The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 168: Chapter 168: The Dungeon Shift

The following morning, Ares and Ji Won left the apartment together.

Their destination was one of the larger hunting zones on the outskirts of Seoul, where several D-Rank Gates had been established across different sections of the area.

The place was considerably busier than the smaller dungeon entrance they had visited before.

As soon as they arrived, Ares understood why.

Three separate D-Rank Gates had been established across the hunting zone, each positioned several hundred meters away from the others and surrounded by its own security perimeter. Government personnel and private security teams were stationed around every entrance, making sure the number of Awakeners entering each dungeon remained within the permitted limit.

Several E-Rank Gates had also been established farther away.

There were four of them in total.

Unlike the D-Rank Gates, these were smaller and had fewer security personnel around them, but they were still busy enough that groups of Awakeners were constantly entering and leaving.

Ares looked around.

There were people everywhere.

Some were checking their weapons.

Others were discussing party formations.

Several Awakeners were standing near signs advertising available parties.

"Need a healer!"

"I’m looking for a Tank! D-Rank or higher!"

"Anyone looking for a frontliner? We’ve got two ranged attackers already!"

"Support class here! I can provide buffs!"

"Anyone need a Scout?"

The voices overlapped across the hunting zone.

Ares couldn’t help but look around with interest.

No wonder there are so many people here.

With three D-Rank Gates and four E-Rank Gates operating in the same area, there was enough dungeon activity to attract Awakeners of almost every level.

Ji Won glanced toward him.

"Pretty crowded, huh?"

"Yeah."

Ares looked toward one of the D-Rank Gates.

"Is it always like this?"

"Usually."

Ji Won nodded.

"This is one of the more popular hunting zones around Seoul. The Gates here are relatively stable, and because there are several of them close together, Awakeners can usually find work without having to travel too far."

He looked toward the groups gathering around the entrance.

"Especially E-Rank Awakeners. A lot of them come here because they can find temporary parties pretty easily."

Ares nodded.

Then Ji Won suddenly laughed.

"Yesterday, I was honestly shocked by what you did, Tae Ho."

Ares glanced toward him.

"Yesterday?"

"Yeah."

Ji Won shook his head.

"I knew you were strong, but after seeing you fight that many Orcs at once and even defeat the Orc General..."

He gave a helpless laugh.

"You’re already an A-Rank Awakener."

Ares raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so?"

Ji Won looked serious.

"The way you fought was completely different from what I’ve seen from ordinary Awakeners."

He gestured vaguely toward Ares.

"You were fighting bare-handed, wearing that black dress and high heels, and you didn’t even struggle against an A-Rank boss."

Ares remained silent.

Ji Won continued.

"That Orc General normally requires a properly organized party to defeat. Even an A-Rank Awakener can’t just walk up to one and casually beat it alone."

He shook his head.

"But you did."

Ares smiled faintly.

"I suppose I was lucky."

"Lucky?"

Ji Won stared at him.

"You call that luck?"

Ares shrugged.

Ji Won sighed.

"You’re really impossible."

Ares looked toward the distant buildings.

His expression became slightly more serious.

If I wanted to, I could eliminate everyone there without even lifting a hand.

But I can’t do that here yet.

There were too many civilians.

Too many Awakeners.

Too many people watching.

Even if he could erase the entire area without causing himself any real difficulty, doing so would immediately attract attention.

And attention was exactly what he didn’t want.

Ji Won was still talking.

"Anyway, I’ve been thinking."

"About what?"

"Maybe we should form a permanent party."

Ares looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because there are too many people hunting alone."

Ji Won pointed toward the D-Rank Gate.

"Look at them. Half the people standing there are trying to find party members."

Ares glanced over.

Ji Won continued.

"If we register as a proper party and keep hunting together, we’ll have a much easier time finding work."

Ares nodded.

"That makes sense."

The two continued toward the nearest D-Rank Gate.

As they approached, they passed several groups of Awakeners preparing to enter.

One woman was desperately looking around.

"We need a healer! Anyone with healing abilities?"

A man raised his hand.

"I’m a support class."

"Can you heal?"

"No."

"Then you’re not what we need!"

Another group was arguing about their formation.

"You’re the Tank, so stay in front."

"I know!"

"Then stop standing behind our party Mage!"

"I’m checking the rear!"

"There’s nothing behind us!"

Ares couldn’t help smiling.

This place is certainly lively.

Eventually, Ares and Ji Won reached the registration counter.

An employee checked their Awakener cards before looking at the two.

"Party registration?"

Ji Won nodded.

"Yes."

The employee processed their information.

"Han Ji Won and Yoon Tae Ho."

She glanced at the screen.

"You’re both registered as independent Awakeners."

"That’s right."

