[ 10 Minutes Later ]

  [ Northern Mines - Entrance ]

  The entrance to the Northern Mines was a gaping maw in the side of the mountain, framed by rotting wooden beams and warning signs painted in red.

  Two elite NPC guards, Level 15 Knights clad in heavy iron armor, stood like statues at the gate. Their helmets obscured their faces, but the glowing runes on their halberds made it clear: Keep Out.

  Ryn approached calmly.

  "Halt," the guard on the left rumbled. His voice sounded like grinding stones. "By order of Village Head Idrich, this zone is restricted. I ask you to retreat, or we will have to use force."

  Ryn didn't speak; instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the heavy insignia Idrich had given him.

  The guard's visor flashed. He scanned the badge.

  "The Head's personal seal..." The guard straightened his posture. "Apologies. You may pass."

  Usually, this area was hard-locked. Even with the badge, a normal player would be bounced back by an invisible barrier because of the Level Restriction.

  [ Warning: This is a High-Tier Zone (Lv. 15+). ]

  [ Your Level is too low. Entry Denied. ]

  Ryn saw the red system window pop up in his vision.

  He smiled and mentally tapped his Title.

  [ Effect Triggered: Authority of the First ]

  [ You may ignore level restrictions for entering specific 'High-Tier Zones'. ]

  The red window shattered like glass.

  The invisible wall dissolved.

  Ryn stepped through the barrier and into the darkness.

  Once inside, the air temperature dropped instantly.

  The smell of pine and grass was replaced by the metallic tang of rust and damp earth.

  Ryn pulled out a [ Light Stone ] he had purchased from the alchemist. It flared to life, casting a cold, blue illumination that pushed back the encroaching shadows.

  He checked the Global Leaderboard as he walked.

  1. SwordSaint [ Lv. 10 ]

  2. Maya [ Lv. 10 ]

  ....

  "Fast," Ryn muttered.

  Two players had already hit the Level 10 milestone. They were likely receiving the 'First Awakening' quests right now.

  Usually, Ryn would be racing them. He knew the optimal grinding spots to hit Level 10 in under an hour.

  But not today.

  He looked at his own status.

  [ Level: 5 ]

  He had deliberately halted his leveling. He hadn't hunted a single wolf on the way here.

  Why?

  Because of his new Title.

  [ Giant Slayer ] granted a massive 20% damage bonus against enemies higher level than him. If he leveled up to 10, that bonus would vanish against the Level 15 mobs inside the mine. Staying at Level 5 was a calculated tactical choice to maximize his damage output against the boss he was about to face.

  "Quality over quantity," he whispered.

  Besides, he wasn't exactly weak.

  He opened his inventory and tapped on two items he had acquired from the Lion's loot and the achievement rewards.

  First, the [ Unique Skill Book (Random) ].

  It had dissolved into particles and etched a new pathway in his mind.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  ──────?????──────

  [ Skill Learned: Mind's Eye (Passive) (Lv. 1) ]

  [Grade: Unique]

  [ Type: Mind Vein ]

  [ Description: Heightens the user's perception to supernatural levels. Allows you to see the 'Intent' of enemies and detect hidden traps or structural weaknesses. ]

  ──────?????──────

  And second, the [ Mystery Box (Rare) ].

  It had contained a shimmering, runic stone.

  ──────?????──────

  [ Rune: Kinetic Ward ]

  [ Type: Consumable / Attachment ]

  [ Effect: Generates a translucent shield that absorbs one instance of fatal damage. (Cooldown: 24 Hours) ]

  ──────?????──────

  "A mental radar and a second life," Ryn mused. "Not a bad haul for a morning walk."

  He adjusted his grip on the Magelight Stone.

  Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught his eye.

  Space distorted around him.

  Zip.

  Ryn vanished.

  He reappeared five meters ahead, bypassing a tripwire hidden in the dirt that would have triggered a rockfall.

  [ Blink (Lv. 3) ]

  His signature movement skill had leveled up rapidly during the run from the forest. With his expanded Arcana capacity, he could now chain a dozen Blinks in succession before running dry.

  Fully prepared, he stepped deeper into the abyss.

  Time passed; yet, he didn't encounter any monsters, even after ten minutes.

  However, he could tell that he was being intently watched by something, all thanks to the unique Mind's Eye skill.

  If he had to guess, the entity lurking in the dark was analyzing him, and he likely appeared as nothing more than a lost, soft-skinned snack.

  WOOOOM.

  Suddenly, the air pressure in the tunnel dropped. A deep, vibrating hum resonated through the stone walls, shaking dust from the ceiling.

