Dark stone corridors twisted like veins beneath Sector B-17, lit only by flickering crystals embedded in the walls. Jace adjusted his breathing as he stepped through the decaying archway of the D-Rank Gate. This place… felt different.

> [You have entered a Resonant Zone — Monarch Signature Detected.]

Jace froze.

The air buzzed against his skin, like electricity dancing on his nerves.

“Yeah,” he muttered, “this is the right place.”

The deeper he went, the louder the hum grew—like a heartbeat buried beneath stone. Jace moved cautiously, dagger in hand. The monsters here were low-level. He handled them swiftly, building his momentum. A quick jab, a dodge, a throw—until—

> [Level Up!] [Strength +1 | Agility +1 | Intelligence +1]

He felt it immediately. The energy coursing through him was hotter than before—wilder.

And then, he saw it.

At the heart of the ruins, resting on a shattered pedestal… a fragment of obsidian, glowing faintly red. Floating above it—a translucent flame, pulsing with unnatural rhythm.

> [Monarch Residual Detected.] Do you wish to absorb?

“Yes,” Jace whispered, stepping forward.

The flame shifted, almost like it saw him. A surge of heat blasted outward the moment his fingers touched the shard. Visions slammed into his brain—chaos, destruction, a world split open by something that howled like a god.

He screamed, but didn’t let go.

> [You have absorbed a Rampage Monarch Residual.] [+4 Strength | +3 Mentality | +2 Perception]

> [New Skill Gained: Bloodline Pulse – Rank B] An innate force slumbers within you. Unleash a pulse of raw Monarch energy to temporarily increase all stats by 25% for 20 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.

Jace collapsed to his knees, gasping. “W-what the hell was that…”

It wasn’t just power. It was history. Memory. A piece of something ancient now lived inside him.

He opened his status screen:

> Strength: 56

Mentality: 41

Intelligence: 35

Perception: 45

Almost there.

Just one more Residual to unlock the job class trial.

He stood shakily, wiping sweat from his brow.

Then—

> [Warning: Unknown Presence Approaching]

Jace’s head snapped up.

Something was coming. Fast.

From the shadowed hall, a growl echoed. A beast, mutated and twisted—its flesh pulsing with remnants of Monarch energy. A malformed Guardian, left behind to protect the shard.

Jace raised his dagger, eyes glowing with anticipation.

“All right, freak. Let’s dance.”

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