The crystalline shards of the dungeon core hung suspended in the air for a breathless moment before dissolving into radiant streams of energy. The chamber trembled violently, fissures spidering out across the walls as the core’s destruction destabilized the entire structure. Jack could feel it—the hum of unleashed power coursing through the air like a living thing, pulsing against his skin.

System Notification: Core Shattered - Dungeon Energy Surge

* Current Event: Core energy flows freely, destabilizing the dungeon structure.

* Dungeon Master Ability Activated: Otherworld Resonance

* Effect: Absorbs ambient dungeon energy to recharge Prismata Nodes and enhance abilities.

* Side Effect: Temporary fluctuation in local reality.

* System Note: “It’s like trying to siphon gas from a dragon. You might get the fuel, but you’ll definitely get burned.”

Jack gritted his teeth as the energy swirled around him, raw and unrestrained. The nodes buried deep within his core -latent remnants of his old path- thrummed in response, awakening as they drank in the ambient power. His vision flickered, reality bending at the edges like heat waves on asphalt. Colors sharpened, shadows deepened, and for an instant, the world seemed alive.

“Jack?” Little Red’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp with concern. She stood a few steps away, the Veil Crescent Blades in her hands glowing faintly with the energy they’d absorbed. “What’s happening?”

“Taking a shortcut,” he growled, his voice tight with concentration. The pull of the energy was intoxicating, but it was also dangerous -like holding onto a live wire and hoping not to get fried.

System Notification: Dungeon Adaptation Detected!

* Energy absorbed: 45%.

* Unlocked Legacy Ability: Prismata Anchor

* Create temporary stability in unstable dungeon spaces.

* Warning: Continued energy absorption risks overloading local systems.

Jack forced himself to take a steadying breath. His nodes were reactivating, bit by bit, their dormant pathways springing to life. But with the power came a choice -one he hadn’t expected.

System Notification: Path Choice Detected

* The dungeon’s energy connects to you, offering a glimpse into what was lost.

* Option 1: Restore the Path of the Timeless Wanderer.

* Regain all previous abilities, powers, and titles.

* Advantages: Immediate peak power, familiarity with skills, access to all legacy abilities.

* Disadvantages: Bound by the choices and mistakes of the past.

* Option 2: Forge the Path of the Unchained Phoenix.

* Begin anew, free from past burdens.

* Advantages: Unlimited potential for growth, untainted by past influences.

* Disadvantages: Start from scratch, with only your knowledge and instincts to guide you.

* System Note: “Do you cling to the ashes of what was, or rise anew from what could be? It’s your story to tell.”

The energy pulsed around him, each beat echoing with the weight of his decision. Memories flickered at the edges of his mind -moments of triumph, regret, and sacrifice from his days in the Otherworld. The skills and titles he’d earned had been hard-won, the prices paid were steep. But those same choices had chained him to a path he could no longer walk.

Jack hesitated, the decision pressing heavily on him. The path of the Unchained Phoenix promised freedom, but at the cost of everything he’d built. The words of the system whispered to him, laced with a challenge: “Do you have the courage to start over?”

But he’d already given up everything once, without a hint that he might one day have the chance to reclaim what he’d lost.

So, was there really even a choice?

Player Decision Locked: Path of the Unchained Phoenix Chosen.

* New Path Activated.

* System Note: “And so, the phoenix rises…”

The energy around him surged, a searing wave that swept through his body. His nodes flared, their dormant power twisting and reshaping into something new. Jack staggered, his breath coming in sharp gasps as the transformation took hold. He could feel it -the limitless potential of the new path, unshackled by the weight of the past. He could practically hear the Scribe grumbling as she was forced to rewrite the records of his life.

Jack smiled.

“Jack!” Little Red’s voice brought him back to the present. She was by his side now, her gaze sharp with worry. “Whatever you’re doing, wrap it up. We need to move!”

Jack straightened, the lingering energy settling into a steady hum beneath his skin. “I’m good,” he said, his voice steadier than he felt. “Let’s go.”

She noticed that Jack seemed a little off -slightly punch drunk from the energy surge, and whatever change he’d just gone through.

Jack’s gaze flicked to her blades, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Veil Strider, huh? Not a bad choice. You’ll be hard to pin down now.”

The ground beneath them trembled violently, the crystalline walls cracking as the dungeon began to unravel.

