Day 7 – 9:30 PM – The Realization
Ji-hye barely dodged an arrow, rolling just in time to avoid the jagged spectral blade that came swinging at her next.
Tae-sik cursed as he brought his sword down on a ghoul, but the creature twisted mid-air, its deformed body bending at unnatural angles, avoiding the strike entirely.
Min-jun gritted his teeth as he barely managed to deflect a chain that had lashed out toward his throat.
Even Seok-hoon, usually composed, was being pushed back, forced onto the defensive against the never-ending undead horde.
The fight had already lasted more than three hours.
And now—
It was getting worse.
Kyung-min stood at the back of the battlefield, gripping his dagger with sweaty hands, his heart hammering.
The Lich's empty sockets locked onto him.
Not the others.
Him.
As if it had finally acknowledged his presence.
A deep, bone-rattling voice filled the chamber.
"You. The one who lingers outside of fate."
Kyung-min froze.
"You do not belong here."
The words weren't a taunt.
They weren't a threat.
They were a statement.
Like it already knew what he was.
The ground beneath Kyung-min cracked.
An unseen force gripped his soul, pulling him downward.
And then—
The Lich moved.
Day 7 – 9:35 PM – The First Step
For the first time since the battle began—
The Lich descended from its throne.
It didn't walk. It glided forward, its ancient robes shifting like shadows, the weight of its presence pressing down on the battlefield like a suffocating fog.
Tae-sik shuddered. "Oh, f*** no."
Ji-hye's breath hitched. "It wasn't even trying before…?"
Seok-hoon adjusted his stance. "Everyone, formation! Now!"
Kyung-min couldn't breathe.
The Silver-Haired Woman, standing just beside him, tilted her head slightly.
She wasn't afraid.
She was watching.
Waiting.
The Lich raised a single, skeletal finger.
And the entire chamber erupted into chaos.
Day 7 – 9:40 PM – Magic That Cannot Be Countered
A wave of green fire exploded outward.
Ji-hye vanished from sight, reappearing behind one of the risen knights to strike—only for her daggers to pass straight through.
"What—?!"
Tae-sik's sword met a newly formed wraith, its transparent body shimmering, and when he swung—it phased through the attack completely.
Min-jun barely managed to raise a defensive ward, but cracks instantly formed along its glowing surface.
Seok-hoon tried to cut down another ghoul, only for the creature to dissolve into mist—and reform behind him.
Kyung-min watched in horror.
The undead weren't just stronger.
They had become untouchable.
The Lich's hollow gaze swept across them.
"A cycle of life and death. The mortals struggle. The mortals fail."
Its skeletal hands came together in a slow, deliberate clap.
And the real battle began.
Day 7 – 9:50 PM – The Army of the Undying
The Lich extended a hand.
A black sigil ignited in the air.
And the battlefield… shifted.
🔹 The walls of the dungeon stretched outward, expanding the chamber into something far larger.
🔹 The corpses of every fallen monster began to move.
🔹 The undead army grew—tenfold.
From the shadows, new horrors emerged.
🔸 Pale Reapers—floating specters wielding scythes, their ghostly forms flickering in and out of existence.
🔸 Gravebinders—skeletal mages wrapped in dark robes, their eyes glowing with eerie runes.
🔸 Cursed Berserkers—hunched, armored warriors with chains wrapped around their limbs, their mouths filled with jagged, unnatural teeth.
Kyung-min's breath shuddered.
This wasn't a dungeon boss anymore.
This was an army.
Ji-hye darted backward. "We need a new plan!"
Tae-sik roared as he barely dodged a Reaper's scythe. "No sh*t!"
Seok-hoon's voice was sharp. "Min-jun, analyze the spell! How do we break this cycle?"
Min-jun's fingers flipped through the air, tracing system logs faster than Kyung-min had ever seen.
The Silver-Haired Woman watched them all.
And for the first time—
She looked bothered.
Her fingers twitched at her side.
Almost like she wanted to act.
Day 7 – 10:00 PM – The Unbreakable Curse
Min-jun gasped.
His face went pale.
Kyung-min didn't like that expression.
Seok-hoon grabbed him. "What did you find?"
Min-jun's fingers trembled.
His voice came out hoarse.
"This isn't just a reanimation spell."
Ji-hye narrowed her eyes. "Then what the hell is it?"
Min-jun swallowed.
"It's a curse."
Silence.
Tae-sik froze mid-swing. "…Come again?"
Min-jun turned his screen toward them.
[Lich's Domain – Cycle of the Forgotten]
🔹 "Those who fall will rise again."
🔹 "Those who rise will never leave."
🔹 "Those who fight… will forget they ever fought."
Seok-hoon's grip tightened around his blade. "Then how do we kill them permanently?"
Min-jun's lips parted slightly.
Then—
He spoke the worst possible answer.
"We don't."
Day 7 – 10:01 PM – The Moment It Became Hopeless
The words hung in the air.
Ji-hye shook her head. "No. There has to be a way."
Tae-sik's breathing turned shallow. "You're telling me this fight is unwinnable!?"
Min-jun hesitated. "Not unwinnable. But…"
He turned toward the Lich.
His fingers curled into fists.
"As long as it stands, nothing stays dead."
Seok-hoon's eyes darkened. "Then we take it down first."
"How?" Ji-hye snapped. "Didn't you see? Our attacks won't even touch the damn thing!"
Silence.
And then—
The Lich moved again.
This time, toward Kyung-min.
The Silver-Haired Woman's eyes flickered toward him.
And for the first time—
She frowned.
Something was wrong.
And Kyung-min felt it too.
Because in that moment, he understood.
This Lich didn't care about them.
It didn't see them as threats.
It only saw him.
And it had been waiting for something.
Kyung-min's breath hitched.
The Lich spoke once more.
"You. The one who should not be."
Its skeletal fingers curled inward.