MHA Dungeon Master

"System, fuse my dungeon gate key with Toga and Twice's Quirks!" I pleaded with the system, my voice trembling slightly with excitement, my hopes soaring through the roof of my room.

Visions of epic adventures, hidden treasures, and incredible power boosts danced in my mind. I could almost feel the adrenaline of adventure coursing through my veins, even though I was still standing in my safe, comfortable room.

After a brief but memorable encounter with Twice at a fast-food restaurant near school, and enjoying my favorite spicy chicken karage with the cheerful Emilia, I rushed straight home.

My steps were light, filled with anticipation and burning enthusiasm. Arriving home, without wasting any time, I went straight to my room and made sure the door was tightly locked. Absolute privacy was key for this sacred 'power fusion' ritual.

I didn't want any interruptions, not even the slightest disturbance, that could ruin my concentration or even jeopardize this important experiment. This was a big moment, and I wanted to make sure everything went perfectly.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Emilia watching me with a mixed look of confusion and curiosity. Perhaps my hasty and secretive behavior seemed a bit strange to her. She observed me closely, her brow slightly furrowed, but in the end, her own amusement won over her curiosity.

Emilia refocused on her new graphic tablet, a birthday gift from me that she seemed to adore. Her stylus pen danced nimbly across the screen, creating digital strokes that would eventually form some kind of picture.

She seemed so engrossed in her own world of imagination, that her attention towards her older brother's strange behavior quickly faded. I sighed in relief. At least this time, I didn't have to give lengthy explanations or make up elaborate excuses.

Right after hearing my hopeful command, my dungeon gate key, which was usually just a dull gray object, suddenly leaped out of my item slot with unexpected force. The small object floated in the air, emitting a purple light that gradually became more dazzling.

My dimly lit room was instantly illuminated by a strong magical aura. This scene was truly beyond my expectations, like a scene from a high-budget fantasy movie. It was as if the key possessed a soul and will of its own, moving and glowing with vibrant energy.

A few moments later, as the purple light began to dim and return to normal levels, a transparent system screen appeared before me, displaying a series of important messages written in clean white digital letters. My heart beat faster and faster as I read the notifications that appeared one by one.

[Congratulations on successfully unlocking access to Dungeon LV1]

[Does the host wish to enter the Dungeon now?]

Hearing the notification from the system, my spirits instantly soared, like a volcano ready to erupt. The desire to immediately explore this dungeon reached an irresistible peak.

Burning curiosity, the hope of a thrilling adventure, and anticipation for the surprises that awaited, all mixed together into a powerful wave of emotion. I couldn't wait to see, feel, and conquer whatever lay hidden within that mysterious dungeon.

Without the slightest hesitation, without a second thought, and without any careful consideration, I answered in a loud and confident voice, "Yes!"

In the next instant, my entire body was enveloped by cheap special effect light that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The light swirled around me, creating a strange sensation like being pulled and spun simultaneously.

My room, with all the furniture and memories within, slowly vanished from sight, as if erased from reality. It was replaced by a dense darkness, which then gradually transformed into an unfamiliar and mysterious landscape. I felt like I was entering another dimension, crossing the boundary between the real world and a fantasy realm.

However, the euphoria and anticipation of adventure did not last long. Only a few minutes passed—or perhaps just seconds that felt like minutes—when my body suddenly reappeared in the exact same room, complete with an ugly expression plastered across my face.

My mouth hung open, my eyes were wide, and my brow furrowed deeply. All the excitement and enthusiasm that had just burned within me shattered into pieces, like a sandcastle hit by a massive wave. All that remained was a bitter sense of frustration and deep disappointment.

"WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS???" I asked the system in a desperate tone mixed with anger, my voice almost trembling with overflowing emotion.

I felt betrayed, utterly deceived by my own expectations. Why did reality have to be so cruel? My mind was filled with disappointment that was hard to express in words. I felt like a balloon filled with high hopes, then suddenly burst by the sharp needle of reality. But I will give you the explanation, so you understand why I reacted so hysterically.

[Welcome to Crimson Abyss]

The system's flat and emotionless greeting echoed in my head as usual. It seemed the unlucky dungeon's name was Crimson Abyss. A cool enough name, I thought cynically, but I didn't even consider why this dungeon was named like this.

When I first entered the dungeon, I was indeed excited and full of anticipation. But my survival instincts immediately kicked in. I immediately activated full alert mode, observing my surroundings with watchful eyes, preparing to face any enemies or dangers that might appear at any moment.

