sharp eye of a cat."


    Titles:


    - Woundkeeper: "Your legend as the Woundkeeper has spread far and wide. Your exploits common knowledge. +10% Vitality, + 5% Dexterity."


    - Overpowered: "Defeat an enemy 50 levels above you. +10% Strength."


    - Limitless: "Defeat an enemy 25 levels above you. +4% Strength."


    - Bloodline Progenitor: "Be the first to upgrade your Bloodline. +10% Perception."


    - Bloodline Patriarch: "You started your Bloodline, reap the benefits. +15% Vitality, +10% Endurance."]


    "Your so powerful... who in Greystone could possibly reduce you to the state I found you in?" She asked.


    Dorian grinned at her, "That would be the work of Morghan."


    "You were here already?"


    "No, she went looking for me. Let''s just say... I was one of her favourite slaves. She wanted me back, but I escaped."


    "So why are we here if she is able to defeat you?"


    Dorian pondered on the question, it wasn''t as easy of a question as it seemed. She wasn''t as powerful as him, he knew because of when he used [Cat''s Eye].


    [Lv. 59 Warden]


    She was lower level than him, it didn''t matter much. But he knew that his titles made the gap between them widen significantly. So why? Because of 2 things, one was that she was a pretty good matchup for him. Her [Warden] class let her use some shield that stopped him getting closer, and she had multiple long-range spells to whittle him down. Additioanlly, she was almost never alone.


    But the second thing was far more complex... he had been in the pits for almost a year. Yearning for comfort, she had brought it to him. She had provided an escape from the pain of the day in the pleasures of the night. He didn''t know why she had decided on him, maybe because of his impressive feats in the pits. But all he knew, he had an unhealthy attachment to her. And he couldn''t bring himself to lift a finger against her.

 Chapter 6: Girl Trouble

    Morghan was beautiful. A cruel contrast to the disgusting conditions he had lived in. All-sorts of semi-solids caked the floors of the "room". It really was a prison, in every definition of the word - but they refused to call it that - they were chained to the walls, there were about 50 of them at all times in this room. They were locked in as well, even though none of them had ever managed to escape from the cuffs. There were also guards posted outside, Morghan was thorough with her safety measures. But at that point, nothing could have stopped him except her herself.


    Her black, luscious hair and golden crown made her look like an Egyptian Queen. She had pale skin that was unblemished by imperfections, it was as smooth as glass - he should know. And as he stood before her now, she had not become anything less, as if her features were frozen in the ice of dignified perfection.


    She sat upon her large golden throne, seemingly not surprised by his arrival. Dorian stood quietly at the open mouth of the doorway. He had slain many people to get here.


    [Lv. 44 Guard slain by You.]


    [Lv. 46 Guard slain by You.]


    [Lv. 46 Guard slain by You.]


    [Lv. 49 Guard slain by You.]


    ...


    [Lv. 54 Enforcer slain by You. 100 EXP gained.]


    [Lv. 55 Enforcer slain by You. 110 EXP gained.]


    Her two enforcers, who had been posted at the door, were her highest level minions. It was hard to become an Enforcer, you needed to start off well so you get the class at level 15, where you picked your class for the first time. It was basically a glorified Guard. And Morghan hadn''t bothered trying to cultivate some youths to get more Enforcers.


    "Why, hello, Dory. What brings you here?" She asked, a small smirk sat upon her lips. "Come to join me? Finally."


    Dorian did not reply, and gritted his teeth. He tried to resist the effect her words had on him, and his whole body tensed up.


    "You look troubled, my dear Dory. Tell me what troubles you. We have all the time in the world, as we are fated to be together forever."


    Calla visibly blanched at this statement, clearly not expecting such brazen words from the woman. Dorian - again - did not reply.


    "Dory, come on. We would be great together. Let''s rule over the pits together, I don''t care what we do, as long as it''s together."


    "Morghan..." Dorian grunted out, "I need to kill you."


    Morghan laughed, "Seriously? You won''t kill me, we''re in love."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Dorian felt like he had been punched in the gut. No, this isn''t love. It can''t be.


    "I have to, I''m sorry." He mumbled, and his hand fell to his dagger, "Forgive me."


    Dorian used [Forbidden Rush] and charged her. He could see the faint shimmer of a shield appear in front of her, he quickly used [Slash] to destroy it, her eyes widened. He doubted anyone had destroyed her shield before, and the backlash from it was clearly affecting her, as blood streamed from her ears and nose, and her head jerked back, like someone had punched her in the face.


    Her neck had been exposed for a brief second, if Dorian put more into [Forbidden Rush] he could''ve arrived quicker and finished her quickly. But he hesitated, I don''t want to do this. Yes, I shouldn''t do it. I don''t have to kill her, let''s just lea- No. Fuck''s sake Dorian, you need to do it. Now.


    Unfortunately, the opening was gone. Nevertheless, Dorian had arrived within striking distance. He used [Slash] again, but she deflected it with another shield. Skillfully angling it so that he wouldn''t directly strike it and break it again.


    "Dory, what are you doing, my love. I would never hurt you, Dory. Why would you do this to me?"


    Dorian stopped for a fraction of a second. She hasn''t even attacked me, I''m hurting an innocent woman. I need to stop, she doesn''t deserve this.


    Dorian was done, he couldn''t do it. Even when he tries to completely tries to cut off his emotions, he couldn''t stop them from creeping up on him. The bond was just too thick. There was nothing he could do about it, he would leave, and never come back.


    "I''m sorry, Calla." He whispered, his voice cracking. Dorian put his dagger back into its sheath and disappeared in a flurry of motion, taking Calla with him to safety. On the way out, he let the prisoners out. He reunited Calla with her brother, and left. He was never seen in Greystone again.


    [Quest completed]


    [Level up! Lv. 65]


    [Level up! Lv. 66]


    [Level up! Lv. 67]


    ****


    Morghan stared, confused as to what had happened. In one moment, she had desperately been struggling for her life, and in the next, she was in an empty room.


    Did he... let me live?


    Morghan was stunned. She had never expected this from him. She had never felt the reciprocation of her feelings, and yet this was undeniable evidence. Her eyes widened in excitement.


    "Yippee! Finally, he acknowledged our fated love! I need to find him again, I need to bring him back so we can final-" Morghan let out a sick cough, blood spraying on the floor.


    "What''s happening... am I sick? No, I can''t be sick, that''s practically impossible-" Morghan now felt her voice stop working, and she flew into a silent rage, desperately trying to breathe, clawing at the air as if it had taken the life out of her. Suddenly, she felt a stinging pain in her stomach.


    She glanced down.


    Oh, I''m not sick. I''ve been stabbed! Morghan thought, and let out a ear-wrenching scream. In fact, it was not a scream, but a sickly, disgusting laugh. Morghan let out one more breath, and then collapsed to the floor, dead.


    [Lv. 60 Warden slain by You.]


    A man stepped out from the shadows, and walked towards the corpse. He had dusty brown hair that hung in front of his eyes - which were a stunning violet, sprinkled with yellow. His mouth curled downwards into a frown as he retrieved his sword.


    "Crazy fucking woman." He said, simply. Then disappeared in an instant, not a hint of his presence was left.

 Chapter 7: Goodbye Greystone

    Dorian was leaving, he was sure of that. He couldn''t stay there, he would be haunted by Morghan for the rest of his life if he stayed. He had to go.


    I have to. No other option.


    It was time to say goodbye to Greystone. For good.


    Dorian had nothing to collect, he had taken quite a bit of money from the guards he had killed. He had even taken a new dagger as well.


    [+84 gold coins]


    [+ Basic dagger]


    He had nothing else waiting for him in Greystone. He had sorted out Calla as much as he was willing to do, so he was going to leave.


    Where? To Eldershade, it was a good distance away, Greystone was rather isolated. The town was built around an ancient tree, it was an incredibly ginormous tree by all accounts. Apparently, almost 500 metres tall. And the core of the tree was invulnerable, no one had been able to scratch it ever. The bark, however, was malleable enough to carve into, and the important people of Eldershade lived in the tree. The higher up they were, the more important.


    Dorian sighed, he was weak. The average person in Eldershade was about level 80. Greystone was not a pretty nor powerful place. There were two reasons why you would be there - you were born there, or you were too weak to survive anywhere else.


    ****


    Eldershade. It was magnificent, the tree loomed over the town like a hanging body, the sun directly behind it illuminating it''s large leaves. It''s silhoutte exuding a domineering and powerful aura. The shadow casted over the town was huge, like a dagger piercing through the heart of the town, it was the largest shadow he had ever seen. He didn''t think even mountaintops casted such large shadows.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    As Dorian walked into Eldershade, it became rapidly apparent that the quality of living here was exemplary. The houses were clean and big, the roads smooth and wide, the people good-natured and jovial. It was like stepping into heaven. But tigers lurked in the shadows, everywhere he looked, he saw danger masked by friendly faces.


    [Lv. 96 Warrior of Rage]


    [Lv. 89 Mystic Mage]


    He was out of his depth, and needed to figure out how to level up. Quick. He didn''t feel comfortable being so vulnerable.


    But it wasn''t so easy, for the vast majority they would struggle to kill things that gave proper EXP, but for him that wasn''t a problem, as it would take an incredibly strong person or thing to kill him. The probem was actually find them.


    And he had solved that problem by coming here, Eldershade was special for two reasons. The first and obvious one was the massive tree, the second was that the tree had spawned in when the Universe had been integrated 3 years ago, and with it, a dungeon had appeared at the base of it.