"Which Gate are you entering?"

Ji Won pointed toward the D-Rank Gate.

"That one."

The employee nodded.

"Stay within the permitted area and return before the scheduled clearing period ends."

"Understood."

The two passed through the security checkpoint.

Ji Won adjusted his dagger.

Ares casually followed beside him.

Neither of them noticed anything unusual at first.

They stepped through the Gate.

The familiar sensation of passing through the boundary lasted only an instant before the city disappeared behind them.

The two found themselves inside the D-Rank dungeon.

A vast cavern stretched ahead, illuminated by faint blue crystals embedded in the stone walls.

They began walking deeper into the dungeon.

For several minutes, nothing seemed unusual.

Then Ares stopped.

Hmm?

Ji Won turned toward him.

"What is it, Tae Ho?"

Ares looked toward the ground.

A faint vibration had passed beneath their feet.

"Did you feel that?"

Ji Won nodded.

"Y-yeah."

Another vibration followed.

Stronger this time.

The blue crystals embedded in the walls flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Then the entire dungeon shook.

BOOOOOOM!

Ji Won nearly lost his balance.

"What the hell?"

Ares remained standing.

His expression became serious.

The mana surrounding them had changed.

It was increasing rapidly, spreading through the dungeon in a way that felt fundamentally different from ordinary mana fluctuations.

Dark lines began appearing across the stone walls.

They spread like veins.

Ji Won stared at them.

"Tae Ho..."

A deep, distorted sound suddenly came from behind them.

Both turned.

The Gate they had entered through was still there.

But its blue surface had begun changing.

The blue gradually darkened.

Then darker still.

Until the entire surface became black.

Ares narrowed his eyes.

What’s happening?

The Gate began emitting a low vibration.

VMMMMMMMM...

Ji Won’s expression suddenly changed.

"No."

Ares looked at him.

"Hmm?"

Ji Won stared at the black Gate.

His face had become pale.

"I know what this is."

Another violent tremor shook the dungeon.

Ji Won swallowed.

"This is a Dungeon Shift."

"A Dungeon Shift?"

Ares repeated the unfamiliar term.

Ji Won nodded.

"It’s a rare phenomenon."

His voice trembled slightly.

"Sometimes, a dungeon undergoes a sudden transformation while the Gate is active. The internal structure changes, the mana density increases, and the environment begins changing."

Ares looked toward the black Gate.

"What about the monsters?"

"The monsters will probably change."

Ji Won’s expression became increasingly serious.

Ares remained silent.

He could feel the dungeon changing around them.

So this is what they call a Dungeon Shift.

The Gate hasn’t disappeared.

It’s still connected to the dungeon, but the dungeon itself is being rewritten.

Ares looked toward the Gate again.

---

Outside the dungeon, the change was noticed almost immediately.

The blue surface of the Gate had turned completely black.

The Gate itself, however, remained standing.

The security personnel surrounding the entrance immediately became alert.

"What’s happening?"

"Why did the Gate turn black?"

"Everyone away from the entrance!"

One of the security officers raised his voice.

"Clear the area immediately! Nobody approaches the Gate!"

The Awakeners who had been waiting nearby began retreating.

"What is this?"

"Is the Gate collapsing?"

"Why isn’t it disappearing?"

An experienced Awakener stared at the black surface.

His expression gradually changed.

"...Dungeon Shift."

Someone beside him looked over.

"What did you say?"

"A Dungeon Shift."

His voice became more serious.

"The dungeon is undergoing a transformation."

Another officer immediately reached for his communication device.

"Contact the Korean Awakening Administration."

The alarm surrounding the hunting zone began ringing.

Government personnel expanded the security perimeter, forcing the nearby Awakeners farther away from the Gate.

"Everyone behind the barrier!"

"Do not approach the Gate!"

"We don’t know what stage the shift is in!"

One of the officials checked the entry records.

His expression suddenly changed.

"Wait."

Another officer looked toward him.

"What?"

"Two people entered this Gate."

He checked the names.

"Han Ji Won..."

His eyes moved to the second name.

"Yoon Tae Ho."

The surrounding officials became silent.

"They’re still inside?"

"Yes."

The official looked toward the black Gate.

"They entered before the shift began."

An experienced Awakener standing nearby frowned.

"If it reaches the final stage..."

He didn’t finish.

Someone else completed the thought.

"They’ll be trapped."

The official immediately spoke into his communication device.

"We have two Awakeners trapped inside a D-Rank Gate undergoing a confirmed Dungeon Shift."

He listened for a moment.

"Yes. The Gate remains physically present, but the internal dungeon is undergoing structural transformation."

He looked toward the black surface.

"We’ll maintain the evacuation perimeter until further instructions."

---

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