As time passed, Theo's progress slowed significantly. Where lone Dire Wolves had appeared initially, they now came in packs of two, three, and even five. With each encounter, Theo faced the risk of death. After four hours in the dungeon, he finally emerged.

"Ah! Young Master!"

"Huff… huff… I'm fine, so please don't fuss."

"But you're…!"

"Really, I'm fine. Just… let me rest."

Covered in blood and grime, Theo managed to calm the startled maid and opened his inventory. Thankfully, the dungeon was relentless, but it didn’t leave him completely drained.

+  

**[Beginner’s Healing Potion]**

- Type: Miscellaneous  
- Effect: Restores 10 health and heals minor wounds  

+  

Theo downed the bottle of crimson liquid. A warm glow enveloped his wounds, easing his breathing.

**“If only I had more of these, this dungeon would be much easier to clear. Damn it.”**

From the start, he should have known this quest’s C-rank difficulty meant it would push him to the edge—barely manageable but treacherous if he misstepped. 

"At least the monsters can’t leave the dungeon," Theo muttered, wiping his mouth.

As he did, the Beginner's Ring on his left ring finger began to glow. The ring helped revive his depleted energy, accelerating the flow of mana stored within his Dragon Heart and reinvigorating him.

**"Without this, I'd either be lying flat or running from the dungeon."**

Even this first reward proved invaluable. If he could just use the other rewards too, clearing the dungeon would be much easier.

**"I need to hit Level 10 fast."**

Fortunately, he only needed to take down another one or two Dire Wolves. But one problem remained.

**"… My weapon's in terrible shape. What now?"**

The Beginner’s Training Sword had been worn down to uselessness. He needed a new weapon. Looking around the room, Theo spotted three swords mounted on the wall.

They were decorative swords, gifts from his mother, Cecilia, on his fourteenth birthday—a gift he'd ignored due to the tense relationship between them at the time.

**"…"**

Taking the swords from the wall, Theo examined them. 

**Clink—**

**Shiiing!**

**“Sharp… even sharper than I expected.”**

The blades were surprisingly pristine, with no signs of rust.

Theo raised the sword toward the light, watching its snowy white blade reflect like the winter fields of the north, bright enough to be blinding.

**"This must be made of *Snow Quartz*. It must have cost a fortune—how did she manage it?"**

Theo, well-versed in rare materials, knew just how valuable Snow Quartz was. Found only in small quantities from the ever-frozen northern mountain ranges, it glimmered like starlight even at night. Its toughness and strength were renowned.

In Ragnar, it was mandatory for all high-quality swords to contain a percentage of Snow Quartz. Naturally, this made it extremely costly, putting it out of reach for most swordsmen.

Yet here were three swords, all generously embedded with Snow Quartz.

The artistry of the hilts and scabbards, with their intricate embellishments, also spoke volumes. Though Theo knew little about art, he could tell great care had been put into crafting these swords.

For a moment, he recalled Cecilia’s gleeful expression whenever she’d dressed him up with various outfits, imagining she must have felt the same joy when choosing and crafting these swords for him.

And yet, he had left them untouched, hanging on the wall for years.

A lump formed in his throat.

**"…"**

He looked at the swords in silence before stowing them all in his inventory.

**"I won’t repeat the same mistakes as in my previous life."**

With this resolve, he prepared for his second venture into the dungeon.

---

The more he used it, the more remarkable the inventory system seemed. 

**"It’s like a pocket dimension artifact."**

It bore no weight, allowed seamless item storage, and had ample space, which made carrying the three swords and other tools a breeze.

Suddenly, a trio of Giant Bears, towering over five meters, appeared in front of him. Known as apex predators even in the *Demonic Sea*, these beasts would have terrified him before. But now, he felt no fear—only the anticipation of a challenge.

With a swift motion, Theo drew two of the swords, one in each hand.

**Whoosh!**

As he dashed forward, streaks of pure white light trailed behind, leaving a snowy arc in his wake.

>[Level up!]

>[Level up!]

Theo’s movements were swift and fluid, entirely different from his initial stumbles in the dungeon. Whether it was due to his high Strength stat, which had reached the Extraordinary level, or the presence of the swords his mother had given him, he couldn’t be sure.

By the time he’d reached the dungeon's halfway point, he had already surpassed Level 10. With that, he could finally equip the rest of the Beginner's set, just as he had hoped.

