The exit gate spat them back into the alley.
Cold night air rushed in, sharp and real. The blue light behind them flickered, then vanished completely.
The dungeon was gone.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The warrior let out a long breath. "That was rough for a low-rank gate."
The mage leaned against the wall, staff pressed to the ground. She looked tired, but her eyes kept drifting toward Jiwon and the skeleton standing behind him.
"Your control didn't slip even once," she said. "That's rare."
Jiwon shrugged lightly. "It listens."
"That's not what I meant," she replied, studying him.
A new window appeared quietly before Jiwon's eyes.
[Dungeon Clear Bonus]
[EXP Gained: 30]
[Skill Proficiency Increased]
[Raise Skeleton – Lv.1 → Lv.2]
The skeleton shifted slightly, bones adjusting with a faint clicking sound.
The mage stiffened. "It just moved on its own."
Jiwon glanced back. "No. I didn't order it."
The system reacted.
[Control Stability: Normal]
[No abnormalities detected]
The warrior laughed. "Relax. It's still under control, right?"
"…Yes," Jiwon answered, though he watched the skeleton more closely now.
A group of staff members arrived moments later. They began securing the area, checking for injuries, and recording names.
When they reached Jiwon, the man in charge paused.
"…Necromancer," he muttered, then wrote something down. "You'll be contacted."
Jiwon nodded.
As the others left, the mage hesitated. She stopped in front of him.
"I'm Yoon Ara," she said. "If you're planning to keep entering gates alone… be careful."
He met her eyes. "You too."
She gave a small nod and walked away.
Jiwon watched her disappear into the street.
Another message appeared.
[New Record Saved]
[First Dungeon Clear]
[Warning]
[Necromancer activity has been logged]
Jiwon clenched his fist.
So they were already watching.
He looked down at his shadow. The skeleton stood quietly beside him, unmoving.
"Come on," Jiwon said.
They walked away from the alley together.
The night felt colder than before.
And somehow, heavier.