Dungeon King of the New Era

The fight against the five elite monsters was over before it had even truly begun.

The moment Raven was done checking his balance and verifying that his body was in peak condition, he moved with ruthless efficiency. Without hesitation, he weaved between the towering enemies, avoiding their synchronized attacks with unnatural ease.

His dagger flashed, precise and deadly, cutting through the weakest points of their armor with inhuman precision. For those he didn't bother using a weapon against, he simply relied on brute force.

Limbs were torn from sockets, helmets caved in under the force of his strikes, and monstrous bodies crumbled under his hands.

The entire battle lasted less than three minutes.

By the time the last elite monster collapsed in a pile of shattered metal and dissipating energy, the Arena had fallen into complete silence.

No cheers. No shouts. No reaction at all.

The stunned association leaders, the elite officials who had gathered to witness this spectacle, couldn't even bring themselves to move. Their faces were pale, their bodies frozen in disbelief.

They had expected difficulty.

They had expected struggle.

What they had witnessed instead was absolute annihilation.

Raven cracked his neck as he straightened up, dusting off his hands as if he had simply finished a warm-up. His crimson eyes scanned the silent arena, unimpressed.

"That's it?" 

He muttered, shaking his head.

The only person who had the nerve to speak was Shura, who sighed before calling out, "

Alright, Raven. The test is over."

Raven turned toward him, his brows furrowing slightly.

 "Already? I barely even got started. I didn't even get to the good part." 

His voice carried an edge of dissatisfaction, but it made everyone flinch. They did not want to know what the good part  was.

Shura crossed his arms, his expression unyielding. 

"You got the data you needed. There's no point in staying any longer."

Raven let out a low huff but didn't argue. He had no real reason to remain if Shura had made up his mind. Besides, it wasn't like the Arena had anything else to offer him at this point.

With that decision made, Raven took a step forward, and the system disengaged, pulling him out of the virtual battlefield.

When he reemerged in the real world, stepping out of the Arena module, the reaction was instantaneous.

Every single person in the room flinched.

Despite not having seen the fight directly, they had all heard the gasps and muttered words of disbelief from the officials monitoring the Arena system. 

They had expected Raven to struggle, to barely make it through, but instead…

He had shattered their expectations.

And that terrified them.

They had known he was strong. After all, Raven Steel was a legendary figure from the past. But seeing that nothing had changed after a decade in a dungeon—that he was still powerful beyond comprehension—was something none of them had been prepared for.

Ignoring the fearful stares directed at him, Raven calmly stepped forward until he was standing directly in front of Jeremey Horland.

Jeremey, despite being the taller of the two, suddenly felt much, much smaller.

The way Raven looked up at him—unblinking, unwavering—sent a shiver down his spine. It wasn't an aggressive glare or a violent threat. No, it was worse.

Raven's stare was calm. Amused, even.

But it carried an overwhelming pressure, a silent message that screamed louder than words ever could—You are nothing in my eyes.

Raven tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into the faintest hint of a smirk. 

"So, was this what you wanted to see?" 

He said, his voice casual, yet carrying a weight that made Jeremey's stomach twist. 

Jeremey opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. His throat had gone dry.

Raven waited for an answer, but when none came, his smirk widened. He took another step closer, intentionally closing the distance. 

"No words, Jeremey? Didn't you say something about making sure I could keep up? I think I did just fine, don't you? Hey, answer me before I feel the need to drag it out of you by force." 

His tone was almost teasing. 

Jeremey felt sweat gather at his temple, but before Raven could push any further, Shura suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

"Alright, we're leaving. You have done enough damage for today. Any more and these people would break for sure." 

Shura announced to the room, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The other officials barely reacted, still too dazed by what they had witnessed.

As they reached the exit, Shura turned back to the silent room, his golden eyes sharp. 

"I suggest you all keep what happened today to yourselves. If you want peace in your lives, you won't mention a word of this to anyone. And remember, if you disappoint me, I won't be the one to come after you."

The warning was clear and it made everyone gulp in nervousness.

And even though Shura's presence carried its own weight, it was nothing compared to the real threat—the man standing beside him.

That day, everyone in that room saw a demon and no one wanted to be on the receiving end of that bloody grin.

Raven himself didn't promise the same silence. He said nothing at all. He simply let his presence do the talking.

The oppressive silence that followed them out of the room quickly transformed into chaos the moment they were gone.

Jeremey collapsed into the nearest chair, his hands trembling as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

One of the younger officials swallowed hard. 

"W-What do we do now?"

"Isn't it obvious? We don't make an enemy out of him. Not only is he fucking mad, but he's got power to back it up." 

Another voice, hoarse with disbelief, answered. 

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room.

They had seen enough to understand one thing—Raven Steel wasn't just an old legend from the past. He wasn't a relic to be looked down upon.

He was a monster.

And if they weren't careful…

They would be the ones lying broken on the ground next.