Is It Wrong To Level Up In A Dungeon?

Chapter 16. Desire To Become Strong

His brows furrowed. Why?

Another knight lunged. He sidestepped, driving his dagger into its exposed neck. The body collapsed in a heap, but once again—no experience gained.

Then, he noticed something.

Beyond the knights, cloaked figures stood in formation, their hands weaving intricate symbols. Mages. Their lips moved in silent incantations, and in response, more knights materialized.

Bell's eyes widened. So that's it...

No matter how many knights he cut down, they weren't real enemies. Just disposable summons. The real targets were the mages.

He needed to cut the problem at the root.

His gaze locked onto one of the spellcasters, his fingers tightening around the Knight Killer. The mage stood behind a row of knights—too far for a direct attack. But distance wasn't an issue.

Bell threw the dagger.

The blade spun through the air, whistling as it cut cleanly through a knight's helmet before embedding itself deep into the mage's chest. The caster barely had time to register what happened before his body collapsed.

!Notice
[You have learned Skill: Dagger Toss.]

The moment the mage fell, something changed.

A chain reaction spread through the battlefield as a large group of knights crumbled into dust, vanishing as if they had never existed.

Bell smirked. So that's how it is.

There were still five mages left. If he wanted to end this quickly, he needed to take them all out at once.

Bell activated Camouflage. His body flickered, blending seamlessly into the surroundings. His presence vanished—

!Notice
[Enemies have used Skill: Detection.]

Bell's illusion shattered. The knights immediately turned toward him, their swords raised.

But Bell wasn't focused on them.

Above each mage, large yellow eyes shimmered in the darkness, watching. Bell grinned.

"Found you."

Bell stretched out his hand, and Knight Killer shot back to him, its hilt landing perfectly in his palm. At the same time, Hestia's Knife tore free from a knight's armor and zipped through the air, returning to its rightful owner.

With both weapons in hand, he lunged.

The nearest mage barely had time to react before Bell slashed across his chest. The robed figure let out a choked gasp as blood splattered across the ground.

!Notice
[You have defeated a mage.]

"Four more to go."

Bell didn't stop moving. He dashed through the battlefield, weaving between the knights like a phantom. Their blades slashed at empty space, failing to keep up. Every movement was calculated—a dodge, a pivot, a counter. Any knight that dared to stand in his way was cut down in an instant.

But Bell wasn't just using his blades.

He thrust out his hand and activated Commander's Touch.

A knight in heavy armor suddenly froze in place—then crumpled like paper. The invisible force crushed it with sheer, unrelenting pressure, caving in its chest plate and snapping its limbs with sickening cracks.

Bell grinned. "I'll slice all of you to bits!"

With another quick step, he closed in on the second mage. The spellcaster tried to summon a defensive barrier, but it was too slow. Bell's dagger pierced through its form.

!Notice
[You have defeated a mage.]

"Three left."

But before he could go for the next target, the battlefield rumbled.

The remaining knights, instead of attacking, began fusing together. Their bodies merged, armor clicking and warping into place. Limbs twisted unnaturally, forming something far larger—a hulking colossus of steel and magic.

A golem.

Its burning red eyes locked onto him, and before Bell could move—

BOOM!

The ground exploded beneath the sheer weight of the golem's foot, sending debris flying. A massive cloud of dust rose into the air, obscuring the battlefield.

For a moment, everything was still.

Then—

"Did you really think that was enough to kill me?"

Bell's voice rang out from above. As the dust cleared, he stood perched on the golem's shoulder, completely unharmed.

The monster barely had time to react before Bell kicked off and soared toward the final mages.

SLASH!

One fell. Then another.

The last mage turned to run, but Bell threw Knight Killer. The blade spun through the air before sinking deep into the mage's back.

!Notice
[You have defeated a mage.]
[You have defeated a mage.]
[You have defeated a mage.]

The moment the final summoner fell, the golem collapsed.

Its massive form shuddered before crumbling into a heap of hollow armor. The battlefield was silent once more.

Bell let out a breath, rolling his shoulders. "That's more like it."

!Notice
[You have defeated all the monsters within the testing room. The Job Change Quest has now ended.]

[You have acquired enough promotion points to qualify for a high-rank class.]

[Analyzing Player's combat records...]

Bell exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he dismissed the notification screen. "So, what's my new job?"

Another notification blinked into existence.

!Notice

[Wherever the Player goes, Death Follows.]

Bell's body tensed. His breath hitched slightly at the ominous words.

[The scent of blood fills the air, and the Player leaves a trail of corpses in his wake.]

"What...?"

Another line appeared.

[Your desire for power is strong enough to call forth the wandering spirits of the dead. An army of the fallen will heed your call, clearing the path upon which you walk.]

His job class.

His power.

This was what the system had chosen for him.

His heart pounded as the final notification appeared.

His eyes widened. "This... this is my job?"

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Next: Catching Up