NPC wa Eiyuu no Yume wo Miru ka?

The air in this room felt heavy.

I couldn't explain how it felt, but my whole body refused to move.

As if something was pressing directly onto my soul.

I looked at the black-robed figure standing in the center of the magic circle.

He didn't move.

But I could feel his gaze.

A cold, calculating stare.

And worst of all…

I felt like he was only interested in me.

I tried to swallow, but my throat was dry.

I glanced at Zain and the others.

Garron was gritting his teeth, his face showing a tension I had rarely seen before.

Lyra frowned, as if trying to understand what was happening.

And Rin…

I could see her fingers trembling slightly on the hilt of her dagger.

Even she was affected by this pressure.

I clenched my fists.

I didn't know who or what this being was.

But one thing was certain—we were not its match.

I activated my status once again.

[???] – Lv. ???Name: ???Type: ???Status: Observing Target

Same as before.

I couldn't see anything.

I felt like I was being examined, judged.

As if he was deciding whether I was worthy of living or not.

I clenched my teeth.

Damn it. I didn't like this.

I didn't like being the target of something I couldn't even comprehend.

And just as I was about to lose my patience—

The figure finally spoke.

—"Interesting."

That voice…

Flat.

No emotion. No tone of threat.

But still… just hearing it was enough to make my skin crawl.

I tried to stay calm. "Who are you?"

The figure didn't answer right away.

He simply stood there, staring at me.

Then finally, after what felt like an eternity…

He spoke again.

—"You… are not part of this system."

My heart stopped for a moment.

I widened my eyes.

What?!

I turned to Zain and the others, hoping for some kind of reaction.

But…

They remained still.

They didn't move.

They didn't react.

As if… they were frozen in time.

I swallowed hard.

"What did you do to them?" I asked, my voice slightly trembling.

The figure didn't answer immediately.

—"They are not part of this conversation."

I clenched my fists.

What the hell is this?!

I was caught in something I didn't even understand.

I had to stay calm.

I took a deep breath. "So… what do you want from me?"

The figure stayed silent for a moment before finally answering.

—"I want to know… who you really are."

I held my breath.

Damn it.

Even I didn't know the answer to that.

I could feel my heartbeat quicken.

If he found out that I wasn't just a normal NPC…

What would he do to me?

I tried to think fast.

I couldn't let him know that I didn't even know who I was.

So I could only do one thing.

I had to lie.

I looked straight at him, trying to speak as steadily as possible.

"I am an NPC," I said flatly.

The figure remained silent, as if assessing me.

I swallowed hard. "I'm just a regular NPC who happens to think a little more freely than the others."

Silence.

I didn't know if he believed me or not.

But finally…

He spoke again.

—"You do not know who you really are."

Damn it.

I tried to stay calm. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The figure remained silent.

Then…

—"We will meet again."

I immediately tensed up.

"What?"

But before I could get an answer…

A bright light filled the room.

I instinctively shut my eyes.

And when I opened them again—

I was back in the dungeon.

Zain and the others moved again, as if nothing had happened.

Zain blinked, then turned to me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I stared at him in confusion. "What just happened?"

Lyra gave me a strange look. "What do you mean? We just entered this room."

I froze.

They didn't remember?!

I looked around.

The black-robed figure was gone.

Everything felt like… an illusion.

But I knew it wasn't an illusion.

It happened.

I clenched my teeth.

What is happening to me?

Why am I the only one who saw it?

I tightened my fists.

I didn't know the answer.

But one thing was certain…

Someone was watching me.

I stood still in place, still trying to process what had just happened.

What was that?

The black-robed figure, his flat voice, the way he spoke as if he knew something about me…

And the strangest part—

Zain and the others didn't notice anything.

How was that possible?

I looked at them one by one.

Zain seemed normal, only watching me with a slightly curious expression.

Lyra crossed her arms and furrowed her brows, as if trying to judge whether I was joking or not.

Garron yawned lazily, seemingly uninterested and just wanting to move on.

Rin remained silent, as usual.

I ran a hand over my face and took a deep breath.

"So… you really didn't see anything?" I asked again, just to be sure.

Zain shrugged. "I saw an empty room with a magic circle on the floor. That's it."

Lyra watched me for a moment longer, then asked in a slightly more serious tone.

"Did you see something we couldn't?"

I hesitated for a moment.

I could tell them about the black-robed figure.

But… was that a good idea?

I still didn't know who they really were.

I knew that Zain wasn't an ordinary person. He was too smart, too cautious.

And I hadn't known him long enough to tell if I could trust him or not.

