The moon hung high in the sky, pale and silent, casting its cold glow over the land as scattered clouds drifted lazily, pushed along by a wandering breeze. 

The world below carried on as if untouched, calm, but not quiet.

Down on the ground, the town still buzzed with life despite the late hour. 

The sounds of footsteps, murmurs, and distant carts clattered faintly through the night air. 

Strangely enough, after the hundredth wave had finally been repelled, the land beyond the shimmering dome had gone still. 

And it was then, at long last, that the refugees and locals who had been waiting for what felt like an eternity began to move. 

These groups were hoping to enter the territory for hours already, waiting outside patiently until the battle ended. 

Cautiously, they stepped forward, crossing the plain that was now littered with monster corpses, twisted limbs, shredded flesh, frozen expressions of primal fury.

Even in the face of dread, they pressed on.

Most of them were nothing more than common folk, slaves, peasants, and ordinary mortals. 

A few Awakeners walked among them, but they were rare. 

Far too rare when compared to the sea of mortals surrounding them.

Not far from the dome’s boundary, a luxurious carriage made its approach, its polished wheels rolling slowly over the bloodied grass. 

As it neared the dome, the carriage pierced through the transparent film, slipping seamlessly into a different world, an expanse of emerald plains stretching endlessly in every direction.

From here, the center of the territory was too far to see clearly, but there were trails, lightly worn paths, just enough to follow.

Two guards sat at the front of the carriage, both upright and silent, and the coachman handled the reins.

Inside, facing one another, sat two figures.

One was an older man, refined in appearance, with neatly trimmed white hair and a thick mustache that added to his presence. 

A heavy aura clung to him, Tier 5.

Seated across from him was a woman, poised and veiled from the nose down. 

She wore a flowing lavender dress that complimented the soft shine of her long purplish hair cascading down her back. 

Her aura was lighter, just barely Tier 3, likely a recent breakthrough.

Yet despite the stark difference in power, the old man sat with a quiet stiffness, his respect evident through his posture. 

“Butler Li” she spoke lazily, one long leg crossed over the other as her palms rested lightly atop her thigh. 

Her head tilted toward the window, eyes calmly watching the scenery roll by. 

“The reports they sent... do you think they’re credible?”

The old man followed her gaze outside, his brows drawing together. “I’m afraid so, My Lady.”

“It’s not just us. Other factions received the same information. This land’s military strength... it’s not beneath ours in the slightest. As for the lord himself, his strength remains unknown.”

His voice lowered slightly. “And who knows how many trump cards he’s hiding. Our scouts tried forming a rough personality profile. He’s a strategist. Not the type you want as an enemy.”

She turned her head slightly, a faint smirk tugging her lips beneath the veil. “Different from the clown lords?”

“A whole world apart,” he said firmly. “But of course, our purpose here isn’t conflict. We came for the dungeon.”

“I understand, Mr. Li. I’m not here to cause trouble. The rumors about me... well, they’re just lies made up by petty fools.” She chuckled softly, her hand gently covering her mouth.

She paused then, her gaze thoughtful, and a flicker of amusement lit her eyes. “Still, I’m curious. What kind of man could get an angel to serve as his wife? He must be something else, don’t you think?”

“Maybe a lunatic,” the old man muttered.

 “But... the rumor about the lord’s wife being an angel, it’s false, My Lady.”

“Oh?”

“But her appearance... it was captured. Circulated among the upper circle in the inner region. When I saw it myself, I had trouble believing it. She’s... well, her beauty is beyond anything I’ve ever seen. Almost too...”

“Godlike?” she offered, laughing gently.

“That’s not surprising. I don’t think she’s an angel, either. More like something divine.”

“Only someone like that could create a dungeon on a whim,” she continued, voice dreamy, “let alone one the size of a world.”

She sat back slightly, then glanced at him. “How are the other branches reacting to this place?”

“Same as us,” he replied quickly. “But only the three main factions had the qualifications to come here. The rest, too weak.”

“So it’s those two fools, isn’t it?”

“Yes, as you predicted. The eldest son of the Harlein house, and the crown prince of Caldria.”

“They’re foolish for sending those brats here,” she mused with a soft laugh. “Do they think their titles will make the territory’s lord kneel?”

“They brought quite the entourage. Hidden guards, bodyguards, even a few ancestor-level figures.”

He began to explain, “Presumably to”

“Keep them from lusting after the lord’s wife and dying on the spot,” she finished for him, a smile in her voice.

The old man’s expression didn’t deny it. She exhaled lightly, eyes narrowing. “Quite the competition. But outwitting those two? That’ll be fun.”

“If everything goes according to plan,” he said, “the other two branches won’t be able to overshadow us, My Lady.”

“Then let it be done.”

She waved a hand, leaning gently against the window, her gaze drifting outward again.

The scenery shifted as the carriage rolled forward. 

A sharp scent filled the air, thick, metallic. Blood. Her nose wrinkled as the wind carried it into the carriage.

The old man lifted his chin and peered outside. “Looks like the lord has stationed forces nearby.”

He pointed, and she followed his gesture. In the distance, a pitch-dark army stood unmoving, spread across the land like shadows carved from the night. 

Just ahead of them, a field of carnage stretched, blood, scattered limbs, twisted corpses.

Black hawks circled low, but none dared approach the soldiers. Even scavengers kept their distance.

Above them, colossal figures floated in the sky, frozen in place, not moving an inch, but their presence pressed down like invisible mountains.

Both the woman and the old man fell quiet, brows furrowing.

Clearly, Liam was aware of their arrival. If he wasn’t, those soldiers would’ve acted already.

The carriage continued. 

