Chapter 60: The First Authority Attacks

Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The First Authority Attacks

Arin was petrified for a few seconds.

The last words of Authority Remnant 10 echoed in his mind.

Who killed the Dungeon Masters?

He had no answers. Not even a shred of one. He turned away from the lower chamber and followed the others into the corridor that led back to the upper dungeon. The expedition was silent as they traveled. Even Zarl’s usual cheeky expression was gone. The deeper dungeon was eerily quiet. This only lasted for a minute before

BOOM!

The whole passage vibrated. Arin stumbled forward, but managed to catch himself against the wall.

"What was that?"

A second boom sounded, and

BOOM!

This time, the stone beneath their feet cracked. Eldran immediately raised his weapon.

"Everyone, stay together!"

Ayan moved to stand in front of Arin while Saira shielded Mira and Garul grabbed Zarl by the collar and pulled him away from the edge of the passage.

"Don’t even think about running," said Garul.

"I wasn’t,"

Zarl shot back.

"You were."

The two bickered while Arin’s fingers curled tighter around his sword. "I was considering it." The dungeon trembled again. Then, the passage shifted. The walls began to slide. Rocks ground against each other as a section of the passage sealed off while another opened up behind them.

Arin’s eyes widened.

"The dungeon is changing."

Arene quickly responded.

[Dungeon territory alteration detected.]

[Foreign Dungeon Authority is attempting to manipulate the surrounding structure.]

Arin’s expression hardened.

"Which one?"

He didn’t have to ask twice. A presence suddenly invaded his Dungeon Sense.

Violent.

Strong.

Focused entirely on him.

[Authority Remnant 01.]

The pressure in his chest grew heavier as a black seam split the wall. Then, the rock exploded outward in a burst of dust and rubble.

BOOM!

The figure that emerged from the shadows was vaguely humanoid. It had dark scales and patches of hardened skin, with growths on its shoulders and a mess of old armor fused into its body. Its eyes burned with a dull crimson hue. Arin’s grip on his sword tightened. It was staring directly at him.

"Another Dungeon Master," it said, its voice rough and disjointed, but not without intelligence. Arin slowly raised his weapon.

"You’re Authority One," he said. The creature’s expression twisted in distaste.

"Authority?" It spat. "That is what they call us now?" Ayan’s expression darkened. "Arin, don’t approach it." The creature suddenly lunged, but not at Arin. Instead, it raised one hand and the dungeon responded. Arin barely had time to leap backward as a pillar of stone shot up from the ground.

BOOM!

He landed next to Ayan just as Arene spoke.

[Warning.]

[Authority Remnant 01 is manipulating local dungeon territory.]

[Estimated control range: limited.]

Arin turned to the creature.

"So it can control the dungeon," he said.

[Not completely.]

Arene replied.

[Its authority is damaged and restricted.]

Arin narrowed his eyes.

"Then we can fight it," he said. The creature heard him. It’s eyes narrowed. "You believe you can defeat me?" Arin raised his sword.

"I don’t know," He said and took a step forward. "But I’m willing to find out." Ayan turned to him. "Arin." "I know," Arin replied, never taking his eyes off the creature. "I’m not underestimating it." The creature vanished. "Behind you!" Ayan shouted. Arin turned just in time to see the creature’s fist flying toward his face. Arin barely raised his sword in time.

CLANG!

The force of the blow sent him skidding across the stone. The ground dug into his boots, leaving deep trenches in the floor.

"What strength..," The creature suddenly appeared in front of him again. It raised its fist and Arin instinctively blocked. The force of the blow sent him reeling. He barely dodged the next punch, which sent a shockwave through the wall.

BOOM!

Arin turned and slashed at the creature’s side. The blow cleaved through the tattered skin of the being, leaving a shallow gash.

The creature looked down at the injury, then back at Arin. For the first time, there was something akin to interest in its eyes.

"You injured me," it said. Arin steadied his breathing. "Good," he replied. The creature smiled. "Then perhaps you are worth testing." It raised both of its hands and the entire corridor began to quake. Arene’s voice grew tense.

[Multiple structural changes detected.]

[Warning. Dungeon territory is being rearranged.]

The walls began to close in around the group. Eldran shouted, "Move!" The expedition scrambled forward as Ayan grabbed Mira and pulled her through an opening while Saira flew over a section of the collapsing passage. Arin stayed at the back, watching as the creature stepped forward to meet him. "You should be protecting them," Arin turned to look at his friends, then back at Authority One. "That’s exactly what I’m doing," he said, then charged. The two fighters met in a clash of steel and muscle. Arin forced his blade past the creature’s guard and Ayan joined the fight from the side, driving a blade into its shoulder and forcing it to retreat.

