The greatest dungeon master

Darkness. Absolute, profound darkness. Orion felt nothing, saw nothing, heard nothing. For a timeless moment, he was merely an absence, a void. Then, a searing heat, not the infernal blaze of lava, but an internal fire, ignited within his very core. It spread rapidly, consuming the numbness, replacing it with a throbbing, all-encompassing ache. Pain. Pain in his side, his head, his limbs. It was agonizing, yet, paradoxically, it was also a profound relief. He was alive.

He lay motionless on a cold, smooth floor, the air around him still and heavy, devoid of the sulfurous fumes or the roar of collapsing rock. The silence was absolute, deeper than any he had ever known. He slowly, painfully, opened his eyes. All he could discern was an impenetrable blackness. He tried to move, and a fresh wave of agony coursed through him, confirming his physical reality. He was not dead. But where was he?

The last thing he remembered was the terrifying plunge, Lysander's scream, the molten lava rushing up to meet him. He had pushed Lysander away, a final, desperate act, accepting his fate. He should be… gone. Vaporized. Yet, here he was, battered but undeniably present.

As these thoughts raced through his aching mind, a soft, ethereal blue panel shimmered into existence directly before him, translucent and glowing faintly in the oppressive darkness. Its appearance was sudden, almost startling. Words, in the familiar spectral script of the Dungeon Core Mark, began to form across its surface, accompanied by a resonant, almost melodic hum that vibrated through his very bones.

[ Dungeon Core Detected! ]

[ Dungeon Core seeks connection with Host: Orion Elias Aetherin. ]

[ Initiate Connection? (Y/N) ]

Orion's heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence. A Dungeon Core? Seeking him? Before he could even process the words, before he could make a choice, the pain, the confusion, and the sheer shock of the revelation overwhelmed him. The blue panel seemed to spin, the words blurring, and then the darkness consumed him once more. He fell back into unconsciousness, the silent hum of the panel the last thing he felt.

When Orion finally opened his eyes again, it was to the same profound darkness, but the aching in his head had dulled to a persistent throb. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, his mind still a swirling fog of confusion. Where was he? Was this… the afterlife? But the pain, the very real, physical pain, argued against it. He was alive.

Then, the memory of the Lumien's Sanctuary, the collapsing bridge, Lysander's face, and his own desperate shove flooded back. And the blue panel. The Dungeon Core.

He immediately concentrated on his left hand, on the intricate Dungeon Core Mark etched into his skin. He pushed a small amount of mana into it, and his spectral screen, now a vibrant, translucent blue, flared to life before his eyes. What he saw there made his heart leap, a mix of shock and exhilaration.

[ Host Profile: Orion Elias Aetherin ]

[ Race: Human (Unique Lineage) ]

[ Rank: F-rank Magus (Tier 3) ]

[ Agility: 40 ]

[ Strength: 40 ]

[ Mana Points: 40 ]

[ Stamina: 40 ]

[ Abilities: ]

[Dungeon Link (F-rank, Tier 3): Allows user to establish a profound, telepathic connection with a Dungeon Core, enabling limited interaction and control over its functions and inhabitants.]

[ Special Status: Scion of Prophecy (Dormant) ]

[ Runic Mark: Active ]

Orion stared, dumbfounded. F-rank, Tier 3? All his stats, even his mana and stamina, were now at a solid 40! And he had an ability! Dungeon Link! He had been F-rank, Tier 1, just moments ago, the weakest of the group. Now… now he was Tier 3, just like his friends. A wave of profound relief and elation washed over him, momentarily eclipsing his confusion about the 'Dungeon Link' ability. He had leveled up! He wasn't useless anymore!

His gaze then fell to the top of his spectral screen, where a series of notifications, far more numerous than he remembered, were stacked. He began to read them, one by one, a growing sense of wonder and bewilderment filling him.

[ Dungeon Notification: Host Orion Elias Aetherin has achieved F-Rank, Tier 3! ]

[ Dungeon Notification: Connection to Dungeon Core established! ]

[ Dungeon Notification: Dungeon Core sought connection with Host Orion Elias Aetherin. ]

[ Dungeon Notification: Dungeon Core detected. ]

[ Dungeon Notification: Reward for clearing 1st Floor of The Lumien's Sanctuary has been fully processed. ]

[ Runic Tattoo: 'Dungeon Core Mark' - Grade Increased! ]

[ Current Grade: 3 ]

[ New Function Unlocked: 'Knowledge Assimilation' ]

[ Note: The 'Knowledge Assimilation' function allows the user to channel mana through the Dungeon Core Mark to scan and store information from written texts (books, scrolls, ancient tablets). Stored information can be accessed at any time via the 'Inspect' skill. The grade of the 'Dungeon Core Mark' can increase further as more unique and complex information is assimilated. ]

Orion's mind reeled. His Runic Tattoo was now Grade 3! And he had gained the 'Knowledge Assimilation' function. He had somehow leveled up, gained an ability, and upgraded his tattoo, all without even realizing it. The notifications about the Dungeon Core, about it seeking him, were still a blur, too fantastical to fully grasp. He was just so incredibly happy to be powerful, to have finally broken through his F-rank, Tier 1 limitations. He had no idea what 'Dungeon Link' truly meant, or how he had achieved this sudden surge in power, but for now, the sheer joy of leveling up was enough. He was no longer the weakest.