Valdris Altair Mournveil. The unbeatable boss of the extra dungeon, The Veil of Eternity, Netharis. He ruled from the 9,999th floor, ensuring no player could ever advance further. In every sense of the word, Valdris was unkillable.

He could not be slain by players, nor deleted by developers—only the CEO held the code capable of touching him. He didn't need to eat. He didn't age. He simply was, existing as a wall the developers placed to avoid creating more content beyond him.

Valdris easily dispatched any player who dared approach his floor, prepared or not. Feared both by players and NPCs alike, he had garnered admiration for taming the six ancient dragons under his command. Power rested at his fingertips, though no one ever truly knew what it was for.

That was how Valdris should be, but now, he was in a predicament.

Valdris had suddenly become self-aware. He realized that his world had been nothing but a game, Eterniteras Odysseys. That much he could handle. What he couldn't handle was the fact that his world had now... changed. It felt smaller.

"Why do I feel so small?" Valdris thought.

"Why do I suddenly feel so... weak?"

Then it hit him. He felt his mortality for the first time in eons. All that had made Valdris Altair Mournveil the unbeatable boss was now gone. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Calm down, Valdris. You've still got this. Maybe your power is gone, but your wits... you've still got those." He tried to soothe the anxiety creeping up inside him.

But then another thought surfaced. "Wait... I'm feeling anxious?"

A pause.

Then, internally, Valdris screamed: "I—Valdris—am feeling anxiety?! This can't be! Not only have I lost what made me unbeatable, but now I've regressed into some kind of dimwit?! Impossible! I am the High Sovereign of the Arcane Depths! The Warden of the Abyssal Spire! The Keeper of the Eternal Flame! The Scion of the mother-fucking Veiled Dominion!"

Valdris' internal world was in shambles. He took a deep breath, trying to regain composure. "At least my items should be…"

He quickly checked his inventory, still able to do so despite the circumstances, and discovered the brutal truth: most of what had made him unstoppable had been due to his personal stats. His equipment... didn't do jack.

Internally: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

"What the fuck do I do?!" Valdris continued screaming internally. "Most of my underlings follow me because I'm powerful and wise! Now that I have neither, it's only a matter of time until they rebel against me!"

He paused to think. "Okay, calm down. Maybe I can flee and start anew..."

Then the realization hit him. Again. "Fuck! I can't do that! The whole world knows who I am! They'll jump at the chance to get rid of me! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

For a moment, he rested, trying to think more optimistically. "Maybe my subordinates will understand... Surely centuries spent together count for something, right?"

Just then, someone appeared before Valdris' throne. A person with long black hair, feminine in appearance, but this was Nyxis, the shapeshifter, with no true gender.

"My lord, what should we do with 'those people'?" Nyxis asked.

Valdris, still rattled, responded calmly, "Those people?"

Nyxis blinked, clearly confused. "You... haven't noticed, my lord?"

Realizing now wasn't the time for mistakes, Valdris straightened up. "Of course I've noticed! Do you think someone as great as I wouldn't see them before you? I'll remember this lack of faith."

Nyxis immediately nodded, believing their lord was testing them. "I understand, my lord. You were simply testing me. But what do we do with these hero candidates?"

Without thinking, Valdris said, "Hero candidates? Oh, you mean those players from the real world."

Nyxis, looking even more confused, asked, "Players? I'm afraid I don't understand, my lord. What do you mean by 'real world'? Isn't this world real?"

Valdris felt the blood drain from his face. "Oh fuck! I zoned out!" he thought, panicking internally. "How am I supposed to explain that this used to be a video game, and somehow this world became real, with players transported here?!"

Nyxis looked expectantly at him, waiting for an answer. Valdris improvised. "That's just... the term used by some gods. Be grateful I've shared that information with you."

Nyxis looked elated. "Thank you, my lord. I'll make sure to use this information wisely."

"Good. See that you do," Valdris replied.

Nyxis then asked again, "But you still haven't told me what to do with them. Should we eliminate them, observe them, or let them be?"

Valdris, still half-zoning out, responded, "Gather information and observe them. If they become a threat, continue watching until they reach a point of no return."

Nyxis bowed. "As you wish, my lord. I'll inform the thieves guild right away."

Valdris nodded. "Good. You're excused."

As Nyxis left, Valdris let out a deep sigh of relief—or at least he would have, if it weren't for the fact that several of his servants had been silently watching him the entire time.

