The corridor stretched ahead, the dim light barely enough to guide me. My heart pounded in my chest, every thud reminding me of the promise I had made. I couldn't break it. I wouldn't. Jin-Woo trusted me to look after his family, and I wouldn't let him down.
Suddenly, I tripped. My foot caught on something hard, and I tumbled forward, crashing to the ground. Pain shot through my knee as I landed, but it wasn't just the fall that startled me—it was what I had stumbled over.
I turned to see a small stone lever jutting out from the floor, almost hidden in the shadows. It looked ancient, worn down by time, and out of place in the middle of the corridor. My heart raced as I stared at it. What was this? Was it part of the dungeon's trap?
Without thinking, I reached out and pulled the lever. The moment I did, the walls around me trembled. I jumped back, fear surging through me, but the ground didn't give way like I had feared. Instead, a section of the wall beside me slid open with a deep, grinding sound.
I stared at the opening in shock. A hidden passage?
Taking a deep breath, I peered inside. The air was colder, heavier, and it sent a shiver down my spine. The hallway beyond was narrow and dark, with no light to guide the way, but something about it felt... wrong. More wrong than the rest of this dungeon.
A part of me wanted to turn back. This wasn't part of the escape route. This wasn't the way out. But another part of me, a strange pull I couldn't explain, urged me forward. There was something down there. Something hidden. Something that I wanted to see, even when I feel my life could be at risk.
I glanced back down the corridor I had been running through, then back to the dark passage. If this led somewhere else—somewhere that could help—maybe it was worth the risk.
Swallowing hard, I stepped into the passage. The darkness swallowed me almost immediately, the sound of my footsteps eerily loud in the silence. The deeper I went, the more ominous it felt. The walls seemed to close in, the air growing colder with every step.
As I moved forward, strange carvings appeared on the walls, barely visible in the faint glow of the dungeon's lingering light. They looked ancient, like they told a story I couldn't understand. A story lost to time, hidden deep within the dungeon.
The air felt heavy with something... ancient. Powerful. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into something far worse than what we had faced before. Yet I kept moving, my steps slow and cautious, my hand gripping my dagger tightly.
Finally, the passage opened up into a small chamber. In the center of the room, there was a pedestal. On top of it lay a single, black crystal, glowing faintly with an eerie light. The moment I saw it, my heart skipped a beat. This wasn't something meant to be found.
I stepped closer, my eyes locked on the crystal. There was a strange energy radiating from it, something that felt... alive. The more I looked at it, the more I felt its pull, like it was calling to me, urging me to come closer.
But as I reached out, something inside me screamed to stop. This wasn't just any ordinary treasure. It was something dangerous, something meant to stay hidden. My hand hovered over the crystal, hesitation filling my mind.
What was this thing? And why was it here, buried deep in a secret part of the dungeon?
Before I could decide what to do, the ground beneath me trembled again. A low rumbling sound filled the chamber, and I quickly pulled my hand back. Whatever this was, I wasn't meant to take it.
I needed to get out of here—now.
Without another glance at the crystal, I turned and ran back down the passage, my heart racing even faster than before.
But, you know... it was probably fine to take just one more look, right?
I stopped in my tracks, glancing over my shoulder at the glowing black orb. It definitely looks dangerous... but also kinda... cool? I chewed my lip, feeling the internal battle brewing. I mean, who just leaves weird, glowing crystals lying around in secret dungeons?
I found myself inching back towards the pedestal. Maybe just a little touch… no harm in that... probably.
Before I knew it, my hand was on the orb, and I plucked it off the pedestal. This is fine. Totally fine. What's the worst that could happen?
The second I grabbed it, the entire chamber roared to life. The ground trembled violently, and the walls seemed to close in on me.
"Oh, come on! I knew this was a bad idea!" I shouted at myself, clutching the orb tight as the floor beneath me started shifting. "Why do I do these things?!"
The rumbling grew louder, and I could swear the walls were mocking me. The traps I had managed to avoid earlier? They kicked into overdrive.
"I wasn't even supposed to take it!" I yelled, dodging a spike that shot out of the wall. "But noooo, I just had to pick up the creepy glowing orb! Great job, genius!"
I sprinted down the passage, narrowly missing another trap. The floor started sliding away beneath me, forcing me to leap over gaps like I was in some twisted version of a video game. "Is this real life?!" I muttered, barely catching my breath between jumps. "Or am I in some dungeon-running nightmare?!"