Adrenaline rushed through my veins, making my whole body tense and alert. My heart beat faster, my breath became shallow, and all my senses sharpened, ready to respond to the slightest threat.

However, the scenery that filled my vision was not at all an epic battlefield or a trap-filled labyrinth. All I saw was a desolate and abandoned graveyard. Old tombstones stood tilted and moss-covered, amongst tall, dry weeds.

The occasional sound of an owl hooting broke the silence of the eerie night, adding to the gloomy and frightening impression. An atmosphere of darkness enveloped this place, lit only by the pale moonlight that barely penetrated the gray clouds.

This eerie and unexpected sight made my heart pound uncontrollably. Goosebumps rose all over my body, sending shivers down my spine. Cold sweat continued to pour from my back, soaking my clothes.

This chilling atmosphere made me feel increasingly uncomfortable, threatened, and utterly terrified. This dungeon was not a place for exciting adventures, but more like a visual hell ready to haunt me in nightmares.

So, without further thought, without trying to explore further, and without attempting to calm myself, I immediately shouted to the system with all my might, unleashing all my despair and fear.

"SYSTEM, LOG OUT NOW!!!" My feelings were a mixture of anger, disappointment, and unbearable fear. I no longer cared about rewards, experience, or challenges. I just wanted to get out of this terrifying situation immediately, return to my safe and comfortable room, and forget all these nightmares.

Looking back at my more rational thoughts now, actually with the characteristics of a vampire to unlock a dungeon, the end result may indeed end up like this. I should have been able to predict this before. Horror themes, darkness, graves, all perfectly match the vampire imagery. But for some reason, I was too blinded by hope and anticipation, ignoring this simple logic.

Previously, in my naive mind, I kept hypnotizing myself that my dungeon couldn't be as bad as Silent Hill Live Action version in Virtual Reality Game mode. I tried to convince myself that this dungeon would definitely be different, maybe more like a classic labyrinth with cute monsters or a colorful magical forest. I tried to instill false optimism in myself, refusing to face a possibly bleak reality.

But the result was truly disappointing. All the beautiful hopes I had felt before vanished instantly, replaced by a bitter sense of despair. The good feeling I had in the middle of this bright day turned into gloom and despair in the remaining dark end of the day. All the cheerfulness and enthusiasm I had felt throughout the day disappeared just like that, swallowed by the darkness of Crimson Abyss.

And my whole family also noticed the drastic change in my mood. They must have seen how disappointed I was. This was clearly seen because I remained silent throughout dinner, even going straight back to my room without having the warm family conversations I usually always enjoyed.

The silence and my striking change in attitude were clearly visible to them, making the dinner atmosphere feel different than usual, more awkward and tense. I could feel the worried and confused gazes of my family members, but I was too immersed in disappointment to respond to them.

Me in my previous life, if someone asked me to watch a horror movie together, I would immediately find a thousand and one reasons to refuse the invitation. Horror movies always made me feel uncomfortable, even traumatized, and I preferred to avoid them as much as possible. Violent scenes, sudden jump scares, and chilling atmospheres always managed to scare me and make it difficult to sleep soundly for days.

That's why, when I found out my dungeon would look like a terrifying horror graveyard, I immediately chose to leave without even trying to explore it even a little bit. That eerie sight truly made me back down without thinking twice. The instinct to survive and avoid my fear was stronger than my curiosity or desire to become stronger.

Yes, I honestly admit to myself, I am indeed a coward in this regard. But what else could I do, it was one of my weaknesses that was always hidden in my heart, a fragile side that I didn't want to show to anyone. Acknowledging this weakness alone was difficult, let alone facing it directly. But it seemed, this system—with all its wisdom and mischievousness—required me to face this weakness in the most challenging way: making the first dungeon I had successfully unlocked with great difficulty a horror-themed one. This was a challenge I had never imagined before, and it seemed I had no choice but to face it, like it or not.

Inside my quiet room, I sat brooding on the edge of my bed, thinking about what I should do next. Thoughts swirled in my head, like a raging storm in my mind, making me feel confused, doubtful, and helpless. Should I dare to enter the dungeon again, face all the horrors within, and try to conquer my fear? Or should I just give up, admit defeat, and find other ways to become stronger? These questions kept bothering my mind, spinning endlessly, making me unable to calm down, unable to think clearly.