System Notification: Dungeon Collapse Imminent

* Collapse Timer: 4:59… 4:58…

* Effects: Traps and hazards deactivated. Remaining mobs and treasures reabsorbed.

* Escape Route Marked: Path highlighted in HUD.

* System Note: "Run now, reflect later. Unless you want to reflect permanently under a mountain of rubble."

Little Red’s head snapped toward Jack, the weight of the notification etched on her face. “What about the others?” Her voice was tight, threaded with urgency.

Jack’s smirk flickered, more out of habit than humor. “The system’s already marked the route. Anyone still alive in here knows it. We’ll meet them on the way.” His machete twitched in its sheath, his readiness unmistakable. “Trust me.”

She hesitated for the briefest moment, casting a glance back at the shattered core’s remnants. Its energy lingered in the air, a faint hum, almost like a whisper pressing against her mind: Is this all you wanted? Is this enough?

Jack’s sharp voice cut through her spiral. “Red, I get the whole dramatic pause thing, but the dungeon’s falling apart. Move your ass.”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

A short snort escaped her, her lips twisting into a reluctant grin as she shook off the unease. “Lead the way, big guy.”

“Onward and upward,” Jack muttered, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He wasn’t the same man who had entered this dungeon -and he could tell that neither was she.

They bolted toward the highlighted path, the ground shuddering beneath them as molten veins of energy spread through the fractured stone. The air thickened with heat, an oppressive force pushing against their every step. Faint echoes of cheering voices reached their ears, stirring a flicker of hope. The others.

System Notification: Ability Activated

* Ability: Prismata Anchor

* Effect: Stabilizes collapsing dungeon pathways for safe traversal.

* Duration: 2:00.

The air shimmered with residual energy, the dungeon’s hum growing sharper as fissures split across the ground like jagged veins of light. Jack raised his hand, summoning a faint blue field that spread over the crumbling floor. The shimmering energy stabilized the path ahead, the cracks halting as if held together by sheer will.

“Keep moving!” Jack’s voice rang out, commanding and sharp as he glanced back at Little Red. She matched his pace, her crescent-shaped blades glinting faintly in the eerie glow. Sweat dampened her fiery hair, sticking to her neck as she struggled to ignore the disquieting stillness.

“Something’s wrong,” she muttered, her breath hitching as they turned a corner. The corridor stretched out before them, wide and empty, its traps conspicuously absent. “Where are the mobs? No ambushes, no traps. Even the bosses—gone.”

Jack spared her a glance, his expression grim but intrigued. “Not gone,” he corrected, his voice carrying a note of suspicion. “Reclaimed. Dungeons don’t waste resources without a reason.”

“What does that mean?” Little Red asked, frustration creeping into her tone.

“It means,” Jack said, his machete twitching in its sheath, “this dungeon’s deity decided it wasn’t worth leaving the loot and creatures behind for us to scavenge. It’s siphoning everything—mobs, traps, rewards—likely to one of its other locations. Smart, but odd. Usually, they just let parties deal with the leftovers.”

Her brow furrowed as she processed his words. “So, what? It’s resetting itself?”

“Or repositioning,” Jack said, his gaze sweeping the empty hallway. “Either way, it’s not normal. This dungeon was different from the start. We’re just seeing the endgame.”

They pressed on, their footsteps echoing in the unsettling silence. The walls pulsed faintly, the crystalline veins flickering with the dungeon’s death throes. Jack’s HUD flickered to life as Sis chimed in, her tone clipped and efficient.

System Notification: Collapse Timer Active.

* Time Remaining: 3:27... 3:26...

* Escape Route: Teleportation pads detected. Activating access nodes.

* System Note: “Tick-tock, hero. Time waits for no dungeon diver.”

“There,” Jack said, pointing ahead as a faint blue glow illuminated the corridor. “Teleportation pad. Let’s move.”

The first pad was embedded in the floor, its surface rippling like water under starlight. Jack stepped onto it, the energy humming in response as he reached out to activate it.

System Notification: Teleportation Pad Activated.

* Target Floor: -2.

* Stability: 87%.

* System Note: “Close enough for government work. Try not to splatter on arrival.”

He glanced at Little Red. “Stay close. These things can get... temperamental.”

She snorted, stepping beside him. “Temperamental? That’s your word for explosive malfunction?”

“Don’t jinx it,” Jack said, hitting the activation glyph. The pad flared, and the world dissolved into a cascade of light and sound.

