The sky was red.Not a blazing red, but a veiled crimson, as if dawn had been stolen from this world.
In this desert expanse, lined with ancient ruins and half-buried statues, a lone figure traced symbols in the sand.
— You're going to reset everything again?
The voice—deep, tinged with mockery—broke the heavy silence. Lin looked up without surprise.
Standing before him was a young man dressed in black, arms crossed, a data sphere floating at his side. His eyes, a metallic gold, gleamed like fragments of a trapped sun.
— There's a flaw in Trial 7. Too predictable after 312 seconds. I want to make it... endless.
The other raised an eyebrow, then smiled—half admiring, half resigned.
— You're obsessed. This world is supposed to be a testing ground, not an eternal masterpiece. You could stop, just for a bit.
Lin stayed silent. He drew one final circle, closed his eyes, and sat down.
— I don't know. Every time I finish something… it leaves me empty. Like I'm still missing something vital. Like I'm only scratching the surface.
A breath. A pause. Then the other stepped closer, more serious.
— You want to create something alive, don't you?
A system that evolves without waiting for you.A puzzle that breathes.
Lin opened his eyes. They were dark, deep… as if they held the blueprint of an entire world.
— I've always loved ruins, he said slowly.
Mysteries. The signs left behind by those who built everything… and then vanished.
I want someone to stumble upon what I made… and feel something. Even if they don't know me.
The other laughed, but there was sadness in it.
— Then you need a kingdom.But you refuse to be its king.
Silence thickened.
Two geniuses.Two paths.Two solitudes.
— Why are you still here, anyway? You could easily reach the top 5.
A long moment passed. Then the answer fell—heavy and honest.
— Because even at the top...I'd still be in your shadow.
And still... I wait.I wait to see how far you'll go.
The desert blurred. The wind stopped.And like a page turning without being touched, everything collapsed.
Lin jolted awake. The pain was sharp, slicing through him, as if every cell screamed.
He was no longer in the battle room.He was… elsewhere.
His dungeon had absorbed him.Protected. Preserved.
The walls around him vibrated with new energy. A faint light pulsed from glyphs he didn't recognize.
He tried to sit up, trembling.
Something had changed.
A chill ran down his spine as a white spiral began glowing above him.The system menu opened—without his command.
But it wasn't the usual menu.
🌀 Condition Met: Level 40.
🧩 Analyzing...
📜 Unique Affinity Detected...
🔐 Special Class: Locked.
Several options appeared.
Void Architect. Intangible Strategist. Tamer of Mechanisms...
Then, at the bottom of the list, an entry blinked. Different.
Hidden Class: Enigmatic Monarch (Legendary Unique)
You don't need an army.Nor applause.
You influence the world in silence, like a riddle only understood in hindsight.
You are the king of those who don't seek a throne.
Do you accept the invisible crown?
He read it several times.A mix of apprehension, clarity... and something more intimate.
It was a description made for him.
— I accept.
The next instant, light shattered over him like a rain of glass.Black chains coiled around his mind, binding him to ancient knowledge.An unclaimed throne appeared behind him—ethereal, unstable.
🌀 Class Obtained: Enigmatic Monarch (Legendary Unique)
🎖️ Passive Effect: Aura of Enigma – Subtle influence in all your rooms.
🧠 Talent Evolution: Strategic Vision → Creative Awareness
🏰 Ability Unlocked: Monarch's Mandate – Alter internal dungeon rules, integrate advanced laws and mythical artifacts.
He remained still for a moment, in silence.
Then, a tremor pulsed through the floor.A door appeared—black, like a tear in the fabric of reality.
He stepped through.
On the other side: a bare, immaculate room.
At its center: a throne of obsidian.No jewels, no banners.Just a single symbol carved into the stone:
"Those who rule over riddles need no brute force. They shape reality."
He sat.
And in the perfect void of that room, he closed his eyes.
A shiver of satisfaction ran through him.
Somewhere, deep within the world, a signal was triggered.
A subtle echo, but inevitable.
A notification appeared on every observation artifact across the world:
🔔 A new Monarch has risen. Let the game intensify.