The dungeon core trembled.
Not out of fear.
But out of excitement.
Raw energy seeped through the magical breach, poorly disguised under a veil of illusion. Lin hadn't even needed to force his dungeon to feel it. It hit like a storm in a glass of water.
— "He's strong."
He raised his hand, rotated the dungeon map, and zoomed in on the area where the disturbance had just flared up. Room 5, still empty until now, had activated. Black floor, high ceiling, walls covered in labyrinthine patterns. He had left it in raw, unused form.
— "Perfect. Time to improvise."
He traced the edges of the room. His mana flowed through it like ink.
The scenery changed instantly.
The walls expanded and contracted, forming a perfect cube. A vacant throne appeared on one of the side walls, suspended five meters above the ground. Around it, five clocks materialized, all ticking backward. Each a different color. Each representing a choice.
A mental whisper echoed through the corridors.
"Mental Judgment Room activated."
"Awaiting intruder."
The man who had just entered set foot in the room.
He didn't move for five seconds.
Not a gesture. Not a word.
Then, slowly, he raised his head. His golden eyes scanned the room with a cold analytical gaze. His long black leather coat hid throwing weapons and a seemingly ordinary sword. His level was masked. But Lin didn't need numbers.
His instinct screamed.
This man… had already killed dozens of Dungeon Makers.
And he wasn't here to explore.
He was here to evaluate.
The floor lit up beneath the intruder's feet.
Text appeared in the air, in glowing white letters:
Welcome, "Evaluator Specter #07".
You are entering a psychic test chamber.
Lies will condemn you. Hesitation will expose you.
Three truths or one mistake.
The man raised an eyebrow. Then, calmly, he spoke:
— "The previous room was reshaped… less than ten minutes ago. You're here. I know it. Show yourself."
Lin watched the scene from the heart of the dungeon.
He smiled.
— "You're right, man. But it's you who has to reveal yourself… not me."
He activated the first clock.
A ticking sound echoed. A countdown began: 60 seconds.
Trial 1: Guilt.
"You sacrificed your team in a dungeon, one month ago. Who were they? And why?"
Silence.
The intruder's golden eyes hardened.
Then, without even blinking, he replied:
— "A Vatican squad. Seven members. Their faith blinded them. I let them die to retrieve the artifact. No regrets."
✅ Answer accepted. No irregular heartbeat detected.
✅ Guilt absent. Mental stabilization confirmed.
Lin crossed his arms.
— "Damn… this guy's a machine."
He activated the red clock. Second trial. 45 seconds.
Trial 2: Intention.
"Why did you come to this dungeon?"
The man glanced up at the clocks.
— "You want to test my limits. And I'm testing yours. I'm not here to win. I'm here to see if you deserve what you've earned."
✅ Valid answer.
⚠ Partial concealment detected: 17%
➤ Result: Trial passed, suspicion noted.
Lin frowned.
He didn't like this. The guy was saying just enough to get by.
He would activate the final clock himself. The one he had never used.
The one he had modeled after his own doubt.
Trial 3: Fear.
"What do you truly fear?"
The man, for the first time, froze.
A vein pulsed at his temple.
Silence stretched.
Then, in a whisper:
— "…Remembering."
The walls shifted instantly.
The room liquefied and reshaped into a shadow theater.
A memory of the intruder was projected into the chamber.
A battlefield.
Corpses. Muffled screams.
And a small boy with empty eyes, hands covered in blood, standing in the center of a summoning circle.
Lin stood speechless.
— "That's not an illusion… that's a fragment of his real past."
But just as the memory became clearer, the man shouted:
— "Enough!"
He raised his hand, shattered the magical flow, and… the image burst apart.
The dungeon floor rumbled.
A fissure formed.
A mental alarm blared in Lin's mind.
⚠ Forced interruption detected.
➤ Intruder's level: Too high.
➤ Mental resistance: Class S++
➤ Dungeon instability risk: Moderate.
Lin took a step back.
A direct confrontation would be suicidal.
But he had seen what mattered.
This man… had weaknesses.
And most importantly: he was not invincible in a controlled space.
He pressed an invisible command.
A full labyrinth enclosed the room.
Three new traps deployed. Two illusions modeled after his past victims. And a custom "Enigmatic Guardian" built from the intruder's own combat style.
— "My turn to test you, Specter."
The throne in the room slowly faded.
Lin's voice echoed directly into the visitor's mind.
"You've passed the first gate. You want to evaluate me? Fine. But know this…"
A surge of dark energy flooded the walls.
Shifting glyphs already crawled along the surfaces.
"I'm not like other Dungeon Makers."
And in a darker, almost burning echo:
"I don't want to be respected.I want to be… unforgettable."