The cool evening breeze swept across the remote mountainside where Soo-Yeon and I now stood.
We were far from Seoul, away from prying eyes—just wilderness surrounding us, the distant city lights twinkling like fallen stars.
Soo-Yeon's face was a mask of determination, her dark hair whipping slightly in the wind as she stood beside me. Her eyes met mine, that sharp, calculating gaze I was getting used to.
"We're here," she said simply, reaching into her inventory with a flick of her wrist.
A small, crystalline object materialized in her palm—the dungeon key from her system. It pulsed with an eerie blue light, casting shadows across her face.
She turned to me, holding the key up.
"Are you ready? Once we go in, there's no backing out until we either win or die."
I couldn't help but smirk at her seriousness. Everything was always life-or-death with her.
That was the Shadow Queen for you—always intense, always ready for battle.
"What, feeling scared?" I teased, leaning closer. "You can always hold my hand if you need to, you know. I won't judge."
The corner of her mouth quirked up—not quite a smile, but close enough. She was getting used to my antics.
"Not at all," she replied, her voice steady.
"Last time I was here, I was weak, unprepared. But now?"
She flexed her hand, shadows dancing between her fingers.
"I'm far stronger than before. And you're here too, for whatever that's worth."
"Ouch," I said, clutching my chest in mock hurt. "You wound me, Shadow Princess~"
She rolled her eyes, turning back to the task at hand.
With a swift motion, she activated the key, and reality split open before us—a jagged tear in the fabric of the world. The dungeon entrance yawned wide, a swirling vortex of darkness and blue light.
"Ladies first," I offered with an exaggerated bow.
Soo-Yeon gave me a deadpan look before stepping through. I followed right behind, the world warping around us as we crossed the threshold.
The transition was jarring—from cool mountain air to stale, oppressive heat. We emerged in what looked like an ancient temple hall, massive stone columns stretching upward to a ceiling lost in shadow.
Torches flickered along the walls, casting an orange glow over everything.
Soo-Yeon froze, her eyes widening. "This is... different."
I followed her gaze and saw what had shocked her.
The hall was filled with stone statues—warriors frozen in various battle poses, their weapons gleaming despite being made of stone.
But the scale was all wrong.
Last time, according to her, there had been maybe two dozen.
Now, there were tens—no, hundreds. They lined the walls, filled the spaces between columns, and crowded the massive central chamber.
An army of stone, waiting.
"There are nearly ten times more than the last time I was here," she whispered, instinctively moving into a defensive stance.
I mentally compared the scene to what I remembered from the manhwa. This was excessive, even by those standards.
The Architect wasn't messing around.
'Overcompensating much?' I thought with a smirk. 'Still won't be enough to take me down.'
I ran a casual scan with my Six Eyes, and my suspicions were confirmed.
These weren't just regular statues—they were each infused with mana levels that would put most S-rank hunters to shame.
The Architect had crafted them personally, designing each one to be a lethal weapon.
And speaking of the puppet master...
At the far end of the hall, seated on an ornate stone throne, was a massive statue unlike the others.
This one was adorned with flowing robes, its face serene yet somehow menacing. A false god—the Architect masquerading as the Absolute Being.
Soo-Yeon stepped forward, her voice ringing through the hall.
"I know it's you. There's no point in pretending."
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, slowly, the statue's eyes opened—glowing blue orbs that pierced the dimness of the hall. A creepy smile spread across its stone face, unnatural and deeply unsettling.
"Sung Soo-Yeon," it spoke, its voice reverberating from everywhere at once.
"The vessel has returned, and with a... guest."
Soo-Yeon's hands moved to summon her shadow army, but nothing happened.
Her eyes widened in confusion.
The Architect's laugh echoed through the chamber.
"You won't be the one fighting here today, little vessel. You are here to witness the truth."
A notification suddenly appeared before Soo-Yeon—a glowing blue window from her system:
[Special Quest: Witness the Truth]
[Do you wish to see the origins of the Shadow Monarch?]
[⟪YES⟫]
Soo-Yeon hesitated, glancing at me. "What is this?"
I shrugged, giving her a reassuring nod.
"Go for it. It'll just be a movie for you—a little history lesson while I handle business here."
She looked back at the thousands of stone warriors, each radiating power that would terrify even the strongest S-rank hunters.
"But these statues... they're far stronger than anything I've faced. I can't just leave you—"
"Before you come back," I cut in, smirking confidently, "all of these will be gone. Trust me."
She held my gaze for a long moment, something unreadable flickering in her eyes.
Then, with a decisive motion, she pressed [YES].
Her body immediately went rigid, eyes glazing over as she slipped into a trance-like state, still standing but experiencing something beyond our current reality.
With Soo-Yeon occupied, I turned my full attention to the Architect.
"So," I drawled, sauntering forward,
"This is the grand welcome? A stone army, creepy throne, and dramatic lighting? Gotta say that, for an architect, your aesthetic is a bit... basic. What, couldn't afford better decorations on a puppet master's salary?"
The statue's face twitched, its serene mask slipping just slightly.
"You speak boldly for a mortal who has wandered into matters beyond his comprehension."
I laughed—a genuine, full-bodied laugh that echoed through the chamber.
"Oh, that's rich coming from you. Tell me, how's that whole 'manipulate the vessel' plan working out? Got your puppets all lined up, thinking you're so clever?"
For the first time, something like confusion crossed the Architect's stone face. It leaned forward slightly.
"Who are you?" it asked, its voice losing some of its ethereal quality.
"You are not a vessel for the Rulers or the Monarchs. Your power... it doesn't belong in this world. How do you know of our existence?"
"Maybe I read the script ahead of time," I taunted, tapping my temple. "Or maybe I'm just the guy who's about to wreck your little puppet show. You picked the wrong world to play god in, stone face."
The calm façade of the Architect finally cracked. Its eyes narrowed, blazing with blue fire.
"Enough," it growled. "Whatever you are, you will not interfere with the ascension of the Shadow Monarch." It raised an enormous stone hand, pointing directly at me.
"Eliminate this interloper."
All around the chamber, the stone warriors began to move. Hundreds of them, their joints grinding as they raised weapons of all kinds—swords, spears, axes, maces.
The sound was deafening, like an avalanche in slow motion.
I stood in the center of it all, utterly relaxed as the stone army converged from all sides.
A smirk spread across my face as I cracked my knuckles.
"Finally," I said. "An actual workout."
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