Arriving through the warped tunnel should have disoriented the pair, but only the opposite happened. The moment they crossed through the division line between the corridor and the Safe Zone, their senses had twisted and adjusted to what everyone else perceives as up and down within the ancient town…

No—in a sense, from the very beginning of the path they marched through, the changes were happening gradually and subtly—slowly shifting their directional perception with every step forward.

And now that they had arrived, they had become completely upside down… And yet, gravity itself seemed to follow that trajectory as well?

Myrin couldn't help but feel confused.

"Reality hasn't shifted," Soren said calmly as the golden butterflies danced wildly within his irises. He glanced at the rest of the upside down metropolis, drowning it all in his all-seeing gaze.

"Nothing has really changed… Only space itself has been twisted."

"Space?" Myrin's brows furrowed. "You mean to say that we aren't actually upside down—the space around us is?"

Soren confirmed with a nod, "Yes. It's the only explanation for this phenomenon. [Eyes of the Fairy] still doesn't allow me to fully understand the inner workings of this dungeon, despite its strength being increased due to my enhanced influence… The Dungeon Shroud is truly a Mystery…"

They walked forward into the town proper. Soren momentarily glanced back at the corridor they had arrived from—it was now flipped completely, as if it was connected to the ceiling rather than the ground. Seeing this spectacle, he couldn't help but sigh and continue walking forward…

[Eyes of the Fairy] deactivated itself.

The darkened cobblestone streets were relatively empty. Aside from one or two explorers for every block, there was nothing much to see… It was a ghost town. Both in the literal and metaphorical sense.

Though, that in itself was not strange at all. After what had happened in Camp Sebastian, it was perfectly normal for there to be way less people… The ones who were here originally likely all died—only those brave enough to venture inside with Rodrick came back to this town.

As the pair made their way through the frigid streets towards the headmaster's quarters, Myrin couldn't help but ask:

"How long do you think we should stay here before continuing forward through the demilitarized zone? We still have a long journey ahead of us."

Soren thought for a moment before answering. "Two weeks."

Myrin frowned, "Isn't that a bit too wasteful?"

"No…" Soren shook his head. "The Runic Acquisition Festival is going to start soon—we might as well wait for its arrival. Wouldn't the chances of finding a fae spirit be higher inside a dungeon?

"And besides—I think I have a proper chance at unlocking another spell. I need some time to study. We also need to sell off everything we obtained in the Hall of Death."

Myrin walked ahead in silence for a while before sighing. "You're right. Let's find Rodrick fast then head towards the nearest inn… I miss sleeping in a proper bed…"

Soren chuckled. Wasn't he the one who teased me for not wanting to sleep on cobblestone floors?

Noticing his gaze, Myrin stared back at Soren and frowned. "What? Can't a man yearn for his beauty sleep in peace? Does it bother you to know that my handsome face demands many sacrifices? Just going to stay silent, huh?"

Soren shook his head silently then glanced up toward the end of the road they were walking down. Beyond the countless demolished buildings and rotten water fountains stood a rather grandiose estate. A manor built for nobility…

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It stood tall—front and center in the town as if to announce its presence.

Soren immediately found it strange. Usually, nobles would tend to cluster their estates together in elevated districts—separate from the peasant and commoner classes. And yet, the building before him broke this convention completely…

Soren could only really think of two possible reasons—one, the person who led this town in the past was extremely genuine and well loved… Someone who was humble enough to not see the difference between him and his citizens. Or two, rather than a noble's estate, this building might have once belonged to a city mayor or councilor.

No matter what the answer was, they would soon find out the truth. After all, that building has now become the home of Rodrick Whitguard—the Dungeon Slayer.

It took them another few minutes to reach it. Surprisingly, there were no guards around the main gate—anyone can enter and leave. The statement was obvious—Rodrick found it unnecessary for anyone to protect him.

They entered the estate unannounced. Aside from one or two mercenaries glancing at them with clear shock in their eyes, no one else really bothered them…

Though, even that seemed strange to Soren.

Shouldn't they be happy to see us? Why do they seem so surprised?

Frowning, they went up the main staircase of the building toward the highest floor. It took them a while, but eventually, they found the room Rodrick was resting in.

A sign placed next to the door read "Main Office" in Dulvali. This was the ancient language that the majority of people were said to speak in during the First Age of Fantasia.

To think that a simple door sign could be thousands of years old… It truly astonished him just how well preserved everything was inside the dungeon. But then again, the majority of the structures here were magically supported through the powers of the Dungeon Shroud…

As he was pondering about this, Myrin decided to knock on the door.

"Come in," answered a muffled voice. The pair wasted no time to enter inside.

What reflected in Soren's eyes was a regal office, just as the door sign had announced. A vibrant wooden desk covered in papers and books, a leather couch on either side for guests and a beautiful coffee table framed at the center of it all… Above them, the room was lit vibrantly from a luxurious chandelier.

It shocked Soren completely. Even though the rest of the estate also looked extremely vibrant, this room especially seemed heavily preserved… It was unlike anything else he had seen in the dungeon.

Did time itself freeze inside of here? Soren thought.

"I know what you're thinking," said a husky voice from behind the desk, "but no, none of these items belong to the dungeon… Well, aside from the chandelier."

Soren looked at the figure sitting comfortably in his chair—staring out of the window into the city below. A muscular figure that seemed more like a giant than a human—his sharp gaze piercing through the souls of most seasoned warriors.

Rodrick look at them curiously with a glass of wine in his hand that he would sip from occasionally.

"I brought most of the stuff in this room myself from outside the dungeon. There is no way in hell I am going to ever let myself live in such a wretched place without ample changes…"

Soren thought for a moment—his lips twitching. In the end however, he decided to not say anything at all.

Seeing the silence, Rodrick smiled. "It's good to see the both of you back. I won't lie—all of us thought you two died."

Myrin's lip sunk. He crossed his arms, "Why do you say that?"

"Because a few hours ago, an army of Soul Skinners marched its way through the dungeon path—heading for the surface."

The two magi looked at each other in shock then glanced back at Rodrick—their faces serious.

As he continued, the old veteran twirled his wine glass around as he gazed into his crimson reflection.

"I couldn't stop them. There were just far too many. And aside from that, they seemed to follow the rules of the dungeon—none of them bothered to enter the Safe Zone… In the end, I was left with no choice but to let them pass."

Myrin couldn't believe what he was hearing. Rodrick Whitguard—a 5th Class Sentinel and one of the strongest knights in Aellora just admitted defeat to the pair of them… The situation had become that drastic.

"Did you see a veiled woman?"

Soren's voice cut through the silence. Rodrick looked into the young man's amber eyes. Noticing the awkwardness, Myrin shifted slightly while frowning.

Eventually, Rodrick sighed. "Yes, I saw her."

"How strong is she?" Soren asked immediately.

The silence stretched between them once again. Rodrick lowered his gaze. There was a slight shake in his voice as he answered:

"She was a Monarch."

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