So, I just sighed and shook my head slightly.

"It's nothing," I said finally. "Maybe I'm just too tired."

Zain stared at me for a moment, then smirked.

"Hah, I thought you were possessed for a second."

I clicked my tongue. "Very funny."

Garron chuckled and gave my shoulder a hard pat.

"You need a drink, kid?" he asked, pulling out a water bottle from his bag.

I gave a small smile. "Thanks, but I'm fine."

I took the bottle and sipped a little, more to calm my mind than because I was actually thirsty.

Meanwhile, Lyra was still watching me with a dissatisfied expression.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Just forget about it."

Lyra let out a small huff but said nothing more.

Zain patted his sword and started walking forward.

"Alright, if you're good, let's keep going."

I could only nod and follow them.

But deep in my mind…

I still couldn't forget what had happened.

We kept walking through a long corridor after leaving that mysterious room.

No monsters had appeared so far, but I still felt uneasy.

I looked at the cave walls, trying to see if anything seemed off.

And then I noticed something.

The walls here were different from before.

Unlike the previous corridors, which were covered in moss and crystals, this one was neater.

The stonework felt more… artificial.

Like this wasn't a natural part of the dungeon, but something that had been deliberately built.

I glanced at Lyra.

"Hey," I called.

Lyra turned. "What?"

I pointed at the walls. "Doesn't this place feel a little strange to you?"

Lyra looked at the walls for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"You're right. The stone structure here feels different from before."

Zain glanced back. "You think this isn't part of the natural dungeon?"

Lyra thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure… but I have a theory," she said quietly.

Garron turned with an intrigued expression. "What theory?"

Lyra glanced around, then spoke in a lower voice, as if she didn't want something to hear.

"I've read reports about dungeons that were once abandoned ancient structures."

I raised an eyebrow. "You mean this dungeon wasn't always a dungeon?"

Lyra nodded. "It's possible."

I looked at the walls again.

If this place really used to be something else…

What happened here before this dungeon formed?

Zain sighed and started walking again.

"Well, whether it's an ancient structure or not, we still have to get through it."

I nodded in agreement.

Right now, the most important thing was surviving and getting out of here.

We continued walking through the narrowing corridor.

And finally…

We arrived at another large room.

I swallowed hard.

I had a feeling I knew what was about to happen here.

Zain stepped into the center of the room and looked around.

"Hmm… this looks like a good place for—"

BOOM!

The ground beneath us shook violently.

I immediately tensed up, preparing for something.

From the darkness at the far end of the room, something began to move.

I couldn't see it clearly…

But I could hear its heavy presence.

The sound of massive footsteps echoing through the chamber.

I swallowed hard.

"…Damn."

Zain grinned. "Finally, something interesting."

I glanced at him.

This guy… why does he always enjoy danger like this?

Garron raised his sword. "Get ready, we've got a big guest."

Lyra lifted her staff, while Rin crouched low, ready to move quickly.

I activated my status to see what was approaching.

And when the transparent screen appeared in my mind…

I felt my blood freeze.

[DUNGEON BOSS] – Lv. 35

Name: ???

Type: Ancient Guardian

Status: Activating Defense Mode

Damn it.

Level 35?!

I wasn't an expert in games, but I knew that was way out of our league!

I turned to Zain.

"Are we seriously fighting this?" I asked in disbelief.

Zain just grinned wider, casually raising his sword.

"Of course."

I wanted to punch him.

But before I could complain any further—

From the darkness, something finally emerged.

A massive armored giant, nearly three meters tall, with glowing red eyes.

I instantly knew we were in big trouble.

Zain chuckled.

"Alright," he said, swinging his sword to the side.

"Let's start this game."

I stared at him with resignation.

Of course, he still thought this was a game.

But for me…

This was a fight for survival.

I might die here.

That was my first thought when I saw the armored giant now standing before us.

It was nearly three meters tall, its dark armor gleaming under the dim dungeon light.

Two glowing red eyes stared at us emotionlessly from beneath its helmet.

And in its hands—

A massive sword.

Even without swinging it, I could already feel the pressure radiating from that weapon.

I swallowed hard.

This wasn't an enemy we could take lightly.

I checked its status again in my mind.

[BOSS DUNGEON] – Lv. 35

Name: Ancient Guardian

Type: ???

Status: Activating Defense Mode

Level 35.

I had no idea what level we were—because I didn't even know my own level.

But I was pretty sure we were far below it.

I glanced at Zain.

As expected, he was grinning as if this was an exciting challenge.