They passed formation after formation of eerie troops before the woman finally let out a slow breath. 

Her chest rose and fell as the tension left her shoulders.

“In terms of quality alone, these armies surpass us by a thousand leagues.”

The old man nodded grimly. “It certainly seems that way.”

“The number of high-level powerhouses here...” she trailed off, frowning. “Even if the three main factions of the inner region combined, I doubt we’d match this force.”

He added, “And I’ve sensed multiple divine senses scanning us since we entered, My Lady.”

“Tier 5?” she asked calmly.

He gave a single nod. “Yes.”

Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, a crushing aura suddenly enveloped the entire carriage.

The air thickened. Time seemed to pause.

In an instant, their pupils constricted.

Cold sweat broke out across their backs as they realized, there was someone else in the carriage. 

A figure they hadn’t noticed before. 

Someone who hadn't entered. 

Someone who simply... was there. 

Sitting with them the entire time.

!!!

The old man stiffened, his fist curling tight, knuckles white. 

He didn’t dare look to his side. 

The woman, sharp and composed, exhaled steadily, her breath leveling out. 

She mirrored his restraint, keeping her gaze straight ahead, resisting the instinct to turn.

Before either of them could speak, the stranger’s voice rumbled out. 

Low, gritty, like gravel dragged across a rusted bell. It filled the space around them like damped water. 

“Nice reaction, little lady. Calming your breath instead of breaking down in fear. Not bad.”

The old man flinched. Subtle, but there.

And then, thump, a massive hand clapped down over his shoulder. 

The stranger slumped lazily into the seat, legs stretched out carelessly. 

The old man’s spine went stiff, his limbs numb, yet the voice that followed carried no hostility.

“Relax. I’m not here to eat you,” the figure murmured, tone almost amused. “What’s with the panic? Do I really look that terrifying?”

A moment passed. Then.

“Hmmm?”

“N-no, Senior,” the old man stuttered, his voice cracking. “T-this lowly one was merely... startled by your sudden arrival.”

The figure lost interest in him immediately, his head turning toward the woman instead.

 “How about you?” he asked, voice laced with curiosity and a tinge of mischief. “Do you dare look at me?”

His gaze sharpened, eyes glinting with quiet challenge.

And without a word, she turned. Steadily, she met his eyes.

?

The old man felt it immediately, the jolt that passed through the hand still resting on his shoulder. 

Even the stranger’s expression shifted. His brows lifted, taken off guard.

“You’re not afraid?”

“No sign of fear at all.”

She said nothing. Just held his gaze, observing his features as if he were no different than the grass outside the window.

Her face remained neutral. 

Calm.

It genuinely caught him off guard.

Because he knew

what she was seeing.

With a grunt of amusement, the figure dragged his legs back in and shifted upright, finally letting go of the old man. 

“Interesting,” he muttered. “Very interesting. Maybe I should give you to Lord Aizen as a gift, someone like you’s hard to come by.”

The woman didn’t react. Not even a blink.

The figure’s grin twisted for a second, then pulled into something almost approving. “Still not flinching, huh? I’m impressed.”

“Compared to those two little insects in their fancy carriages... you’re easily a hundred times more interesting.”

He leaned back again, gaze half-lidded, and gave a dismissive wave as if brushing away the thought.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t kill them. I just stopped by ‘cause I was bored. Didn’t expect to meet someone like you. Hah!” He barked out a short laugh.

“I’m flattered, Senior,” the woman replied smoothly, placing a hand over her chest as she gave a graceful nod of respect.

“No need,” he said with a grin. “From now on, you’re under my protection. Even those annoying demons wouldn’t dare touch you inside the territory.”

At those words, her eyes flickered, but beyond that, her composure held firm. 

The stranger noticed. If anything, he seemed more entertained by her restraint.

Then, he stood up.

The old man, still frozen in place, caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye, flesh-like tendrils unfurling as the figure rose.

His heart lurched. A fresh sheen of sweat formed on his forehead as he clenched his eyes shut, too afraid to look.

“Once you’re inside the territory, don’t wander the city at night,” the figure warned. “Even for Awakeners... there’s always a risk someone might try to snatch you away.”

“This humble one understands,” the woman replied softly.

“Good.”

And with that, the figure vanished. Gone in a blink.

The crushing pressure that had filled the carriage drained like a retreating tide. 

The old man collapsed forward, gasping, desperate for air. 

His knees hit the floor, chest heaving as if he’d been drowning the whole time.

The woman caught his arm and supported him, pressing a potion vial to his lips. 

She eased him back onto the seat and adjusted his collar as he panted, trying to pull himself together.

The carriage never stopped.

It kept rolling forward through the plains.

Silence crept in slowly, the realization of what just happened.

“M-My lady...” the old man finally wheezed out, voice still shaking.

“I’m fine,” she murmured, one hand braced against the wall. 

Her other pressed lightly to her chest as she steadied herself. “I didn’t expect... a tier 6 being to just drop in like that.”

But the old man’s question wasn’t what she expected.

“W-was he human?”

Her eyes met his. For a breath, she said nothing.

Then, she shook her head.

“No. It was... something beyond comprehension.”

Her voice was quiet now. Almost distant. “Looking at him felt like trying to understand madness itself. Any regular Awakeners would’ve lost their minds from a single glance.”

“T-then... My lady"

“I said I’m fine,” she interrupted, lifting a hand to reveal a pendant hanging from her neck. A simple charm, faintly glowing.

“My father gave me this before I left. Looks like he already suspected something about this place.”

“Master knew... that...”

“Don’t,” she said, her voice firmer now. “Let’s not talk about it.”

“Y-yes, My lady.”

And with that, their journey continued on.