"Urgh!"
Raizer woke up to the smell of antiseptic and the sound of someone munching on popcorn.
His vision was blurry, his body felt like it had been through a industrial rock crusher, and his internal organs were currently staging a protest. But above all that, a blue screen was flickering rhythmically in front of his face.
[Munch, munch... Oh! You're awake! I was starting to think I'd have to find a new host. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find someone with your specific brand of suicidal audacity?]
"System..." Raizer croaked, his voice sounding like sandpaper on gravel. "Why do I hear chewing? You're a hologram. You don't have a digestive tract."
[I'm simulating the vibe of a cinema experience, Host! That final 'Winged Blade' was a cinematic masterpiece! 10/10! The lighting! The gore! The property damage! You even did the dramatic 'heroic collapse'! I'm honestly touched.]
"I didn't 'do' a collapse," Raizer hissed, trying to sit up before a bolt of lightning-sharp pain in his ribs reminded him that he was currently more bandage than man. "I died. I'm pretty sure I died for at least three seconds."
[Details, details! The important thing is we looked cool. Do you know what they're calling you outside? The 'Ghost of the Gate.' People are literally crying in the streets because they think you're a tragic hero who sacrificed his life force to save a bunch of low-level shopkeepers.]
"Great," Raizer groaned, sinking back into the pillow. "My professional reputation as a cold, calculating accountant is ruined. I'm now a 'tragic hero.' That sounds like a lot of unpaid overtime."
[Man, talk about a killjoy.]
"Not killjoy, killedjoy! I'm dead. Dead!"
[Drama queen!]
"Fck you!"
Raizer raised his middle finger to the air while the system blink out. Only after he lowered the finger did it return.
[Didn't see it! Didn't see it!]
"What are you, a kid!? Anyway, what's the reward for my 'Hidden Quest'?"
He hadn't simply escaped the dungeon, he abolished it to a certain extent.
[Your decision to stay back at the end was absolutely correct, host! I managed to devour a lot of energy from the Dungeon! If there were ranks, your performance would be outside of the ranking scales!]
"Yeah, yeah, skip the praise. Show me my 'gold'."
- You have completed the 'Hidden Quest: Escape'!
- Your actions have been judged!
- You have received the Trait: King's Resolve (EX)!
- You have received 2 Free Attribute Points!
Raizer's eyes snapped open at the "EX" rank. Even in Marvel, "EX" meant something that broke the established rules of the world. Raizer thought of 'King Engine'. The single trait that could temporarily raise him to the ranks of the strongest.
When facing the horde of monsters, he had luckily managed to hit a '1000%' increase. His strength had reached a strength that could match Level 4 temporarily. And under the effects of 'Absolute Control', he could fight a Level 5 to a stand still.
Shaking those thoughts, he focused on the current trait.
Trait: King's Resolve (EX)
Description: A King does not falter! A King does not doubt! A King does not fear the shadows in his own mind or the whispers of the abyss! Whether facing an army of Gods or the death of the universe, your heart remains a fortress!
Effect: Absolute Mental Immunity. Nullifies all mental status ailments, including but not limited to: Fear, Confusion, Charm, Hypnosis, Hallucinations, and Madness.
Note: This trait is permanent and cannot be suppressed by external divinity.
Raizer stared at the screen. He thought of the Marvel universe, of Scarlet Witch's hexes, of Thanos's intimidation, of the psychological horror that was Hell's Kitchen.
'Hell, I'm immune to Aizen now... Still, I ain't picking a fight with that guy.'
Aizen wasn't just about his illusions after all. He could chew up and spit out the current Raizer in a jiffy.
Raizer took a long, slow breath. The pain in his body didn't vanish, but the stress of it did. His mind felt terrifyingly clear, like a lake of ice.
"So I'm a cold-blooded killer with a heart that sounds like a jackhammer," Raizer summarized.
[Precisely! You're the perfect King!]
"Show me my status now."
[As you wish!]
[Raizer Haze]
[Title: King-To-Be(provisional)]
- HP: 309/720 {Regen: 0.72/min}
- SP: -/720 {Regen: 0.72/min}
- MP: 903/903 {Regen: 1.0/min}
[Attributes]
- Physique: 07.2
- Mind: 10 (???)
- Spirit: 09.03
- Free Attributes: 02
[Traits] - ⟪King Engine (EX)⟫ / ⟪King's Resolve (EX)⟫
[Skills] - ⌈Absolute Control Lvl 2⌋
[Inventory]
His stats had increased dramatically. And the additional remark near the Mind attribute was probably an effect of 'King's Resolve(EX)'. It did guarantee absolute defense any and all mental ailments.
'No more mindreading for you, Charles.'
