Limitless Evolution With My Character Merge System

Chapter 15: First Fight

Stepping into the dungeon, Alden felt an irresistible pull. It was impossible to fight, no matter how hard he struggled against it.

For a moment, he couldn’t feel his body. It was as if he had suddenly become weightless.

He couldn’t see anything either. Not even Ember, who was right beside him which was a clear sign that the dungeon's bizarre energy had completely shut off all his senses.

"An extraordinary experience..."

Before he could finish the thought, an overwhelming pressure bore down on him.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing inside an unfamiliar world.

The world was dark, with tall, shadowy trees standing far away.

From deep inside the forest, he could hear the howling of beasts.

Around him were strange, glowing plants giving off a faint light in the dark night.

"So this is how a dungeon looks," he muttered in awe, remembering the novels he had read.

Alden knew this place was far more dangerous and mysterious than it appeared. He had to stay alert and move carefully here.

"Since it's your first time here, let your body adjust to the pressure."

As he struggled against the oppressive pressure and difficulty in breathing, Darian's voice came from the front.

They were all standing together on a hill.

This was one of the dungeon's mysteries: if a group entered at the same time, they would be sent to the same location.

He focused on Darian's advice, calming his mind and body. After two minutes, the pressure lifted as his body adapted to the environment.

Opening his eyes, he took a deep breath, marveling at the strange, otherworldly environment around him.

"Are you ready to leave the safe zone?"

Darian asked, noticing that Alden's earlier discomfort had faded away.

The hill they stood on was their safe zone. Once they stepped off, they would be exposed to the dangers of the dungeon.

"Yes, I'm ready," Alden replied, his hand instinctively gripping the sword on his back.

"This place is filled with dangerous beasts. They may not be very strong, but they are cunning. Stay alert," Darian warned.

Ember added her own advice, sharing her experiences. Zara and Storm stood at the edge of the hill, ready to move.

ROAARR!

ROAARR!

The moment they stepped off the hill, the roars of beasts echoed through the air.

"Stay alert! Attack at the first sign of danger!" Darian shouted aloud.

Alden drew out the sword sheathed on his back, scanning the area with his bright shining eyes.

Meanwhile, Ember quickly retrieved the white bow that had been hanging on her back all this time and swiftly nocked an arrow into it.

Ember was a supportive class awakener, as she had the healing talent. The bow and arrows suited her well, making her a long-range attacker.

"Alden and Ember, you two will take the lead. We'll only step in if things get out of hand."

HOWL!

Before Darian finished speaking, a bone-chilling cry drifted over from nearby, causing them to be more vigilant.

ROAARR!

The sound grew louder, and soon, a massive creature burst from behind the trees.

It was a dark-skinned beast with glowing yellow eyes that burned like fire. Each of its heavy steps made the ground tremble.

"A scor-eye demonic beast," Ember muttered, her eyes locked on the creature.

Alden didn’t blink. His eyes were locked on the fast-approaching monster.

Its dark hide made it nearly invisible in the shadows, and its movements were swift, almost too fast to follow.

WHOOSH!

Ember released her arrow, it flew straight toward the beast, yet the scor-eye wolf dodge effortlessly.

Darian, Zara, and Storm stayed at a distance, watching but not interfering unless things got out of hand.

Ember quickly repositioned herself, nocking another arrow.

Alden moved forward, his focus entirely on the fight.

As he prepared to clash with the wolf, he sidestepped and swung his sword at the beast’s side.

He expected a deep cut into the beast.

Instead, the wolf’s tail slammed into him with brutal force. Alden was thrown backward, crashing hard into a tree with a painful grunt.

The beast lunged at him again, but Alden rolled out of the way just in time and jumped to his feet.

THUD!

The creature's claws dug deep into the tree where Alden had been standing.

[5% damage dealt to your body]

"Shit," Alden muttered, his side aching. He realized just how strong the beast was. His sword hadn’t left a mark on it.

"How tough!" he thought. "And it’s supposed to be a weak beast."

He dove for his sword, gripping it tightly.

The scor-eye wolf began to circle him, its yellow eyes glowing with hunger, ready to shred its prey into bloody pieces.

Alden, meanwhile, silently planned his next move.

Ember fired another arrow. This time, it hit the wolf's side, but the beast barely flinched as the arrow failed to fully penetrate its skin.

Alden charged again, feinting to the left. The wolf fell for it and Alden swung his sword with all his strength at it.

The blade struck the creature’s back, but it only left a shallow cut.

The wolf roared in fury, then lunged at Alden.

He moved to the side, just avoiding the beast’s sharp claws. The ground shook as the wolf landed where Alden had been standing.

WHOOSH!

Another arrow whistled through the air, aimed directly at the wolf's eye.

At the last second, the creature jerked its head, causing the arrow to strike its ear instead.

Alden saw his chance while the wolf was distracted, he leaped onto its back.

He grabbed the two daggers at his side and drove them into the beast's neck.

He could feel the special energy of the daggers surging through his body as he gripped them.

The wolf howled in pain, thrashing violently, trying to throw off Alden.

Just as Alden was about to deliver another blow, the beast slammed heavily onto the ground, forcing him to fall off.

Alden quickly rolled away, narrowly dodging a claw that nearly sliced his neck.

"Damn!" he cursed, realizing that he had almost taken down the beast.

Alden and Ember kept fighting the scor-eye beast, but it was clear they were no match for it.

No matter how hard they tried, their attacks barely made an impact on the creature.

Ember's arrows couldn't pierce its thick skin, and Alden's sword strikes produced only minor cuts.

Their attacks were too slow and superficial to cause any real damage to the beast, proving that they needed more practice and a better understanding of how to wield their weapons effectively.

They needed more power, more skill.

The wolf roared again, its eyes glowing brighter with anger. It lunged at Alden, moving faster than before.

Before he could react, the beast’s tail slammed into him with such force that he was sent flying.

[20% damage dealt to your body]

THUD!

Alden hit the ground hard, the impact robbing him of his breath.

He coughed, blood spilling from his mouth but he gritted his teeth and forced himself to rise while tightly holding his sword.

The scor-eye beast gave him no time to recover, charging at him with its claws poised to tear him apart.

Alden tried to roll out of the way, but he was too slow. The beast’s claws slashed at him, sending him crashing to the ground again.

[Warning⚠️: Host is in critical condition]

Alden couldn’t move. He lay there, struggling to breathe as the beast loomed over him. Its jaws opened wide and ready to finish him off.

[Character healing is taking effect]

Ember fired yet another arrow, but the wolf didn't even notice, extremely focused on Alden.

Just as the beast was about to strike, a blur of motion passed by.

The scor-eye wolf suddenly began to retreat backward, letting out a pained howl as fast, sharp attacks rained down upon it, forcing it backward.