Chapter 35 — The Prince Beyond the Gate
The doors did not resist them. That was the first thing Aken noticed. For something so massive, so imposing, the gate opened with almost no effort at all—as though it had already decided they were allowed inside. The hinges didn't creak. The stone didn't grind. There was no sound of age, weight or strain.
It simply parted. And that, more than anything, felt wrong.
The interior of the castle stretched before them in a long, dim corridor lit by torches that burned with a faint crimson hue. The light didn't flicker the way normal fire should. It held steady, unnatural, casting shadows that seemed just a little too still—as if they weren't entirely tied to the objects creating them.
The air was colder. Not the sharp cold of ice like Soo-ah's power, but something older, heavier. It pressed against the lungs with each breath, slow and deliberate. Aken stepped forward first, not out of bravery, but because hesitation here felt worse. Behind him, the others followed.
Jae-Min stayed closer than usual, his earlier complaints gone, replaced with a silence that spoke louder than anything he could have said. Jin Wong's posture was tight, controlled, every movement calculated. Soo-ah walked with the same composed expression she always carried, but the faint tension in her eyes hadn't faded.
They all felt it, this place wasn't just dangerous. It was terrifying. The corridor stretched on longer than it should, the walls lined with tall, narrow windows that revealed nothing but darkness beyond. No sky, no red horizon, just that absence.
Aken's gaze moved slowly, taking everything in. Details mattered here. Every step forward felt like stepping deeper into something that had already decided the outcome. Then—the lancer moved ahead, just slightly. Enough to reach the door at the end of the corridor first.
It was instinct, probably. Or maybe he just wanted to prove something—to himself, to the others. After everything they had already fought through, the idea that something inside a hallway could still threaten them might have felt ridiculous. He reached for the handle, Aken noticed the movement, opened his mouth—
But the moment passed too quickly. The door opened, and something happened. There was no sound of impact, no visible strike, no flash of movement.
Just—absence. The lancer's body remained standing for a second longer than it should. Then it collapsed to the waxed floor. And something rolled across it slowly.
Jae-Min didn't process it at first. None of them did. It took a second—just one—for the mind to catch up with what the eyes were seeing. And when it did—everything stopped. The object rolled to a halt near Aken's feet. He didn't move immediately, didn't react. Because for a moment—he couldn't. The world had narrowed to a single point, and in that point—was the undeniable truth. The lancer was dead, not wounded, not defeated.
Gone.
Jae-Min staggered back slightly, his voice coming out strained. "What… what just—"
He didn't finish, because now—
They all saw it, standing beyond the open door, waiting. The figure was slender, almost elegant in shape, dressed in what looked like a long, dark coat that fell cleanly around his frame. His posture was relaxed, one hand resting lightly at his side, the other adjusting the cuff of his sleeve as though he had just been interrupted during something trivial.
His face was—calm, composed, unbothered. And his eyes…
They held something ancient, something that didn't belong in a place like this. Or maybe—something that belonged here more than anything else. For a brief moment, no one moved, no one spoke. Even the air seemed to hesitate. Then—
The system activated, not gradually, not smoothly. It forced itself open. Every single one of them at once. The windows appeared in front of their vision, sharp and intrusive, glowing with a color none of them had seen before.
Not blue. Not white.
Red, deep, violent and alive.
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[WARNING]
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Unknown Entity Detected
Dungeon Interference: Unavoidable
Rank: ???
Title: Vampire Prince
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The words didn't just appear. They pressed on their, mind, body and soul. Like something forcing itself into their awareness whether they wanted it or not. Jae-Min's breathing became uneven. "…Unknown…? What do you mean unknown…?"
No one answered him, because no one had an answer. Aken's eyes didn't leave the figure. His mind moved fast—too fast—trying to process, calculate, understand, but there was nothing to anchor to. No pattern, no readable presence, even his perception—
Failed.
"…Appraisal."
The skill activated instantly, cursed Energy dropped. But—
Nothing came back, no data, no structure, no confirmation. Just silence.
Miokuo's voice, usually composed, carried something new—
Fear
"…Master. I cannot identify it."
Aken's grip tightened slightly. That—
That was a problem. Because Miokuo had never said that before. The figure tilted his head slightly, as if amused.
"…Interesting."
His voice was soft, refined, too human.
"You're the one," he continued, his gaze settling fully on Aken now. "The one they marked."
Aken didn't respond immediately. His body remained still, but his mind had already shifted. Everything about this situation was wrong, this wasn't a boss. This wasn't even a dungeon entity in the normal sense, this was something else, something that had entered.
"…You killed him," Aken said finally, his voice steady despite the pressure building in his chest.
The figure glanced briefly at the dead body, then back at Aken.
"…He opened the door." It pause. "…Actions have consequences."
Jae-Min let out a disbelieving laugh. "That's your explanation?"
The figure looked at him, Just a glance, nothing more. And Jae-Min froze completely. His body locked in place, every muscle refusing to respond. Aken stepped forward immediately, placing himself slightly between them.
"Don't try it."
The words came out sharper than intended. The figure's gaze returned to Aken, the faintest hint of curiosity forming in his expression.
"…You're protective."
"…He's my teammate."
"…How admirable."
There was no sarcasm in his voice, and somehow—
That made it worse. Soo-ah stepped forward next, the air around her dropping in temperature instantly. Frost gathered along her hand, sharper this time, more aggressive.
"We leave," she said, her voice controlled but firm. "Now."
The figure smiled, not wide, not dramatic. Just enough to show he found that amusing.
"…You walked into my domain," he said softly. "And you believe leaving is still an option?"
Silence followed, heavy and unavoidable. Aken felt it then, not just pressure—but intent. This wasn't random, this wasn't coincidence. They had been allowed to come this far. And now—
They where about to face the music.
Miokuo spoke quietly.
"…Master. This entity is beyond current parameters."
"…I know."
"…Engagement probability—"
"…I know."
Aken's eyes didn't waver. Fear was there, of course it was. Anyone who said otherwise would be lying. But fear didn't matter right now, only decisions did. The figure took a single step forward, the movement was simple, effortless, but the moment he did—
The entire space started shifting. The torches flickered, the shadows moved, and the weight in the air doubled.
"…Let's begin," the Vampire Prince said.
Not a threat, not a declaration. Just—
A statement.
Aken exhaled slowly. Then tightened his grip on Miokuo.
"…Yeah."
His voice didn't shake.
"…Let's."
Because running was no longer an option, and for the first time since entering the dungeon—Aken understood something clearly. This wasn't about clearing a gate anymore, this was survival. Against something the system itself—
Didn't understand.
END OF CHAPTER 35