  A terrifying growl echoed from the depths. It sounded like metal grinding against bone.

  Simultaneously, a massive suction force slammed into Ryn.

  It was a concentrated, high-powered magnetic field. It tugged violently at the space around him, seeking purchase on iron, steel, or anything ferrous to drag a victim into the darkness.

  Ryn stopped walking. He stood perfectly still in the middle of the invisible gale.

  His leather coat fluttered. His hair whipped around his face.

  However, his feet remained planted.

  The monster's grand opening move had absolutely no effect on him.

  Ryn tilted his head, a glimmer of amusement dancing in his eyes.

  He had already stored the Twin Shadow-Forged Daggers safely inside his Inventory. He wore only cured leather and bone toggles.

  'Is that it?' Ryn chuckled softly. 'It watched me for ten minutes, yet it missed the most important detail?'

  The growling faltered, replaced by a confused silence.

  'Or perhaps...' Ryn rubbed his chin. 'It is merely trying to scare me away.'

  If the monster possessed true confidence, it would have pounced the moment he entered. Instead, it was constantly using theatrical effects to project power.

  Finding his hypothesis plausible, he resumed his walk. He moved with a leisurely pace, holding the Magelight Stone up like a lantern on a casual evening stroll.

  The entity seemed to take offense at his calm.

  The suction force doubled in intensity. The growls grew louder, bouncing off the walls to create a disorienting, surround-sound nightmare.

  Ryn ignored it. He stepped over a rusted minecart track.

  He sensed the monster's [ Intent ] shifting from arrogance to annoyance, and finally, to caution.

  The narrow tunnel eventually opened up into a massive, cavernous chamber.

  Ryn stopped.

  Clusters of luminescent blue crystals protruded from the walls and ceiling, bathing the cavern in an ethereal, underwater glow.

  And there, on the far side of the chamber, sat the source of the anomaly.

  A massive shadow stretched across the back wall. It was easily five meters tall, possessing a hunched, spiky back and a mouth full of jagged, terrifying teeth.

  Ryn lowered his gaze from the wall to the floor.

  He looked past the terrifying shadow to the object casting it.

  Sitting atop a mound of high-quality iron ore and shimmering crystals was a creature no bigger than a badger. It had sleek, metallic fur that shimmered like polished steel and a long, bushy tail crackling with static electricity.

  It stood on its hind legs, puffing out its chest to look bigger, unaware that its shadow did all the heavy lifting.

  Ryn almost laughed.

  'That is the Calamity?'

  It looked like a disgruntled ferret that had fallen into a bucket of iron filings.

  However, his amusement vanished the moment his eyes locked onto the cursor floating above the creature's head.

  [ Magnetic Terror Mole - Lv. 20 ]

  The red text pulsed with danger.

  Ryn's expression instantly sobered. He straightened his posture, his hand drifting toward the empty air where his inventory opened.

  'Right. Rule number one.'

  In both the real and game world, appearances were the deadliest traps.

  A Level 20 monster was a serious threat. If that small creature decided to tackle him, it would hit with the force of a speeding truck.

  The mole hissed, realizing its shadow puppet show had failed. The static on its fur began to spark violently.

  It was done scaring him.

  Now, it intended to kill him!

  "Kiiiii!"

  The Mole screeched. The blue crystals in the room vibrated.

  Suddenly, a dozen jagged scraps of iron ore levitated from the ground. They hovered around the creature like floating daggers.

  With a flick of its tail, the Mole launched them.

  Zip! Zip! Zip!

  The projectiles flew at the speed of bullets.

  [ Blink ]

  Space twisted.

  The iron shards slammed into the rock wall where Ryn had been standing a millisecond ago, shattering stone.

  Ryn reappeared five meters to the right, closing the distance.

  He reached into his inventory.

  He pulled out a heavy, knotty Oak Club.

  The Mole blinked, momentarily confused by the non-metallic weapon.

  Ryn grinned.

  'Let's see how you handle wood.'

  He lunged.

  The Mole tried to repel him with a magnetic wave, but the force passed harmlessly through the wooden club and Ryn's leather armor.

  Bonk!

  Ryn swung the club with his full Level 5 strength reinforced by Arcana. It connected solidly with the Mole's metallic head.

  -15

  The creature tumbled off its ore pile, squeaking in indignation.

  It shook its head, dizzy. It had never fought an enemy it couldn't push or pull.

  Ryn didn't give it time to recover. He spun the club and brought it down again.

  "Sorry, little guy," Ryn whispered. "But your tricks won't work on me."