The Sila Labyrinth.

A level 10 dungeon with designed as a multi-floor labyrinth on Elden Online.

It boasted an impressive ten floors, each presenting a distinctive set of characteristics and challenges, thereby reserving its exploration solely for the most seasoned and adept players.

Newbie players always wondered why a dungeon with such a modest level would pose a significant threat to those with extensive experience.

It was because of the level 25 boss that awaited on the final floor.

Spectral Blade Veiled Equinox Demonic General, Xalgun.

Naturally, one would assume that a player of significantly higher level would effortlessly win. However, that assumption proved to be erroneous, as Xalgun possessed an array of abilities that rendered it one of the strongest. It was renowned as the "Strongest Unaliver," having vanquished numerous strong players in fierce combat. The more opponents it had, the stronger it became.

Shin and Aqua observed as Xalgun had defeated Serix, a level 40 swordsman with ease.

Shin slowly rose from the ground, his eyes fixed on Xalgun, the tremendous floor boss looming just eight meters away. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, seemingly unfazed by the perilous situation they were in. Aqua, however, was far from composed.

"This looks bad," he murmured to her, his voice calm and collected.

"You think?!" Aqua retorted, already panicking.

Xalgun's dark energy seeped from its monstrous form as it turned its attention towards them.

Aqua tightened her grip on her staff, her knuckles turning white.

A small squeak escaped her trembling lips as she whispered, "We're gonna die."

Shrugging nonchalantly, "Let's see."

Shin's blue eyes glowed. He used his [Status Vision] to examine Xalgun's stats.

The overlay provided a comprehensive display of character or monster attributes, skills, and equipment. It appeared as a blue transparent overlay on the player's field of view, ensuring convenient access and monitoring during gameplay. It presented vital information including health points, mana points, stamina, and experience points, alongside the current level and progress towards the next level. Furthermore, it showcased equipped weapons, armor, and accessories, along with their respective stats and bonuses. The overlay also featured skills and abilities, indicating proficiency level and cooldown timers.

There wasn't enough time, so Shin only went through its special features.

What he saw made him certain they wouldn't win.

Slipping his hands casually into his pockets, he let out a resigned sigh. "Yeah, we're definitely dead," he admitted.

"THAT'S ALL YOU CAN SAY?!" Aqua sharply replied.

Shin shrugged. "I mean, what else am I supposed to say?"

Aqua was in a state of panic because she understood that if her avatar died in the game, she'd die permanently without any chance of respawning or restarting. Unlike Shin, who was asleep when she learned this, Aqua was fully aware of the consequences. Shin, on the other hand, remained calm, believing that they would restart if they died. It is possible that even if Shin knew what Aqua did, he'd still remain calm.

Xalgun, the behemoth of darkness, took slow, deliberate steps towards Shin and Aqua, each footfall shaking the very foundation of the floor. Its massive sword, known as the «Blade of Eternity», scraped against the ground with an unsettling sound.

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The danger intensified.

Aqua's staff slipped from her trembling grasp, forgotten.

In a moment of raw fear, she instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around Shin, seeking comfort in his presence. Her eyes squeezed shut and her breasts pressed against his arm, she buried her face in the safety of his neck, her voice muffled by his collar. "We're going to die!" she wailed, her breath quickening.

Shin looked back, scanning their surroundings. He saw the colossal door of the boss room adorned with skulls. It was closed shut.

In Elden Online, boss rooms could be categorized into two types: Open Boss Rooms (OBRs) and Barrier Boss Rooms (BBRs). Open Boss Rooms provided an escape route through the entrance or teleportation crystal, while Barrier Boss Rooms offered no means of exit except by defeating the boss. Barrier Boss Rooms often boasted higher drop rates as a reward for the challenge.

"Well, this is bad..." said Shin, aloof.

Xalgun tightened its grip on its sword.

It was preparing to strike down on Shin and Aqua, who appeared minuscule in comparison. The eldritch horror stood at a height of nine meters, to it, the two players were no more than ants.

Then, an attack...

The blade descended, time seemed to freeze, creating an illusion of motionlessness.

However, this perception was unique to Shin.

It made him raise an eyebrow, he was genuinely confused.

'Hm? It can't be a game lag...'

Shin knew how much video game enhancements he had, so he didn't believe that the game was lagging. However, what he didn't know was that this was no longer a game.

It was pure survival.

Suddenly, a female voice resonated in his mind, sounding both feminine and robotic-filtered.

[ Notice, the requirements for class upgrade have been met. ]

Shin didn't understand one bit of what he'd just heard.

'A woman's voice...? Is it Aqua?'

It wasn't of course, he too knew this, but he simply made the easiest guess that he could. Shin wasn't the sort of individual that would put effort into anything, he'd rather prefer if everything was handed down to him, in the easiest manner possible. To him, hardwork was a tad forlorn.

