The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: The Progenitor Beneath the Eternal Frost

Ares remained standing in the middle of the transformed dungeon.

The black Gate had already disappeared.

The enormous volcanic landscape stretched endlessly in every direction, with rivers of molten lava cutting through the dark terrain and distant mountains rising through the smoke. The heat was oppressive, yet neither Ares nor Ji Won had moved.

Ji Won was still staring at the place where the Gate had vanished.

His face was pale.

His breathing remained unsteady.

Ares glanced at him.

Sigh.

To think we’d end up trapped in a situation like this.

He looked across the enormous dungeon.

I didn’t want to do this yet.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

But it seems I’ve been left with no choice.

Ares turned toward Ji Won.

"Hey, Ji Won."

Ji Won slowly looked at him.

The fear in his eyes was impossible to hide.

"Tae-ho..."

Ares remained calm.

"Whatever you witness from this point onward, keep it between us."

Ji Won stared at him.

"What... do you mean?"

"I mean it."

Ares’ voice became slightly more serious.

"Don’t tell anyone about what you’re about to see."

Ji Won hesitated before nodding.

"O-okay."

He still looked confused.

"But what are you planning to do...?"

Ares smiled faintly.

"Just watch."

Ji Won’s expression tightened.

Ares took a slow breath.

’I could simply erase his memories.’

’Memory erasure is forbidden magic for a reason, though. If I remove everything he witnesses, he’ll eventually forget the things I haven’t even shown him yet.’

’Besides, I’ve already decided to trust him.’

Ares closed his eyes.

The air became still.

Even the distant roar of the volcanic landscape seemed to fade.

Ji Won noticed it immediately.

"...Tae-ho?"

Ares opened his eyes.

"Watch carefully."

He raised one hand.

The mana surrounding the dungeon suddenly changed.

It wasn’t simply gathering around Ares.

The entire space seemed to respond to his presence.

The ground beneath his feet began glowing.

A single white mark appeared.

Then another.

Then another.

They weren’t ordinary magical runes.

Each mark resembled an ancient symbol carved from light, containing strange geometric patterns that seemed impossible to fully understand from a single glance. Some resembled crescent-shaped claws, others looked like stars enclosed within broken circles, while several appeared to form unfamiliar eyes surrounded by thin rings.

The marks spread outward.

One hundred meters.

Two hundred.

Five hundred.

The ground beneath the volcanic landscape was gradually covered by an enormous formation.

But the formation did not resemble a conventional magic circle.

There was no single outer ring.

Instead, countless enormous white arcs appeared across the ground at different distances, overlapping without touching. Between them, ancient symbols rotated slowly in opposite directions, while several enormous markings resembling wolf claws appeared at four separate points around the formation.

At the very center, a small white star appeared.

It was impossibly bright.

Ji Won’s eyes widened.

"What..."

The star expanded.

The entire formation responded.

FWOOOOOOOOOOM!

White light erupted from the ground.

The surrounding lava began freezing.

Not ordinary ice.

The molten rivers turned completely white as crystalline frost spread across their surfaces, while the temperature of the entire area dropped with terrifying speed.

The volcanic smoke froze into strange drifting formations before shattering into glittering particles.

Ji Won instinctively stepped backward.

"W-what is happening?"

Ares remained completely still.

The ancient marks surrounding him began rotating faster.

The white light intensified.

Ares raised his hand toward the sky.

His voice was quiet.

Yet somehow, it carried across the entire dungeon.

"From the eternal frost..."

The enormous formation began to resonate.

"...answer my call."

The central star expanded again.

"From the silence beyond the heavens..."

A deep vibration passed through the earth.

"...awaken."

Ares lowered his hand.

"Progenitor Fenrir."

The world went silent.

Then—

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!

The roar shook the entire dungeon.

The mountains trembled.

The frozen ground cracked.

Even the distant lava rivers erupted beneath the pressure.

Something enormous descended from the darkness above.

At first, Ji Won could only see its silhouette.

Then the white light surrounding it gradually faded.

Four enormous paws touched the ground.

DOOOOOOM!

The impact sent a wave of frozen air across the battlefield.

Ji Won stumbled backward.

"W-what the hell...?"