    This dungeon was what facilitated the high levels of Eldershade''s inhabitants, it was said to be an incredibly hard dungeon, and people who had defeated the final boss could be counted on one hand. Due to this, not much was known about the dungeon boss, as everyone who had defeated the boss was some talent from somewhere much more important, and did not realease any information about it. Anyone else who attempted it had died.


    Of course - if Dorian felt it was doable - he would attempt the boss. Dungeons were interesting things, you can only go in once. So if you leave early you lose the opportunity to go further. That was why most went with parties, as it would usually allow you to go further than you could bye yourself.


    Dorian was not going with a party for two reasons, the first: he didn''t think it would be much help. He didn''t really need healing, healers would accelerate his natural healing. But his healing at this point was so fast it wouldn''t make much of a difference. His [Self-Heal] even without his Bloodline was only a bit weaker than healing from healers, Dorian felt that a party wouldn''t allow him to go much further than he would be able to by himself. Ah, who am I kidding? It''s all because of the second reason: I''m too anti-social to try and gather a party.

 Chapter 8: A Little Party Never Killed Nobody

    Dorian had been worried that it would be difficult to get into the dungeon. But expectation and reality were complete opposites of each other in this case.


    There was a long and promient road that cut through the centre of the town, it was paved in a beautiful stone that sparkled like glitter when the sunlight hit it. The road ended at the gate to the dungeon.


    Still, it was not so easy that you could just walk into the dungeon. There were guards at the gate, and they demanded a gold coin per person if you wanted to enter.


    [Lv. 134 King''s Guard.]


    [Lv. 136 King''s Guard.]


    Most people in Eldershade had already done the dungeon before, so despite having over 100,000 residents. There were perhaps a hundred people there, and most were in groups.


    It was likely that these people were not people who lived in Eldershade, but people who had travled here - like him - to do the dungeon. And as he walked past people standing at the gates and recruiting to fill their party, a petite woman with purple hair stepped into his path. Dorian would usually assume it was an accident and simply move round them, however, it was hard to believe this when said person was staring straight at him, her body facing directly toward him.


    "Hi there! Wanna join us? I notice you don''t have a party." The woman asked, her high-pitched voice ringing in his ears like tinnitus.


    Dorian shook off the annoying effect her voice had on his ears - which seemed to be rather fragile, and replied.


    "No."


    The woman looked shocked, as if not expecting Dorian to say that at all.


    "Not to be rude or anything... but doing a dungeon solo is suicide... we''re not that much better but you''ll certainly do better with us then without us. No one else wants to join us, but you would be a perfect fit!" She beamed.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "I''ll be fine." Dorian said simply, and moved to go past her, but she shifted and steadfastly blocked his path yet again. Dorian sighed.


    "Please move out my way, I have no interest in a party."


    "That''s not a good way of convincing me, if you''re convinced you''ll be fine by yourself then that means you must be strong for your level, which only makes me want you in our party more! But, I obviously can''t force you, so go on." The woman said, finally moving out his way so he could walk past.


    Dorian didn''t say anything and simply moved past her, finally on his way. He wasn''t worried about the dungeon, he was sure he could go a respectable distance, obviously if a super-strong party approached him, he would join. He wouldn''t get much individual EXP from it, but the most important thing about dungeons isn''t the EXP, it was the titles.


    "Excuse me." A man with dark brown hair had now appeared in front of Dorian, violet eyes sparkled from behind his hair, staring right through Dorian''s eyes.


    Dorian sighed, were people this desperate for a party that they would recruit random people?


    "I''m not interested in joining a party."


    "Are you sure? We can pay you, and besides, we''re not a weak party... well, we technically are a weak party. But I''m not, which makes the party I''m part of strong."


    Dorian frowned at this, and used [Cat''s Eye] to assess the man''s level. He was pleasantly surprised.


    [Lv. 142 Arcane Spellblade]


    Not only was the man an insanely high level, but he had a class that he had never heard of before. Meaning it was not one of the usual [Common] or [Uncommon] classes. It had to be at least rare, and - just looking at the name - it seemed to be a powerful attacking class. Very useful in a dungeon.


    "Ok," Dorian said simply, "I''ll join you. Where''s your party?"


    The man pointed behind Dorian, he turned around and saw three other people. A tall man with short hair and a beard, he had on heavy armour and a large hammer. The second person was a tall, skinny woman with blue hair that was almost white, she had very light armour and a rapier. He had never seen anyone use a rapier, it was a weapon reserved for nobility - you would never catch someone like that in Greystone.


    And the final party member... was a petite woman with purple hair. She held a wooden staff he hadn''t noticed before, she was clearly some sort of mage.


    "Hi!" She screeched, "You decided to join us after all? That''s great!"


    Dorian found himself sighing again, it was going to be a long expedition. But oh well, a little party never killed nobody.

 Chapter 9: The Ember Vault

    Dorian was pleastantly surprised with the party he had joined, they had paid the entry fee for him. It wasn''t a lot but it was still nice. On top of that, they had offered him 100 gold to participate with them.


    When he said "they" he really meant Veylan, the man with violet eyes. He still wasn''t very familiar with him, as he rarely talked. That was probably why he had sent Caroline to speak with him initially instead of himself.


    Caroline was the short purple-haired girl. Dorian had used [Cat''s Eye] on her, and had been pleasantly surprised that her class was also rather unique.


    [Lv. 76 Primeval Doomsayer]


    She was newly evolved, so she probably wasn''t very familiar with her class yet. But based on the name, he would guess it was some sort of magic class utilizng incantations. The primeval part? He wasn''t sure, maybe she had access to old spells, like an ancient grimoire.


    Isolde was the tall woman with blue hair that was so light it looked silver. She was slender and had a rapier as her weapon of choice. She carried herself haughtily, her chin always higher than the usual posture - a clear sign of spoiled nobility. Or maybe she had bad posture.


    [Lv. 81 Mirage Bladewraith]


    Her class likely involved some sort of illusions, and most likely a lot of speed. Maybe the mirage was an effect of super-fast jab''s, like after images only more vivid.


    The last party member was named Dain, he was the extremley large and almost mute man with a very big hammer. Dain talked even less than Veylan, when he had first met him he had simply said: "My name is Dain." and hadn''t said a word after that.


    [Lv. 79 Molten Titan]


    The man suited his class very well, as Titan seemed like an apt description. When he said extremley large, he did not mean fat. Dain probably had about as much fat on him as Dorian did; and about a foot and a half more height. His biceps were larger than Dorian''s head.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    And now, Dorian had entered the dungeon with this motley crew, Veylan took up the rear, and Dorian led the way. Which he thought was unfair, as he was the lowest level and only had an uncommon class. While technically he didn''t know for certain the rarity of their classes, it definitely wasn''t uncommon. Dorain felt very fragile with his [Bandit] class. Something he thought he would never feel; uncommon in Greystone was almost unheard of.


    But it was time to focus, because they had just entered the first floor of the dungeon, the Ember Vault.


    As they walked through the portal, the party found themselves ina vast field, charred remains lay on the floor, broken armour and weapons scattered around like a giant had spilled his breakfast beans upon the battlefield.


    That was clearly what this place was, a battlefield. Some bodies were charred beyond belief, others were simply cut down. Dorian squatted, and inspected some of the bodies that were recognizable. There skin was a sickly red, and they had small, dark horns jutting out of their forehead.


    "Demons?" Dorian asked.


    "Yes." Veylan answered.


    "What are we supposed to do..." Dorian muttered.


    "We might want to figure that out if we want to complete this floor." Isolde replied dryly.


    Fortunately, it seemed this floor did not take a lot of figuring out.


    [The Ember Vault]


    Welcome to [The Ember Vault], this battlefield was the last stand of the Ashen Legion - an elite army tasked with protecting the sleeping [Flamebound King].


    Betrayed by their own, they slaughtered each other, their souls bound to the battlefield by a powerful curse.


    Now, they awaken, eager to fight only through the will of those who have cursed them. Beware, adventurers, there is no chance at negotiation.


    [Objectives]:


    - Destroy the cursed Ashen Legion''s army (0/12,432)


    - Kill the [Ember Knights] (0/5)


    - Kill the [Hollow Baron] (0/1)


    [Rewards]:


    - Revealed upon completion. Rewards depend on contribution.


    A rumbling sounded out through the entire battlefield; the earth was shaking. Dorian looked around, the dozens of fallen warriors rose, ash and ember falling from their bones. Dorian had used [Cat''s Eye] before, but now, the result was different.


    [Lv. 85 Ashen Footsoldier]


    [Lv. 82 Fallen Archer]


    And in a few places,  monstrous giants stood slowly. Rising from death.


    [Lv. 96 Charred Behemoth]


    This was going to be a long day. The others looked worried; Isolde looked like she was going to piss herself, but Dorian just grinned.


    It had been ages since he fought something stronger than himself, and now there were so many to choose from, it was time to dunk on these footsoldiers.

 Chapter 10: The Endless War

    Dorian dodged a lunging blow from an [Ashen Footsoldier], he pressed his dagger against the side of the sword, pushing it away from him and diverting the soldier''s momentum, making it overextend, exposing it''s shoulder and back toward him.


    Dorian threw his dagger from his left hand to his right and stabbed into the back of the soldier''s skeletal neck. Blood sprayed out and into Dorian''s eyes, he jerked back reflexively and wiped the blood out of his eyes.


    As he did this, he felt an arrow penetrate his midsection.


    Caroline shouted, already heading towards him to heal him. It turned out she also had some healing spell, but she did not specialise in healing.


    Dorian grimaced, he had wanted to keep his identity hidden for as long as he could; but decided there was no way he would be able to hide his ability anymore from the party, and even if there was a way to hide it now, he doubted he would be able to do the whole dungeon while hiding it.


