Chapter 42: Closing In

  Marcus and Vira tensed as Ragn stepped forward from the shadows, his single eye scanning them with an unreadable expression. The dim glow of the campfire flickered across his face, making it impossible to tell if he was angry, curious, or something in between.

  "You’ve been talking to someone," he said, his voice measured. "And it’s not her."

  Marcus exhaled. There was no point in lying. "Yeah. It’s… complicated."

  Ragn crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly. "Complicated how?"

  Marcus glanced at Vira, who gave him a small nod. He turned back to Ragn. "Alright. I’ll tell you everything."

  And so he did.

  Marcus explained Stem—his unique system, his ability to communicate with it, and how it provided him with information beyond what a normal adventurer would have access to. Then he revealed his Perma, how it granted him access to all three magic affinities.

  When he finished, silence stretched between them.

  Ragn let out a low whistle. "Damn." He scratched his chin, deep in thought.

  "You’re not freaking out?" Vira asked cautiously.

  Ragn chuckled. "Freaking out? No. Processing? Yeah." He looked at Marcus, his grin widening. "This explains a lot. But you know what? I don’t care."

  Marcus blinked. "You don’t?"

  "Nah. Secrecy’s my whole job. You think I’d betray my own people?" Ragn took a step forward and clapped Marcus on the shoulder. "Listen, man. I might be a rogue, but I know a big deal when I see one. And you? You’re going to change the world."

  Marcus felt a lump form in his throat. "Ragn, I—"

  "You’re my brother, Marcus. And brothers keep secrets." He smirked. "Now, Boruk? He’s different. He’s a traditionalist. He wouldn’t take this lightly. We have to tell him at some point. One day, we should find a way to break it to him gently, but for now, I’ll keep him busy for a few days while you do your thing."

  "You’d do that?" Marcus asked.

  "Like I said—brothers."

  Marcus let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. "Thanks, Ragn. That means a lot."

  Ragn turned to leave, stretching his arms. "Just don’t die in there. I want to see what kind of monster you become after this dungeon."

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  And with that, he disappeared into the night.

  Vira let out a sigh of relief. "That went better than expected."

  Marcus smirked. "For once, yeah."

  Tomorrow, they would head for the dungeon.

  At dawn, Marcus and Vira packed their gear and set out. The morning air was crisp, the sky streaked with hues of orange and violet.

  Unlike their usual travels, this one was eerily silent.

  Vira had barely spoken since they left the camp.

  "You okay?" Marcus finally asked.

  She didn’t meet his gaze. "Just… wondering if this is the right move."

  "We don’t have to do this today," Marcus said.

  Vira shook her head. "No. I just… I worry about what this dungeon could mean."

  Marcus nodded. He understood her concern. But something in his gut told him this wasn’t just another dungeon—it was something bigger.

  The anticipation weighed on them as they pressed forward.

  By midday, they reached the buried structure.

  Marcus looked around. At first glance, it was nothing more than rocky terrain with scattered patches of grass. But they knew better.

  Vira took a deep breath and knelt, pressing her hands to the ground. Her earth mana pulsed, sending a ripple through the earth.

  The ground trembled.

  Stone cracked and crumbled, revealing something unnatural beneath.

  Metal.

  Ancient, untouched by rust or time. Not just metal—something engineered.

  Glyphs flickered to life, pulsing faintly as the last layer of earth was stripped away.

  Marcus took a step forward, eyes widening. "This isn’t just any dungeon."

  "Confirmed," Stem’s voice echoed in his mind. "This structure matches the parameters of a Boss Rush Dungeon."

  Marcus frowned. "Boss Rush?"

  Vira’s brows knitted together. "You mean…?"

  "A dungeon composed entirely of consecutive boss battles. No floors, no rest, just fight after fight. Each encounter escalating in difficulty."

  Marcus felt a shiver of excitement.

  "This is perfect."

  Vira groaned. "Of course you’d say that."

  Before they could continue, a deep rumbling shook the earth.

  The glyphs flared brighter, and suddenly, the metallic doors began to move.

  Something had been activated.

  Meanwhile, miles away, Thalron’s unit reached the orc checkpoint.

  A small garrison of orc warriors stood at the entrance, arms crossed, clearly unimpressed.

  Thalron stepped forward, bowing his head slightly. "We request passage through orc lands. We are tracking an individual of interest."

  The orc leader, a scarred veteran, eyed them. "And why should we allow it?"

  Arixa scoffed. "Because we’re not asking."

  Thalron’s jaw tightened.

  The orcs bristled.

  "You overstep, girl," the orc leader growled. "These lands are not yours to demand entry."

  Thalron quickly intervened. "Forgive my companion. We only wish to pass peacefully."

  The orc leader studied him, then nodded. "You may pass—but not yet."

  Arixa frowned. "What do you mean, not yet?"

  "The elders must be consulted. Until then, you will wait."

  Arixa clenched her fists.

  Thalron exhaled slowly. He didn’t like it, but this wasn’t the place to pick a fight.

  "We will wait," he said.

  Arixa turned to him. "You can’t be serious."

  "We have no choice," he muttered.

  Arixa muttered something under her breath but didn’t argue further.

  Back at the dungeon site, Marcus watched as the rune stones and metal objects magically formed into an archway and the portal swirled into being.

  A rush of cold air spilled out, thick with energy that sent shivers down his spine.

  Then—a deep, guttural roar echoed from within.

  Marcus and Vira exchanged glances.

  "Looks like there’s no turning back now," Marcus muttered.

  Vira sighed. "I knew you were going to say that."

  The glyphs along the entrance pulsed one last time, and Stem’s voice whispered in Marcus’ mind.

  "Caution. Something within this dungeon has not been recorded in any system archive. Be prepared for unknown variables."

  Marcus grinned. "Now that’s more like it."

  And with that, they stepped inside.