{???'s POV}
Two hours ago...
The cloaked figure stepped forward and raised its hand over the formation. With a simple movement, it activated the runes. The mana that was meant to enter the dungeon core was now flowing into the formation. Each rune lit up, one after another.
The air grew colder, and the room felt strange, filled with a heavy, dark energy. But the cloaked figure didn't seem to care. Instead, it watched with pleasure as the mana kept pouring into the formation, making the runes glow brighter.
"This is it."
The figure whispered, enjoying the sight of the formation coming to life.
The chamber, once calm, was now full of unsettling power. Yet, the figure smiled beneath its hood, clearly pleased with how the plan was going.
The dark, eerie feeling in the air didn't bother the cloaked figure. It seemed to enjoy it, as if this was exactly what it wanted.
It did not take long for all the runes to light up, their glow intensifying with every passing second. As the formation reached its peak, the air around it seemed to grow heavier, as if something ancient and dangerous was being summoned. In the center of the formation, an eerie, opaque gate slowly started to appear, its form twisting and rippling like dark smoke, shifting between shapes that seemed unnatural to the eye.
The gate pulsed with an ominous energy, its surface barely solid, as if it were struggling to break free from the boundaries of the formation. The aura it gave off was suffocating, a deep, unsettling force that filled the entire chamber. Even the very ground beneath the formation seemed to tremble, reacting to the strange power being summoned.
The cloaked figure watched in complete silence, standing motionless before the gate. Its gaze was locked on the ominous structure, observing every detail as it took form. Despite the eerie and unsettling atmosphere that now hung thick in the air, the figure showed no fear or hesitation. Instead, there was a sense of excitement, almost glee, radiating from the figure, as though it was witnessing the culmination of a long-awaited plan.
The eerie calm that had filled the chamber was now replaced by the oppressive presence of the gate, which continued to grow, its rippling surface becoming more stable as it absorbed the Mana directed into it. The formation beneath it pulsed in rhythm with the core's energy, feeding the creation of this mysterious gateway.
The figure took a step closer, the sound of its footsteps echoing in the now eerily silent chamber. Each tap seemed to resonate, adding to the tension, as if the very walls were listening. It stood just inches from the gate now, its hand slowly reaching out toward the dark surface, its fingertips barely grazing the edge of the portal.
The gate slowly began to materialize, its form becoming clearer with every passing moment. What once appeared as a vague, ghostly outline was now solidifying into something more tangible. It still seemed somewhat ethereal, like a distorted image, as if it didn't fully belong in this world, but its presence was undeniable. The surface of the gate rippled like liquid darkness, shimmering faintly with an eerie light.
The runes on the formation continued to pulse, feeding more Mana into the gate, and with each pulse, the structure became more stable. The vague, ghost-like appearance slowly gave way to a more defined shape, though it still retained a strange, otherworldly quality. It was as though the gate existed on the edge of reality, partially anchored to this world and partially beyond it.
The cloaked figure took a step back, observing the gate as it solidified, a quiet satisfaction in its stance. It watched as the formation continued its work, channeling the endless Mana absorbed by the dungeon core into the gate. The oppressive atmosphere in the chamber grew even heavier, the eerie energy radiating from the gate becoming more intense.
The gate's surface shimmered, its dark, ghostly form becoming more defined with each pulse of the formation. Though it was still unsettling to look at, the figure showed no fear. Instead, there was a sense of triumph in its posture, as though everything had gone exactly according to plan.
The gate pulsed one last time before it slowly creaked open, filling the chamber with an eerie sound that echoed throughout the stone walls. From the ghostly, rippling surface, a figure emerged. Unlike the countless skeletons that roamed the dungeon, this undead was different. Its form was much more solid, its movements purposeful, and the aura it emitted was far stronger.
The creature's hollow eyes glowed faintly, and its body, though not massive, carried an air of undeniable power. Its armor, unlike the brittle pieces worn by the dungeon's undead, was worn yet still intact, as if it had seen battles beyond this place. Every step it took felt deliberate, and a low, unsettling presence followed in its wake.
The cloaked figure watched intently as the undead fully stepped through the gate, studying it carefully. This wasn't an ordinary dungeon creation, that much was obvious. Its aura alone set it apart, exuding a strength that surpassed the mindless creatures created by the dungeon.
"It's stronger... just as I expected."
The figure muttered, its voice low and filled with satisfaction.
The undead stood motionless, its glowing eyes focused on the cloaked figure. The chamber, now filled with the soft hum of magic from the still-active formation, felt more oppressive, as if the air had grown thicker with the arrival of this new force.
The figure stepped closer, the soft tapping of its footsteps breaking the silence.
The gate behind the undead still shimmered faintly, as if more might step through at any moment, but for now, the chamber remained still, eerily quiet except for the presence of this stronger undead, awaiting its command. The figure stared at the gate waiting for another to come out.
Not long after, the eerie gate shimmered again. About a minute passed before another undead stepped through, its aura just as strong as the first. The cloaked figure stood back, watching the scene unfold with growing excitement. Every new arrival solidified its plan, each undead more powerful than the typical dungeon creations.
The figure could barely contain its satisfaction, its hooded head tilting as it observed the second undead take its place beside the first.
"Yes... just as that scroll said."
The figure whispered, almost as if speaking to itself.
"One by one, they'll come through. This is perfect. I do not need to spend more of my mana to summon an army of mine! I will be the strongest necromancer!"
The air around the gate continued to hum with energy, the formation beneath it glowing with renewed vigor. The cloaked figure raised its arms, as if basking in the power filling the chamber, enjoying every moment of its success.
As another minute passed, the gate rippled once more, signaling the arrival of yet another powerful undead. The figure's quiet laughter echoed in the chamber, its celebration growing with every undead that emerged.
The cloaked figure had discovered an ancient scroll in a treasure chest from a dungeon it had recently conquered. The scroll was unlike any the figure had seen before. It contained detailed instructions for a formation designed to open a gate that could summon elite and higher-class undead. According to the scroll, the stronger the undead, the lower the chance of summoning them.
"Why would a scroll of such significance be found in a low-level dungeon?"
Initially, the figure was skeptical. It seemed strange that such a powerful formation would be hidden away in a dungeon of low value. The figure's realm was only at the Core Forging Realm, far from the power needed to fully utilize such a formation. Despite the doubts, curiosity and ambition drove the figure to attempt to use the formation.
The figure meticulously set up the formation according to the scroll's instructions. However, the attempt was a failure. The Mana required to activate the formation was far beyond what the figure could supply. The runes flickered weakly and then faded, unable to sustain the immense Mana drain.
Frustrated but not defeated, the figure realized the problem was the enormous Mana requirement. That's when an idea struck. The figure thought about using the dungeon core's upgrade process. The core was absorbing Mana constantly, and if the formation could tap into this endless Mana source, it might work.
"Using the core's upgrade to power the formation... That might just be the solution."
The figure quickly devised a plan to channel the Mana being absorbed by the core into the formation. By redirecting the core's Mana, the figure hoped to activate the formation successfully and summon the powerful undead as the scroll had described.
The figure sent the newly summoned undead to the fifth floor, confident in their strength. However, not long after, it noticed something troubling, the connection with the undead was abruptly cut off.
"What's happening?"
The figure murmured, frowning in confusion.
"Why am I losing control over them?"
Upon checking the status, it became clear that the undead had been defeated. The figure realized that Argus was already on the fifth floor, fighting against the waves of undead.
"Seems like I have company."
The figure said, a hint of surprise in their voice.
"Let me test the power of the undead of this gate."