    He pulled the arrow out, and watched as the hole closed up. Searing, hot pain erupted from the wound, many times more agonizing then the actual arrow. Dorian just grit his teeth and grunted, when he had first felt it he couldn''t imagine being able to bare it for long. Here he was, 3 years later, and able to reduce his reaction to such a minimal state.


    He looked up at Caroline, she had come closer but had stopped now, a look of shock on her face.


    "You''re the Woundkeeper?" Caroline asked, a simple question. There it was again, the name that haunted him, a reminder of the life he had lived; his agony turned into entertainment.


    Before Dorian could reply, a [Charred Behemoth] had made it''s way over and was now pretty close to stepping right ontop of Caroline. In case you were wondering, Caroline would certainly not survive such a thing.


    Before Dorian could move, Veylan appeared and stabbed it''s foot with his greatsword. He had tried using it on [Cat''s Eye] before but nothing had turned up. This meant it was a very good sword, Dain also sprinted over through the crowds of soldiers and archers. It seemed they also fought each other, but were very ineffecient at killing each other. It would take them an endless amount of time to slaughter each other.


    "Sorry about that, let him out of my grasp." Veylan chuckled. He looked up at the screaming giant, it bent down to hold its foot in agony, and as it did Veylan''s sword disappeared and reappeared in his hand. Then he bent his knees and launched himself upwards at the behemoth''s descending head.


    Veylan''s sword burst through the eye of the giant, and he reappeared as he came through the back of the behemoth''s skull.


    "He handles them so easily..." Dorian muttered.


    Isolde glanced at him, "Yes, it seems his level has been restricted to an acceptable level."


    "His level is restricted? And he''s still that strong?" Dorian turned, shocked.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "Indeed, Veylan is very powerful at any level."


    "Why was he restricted?"


    Isolde looked incredelously at him, "You know nothing, don''t you?" She sighed, but ultimately decided to explain it to him. "This is a dungeon, made by the System to challenge adventurers. If you could just go into a dungeon with a high-leveled friend and let him do all the work, it wouldn''t be very fair, would it?"


    "I supposed not..." Dorian muttered ashamedly.


    "The System does recognise Veylan''s hard work to reach that level, and he is probably restricted only to level 90 or 95. The level they are restricted to is based mainly on the average level of the party. The System makes dungeons based around one mean level of the party. So outliers would ruin the dungeon, but you can''t just kill people for being too high level. So instead they just make them more normal, taking their level to the highest level of what is considered normal by the System."


    Dorian frowned, he had understood the logic, Isolde had explained it very well. But then...


    "So, by bringing me in here, he was restricting himself further? I am the lowest level here, so bringing me in would bring down his restricted level, correct?"


    Isolde smiled at him, "Precisely."


    "So... why?" Dorian asked, still confused.


    "Because, Dorian, you are the Woundkeeper. Veylan makes it his priority to know everything and everyone. Of course he had heard of you. He has been eager to meet you for a while, but he also respected your wish to stay in Greystone and not progress. But now, you have clearly shown intrest in progressing again, and Veylan pounced at the opportunity."


    There was a lot to unpack from this, first was that Veylan knew he was the Woundkeeper and it seemed so did Isolde. Secondly, Veylan had clearly been keeping tabs on him, he had managed to assemble a party and arrive in Eldershade so quickly, meaning he most likely had someone keeping an eye on him at all times. This meant Veylan was either high status or rich. Dorian would bet on the former, as the dynamic between Veylan and Isolde clearly was of a young master and servant. It also explained Isolde''s haughty attitude, as she was a servant of someone with high status. This further explained Veylan''s incredible gear.


    Before Dorian could try and pry further, he heard Dain''s voice.


    "Guys," He grunted, "Work to do." Dain had been holding back many of the footsoldiers, Veylan was helping as well, when Dorian looked at him, he looked to be keeping himself busy with killing the common enemies, but Dorian had no doubt he had heard the whole conversation.


    "Right." Dorian said, and got back to work. It was time to do some work, and it wasn''t like the work wasn''t lucrative. They had been fighting for about an hour, and Dorian had definitely benefitted the most in terms of levels.


    [Level up! Lv. 68]


    [Level up! Lv. 69]


    [Level up! Lv. 70]


    Soon. Dorian thought. He glanced at the quest.


    [The Ember Vault]


    Welcome to [The Ember Vault], this battlefield was the last stand of the Ashen Legion - an elite army tasked with protecting the sleeping [Flamebound King].


    Betrayed by their own, they slaughtered each other, their souls bound to the battlefield by a powerful curse.


    Now, they awaken, eager to fight only through the will of those who have cursed them. Beware, adventurers, there is no chance at negotiation.


    [Objectives]:


    - Destroy the cursed Ashen Legion''s army (7,782/12,432)


    - Kill the [Ember Knights] (0/5)


    - Kill the [Hollow Baron] (0/1)


    [Rewards]:


    - Revealed upon completion. Rewards depend on contribution.


    They had managed to kill almot 8,000 of the troops so far. There had been about 30 [Charred Behemoths], and now there were only 3 or 4 left. Granted, Dorian had not fought any, that had been left to Veylan and Dain, as Dain could tank the hits and Veylan had the attack power.


    That meant it was left to him, Isolde and Caroline to kill the normal enemies, and Dorian steeled himself to start slaughtering again.


    But before he could, he heard Veylan shout. "Dorian! Want to kill some Behemoths? Dain will switch with you."


    Dorian looked at him, surprised. But then grinned, this was an opportunity. Some of these Behemoths were in the 90s. With the help of Veylan, he could get some fast levels.


    "Definitely."

 Behemoth Hunting

    Dorian would say that - for a level 90 - Behemoth''s were not too bad. They were big and pretty slow, but they were really strong and also very durable.


    However, they were still 20 levels above him, so when Dorian went to join Veylan in his Behemoth escapades. Veylan quickly realised that Dorian would have a hard time even hurting them with his pitiful dagger. And as Dorian looked down on it, he would have to agree.


    [Basic Dagger]


    "Here, I''ve got something better." Veylan said, he materialised a sword out of nowhere and chucked it at Dorian.


    For a mortal, this was dangerous. But even low-levels would not worry too much about a sword being lightly tossed towards you - reaction time increased drastically when you started levelling.


    Dorian caught the sword and used [Cat''s Eye].


    [Arcane Shortsword]


    Dorian hefted the sword, he could feel how strong the material was, and yet it felt extremely light. It was balanced well, and it felt like the best thing Dorian had ever wielded. Dorian touched the edge, and the tip of his finger stung with pain. He immediately regretted doing it, due to his bloodline every cut would turn into a mass of pain. But he couldn''t resist testing the sharpness of the sword.


    Dorian grit his teeth and soldiered through the pain, then looked to Veylan and very genuinely expressed his gratitude.


    "Thank you, I will put it to good use."


    Veylan did not reply, only smiling and nodding.


    "Come, let''s defeat some Behemoths."


    And now, Dorian was battling the Behemoths. To give some context, Dorian''s head was level with the knee of the Behemoths; they were huge.


    The tactic so far was to slice at the knees or ankles to get them down and then go straight for the neck, as the heart was sometimes hard to get to if they fell face first and the head was just tough to penetrate properly, also the Behemoths naturally covered their heads with their hands when they went down, so the neck was the most vulnerable place to attack to deliver a finishing blow.


    Dorian used [Cat''s Eye] on the Behemoth they had just engaged.


    [Lv. 93 Charred Behemoth]


    It was 2 levels higher than the one before, and he was pretty sure this one was the highest level of the Behemoths.


    "Go for the knees." Veylan stated.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Veylan had decided not to help much after giving him the sword, after the first Behemoth, he had realised that Dorian was capable of taking them on by himself. But it did require some hard work.


    Dorian only nodded in response, and used [Forbidden Rush] to close the distance between them, he twisted his upper body, and jumped so that he could deliver a proper blow to the knee. He used [Slash] aggressively, and the shortsword sliced through the tendons at the back of the knee, travelling in and out of the knee, the tip hit the kneecap, and Dorian felt the impact soar up his arms, but he continued pushing still, and the kneecap was pried off and it ripped through the tough skin of the Behemoth and flew to the floor.


    The shortsword was free now, and Dorian fell back down the floor. The Behemoth roared in pain, and collapsed, grasping at it''s knee, tears and snot streaming down its face.


    Dorian noticed the yellow, deformed teeth of the thing. They looked like little stumps, some were small, some were large, some were skinny, some were wide. Most weren''t even rectangular. A disgusting amalgation of dentin, the bare minimum so that the Behemoth could eat solid objects.


    Replicating Veylan, Dorian crouched down and launched himself straight at the eye of the Behemoth. He did not burst through the head like a needle, however, and instead hung from the eye loosely, his sword embedded deep into the eye. His right hand gripped the nasal bone of the giant, and stared at the eye.


    The eye was a beautiful kaleidoscope of greens and browns. From a distance, it was much simpler, only when you were this close could you see the depth in the colour. And now it faded, the eye dimming into the dull greys and whites of subliminal life.


    As the giant slumped down, Dorian pulled out his shortsword and leaped off. He turned to Veylan, the Behemoth crashing down behind him.


    [Level up! Lv. 74]


    [Level up! Lv. 75]


    [Evolution available!]


    "I''m at Level 75." Dorian told Veylan.


    Veylan nodded. "Let''s get the rest, and get you evolved."


    ****


    About an hour later, the Behemoth''s were dead, and there were only a few stragglers left. They had left them purposefully, they didn''t want to trigger the next phase of the dungeon before he evolved.


    Dorian looked around, he was surrounded by his party members.


