The air grew heavier with every step.
Jack moved deeper into the ruins, his grip tight on the Null Edge, his senses stretched to their limit. The faint glow of broken symbols along the walls pulsed like a dying heartbeat.
Each step echoed.
Too loud.
Too clear.
Like something… was listening.
Then—
He saw it.
At the center of a vast chamber stood something massive.
Not twisted like the smaller creatures.
Not chaotic.
Structured.
A towering figure of dark stone and fractured light, its body formed from jagged geometric plates. Cracks ran across its surface, glowing faintly from within.
At its chest—
A core.
Pulsing.
Bright.
Alive.
[Boss Detected]
Name: Core Guardian
Level: ???
Threat Level: High
Jack's throat went dry.
"…That's not level 1–3…"
The Core Guardian moved.
Slow.
Heavy.
Each step shook the ground.
Jack instinctively activated Numerical Insight.
The world sharpened.
But—
For the first time—
It struggled.
"…What?"
The boss's movements—
Were harder to read.
The numbers—
Blurred.
"…You've got to be kidding me…"
The Core Guardian raised its arm.
And slammed it down.
Jack barely reacted.
"MOVE!"
He rolled—
Just in time.
BOOOOM!
The ground exploded where he had stood.
Stone shattered.
Dust filled the air.
Jack coughed, scrambling back.
"…Too strong."
His mind raced.
He couldn't fight this like the others.
No chance.
Then—
His eyes locked onto the core.
"That's the weak point…"
But it was protected.
Covered by thick layers of shifting plates.
"…So I need to break through."
The Core Guardian turned toward him again.
Faster this time.
"—!"
It charged.
Jack's eyes widened.
"WAIT—WHAT?!"
He ran.
The ground shook violently behind him.
CRASH!
A massive strike barely missed him.
Shockwaves threw him forward.
He hit the ground hard.
Pain shot through his body.
"Damn it…!"
He forced himself up.
His shoulder screamed in protest—the earlier injury wasn't healed.
"…I need time…"
He reached into his pocket—
And pulled out a Minor Healing Potion.
"No choice."
He drank it.
A warm energy spread through his body.
The pain dulled.
The wound began to close—slowly, but enough.
"…Good."
The boss was already moving again.
Jack steadied his breathing.
"Think… think…"
Numerical Insight activated again.
This time—
He pushed it further.
Harder.
The world slowed more.
Strained.
Numbers flickered wildly.
"…Come on…"
For a brief moment—
Clarity.
A pattern.
The Core Guardian's attack cycle.
Heavy strike → pause → shift → expose core (0.5 seconds)
Jack's eyes widened.
"That's it."
One chance.
Miss it—
He dies.
The Core Guardian attacked again.
Jack didn't dodge immediately.
He waited.
Timing it.
Perfectly.
The strike came—
At the last second—
He moved.
A narrow escape.
Then—
The pause.
The plates shifted.
The core—
Exposed.
"NOW!"
Jack dashed forward.
Everything burned.
His legs.
His lungs.
His mind.
But he didn't stop.
He jumped—
And drove the dagger forward.
CLANG!
The blade hit—
But—
Didn't pierce fully.
"…Not enough!"
The Core Guardian roared—
A deep, distorted sound.
It moved.
Too fast.
"—!"
Jack's eyes widened.
He couldn't escape.
The massive arm slammed into him.
BOOOOM!
Jack was sent flying.
He crashed into a pillar.
The world spun.
Blood filled his mouth.
"…I… messed up…"
His vision blurred.
His body refused to move.
The Core Guardian approached.
Slow.
Inevitable.
Jack tried to stand.
Failed.
"…Is this it…?"
Silence.
Then—
The system.
[Warning: Critical Condition]
[Activating Emergency Calculation Boost]
Jack's eyes snapped open.
"…What?"
A surge—
Stronger than before—
Exploded through his mind.
Numbers flooded everything.
Not chaotic.
Perfect.
Precise.
The world became—
Clear.
Completely clear.
Every movement.
Every possibility.
Every outcome.
"…I can see it…"
Jack slowly stood up.
The pain was still there.
But distant.
Irrelevant.
The Core Guardian attacked.
Jack moved.
Effortlessly.
He stepped aside before the attack even began.
"…Too slow."
He dashed forward.
No hesitation.
No fear.
The plates shifted—
But this time—
He was faster.
He adjusted mid-motion.
Changed angle.
Perfect trajectory.
And—
SHATTER!
The dagger pierced—
Directly into the core.
Light exploded.
The Core Guardian froze.
Cracks spread across its entire body.
Then—
It collapsed.
Shattering into fragments of light.
Silence.
Jack stood there.
Breathing heavily.
Then—
He dropped to one knee.
"…That… was insane…"
The system appeared again.
[Boss Eliminated]
[Massive Experience Gained]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
Jack's eyes widened.
"…Level 4…?"
Then—
[Rare Drop Detected]
A brilliant golden light appeared.
Brighter than anything before.
Jack stared.
"…Please be good…"
The light solidified.
A piece of gear.
A sleek, dark gauntlet with glowing lines matching the dagger.
[Item Acquired]
Name: Null Gauntlet (Rare)
Type: Equipment
Effect:
Enhances grip and attack precision
Increases damage sync with Null-type weapons
Grants minor kinetic resistance
Jack slowly reached out.
The moment he equipped it—
Power surged through his arm.
Stronger.
Sharper.
"…This…"
A grin spread across his face.
"…This is amazing."
Then—
The dungeon trembled.
Jack looked up.
"…Don't tell me there's more—"
[Dungeon Clear: Fragmented Node – Level 1]
[Exit Portal Opening]
A portal formed behind him.
Jack exhaled.
"…Good."
He turned—
Walking toward it.
But before stepping through—
He looked back.
At the broken battlefield.
At where he almost died.
His expression changed.
Not fear.
Not relief.
Something else.
Determination.
"…I'm getting stronger."
He clenched his fist.
"And I'm not stopping."
Then—
He stepped through the portal.
Back to the real world.
But nothing—
Would ever be the same again.