Novels by Apex J.

The dungeon trembled.Stone groaned above them as the massive body above them finally moved.Segment after segment scraped through the upper tunnels, grinding against rock, tearing loose chunks of crystal and dust, revealing the full form of the boss. A gigantic centipede-like monster, its body long enough to snake through the ceiling passages. Red chitin plated its frame in overlapping layers and dozens of hooked legs scraped the stone floor as it descended.Its head lowered slowly.Mandibles clicked together as thick saliva dripped onto the cavern floor, sizzling faintly where it landed.Eric felt it clearly through vibration detection, every movement registering like a pulse beneath his feet.“Oh fuck,” Calvin muttered, still unable to move. “This is insane. This is fucking unbelievable! You bastards!”The moment the monster fully revealed itself, Oracle’s voice echoed in Eric’s mind.〈Target confirmed〉〈Type: B-rank centipede-type dungeon monster〉〈Threat level: Extreme〉〈Kill ob

Eric watched Calvin claw at the ground as he tried to push himself up, a groan tearing from his throat, his body trembling from the impact, yet Eric’s expression did not change at all.‘So David’s light magic isn’t just for illumination,’ he thought calmly. ‘It’s offensive magic too.’What interested him more was the reason behind it. ‘Are they planning to cut us out and take the money for themselves, or is there something else at play?’Oracle’s voice echoed in his mind, followed by translucent text.〈That scenario holds a 90 percent probability.〉Eric shifted his gaze to Landon, his eye sharpening slightly. ‘Then that remaining ten percent must be something even more interesting.’Across the room, Landon was staring at him now, eyes narrowed, lips curling in faint disbelief‘He’s not… freaking out?’“You,” he said slowly. “you do not look surprised at all.”Eric didn’t bother denying it.“You’ve known something was off this whole time, haven’t you?”Eric lifted an eyebrow and let ou

While the squad busied themselves with measurements and rough calculations, Eric sat on the floor, his back against the cold dungeon wall. His eyes moved slowly across the vast space around them, intrigued “The size of a dungeon,” he said at last, turning his head toward Calvin, who stood nearby with his arms crossed and his shoulder pressed against the stone. “It has nothing to do with its rank, right? This place is massive, but it’s mostly empty.”Calvin dipped his chin once and glanced at him. “Yeah. Sure does.”They resumed walking and time dragged on, their footsteps echoing endlessly.Eventually, Calvin broke the silence. “You’re really pushing it, huh?” he said, eyeing the two bags slung over Eric’s shoulders. “Carrying all that in a dungeon this big. You sure you’re fine?”Eric shot him a sideways look. “Are you asking because you’re concerned,” he said flatly, “or because you’re pretending to be?”Calvin looked away with a faint sneer.‘Good. Good. Looks like he forgot abo

Above them, dozens of insects skittered along stone before dropping straight down toward the team.Calvin stepped forward instinctively, shoulders rolling as aura gathered around him. “I’ll handle the first wave.”“Don’t bother,” Earl said flatly, not even looking back at him.Calvin froze, irritation flashing across his face. “And why not? I’m A-rank. I’m clearly stronger than you. Let me...”“Relax,” Nolan snapped, already spinning a dagger between his fingers. “You don’t need to.”“Seriously,” Calvin scoffed, stepping closer. “These things are nothing to me.”“Trust us,” Landon said, voice calm but commanding. “We’ve got it covered. Stand back.”Calvin’s jaw tightened, but the team ignored him, moving into formation.He glanced at Eric and shrugged. “Either they’re stupid or they’re stupidly confident.”Eric ignored him, the clicking and chittering of the insects growing louder as they closed in.“They’re dropping!” Nolan shouted.He spun and threw his daggers upward. The blades fl

They stepped through the gate one after another, boots crunching softly as they entered the dungeon. The moment Eric crossed over, darkness swallowed them whole. ‘A pitch black dungeon,’ Eric thought as his gaze swept the space around them.“David, give us some light,” Landon ordered.“Got it,” David replied and he raised his palm and focused. A soft glow gathered at the center of his hand before forming into a floating orb of light. It drifted upward, illuminating the surroundings in a pale circle.The cavern came into view. Stone walls rose on both sides, rough and uneven, while the floor beneath their feet felt cold and solid, like cement fused with rock. The ceiling was barely visible, swallowed by shadows.“What kind of place is this?” Landon muttered, frowning as he looked ahead. “There are no magic beasts.”“No natural light either,” David added, tilting his head upward.Nolan swallowed and shifted closer to the group. “Most dungeons at least have glow stones.”Earl leaned

Cars collided violently, slamming into each other as brakes failed against the sudden appearance of the gate. Some drivers were thrown off course entirely, causing several fatal accidents.Pedestrians scrambled in panic.People came out of their cars, stepping cautiously around the wreckage, eyes wide.“What… what is this?” one man shouted, pointing at the swirling portal. “A gate… in the middle of the road?!”Car horns blared, sirens wailing in the distance, the once orderly street now chaos. Ordinary pedestrians froze, unsure whether to flee or just stare in shock.“Where are the Hunters?!” someone yelled, panic edging his voice.“They have to respond immediately! This is insane!” another shouted, shaking his head.Eric leaned against the broken window frame, arms crossed, watching the commotion unfold. Calvin and the others were beside him, all silent for a moment, taking in the scene.“Calvin, you’re an A-rank. What are you still doing here?” Eric asked casually, one eyebrow raise