    "Good luck!" Caroline screeched.


    Dorian winced at the sound, "Thanks."


    He sat down and closed his eyes.


    You have (5) options for you evolution:


    Option 1: Bandit (Uncommon) - Fight with speed, cunning, and ruthlessness, using every trick in the book. Not a noble warrior, they fight to win, not to impress - traps, feints, and cheap shots are their bread and butter.


    Option 2: Blade Dancer (Uncommon) - A Blade Dancer does not fight¡ªthey perform. Their combat style is a flowing blend of graceful footwork, rapid slashes, and acrobatics, making them nearly impossible to pin down. With each successful strike, they build momentum, moving faster and striking harder as they weave through the battlefield like a deadly whirlwind.


    Option 3: Windblade (Rare) - A master of swift strikes, moving like a gust of wind through battle. Their blade is an extension of the air itself, slicing through enemies before they even react. With the power of wind magic, they can create razor-sharp gales and redirect attacks by altering airflow. Acquire an affinity with wind through this class.


    Option 4: Astral Bladeseeker (Epic) - You do not fight in the same realm as your enemies. You phase in and out of existence, striking from angles that shouldn''t be possible. Some believe they move so fast that they exist in multiple places at once.


    Option 5:  Stratus Bladesword (Epic) - The Stratus Bladesworn are warriors of light. Legends say they can channel light into strong beams of power. With their mastery of high-speed aerial combat, they strike with impossible angles, moving like a ray of light through the battlefield.


    Needless to say, Dorian was going to have a big upgrade.

 In A New Class

    You have (5) options for you evolution:


    Option 1: [Bandit (Uncommon)] - Fight with speed, cunning, and ruthlessness, using every trick in the book. Not a noble warrior, they fight to win, not to impress - traps, feints, and cheap shots are their bread and butter.


    Option 2: [Blade Dancer (Uncommon)] - A Blade Dancer does not fight¡ªthey perform. Their combat style is a flowing blend of graceful footwork, rapid slashes, and acrobatics, making them nearly impossible to pin down. With each successful strike, they build momentum, moving faster and striking harder as they weave through the battlefield like a deadly whirlwind.


    Option 3: [Windblade (Rare)] - A master of swift strikes, moving like a gust of wind through battle. Their blade is an extension of the air itself, slicing through enemies before they even react. With the power of wind magic, they can create razor-sharp gales and redirect attacks by altering airflow. Acquire an affinity with wind through this class.


    Option 4: [Astral Bladeseeker (Epic)] - You do not fight in the same realm as your enemies. You phase in and out of existence, striking from angles that shouldn''t be possible. Some believe they move so fast that they exist in multiple places at once. Acquire an affinity with space through this class.


    Option 5: [Stratus Bladesword (Epic)] - The Stratus Bladesworn are warriors of light. Legends say they can channel light into strong beams of power. With their mastery of high-speed aerial combat, moving like a ray of light through the battlefield. Acquire an affinity with light through this class.


    Dorian''s options were great. He still had his original [Bandit] class, which it was pretty safe to say he was not going to pick. And although he had Epic options, he felt it was still important to look through each option. Even the Uncommon one.


    First was [Blade Dancer], it seemed to be some sort of graceful class, something he could definitely envisioning Isolde having. It was proably based on fluid and quick movements, and it didn''t really fit him that well. It was probably more powerful than [Bandit], but not by much. So he could safely rule this one out.


    Next was [Windblade], honestly the fighting style seemed pretty similar to what [Blade Dancer] would be, but taking it a step up, implementing wind into his movements, so he would be faster and more powerful, it didn''t seem to be as aristocratic as the previous, and instead focused on more explosive and powerful movements instead of precision and grace. If this was his best option, he would be really pleased with it. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    But there were two more, the next being [Astral Bladeseeker], and Dorian had to say... this looked incredible. It seemed he could disappear, it was almost like teleportation but it was likely not instantaneous. It just seemed insanely powerful, he would be able to hit people without them being able to stop it. Only general defense could, and that was always weaker than a focused defense. It was honestly insane that such a thing was possible, and he had never heard of space affinity being a thing. It was definitely a really good option.


    The final option was [Stratus Bladesword], it again looked incredibly powerful. It probably functioned pretty similar to [Windblade] in that it was focused on fast and powerful strikes, but the difference was the light affinity. Affinities were not equal, and light was in the most powerful tier of affinities. At least those that were known. It also heavily hinted at some sort of movement skill, he already had [Forbidden Rush],  but he did not have a very good affinity with it and it was still at the first tier. And the movement from this class was almost guaranteed to be far better.


    [Stratus Bladesword] was a safe and extremely powerful option. And he was tempted just to select it straight away. But he had to look at [Astral Bladeseeker]. It was obviously also very powerful, but there was a slight problem. He had never heard of space affinity. Light affinity was a guaranteed strong path that would take you to the pinnacle as it was already proven to be a pinnacle-tier affinity. But space was unknown, he had never heard of it and it seemed most people hadn''t, as the book General Studies into Affinities, the most famous and widely accepted book into affinities had no mention of space affinity, even speculatively.


    So, this could mean going down an untrodden path, that was not guaranteed success, whereas [Stratus Bladesword] was. He was aware that space affinity by itself sounded strong, and it probably was. But Dorian was very hesitant to risk his future on something like this, he needed to be sure. Unfortunatley, he couldn''t come out of the feuge state he was in right now to ask Veylan and the others their opinions, so he had to decided now. By himself.


    Honestly, Dorian had pretty much made his mind up when he had first seen the class description. He just couldn''t resist. He was already a legend for being able to survive what no one else could.


    Why not become even more legendary? Taking another uncharted trail, but this time he had a choice.


    He knew what he would choose, he was Woundkeeper. Anything less than the zenith wasn''t worth thinking about. And he would risk anything to reach it.


    Class selected. [Astral Bladeseeker (Epic)] has been chosen.

 Chapter 13: Class Questionarre

    Dorian felt power envelop him, a rush of fate surged towards him like wind; creating a hurricane of movement around him.


    Veylan watched him with bright eyes and smiled. This was exactly what he had hoped for.


    A vortex of power swirled around the still unmoving Dorian, his sillhoute casting a dangerous presence upon his squadmates.


    "W-What''s going on?" Caroline asked.


    Veylan turned towards her, usually he would never bother trying to put up with someone like her. She wasn''t evil or anything, just extremely annoying. Perhaps if her voice was not as high-pitched he wouldn''t even notice the incessant questions.


    "Fate is building up around him. He has forged a new path."


    "A new path? What do you mean?" Caroline squawked confusedly.


    "You will see." Veylan replied simply.


    Veylan knew much about Dorian''s situation right now, and he looked back fondly at when he had gotten his new class. Before, he had also had a measly [Uncommon] class. But he had proven himself, and managed to get to where he was now.


    He was proud of how far he had come, but he needed to go further. And although his pride wouldn''t allow him to admit it aloud, he needed help to get there.


    ****


    Dorian opened his eyes, and looked around. So this is what if feels like to be E-grade.


    He had not been working toward this for long, but this upgrade felt like an accumulation of all his efforts so far. A reward for the trials he had gone through. Even still, Dorian was confident he would not get drunk on his own power, his goal still clear in his mind. He would never waver.


    "Dorian! How are you? What was that?" A screeching sound assaulted his ears, but it turned out this sound was in fact not a wild bird bellowing in his ear, but a coherent sentence coming out of the mouth of a human being.


    "That was... amazing. I still can''t believe it." Dorian muttered.


    He looked at Veylan, and he smirked at him.


    "What did you get?"


    Dorian suddenly remembered what he had gotten, he had been distracted by the feeling of being E-grade, and completely forgotten about his new class. He willed his status screen to appear before him.


    <div>


    Name: Dorian Grey


    Age: 21


    Class: Astral Bladeseeker (Epic)


    Level: 75


    Skills:


    - Forbidden Rush (Tier I): "Move with the elusivity of the wind."


    - Self-heal (Max Tier)(Passive): "Who cares about teammates? Keep yourself alive by healing your own body."


    - Slash (Tier III): "Slash with more force than usual with this skill. Increases the speed and strength of your slash."


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.- Iron Skin (Tier IV): "Turn your skin into iron, so you may block powerful strikes. Duration: 2 minutes."


    - Cat''s Eye (Tier III): "Discern details about items and enemies with the sharp eye of a cat."Titles:


    - Spacerend (Tier I): "Tear through space to reach your target quicker than what is possible."


    Titles:


    - Woundkeeper: "Your legend as the Woundkeeper has spread far and wide. Your exploits common knowledge. +10% Vitality, + 5% Dexterity."


    - Overpowered: "Defeat an enemy 50 levels above you. +10% Strength."-


    Limitless: "Defeat an enemy 25 levels above you. +4% Strength."


    - Bloodline Progenitor: "Be the first to upgrade your Bloodline. +10% Perception."


    - Bloodline Patriarch: "You started your Bloodline, reap the benefits. +15% Vitality, +10% Endurance."


    - In A New Class: "Gain an Epic class. +10% Best Attribute- Dexterity."


    There were a few new things in his status, the first thing chronologically was the class changing, from a shitty [Uncommon] class to his new, [Epic] class... he was yet to know how big the change was.


    Next was his first new skill from the class, and it was safe to say it looked incredible. He would test it soon, but it seemed like it would be some sort of attack like [Slash] but he could essentially teleport the attack to hit wherever he wanted. There was likely to be some limitations though.