The creature continued descending.

Its body was enormous.

Ten meters at the shoulder.

Its length stretched for nearly twenty meters from its nose to the end of its tail.

Pure white fur covered its entire body, each strand flowing like silk while emitting a soft divine radiance that illuminated the surrounding darkness.

Ancient silver patterns covered portions of its body.

They weren’t tattoos.

They seemed to exist naturally within its fur, forming strange runes that shifted whenever the creature moved.

Its eyes opened.

Pale blue-white.

Like two miniature stars.

Ji Won’s mouth fell open.

The creature slowly lifted its head.

Its enormous body towered above them.

Even its head alone was large enough for an adult human to stand beneath.

Yet despite its impossible size, it moved with complete silence.

No heavy footsteps.

Only an overwhelming presence that made the entire dungeon seem insignificant.

Ji Won looked upward.

And upward.

And upward.

His face had gone completely pale.

"No way..."

The creature slowly lowered its head.

Its enormous eyes focused on Ares.

Ji Won could barely speak.

"What... the hell is that...?"

Ares smiled.

He stepped forward.

The enormous Fenrir lowered its head until its muzzle was within reach.

Ares raised his hand.

Pat.

He gently placed his palm against its enormous forehead.

"How have you been?"

The reaction was immediate.

Fenrir’s expression changed.

Its ears lifted.

Its enormous tail began wagging.

Once.

Twice.

Then—

WHOOOOOOOOOOM!

The wind created by its tail swept across the battlefield.

Ji Won was nearly thrown off his feet.

"W-WAIT!"

He desperately grabbed onto a nearby rock.

"What the hell?!"

Ares laughed quietly.

"Calm down."

Fenrir wagged its tail again.

Another violent gust swept through the area.

Ji Won’s clothes were blown backward.

"Stop moving your tail!"

Fenrir immediately stopped.

Ares sighed.

"First, change your form."

Fenrir stared at him.

Then its enormous body began glowing.

The divine light surrounding it intensified.

Its massive frame gradually shrank.

Ten meters.

Eight.

Six.

Five.

The transformation finally stopped.

Fenrir now stood approximately five meters tall at the shoulder, while its body stretched roughly ten meters from its nose to its tail.

It was still enormous.

Its pure white fur continued glowing faintly, while the ancient silver markings remained visible across its body.

Ji Won stared.

His expression was completely frozen.

Ares turned toward him.

"Come here, Ji Won."

Ji Won didn’t move.

"T-Tae-ho..."

"Hm?"

"Is..."

He pointed at Fenrir with a trembling hand.

"Is that your summon?"

Ares nodded.

"Yes."

Ji Won’s eyes widened even further.

"You’re a Summoner?"

"No."

Ares answered casually.

"I’m not."

Ji Won looked at him in disbelief.

"Then how are you summoning something like that?"

Ares shrugged.

"It’s just one of my abilities."

"Just one...?"

Ji Won stared at Fenrir.

Even after shrinking, the creature’s presence was overwhelming.

Ji Won swallowed.

"Even Yoon Ha-eun, the S-Rank Summoner, can’t summon something like this..."

Ares looked toward Fenrir.

"This one will handle the fighting."

Ji Won immediately looked at him.

"Are you sure that’s safe?"

"Of course."

Ares smiled.

"There’s nothing to worry about."

Ji Won hesitated.

His instincts were telling him to stay as far away from the enormous divine beast as possible.

But Ares was standing beside it completely casually.

Eventually, Ji Won took a cautious step forward.

Then another.

Fenrir watched him.

Its enormous head lowered slightly.

Ji Won stopped.

The creature’s pale blue-white eyes stared directly into his.

Ji Won’s body stiffened.

"...It’s looking at me."

Ares smiled.

"Of course it is."

Ji Won took another step.

Fenrir lowered its head further.

A faint warmth came from its divine aura despite the cold surrounding them.

Ji Won finally reached Ares’ side.

He looked up at the creature.

"...As expected."

His voice was barely audible.

"You really aren’t ordinary, Tae-ho."

Ares gave him a faint smile.

Ji Won looked at Fenrir again.

The creature’s tail moved slightly.

This time, Ares immediately raised a hand.

