NoveLight ™
Calandas’s ominous aura darkened the air around him. He truly lived up to his title—a living embodiment of death itself.
In the game, his presence inflicted debuffs on the living, making even the simplest movements unbearable.
Charlotte’s pale complexion and trembling were only natural.
But it didn’t affect me. I was already dead.
If I had been among the living, I’d likely be cowering in fear, losing my mind. But now? I was undead.
"Lich King, not everything will go your way."
"...."
"If you want to backtrack, leave my sight immediately. If not, prepare to die, because I’ll meet you head-on, ready to kill."
To him, I wasn’t just a low-ranking Seventh Boss of the Mugan Palaces.
I was the Seventh Boss who had killed a Hero in a single strike, and that reputation added weight to my bluff.
For a moment, the blue light in Calandas’s eyes flickered out.
Was he up to something? Had he lost consciousness? My mind raced through countless possibilities.
But his level indicator remained orange, signaling caution rather than murderous intent.
If he truly intended to kill me, there’d be nothing I could do—no struggle, no resistance, just death.
When his eerie glow returned, I raised my chin defiantly.
"Is that human so precious to you?"
Look at him, trying to save face now that he’s backed into a corner.
"If she wasn’t, I wouldn’t be doing this."
"...Enough."
Slowly, Calandas withdrew his hand.
"It was rude of me to show up unannounced and cause trouble."
"No apology needed. Just leave."
"Fine... Staying longer would only make things more uncomfortable."
With a dramatic flare, Calandas’s shadow expanded, stretching across every inch of the cavern as his undead army began retreating.
Charlotte flinched at the sight, but I stood firm, recognizing the recall animation from the game. It helped me feign composure.
The undead dug into the ground like grave robbers, disappearing into Calandas’s shadow. Only when all his forces were withdrawn did he retract the shadow to its original size.
"I thought we could have formed a good relationship, but it seems I was mistaken."
"Likewise."
"Don’t place too much trust in humans. They are a treacherous breed."
"Thanks for the advice."
Could he just shut up and leave already?
Perhaps he caught on, as a purple portal opened before him.
"Oh, one more thing."
Of course, he couldn’t leave without a parting remark.
"My offer to have you join my faction still stands. Don’t dwell too much on what happened today."
"...."
"There will be a meeting of the 72 Dungeon Bosses soon. It’s only natural with the recent changes to the Seven Palaces."
"So?"
"Nothing much. I hope we can meet then with smiles instead."
With that, Calandas stepped through the portal.
Even as it began to close, I remained on guard, expecting a sudden attack.
It was unlikely, but better safe than sorry.
[Lv. 93]
Just before he vanished, his level flashed black—a color symbolizing fear.
...Maybe I imagined it. The one who was truly terrified here was me, after all.
Once the portal disappeared, a sigh of relief escaped me, the kind that made it feel like I had dry ice trapped in my lungs.
"I thought I was going to die..."
Honestly, I had no desire to get closer to Calandas.
Maybe that would change in the future, but for now, I wanted nothing to do with him.
"But a 72 Bosses meeting, huh."
Among them, the Seven Mugan Palaces—six other bosses, any of whom could kill me as easily as breathing.
And now I was one of them, sharing their rank, expected to stand shoulder to shoulder with those monsters.
The realization hit hard, and I sighed like a chain smoker unable to quit.
My thoughts were interrupted when Charlotte approached me.
"...."
She said nothing, only biting her lip and fidgeting.
Though her face was back to its usual blank expression, her inner turmoil was evident. She seemed too guilty even to speak.
Not surprising—she’d just caused me to make an enemy of a high-ranking Mugan Palace boss.
[Lv. 72]
I was about to say something when I noticed her level indicator.
A vibrant pink, nearly hot pink.
Here we go again, damn boneheaded witch.
"She’s pretty, though," I thought idly.
If we’re talking looks alone, she could outshine any official heroine. But her personality ruins it.
With a sudden motion, Charlotte dropped to her knees and bowed, pressing her forehead to the ground.
The unexpected gesture caught me off guard. Was she trying to apologize in the only way she could?
Her sincerity was admirable, but the situation only made me uncomfortable.
"Stand up."
"...."
"I said, stand up."
"...."
Still, she kept her forehead pressed to the ground, as if too ashamed to even lift her head.
After about a minute, she finally rose, but even then, she kept fidgeting and avoided eye contact.
I placed a hand on her shoulder, a small gesture to acknowledge her effort and the stress she’d gone through.
My gaze fell to the patch of wet soil where she had knelt.
It hadn’t been obvious before, but now it struck me—she must have been crying, hiding her tears by pressing her face into the dirt.
So, she cried after all.
I briefly considered teasing her to lighten the mood, but that would probably undermine my authority as a boss.
"Get some rest."
I patted her shoulder twice and walked past her.
I needed some time alone to clear my head and cool off.
***
The merchants were gone, and there were no signs of retribution from Calandas.
After a storm, peace had finally returned.
"Lieutenant, could I have some blood, please?"
"Shut up before I break your fangs. I’m already feeling anemic because of you."
Their comedic bickering played out, but I couldn’t let myself relax just yet.
The summons for the 72 Dungeon Bosses loomed over me.
If I wanted to hold onto my rank as the 7th of the Mugan Palaces amidst these monsters, I’d need a plan.
The reason for the gathering was likely the emergence of the new 7th Palace—me.
If I ignored the summons, I’d draw the ire of all 72 Dungeons. But if I went unprepared, disaster was inevitable.
