CHAPTER 294: DUNGEONIZATION [5]

"This place is ridiculously wide," I muttered under my breath, the sound bouncing lazily off the stone walls as I strolled deeper inside.

Oddly enough, there wasn’t a shred of tension in me.

Why should there be?

The Rose Knights here weren’t killers. They wouldn’t attack unless provoked, and even if they did, the worst they could manage was restraining or subduing someone. A hassle, sure—but not fatal.

—You really are strange. How can you walk through a dungeon as if it were your garden? And more importantly, how do you know their habits so well?

The voice slithered into my mind from the [Soul-Bound Staff] at my side. Lan pulsed faintly, resonating with the one who spoke.

Zaho Yuren.

I couldn’t help but smirk. "I’m someone who passed your trial, remember? Did you really think I wouldn’t know their habits after that?"

—Hah. Passed my trial? Don’t delude yourself. Your memory is already rotting, just like your ego. Don’t forget—it was I who let you pass. Without my leniency, you wouldn’t have even touched success.

I chuckled lightly at his sharp tone, shaking my head. "You can phrase it however you like. Fact is, I passed. Trial cleared. Result’s the same."

A pause. Then the faintest scoff in my head.

"...Heh."

Unbothered, I kept walking, hands behind my head, like I had all the time in the world.

"Face it, old man. You might complain all you want, but I’m still the one carrying you around now."

—...Arrogant brat.

The voice faded into a low grumble, but I could almost feel the irritation simmering behind it.

My grin widened.

"Exactly."

I waited for a comeback, but none came. He clearly didn’t want to continue that conversation, so I decided not to push it.

"Anyway, I should start preparing soon."

—Preparing?

Ah. Now he was curious.

"Yes, preparing."

I pressed mana into one of the two bracelets on my wrist. The air rippled, and with a faint shimmer, a small rift opened—my pseudo-inventory.

From within, I pulled out the white demon mask. By now, I had grown used to the weight of it in my hand, the cool surface against my palm.

—Hmm? Aren’t you going to join your friends?

"Nah. If I show up now, they’ll shove me to the back and insist on protecting me. In this situation, it’s better if I can move freely."

I turned the mask over once, my reflection warping faintly across its pale surface. Honestly, I didn’t want Ryen to see this form yet. But if he did, I could always improvise some excuse.

The moment the mask settled against my face, it was as though something inside me shifted. My heartbeat quickened, and a restless thrill spread through me. It wasn’t just a disguise—it was liberation.

The fact that no one could recognize me like this sent a strange rush through my veins, sharp and exhilarating.

[Not bad.]

—Why don’t you just admit it? You enjoy this, don’t you?

...Ahem. Nonsense. This was just acting. Yes, acting. Playing up the role of a completely different person.

And yet, I could feel the corner of my lips tugging upward beneath the mask.

The mask settled snug against my face, and the dungeon seemed to change with it. The air felt heavier, more vivid, like every stone and vine was suddenly sharper, clearer. My footsteps echoed with a strange rhythm—steady, deliberate, almost theatrical.

Lan pulsed faintly at my side, its presence humming with disapproval.

—So... where exactly are you going, brat?

"To the boss room."

The words left me naturally, like the answer was obvious.

—The boss room? You’re not seriously planning to waltz in there, are you?

"Why not? It’s better than wandering around aimlessly. Besides, if there’s treasure in this dungeon, it’ll be there. Don’t you agree?"

For a moment, silence. Then the voice growled low.

—Treasure? Don’t be a fool. Boss rooms aren’t playhouses. Even weakened, what sleeps there is beyond the scraps you’ve faced so far.

I tilted my head, brushing my fingers against the cold mask, feeling its weight settle into me like a second skin.

"Maybe so. But that’s exactly why I should go. If I can’t face what’s inside, I have no business wearing this mask—or carrying you."

Lan didn’t reply immediately, but I could feel the disdain seeping through our bond, like a scowl pressed into the back of my skull.

I smiled beneath the mask. "Don’t worry, I’ll improvise if things go south. Isn’t that what I’m best at?"

—...You’re insane.

"Compliment accepted."

I followed the dungeon’s natural flow, the faint tug of mana currents guiding me like invisible threads. It wasn’t hard to tell which path led deeper—everything pointed toward the heart of this place.

The deeper I went, the quieter it became. The scattered sounds of distant knights patrolling, the whispers of shifting vines—all of it faded, replaced by a solemn stillness.

And then I found it.

The corridor narrowed into an arch, roots curling into a frame that pulsed faintly with a greenish glow. Beyond it, a massive set of doors stood waiting, their surfaces carved with roses in full bloom. The patterns writhed subtly, petals trembling as though stirred by a nonexistent wind.

The boss room.

I stopped just a few paces before it, crossing my arms loosely over my chest.

"...Well, here we are."

The mask made my voice sound different, deeper, detached. It suited the moment.

My heart drummed with quiet excitement, but my steps didn’t waver. I wasn’t afraid. If anything, the anticipation made my blood hum all the more.

"...Shall we knock, or just walk in?" I murmured, though I didn’t move forward yet.

The doors loomed before me, silent, waiting.

But before that, I was quite glad I came here before they did.

Yeah, I am talking about Villain alliance group, New Dawn.

My today gole was them.

I was going to recruit them.

That was my plan from beginning.

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Author Note:

Thanks for the reading the Chapter.