+  

**[Beginner’s Set]**

- Effect: +13% Mana Efficiency, +6% Health Regeneration, +5% Weapon Speed, +5 All Stats  

+  

The Beginner’s Set granted Theo a massive boost. Mana flowed smoothly, and his sword strikes grew faster.

**Dragon Flash.**

The arcs of light grew sharper with each swing, evolving into a deadly rhythm of one-hit kills.

**"I’m getting stronger—much faster."**

With each battle, he felt something within him breaking free, as though long-held restraints were falling away. At this rate, he could likely handle Axion with ease.

>[You have cleared Floor 1.]

>[Proceeding to Floor 2.]

---

Time flew by—days turned into weeks, and then into months.

At first, he could only take a few steps. But now, he progressed deeper into the dungeon until he was close to its end.

**"Finally reached Level 15."**

His Strength stat now stood at 91, close to the milestone of 100.

His other stats had also grown steadily from the life-or-death battles.

+  

**Theo Ragnar (15 years old, Male)**

- Level: 15  
- Stats:  
  - Strength: 91  
  - Agility: 25  
  - Endurance: 20  
  - Mana: 198  
  - Intelligence: 19  
  - Luck: -6  

+  

The biggest improvement came in *Agility*, which had risen by 14 points since Level 1, allowing him to move at impressive speeds.

Even his *Luck* stat had improved. Ever since rumors had spread about him surviving a single strike from Kyle, his stats had evolved rapidly, making him feel as though he could skip meals and still feel energized.

Recently, a faint smile often graced Theo’s lips.

> "Hey, have you noticed? Doesn’t it seem like the Young Master’s changed lately?"

> "Right? Is he in love or something?"

> "Are you nuts? He only practices with swords day and night! You’re delusional."

> "Seriously. He’s up at dawn, training in the yard, and spends every night practicing alone. No one’s allowed in his room after dusk."

> "He’s even grown taller lately."

> "Yeah, the tailor was shocked the last time he came. Said he’d grown almost ten centimeters in just a few months."

> "His muscles are showing, too. Especially those veins on his hands when he grips a sword… hehe."

> "Ew, seriously? Wipe your drool."

The maids couldn’t stop gossiping about Theo, who had transformed before their eyes. The sight of him wielding a sword, his hair tied back, drenched in sweat, had become quite the spectacle.

> "He takes ten training swords with him every day. What does he even do with them?"

> "Yeah, I’ve never heard them break."

> "What kind of training does he do?"

These iron training swords were temporary replacements after the edges of the decorative swords began to dull. Thanks to the inventory, he could store plenty of equipment, but with the rising challenge of the monsters, the swords wore down quickly.

Despite their curiosity, no one questioned Theo’s dedication, as his intense focus on training spoke for itself.

>[Entering Floor 5.]

>[You have reached the Boss Room. A powerful monster awaits. Be cautious.]

Finally, he stood before the last gate.

---

**"This is the first time I’ve seen a warning like this."**

Theo’s tension rose as he stared at the message. The air was heavy, stifling, making it hard to breathe.

**"…"**

Floor 5 was smaller than the previous levels, with a large central chamber occupied by a massive, sleeping beast.

**"A dragon?"**

For a moment, Theo wondered if it was the legendary creature, but he quickly dismissed the thought. It had no wings, though its sheer size was monstrous. The dark scales on its body gleamed like gemstones, and its snout, dragon-like, seemed ready to spew fire.

**"A Drake."**

A lower-grade dragon-type monster known for its ferocity and insatiable hunger for prey. But what was it doing here, in this dungeon?

**"It seems to be a Lesser Drake… luckily."**

Putting away his iron sword, Theo drew one of the decorative swords, feeling the tension rise.

**"Ragnar is known as the Descendant of Dragons, but this quest’s final boss is a dragon-type creature… Is this really just coincidence?"**

Although his mind raced, only one thing was certain.

To clear this

 dungeon, he had to kill that creature.

**"Time to use *Single Slash*."**

Single Slash was a thrusting technique Theo had developed in his attempt to mimic *Dragon Flash*. By channeling the power of his Dragon Heart and releasing his near-100 Strength all at once, it delivered a devastating blow.

Though he had not yet mastered the radiant light he sought, he trusted that this technique could land a fatal strike.

**"Haaaah—"**

Taking a deep breath, he twisted his body, feeling his heart pound faster and faster.

**Thump… Thump…**

Power surged through the blade as he unleashed all his energy.

**Thwap—**

The decorative sword sliced through the darkness, plunging deep into the sleeping Drake’s right eye.

**Pierce!**