Mike wasn't surprised by the crowd. After all, the Crownless Kingdom was a Rank 3 dungeon with a fixed scenario—unlike the Winter Island, where one could freely enter and leave. Here, once you stepped inside, you had to clear the scenario to get out.

It was only natural that the place was packed.

Most of the people gathered were Rank 3 adventurers, with a few Rank 2s mixed in. Mike could sense their strength easily. Compared to them, he stood out—after all, he was still just an Rank 1.

That alone drew attention.

He felt several gazes settle on him, some curious, some amused, and some plainly dismissive.

A woman in priestly robes approached him, her expression gentle but concerned.

"Little brother, this is a Rank 3 dungeon. Are you sure you didn't come here by mistake?"

Mike shook his head calmly. "No. I'm here for the dungeon itself."

A few nearby adventurers overheard and burst into laughter.

"Haha! Kid, are you joking?" one of them said mockingly. "This place isn't for Rank 1s. You'll get yourself killed before you even see the first Duke."

Another scoffed. "Did you sneak in or something?"

The priestess frowned at them. "Enough. Maybe he has his reasons."

She turned back to Mike, her tone softer. "Are you sure you don't want to join a party? It's dangerous to go alone."

Mike gave her a polite nod. "Thank you for the concern, but I'll be fine."

The man who had laughed earlier snorted. "Hmph. Kids these days. Think they're invincible."

Mike simply smiled faintly, not bothering to argue. He had no intention of explaining himself.

As the group moved on, he watched them go, his expression calm and unreadable.

He could sense their concern, which was why he didn't get angry.

Then, without another word, he turned toward the massive gate leading into the Crownless Kingdom—ready to begin his power-leveling journey.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone around, he walked forward alone. Many stared in disbelief. At first, they thought he was just boasting, but when they saw him actually step inside the gate, their expressions changed.

"The kid is dead," someone muttered.

"What a pity… maybe he had a fight with his leader and came here to prove something," another said.

"Sigh, why was he even allowed in?" someone else scoffed.

"Anyone Rank 1 can enter," another replied. "But this place isn't meant for solo runs."

"It needs a proper party—or at least someone strong enough to survive alone."

Their voices faded as the gate closed behind him, the light swallowing his figure whole.

And just like that, Mike vanished into the Crownless Kingdom.

Mike opened his eyes.

He stood at the edge of a massive stone road, cracked and overgrown with blackened vines. In the distance rose the ruined silhouette of a once-glorious capital—towers broken, walls shattered, banners torn and hanging like the remains of a forgotten empire.

[Dungeon: Crownless Kingdom]

[Objective: Defeat the Four Dukes and the Fallen King]

[Warning: This dungeon suppresses regeneration and enhances undead entities.]

Mike exhaled slowly. "Just like the information said."

This dungeon was perfect for him.

The Crownless Kingdom was saturated with death energy. Every stone, every ruin, every drifting wisp of mist carried traces of lingering resentment and undeath. It was the ideal environment for Undeads—especially for someone like him who have an army of powerful Mythical Undeads with him.

According to what he had learned, the ruler of this place was a Vampire King, while the four Dukes beneath him consisted of three Death Knights and one Lich, all at Legendary rank.

"Too bad the king isn't Mythical," Mike muttered. "Otherwise, I might've completed the hidden quest."

Mythical-rank enemies only appeared in Rank 5 dungeons or higher—this one simply didn't qualify.

Without wasting another second, Mike raised his hand.

The air behind him twisted violently as a massive dark circle formed.

Whummm—

His Shadow Domain opened.

One by one, towering figures emerged from the darkness—Death Lords clad in blackened armor, their eyes glowing with cold authority. In total, more than eighty undead stepped forward, their presence alone enough to make the land tremble.

Mike looked toward the ruined capital in the distance, its collapsed towers and broken walls standing like gravestones of a fallen era.

"Go," he commanded calmly.

At once, the Death Lords surged forward.

The ground shook as they charged, weapons raised, their combined aura forming a tide of death that swallowed the ruins whole. Undead soldiers guarding the outskirts barely had time to react before being crushed under overwhelming force.

Mike nodded calmly as he watched the devastation unfold before him.

His undead army tore through the ruined kingdom like an unstoppable tide. Every clash, every fallen enemy sent a surge of energy rushing back to him. Notifications flashed continuously before his eyes.

[EXP Gained!]

[Level Up!]

"Heh… at this rate, I'll reach Rank 1 Peak—Level 200—without even lifting a finger," Mike muttered with a satisfied grin.

He leaned back against a broken pillar, arms crossed, completely at ease while chaos reigned across the battlefield. Explosions of dark mana erupted in the distance as Death Lords clashed with elite undead defenders. Towers crumbled. Streets collapsed. The once-grand kingdom was being erased piece by piece.

"This really is efficient," he mused. "No risk, no effort… just results."

In the distance, a roar echoed—deep, ancient, and furious.

The air itself trembled.

Mike looked toward the source of the disturbance and saw a massive skeletal figure floating high above the ruined city. It wore regal, tattered robes, its bones adorned with ancient jewels and sigils of authority. In its bony hand was a grand staff crowned with a dark crystal pulsing with necromantic energy.

"A Lich Duke…" Mike muttered. "So I am entering from the south."

According to the dungeon's structure, the four Dukes ruled different regions of the capital—three Death Knight Dukes guarding the North, East and West, and one Lich Duke overseeing the south region of the Royal Capital.

The Lich's hollow eyes burned with cold blue fire as it descended slowly, its presence alone twisting the mana in the air.

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