"Huh?"
Emberon stared at the screen, completely engrossed by its captivating design. However, before he could fully understand it, he noticed his comrades still kneeling before him, their eyes fixed on him, as if waiting for further instructions.
Emberon turned to his companions and asked, "Can all three of you see this?"
His companions exchanged puzzled looks, their brows furrowed in confusion.
Seeing their reactions, Emberon's expression changed from awe to seriousness as he processed their responses.
He questioned, "Wait, none of them can see this?"
In silence, Emberon absorbed the words displayed on the mystical screen, his eyes shifting between the unfamiliar interface and the lifeless figure lying on the ground.
"I need to know. Give me those," Emberon demanded.
Emberon cherished moments of tranquility, finding solace in the midst of chaos and embracing solitude after becoming the strongest. He firmly believed in his unmatched power and might.
However, the presence of an unknown reason capable of inducing a deep slumber in him and his comrades, along with the deceased enigmatic being before him, aroused a sense of urgency and caution.
This urgency now compelled him to seek answers and understand the source of his troubles.
The floating screen provided a response to his query.
Ding!
[The new host has accepted!]
[Installing...]
In an instant, Emberon's curiosity transformed into a gentle wave of memories that washed over his mind, each fragment appearing like forgotten pieces of a past life, now resurfacing with newfound clarity.
As he caught a glimpse of a world vastly different from his own—a bustling city where ordinary people carried on with their daily lives, unaware of the hidden wonders beneath the surface—Emberon's expression grew contemplative.
The memories of the departed soul he had consumed as a reincarnator unfolded, revealing a poignant tale of triumphs, struggles, dreams, and heartaches. A sense of pause settled upon him as he absorbed the weight of the story.
Emberon experienced the life of the deceased soul, traversing realms of emotions and experiences. His usual calm facade shattered, and his eyes widened with disbelief.
"Wait, is this real?" Emberon softly exclaimed.
The revelation of dungeons, heroes, demon kings, and a world teeming with ancient magic unfolded before him like pages from a fantastical book. It felt as if he had stumbled upon a realm born from someone's vivid imagination.
Emberon stood before his three loyal floor guardians, his heart pounding within his chest. Though his voice remained steady, a hint of disbelief colored his words.
"This... this can't be real," he murmured, his brows furrowing in contemplation.
He regarded the thoughts in his mind and the information he had absorbed as unimportant, unreal, or possibly untrue.
Yet after a few minutes of just sitting in one spot, he stood up.
Reluctant to fully embrace this surreal existence, Emberon turned abruptly, determination etched upon his face.
"I need to go back," he ordered the trio, his voice trailing off.
With purposeful steps, he navigated the maze-like corridors, his ethereal figure concealed beneath a flowing white coat that blended seamlessly into the shadows.
After what felt like an eternity, Emberon arrived at a modest chamber door. His hand trembled as he grasped the handle and pushed it open.
Creak!
The door creaked softly, revealing a breathtaking sight.
At the center of the room stood a radiant crystal, emitting a luminous glow that created a mesmerizing symphony of colors. Balanced on a meticulously carved pillar adorned with intricate dragon motifs, it pulsed with an otherworldly energy.
Emberon approached the crystal with measured steps, his gaze fixed on its captivating brilliance.
The seemingly insignificant treasure he had once disregarded now held profound importance in his mind.
"If this works, then perhaps those memories were real, or at least highly likely to be real," he mumbled as he extended his hands toward the crystals.
Ding!
Emberon furrowed his brows as the system screen reappeared.
[ Crystal dragon Aura piece, the missing ingredient for the anti-regeneration draconic sword, crystal dragon lake, and the winter dragon soul tree—found! ]
Emberon's eyes widened in astonishment as he read this, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within him.
The significance of this discovery overwhelmed him, and his mind raced with endless possibilities of how it could be possible.
Time seemed to stretch as he contemplated the situation.
"This is actually real," he finally accepted.
Emberon took a deep breath and turned away from the crystal, closing his eyes in an attempt to find solace amidst the chaotic thoughts by recalling his life.
Opening his eyes and looking up, he whispered to the air, "Since the day I was born, I have only known how to fight, fight, and fight... My mother, father, and siblings have always been distant to me... I never questioned it because I had no idea what those things were."
Examining his palm, with fingers resembling claws, he pondered, "Still, I am not convinced that I am indeed a character in someone else's imagination."
As he sought a moment of calm, Emberon couldn't help but reflect on his current predicament.
"But if I am since it was so similar, it means I am nothing more than a fourth-rate dungeon boss, a mere part of this game or story that young gamers on planet Earth love," he muttered, a mix of denial and growing acceptance in his voice.
However, he came to realize that despite his previous belief in his own strength, he was merely a minor dungeon boss in the vast world of dungeons.
There were demon kings, emperors, and gods with dungeons far superior to his own, not to mention a multitude of heroes and adventurers.
Emberon pondered, considering the implications of the game and the story. It was only a matter of time before his dungeon would be exposed to the public, and a hero would inevitably visit.
While he and his subordinates would pose a formidable challenge, once their weaknesses were discovered, they would face defeat at the hands of the hero and his party.
Despite possessing formidable abilities such as unlimited regeneration, lightning-fast speed, and rock-solid defense, Emberon acknowledged that his strengths were not invincible.
A direct hit to his core or its exposure would leave him vulnerable.
"What should I do? How can I level up? Can I overcome my weaknesses? Is it even possible? Can I simply hide my dungeon?" Emberon wondered aloud, feeling burdened by his limitations.
In his memories of the deceased person he devoured, humans were considered one of the most dangerous creatures, particularly heroes and main characters.
Even an old villain who had trained for countless years could be defeated by a fourteen-year-old individual due to sheer luck, despite the odds being as low as ten to one percent.
These individuals believed in the power of friendship or plot armor or something of the sort and would hope for that chance, ultimately achieving it through their unwavering belief.
Thus, Lord Emberon tirelessly searched his mind, hoping to find the elusive answer that would grant him the freedom he desired. However, no matter how hard he thought, the solution seemed to slip through his grasp like a slippery eel.
How could he become a demon lord or level up his dungeon? And what about those infamous demon kings? How could he escape once his dungeon was discovered?
Lost in a sea of thoughts, Emberon couldn't help but feel a tinge of frustration.
Restlessly shifting his stance, his eyes scanned the room for any sign of inspiration, but the moss-covered dungeon walls adorned with ancient symbols offered no answers. They seemed to mock him instead.
"Although I hope any of this isn't real, but if I deny it means I am nothing but foolish. However, if I don't, am I destined to languish in this dungeon? Doing nothing but waiting for humans, elves, demons, dwarves, or other races to come to challenge me?" Emberon mumbled, unable to shake the feeling that all the knowledge he had acquired from that human was worthless if he couldn't put it into action.
Leaning back against a moss-covered pillar, Emberon released a long sigh. His mind raced, attempting to make sense of it all. What was the point of amassing all this information if he couldn't utilize it to improve himself?
He yearned for a way out, a means to escape this place and not simply await his impending demise. He craved strength—for himself and for his dungeon.
Suddenly, amidst his contemplation, there was one crucial thing he had overlooked.
Ding!
[ Mission! ]