    The last new thing he saw was the new title, giving him a 10% boost to his best attribute. He had never seen or heard of a boost like this, but it was welcome still. His best attribute right now was Dexterity just barely, despite not having a lot of boosts to his dexterity before. His second best was Strength, he did not invest lots into Strength, but his titles gave him a significant percentage boost there.


    He wondered if the title would change if Strength became his best attribute later, he didn''t think it would. He wouldn''t like to test it however as it might skew his stats in a way he did not want to. He was focused on speed, not power.


    "Earth to Dorian! Hey! What did you get?" Isolde asked.


    He was surprised she was so interested in his new class, as she seemed to have little interest in most things.


    "I got a class called [Astral Bladeseeker]."


    Dian whistled, "That sounds powerful."


    Dorian nodded, "It is."


    "What rarity?" Caroline shouted.


    "... [Epic]." Dorian said, he was considering not telling them. But they could likely infer it from how he would fight in the rest of the dungeon anyways, and he didn''t see a lot to gain from keeping it from them anyways.


    "[Epic]! That''s insane! I''ve only got a [Rare] class." Caroline pouted.


    "And it is very useful," Dorian tried to console her, "It will save us a lot in this dungeon."


    Caroline brightened at his words, but her mood dampened again, "Not you..." She muttered.


    "What?" Dorian asked.


    "I said not you!" Caroline exclaimed. "You''re the Woundkeeper! You don''t need me to heal you."


    I was wondering if she would bring it up again. To think even these people know about me. Just how far have the rumours spread?


    "It''s still very useful for me, when you heal me it drastically speeds it up, and it doesn''t hurt at all. Which is incredibly useful for me."


    "Hurt?" Caroline frowned.


    "...Yes. Healing myself normally is incredibly painful. It is not a natural System-sanctioned process. So it does not provide the warm and pleasant feeling that your healing skill provides."


    Caroline looked shocked at this, "But you looked okay earlier when you were healing from that arrow."


    "Yes, I''ve gotten used to it and can control myself now when I heal." Dorian said simply.


    Caroline closed her mouth now, much to the relief of Veylan and Dorian.


    "Should we test it out?" Veylan asked. In his hand was the last footsoldier on the battlefield. When he triggered it, the next stage of the floor would begin.


    Dorian could only grin, Veylan took it as an affirmation and sliced his sword through the neck of the footsoldier.


    "... Dorian."


    Dorian turned his head toward the unusually meek Caroline.


    "I''ll make sure to heal you when you get injured."


    Dorian looked at her for a second, then nodded.


    "Thank you."

 Chapter 14: Knight Night

    Dorian was practically shaking with excitement; he had never felt such anticipation.


    [Spacerend] was likely going to be his most powerful skill, and he wanted to see just how good it would be.


    And now the moment he had been waiting for had arrived, the ground rumbled and the quest screen popped up again.


    [The Ember Vault]


    Welcome to [The Ember Vault], this battlefield was the last stand of the Ashen Legion - an elite army tasked with protecting the sleeping [Flamebound King].


    Betrayed by their own, they slaughtered each other, their souls bound to the battlefield by a powerful curse.


    Now, they awaken, eager to fight only through the will of those who have cursed them. Beware, adventurers, there is no chance at negotiation.


    The army has been defeated, not a soul left standing. Instead, the souls of the fallen will be recycled into the [Ember Knights], empowering them further. Each knight holds a key to the coffin they protect, what is within... no one knows.


    [Objectives]:


    - Destroy the cursed Ashen Legion''s army (12,432/12,432) [COMPLETED]


    - Kill the [Ember Knights] (0/5)


    - Kill the [Hollow Baron] (0/1)


    [Rewards]:


    - Revealed upon completion. Rewards depend on contribution.


    There was some new flavour text, essentially saying that the [Ember Knights] were going to appear now. He was witnessing it currently.


    The earthquake that had happened was a result of a ancient-looking temple rising from the ground. They could not see inside it at all though, even Veylan couldn''t.


    Light red streaks of power erupted from the bodies of the thousands of fallen, all flying to the lone temple that stood amongst it''s dead worshippers.


    A menacing aura flared up from the temple, it''s white walls cracking. The party was pushed back, as the aura grew stronger and stronger while the souls were consumed, never entering the cycle of reincarnation again.


    As the power reached it''s apex, the temple crumpled. Revealing five incredibly powerful figures. They looked identical, and when Dorian used [Cat''s Eye] on them, he was only proven right.


    [Ember Knight Lv. 122]


    [Ember Knight Lv. 122]


    [Ember Knight Lv. 122]


    [Ember Knight Lv. 122]


    [Ember Knight Lv. 122]


    They certainly looked like knights, each had a helmet that only had one parting. A T shape that ran across their eyes and down at the nose all the way to the chin. They each had a large, dark red panache, it was so long that the back of it went all the way down to their mid-back.


    They each wore sleek armour, not heavy. Most of the armour was focused around their chest, shoulders and back. It was simple, but you could tell it was extremley high-quality.


    "Dorian, how confident are you in taking one by yourself?" Veylan asked.


    Dorian did want to fight desperately, but he knew he was at a significant level disadvantage. However, in an army it was hard to get unique titles, only a commander would be able to most of the time. So these knights probably weren''t particularly strong for their level, meanwhile Dorian was extremley strong, practically unkillable. Combined with his new [Epic] class, he would probably be able to hold his own.Stolen story; please report.


    "I think I could do it." Dorian replied confidently.


    Veylan nodded, "I''ll take two, Dain and Isolde you take two as well, Caroline you try and help them all as much as you can."


    Caroline nodded seriously, her gaze fixed on Dorian. Clearly all she had heard was "help Dorian". While he would appreciate help, he knew that he was unlikely to die, Dain and Isolde did not have his advantages, they would need her help more.


    "Caroline, I know you want to help me. But Dain and Isolde will need it, I will survive, but without your help, they will struggle. Do you understand?"


    Caroline looked reluctant after just telling Dorian she would do her best to heal him, but she was experienced and knew that everyone surviving was much more important then unspoken promises.


    "I know."


    "Good."


    Dorian turned to the [Ember Knights] again, which one should he choose? They were all the same, so it didn''t matter much. Before he could decide, Veylan shot forth with a high-speed and extended his arms out to the side. His body went straight into two unprepared [Ember Knights] standing next to each other. A plume of dust went up, and they reappeared almost a mile away. The two [Ember Knights] already standing, ready for combat.


    Three left, Dain and Isolde were nearer to two of the [Ember Knights], so Dorian chose the one furthest from them.


    He used [Forbidden Rush] to accelerate towards them, and appeared quickly before his chosen opponent. They were also ready, it hefted a very large sword in it''s hands, the blade about as wide as it''s shoulders, and swung it at him.


    Dorian reached for his shortsword, unsheathing and blocking the attack in the same motion. Then he lifted his leg and kicked at the midriff of the knight with all his might. The knight shot back, lifted into the air temporarily. It wasn''t an attack meant to damage, but one to move them away from the other knights. He noticed they were getting ready to join in on attacking him, and Dain and Isolde hadn''t managed to get their attention yet. So he jumped away with the knight, deciding to follow up with another attack quickly.


    Dorian used [Slash], aiming for the neck of the knight. Due to the weight of it''s weapon, it could not move it so fast. Instead, the knight let go with it''s left hand and used a body strengthening skill to block the attack with it''s hand. It grabbed onto the blade of the shortsword, he felt it tug slightly, not to try and take it from him, but to garner some momentum to swing it''s sword.


    It was only holding it with one hand, and it was in a backhanded position, his sword arm was across its own body. It was quite difficult to strike from that position, so Dorian had assumed they wouldn''t try to hit him from there.


    Unfortunately, he had underestimated the strength and skill of the knight, it was intelligent enough to know how to strike from that position effectively. This combat intelligence was at a level that he wasn''t familiar with back in Greystone. Dorian could only activate [Iron Skin], but the skill was not very compatible with his path, so even though it was a high tier, it would not be enough.


    The large sword tore through his torso, just under his ribs. Dorian screamed in pain, but quickly choked it down, he needed to focus if he didn''t want to feel more pain than necessary. Fortunately, Dorian was slightly correct with his previous assumption, and the position the knight had struck from was not enough to gather enough strength to completely slice through Dorian.


    Dorian moved to kick the sword hand of the knight, pushing down with his blade against it''s hand. The knight simply let go of the blade now, making Dorian stumble as he was suddenly of balance. Thankfully, the movement disloged the sword from his torso, and a furious pain erupted, many times worse than the actual attack. Dorian bit down another scream, determined to stay focused.


    He had regained feeling in his right leg again, due to the rapid healing. And he planted it behind him, ready to use [Slash] once again. Before, he could even move his sword arm, the knight flashed in a blur of movement and headbutted him right on the forehead.


    His vision blurred and he fell down, Dorian saw double as the knight stalked towards him.


    It''s not taking this seriously. It could  come down here and try to finish me off right now. But it''s taking it''s time. Bastard.


    He was angry at the thing for not thinking of him as a dangerous opponent.


    And it''s right. Dorian realised. I am a much lower level than it, but that''s not the main problem. I know that I won''t die. So I''m not putting in all my effort. I''ve had two chances to use [Spacerend] so far, and I haven''t. Why? Because I''m being complacent. Wake the fuck up Dorian.


    Dorian steeled himself, a glint flashing in his eye. The knight didn''t want to take him seriously? Fine. He would show it how serious he could get.

 Chapter 15: No Time To Die

    He sprang up, his wound now finished healing, Dorian hadn''t even felt the flare of pain as the wound completely healed. That was the worst part - when a wound healed it would erupt in a flash of pain.


    But Dorian tuned it out, instead utterly focused on the [Ember Knight] strolling leisurely towards him.