[ Congratulations, you have successfully acquired the class, Dominator. You've been gifted with the 'Universal Dungeon System'. ]

Surprisingly, Shin was more impressed by the slowness of time around him, and not the female voice in his head. From his perspective, listening to the voice would confirm he was mad. If anything, it would be fear-induced madness, but why exactly would he be scared of the creature before him, so much so that he'd become mentally deranged.

Impossible.

Nevertheless, the voice kept on speaking.

[ In order to counter imminent threat would you like to use «Dominate» to subdue your target? ]

At the time, Shin barely knew what was going on.

'Sure?' he thought.

[ Command received. Hi-jacking level 10 dungeon... ]

The moment Shin uttered that command and the voice processed it, a surge of energy coursed through the entire Sila Labyrinth, causing the walls to tremble and the air to crackle. As Aqua and Shin stood at the epicenter, their surroundings transformed before their very eyes. Countless vibrant blue tron lines sprouted from the ground, stretching out like intricate webs, reaching every nook and cranny of the labyrinth.

[ Hi-jacking dungeon... ]

[ 50% complete... ]

[ 70% complete... ]

[ 90% complete... ]

The ethereal tron lines pulsed, forming elaborate geometric patterns that intertwined with the very fabric of the labyrinth. Slowly, the patterns began to encompass Xalgun, the fearsome floor boss, its monstrous form trembling as the tron lines bound its body.

Xalgun was now trapped, unable to move or break free.

ROAR! ROAR!!

The deafening roars reverberated through the labyrinth, a futile attempt by Xalgun to break free from its newfound prison. But no matter how much it struggled, it was all in vain.

[ 100% complete... ]

[ Notice, you have acquired The Level 10 Dungeon - Sila Labyrinth. Shall I begin processing? ]

'Whatever...'

[ Processing has began... ]

'Cool.'

Shin, with his newfound system, had completely hijacked the Sila Labyrinth, bending its rules to his will.

The tron lines, having accomplished their purpose, vanished as quickly as they appeared, leaving Xalgun motionless, its terrifying presence now subdued.

It was inactive.

"Oh." Shin looked around quietly. "It looks like we're safe now," he remarked casually.

Aqua, still in shock, found it hard to believe. "W... Wait... Really?" she stammered.

Shin, walking over to a nearby wall and sitting down, shrugged casually. "We are," he replied, his voice pulled by exhaustion as he let out a tired yawn. "Took over the dungeon."

Slowly, Aqua nodded.

But then, she turned and she let out a startled shriek as she gazed at the dormant Xalgun. "W... What's going on...?" she stammered, confused once again.

Tired, Shin stretched his arms to relieve some of his stress. "Oh, I... uh... took control of the dungeon. I guess," he explained, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Aqua's expression shifted from confusion to relief, a faint smile forming on her lips. "Oh, I see..." she mumbled, releasing a pent-up breath. But as the words sank in, her eyes widened and she shot back at him. "YOU TOOK OVER WHAT?!"

From staring at the ceiling, Shin turned to Aqua. "Calm down, that's not really important now." He looked around the large room they were in. "How did we end up here? If I remember correctly, we were just in Eses."

Aqua replied with a troubled expression, "Yeah, about that..."

As Shin looked around, his keen eyes caught something unusual. "Hm?" he murmured, bemused. It was then that he realized a disturbing fact. The players who fell victim to the floor boss weren't simply disappearing into pixels like they were supposed to. Instead, their bodies remained, mangled and lifeless within the game. "Hmm, well that's strange," Shin remarked in his usual tone.

Confused, Aqua questioned him, "Huh? What's strange?"

"Well..." Pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts, Shin chose his words carefully.

During his silence, Aqua cautiously approached her golden staff, never taking her eyes off Xalgun. Fearful of sudden attacks, she hurriedly snatched it.

"Got it!" she said triumphantly.

Immediately after, she retreated to a safe distance from the dormant boss. Gently wiping off the staff with her slightly tattered and bloodstained white mage robe, she prodded Shin, "So, you were going to say something... Or do I have to ask again?"

"Oh yeah," Shin replied.

He then addressed Aqua.

"Isn't it strange that these corpses haven't vanished into pixels? They should have decayed by now."

The uneasiness that was meant to make that piece of information concerning was missing in Shinʼs voice.

Aqua's eyes widened as she realized that was exactly what she wanted to discuss with Shin. "That's what I was going to talk to you about," she said.

"Huh?" Shin uttered.

Aqua took a deep breath before revealing her thoughts. "I'm not entirely sure, but I believe these corpses are deeply connected to the game world. It's as if..."

With his interest already invested, Shin urged her to continue. "Go on," he encouraged, genuinely curious.

"Well, if we were to die here, we'd die for real."

"Okay." Shin picked his nose.