Val thought, "That was way too close. And even now, I can't drop the act. I suppose I'll have to keep pretending to be my usual self so they don't catch on. Still… I'm getting hungry."

He turned to the servants in the room. "I'd like a meal now. What are you lot going to do about it?"

Immediately, the servants scattered into action. The table was set, the kitchen prepared its finest dishes, and soon Val found himself seated at a luxurious table, surrounded by food fit to tempt the gods.

As he took a bite of the steak, Val felt an overwhelming urge to shout, "This is fucking amazing!" But, of course, he had to maintain his noble act to avoid raising suspicion.

Just as Val was savoring his meal, Maelis, with her long, silver hair drifting weightlessly and her starry cloak billowing behind her, appeared beside him.

"Greetings, my sovereign. A query lingers on the cusp of thought... concerning the dance of gods and their unseen hands. Might I disturb the veil between us to seek your wisdom?"

Val replied casually, "Sure," though his internal monologue screamed, "What the hell is she talking about?! Was it always this hard to understand her? I swear, I'm losing brain cells just listening!"

Maelis continued, "Ah, as the threads of fate have revealed, the hero candidates have begun to manifest across the realm—an occurrence unseen before now. Such ripples... one might suspect the hand of Thyrran, the god who shapes champions. Might I request your blessing, my sovereign, to... converse... with this deity? Assuming, of course, it is not an unprecedented course of action."

Once again, Val simply responded, "Sure," still only half-following. "Alright, I get the part about Thyrran being the god of heroes, and I understand Maelis wants to talk to him... but can she please talk like a normal person for once?"

Maelis bowed slightly. "Thank you, my sovereign. I shall ensure these... discussions... remain civil. I wouldn't dream of adding to your burdens. After all, I am quite useful, you see. Perhaps... a token of appreciation, in the form of additional resources, would be appropriate?"

Val nodded absentmindedly, muttering "Sure," though inside his head, he was shouting, "Please, for the love of arcane, just talk normally!"

Maelis' black eyes softened to a grayish hue as she received his agreement. Sensing something different, she inquired, "My sovereign, if I may venture a thought... might I inquire as to why you seem... slightly altered today? There's a certain... shift in your essence, a ripple, if you will."

"Shit!" Val thought. "She's onto me! Think fast!"

Out loud, he said, "I'm currently focused on... arcane matters. My presence may appear... less grounded than usual. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to enjoy this exquisite meal prepared by my loyal servants. If there's nothing else, you may leave, Maelis."

"I see... well then, as the arcane master that you are, my sovereign, I have no doubt you can balance such minor tasks as... nourishment... with the weight of your vast power. I shall take my leave and... attend to the talks... with a certain someone who may—or may not—cause us trouble yet."

As Maelis left, Val sighed internally. "Finally, some peace!"

Just as he was about to take another bite of his steak, the door swung open, revealing Selene, a tall, elegant elf. Her silver hair cascaded like moonlight, her skin glowing faintly as though touched by the moon itself. She wore intricate silver armor adorned with lunar symbols, her glowing white eyes reflecting her connection to moon magic. Cold and serene, she always maintained an air of calm.

Selene bowed slightly. "Forgive my intrusion, my lord. I have yesterday's report on the Arcane Tower floors, as scheduled."

"Goddammit," Val thought. "Just let me eat in peace!" But he said, "Proceed," and continued his meal as Selene recited the report.

Selene stood poised, her voice calm and unwavering as she began, "As per yesterday's report, my lord, the activity across the floors has been relatively quiet, though several adventuring parties did meet their end on Floor 76. The group known as 'The Blades of Valor' was eliminated by a swarm of spectral guardians near the lower eastern corridor..."

"Gods, is this going to be another long one?" Val sighed internally, watching as his food grew colder by the second.

"They made progress up until the second phase of the boss fight, but it appears their mage, Amarinus, failed to properly cast the defensive ward. As a result, the entire party was incapacitated by a series of critical hits dealt by the enhanced specters."

"Of course, he did. Why does every mage think they can rush past a boss fight without defensive spells?" Val thought bitterly as he chewed slowly, trying to focus on the taste of his meal.

"Meanwhile, on Floor 22, a new batch of recruits attempted to bypass the riddle room but failed due to their apparent lack of linguistic expertise. The adventurer group 'Silver Stalwart' perished shortly thereafter when the stone guardians awoke."