I burst out of the secret passage, the door slamming shut behind me with a resounding 'thud'. I leaned against the wall, panting, and stared at the black orb in my hand.
"Yeah, sure... definitely wasn't the dumbest thing I've ever done," I said, holding up the orb like it was a cursed souvenir. "Totally worth it."
"Nope, not worth it."
With the orb still buzzing faintly in my grip, I shook my head. "I should really stop touching things I'm not supposed to…"
As I stumbled back into the main corridor, gasping for air, the atmosphere shifted suddenly. The air grew colder, and I felt a strange presence—something ancient, something beyond anything I had ever encountered.
The black orb in my hand began glowing wildly. I barely had a second to react before the ground beneath me vanished, and I found myself sliding downward as if caught on some endless slide.
The descent felt like it lasted forever, but in reality, it was about a minute. When I finally came to a stop, I was in what seemed like the deepest and darkest part of the dungeon—a place that had never known sunlight.
I dusted myself off, irritated by how much trouble the black orb was causing. It continued to glow intensely, and in a fit of frustration, I aimed to kick it out of spite. But before my foot could make contact, the orb floated into the air on its own, bursting open and disappearing into nothingness.
Suddenly, a strange light enveloped the entire area, blinding me for a moment. When the light faded, I realized I was no longer in the dungeon. The environment around me had changed completely. This place didn't feel like Earth—it was something far beyond.
The sky, if you could call it that, was a deep, swirling mist with no stars or horizon. The ground beneath me was solid yet felt like it was barely holding me up. It was as if I had stepped into a different realm altogether.
Before I could make sense of where I was, a figure appeared before me, emerging from the mist. She was tall, graceful, and had an aura of immense power. Her eyes glowed with an ancient light, and her robes shimmered with the colors of the earth. It was Gaia, the Earth Mother.
She looked at me with a hint of amusement, her voice calm but stern. "So, you are the greedy one."
I was confused. "Greedy? What do you mean?"
Gaia's gaze softened, but her words still carried weight. "It was your greed that led you here. The orb you picked up—it drew you to this place because you desired something beyond the ordinary."
I was about to argue but stopped. Deep down, I knew she was right. I had always pushed myself further, wanting more power, more answers, without thinking of the consequences, well a part of the reason was because I was always worried about my mother's well being and will to protect her.
"This is the Realm Between Realms," Gaia continued. "A neutral zone. It exists between your world and countless others. As a human it's a place where no human can be, but perhaps... it is fate you got the chance to be here."
I swallowed hard. "Why am I here? What do you want from me?"
Gaia sighed, her expression growing heavier. "The Monarchs, beings of immense power from other realms, have discovered Earth. They want to break into your world and conquer it.
However, they are not the only ones. Many realms have noticed Earth—an untapped land, ripe for control. They have united in their desire to seize it."
I felt a chill run down my spine as she explained the situation. Monarchs, other realms—all of them wanted to take over Earth.
"I used my full power to stop them from entering," Gaia continued. "But I wasn't completely successful. I managed to hold them back for now, but it's only temporary.
The dungeon gates that have opened across your world? They are the result of the Monarchs trying to break through. The monsters that you guys are fighting in the dungeon. Those are the monarch's armies."
Confused by what she was saying, "So, what do you need me to do?"
Gaia's eyes softened, though her voice remained firm. "I granted powers to the people of Earth to give them a fighting chance—to handle the threats coming from these gates.
But it won't be enough. I need champions, people who can stand against the Monarchs and protect Earth from being overrun."
Her words echoed in my mind. The stakes weren't just about surviving the dungeons anymore—it was about defending the entire world.
"I'm asking for your help," Gaia said. "Will you fight? Will you stand against the forces that wish to destroy your world?"
[A/N:- This is still a new fic, my priority still is MHA fic, which I wish to finish quickly, so I'm letting you know, the updates of this fic will be slow in comparison to mha fic, if you wish you can join my Patreon, where I'll be posting 6 chapters a week, 3 of MHA and 3 of this fic.
In the $8 tier, you'll get 12 advance chapters
While in the $3 tier you'll only get 4 advance chapters
Here is the link to my Patreon:-
https://patreon.com/EmperorNumix ]