For several long seconds, no one spoke.
The dungeon had fallen completely silent.
The massive body of the Abyss Devourer lay motionless across the stone floor, its armored legs twitching slightly before finally going still.
Black blood slowly spread across the cracked ground.
Borin leaned against his axe and let out a deep breath.
"…That thing was tougher than it looked."
Lyra wiped the dark blood from her blade and slid the sword back into its sheath.
Her eyes carefully scanned the surrounding tunnels.
"Everyone okay?"
Sel nodded quietly, though sweat still covered his forehead.
"That spell nearly drained me."
Arin said nothing.
Instead, he watched the monster's corpse carefully.
The system displayed several notifications.
[+1500 EXP]
[Level Up]
[Level 17 Reached]
A warm wave of energy flowed through Arin's body.
His muscles felt stronger.
Sharper.
But something still bothered him.
The system message from earlier echoed in his mind.
Additional presence detected.
Arin turned toward the deeper tunnel beyond the battlefield.
The darkness there seemed heavier somehow.
Almost alive.
Lyra noticed his gaze.
"What is it?"
Arin spoke quietly.
"That monster…"
He gestured toward the Abyss Devourer.
"It wasn't the real danger."
Borin frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Before Arin could answer, Sel suddenly spoke.
"Wait."
The mage crouched beside the monster's corpse and examined something carefully.
His fingers brushed across strange markings on the creature's armored shell.
Sel's eyes widened.
"These markings…"
Lyra stepped closer.
"What about them?"
Sel stood slowly.
"They're not natural."
He pointed at the strange patterns carved into the creature's armor.
"Someone placed a control seal on this monster."
Borin blinked.
"…You're joking."
Sel shook his head.
"No."
He looked toward the dark tunnel.
"This creature was guarding something."
A deep silence filled the cavern.
Lyra's expression hardened.
"So the dungeon report was wrong."
Arin nodded slightly.
"This wasn't a random monster."
He looked deeper into the tunnel again.
"It was protecting something further inside."
Borin let out a short laugh.
"Well then."
He lifted his axe onto his shoulder.
"Looks like we found the real quest."
Lyra considered the situation for a moment.
Then she sighed.
"We've already come this far."
She looked at the team.
"We continue carefully."
Sel raised his staff again, creating a faint magical light.
"Stay close."
The group slowly moved deeper into the dungeon.
The tunnel gradually became wider.
The blue crystals along the walls grew brighter.
Strange ancient symbols appeared carved into the stone.
Arin ran his hand across one of them as they passed.
The moment his fingers touched the symbol—
The system reacted violently.
[Ancient Technology Detected.]
Arin stopped walking immediately.
Lyra noticed.
"What happened?"
Arin stared at the glowing symbol.
"This place…"
His voice grew quieter.
"…isn't just a dungeon."
The system displayed more information.
[Energy Signature Match: 63%]
[Origin Similar to Ancient System Core.]
Arin's eyes narrowed.
The same technology from the ruins.
That meant only one thing.
This dungeon was connected to the same ancient civilization that created the Infinite System.
Suddenly the tunnel ended.
The group stepped into a massive underground chamber.
Everyone froze.
The room was enormous.
Ancient pillars stretched toward the ceiling.
Broken statues lined the walls.
And in the center of the chamber…
A giant stone structure stood.
It looked like a sealed gate.
Strange glowing runes covered its surface.
Sel whispered softly.
"…What is this place?"
Lyra slowly walked forward.
"An ancient ruin."
But Arin felt something deeper.
The system began flashing rapidly.
[Warning.]
[High Energy Source Detected.]
The stone gate suddenly began glowing.
The runes lit up one by one.
Then a deep mechanical voice echoed through the chamber.
"System bearer… detected."
Everyone froze.
Borin looked around nervously.
"…Did the dungeon just talk?"
But Arin understood immediately.
The voice wasn't addressing them.
It was addressing him.
The ancient gate slowly began to open.
Stone cracked.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
A blinding blue light poured from the opening.
The system displayed one final message.
[Ancient System Core Fragment Located.]
Arin's heartbeat quickened.
Another piece of the system.
Hidden inside the dungeon.
But before he could move—
The mechanical voice spoke again.
"Qualification test… required."
The entire chamber suddenly shook violently.
And something massive began rising from beneath the stone floor.
Something far more dangerous…
Than the Abyss Devourer.