"No one ever solves the riddle rooms. Should've made the clues a little less cryptic," Val grumbled silently.

Selene continued, "Regarding Floor 80, the main challenge remains the barrier around the chamber of the Guardian of Souls. As of today, no adventurer has successfully deactivated it, and the guardian continues to accumulate the energy of failed attempts."

"Maybe I should just tell them there's a second key, hidden right in front of their faces… Nah, where's the fun in that?" Val thought, feigning interest by nodding along to her report.

"Floor 64 saw the demise of a rogue party attempting to sneak past the sentries. It appears they triggered the flame trap while attempting to disable it, leading to an immediate incineration of their party leader, one 'Tavrick Blacksteel.' The rest followed soon after."

"Oh, Blacksteel? I remember him. Overconfident fool. Thought he could sneak through Netharis like it was a playground." Val sighed, focusing on not letting his expression show the growing irritation.

"Moving on, Floor 32 experienced another surge of adventurer deaths due to the toxic mist that had accumulated in the eastern sections. Despite repeated warnings in previous reports, none of the new entrants seem prepared with proper antidotes. Yesterday alone, fifteen groups fell victim to it, with the most notable being the 'Emerald Vanguard,' who succumbed before even reaching the second trial."

"Fifteen groups in one day? It's like they aren't even trying anymore." Val's fork paused halfway to his mouth. "Maybe I should lower the difficulty? … Nah, serves them right."

Selene, unfazed by Valdris' silence, continued, "As for the Arcane Tower, there was significant activity on Floor 24, where a party attempted to breach the wards surrounding the Mirror of Lost Memories. They failed, of course, as the wards responded to their magic, reflecting it back at them. Their healer, 'Alora Silverlight,' was incapacitated instantly, and the rest fled soon after."

"At least someone knows when to run," Val mused. "Still, I bet they'll try again without fixing the ward-breaking spell. They never learn."

"And finally, on Floor 5, the group 'Fallen Phoenix' successfully completed the labyrinth trial but encountered heavy resistance in the final corridor. The majority of their party survived, though the rogue, 'Kael the Swift,' was unfortunately impaled by a dart trap after triggering it."

"'Swift,' huh? Not swift enough, apparently," Val rolled his eyes. "Can't believe I'm still stuck listening to this while my food is getting cold."

As Selene was finishing the report, a sudden gust of wind blew through the room. The door behind her swung open, and Aeloria made her entrance, her long, white hair floating around her as if carried by a breeze. Without hesitation, she moved with lightning speed and wrapped her arms around Val from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Aeloria appeared graceful, her skin faintly crackling with electricity, and her robes shimmered like the colors of a stormy sky. Her eyes, flashing with lightning, were filled with playful energy as she whispered into Val's ear, "How's my favorite little lord doing? You must have missed me. Let's go out and play."

Before Val could react, Selene immediately stiffened, her calm demeanor disrupted. "Aeloria!" she snapped, her voice sharp with reprimand. "You shouldn't get so close to our lord! Show some respect!"

Aeloria's lips curved into a smirk as she turned her gaze toward Selene. "Respect? Oh please," she purred, her arms still draped around Val. "I show him plenty of respect. Besides, don't you think our little lord deserves a bit of fun every now and then? It's not like he enjoys listening to your tedious reports all day."

Selene's eyes narrowed, her glowing white irises locking onto Aeloria's teasing grin. "You're overstepping, Aeloria. Our lord has important matters to attend to. Unlike you, I actually contribute to his reign."

Aeloria's smirk deepened, her tone growing more playful as she replied, "Contribute? If you call boring him to death with endless details a contribution, then sure. I'm sure he's just thrilled by your little monologues."

Val, in the meantime, sat silently, chewing his meal as if nothing were happening, his eyes half-closed in resignation. Internally, he was screaming, "Oh for arcane's sake, just let me eat in peace!"

But the argument between the two Vassals was far from over.

"You wouldn't understand responsibility if it struck you with one of your own lightning bolts!" Selene retorted, her voice trembling with indignation. "You treat everything like a game, and our lord deserves better!"

Aeloria's eyes flickered with amusement. "And yet, he keeps me around. Funny, isn't it? Maybe he enjoys my company more than your stiff routines." Her arms tightened ever so slightly around Val, the crackling of electricity in the air becoming more pronounced.