The creature turned to glare at Ayan. "A dragon," it said. Ayan’s expression didn’t change. "You know what I am," he replied. "I knew dragons before your bloodline became what it is now," said the creature. Ayan’s eyes narrowed. The remark took him off guard. The creature lunged at him again, but this time Ayan blocked. The force of the blow sent him stumbling backward. Meanwhile, Arin circled behind the creature and drove his blade into its thigh.

The monster turned and sent Arin flying with a burst of demonic energy. Saira immediately retaliated by firing a blast of her own, which struck the creature in the chest.

BOOM!

The blow sent the being hurtling through a wall. For a moment, everything was still. Arin panted, wiping sweat from his brow. "We actually pushed it back," he said. Ayan didn’t lower his weapon. "Don’t celebrate yet," he said. Then the wall exploded and Authority One emerged from the rubble, its wounds already mending. Arin stared in shock. "Regeneration?"

[Partial regeneration detected.]

[Its vessel possesses abnormal biological restoration.]

Arene replied.

Arin frowned.

"Of course it does," he muttered. The creature wiped some blood from its lip. "Interesting," it said, its gaze lingering on Arin, Ayan and Saira. "You work with them." Arin’s grip on his sword tightened. "They’re my companions," he said. The creature chuckled. "That is not how the old Dungeon Masters behaved." Arin stiffened. "The old Dungeon Masters?" The creature’s expression changed, briefly revealing something close to pain. "They were alone," it said, turning its gaze to Arin. "They trusted no one." Arin lowered his sword slightly. "Why?" The question was interrupted when a deep vibration rumbled through the dungeon.

Everyone instinctively felt it - the other authorities. Nine separate minds stirred beneath the earth. Authority One looked down, then smiled. "They are awake too."

Arin’s stomach twisted into knots as Arene displayed several new readings.

[Authority Remnant 02: ACTIVE.]

[Authority Remnant 03: ACTIVE.]

[Authority Remnant 04: ACTIVE.]

...and so on until all ten names were shown.

Authority One suddenly turned its attention back to Arin. "You’re different," it said. Arin raised an eyebrow. "From who?" "From the Dungeon Masters I remember, it replied, advancing toward him. "You have something they didn’t." "What?" The creature pointed at his chest. "Someone to protect." Arin’s expression hardened. "You’re not going to touch them," he said. Authority One smiled. "Then show me." The floor beneath Arin’s feet vanished and he fell. "Arin!"

Ayan lunged toward him, but it was too late.

Arin tumbled into darkness and landed on a second stone platform several meters below. He looked up and saw the wall of stone separating him from Ayan. "Ayan!"

No answer.

Arin turned to see Authority One across the chamber. "You wanted to understand us," it said. "Then understand this." The dungeon shifted again, reforming the chamber into a vast arena. Arene’s voice remained calm.

[Dungeon territory has been isolated.]

Arin raised his sword.

"Can you break it?"

[Yes.]

Arin relaxed slightly. "Good," he said.

[However...]

"What?"

[I have detected an unfamiliar authority command.]

Arin’s face twisted in confusion. The creature raised one hand and the System window wavered.

[Foreign Dungeon Master Authority detected.]

Arin turned to look at the strange new message.

"What are you doing?" Authority One smiled. "Something every Dungeon Master once had the right to do." The System window wavered again, and Arene’s voice suddenly distorted.

[Warning.]

[External authority attempting to access System permissions.]

Arin’s heart sank.

"Can you stop it?"

Arene struggled.

[Attempting to resist.]

The strength of the foreign authority surged through the chamber and Arin felt his Dungeon Master’s Mark burning.

[System permissions being overridden.]

"Arene!"

For the first time since the System had fully awakened, her voice sounded strained.

[Arin... I cannot maintain access.]

Arin’s eyes widened.

" What?"

[An external Dungeon Master Authority possesses limited administrative access to the Dungeon Master System.]

The creature’s smile widened. "Now you understand," it said. The chamber pulsed with another wave of energy.

[Dungeon Master System access being restricted.]

Arin’s System window was gone, as was Arene’s voice.

It was silent.

Arin stood alone in the dark chamber with only his sword and the former Dungeon Master in front of him. Authority One raised its hand slowly. "Now, young Dungeon Master..." Its eyes burned brighter. "Show me what you can do without the system." Arin tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. Then he smiled.

"Fine," he said. "I’ll show you."