    It still wasn''t taking him seriously, but that was OK. He would take advantage of being underestimated. The knight shifted it''s grip on the sword, displaying the flat side of the blade. It then swung suddenly with great force toward him, looking to swat him with the gigantic sword like a fly.


    Dorian could only grin, this is perfect.


    He activated [Iron Skin], and as the blade got within arm''s reach, he grabbed it with both hands, gingerly clutching the blade with both hands. He was lifted off his feet as Dorian joined the knight''s swing. He had to act quickly. Immediately, Dorian gripped hard on the sword, the blade sinking into both his hands, but Dorian ignored the pain.


    Instead, Dorian focused on his attack. His body was currently aligned with the sword, he was horizontal and his right hand was what stopped him from falling down, his left kept him horizontal.


    As if trying to extend the blade of the sword from the hilt, he pulled the blade upwards, causing Dorian''s body to travel down. Dorian bent his leg at the knee, and as he moved down towards the head of the knight he extended it rapidly, his foot made contact with the jaw of the knight, and it''s head shot back.


    Dorian let go of the blade, and his hands burned with desperate salubrity.


    He stood as the knight stumbled back, scrambling to right theirself.


    Dorian hadn''t been able to see past the helmet so far, but now as he stared at the knight. He could see clearly the eyes of the thing. Beastly eyes, they were not normal, human eyes. And within them, shone a perfervid rage. Likely due to feeling wronged, it had been toying with him, and he had taken advantage.


    Now was the time for righteous reckoning.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    In it''s fury, it charged Dorian, once it was within a few metres, it hit the sword into the tough ground and jumped, propelling itself upward as it rotated the sword above it''s head to slam it down with two hands.


    As it fell nearer, Dorian did not move. He didn''t want to make any movement until the last few moments so that the knight would be content with staying in it''s furious state.


    It drew nearer, and nearer, and nearer. Finally, the [Ember Knight] reached it''s attack point, it mustered up all it''s strength into a swing.


    It crashed down towards Dorian with a baleful aura, less than second away from ripping into Dorian''s skull, divulging the mass of matter inside.


    And yet, this did not happen. Instead, Dorian moved. In a blur of alacritousness, Dorian''s shortsword met the behemoth of a weapon.


    Dorian was not aiming for the weapon, but beyond.


    [Spacerend]


    Time collapsed into silence. An unmoving tapestry of perfect clarity was all he could see. He moved freely, untouched by by the weight of inexorable stillness. In this stolen moment, he was the only operative being.


    Yet, he was still restricted. He could feel that he could only move upon an invisible string. Attached to his blade, but it didn''t feel like he was moving. It felt like - when he tried to move the blade - a string pulled and the blade moved to his will, not the muscles in his body.


    So, in fact, he was also suspended in time, everything except his will.


    Another drawback appeared unforeseen. He could only move the sword in one plane, and at a limited distance. The plane, it seemed, was the plane in which the sword had been moving previous to time''s restriction. The distance? Approximately half a metre.


    It was enough. Perfect even. The blade had been moving upwards to the point where the jaw of the knight transformed into the neck.


    Perfect.


    The blade had been just about to touch the blade of the greatsword. And even it in it''s great width, did not span a whole half-metre. He moved the sword, it phased through the large sword and out the other end.


    Perfect.


    As time unfroze, he could feel his locked muscles give way to the power of his previous momentum; function returning to him.


    [Arcane Shortsword] ripped through the air, the medium it travelled through abruptly changing to the malformed flesh of the knight, it ripped through it all the same.


    The shortsword travelled through, like a knife through butter. Carving a path where a path should not be carved, through the neck - just under the jaw bone, as the path lengthened it nipped at the ear of the knight, and then exited at the back of the skull - level with the eyes.


    Light faded from the [Ember Knight''s] eyes, and it died.


    The greatsword completed it''s course, carving it''s own path through his upper knee and out his popliteal fossa.


    He fell, losing a limb. But his mind was only on victory as he stared at the message.


    [Lv. 122 Ember Knight defeated]

 Chapter 16: Spacetime

    [Level up!]


    [Level up!]


    [Level up!]


    [Level up!]


    A full  four levels, but Dorian didn''t care much. It wasn''t about levels. He had said this before, but he deluded himself into believeing that it was for some cause.


    A righteous crusade against the System.


    Laughable.


    Frankly - if Dorian was honest - he could give two shits about that, that was not the reason he fought. It was much, much simpler then that.


    He loved it. It was thrilling.


    Quite a contrarion, no? Constantly complaining about his Bloodline and how he felt so much pain. And yet, he forced himself into these situations, taking hits even when he didn''t need to just so he could defeat the enemy.


    Even this last fight, he could have dodged that last attack and not have to feel his leg rebuilding, flesh writhing - twisting itself back into existence. Veins threading through newly formed muscle, knitting together. Tendons stretching and latching onto the reborn frame like ropes pulled taut. The skin, creeping over raw muscle in a crawling tide of fire and needles, sealing him but leaving him with a phantom ache.


    But no, he did not dodge, he did not avoid pain. Because he embraced it, it reminded him of how far he had to go to reach his goal.


    Not for any good reason. It was simple.


    He was hungry.


    He hungered for the pinnacle, the quicker and stronger he fought the more he enjoyed the thrill of a fight. So he wanted to get quicker, and stronger, to be thrilled even further.


    Selfish.


    But not, he didn''t owe anyone anything. They were dead already. All he could do now was give into his selfishness, something he had surpressed for too long. Content to stagnate in Greystone, maybe he would still be content if not for his chance encounter with the girl.


    He was here now. And he revelled in it.


    He realised now that the pain he had been expecting from his leg regrowing hadn''t arrived. It actually felt quite warm and pleasant. Why? Dorian thought.


    "Dorian!" Caroline screeched, he turned towards the voice.


    Ah, of course. She healed me.


    He took in the scene, Caroline had briefly seperated from the duet, Dain and Isolde, to heal him. She was already running back. It looked like they were struggling. It was clear that they were disadvantaged slightly, even with Caroline, as Isolde was not good at infliciting damage to heavily armoured foes.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Despite this, one of the [Ember Knights] had a disfunction arm. Most likely due to Dain hammering it.


    He got up quickly to help, but paused for a second. How''s Veylan doing?


    He looked over, and smirked. He was absolutely fine.


    Veylan danced around his two opponents, both had lost an arm, neither had a sword, but they weren''t intelligent enough to run away. Why would a dungeon have enemies that ran away?


    He refocused on the trio, and used [Forbidden Rush].


    He arrived briskly at the side of the injured knight, it was preoccupied with Isolde''s rapid strikes. Clearly, once Dain had injured it she focused on it - the only way for her to get some major damage in.


    He unsheated [Arcane Shortsword], and used [Slash].


    The [Slash] was effective, tearing a river of blood into the side of the knight''s torso.


    It turned to him, and swung. This time, Dorian dodged.


    He used [Slash] again, and the [Ember Knight] moved to block it with it''s comically large sword.


    He switched quickly, deactivating [Slash] as the blade moved closer to the blocking point, and activated [Spacerend].


    Time paused. Again.


    It was interesting, [Spacerend]. You could infer from the name that it was an attack with a space affinity, which it certainly did as it allowed him to move his sword through objects when time was paused. But that was the problem, time was not a part of a space affinity.


    Except it was, and Dorian realised this now. It was the effect of spacetime.


    The mechanics of the skill were quite interesting, but Dorian seemed to understand what happened well.


    Both times I have activated [Spacerend], I''ve felt an extreme weight upon me, like I would rip straight through the Earth and launch into space if  time wasn''t paused. I think I know what happens, I am literally made to be so extremely heavy that time distorts and stops. Like black holes, they are so heavy that as you get closer time goes slower and slower. If an astronaut were to enter a black hole, and people from Earth could watch as it happened. The astronaut for them would  travel to the entrance of the black hole for millions of years before eventually being stuck at the entrance of the black hole indefinitely, because time is slowed so much that it stops. But from the perspective of the astronaut, it would be a fraction of a second.


    This is what happens to me, the skill makes me extremely, extremley heavy. Like a black hole. Time distorts and stops around me. There are two more parts to the skill, the space part and the part that helps me.


    The space part is the part that allows me to phase through matter while in this state - during my first fight my sword phased through the knight''s sword. The second part is the invisible string. Obviously, when time is paused I cannot move. So the skill helps, it creates an invisible string from my sword that stretches infinitely, and it is controlled by my will. It allows me to pull the string using my will so that the skill actually has some use. Without this, it would be useless.


    And this is what Dorian did now, he tugged on the string, and his sword phased through the sword of the knight - almost identical to how he had killed the first one. And stopped a few inches from it''s chest.


    Time resumed, and his momentum burst forth. The sword ripped into the meaty flesh that covered his rips, breaking through the costae verae and plunged into the palpatating heart.


    The light died from the knight''s eyes.


    [Lv. 122 Ember Knight defeated]


    [Level up!]


    [Level up!]


    [Level up!]


    The last knight was battling with Dain, Isolde glanced at Dorian in shock. Clearly not knowing how he had done what he did. But quashed her curiosity to join Dain. They would handle it now.


    Dorian pulled the sword out of the chest of the knight. And moved to observe Veylan''s "fight".


    But instead, Dorian had an idea. He hadn''t ruined the helmet of this knight.


    Maybe Dain would remould it for him?

 Chapter 17: Shoring Up Weaknesses

    He did consider going over to Veylan to help, but he knew it would be basically stealing experience from him. He did not need help.


    So, instead. Dorian sat down far from the ensuing battles, and pulled up his status.


