Eight Floor Dungeon, Morgen Dukedom, Kingdom of Estra, Vassal Kingdom to Ancrona Empire, Far South from mainland Ancorna bordering Conley Empire.

  The flickering glow of enchanted torches barely illuminated the damp stone walls as the party ventured deeper into the dungeon. The once solid, rocky surface had begun to change, shifting in texture 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 distance, two mages stepped forward, each holding a delicate sunflower encased in a small glass tube filled with a glowing golden liquid. With a flick of their wrists, the flowers blazed with radiant light, instantly igniting the wolves in an inferno of golden flames. Their agonized screeches filled the cavern before they collapsed into smoldering heaps of ash.

  Before the glow of the flames had fully faded, three goblins darted out from the shadows behind them, their jagged weapons raised. A flash of silver cut through the dimly lit corridor as Eugene, his sword gleaming with enchanted light, struck down two in a single, fluid motion.

  The third, clad in 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 blade before yanking it free. The goblin let out a gurgling death cry before collapsing onto the cold stone.

  William exhaled sharply, flicking the dark blood from his blade.

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

  Eugene sheathed his sword and nodded toward the tunnel ahead. “Just a little further, Your Highness. You’ll understand when we get 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, once thick with the smell of damp stone and monster blood, became unnaturally cold. The once solid dungeon walls began to undulate, as if something beneath them was stirring.

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

  As they continued forward, the tunnel’s appearance became more grotesque. The vines that had once clung to the walls, appearing almost like natural overgrowth, had transformed into pulsating red tendrils, 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 glanced at Eugene. “This is far enough. We’ve already cleared the magical beasts pouring out of this dungeon. If we establish an Adventurers’ Guild here, they can keep it in check. There’s no need to go any deeper.”

  Eugene didn’t stop walking. “We must go further, Your Highness. 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 scent of iron and decay thick in the air.

  The knights tightened their grips on their weapons, while the mages whispered protective incantations under their breath.

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  The beating sound intensified—thump-thump, thump-thump—until it resonated through 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 converged toward the center. There, embedded into the very structure of the dungeon, was a monstrous, heart-shaped growth—a grotesque fusion of flesh and plant, its surface slick and glistening with crimson fluid.

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

  At the center 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 forming 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 corners of his lips. "An Abomination, Your Highness."

  The chamber seemed to shudder at the words, as if the walls themselves could understand 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 scholar draped in deep blue robes, took a hesitant step forward, his voice trembling with awe.

  "Yes… yes! An Abomination! That explains it!" he said, his eyes gleaming with both excitement and terror. "I couldn’t place it at first, but this—this is exactly like the descriptions found in ancient records. But I never thought I would live to see one with my own eyes!"

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

  Eugene met his gaze without hesitation, nodding once. "This is just the first of many to come. And you already know what that means, Your Highness."

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

  Eugene’s expression hardened, his piercing gaze drilling into William’s own. "Which is why you must succeed the throne, Your Highness. The world is changing. We are at the dawn of the end times. And I can only pray that when the storm arrives, you will be strong enough to stand against what is coming."

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

  Then, something in William shifted. His fists clenched, his spine straightened, 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 crown.

  But now?

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

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

  "I understand."

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

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

  William turned back to his men. "Extract its blood. I will speak to Duke Morgen and negotiate full control 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 been the last surviving member of the Imperial Family of Ancorna, 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 essence to push magic beyond its natural limits. They had almost succeeded, uncovering the theoretical blueprint of a weapon that could have slain the Witch and prevented the resurrection of the Absolute Being.

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

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

  The war had ended in annihilation.

  Now, Eugene had been given a second chance. He was no longer the helpless observer of a doomed future.

  This time, he would change fate.

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

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

  "This time… we will win." Eugene thought to himself.