Chapter 40: The True Face of the Enemy

The battle was fast and brutal.

Jinyoung led the charge, his sword glowing with both light and darkness as he cut through the shadowy tendrils that lashed out at them. Yuna stood beside him, her ice magic freezing the creature’s limbs and shattering them into shards. Haejin used his earth magic to create barriers, blocking the relentless attacks from the reforming dungeon, while Minho’s lightning-infused blade danced through the air, striking the creature's core repeatedly.

But the shadowy figure wasn’t just any dungeon boss. It was an extension of the cosmic entities, a manifestation of their will, and its power was growing with each passing moment.

Jinyoung’s All-Knowing Eye flickered, revealing the shifting flow of mana within the creature. It was feeding off the remains of the dungeon’s core, growing stronger by the second. If they didn’t stop it now, it would become unstoppable.

With a surge of determination, Jinyoung activated his new time-disrupting power. The world around him seemed to slow, the flow of time itself bending to his will. He moved with precision, his sword cutting through the creature’s weak points as if they had been laid bare before him.

SLASH!

His blade connected with the creature’s core, sending a shockwave through the dungeon. For a brief moment, the shadowy figure faltered, its form rippling as it struggled to maintain its shape.

"Now!" Jinyoung shouted.

Yuna unleashed a blast of icy mana, freezing the creature’s core in place, while Haejin followed up with a massive earth spike that drove through its chest.

BOOM!

The creature let out a final, ear-piercing shriek as its body disintegrated, collapsing into a pile of ash and shadow.

For a moment, the dungeon was silent.

Jinyoung’s heart raced as he looked around, his senses on high alert. Was it really over? Or was this just another trick of the cosmic entities?

But then, the air around them began to clear, the oppressive mana lifting as the dungeon’s reality stabilized.

They had won.

Chapter 41: A Dangerous Revelation

As the group regrouped, Minah finally appeared, bloodied but alive, her flame sword crackling with the remnants of the battle she had fought on her own. She gave Jinyoung a weary nod, her eyes sharp with determination.

"That was… too close," Minah muttered, wiping blood from her brow. "But at least it's over."

Jinyoung wasn’t so sure. Something about the battle had felt off, too easy for what they had faced. The cosmic entities wouldn’t give up this easily. He was certain of it.

And then, just as the group was about to relax, the system appeared before Jinyoung’s eyes.

[Quest Completed: Defeat the Shadow Overseer.]

[Warning: New Mission Unlocked.]

Jinyoung’s stomach dropped as the message appeared in front of him. A new quest? Already?

[Mission: Uncover the Cosmic Entities’ True Purpose.]

[New Enemy Unlocked: The Weaver of Fates.]

The message was clear—and terrifying. The Weaver of Fates. Whoever—or whatever—it was, it was the next step in the cosmic entities’ plan. And it was coming for him.

"Another mission?" Yuna asked, noticing the change in Jinyoung’s expression. "What did the system say?"

Jinyoung looked at her, his heart heavy with dread. "There’s a new enemy. Something called the Weaver of Fates."

Minah frowned. "Weaver of Fates? That sounds… ominous."

"It is," Jinyoung said quietly. "It’s a new entity. And it’s not just coming for me. It’s coming for all of us."

The weight of his words hung heavy in the air. The Weaver of Fates—whoever they were—would be unlike anything they had faced before.

"We need to get stronger," Jinyoung said, his voice filled with determination. "Whatever’s coming next… we’re not ready for it."

Chapter 42: Grinding for Power

The days following the dungeon raid were spent training and preparing for what was to come. Jinyoung, Yuna, Minah, and the rest of the White Flame Guild knew that their victory over the shadow overseer had only bought them time. The cosmic entities were still watching, waiting for their next move.

Jinyoung threw himself into training, determined to unlock the full potential of his powers. His new time-disrupting ability was powerful, but it was also unstable. He could feel the strain it put on his body, the way it warped reality around him. If he wasn’t careful, he could lose control—and that was a risk he couldn’t afford.

He spent hours in the guild’s training hall, sparring with Yuna and Minah, pushing his limits as he honed his swordsmanship and magic. His All-Knowing Eye helped him anticipate their movements, but he knew that in a real battle, against enemies like Eunwoo or the Weaver of Fates, his powers would be tested in ways he couldn’t predict.

"I don’t understand how you do it," Yuna said one evening after a particularly intense sparring session. Her chest heaved with exhaustion, her ice magic still crackling faintly around her. "Your instincts—your ability to read a fight. It’s like you’re seeing things before they happen."

Jinyoung wiped the sweat from his brow, his mind racing. He couldn’t tell her the full truth—not yet. The future he had lived, the knowledge he carried, the burden of knowing what was to come—it wasn’t something he could easily explain.

"I’ve trained for a long time," he said simply. "That’s all."

Yuna studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. "You’re hiding something, Jinyoung. I know you are."

Jinyoung’s heart skipped a beat. She was getting too close to the truth. He turned away, picking up his sword.

"Maybe," he said softly. "But some things are better left unsaid."

Before Yuna could press further, the doors to the training hall burst open, and Minah stormed in, her eyes wide with urgency.

"Jinyoung, Yuna!" Minah shouted. "We have a problem. A big one."

Jinyoung’s pulse quickened. "What is it?"

Minah took a deep breath, her hands trembling. "Another dungeon just opened. But this one—it’s different. The mana signature… it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen."

Jinyoung’s chest tightened. Another dungeon. But this time, something about it felt wrong. Dark. Dangerous.

Yuna’s expression hardened. "We need to check it out."

Jinyoung nodded, his mind already racing with possibilities. This dungeon wasn’t like the others. He could feel it in his bones.

This was the next step in the cosmic entities’ plan.