"Alright," he said casually. "Looks like we need to get a little serious this time."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"A little serious?" I repeated flatly.

Zain chuckled. "Don't worry, weird NPC. As long as we work together, we still have a chance to win."

I almost wanted to argue.

But before I could say anything—

The Ancient Guardian began to move.

BOOM!

Every step it took shook the ground, sending dust into the air.

And then…

It raised its massive sword.

I knew exactly what was about to happen.

"EVERYONE, MOVE!" I shouted instinctively.

And in an instant—

The sword came crashing down.

BOOOOOM!

The entire room trembled.

Dust and debris flew everywhere.

I shielded my face with my arm, trying to stay focused.

When the dust started to clear, I saw…

A massive crack in the dungeon floor.

That attack had split the ground open.

I swallowed hard.

One strike could shatter the floor?

I glanced at the others.

Zain had dodged just in time, as had Lyra and Rin.

Garron…

I saw him standing with both hands gripping his sword, holding back the Ancient Guardian's attack.

But I could see the ground beneath his feet starting to crack.

Garron gritted his teeth. "Damn… this thing is ridiculously heavy!"

Zain dashed to the side and struck quickly, aiming for the gaps in the Guardian's armor.

CLANG!

His sword bounced off.

My eyes widened.

Even his attack couldn't penetrate the armor?!

Zain leaped back, his expression shifting slightly.

"Hmm… So, normal attacks won't work, huh?"

Lyra raised her staff and began chanting a spell.

"If physical attacks can't get through, I'll try magic!"

A large blue flame formed at the tip of her staff.

I could feel its heat even from where I stood.

And with a single motion—

The fireball shot toward the Ancient Guardian.

I held my breath.

BOOM!

A massive explosion rocked the room.

Dust filled the air once again.

I squinted, trying to see what had happened.

As the smoke cleared…

I knew right away it wasn't enough.

The Ancient Guardian was still standing.

And worse…

The lingering flames on its armor were fading.

As if it was absorbing the attack.

I immediately turned to Lyra.

"Your magic didn't work!"

Lyra gritted her teeth. "That doesn't mean it didn't work. But… this thing has high magic resistance."

I clenched my fists.

Damn it.

So, physical attacks couldn't pierce its armor, and magic wasn't effective either?

Then how were we supposed to defeat this thing?!

I bit my lip, trying to think fast.

There had to be something we could exploit.

I looked at the Ancient Guardian again.

And at that moment, I noticed something.

When it took damage, it didn't react like a normal monster.

It didn't flinch or protect any weak spots.

It just… stood there.

Like it was more of a machine than a living creature.

I felt something in my mind clicking pieces together.

Then I remembered something Lyra had said earlier…

"I once read reports about dungeons that used to be abandoned ancient structures."

My eyes widened.

No way…

I turned to Lyra quickly.

"Lyra!"

She looked at me. "What?"

"Could it be that this monster… isn't actually alive?"

Lyra paused for a moment, then frowned.

"What do you mean?"

I pointed at the Ancient Guardian.

"Look at how it moves! It doesn't react to attacks like other monsters do! It's like it's just following a program!"

I saw Lyra's expression shift.

She was starting to understand.

"So… you think it's more like a machine?"

I nodded quickly.

Zain, overhearing our conversation, grinned.

"So if it's a machine… we just have to find its OFF switch, right?"

I glanced at him. "It's not that simple, but yeah… something like that."

I turned back to Lyra.

"If this is an ancient structure, there must be another way to stop it besides fighting it head-on."

Lyra thought quickly, then narrowed her eyes.

"In that case, we need to find its power source."

I immediately turned to the Guardian's massive body.

Power source…

I activated my status again, searching for clues.

And as the transparent screen appeared in my mind…

I found the answer.

[BOSS DUNGEON] – Lv. 35

Name: Ancient Guardian

Type: Magical Construct

Power Source: Core on Back

I froze.

I found its weakness.

I immediately shouted.

"THE CORE ON ITS BACK! THAT'S ITS POWER SOURCE!"

Zain's grin widened.

"In that case, let's break it!"

I swallowed hard.

Easier said than done…

But now the real question—

How were we going to do that without dying?

Okay, this is better than having no hope at all.

The Ancient Guardian might not be defeated with ordinary attacks, but now we knew its weak point—the core on its back.

The problem was… how were we supposed to hit it?

This monster wasn't a fool.

It was big, slow, and didn't react like other monsters, but that didn't mean it was easy to defeat.

Even now, it stood tall, observing us with those emotionless glowing red eyes.