    Name: Dorian Grey


    Age: 21


    Class: Astral Bladeseeker (Epic)


    Level: 82


    Skills:


    - Forbidden Rush (Tier I): "Move with the elusivity of the wind."


    - Self-heal (Max Tier)(Passive): "Who cares about teammates? Keep yourself alive by healing your own body."


    - Slash (Tier III): "Slash with more force than usual with this skill. Increases the speed and strength of your slash."


    - Iron Skin (Tier IV): "Turn your skin into iron, so you may block powerful strikes. Duration: 2 minutes."


    - Cat''s Eye (Tier III): "Discern details about items and enemies with the sharp eye of a cat."


    - Spacerend (Tier II): "Tear through space to reach your target quicker than what is possible."


    Titles:


    - Woundkeeper: "Your legend as the Woundkeeper has spread far and wide. Your exploits common knowledge. +10% Vitality, + 5% Dexterity."


    - Overpowered: "Defeat an enemy 50 levels above you. +10% Strength."


    - Limitless: "Defeat an enemy 25 levels above you. +4% Strength."


    - Bloodline Progenitor: "Be the first to upgrade your Bloodline. +10% Perception."


    - Bloodline Patriarch: "You started your Bloodline, reap the benefits. +15% Vitality, +10% Endurance."


    - In A New Class: "Gain an Epic class. +10% Best Attribute- Dexterity."


    - Special Hunter: "Slay an opponent with a [Rare] class or above. +3% Strength."


    - You Get The Concept: "Understand a concept to a level where a skill using the concept is upgraded. +5% Wisdom."


    He had made a lot of progress in this dungeon. 15 levels and they weren''t even done with the first floor. There were 5 total in the dungeon to complete, he wondered how powerful he would be if they managed to defeat the whole dungeon, but that was a pipe-dream - No one had managed to defeat the 5th floor. Most stopped at the 3rd.


    But now was not the time to think about the future, Dorian instead focused on how to improve himself now. There were a lot of things he could do immediaetly.


    First, he would unbind [Iron Skin] from himself. It was a skill he had bought during his time in the pits, to try and stop getting injured as much. However it wasn''t very powerful in the first place and did not synergise with his path at all, making it far weaker - even at Tier IV.


    So, he unbound it.


    Skill [Iron Skin] has been unbound.


    The problem with keeping it was it would restrict his future options. Skills worked in a very particular way. At E-grade, a person could have 3 core skills, at F-grade you could have 2. Before, his 2 were [Iron Skin] and [Self-Heal]. His desperation in the pits had left him squandering a core skill slot to [Iron Skin].


    The only way to be rid of this choice, was to unbind the skill. He wouldn''t lose much if he got rid of [Iron Skin], and if he could select a new core skill because of it then it was for the better.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Dorian had thought extensively already about what 2 new core skills he should put in, and he had come to a conclusion.


    He wouldn''t. At least not both.


    Other than [Spacerend], none of his other skills were core to his path. [Forbidden Rush] was powerful, but it used a wind affinity and he was sure he would acquire a better movement skill with the class he had - most high-rarity classes had one to select.


    [Slash] was simple, it was obvious that [Spacerend] was better for dealing damage. The 50% increase in effectives of core skills would be wasted on [Slash], as when he wanted to deal damage he wouldn''t use the skill anyways.


    [Cat''s Eye] was pretty obvious, it was a utility tool. His path was one of strength and combat, he wasn''t going to dedicate a part of his path to seeing better.


    So, he left one core slot open to be filled in the future, and pushed [Spacerend] into a core slot.


    He felt a rush of warmth rush out from his soul cave, and when he focused on [Spacerend], he could feel that it was stronger.


    As he focused on the skill, he realised the tier had already upgraded to Tier II, he had missed the System notification. It had probably come from his realisation from how the skill worked during his battle with the second [Ember Knight].


    There were 2 easy ways to upgrade a skill, understand it better or use it a lot. Most of the time your skills would upgrade from using it a lot, but sometimes a realisation gave you a quick and easy upgrade.


    With the combination of becoming a core skill and upgrading, he felt the skill had doubled in effectiveness. What that meant for the skill, he would only know when he used it.


    Now, he noticed the 2 new titles. This dungeon was turning out to be really fucking lucrative.


    Special Hunter: "Slay an opponent with a [Rare] class or above. +3% Strength."


    It seemed the [Ember Knights] had [Rare] classes. This made him realise how insane this dungeon was, [Rare] opponents on the first floor? He had not even realised how good this dungeon was. At the 5th floor, were there [Epic] opponents? Or the 4th? He hoped they would find out.


    You Get The Concept: "Understand a concept to a level where a skill using the concept is upgraded. +5% Wisdom."


    This title was interesting, it was his first title that boosted his Wisdom, a stat he didn''t care about much as he didn''t use mana a lot, [Spacerend] wasn''t super mana-heavy but it was about three times the mana of [Slash].


    According to the title, he had touched upon a concept, probably the space concept. A understanding of a concept was crucial to advancing to D-grade. In the sense that it was literally impossible, understanding of a concept was required to breakthrough. So starting early was purely beneficial, as the level to become D-grade was Lv. 200. As far as he knew, no one had broken through on the planet yet. Although he had a feeling that Veylan had already at least touched on a concept.


    As he thought of Veylan he looked toward the battle, only to see that it had finished. He turned towards the trio''s battle as well, and they had also killed their knight.


    Dorian smirked, he was waiting for them to kill the [Ember Knight] first. He probably wanted to have the maximum amount of fun possible with the knights before he killed them.


    "So guys, ready for the big boss of Floor 1?" Veylan asked as he joined everyone.


    Dorian replied, "Hell yeah."


    Caroline interjected, "Well... before that let''s take a few hours to recuperate. Some of us are low on mana. Also... how do we even start the next part?"


    Dorian blanched, he hadn''t even thought about that. It had automatically started last time.


    Veylan clearly new something as he smirked and said, "Look at the ruined temple."


    Dorian whipped his head round to the demolished temple the [Ember Knights] had come out of.


    Within was a dark, wooden coffin radiating a powerful, foreboding aura.


    He grinned, this was going to be great.

 Chapter 18: Contents Of A Coffin

    They all walked over to the coffin, the spiritual pressure only increasing as they drew nearer.


    They had finished the second objective, now they just had to defeat the [Hollow Baron]. All of them had forgotten to retrieve the keys from the bodies of the [Ember Knights]; except for Veylan of course.


    They had gotten the keys, and Dorian took the opportunity to ask Dain to reforge the helmet, to which he said that he would when he next had an opportunity.


    The coffin had five key holes, and the party each brandished a key. They looked at each other and nodded. It was time to finish the floor.


    They keys were inserted, and they twisted them on the count of Veylan.


    The coffin''s door creaked open, it stood horizontal, so gravity did not weight the door down.


    Nothing''s happening. Dorian frowned. He moved toward the coffin slowly, but before he could take a step, the door swung open with force, flying into the distance.


    Out stepped the [Hollow Baron]. And he was... not right. He was supposed to be leading the Ashen Legion, and yet he had no fire affinity?


    The [Hollow Baron] looked like a glass sculpture, emitting a cold aura. Within his chest, was a glowing golden core. He did not have internals, for want of a better word, he was hollow.


    Dorian was still confused, and a System message popped up to quash all his troubles.


    [The Ember Vault]


    Welcome to [The Ember Vault], this battlefield was the last stand of the Ashen Legion - an elite army tasked with protecting the sleeping [Flamebound King].


    Betrayed by their own, they slaughtered each other, their souls bound to the battlefield by a powerful curse.


    Now, they awaken, eager to fight only through the will of those who have cursed them. Beware, adventurers, there is no chance at negotiation.


    The army has been defeated, not a soul left standing. Instead, the souls of the fallen will be recycled into the [Ember Knights], empowering them further. Each knight holds a key to the coffin they protect, what is within... no one knows.


    The mystery solved, as the [Hollow Baron] steps out of the coffin. Not the [Flamebound King], you ask? Well, you see, the [Flamebound King] was abducted by the Shardborn Order, a group of crystalline creatures that have warred with the Ashen Legion for ages. In retaliation, the [Ember Knights] tried to abduct the leader of the Shardborn Order to swap them back around. They failed, only managing to take the [Hollow Baron].


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Not wanting to demoralize the troops, they hid the abduction of their King and instead pretended that he went into the seclusion in the temple, to break through and win them the war. Of course, this wasn''t believable by itself, so they built a coffin for the [Hollow Baron] which only allowed the aura to leak, the Baron and the King were similar power levels, so it became a believable story.


    [Objectives]:


    - Destroy the cursed Ashen Legion''s army (12,432/12,432) [COMPLETED]


    - Kill the [Ember Knights] (0/5)


    - Kill the [Hollow Baron] (0/1)


    [Rewards]:


    - Revealed upon completion. Rewards depend on contribution.


    Dorian was shocked, the [Ember Knights] had not displayed a lot of intelligence when they fought. Likely because this wasn''t the real Ashen Legion, only cheap imitations made by the System for the dungeon. And yet, they had managed to turn the horror of losing their King into a boost of morale for their troops.


    This also cleared up some past confusion Dorian had felt, like why the final boss wasn''t the [Flamebound King], as he didn''t appear in the objectives. This resolved his confusion.


    Dorian used [Cat''s Eye] on the Baron, and was shocked by what he saw.


    [Hollow Baron Lv. 130]


    He was only 8 levels above the [Ember Knights] they had fought. But he felt so much more powerful, that meant he was a powerful species, which he could probably tell by the way he looked. He doubted that there would be [Epic] opponents on only the first floor, so the Baron probably still only had a [Rare] class like the knights.


