Eight Floor Dungeon, Men Dukedom, Kingdom of Estra, Vassal Kingdom to Ana Empire, Far South from mainnd Ana b ley Empire.

  The flickering glow of ented torches barely illumihe damp stone walls as the party ventured deeper into the dungeon. The once solid, rocky surface had begun to ge, shifting iure as if it were alive. A deep, rhythmic thudding echoed through the passageways—like the slow, steady beat of a colossal heart.

  A pair of red-furred wolves, their eyes gleaming with unnatural malice, lunged from the darkness. Before they could close the distawo mages stepped forward, each holding a delicate sunflower encased in a small gss tube filled with a glowing golden liquid. With a flick of their wrists, the flowers bzed with radiant light, instantly igniting the wolves in an inferno of goldeheir agonized screeches filled the cavern before they colpsed into sm heaps of ash.

  Before the glow of the fmes had fully faded, three goblins darted out from the shadows behind them, their jagged ons raised. A fsh of silver cut through the dimly lit corridor as Eugene, his swleaming with ented light, struck down two in a single, fluid motion.

  The third, heavy furs, let out a guttural snarl before lunging at William. Without hesitation, William sidesteppedand drove his sword through the goblin’s chest, twisting the bde before yanking it free. The gobli out a gurglih cry before colpsing onto the cold stone.

  William exhaled sharply, flig the dark blood from his bde.

  "We’ve cleared the first floor and are on the sed. Now, tell me—what is this important thing you wanted me to see?" he asked, turning to Eugeh an impatient frown.

  Eugene sheathed his sword and oward the tunnel ahead. “Just a little further, Yhness. You’ll uand whe there.”

  William groaned but followed, the knights and mages falling into step behind them.

  With each step forward, the atmosphere of the dungeon shifted. The air, ohick with the smell of damp stone and monster blood, became unnaturally cold. The once solid dungeon walls began to undute, as if somethih them was stirring.

  A low, haunting sound filled the space—the rhythmic thump-thump of something massive beating in the distance.

  As they tinued forward, the tunnel’s appearance became mrotesque. The vihat had once g to the walls, appearing almost like natural rowth, had transformed into pulsatiendrils, throbbing in time with the eerie heartbeat.

  William’s breath fogged in front of him. The temperature had dropped drastically, the chill seeping into his bones.

  He g Eugehis is far enough. We’ve already cleared the magical beasts p out of this dungeon. If we establish an Adventurers’ Guild here, they keep it in check. There’s o go any deeper.”

  Eugene didn’t stop walking. “We must go further, Yhness. This is important—for your future.”

  William gritted his teeth. “Damn it, Eugene—” but he cut himself off, realizing that the knight wouldn’t back down.

  The further they walked, the worse the dungeon became. The floor was no longer solid rock but something softer, slicker, like the inside of a living creature. The walls, once rough and uneven, had taken on the appearance of pulsating flesh, shifting as though breathing. The dripping sound of moisture echoed through the passage, the st of iron and decay thi the air.

  The knights tighteheir grips on their ons, while the mages whispered protective intations uheir breath.

  The beating sound intensified—thump-thump, thump-thump—until it resohrough their very bones.

  Then, they reached it.

  A vast chamber stretched before them, its walls covered in a tangled mass of pulsating red veins that all verged toward the ter. There, embedded into the very structure of the dungeon, was a monstrous, heart-shaped growth—a grotesque fusion of flesh and pnt, its surface slid glistening with crimson fluid.

  It throbbed, beating like a heart, and with each pulse, a low, wet squelg sound echoed through the chamber.

  At the ter of the grotesque flower, a single massive eye snapped open, its golden iris narrowing into a slit as it fixated on them.

  A chilling silence fell over the group.

  Eugene exhaled, a satisfied nod f on his lips. “There it is.”

  William took a slow step forward, his heart pounding in his chest.

  The knights and mages stood frozen, their eyes darting around the chamber, trying to process the monstrous sight before them.

  "What in the name of the Goddess… is this?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

  Beside him, Eugene exhaled slowly, a faint smile tugging at the ers of his lips. "An Abomination, Yhness."

  The chamber seemed to shudder at the words, as if the walls themselves could uand the gravity of what had just been spoken.

  William’s breath caught in his throat. "An Abomination?!" he repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief. "I thought those were nothing more than myths, old stories meant to scare children!"

  The mages, however, were already murmuring amongst themselves in hushed urgency, their eyes wide with realization. One of them, an older schor draped in deep blue robes, took a hesitant step forward, his voice trembling with awe.

  "Yes… yes! An Abomination! That expins it!" he said, his eyes gleaming with both excitement and terror. "I couldn’t pce it at first, but this—this is exactly like the descriptions found in a records. But I hought I would live to see oh my own eyes!"

  William turned sharply toward Eugene, his expression dark and demanding. "Is this why you insisted ing me here?"

  Euge his gaze without hesitation, nodding ohis is just the first of many to e. And you already know what that means, Yhness."

  William's throat felt dry. He swallowed hard before responding. "The return of the Absolute Being…"

  Eugene’s expression hardened, his pierg gaze drilling into William’s own. "Which is why you must succeed the throne, Yhness. The world is ging. We are at the dawn of the end times. And I only pray that wheorm arrives, you will be strong enough to stand against what is ing."

  For a moment, there was silehe only sound was the steady, haunting thrum of the Abomination’s heartbeat, eg through the chamber like a distant war drum.

  Then, something in William shifted. His fists ched, his spiraightened, and in his eyes, a newfound fire burned.

  Before this moment, the throne had only ever been a burden—a responsibility he had been fighting for not because he desired power, but because he wished to protect those he cared for. His friends, his knights, his people. That was the reason he sought the .

  But now?

  Now, the stakes were far greater. The survival of the entire world could rest on his shoulders.

  His grip on his sword rexed slightly as he inhaled deeply, steadying himself. Then, with fierce determination, he gave his answer.

  "I uand."

  His voice was no longer uain. It was the voice of a man who had just seen the abyss and refused to back down.

  Eugeched him carefully, nodding in approval. Good. This is the resolve he will need.

  William turned back to his meract its blood. I will speak to Duke Men aiate full trol of this dungeon. Until then, this discovery must remain a secret."

  The knights and mages bowed their heads in agreement, immediately moving to follow his orders.

  As the group set to work, Eugene allowed himself a small, satisfied smirk.

  This was it. The moment he had been waiting for.

  In his past life, everything had fallen apart.

  William had bee surviving member of the Imperial Family of Ana, forced to rule during the era of the Witch of the West’s attack.

  Desperate for a way to fight back, he and the Saintess had spent years capturing Abominations, experimenting on them, and using their esseo push magic beyond its natural limits. They had almost succeeded, unc the theoretical blueprint of a on that could have sid prevehe resurre of the Absolute Being.

  But by the time they had fully grasped the power of the Abominations—it had already been too te.

  The Witch’s army had desded upon the world, and the Absolute Being had awakened.

  The war had ended in annihition.

  Now, Eugene had been given a sed ce. He was no lohe helpless observer of a doomed future.

  This time, he would ge fate.

  This time, he would prepare William early, make sure he succeeds the throne and builds the ultimate on to destroy the witch.

  He exhaled, his breath visible in the unnatural cold of the chamber, and muttered to himself as he turo follow the others.

  "This time… we will win." Eugehought to himself.

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