Chapter 15: Dungeon of Secrets

The next day arrived swiftly, and Jinyoung stood at the entrance of the new dungeon. This one was different from the others—its portal radiated a soft, ominous light, and the faint sounds of whispers seemed to echo from the depths beyond. The atmosphere felt heavy, charged with ancient mana.

Before entering, Jinyoung checked his equipment, securing his sword at his side. His All-Knowing Eye was active, scanning the mana flows around him. This dungeon… it was unlike any other he had encountered before. It felt alive, like it was watching him, waiting for him to enter.

Taking a deep breath, Jinyoung stepped through the portal, and the world shifted around him.

The dungeon was vast, a labyrinth of black stone and twisting corridors. The air was thick with magic, and every step he took echoed in the oppressive silence. But more than the eerie environment, Jinyoung could feel something pulling him deeper, like a hidden force was guiding him toward something important.

As he ventured further into the dungeon, he encountered low-level monsters—shadow wolves, skeletal warriors, and malformed creatures that lurked in the dark. He dispatched them with relative ease, using his basic abilities and careful mana control. Each victory left him slightly more drained, but he pressed on, driven by an instinct that something greater lay ahead.

Finally, he reached a large chamber at the heart of the dungeon. There, resting on a pedestal, was an ancient scroll, faintly glowing with dark, ethereal light.

The Primordial Chaos Reincarnation Great Dao Technique.

Jinyoung’s eyes widened as he approached it. In his previous life, this scroll had been thought to be useless—discarded and forgotten. But Minah, in the future, had uncovered its true potential, becoming a force unlike anything the world had seen.

His heart raced. He knew the power it held, but he also knew the price of wielding such chaotic energy. He carefully copied the technique into his personal space, feeling the chaotic energy ripple through him as the system recorded it.

[Technique Acquired: Primordial Chaos Reincarnation Great Dao Technique.]

Jinyoung's hands trembled as he secured the scroll, preparing to leave. But just as he turned, a familiar voice echoed from behind him.

“You really are full of surprises.”

Chapter 16: Confrontation with Yuna

Jinyoung turned, his hand instinctively moving to his sword. Yuna stood at the entrance of the chamber, her arms crossed, her eyes colder than usual. She was dressed in her training gear, light armor that clung to her form but allowed for mobility. Her posture was relaxed, but Jinyoung could tell by her stance that she was ready for a confrontation.

“How did you find me?” Jinyoung asked, his voice calm.

“I’ve been watching you,” she said simply, stepping forward. “You’ve been hiding things. Your power, your motives… and now this.” She gestured toward the scroll.

Jinyoung narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He couldn’t let her know too much, but Yuna was sharp—she had seen more than he intended.

“You turned down my father’s offer,” Yuna continued. “Most would never refuse a chance to work with someone like him. But you… you have your own plans, don’t you?”

Jinyoung exhaled slowly, his mind racing. He had been too careless. Yuna wasn’t just curious—she was trying to understand him, to see through the mask he had been wearing.

“I have my reasons,” Jinyoung said, his voice low. “But they’re not something I can share. Not yet.”

Yuna studied him for a long moment, then finally nodded, though her expression remained guarded. “I won’t press you. For now.”

The tension in the room eased, but Jinyoung could still feel her eyes on him, searching for answers. He knew Yuna wasn’t someone to be underestimated, but he also knew that, in time, they might need each other.

Without another word, they left the dungeon together, their unspoken understanding hanging in the air between them.

Chapter 17: Whispers from the Void

The portal closed behind Jinyoung and Yuna as they exited the dungeon, the cold light of day contrasting sharply with the oppressive darkness of the labyrinth they had just escaped. But as they walked back toward the academy, a faint, unsettling presence lingered in Jinyoung’s mind—a feeling that something had been watching him from within the dungeon.

That something had taken note of him.

The system had been quiet since his latest acquisition of the Primordial Chaos Reincarnation Great Dao Technique, but deep within his consciousness, Jinyoung felt a subtle shift, as though an unseen force was brushing against his very soul.

Later that night, as Jinyoung sat in his dorm room, meditating on his new abilities, the feeling intensified. The room felt colder, shadows stretched unnaturally long, and the soft hum of his space manipulation flickered erratically.

Then it came—whispers, faint and barely audible, like a distant echo carried on the wind. At first, the words were too garbled to understand, but gradually, they became clearer.

"He has awakened. The marked one is here."

Jinyoung’s eyes snapped open, his body tense. He scanned the room, but nothing appeared to be out of place. The whispers continued, fading in and out, like broken transmissions.

"Prepare... the trial... he must be tested."

He rose from his seated position, heart racing. The voice wasn’t coming from the system. This was something else—something ancient and far more dangerous.

Who are you? Jinyoung thought, trying to focus his mind on the source of the whispers.

But the only response he received was silence.