    The [Hollow Baron] seemed to quickly orient itself, as it turned to Veylan and attacked him rapidly.


    The [Hollow Baron] wasn''t super fast, but definitely significantly faster than the [Ember Knights]. It was still a relief, as opponnets whos specialised in Speed were incredibly annoying to deal with.


    Dorian quickly used [Slash] and his sword tore at the back of the Baron.


    A large force jarred his arm, and Dorian dropped his sword. He looked at where he had hit the Baron.


    There wasn''t a scratch on it.


    The Baron turned his head to him, disengaging from Veylan, who seemed okay. It seemed that the [Hollow Baron] had decided that he was more of a threat then Veylan. Probably because Veylan hadn''t even attempted to attack it.


    Dorian looked at Veylan with wide eyes, he only chuckled and said something he did not want to hear right now.


    "I don''t need the contribution on this floor, I''ll leave it to you guys to defeat the Baron, unless you really need my help."


    "Seriously?" Isolde said, but her face showed she wasn''t even surprised. She was probably used to his antics.


    But Dorian was not annoyed anymore, he realised he had immediately looked for the protection of Veylan when he was in some trouble. He hadn''t even tried his luck yet, and frankly he was a bit embarassed and ashamed of his reaction.


    He didn''t need anyone, he was a one-man army.


    He looked to the rapidly approaching [Hollow Baron] and steeled himself.


    He would take it down, even if he had to do it all by himself.

 Chapter 19: Nothing Is Insurmountable

    The [Hollow Baron] wielded a large sword very similar in shape to the [Ember Knights], it seemed greatswords were a popular weapon where they came from.


    But it was very different to the weapons of the knights. It seemed to be made from the same material that the Baron was made from. A hard, inexorable crystal.


    The Baron noticed it''s gaze, and displayed a level of sapience Dorian did not know was possible from dungeon-spawn.


    "Feast your eyes on the ultimate weapon. Created by the forefather of my title, when he died, he sacrificed his body as his forefathers did for him, and imbued himself in this sword passed down for generations. Yes... feast your eyes on [Evershard] - a blade that never dulls."


    With that, he spun the weapon round with ease, and charged at Dorian with incredible speed, he was caught completely off-guard by the sudden attack.


    Luckily, Isolde and Dain were not. Dain blocked the attack with his hammer, and Isolde stabbed into the ribs of the crystal specimen.


    Dain was pushed back several feet, his hammer cracking slightly, Isolde''s rapier bent unnaturally and snapped.


    With inhuman speed, the Baron spun and backhanded Isolde, then turned into Dain and kicked the large man with extreme power, they both were sent shooting away like ragdolls, and Caroline huried to go and help.


    The [Hollow Baron] rolled it''s shoulders, it didn''t seem to have joints that required such a movement, so it seemed the action was purely a show of confidence and ease. It turned toward Dorian once again.


    "You seem to be the strongest here, I don''t know what happened to the other man who was here before, it seemed he fled. What a coward. I commend you for not following in his footsteps, unfortunately, I cannot spare you. Perhaps if this were not a dungeon - and I was not forced to kill - I would spare you. Alas, this is not the situation we were in, in appreciation of all of you standing your ground and standing together, I will deliver a quick death."


    Once again, the Baron shot toward Dorian. But this time, Dorian had learnt from his previous mistake and was ready. He held his shortsword in front of him already, and as the creature neared within striking distance, he used his so far successful strategy with [Spacerend].


    His blade struck out, seemingly a much too powerful block of the Baron''s incoming attack that would leave him over-extended afterward. This was clearly what the Baron was expecting to happen as well, as a small smirk appeared on his face as his body caught up with the events that had already happened in his mind.


    Dorian did not give this too much thought, and activated [Spacerend].


    Time again slowed until it stopped, and he was in the now familiar state of suspended animation.


    He willed his sword forward, it passed through the massive [Evershard] and found itself in a fatal striking position.


    Time resumed again, and his sword burst with momentum toward the side of the Baron''s chest, a shocked look passed over the Baron''s face as he was so easily struck by Dorian.


    Dorian smirked, gotcha.


    The blade slammed into the skin of the Baron, and his arm jarred so heavily that he dropped the sword.


    What? I can''t penetrate it''s skin? But... my Strength is so high. Is it really impossible for me?


    Dorian now looked at the eyes of the [Hollow Baron], they too, were empty.


    A sad smile appeared on his face.


    "A commendable attempt. That skill of yours is quite powerful, but it still is not enough when your Strength isn''t enough to even scratch me."


    The Baron''s sword flashed.


    Dorian stood unmoving, and then his body fell, his head falling the other way.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Two seperate thumps sounded out as head and body fell to the floor before the [Hollow Baron].


    ****


    Come on. Veylan thought. I know you can do this.


    When the Baron had smacked away Dain and Isolde, Veylan had quickly swooped down and hid them both, then he got Caroline as well.


    "What''re you doing?" Dain had growled, "We need to help Dorian, otherwise he will die all by himself."


    Veylan had tried to console the man, "Don''t worry. This is just a test for Dorian, I want to push him to another level. This dungeon is just the first stepping stone on our path. We - or him - will not fall here."


    And now, the headless body of Dorian was on the floor, Caroline screamed at Veylan so much that he had to knock her out.


    "He can make it through this." Veylan insisted, even as the [Hollow Baron] stood on Dorian''s head and squashed it, looking around for the rest of the people he had not killed yet.


    Isolde spoke quietly, clearly unwilling to disagree with the man who was right so often, "How can he make it through death? It is inevitable and unstoppable."


    Veylan could only grin, "This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets and immovable object."


    ****


    No. I can''t.


    Death. All-encompassing. Omnipresent. Inconquerable.


    No. It''s too soon. This can''t happen.


    Death. Ubiquitous. Insurmountable.


    No.


    [Bloodline Trait: Iron Will --> Absolute Will]


    [Bloodline Trait Unlocked: Absolute Will (Tier IV)]


    Effect: Wounds regenerate. Cannot die. Heal? Healing? Death is not insurmountable.]


    Dorian''s body writhed, it spasmed on the battlefield floor.


    The flesh at the severed stump quivered. Muscle fibers wriggling like frantic worms, sinew snapping and twisting. Veins slithered up from the neck like roots searching for soil.


    With a sickening, wet crack, the base of a new skull punched through the gory mess. Bone stretched and expanded in an unnatural bloom, cartilage knitting together in jagged bursts.


    The eye sockets were empty at first - hollow, dark and gaping - until milky orbs bubbled up from the void, settling into place with a nauseating squelch. The eyes uncleared - an iris and pupil screamed forth from a deep, white abyss in a mess of dark red that focused into lucid eyes.


    The final touch - a surge of colour, the features restoring themselves in perfect, uncanny clarity.


    The mouth opened first, gasping in a deep, ragged breath. And then, with a final snap, the head was whole again.


    As if it had never been gone.


    Dorian looked around, in disbelief. How was this possible?


    He glanced at his new Bloodline Trait description, it seemed as if the System itself was confused at how to describe his Trait, but one thing was certain. It was powerful as fuck.


    Dorian glanced at the second series of messages from the System.


    [Skill: Self-Heal --> Absolute Authority]


    [Skill Unlocked: Absolute Authority (Max Tier)]


    [Absolute Authority (Max Tier): "Within your domain, you are absolute. Death? Stopped. Suppression? Wish granted."]


    ****


    What an intersting situation I am in. The Baron thought.


    He had killed the willful man, only to find that all his other enemies had disappeared. It was a weird situation.


    The dungeon hasn''t closed. Which means they must still be here. They are hidden so well I cannot sense them? Peculiar, indeed.


    He walked round, trying to use his spiritual sense to find anything out of the ordinary.


    He sighed, what was the point in hiding? Surely they knew the only way out is to kill me, which is hopeless for them. I''m not sure why they have spawned such a powerful version of myself when they are so weak, it seems it may be a miscalculation by the system, or maybe they had a powerful ally who died before reaching me? That also seemes unlikely.


    Before the [Hollow Baron] could think upon it further, he felt a powerful suppression on him.


    What the fuck?!


    The Baron wildly looked around, trying to find the culprit. When he did, it did not alleviate his confusion.


    Him? How? This is not possible! I killed him. WHY IS HE SO POWERFUL?!


    In the not-so-distant distance, a man walked slowly towards him. Each step seemed to take him much further than was possible, and he jerked forward violently as he neared him.


    "Hello again, Baron."


    As the words reached his ears, the pressure increased drastically and he was forced to his knees, making small craters where they met the floor.


    "You seem to think you are the strongest. I applaud you for managing to deliver such a strong blow upon me. A commendable attempt. Unfortunately, I cannot spare you." The man named Dorian spewed familiar words, as he bent down to stare right into the Baron''s eyes, a grin spread across his face, "We are in a dungeon, which means it''s kill or be killed. Alas, we are not in such a situation where I could spare you, as such a situation does not exist."


    A baleful, murderous aura slowly seeped out of the human.


    "Because I would kill you. Every. Single. Time. Because that is what you deserve. For crossing me. Even death cannot stop me."


    The man''s smile reached it''s apex, splitting and disfiguring his face into that of a demon.


    "Goodbye, cowardly Baron."


    The demon''s sword flashed, and he felt a relief at his neck, and a harsh pain from his scalp.


    He''s holding me by my hair. The Baron thought.


    The demon turned the Baron''s head.


    "Watch." The demon spoke.


    He could do nothing but watch as his headless body fell to the floor.


    The last thing he saw was the spinning, dizzying array of colours as his head was tossed lazily to the floor.