Seeing the look on Zane’s face, Shelby couldn’t help but laugh.
"What?" he said, nudging him with an elbow. "I know, I know—she’s got that forbidden-fruit kind of beauty. You see a lot of those in dungeons. But quit drooling, boy."
Zane blinked. "I’m not drooling. I was just... surprised. A real Gorgon species? And don’t call me ’boy’ again."
Shelby grinned wider. "You mean Medusa-type Gorgon? Nah, not quite. Close, but not the same breed." His voice turned colder. "Anyway, enough talk. I’m putting that light out. One thing you need to remember, boy-man—if it lives inside a dungeon, it’s an enemy of mankind."
With a sizzling crack, Shelby vanished in a burst of lightning, the air splitting with the sound of raw power. Sparks danced across the ground in his wake.
Zane exhaled, a bit annoyed but more intrigued.
He had hoped to observe the Gorgon—understand her abilities, see how she moved, how she spoke. Maybe even learn the limits of her petrification or the logic of her presence here. But deep down, he knew that wouldn’t happen.
Before Zane could even take a step forward, the Gorgon let out a shriek—sharp and ancient, like a cursed flute being snapped in half.
The very next second, a storm of white-hot lightning tore through the air, swallowing her whole.
The serpent-haired woman didn’t even get the chance to fight.
Her body twisted violently under the onslaught before crumbling into charred dust, her silhouette disintegrating as if she had never existed.
Zane stood still, staring at the scorched spot where the fabled creature had once been.
"...That was overkill," he muttered, half-impressed, half-disappointed.
The System chimed softly in his vision.
[Final Boss Eliminated — Special Dungeon Cleared]
[Special Reward Unlocked: Temple of Assassins – Level 7 Treasure Vault Access Granted]
Shelby reappeared beside him, arms crossed.
"And that is how you clear a dungeon. Efficient. Clean. Zero drama."
Zane shook his head. "You don’t leave much for the rest of us."
Shelby smirked. "That’s because I’m not the rest of us. Now let’s grab the loot."
They moved toward the back of the chamber, where a stone altar slowly rose from the floor. Etched along its surface were glowing assassin runes that pulsed with a dark, rhythmic light. At its center, nestled in a shallow indentation, was a black pearl, glistening like a drop of night.
Zane pointed at it. "That’s it. Let your watch devour it, and you’ll officially become a rookie member of the Temple of Assassins."
Shelby stepped forward, eyes locked on the pearl. "Five years. I’ve been busting my ass for this moment. Finally..."
As he approached, the device on his left wrist responded. It detached itself with a mechanical hiss, slithering into the shape of a sleek, black snake. It darted forward, coiled around the pearl, and in one smooth motion—swallowed it whole. Then, as if satisfied, it slithered back and re-wrapped itself around his wrist, reshaping into a watch once more.
Zane blinked, slightly surprised. He had expected the transformation to resemble his own watch—crab-shaped and armored. But now he understood—each watch adapted uniquely, reflecting its owner’s potential and affinity.
Then Shelby tapped the side of the watch. With a soft chime, it activated a cloaking protocol. A black cowl unfolded from the watch itself, wrapping around his body until he was cloaked in a sleek, jet-black cassock that covered him from head to toe.
The look on Shelby’s face was pure triumph. He let out a laugh—unrestrained and full of satisfaction—before pulling Zane into a strong hug.
"Thank you, Zane," he said, voice thick with emotion. "Becoming a true member of the Temple of Assassins... it’s been one of my biggest goals. You made it happen. Without you, I don’t know how I’d have reached this far."
Zane smiled, patting his back. "You earned it, Shelby. I just opened the door. You were the storm that walked through it."
Shelby kept hugging him.
"...Can you let go now?" Zane asked after a moment. "It’s getting a bit uncomfortable."
"Sure," Shelby chuckled, finally releasing him. With a smirk, he added, "Kid, remember this—I owe you one. Alright, let’s get outta here."
They stepped through the red door and instantly found themselves back in the very first room where they had entered the temple.
"I’ve been to a lot of places—even overseas. But today? This was one of the best days of my life." Shelby grinned, visibly relaxed. "Kiddo, what now? Shall we head out?"
Zane shook his head. "Not yet. I’ve got something else to do here."
"Something important? If it is, I’m with you," Shelby said without hesitation.
"Check your watch," Zane said. "Tell me how much A.P. you’ve got."
Shelby tapped on his wrist device and squinted at the numbers. "Two hundred thousand."
Zane blinked. "Two... hundred thousand?"
He glanced at his own watch. Just fifty thousand. He had cleared the same dungeon, and Shelby had gained four times the reward.
The gap is too wide, he thought. Then the realization struck—It’s the grade. The grade of the dungeon he cleared before must’ve been way higher than this one.
"What’s A.P., anyway?" Shelby asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Assassin Points," Zane said, keeping his tone vague. "Don’t ask too much right now. You... no—we—will find out soon enough."
Without explaining further, Zane focused his will, and a golden key shimmered into existence in his hand. It looked like something between a solid, a liquid, and pure light—its form flickering between states like it didn’t quite belong to this world.
Shelby’s eyes narrowed in curiosity. What’s with this kid? How’s he getting all these things? Did someone high-ranking in the Temple of Assassins put him under their wing? That has to be it...
He didn’t ask. It was clear Zane didn’t want to talk about it, and Shelby, despite his brash nature, respected privacy when it mattered.
The air in front of them shimmered with a spatial distortion, and a faint, glowing keyhole emerged in mid-air.
Without hesitation, Zane inserted the golden key. With a click, the lock vanished, and a door materialized before them—its frame ancient, yet humming with a strange energy.
They couldn’t see what lay beyond. The light pouring through the open doorway was too bright, too overwhelming.
Shelby followed without a word.
On the other side, the light faded, revealing a long, wide corridor made of obsidian stone veined with glowing silver lines. Two large archways flanked them, each marked with glowing runes.
One read: Library Hall.
The other: Weapon Hall.