"Charkin, are you okay?"

  After the battle, Hulim emerged from the ruins, accompanied by two Shieldhorn Beasts.

  Charkin casually patted the dust off his body.

  "Not bad—these metal clunkers can't hurt me!"

  Seeing he was truly unharmed, Hulim breathed a sigh of relief.

  She looked at the already shattered city ruins, now even more broken after the battle, and a question arose in her mind......

  After a brief rest, the two continued their journey.

  On the way, Hulim asked the question that had been bothering her.

  "Charkin, why are there still so many Golems active in Myrnabyss? Based on the Golems’ movement patterns and the strength of the monsters here, they should have been worn down long ago."

  "It’s only natural you’re confused."

  Charkin sat on the back of a Shieldhorn Beast, answering calmly.

  "Hulim, let me ask you first—how much do you know about dungeons?"

  "Dungeons? I know a bit......"

  Dungeons were common in Himlir, found all over the world. Most were controlled by the Adventurers’ Guild, serving as both an important source of income for adventurers and a key producer of various materials.

  Dungeons were categorized into three types.

  The first type was Monster Labyrinths.

  These labyrinths could absorb miasma particles invading from the Demon Realm, concentrating them inside and converting them into various monsters.

  Unlike monsters in the outside world, these creatures were not complete living beings. Instead, they were more like constructs formed by condensed miasma particles, driven solely by instinct.

  Known as Dungeon Monsters, they were distinguished from ordinary monsters.

  When Dungeon Monsters died, their mana-concentrated parts—such as Magic Cores and certain special body parts—could be collected and recycled. The rest, however, were basically useless waste that would be naturally absorbed by the labyrinth before long.

  This type of Monster Labyrinth was the most common and numerous in Himlir.

  They continuously absorbed invading miasma particles, purifying them to protect the world from corruption.

  Of course, Monster Labyrinths were not entirely safe. The Dungeon Monsters inside were just as strong as those outside, and due to the labyrinth’s mechanism, they regenerated endlessly—requiring regular clearance.

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  If not cleared in time, Dungeon Monsters would multiply exponentially. When they reached a critical mass, the labyrinth would collapse.

  At that point, all Dungeon Monsters inside would pour out, forming a terrifying Monster Tide.

  Furthermore, if Dungeon Monsters stayed in the outside world for too long, they would gradually absorb mana particles to transform into ordinary monsters. Breaking free from their instinct-driven state, they would gain more intelligence—ultimately posing greater harm......

  The second type of dungeon.

  If Monster Labyrinths were the most numerous, this second type was the rarest:

  Seal Labyrinths.

  As the name suggested, Seal Labyrinths were built to seal powerful beings.

  In terms of structure, they were not much different from Monster Labyrinths—even it could be said they were modified from them.

  The biggest difference lay in their core: while Monster Labyrinths operated on a Dungeon Core, the core of a Seal Labyrinth was the sealed target itself.

  Instead of absorbing miasma particles from the outside, Seal Labyrinths continuously siphoned energy from the sealed being, converting it to power the entire labyrinth and create Dungeon Monsters.

  Due to this trait, Seal Labyrinths inevitably decline over time. When the sealed target’s power is completely exhausted, the labyrinth’s mission is fulfilled.

  Naturally, these labyrinths are also the most dangerous. Any mishap could lead to a catastrophic disaster......

  The third type of dungeon was entirely different from the first two.

  Both Monster Labyrinths and Seal Labyrinths were created by Vesus, the God of Wisdom, to counter the Demon King’s Invasion.

  His inspiration for these two types came from the third:

  Ruins Dungeons.

  These were ancient ruins scattered across the world.

  Due to the eras they belonged to, these ruins often had distinct styles, and the dangers lurking within were unpredictable.

  Sometimes, a seemingly insignificant small Ruins Dungeon might spawn a powerful construct capable of destroying a nation—or even threatening the entire world.

  Other times, a massive Ruins Dungeon filled with precious artifacts might be completely harmless.

  This unpredictability meant Ruins Dungeons offered little room for relying on experience. Each one was like opening a blind box—only the most adventurous dared to step inside......

  "......Since you understand that, it’ll be easy to explain."

  On the back of the Shieldhorn Beast, Charkin continued.

  "Simply put, Myrnabyss is practically covered in Ruins Dungeons!"

  "Right where we’re standing—dig down, and you might uncover an ancient ruin. Dig deeper beneath that ruin, and you might find an even older one......"

  "That exaggerated?"

  "Not at all. Think about where we are."

  "This is the center of the world! The Holy Mountain Myrnabyss! Don’t underestimate its allure for powerful ancient civilizations."

  "The stronger an ancient civilization was, the more dependent it was on mana particles. They could never pass up Myrnabyss’s high-concentration mana environment."

  "In fact, no ancient civilization could be considered truly powerful without building its capital in Myrnabyss."

  "Sigh...... Unfortunately, our era has been plunged into a severe crisis due to the Demon King’s Invasion, with development severely hindered. Otherwise, a powerful nation might have already set its sights on Myrnabyss."

  "Even the Four Great Nations—the strongest today—would find conquering Myrnabyss nothing but a pipe dream......"

  "......"

  Hulim couldn’t refute that.

  Myrnabyss, teeming with High-Rank Monsters and Combat Golems, would offer little gain even if the Four Great Nations allied. Even if they successfully marched in, holding their ground would be impossible.

  After all, monsters might avoid armies—but Golems didn’t care about numbers......

  "Golems were common for many ancient civilizations, so they can be found in most Ruins Dungeons."

  "Given the density of Ruins Dungeons in Myrnabyss, it’s only natural there are so many Golems here. They often break free from their designated areas for various reasons, appearing on the surface in an endless stream."

  "Most importantly, some Ruins Dungeons still haven’t fully ceased functioning—capable of continuously producing new Golems."

  "I see."

  No wonder so many Golems were still active on the surface after all these years.