By Orario's standards, he was already at the peak of Level 1 Adventurer. If it wasn't for his 'King Engine', 'Absolute Control' and various other favorable factors, he would have easily been killed by the dungeon. After all, his physique was still weak.
'Add both my free attributes to Physique.'
- Physique: 07.2 -> 09.2
A warm surge of energy passed through Razier as he felt his injuries heal faster. Minor wounds had already been patched up and erased. He slowly stood up from the bed and checked his body.
Except for certain wounds, he could move rather freely.
Raizer was about to continue speaking with the system but his enhanced senses picked up the soft footsteps of a person. He readied himself to meet someone of high level.
- Slide!
The door opened to reveal a young nurse.
"KYAAA!"
Who screamed and ran away as soon as she looked at him.
"Hey, system, do I have scars on my face?"
[No, it's probably because you were sleeping for an entire week. You know how ordinary people get spooked when they see a ghost wake up.]
"Huu~ My face is fine. Wait!? A week?"
[Does time matter? Our world is on pause.]
"Yeah, but I have personal respect. Do you know hard it is to imagine people cleaning me? Imagine if a man was undressing me and bathing me for the past week?!"
Raizer felt shivers, checking his backside for any signs of entry, 'Looks like I'm safe.'
[Welp, too late to worry.]
The system shrugged it off and left its master to worry alone.
Raizer sighed, sitting at the bed. He noticed the odd pile of gifts lying in one corner of the hospital.
[They are from the people who think you protected them.]
Looking at those gifts, a strange warmth rose up in Raizer's chest.
'Hu~ They don't know why the dungeon malfunctioned. I'm sure I will be killed if they realize I'm the cause of the dungeon's wrath.'
"System, nobody saw you stealing the dead monster dust, right?"
[Not even the Gods, host!]
Wiping the non-existent sweat on his forehead, Raizer breathed a sigh of relief.
'The nurse must have already told everyone about my awakening. Let's pass the time until then.'
He began unpacking the gifts, pocketing the monetary rewards while throwing the weaponry in his inventory. He had already forgotten about the weapons in his inventory. Perhaps it would have been useful against small groups of monsters but it would have been crazy if Raizer pulled it upon the future monsters that wished to kill him.
Hence, he began taking the gifted blades, hammers and chainmail.
Soon, Finn Deimne walked in, looking remarkably small for someone with such a massive reputation. He stopped at the foot of the bed, his green eyes scanning the bandaged man, who was scouring through the gifts.
"You're awake," Finn said. It wasn't a question. "We have much to discuss, Mr. Haze. Or should I call you the 'Ghost of the Gate'?"
Raizer turned his gaze toward Finn—a cold, steady, and utterly unfazed look that made even the Captain of the Loki Familia hesitate.
"I'd prefer 'King'," Raizer said flatly. "And I'd like to see my itemized medical bill. I have a feeling the Guild is overcharging me for these bandages."
'King' was actually the title of Ottar, the Level 7 adventurer of Freya. But Finn was willing to accommodate the newbie for a bit.
"... I understand how the guild broke out in a fit of chaos because of you."
Finn had to agree this guy had good skills in riling people up. Who would be dedicated enough to slander the guild as soon as they woke up from a week long coma?
Finn stood by the window, the sunlight catching the gold of his spear as he turned to face the bandaged man. The silence in the room was heavy, punctuated only by the distant sounds of Orario moving outside.
"The Guild is in an uproar, Raizer," Finn said softly. "The lower floors felt that tremor. You didn't just hold the line; you tore into the Dungeon with a ferocity that defied logic. I have to ask... why? Why push yourself to the point of collapse for people you don't even know?"
Raizer leaned back against the thin hospital pillow, his gaze cold and steady, untainted by a hint of hesitation or doubt thanks to his new mental fortress. He didn't offer a long-winded speech about justice or heroism. He simply looked Finn in the eye.
"Because I'm King."
The words were short, sharp, and carried an inexplicable weight. Raizer realized, in that moment, that he actually liked the sound of it. Ghost of the Gate sounded like a tragedy; King sounded like an absolute.
Finn blinked, taken aback by the sheer simplicity of the answer. He looked for a lie in Raizer's eyes, but found only a resolve so crystalline it made his own thumb throb. He saw a man who didn't fight out of obligation, but out of a fundamental sense of self-sovereignty. Despite the carnage Raizer had caused in the lobby, Finn saw the truth: Raizer wasn't a threat to the city; he was the wall who protected it.
"A King, is it?" Finn smiled, a genuine expression of respect. "A King needs a kingdom. Or at least, a powerful council. Join the Loki Familia, Raizer. We can give you the resources, the status, and the protection you need if you truly desire to conquer the dungeon."