When they reappeared, the air was colder, the floor slick with condensation. A faint mist clung to the edges of the corridor, swirling as if stirred by unseen forces. Little Red staggered slightly, catching herself on the wall as she blinked against the sudden disorientation.

“Two more floors,” Jack said, already scanning for the next pad. “Stay sharp.”

As they sprinted through the twisting corridors, the faint sound of voices reached their ears. Little Red’s heart leapt, her pulse quickening as the echoes grew clearer. Familiar shouts and cheers resonated, cutting through the oppressive quiet.

“There they are!” she gasped, breaking into a faster run.

The rest of the team came into view, clustered in the Trap Room. Their expressions shifted from relief to alarm as Jack and Little Red burst into the room, their urgency unmistakable.

“About time!” Big Red barked, his massive axe resting on his shoulder as he strode toward them. “What the hell took you so long?”

“Stopping the apocalypse,” Jack said dryly, brushing past him. “You know, the usual.”

“Jack, what did you do?” Brick’s voice was low and dangerous. He stepped forward, his pistol drawn, the barrel trembling as he aimed it at Jack. “What the hell did you do?”

Jack didn’t flinch, his gaze calm and piercing as it met Brick’s. “I gave her a choice,” he said simply. “She chose.”

Brick’s knuckles whitened against the grip of his pistol. “Undo it. Whatever the hell you did, undo it. Or I swear—”

“You’ll what?” Jack interrupted, his voice cold as steel. His smile was sharp, predatory. “You’ll shoot me? Go ahead. See what happens.”

Brick hesitated, the trembling in his hand betraying his uncertainty. Jack took a deliberate step closer, his movements slow and calculated.

“Enough!” Little Red’s voice cut through the tension. She stepped between them, her blades glowing faintly in the unstable light. “We don’t have time for this. The dungeon’s collapsing. Either we move now, or none of this matters.”

Brick faltered, his gaze flicking to her. That was all the opening Jack needed. In a blur of motion, he disarmed Brick, the pistol’s pieces clattering uselessly to the ground. Brick stumbled back, his eyes wide as Jack tilted his head, studying him like a predator sizing up prey.

“It’s time to go,” Jack said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Big Red grumbled but nodded, falling into step as the group surged forward. The ground shuddered beneath their feet, the walls cracking as the dungeon’s final moments ticked away.

“What’s happening?” Jason asked, his voice rising in panic.

Jack smirked. “That’s what happens when you truly finish a dungeon. It’s collapsing. We’ve got minutes, maybe less. Move.”

“Why is everything shaking?!” Rando shouted, his voice cracking as he tripped over a loose stone.

“Because the dungeon’s falling apart, genius!” Little Red snapped, grabbing his arm and hauling him upright. “Move your ass!”

System Notification: Collapse Timer

* 00:01:12... 00:01:11...

Jack’s Prismata Anchor activated again, the path stabilizing ahead of them as they neared the final stretch. The exit loomed ahead, a faint circle of light that promised salvation. Behind them, the dungeon roared, its death throes echoing through the corridors like a wounded beast.

System Notification: Prismata Anchor Duration Ending.

* Stability: Failing.

* Time Remaining: 00:00:37.

“Go!” Jack shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. The team broke into a sprint, the circle of light growing brighter with every step.

They burst through the exit just as the dungeon imploded behind them, the ground collapsing into a gaping sinkhole. A final surge of energy rippled outward, scattering debris and sending a shockwave that knocked them off their feet.

Dust and silence settled around them as they lay sprawled on the grass, coughing and gasping for air. The oppressive weight of the dungeon was gone, replaced by an eerie stillness.

Jack sat up first, brushing dirt from his cloak. “Well,” he said, his tone light despite the exhaustion in his eyes, “that was fun.”

Little Red let out a breathless laugh, rolling onto her side as she shot him a glare. “You’ve got a seriously messed-up definition of fun.”

He smirked, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before shifting to the group. “Regroup, rest, and figure out our next move. The dungeon’s gone, but this?” He gestured to the sinkhole, his expression darkening. “This isn’t over.”

System Notification: Quest Complete

* Objective: Destroy the core and escape the dungeon.

* Status: Success.

* Rewards: Veil Crescent Awakening, Prismata Energy Accumulated (Jack), Blessing of the Eternal Boundary.

* System Note: “Congratulations. You survived. For now.”