"I better just sleep and recover from this mild trauma for now, and leave all important decisions to myself tomorrow, um... that's what I should do," I said to myself in a despairing tone, hoping sleep could erase all the disappointment and confusion I felt. Deciding to give myself time to rest, think clearly, and calm down, was perhaps the only logical choice at the moment. Maybe, after a good night's sleep, I would gain new enlightenment or courage to face that horror dungeon.

The next day, after school, I went straight home with lighter steps, and thoughts that—I thought—were full of brilliant plans. At least, I tried to convince myself that I had a good plan.

After waiting for Ryuko-nee's usual visit for a while, I finally mustered the courage to invite Emilia and Ryuko-nee to train with me. It would definitely be more fun and easier if my loved ones participated in this ridiculous endeavor. Moral support from them might give me a little extra courage.

I started 'training' by turning on the large smart TV in my house's living room and opening the Webflix application. When various movie theme options appeared on the screen, including the dominant horror genre, I hesitated for a moment, my heart beating faster, and cold sweat began to appear on my palms.

But after winning a small battle against myself—by forcing myself and telling a little white lie—I finally pressed the 'click' button with the mouse connected to my TV, choosing the first horror movie that appeared in the recommendation list. This foolish decision was the first step I took to—supposedly—face my fear. Yes, I finally decided to start using the fake Quirk (Training Specialist) that I had told my family as a reinforcement for my decision. I had to do this bravely and consistently, for the sake of my stronger—and maybe more horror-resistant—future.

As long as I practiced (which is actually more accurately called 'torturing myself by watching horror movies') diligently and disciplined, I would definitely conquer this embarrassing weakness of mine. Realizing that this might be the only—possibly—effective method, I was determined to make watching horror movies a form of intensive mental training. Of course, I didn't want to suffer alone.

I invited my two closest people to come and 'train' with me. It would definitely be more fun—or at least, not too miserable—if there was support from those I loved most. (Come to this abyss of fear with me, hahaha! I muttered to myself in a bitter tone.)

After the movie had been playing for a while, deafening screams suddenly echoed throughout the comfortable living room of my house. Ryuko-nee and Emilia, one teenage girl who was starting to blossom and an adorable little loli, were hugging my arm tightly like soft pillows, screaming loudly, releasing all their fear.

The situation was truly chaotic, absurd, and slightly funny—if only I wasn't involved in this chaos. But unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy that funny feeling, because I was also screaming along with them, in fact my screams sounded much louder and more hysterical than their screams combined. The horror I felt completely made me forget to feel comfortable or enjoy this moment of togetherness. All that existed was immense fear and the desire to immediately stop this damn movie.

And so went my daily life after school for almost a full month that felt like hellish torture. Every day, the atmosphere of the house was filled with horror, hysterical screams, and the smell of burnt popcorn because I forgot to take it out of the microwave (because I was too focused on watching—or rather, resisting the urge to run away—from horror movies).

But strangely, little by little, slowly but surely, I began to feel stronger, more resistant to the visual horrors and cheap jump scares that usually traumatized me.

And as a result, after a full month of heavy 'torture', I have now finally evolved—at least, according to my own claims. I evolved—mentally and emotionally—into The Chainsawmon. (Don't comment if my joke isn't funny! I'm trying to cheer myself up in the midst of this despair!)

After undergoing heavy torture for a full month, I, Kaneki Himaru—the scaredy-cat who was afraid of horror movies—could finally endure horror situations without having to scream hysterically anymore. I could even—with great difficulty—stop myself from closing my eyes or looking away when gruesome scenes appeared on the TV screen.

This experience of watching horror movies with Emilia and Ryuko-nee—although initially felt like torture—turned out to make me stronger and more courageous in facing my fear. Which meant, according to my—possibly—flawed logic, I was ready to re-enter the dungeon and explore it with my head held high and a steady heart.

I felt more ready than ever, more confident, and more optimistic. Or so I thought and hoped—again—perhaps too optimistically. I hoped this newfound sense of false courage could really help me get through the dungeon smoothly, without obstacles, and of course, without new trauma.

But reality—as usual—was far from expectations. When I confidently and resolutely tried to re-enter that cursed Crimson Abyss dungeon, I was immediately greeted by a bitter reality that hit me like a sledgehammer.

"YOU ARE DEAD!!!"

The familiar transparent panel with bright red writing continuously appeared in front of my eyes, repeating endlessly, like a cruel mockery from the system that somehow seemed very pleased to see my suffering.