Raizer didn't even take a second to consider it. "I refuse."
Finn's eyebrows shot up. "Just like that? You realize you're turning down a seat at the strongest table in the world."
"I won't join any Gods," Raizer said, his voice flat and unyielding. "I don't bow, and I don't take orders from those who live in the sky while we bleed in the dirt. My strength is my own. Not a blessing from the Gods but a reward for my blood, sweat and dirt."
[Ahem! Ahem!]
'...'
[~_~]
The system rolled its eyes at random babbling that Raizer was spouting.
"I understand," Finn said, stepping toward the door. "But even a rebel needs to eat. Once you're discharged, come to the Twilight Manor. A simple meal; no recruitment, no Gods, just a conversation between warriors. I'd like to maintain a good relationship with someone who can make a Minotaur cry."
Raizer gave a slight, stiff nod. "A free meal? Don't mind me intruding then."
'Let's bankrupt the Loki Familia.'
[I will have the Tupperware ready, host!]
Finn chuckled, "One more thing. The Guild was going to ban you for entering the Dungeon without a Familia. But given that you essentially saved the lobby, I've pulled some strings. You'll be considered an 'Official Exception.' You can enter the Labyrinth as a solo freelancer."
As he had said his part, Finn was about to leave.
"By the way, do you have any idea why the Labyrinth acted like that?"
He looked over his shoulder, only to receive a calm, sharp gaze directed at him.
"Does the labyrinth need a reason to kill adventurers?"
"That's the strange thing. The adventurers who were in the Dungeon said that the monster ignored them, passing right by. As if they had a singular goal, to escape the Labyrinth(To hunt Raizer at the exit of the Labyrinth)."
"No idea then. Must be the gears of fate shifting once more."
Raizer had a reminiscent expression on his face as he looked at the window, almost prophesizing an incoming disaster.
[I'm amazed by the things you can spout at the top of your head, host.]
'Well, I learned it from King.'
"I see."
As the door closed behind Finn, Raizer felt a surge of genuine satisfaction.
'Dungeon entry? Permitted. My crime? Nobody has a clue. This is a success, overall.'
.
.
.
While Raizer rested, the heart of Orario was beginning to boil.
High above the city, Freya stood on her balcony, her silver hair whipping in the wind. Her eyes, which usually perceived the shimmering brilliance of every soul in the city, were narrowed in frustration.
"I cannot see it, Ottar," she whispered, her voice trembling not with fear, but with an agonizing curiosity.
The Warlord stood like a statue behind her. "What, my Lady?"
"Everything. When I look at him, there is nothing but a void; a cold, empty space where a soul's light should be. It is as if he doesn't belong to the fabric of this world at all." She gripped the stone railing, her knuckles whitening. "And yet, that sound... the rhythmic thrumming that shook the Guild. It wasn't magic. It was a primal authority. How can a man be so empty of 'color' yet so full of power? He reminds me of the legends from before the Great Descent, the heroes who stood alone in the dark before we gave them our blood."
For Freya, Raizer wasn't just an adventurer; he was a "Forbidden Fruit." He was the only soul in Orario she couldn't possess with a glance, and that mystery was a flame she couldn't resist.
Ottar, standing behind her, simply bowed his head. Awaiting her orders.
.
.
.
Within Twilight Manor,
In the headquarters of the Loki Familia, the atmosphere was thick with tactical tension. Loki sat cross-legged on a table, her usual mischievous grin replaced by a deep, troubled scowl.
"I'm tellin' ya, Riveria, it's a suicide play," Loki barked, tossing a report onto the floor. "Finn saw it. The kid's body was literally fallin' apart, but his heart was outputting enough pressure to liquefy a Goblin. Since he don't have a Falna, there's only one explanation: he's usin' a 'Forbidden Method.' He's burnin' his own life force, his very marrow, to force his body to perform beyond its limits."
Riveria sighed, her eyes filled with a rare, somber pity. "A 'Self-Imposed Limit Break.' To achieve the strength of a high-level adventurer through sheer self-destruction... it is a path of tragedy. He must know that every time that 'heartbeat' echoes, he is cutting years off his life."
In the corner of the room, leaning against the wall, Ais Wallenstein listened in silence. Her golden eyes were fixed on the floor, her hand subconsciously gripping the hilt of Desperate. She thought back to the reports of the battle, of a man who danced through a horde that should have crushed him, move for move, with a grace that even she struggled to visualize.
'Is he truly that strong?' she wondered. 'If he is burning his life away to protect the surface... could I even touch him?'
The thought didn't make her sad. It ignited a cold, flickering flame of competition in her chest. She wanted to see that "dance" for herself. She wanted to know if her wind could withstand the pressure of a man who fought like he had nothing left to lose.
.
.
