Fresh blood flowed from the torn wound on Gatot's left shoulder, soaking the fabric of his worn and tattered jacket. Around him, the night air, thick with the smell of sulfur, felt increasingly suffocating. However, there was no time to merely wince or tend to the wound.Two obsidian hounds with dark bodies leaped again from the top of the ruined stone pillars, their jaws wide open, revealing rows of fangs infused with lava heat.*Sret! BUK!*Gatot shifted half a step to the right with terrifying precision. His movements were no longer clumsy like an ordinary human; every muscle in his body seemed to have merged with the rhythm of battle. The black dagger in his right hand shot forward, piercing the gap in the stone plate on the monster's neck. At the same time, his left elbow slammed hard into the muzzle of the second monster, making a sharp bone-cracking sound.The creatures fell, melting into a pile of black ash on the soft ground.[Current Target Count: 47 / 100]The red hologram te

Gery was frozen behind the wheel. His eyes stared straight at the narrow alley to his left. There, amidst the shadows of dark, empty shop-houses, he had just witnessed a sight that defied the logic of his human reason. The empty space in the alley suddenly vibrated, then a man stepped outas if breaking through an invisible barrier.That's Gatot.Gery hurriedly turned off the engine, opened the car door, and ran towards Gatot, panting. "Brother?! You were lost here for two hours, then you just appeared with clothes that..."Gery's sentence hung in the air. He stared in horror at Gatot's cloth jacket, which was now torn here and there, leaving behind shattered threads, revealing the curves of his muscles, which appeared much denser than a few hours ago.Gatot stood stiffly in place. The cold air from the *Solitary Trial* dimension still faintly clung to his skin. He couldn't explain what had just happened. How should he put it? That he had just slaughtered a hundred magma monsters in ano

Gatot's footsteps slowed as he reached the end of the steep corridor. The space before him was a vast, semi-open cavern hall, its ceiling adorned with sharp stone tendrils dripping with an acidic fluid.In the middle of the hall, hot air boiled out of the pores of a massive creature that was tearing apart chunks of black mana stone. The creature was not the *boss gate*, but one of the apex predators inhabiting the deepest ecosystem of the A-rank *dungeon*.[Monster Elite Detected: Iron-Scale Magma Drake (Rank A-)]Its body size reaches eight meters, resembling a giant ancient lizard but with much more robust and dense body proportions. Its entire skin is covered by overlapping black iron scale plates, with the gaps between the scales glowing brightly from the flow of molten magma within.A pair of crossed horns protruded from its large head, and its mace-like tail swayed slowly, grinding the cave floor to dust.*Groarrr...*Although not the absolute ruler of this *gate*, the aura of pr

After the entire sack of magic stones in the East Sector was neatly stacked on the transport plate, Mr. Joni walked up to Gatot, patting his sturdy shoulder. The usually fierce middle-aged man's face was now filled with an unconcealable glow of satisfaction."Gatot, your work today was truly insane. I've never seen a daily miner as fast and strong as you," said Mr. Joni with admiration. He handed Gatot an envelope with his daily wages and a thick extra bonus. "How about you join my permanent team?"The salary is a monthly official salary, there is insurance, and a bonus per quota. It's a shame for someone with your energy to only be a freelance daily worker."Gatot accepted the envelope, weighing its contents for a moment before tucking it into the pocket of his jinns. The offer was certainly tempting for an ordinary laborer, but for Gatot, a permanent contract would only be a chain limiting his movements.He needs the freedom to sneak out and hunt monsters whenever the system gives him

The ride back from the dungeon site was suffocatingly quiet. Gery kept glancing at Gatot through the rearview mirror, his knuckles white against the leather steering wheel. He knew better than to ask heavy questions while Gatot looked like he had just walked out of a war zone, but the tension in the sedan was thick enough to cut with a rusty knife."You sure you don't want me to drop you off at the hospital to see your mom, Bang?" Gery finally asked as he pulled up near Gatot's alleyway, keeping his voice surprisingly gentle."No," Gatot said, his voice raspy as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "I need to clean off first. I'll take a ride there later. Thanks for the lift, Ger.""Hey, Bang," Gery called out just as Gatot pushed the door open. Gery hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "Whatever happened down in that lower shaft today... people are saying two of Jean’s top guys went missing around the same time as that cave-in. Just... be careful, man. Jean isn't the type to let things go.