The glow from the pouch faded, leaving only stunned silence.

The air in the room was thick, the disbelief etched on every face around me.

The patriarch sat back in his chair, his expression unreadable, while the three elders exchanged puzzled, angry glances, as if they couldn’t believe what had just happened.

I held the pouch tightly, the soft leather warm beneath my fingers.

For a brief moment, I let the silence linger, allowing the situation to sink in.

I had done what they couldn’t in over a century.

With a slow breath, I brought the pouch closer and prepared to look inside.

Just as my fingers began to part the opening, a sudden shout broke the stillness.

"Wait!"

I glanced up, startled by the elder’s voice, their eyes wide with confusion and thinly veiled greed.

"What just happened?" one demanded, his voice rising. "How!?"

The other two elders, just as baffled, muttered amongst themselves, casting suspicious glances at me.

They were too stunned to think clearly, but not too confused to stop me from taking what we had agreed upon.

"How did you—" the second elder stammered, his face red with both shock and anger.

But I could see it clearly now—their greed, lurking just beneath the surface.

They couldn’t stand the fact that a mere slum rat had accomplished what their noble family couldn’t.

They were desperate to know what was inside that pouch, what treasure I was about to claim for myself, before all of them could.

But before I took what rightfully belonged to me, I decided to entertain them a little.

They were too eager, too desperate to understand how I had managed to unlock something they had tried and failed to for a century. I knew the truth, of course.

The password 'Dungeon End' was something only I could have known.

It was the title from the game I was currently in, a word that they had no concept of . There was no way anyone here could have guessed it.

But I couldn’t just tell them that, could I?

So, I leaned back, letting a smirk creep onto my face, and began to spin a believable story.

“Since Valerian was such a beloved figure in your family." I said, watching their eyes narrow with curiosity, "I’m sure you all know what his lifelong goal was, right?”

The room fell quiet. I could feel the weight of their attention as they waited for me to explain.

The patriarch leaned forward slightly, as if trying to read between the lines of my words, while the elders exchanged confused glances, clearly still fuming from the events that had just unfolded.

“What do you mean?” one of the elders finally asked, his voice dripping with skepticism. “What are you trying to say, boy?”

I tilted my head, pretending to think it over, then shrugged. “It’s simple. Valerian’s ultimate goal, from the beginning, was to conquer the dungeon. To reach the end of it. To become the one who conquers the unconquerable. That was his dream. Dungeon End. The end of all challenges. The final victory.”

The elders shifted uncomfortably in their seats, the patriarch's eyes narrowing as he considered my words.

I could see the doubt flickering in their minds, but also a recognition—Valerian’s ambition was well known.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“And you all should know that.” I added smoothly, “if you truly understood him, you'd realize this was the only logical password. The moment Valerian set foot in the dungeon, he wasn’t just looking for power—he was aiming for the endgame. The final conquest.”

I paused, letting the silence settle over the room once more. The doubt in their eyes shifted.

Maybe they were beginning to believe me, or maybe they were just too proud to admit they hadn’t thought of something so obvious.

“So, I ask you again.” I continued, leaning in slightly.

“As members of his family, wouldn’t you know his true goal? His greatest ambition? Or did you never really know him at all?”

Their silence was telling.

Of course they never truly knew him. They hated him. Cast him away.

Valerian had been an outcast within his own family, shunned for the choices he made, the class he took, the path he walked.

Only those closest to him—the Four Pillars—would have known his true ambitions.

These elders, this patriarch, they only crafted their own narrative of him, one they could control, one that buttered up the public in their favor.

I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of bitterness at the thought.

They had built their legacy on his name, turned him into a heroic figure for their own gain, but they never understood him.

And that was why they never could’ve guessed the password. They didn’t know him. They only knew the legend they’d created.

I kept my expression neutral as I thought this through.

No point in revealing what I truly knew or what I thought of them. Let them bask in their ignorance.

“Well, since I’ve completed my part of the deal.” I began, turning my gaze toward the elders with a casual smile, “I’ll proceed to claim the reward that’s rightfully mine—if you don’t mind.”

As expected, the elders immediately attempted to interject, voices rising in protest, but their objections were short-lived.

They all suddenly gripped their chests, seething in pain, their hands clutching at their robes as if their hearts were moments away from bursting.

"Ah, yes, the contract." I reminded them with a faint grin, taking a step closer. "I wouldn’t recommend trying to stop me. We all signed it, after all."

Their faces were painted with anger, but none of them could move.

They knew the consequences if they tried to break the terms of the contract.

I reveled in the sight of them—helpless, bound by their own arrogance.

I turned to the patriarch, who remained seated, observing me silently.

"Go ahead." he said, voice calm yet edged with something darker.

I nodded and finally approached the pouch that rested on his desk.

My fingers grazed the worn leather as I opened it, and just as I expected, a system window appeared in front of me, displaying the vast catalogue of items stored within.

This wasn’t just any ordinary bag—this was a majestic-ranked pouch with nearly infinite storage and easy access to its contents via the system.

I skimmed through the items quickly—glorious pieces of majestic gear, rare materials, and valuable treasures, all neatly catalogued.

I knew exactly what was inside, but I had my eyes on only one thing.

My finger scrolled past all the magnificent equipment, each more tempting than the last, until I found it. The single most significant item hidden within.

With a smirk, I reached into the pouch and selected my prize.

As I drew it out, a glimmering red crystal with slick, armor-like pieces etched to it illuminated the room.

The moment I held it up, every single elder shot to their feet in shock, including the patriarch, his stoic demeanor cracking at last.

“T-T-THIS IS—” the patriarch stammered, his voice trembling with disbelief.

I chuckled, glancing at the shining item in my hand. “Yes, this is what I’ll be taking with me.”

For the first time since I entered this room, the patriarch’s face twisted into an expression I had longed to see: fury.

"I don’t know how you figured out the password." he growled, eyes burning with anger, "but I accepted it. But this! I cannot allow you to leave this room with that item!”

I tossed the red crystal up and down in my hand, its deep crimson glow dancing across the walls, the flickering blue light above it's edge pulsing like a living flame. Encased in sleek, silver armor-like plating, it felt as though the crystal's immense power was being carefully contained.

https://i.imgur.com/9fEIt9s.png [https://i.imgur.com/9fEIt9s.png]

“You can’t let me leave, you say?” I smirked, meeting his eyes as I juggled the item in my hand with a casual arrogance. "Well, it's a good thing you have no say in the matter."

Before anyone could react, I grabbed the crystal and tightened my grip. A surge of power coursed through me as the red light was being engulfed by the system.

[You have consumed the Awakened Crystalized Heart!]

Would you like to level up you [Summon Slime of Shapeshifting] Skill to [Level 3]?

"Yes!"

*Ding!*

[Summon Slime of Shapeshifting] Level Has increased from 2 => 3

https://i.imgur.com/0sS2bTR.png [https://i.imgur.com/0sS2bTR.png]

[Summon Slime of Shapeshifting] Lv.2

[Summon Slime of Shapeshifting] has been upgraded to [Summon Slime of ........

https://i.imgur.com/TwLg8t6.png [https://i.imgur.com/TwLg8t6.png]

[Summon Slime of ...........] Lv.3