-Change of scene.
Even though the humans had abandoned and discarded the guardian.
"I survived on my own."
In the past, the guardian had visited the dragon race. However, when he came to their territories in search of temporary shelter, he realized something he could not believe.
"The dragons had been killed."
For the strongest human had killed them all.
However, the guardian was not entirely sure.
He found the dragons' territory, but found nothing but bones and bodies, with a field filled with pure death.
He doubted very much whether he could survive.
But he knew that there were still some dragons left somewhere in the world.
Despite this, the guardian did not have time.
The war had begun and the guardian had witnessed the descent of the divine beings from the dimensional rift.
He knew the dimensional rift, so he knew which beings would emerge from there. However, when it all began, so did the destruction.
The guardian searched for a way to escape.
He soon found a portal in the center of the ocean, on the outskirts of the continent, and it was then that he entered a Dungeon.
It was the Dungeon in which he now lived.
Once there, he overpowered as many monsters as he could, but the spell his creators had imposed on him began to activate.
For he had arrived in a Dungeon.
Once a guardian enters a Dungeon, the spell that prevents them from moving is activated.
Therefore, he found the castle and stayed in the throne room.
Years passed and turned into thousands of years.
After a long time...
"Powerful humans had entered to inspect my territory."
However, they did not kill the monsters and left after a week.
For they seemed to be simply checking and assessing the monsters, observing how strong they were.
They did not reach the guardian nor did they find the Wraith king, but they did find his followers.
The guardian was relieved.
He didn't know exactly why, but it seemed that those humans had entered only to assess the Dungeon. If they found the Wraith King and him, they would send stronger humans.
Because if you are strong, then they would send someone stronger to kill you.
The rules were simple.
Kill the stronger one and send the stronger one to kill him.
Because it was always like that.
The Wraith King was dead.
There was only the guardian left in front of the group of humans.
However, his plans failed.
"I can't move from here, less than ten meters."
"Those humans are recovering fast? Especially the strongest of that group, recovering too fast."
Because he had been watching the seven humans near the castle.
Slowly, they were recovering after fighting each other and their doubles.
Keeping those doubles was difficult.
Because the guardian could also be a copy, and his double would kill him and take his place as master of the Dungeon, his territory and refuge.
Although he felt like killing the Wraith King, because he was the only one who could take his territory from him, he refrained from doing so.
Because if he did, they would get to him much faster.
Anyway, the Wraith king died miserably at the hands of two humans.
Knowing that, the guardian was filled with fury.
For now he had to fight.
To survive, he had to fight those humans, it was inevitable.
Then, he thought:
"If I die, I hope they don't find my treasures."
He stood up and pressed the wall behind the throne.
Crunch.
The wall moved, revealing a secret room where countless treasures were kept.
However, all of them were not very valuable, to say the least.
"There it is."
In the center of all the objects, there was a rainbow-colored stone, with colors shining brightly. It was the size of a fist.
So small, but it emanated an amount of mana comparable to a quarter circle.
For it was the guardian's greatest treasure, the one he had kept with him since the end of the world, in the past.
"The elemental stone... Humans, if I die, you will not find this elemental stone."
If they did, their enemies would be stronger.
In any case, there was no hope of survival.
However, that didn't mean he wouldn't take one of them with him to his death.
For he was determined to kill one of those humans.
The stronger one would recover too quickly, and they would get to him soon enough.
Perhaps tomorrow.
His death was near, and his treasure was at risk of being found.
Sure, if they found it.
Clak.
He put the elemental stone back in place, walked out of the room and closed it. Everything returned to normal. Then, he sat down on the throne to wait for the humans.
"I wait for them... Damn humans who abandoned me."
He held a grudge against his creators, but also against all humans.
Because they had abandoned him.
***
-Scene change.
-Asher Frostblade's point of view.
I slowly opened my eyes and looked at the others, who must have been ready to leave by now.
Then, Asher stood up and looked out into the fog.
For they were in the middle of the forest, and the castle in front of them was so imposing that it could be seen even with the dense fog in the air.
The mist was composed of mana.
The mana came from all over the Dungeon, and that mist had been formed from that mana gathered at this point in the castle.
For only in this way could such a large and dense fog be created that it even had different mental effects on it.
Asher, who fully experienced the mana and mental attacks, felt chills.
"I hope it won't happen again."
Because if it happens again, his other personality will take complete control of his body, this time for good.
Encrid had already warned him:
"If your other personality comes back, it will take over your body for good, and you won't be able to come back, even if I inject you with light magic again."
Asher had nothing to reply.
This was because he knew he was in danger of not returning.
Once the other personality took over, it would take over completely.
However...
"There is a solution."
Exactly.
The problem...
"Your friend must be stronger.... At least a fifth circle with full mastery of the Light affinity."
The only way to cure herself of mental exhaustion.
Gloriana had to reach the fifth circle and fully master her Light affinity.
For only then would Asher have a chance of not losing himself completely, and his other personality would not overpower him.
Gloriana was the cure to all his present problems.
"Whatever it takes, she is the only one who can cure me."
For she had the affinity of light.
An ancient affinity, with the power to even revive someone dead, absurd healing effects, and the ability to fight beings much stronger than grade 1.
That is why, in the past, mages with this affinity also fought in the war.
However, they died because they had not fully developed their affinity.
"Haa..."
Asher sighed.
He looked up at the twilight sky with an air of weariness and his face gloomy.
It was time to kill the guardian and clear this Dungeon.
"Everyone is recovered, right?"
"Yes."
The only plan.
Stick together.
Use everything from the beginning.
Because they weren't one hundred percent recovered.
Even if you get all your mana back, that doesn't mean you're in peak fighting condition.
***
-Scene change.
Killing the guardian will not be an easy task.
Because it is a being with a power close to grade 7.
In the worst case, if it is already a full grade 7, it will be extremely difficult to come out unscathed.
Because his strength is comparable to that of a wizard of the third circle.
However, although Asher is a third circle, he is not in his peak condition.
Because he was severely injured and had recovered a little over half of his mana.
Because of that.
"It will be difficult."
He knew this for certain.
Seeing the others walking together near him, he felt their mana.
They weren't fully recovered, but it was enough.
That was when...
They all looked up and stared with wide eyes at the imposing castle.
It was in ruins, but still retained its grandeur because of its colossal size.
A question arose in Asher's mind:
"Is it possible that within the Dungeons ancient civilizations existed?"
This made him question why there are structures or traces of construction in the open type Dungeons.
Because this raises the possibility that, in the past, there were civilizations that created these internal structures and, over time, monsters came in and took over.
It could be.
"I guess I should go to the academy library."
"I need all the information about the Dungeons."
Because there was still so much to discover.
Soon they reached the castle gates.
Ahead, dry gardens, full of rubble, cobwebs, and a cracked ground, as if everything was extremely old and a battle had taken place there.
Asher and the group observed everything before crossing and walking towards the gates that led inside the castle.
Muffled sound.
They opened the doors, but...
Clank.
They fell with a loud clank as dust rose into the air, creating a grayish curtain.
Asher snapped his fingers, and soon the dust dispersed as if a gust pushed it away, revealing a rubble-strewn corridor, at the end of which was a different, imposing door.
"So... There's the Dungeon boss."
For the mana was intense and came from behind that door further....