Val, trying to ignore the rising tension, stabbed another piece of steak with his fork, internally begging for the argument to end.

"I—!" Selene began, her frustration mounting, but before she could continue, a new voice cut through the tension.

"Oh dear, oh dear..." Ira entered the room, her fiery presence immediately making itself known. Her long, disheveled red hair and singed dress swirled with cursed flames. Ira's eyes gleamed with a manic glint, and a grin spread across her face as she took in the scene.

"Is this a bad time? It seems like I've walked in on something... juicy," Ira said, her voice teasing and laced with a hint of madness.

Aeloria loosened her grip on Val and turned toward Ira, smirking. "Juicy? Oh, nothing special, just a little spat about who's our lord's favorite."

Selene bristled, her voice stiff as she addressed Ira. "This is none of your concern."

But Ira's grin only widened. "Oh, but it's always my concern when things get heated. And I do so love it when things... burn."

Val sighed internally, realizing that peace was now a distant dream.

The sparks between Aeloria's lightning and Ira's flame began to crackle in the air, filling the room with an ominous charge. Selene quickly realized that the situation was spiraling out of control.

"Listen, you two!" Selene's voice cracked with authority. "Our lord is trying to eat in peace, so let's calm down a peg!"

Good, Val thought, at least someone is getting it! Though... you were kind of the one who started this whole mess. Or was it Loria? Who knows. He took another bite of his steak, nearly done with his meal.

Ira smirked, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she spoke. "Well, ladies, I'm the only one here who's actually human, just like our dear lord. If we were to have children, they'd be purebred humans. Unlike whatever halflings you two would spawn."

Aeloria smiled, completely unbothered by Ira's words. "Trivial matters. I'm just here to enjoy my time with our lord. What about you, Selene? Do you think you're fit to be our lord's concubine?"

Val's eyes widened in disbelief, nearly choking on his food. "How did this conversation get here?! Since when did I start looking for a woman? A girlfriend would be nice, but not in this flaming mess!"

Selene flushed, stumbling over her words until the door creaked open once again. Enter Lunara, the vampire queen herself, striding in with her usual regal air. "Concubine for our lord?" she purred. "There's no better option than me—an actual queen."

Val groaned internally. "Of course you'd show up too. Why don't all the female Vassals I haven't seen today just come right now? I dare you, Fortuna, the god of fate. I triple dare you! No, I quadruple dare you!"

Just as he finished that thought, Ygrin entered the room. The sturdy dwarf, with stone-like skin and braided vines in her hair, looked around at the gathered women.

"Hey boss. I hope I'm not intruding. I'm here about that thing you asked me to build."

Val sighed, outwardly calm, but inwardly pleading. "I get your point, Fortuna. I regret daring you. If you bring Zarkos here, I swear I'll accept you as a god to be praised."

Ira's voice cut through the room, angry and volatile. "The fuck did you say?! It's a pleasure to see the dwarf but not me?!"

Val winced. "Fortuna? Now would be a great time to step in."

Before he could get another bite of his food, Kaezrith, the ancient dragon in her human form, entered the room. She smiled wickedly, her silver hair crackling with static electricity. "Quite the clam fest you've got here, high one."

Val shot her a side glance and muttered, "Oh, don't joke like that, Kae. You know I prefer lobsters over clams."

"There's no kind god in this world. There may be gods, but none of them are kind."

He continued, "Shouldn't you be in your den, Kae? Is there something you need from me?"

Kaezrith smirked. "Oh, nothing urgent. I just felt the sparks between Aeloria and Ira and thought I'd check in. Since the conversation is about concubines, why not give me a few spawns of yours as a sign of good faith?" She winked at Val playfully.

Val's heart sank. "Not you too, Kae! I trusted you! You were worshiped as a god once!"

Ira's fury escalated as she began to mutter under her breath, her anger building until she finally exploded, slamming the table hard. "You always talk to Kaezrith! Kae this, Kae that! Why not Ira? Why won't you give me the attention you give every other woman? WHY?!"

The table shattered under her blow, sending the remaining food flying to the floor.

Aeloria covered her mouth cheekily. "My, my. Can't keep your temper in check? Are all human women like that? So tied up in knots, never free and happy?"

Selene shouted, her voice cracking, "What have you done, Ira?! You've upset our lord and—"

She stopped mid-sentence, as did everyone else in the room. They could feel it—Val's presence growing stronger, more threatening.