I could hear a faint sound from inside its body.

The clinking of metal.

As if it wasn't a living being, but a machine created for one purpose only—battle.

I took a deep breath.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked.

Zain smirked slightly. "Simple. Someone has to distract it, and someone else has to destroy that core."

I stared at him. "And who's doing what?"

Zain touched his chin for a moment, then glanced at Garron.

"Garron, you're the strongest. You can hold its attacks longer than anyone here."

Garron scoffed. "Of course. But you know I can't move fast, right?"

Zain nodded. "That's why Rin will be the one to attack its core."

I turned to Rin.

The girl looked at Zain with a blank expression, then gave a small nod.

"Alright," she said simply.

I thought about the strategy for a moment.

Garron would draw the monster's attention. Rin would try to sneak behind it and strike its core.

It sounded simple…

But extremely risky.

"What if it turns around before Rin can strike?" I asked.

Zain turned to Lyra. "That's your job."

Lyra narrowed her eyes. "Me?"

"Yeah. You'll use your magic to slow it down. Use anything that can hinder its movement or at least keep it focused on Garron."

Lyra thought for a moment, then finally nodded.

"Alright. I can use ice magic to slow it down."

I let out a breath.

Okay, this was a solid plan.

But…

"What's my role?" I finally asked.

Zain looked at me and gave a small smile.

"You?" he said casually. "You stay alive."

I rolled my eyes. "Very helpful."

Zain chuckled. "You're not strong enough to attack directly yet, so your job is to make sure nothing interferes with our plan. If anything goes wrong, you have to warn us."

I couldn't argue with that.

I still had no idea how strong I actually was.

So for now… all I could do was support them.

I took a deep breath.

"Okay," I finally said. "Let's start before it attacks first."

The battle began.

Garron charged forward first, swinging his sword at the Ancient Guardian's leg.

CLANG!

His sword bounced off, but the attack was enough to make the Guardian shift its attention to him.

The monster raised its massive sword, then swung it down with enough force to split the ground.

Garron blocked it with all his strength.

BOOM!

The ground beneath him cracked, but Garron remained standing.

"DAMN IT! THIS THING WEIGHS A TON!" he shouted.

Lyra raised her staff and began chanting.

From the tip of her staff, blue ice started to form.

"Frost Bind!"

A burst of ice shot from her staff, wrapping around the Ancient Guardian's legs.

I could see the ice creeping upward, slowing its movements.

This was our chance!

I turned to look at Rin.

The girl had already disappeared into the shadows.

I could only hope she was fast enough before the Guardian noticed her.

I clenched my fists.

I couldn't help directly, but I had to stay alert.

I activated my ability to see its status again.

And when I saw the information in my mind, I noticed something that shouldn't be there.

Status: [Defense Mode → Attack Mode Active]

My eyes widened.

"Wait… NO WAY!"

I immediately shouted.

"THE GUARDIAN IS CHANGING MODES! GET AWAY FROM IT!"

But it was too late.

A red light flared from within the Ancient Guardian's body.

And in an instant—

BOOM!

A massive shockwave exploded from its body, knocking everyone backward.

I was slammed against the wall with force.

"UGH!"

I could hear Garron crashing onto the ground.

Zain was pushed back several meters.

Lyra nearly lost her balance, while Rin—who was just about to reach its back—was forced to jump away to avoid the blast.

I gritted my teeth.

Damn it.

We were too slow.

I checked its status again.

And when I saw the information—

I felt my blood run cold.

The Ancient Guardian has entered Attack Mode.Attack speed and power increased by 200%.Special ability activated: [Execution Mode].

I swallowed hard.

I had no idea what [Execution Mode] was.

But just from the name alone…

It was enough to make me realize we were in deep trouble.

I immediately shouted.

"WE NEED TO FALL BACK—!"

But before I could finish my sentence—

The Ancient Guardian vanished.

My eyes widened. It moved?!

And within seconds—

"UGHAAAKH!"

I turned my head quickly, and my eyes widened in horror.

I saw Garron being thrown into the air, blood spraying from his shoulder.

He took a direct hit.

His massive body crashed onto the ground with a heavy thud.

I couldn't think.

I couldn't move.

I could only watch as the Ancient Guardian approached him, raising its sword high.

I knew it was going to kill him.

I had to do something.

But I couldn't.

My body wouldn't move.

I could only stare, feeling a fear I had never felt before.

And as the sword came down—

I felt something inside me begin to crack.

I didn't know what it was.

But before I could understand what was happening…

The world around me changed.