Chapter 66: Wind Gale Katana!
Chapter 66
SWOOSH!
FWIIISH!
CLICK, CLICK, CLICK!
A portal swirled open and an individual walked out of it. And this individual was Zen.
The moment Zen stepped through the swirling orange portal, the first thing that hit him wasn’t the sight, it was the cold.
A sharp, biting chill wrapped around him like invisible chains, making his breath mist in the air. His skin prickled as though the very air was trying to gnaw at him.
The dungeon’s interior was vast and eerily silent, with high ceilings that stretched into darkness. Shadows pooled in every corner, and the silence was so deep it pressed down on his ears.
Jagged stone walls curved unevenly, covered in patches of faintly glowing moss that gave off a muted green-blue light. That light wasn’t warm. It made everything feel colder, as if the dungeon itself was alive and watching him through unseen eyes.
The ground beneath Zen’s boots was rough and cracked, littered with broken stones and long, dry claw marks etched deep into the surface. Some looked fresh, their edges sharp, while others had already faded into the stone, proof that many battles had taken place here.
Pools of murky water reflected distorted images of the moss-light from above, rippling even when no wind touched them. The reflections seemed to bend unnaturally, like the water itself was reluctant to stay still.
Every few meters, towering stone pillars rose up — some broken halfway, others still intact, their surfaces carved with ancient, unreadable symbols worn down by time and battles.
Zen brushed his hand against one as he passed, the markings cold and rough beneath his fingertips, as though whispering secrets of forgotten warriors.
The air smelled faintly of iron and damp earth mixed with something more... rotten. Like something had died here a long time ago and the dungeon never forgot it.
Echoes followed Zen with each step which was not just his own, but faint, delayed echoes as though something walked just a little behind him, always out of sight. He paused once, listening carefully, but the sound died away, leaving only his own steady breathing.
In the distance, deeper into the dungeon’s winding corridors, Zen could faintly make out glimmers of orange and blue: flickering dungeon flames set in iron sconces on the walls. But even the flames felt unnatural, burning without heat, their light bending oddly as though wary of the darkness.
It wasn’t cramped, but it wasn’t open either. Long halls stretched forward before opening into cavernous chambers. From one such chamber, Zen peeked inside and could already sense familiar beasts growling and cackling together as they moved around in restless circles.
"Oh?" Zen whispered as he quickly moved away from the chamber entrance with a grin on his face. "Let me equip my new sword before we begin hunting."
{Inventory}
{Are you sure you want to equip The Gale Wind Katana?}
{Yes/No}
"Did you even have to ask? Of course yes." Zen muttered in impatience.
{Katana equipped.}
Immediately after, a faint shimmering light which only Zen could see began forming around his hand. A few seconds later, a sword dropped into his grip, solid and cold. He tightened his hold instantly, the familiar weight of a weapon filling him with excitement.
Looking down at the sword, Zen decided to examine it closely.
The Katana measured just over a meter in length, its single-edged blade sleek and gently curved for fluid, effortless slashes.
The metal held a muted silver-blue hue, not mirror-shiny but brushed with a soft wind-like gleam that seemed to ripple faintly when caught by the light. Along its fuller ran subtle etched patterns resembling wind currents, barely noticeable unless closely observed.
The hilt was slightly longer than standard, designed for both single and two-handed grips, wrapped in dark teal leather that felt smooth yet firm to the touch.
No guard jutted out unnecessarily, only a slim oval guard close to the blade’s base, simple and light to avoid weighing down the wielder.
When Zen held it, the katana felt unusually light, almost like wielding air rather than steel. It balanced perfectly in his grip, the weight evenly distributed, making both swift cuts and precise mid-range slashes feel natural. Even standing still, the blade seemed alive as though the wind itself gathered quietly around its edge, waiting for the next swing.
Not believing his hands, Zen gave it a few swings in the air and with each swing, the sharp sound howled in his ears, making him grin ear to ear. His heart raced, not from fear but from anticipation.
’This is quite perfect. Not too heavy, not too light. It’s evenly balanced.’ Zen thought, his fingers tightening around the hilt. He exhaled slowly, his grin still lingering, before peeking once more into the chambers to see the beasts still cackling together in the shadows.
And without any hesitation, he stepped through the entrance. The moment he did, all the hundred D rank beasts turned their heads toward him, their glowing eyes locking onto his figure. Zen’s throat tightened as he gulped slightly, his gaze shifting far back to see the boss seated on a pile of bones, as if it were a throne of some kind, cold and grotesque.
Tring!
{Quest Alert!}
{Defeat all beasts and clear dungeon for rewards}
{Rewards to gain: +400XP, +5 free stat points; +50NP; +1 new skill}
"Hello there." Zen grinned, voice calm but tinged with excitement, as all the beasts stiffened and immediately went on guard.
The monsters waiting for him in this dungeon were goblins. Green-skinned, short yet slightly muscular, their wiry frames hid surprising strength.
Long ears twitched as their wide, bulging eyes fixed on him, unblinking. Each one carried a long, crude spear gripped with bone-white knuckles. Their humanoid faces twisted into snarls, lips peeling back to reveal jagged yellow teeth.
Zen didn’t even have the luxury of a single breath before the hundred goblins surged forward, the ground trembling under their charge.
Without hesitation, Zen slid into a stance, both hands clamping tightly around his sword’s hilt. His eyes tracked their movements, baiting his time, waiting for the first strike.
The moment came fast.
A spear darted toward his chest — Zen pivoted sharply, sliding just out of its path. Another goblin lunged from the side, its weapon aiming straight for his head. Zen leaned backward at the last second, the cold steel cutting the air above his face by a hair’s breadth.
A jab came for his ribs. This time, Zen swung his sword in front of him.
CLANG!
The impact rang out as steel met crude iron, sparks flashing, yet Zen didn’t budge an inch. His stance held solid, his eyes narrowing in sharp focus.
Another goblin tried to skewer him from above, but Zen crouched low, the strike whistling past. He exploded upward in a powerful leap, launching high into the air.
The entire horde looked up in unison, their snarls echoing off the dungeon walls, eyes widening at the sight of the human soaring above them.
"Let’s see how this works." Zen muttered with a feral grin. His body spun midair, and he swung the katana in a clean arc.
The sword’s active skill flared instantly — a shimmering crescent of wind burst from the blade with a sharp howl.
SWOOOSH!
The razor arc carved through the first goblin’s neck, severing its head clean off in a spray of dark blood. The wind blade didn’t stop there; it ripped into another beast’s chest, knocking it back across the chamber with a deep, bleeding gash.
THUD!
Zen landed perfectly, the sound of his boots striking stone echoing with finality. His grin stretched wider as the other goblins froze for half a heartbeat, their gazes snapping to the two fallen. One headless, the other writhing on the floor.
’I feel faster. Like the wind itself is carrying me. The boots coupled with the katana... they’ve boosted my AGI stat to the next level. Damnn!’ Zen thought, exhilaration flooding his veins.
CACKLE!
All the goblins shrieked together, their high-pitched cries clashing like broken horns, before bolting straight at him again.
Zen didn’t flinch.
Instead, he exhaled slowly, planting his feet firmly on the cracked stone. His left hand stretched out like a challenge, while his right hand gripped the katana tightly. His entire body angled forward in perfect readiness, his grin never fading as he welcomed the oncoming storm.