Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Chapter 103

"Take care of each other," Satou said. "I’ll be back before you know it."

Then, before he could change his mind, before the fear could overwhelm his determination, he walked toward the portal.

Loki followed, and Morgana after him.

The last thing Satou saw before the portal closed behind them was Lyra’s face, tears streaming down as she mouthed the words "come back to me."

Then the portal snapped shut, and they were standing in a harsh mountain landscape under a gray sky.

The wind howled across barren stone, carrying with it a chill that had nothing to do with temperature and everything to do with the presence of death. Before them, carved into the side of the mountain itself, was a massive doorway.

It was at least thirty feet tall, made of some dark material that seemed to absorb light. Strange symbols covered its surface, glowing with a faint, sickly green light. The doorway didn’t have actual doors, just an opening that led into absolute darkness.

Even from here, Satou could feel something emanating from that darkness. Something ancient. Something hungry. Something that promised pain and growth in equal measure.

"The Dungeon of Eternal Nightmares," Loki said quietly. "Once we step through that threshold, we won’t be able to leave until you’ve either cleared all one hundred floors or died trying. Are you absolutely certain about this?"

Satou stared at the doorway, at the darkness that seemed to stare back at him. Every instinct screamed at him to run, to find another way, to not walk into what was clearly a death trap.

But Richard Clay was waiting. The demon lord council was watching. His settlement needed him to be stronger than he was.

"I’m certain," Satou said, his voice steady despite the fear churning in his gut.

"Then let’s begin," Loki said. "And Satou? Whatever happens in there, whatever horrors you face, remember this. The dungeon shows you your fears, your weaknesses, your failures. It tears you apart psychologically and physically. But if you can hold on to who you are, if you can remember why you’re fighting, you might just survive."

"Might," Morgana added softly, "is the best anyone can offer when it comes to this place."

"Then ’might’ will have to be enough," Satou said.

Together, the three of them walked toward the massive doorway, a portal created by Morgana. With each step, the feeling of wrongness intensified. The air grew heavier. The temperature dropped. The very reality around them seemed to twist and distort.

As they reached the threshold, Satou paused for just a moment. He thought of Lyra’s face. Kelvin’s determination. Jessica’s confession. Urgak’s trust. All the people depending on him.

Then he stepped through the darkness.

The world inverted.

Colors became sounds. Sounds became textures. Reality itself seemed to fragment and reassemble in ways that made no sense. Satou felt like he was falling and flying simultaneously, his body being torn apart and put back together at the molecular level.

Then, suddenly, it stopped.

He was standing in a stone corridor lit by torches that burned with cold blue flame. The walls were covered in more of those strange symbols, pulsing with that same sickly green light. Behind him, the entrance had vanished. In front of him, the corridor stretched forward into darkness.

Loki and Morgana stood beside him, both looking unaffected by the transition.

"Welcome," a voice echoed through the corridor, coming from everywhere and nowhere, "to the Dungeon of Eternal Nightmares. You who seek power, you who challenge death, you who believe yourself worthy. Prove it. Survive the trials. Conquer the floors. Become what you were meant to be, or die trying."

The voice faded, leaving only the sound of Satou’s own rapid breathing.

"Floor one of one hundred," Loki said quietly. "The easiest floor in the entire dungeon. And even this one has killed experienced warriors. Stay alert. Trust your instincts. And whatever you do, don’t let the dungeon break your mind. That’s how most people die here, they go insane from fear and make fatal mistakes."

"Understood," Satou said, drawing his sword despite its damaged condition.

"Then let’s see if you have what it takes to become truly strong," Loki said. " Satou. I hope you survive."

They walked forward into the darkness, and behind them, the entrance sealed shut with a sound like a tomb closing.

The wind howled across barren stone, carrying with it a chill that had nothing to do with temperature and everything to do with the presence of death. Before them, carved into the side of the mountain itself, was a massive doorway.

It was at least thirty feet tall, made of some dark material that seemed to absorb light. Strange symbols covered its surface, glowing with a faint, sickly green light. The doorway didn’t have actual doors, just an opening that led into absolute darkness.

Even from here, Satou could feel something emanating from that darkness. Something ancient. Something hungry. Something that promised pain and growth in equal measure.

"The Dungeon of Eternal Nightmares," Loki said quietly, staring at the entrance with an expression Satou had never seen on the demon lord’s face before genuine uncertainty mixed with concern. "I’ll be honest with you, Satou. I don’t know what’s inside. No one does."

"What?" Satou turned to look at him. "But you said three people cleared it. Didn’t they tell anyone what they faced?"

"They refused," Morgana said softly, her ancient eyes fixed on the dark doorway. "All three of them. When they emerged, they were asked about the trials, the monsters, the challenges. They all gave the same answer: ’The dungeon is different for everyone.’ Beyond that, they wouldn’t speak of it. Some say they couldn’t speak of it—that the dungeon itself prevents them from sharing what they experienced."

"So I’m going in completely blind," Satou said slowly.

"Yes," Loki confirmed. "What I do know is this: the dungeon has one hundred floors. Time moves differently inside—one day outside equals approximately ten days within. Which means if you spend the entire week in there, you’ll have seventy days to grow stronger."

"And the three who succeeded," Satou asked, "how long were they inside?"

"The shortest time was three days outside,thirty days inside," Morgana replied. "The longest was two weeks outside—one hundred and forty days inside. Each person’s experience was different. The dungeon adapts to the challenger, creates trials specifically designed for them."