.
Within the ruins of a church,
Down in the slums, Hestia was pacing her small room, her pigtails swaying with every frantic step. Bell sat on his bed, his eyes shining with an intensity Hestia had never seen.
"Goddess, the people are calling him the 'Ghost of the Gate,'" Bell said softly. "They say he doesn't have a God because he doesn't want anyone else to carry the burden of his fate. He fights alone so no one else has to cry when he eventually falls."
Hestia sniffled, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "It's so beautiful and so stupid! Why must the strongest ones be so lonely? He stood at that gate and looked death in the face without a single blessing to protect him. He's a good man, Bell!"
Bell nodded firmly. "I want to meet him. I want to tell him that he doesn't have to be alone. But is it even possible to reach that level of strength without a Falna, Goddess?"
Hestia paused at his question, sighing as she explained, "Well, it's not actually impossible. Excelia existed in the world long before Gods descended the Tenkai. Humans can grow their vessel continuously by killing monsters or gathering Excelia, but it is too inefficient. The Falna acts as a catalyst to hasten this process, raising your strength faster."
If it was another God, they would have denied any such method. But because it was Hestia, she explained the method to Bell. Bell looked at his Goddess, understanding the trust she had in him.
"I wish to become like him one day!"
The rabbit declared.
.
.
.
The next day.
Back in the hospital, Raizer stood up, and his new trait, King's Resolve (EX), immediately went to work. The lingering trauma of the battle, the phantom pains of his muscles being torn, and the psychological weight of having killed hundreds of living things... it all just slid off his mind like water off a duck's back.
He wore reinforced chainmail that hummed with a subtle metallic resonance, layered under dark, flexible leather armor. A straight-edged sword, balanced perfectly for his hand, hung at his waist.
For the first time, he looked like an adventurer.
Raizer raised his right fist, clenching it until the leather of his glove creaked. He closed his eyes, utilizing Absolute Control Lvl 2 to look inward. He didn't just see his muscles; he saw the mana—the raw energy—circulating in his blood. He envisioned it condensing, flowing toward his knuckles, and igniting.
- Flicker!
A vibrant, golden flame erupted over his fist, casting dancing shadows against the hospital walls. It wasn't hot, but it thrummed with the power of a coiled spring.
Chi-Boost
Inspired by the Iron Fist from his own world, Raizer had used his absolute biological authority to mimic the feat. To anyone else, this would require years of meditation; for Raizer, it was simply a matter of rerouting the "plumbing" of his body.
[Host, the exit is that way. Time to head back to the Dungeon!]
"Let's go," Raizer murmured, the golden flame vanishing as he relaxed his hand. "I have a week's worth of growth to catch up on."
Raizer descended into the depths once more. But this time, the atmosphere was different. As he stepped onto the first floor, the walls didn't ripple with malice. The ground didn't tremble with the intent to purge him.
The Dungeon was quiet.
The sentient Labyrinth possessed a primordial memory. It remembered the sound of the "cannon" in Raizer's chest. It remembered the surge of power that had cleared an entire corridor in a single breath. The Dungeon didn't see a virus anymore; it saw a predator it couldn't digest. To avoid another "King Engine" ignition that might tear its upper floors apart, the Labyrinth chose a new tactic: Avoidance.
For an entire month, Raizer lived within the stone walls.
He didn't return to the surface. He didn't check in with Rose. He became a ghost, a legend whispered about by other adventurers who caught glimpses of a lone man dancing through the darkness.
- Day 1: He learned how to control footsteps, leaving no trace or sound when he walked. having absolute control over vibrations, making his movement silent even at high speeds. Following that, he erased his scent and presence itself. Leaving no trail whatsoever.
- Day 7: Raizer mastered the art of 'Optimization'. By using Absolute Control, he reduced his need for sleep to two hours of 'Deep Trance' per day, allowing him to hunt almost indefinitely.
- Day 14: He reached the 10th floor. The Orcs and Purple Moths that usually terrorized rookies found themselves being hunted by a man who moved with 'Zero Latency'. His Chi-Boost allowed him to shatter Orc hides with his bare palms.
- Day 21: He began experimenting with 'Mana-Accounting'. He learned to calculate the exact amount of energy required for every kill, ensuring he never wasted a single drop of mana. His efficiency reached 99.9%.
- Day 30: He stood at the threshold of the Middle Floors, his armor caked in dried monster dust, his eyes sharper than the blades he carried.
His endless hunt was ended by the system's voice.
[Host, I don't think it's appropriate to hide in the dungeon. Even if you don't want to pay your week's worth of hospital expenses, this is going a bit far!]
"Shut up!"
Raizer wasn't hiding. No, he was saving. Saving every last Valis that shouldn't paid!!