It was a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t situation.
But there was no turning back—I’d already crossed the point of no return.
"You seem troubled," Charlotte said.
She had approached quietly. Her level had shifted back to a deep green from the hot pink it had been moments earlier.
Probably another one of her internal crises. Something like ‘I’m just a human; I can’t dare to admire my lord!’
"If I may be so bold, perhaps I could be of some help."
Did she think I was worried about Calandas? She wasn’t entirely wrong, but that was only a fraction of it.
Facing the reality of the Mugan Palaces had hit me hard.
I was now in a position where I had to stand shoulder to shoulder with those monsters.
Surviving among them on sheer bluffing alone? Impossible.
And relying solely on my enhancement skill wasn’t sustainable either.
If I kept gambling with my life, one day, I’d lose it.
I need a new card to play—something reliable beyond just enhancement.
To establish myself internally among the 72 Dungeons and externally against the raiding parties, one key stood out:
My dungeon’s strength needed to rival a true Mugan Palace.
Only then would the other Mugan bosses stop doubting me, and I’d have the power to repel the raiders.
"Charlotte, from your perspective, how does our dungeon’s strength look?"
"Considering we’re calling it a Mugan Palace, excluding the boss… it’s an open door."
"And why are you excluding yourself?"
"I am nothing compared to you, Boss. If you were gone, this dungeon would collapse in a day."
"...We need reinforcements urgently."
"Indeed. I’ve been pushing the merchants to supply more monsters, but...."
She trailed off, suggesting there hadn’t been much progress.
She was right—ordinary methods wouldn’t make this dungeon a true Mugan Palace.
But I wasn’t just any ordinary player.
Who am I? A veteran with over 30,000 hours in 72 Dungeon Conquest.
The game was popular enough to have its own DLC expansions, and the bosses introduced in the DLCs were successors to the Mugan Palaces.
In other words, when players defeated the existing Mugan Palaces, these DLC bosses took their place.
Thanks to Charlotte, I knew this world was set in the past, and I’d already pinpointed the current timeline.
The date was October 21, Imperial Year 467.
Based on the lore I’d read, the timeline for the new Mugan bosses was clear.
In less than ten years, they’ll take their place.
If events followed the official story, six new Mugan bosses would emerge in about five to eight years.
While the absence of players might disrupt things, the latent potential of these DLC bosses couldn’t simply vanish.
There were two ways a new Mugan boss could be born:
Three of the six DLC bosses fell into the first category—they hadn’t even been born yet.
The remaining three, however, were already out there, brimming with potential, waiting to be found.
And I happen to have an evolution skill.
If I could recruit and evolve those three, I’d gain invaluable allies.
They wouldn’t reach the power they had in the game, where the dungeon core transformed them into bosses, but they’d still be immensely strong.
Still, being strong enough to qualify as a Mugan boss is nothing to scoff at.
My top priority was clear: recruit the future Mugan bosses from the DLC.
Of course, even with powerful subordinates, I’d still be weak.
Even if leveling up were possible, could I push it to the extreme and become as strong as a Mugan boss?
Probably not. Even with centuries of grinding, there were natural limits to my undead form.
I recalled that undead classes in the game had a hard level cap—around 80.
There was a reason undead difficulty was considered hellish.
Even at max level, mastering swordsmanship and magic for centuries wouldn’t let me touch the Mugan monsters’ toes.
I need a faster way.
Now that I’d made an enemy of the 5th Palace, time was of the essence.
I needed to strengthen my dungeon’s forces and improve my combat abilities as soon as possible.
Was there a shortcut?
A hidden piece, like in fantasy novels, that could make me stronger in the short term?
Something only I, with my knowledge of the game, could exploit?
Once again, the DLC held the answer.
The game’s DLCs came in two parts. The first introduced the new Mugan bosses.
The second? It was themed around ancient dungeons.
These ancient dungeons, buried in myth and sand, were said to be the origin of the 72 Dungeons.
Absorbing a dungeon core from one of these ancient sites could provide immense power in a short time.
But it wasn’t a free ride.
The process was grueling. Ancient dungeons were riddled with traps and guarded by powerful sentinels.
That’s why it was DLC content—it was tough, even by game standards.
While I could handle the traps, the monsters were a different story.
Who would deal with them?
That’s what the future Mugan bosses are for.
I turned to Charlotte.
"Charlotte, how far would you go to serve me?"
"This lowly life will gladly give everything for you, even to my last breath."
Perfect.
Once Charlotte and the recruited Mugan bosses grew stronger, even ancient dungeons wouldn’t be beyond reach.
"Bring me the imperial map."
The moment I gave the command, Charlotte promptly handed me a map.
...Her speed at following orders was astounding.
Unfolding it, I quickly scanned the regions.
I knew the approximate locations of the future DLC bosses, and with my dungeon marked on the map, finding the closest one didn’t take long.
My dungeon was in the south, not far from a tropical rainforest.
The closest boss was there.
The Insect King, Balutak.
(Prospective) 6th-ranked Mugan boss, ruler of the Spiral Caverns of Deceit.
You’re mine now.
"Charlotte."
"Yes, Boss?"
"Prepare yourself. We’re going on a trip."
"!?"
For a moment, Charlotte’s lips twitched, almost forming a smile.
Though she quickly returned to her usual stoicism, her level indicator had turned hot pink once again.
Was she excited about the idea of traveling alone with me?
She really flip-flops between loyalty and infatuation.