When Leon stood hesitating at the entrance of Sein Dungeon, one memory surged back to him—
that day in the forest, fighting against the monkeys.
It was the most humiliating moment of his life.
Buried in filth, completely helpless.
It wasn't just an insult to his pride—it was an insult to his very soul. The ultimate disgrace to a man's honor.
No matter how unlucky or pathetic a person might be, after suffering such humiliation, their mind could only cling to one thought: cut the enemy into pieces. Not eight pieces, no—sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four, a hundred and sixty-eight if need be!
Leon thought his revenge had succeeded. He thought he had cleansed his shame.
But that roar… shattered his dream of conquering the dungeon.
(***)
Inside Sein Dungeon
"Chii! Chii! Chii!"
When their leader fell, the apes shrieked wildly. Yet beneath the howls was a distinct, sorrowful tone.
Leon, freshly washed of filth, listened to their cries and felt elation surge within him.
So much that he couldn't hold back his laughter.
He laughed wildly. The apes screamed madly.
Their shrieks grew louder and louder, until the entire dungeon resounded with nothing but wails—so loud that the raid group heard nothing else.
Nothing at all.
Not even the sound behind them.
"These monkeys are surprisingly sentimental about their leader," Drew muttered with a sigh. "Dungeon monsters usually don't feel emotions like this, yet they're so loyal… so heartfelt. Ah."
"Old man, you're just soft because of your age," Maru retorted. She had taken a face full of filth earlier and hadn't even lost her composure. Her mental fortitude was impressive.
Nearby, Terl sat cross-legged, forcing his breath into rhythm. His skin slowly returned to its normal shade, tusks receding back into his mouth.
"Oh, right. I picked up a ring earlier," Maru suddenly remembered, clutching the Ring of Favor. The inscription about opening a door still weighed heavily on her mind. Could it be tied to a mechanism on this floor?
She turned around—then froze.
"Hahaha! Maru, what are you standing around for? Let's finish the rest of these monkeys together!"
Still laughing, Leon turned his head—then froze too.
"What the hell—"
He saw it.
The strongest undead.
The headless figure, which should have fallen for good, now stood once more. One hand gripped a blade, the other cradled its severed head. Its stance was grotesque, beyond reason.
A pale beam of light spilled from behind the headless ape, stretching its shadow across the raid group.
Why was it moving again?
Was it undead?
No. There was no necromantic energy at all. Then what was it?
"Everyone, qui—"
Before Leon could finish, a roar unlike any before drowned him out.
The headless guardian ape howled.
From the severed head in its hand erupted a sound that had never been heard before—an abominable blend of the undead's wail, a beast's roar, and an insect's shriek.
And worse still—the world shifted.
The sky warped color.
A flood of crimson mist erupted with the roar, engulfing the chamber in an instant, pressing down with a suffocating sense of dread.
Leon tried to shove his comrades out of the mist, but—
The moment the howl struck his ears, terror sank into his bones.
Yes. Pure terror. The kind that made you wish for death, if only to escape it.
Fear slithered across his body like a venomous serpent, strangling his breath, crushing his will. His vision blurred, and in it appeared the one thing he feared most.
His Fear Gauge maxed out.
Leon gave a short, strangled scream and collapsed backward.
Dead.
All around him, the raid party followed.
Dead! Dead! Dead!
In the game, the headless ape's howl raised the Fear Gauge. Once maxed, it triggered instant death—like a curse-kill.
But in this world, its effect manifested differently—forcing one to face their deepest fear… and die in abject terror.
Only those with the strongest will could endure it.
The reason the headless ape lived on without a head… was because something within it allowed it to.
As the raid group vanished into glowing motes of light, the ape swayed slightly, severed head in hand, as if lost in thought.
(***)
One day later
Leon curled on his bed, pale-faced, limbs cold, trembling uncontrollably.
Ever since dying to the ape's roar in Sein Dungeon, he had been like this.
As though his courage had been utterly shattered. Even the faintest sound drove him into blind terror. Only when tightly wrapped in his blanket could he find even a sliver of safety.
Resurrection magic could heal the body. But the mind? Its effects were pitiful.
And the ape's Fear effect attacked the spirit directly.
Not just Leon—the entire raid group suffered the same fate. Shaking, cowardly, terrified of the world outside.
"Don't come closer… don't come closer…"
Leon's wide eyes fixated on the corner of his room, as if a vengeful ghost really stood there.
In his vision, a woman—one who resembled him by seven or eight parts—stood gazing down in scorn.
She sneered.
"Leon, disgrace of our family. Still playing at being an adventurer? Why don't you dare come home?"
"Afraid of being beaten bloody by your big sister again? Hehehe. Do you still remember that banquet? When I humiliated you in front of Father?"
"After that, Father never spoke to you again. You shamed him!"
"So you ran away from home? Still a coward. You'll never surpass me. You'll always be the family's disgrace!"
"No, no, no!"
Leon's anger flared against his fear. He leapt from the bed, shouting and flailing, swinging at the illusion before him.
But the more frenzied he became, the louder the illusion laughed—until its voice melted into the ape's howl!
Fear so suffocating it corroded his sanity.
He bolted from the room, sprinting madly through the streets, convinced that if he ran fast enough, he could leave the terror behind.
His speed saved him from recognition. If anyone had realized who he was, the reputation of the "Lion" would have been destroyed.
The lion once symbolized courage. But now, even a sick cat shone brighter.
He didn't know how long he ran. But when he finally came to, he found himself standing before a shop.
The sign read: Maldron Magic Item Shop. An ordinary name.
Only then did he notice the stares. He was still in his rumpled sleepwear. No wonder people looked.
Panicked, he rushed inside. If it was a normal magic shop, maybe they sold clothing with special effects.
"Welcome! Looking to buy some—"
The shopkeeper's eyes swept over Leon, and a chill shot down his spine.
"Heh… looks like you need this."
The man smirked, pulling something from under the counter and placing it on the table.
Wrapped in yellowed paper, it looked like powder.
Leon glanced down. Written boldly across the wrapping:
Pacifying Agent.