"My... food. My... table. Everything's ruined. The people who spent their hearts preparing all this... gone to waste."

Val's voice was eerily calm, but an aura of menace seeped through every word. "Ira. Do you know what you've done?"

Ira trembled. "M-My lord... I-I-I..."

Val turned to Selene. "Selene. You are loyal and have always stood by my side. Tell me... what has Ira done?"

Selene gulped, barely able to speak. "She... broke the table."

Val's eyes narrowed. "And?"

Selene froze, not daring to continue.

Ygrin, though shaking, spoke up. "She... disturbed your meal, boss."

Val nodded. "Good. Very good, Ygrin. Very good."

"The food... the heavenly food... RUINED!" Val screamed internally. "But if I lash out, they'll see I'm all talk. Stay calm. Stay... calm. Always with a poker face... even though I've never played poker." He mused for a moment before collecting himself.

In a calm voice, Val said, "What Ira did was to destroy the beautiful craftsmanship of our builders. They worked hard on this, and now it's all for nothing."

Ygrin interjected, "Boss, I don't think it will take too long to rebuild—"

Val raised a hand, cutting her off. "And then there's the food. The chefs worked tirelessly for me. The hunters risked their lives. And you... Ira... disregarded all of it. So tell me, what do you have to say?"

Ira, trembling, barely managed to utter, "I... I... I..."

Before she could finish, Nyxis flickered into the room. "My lord, allow me to ensure that Ira builds a hundred tables and hunts twice as much food for the residents of Netharis."

Val clenched his teeth. "Fuck! Now Nyx is here too! I have to finish this quickly, or they'll suspect I'm a fraud!"

Val spoke coldly. "Nyx... my dear Nyx... remind me, who did I ask to answer this?"

The room fell silent as everyone began to sweat under Val's growing pressure. Nyxis hesitated before replying. "I... it was Ira, my lord. My deepest apologies."

Val internally smirked. "Good. They don't suspect a thing. Time for the grand bluff."

"Good," he said. "But if an incident like this occurs again, where I see any of you disrespecting those who serve me with their hearts and souls, I'll personally ensure that you won't be capable of making such a mistake ever again."

A slight shimmer appeared in Val's eyes, sending a chill through the room.

"My subjects, do I make myself clear?" Val's voice echoed with authority.

Everyone, including the servants, dropped to their knees and shouted in unison, "Yes, our lord Valdris Altair Mournveil! You make it loud and clear!"

Val nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now, everyone except Ygrin may leave."

As the room cleared out, Val sighed inwardly. Finally, the most sane one is here... relatively speaking.

Ygrin stepped forward, about to speak when Zarkos barged in, ignoring the departing servants. The massive demon, his cracked skin glowing with embers, made a fist-to-palm gesture as he entered.

"Boss. I want to have a scuffle. I've been waiting too long, so don't disappoint me."

Val's patience finally snapped, and he muttered, "Is there truly a god?"

Ygrin tilted her head. "Of course there is. There are all kinds of gods."

Zarkos laughed. "You haven't gone senile, have you, old man?"

Val, zoning out, murmured, "But truly... are they gods, or just beings pretending to be gods?"

Both Zarkos and Ygrin paused, confused by his words.

"If gods were real," Val continued, "then why do I suffer like this?"

Zarkos and Ygrin exchanged looks, shocked by their lord's admission.

Zarkos stammered, "You... you're suffering, my lord?"

Val nodded absently. "Indeed. I am suffering right now."

Zarkos, unsure of what to say, muttered, "Pe-Perhaps it's karma, sire."

Ygrin's eyes widened with anger. "Zarkos! How dare you suggest that our lord deserves karma?! That's treason!"

Zarkos immediately bowed, trembling. "I'm sorry, sire! I'll never say anything like that again!"

Val muttered, "Sure," barely above a whisper. Internally, his thoughts were spiraling. "That's it. I'm completely fucked. Soon, I'll be embracing the death god, Mors. But maybe, just maybe, if I bluff my way through this mess, I'll survive."

He chuckled softly to himself, and the eerie sound made both Zarkos and Ygrin take a step back. His laughter seemed almost sinister, but in reality, Val was thinking, "I'll just have to live my life as the Bluff King if I want to continue my feeble existence."

His eyes scanned the room one last time as he silently promised himself, "Bluff. Just bluff your way through everything. They'll never know…"