"Don’t."

Fenrir stopped.

Ji Won stared.

"...It actually listens to you."

Ares placed one hand against Fenrir’s fur.

"Come on. Let’s get moving."

Fenrir lowered its body.

Ares stepped onto its back.

Then he looked toward Ji Won.

"Come."

Ji Won froze.

"Me?"

"Yes."

He looked at Fenrir.

"You’re going to ride it?"

"Of course."

Ji Won stared at the enormous wolf.

Then at Ares.

Then back at the wolf.

"Are you sure?"

"You’re safer on Fenrir than walking through this place."

Ji Won hesitated.

The surrounding landscape was covered in lava, and distant creatures were already moving through the darkness.

He finally sighed.

"Alright."

He carefully approached Fenrir.

The creature remained completely still.

Ji Won grabbed a handful of its fur and climbed onto its back.

He settled behind Ares.

Even sitting there, he still couldn’t believe what he was doing.

"Let’s go."

Ares gently touched Fenrir’s neck.

The divine beast stood.

The moment its paw touched the ground—

KRAAAAAACK!

The stone froze.

A wave of white frost spread outward from beneath its foot.

The frozen surface continued expanding across the volcanic ground before finally stopping several meters away.

Fenrir took another step.

KRAAAAAACK!

The lava beneath it instantly froze.

Not simply becoming solid.

Its entire surface transformed into crystalline white ice filled with faint silver light.

Ji Won stared behind them.

The path Fenrir left behind was becoming a frozen road through the volcanic wasteland.

"Just how powerful is this thing...?"

Fenrir continued walking.

Every step produced the same phenomenon.

The molten ground froze.

The surrounding heat disappeared.

Even the air seemed to become cleaner wherever it passed.

Ji Won looked at the enormous frozen trail stretching behind them.

"No..."

His expression became increasingly stunned.

"More importantly..."

He looked toward Ares.

"How can you summon something like this?"

Ares glanced back.

"This is Progenitor Fenrir."

Ji Won repeated the name quietly.

"Progenitor Fenrir..."

He looked toward the enormous white wolf.

"That’s beyond S-Rank."

Ares smiled faintly.

"Don’t worry too much about it."

Ji Won stared at him.

"How am I supposed to not worry about it?"

Ares laughed.

Before either of them could say anything else, Fenrir suddenly stopped.

Ares looked ahead.

Several creatures emerged from the volcanic terrain.

Their bodies were covered in blackened scales, with glowing orange cracks running across their bodies. Flames burned from between their jaws as they advanced toward the three figures.

Ji Won’s expression became serious.

"Monsters."

Ares looked at them.

Then at the enormous landscape surrounding them.

A thought suddenly crossed his mind.

’We’re inside an A-Rank dungeon now.’

’If everything here is really worth what Ji Won said...’

Ares glanced toward the surrounding terrain.

’The magic crystals alone should be valuable.’

He looked farther into the distance.

’And then there are the monster cores, the materials, and eventually the boss core.’

Ares smiled faintly.

’Depending on how much we collect, we could probably make somewhere around five hundred million to one billion won.’

Ji Won looked toward the approaching creatures.

"Those are probably high-ranking monsters."

Ares nodded.

"Then we’ll collect their cores too."

Ji Won blinked.

"Wait."

He looked at Ares.

"We’re actually going to collect everything?"

"Why wouldn’t we?"

Ares looked at the volcanic landscape.

"An A-Rank dungeon should have plenty of valuable materials."

Ji Won stared at him.

"Do you know how much an A-Rank dungeon’s materials can sell for?"

"Not exactly."

Ji Won began explaining.

"High-grade magical crystals can be worth a fortune, especially if they’re taken from the boss chamber. Then there are monster cores, rare materials, the boss magic stone, and whatever special materials the boss possesses."

He paused.

"If we manage to bring everything back safely, one billion won wouldn’t be impossible."

Ares raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Ji Won smiled faintly.

"It could even reach more than that depending on what we find."

Ares stared at the creatures ahead.

One billion won...

That’s quite a lot.

He paused.

Although, compared to the wealth I’ve accumulated in the other world, that’s practically pocket change.

He quickly dismissed the thought.

There was no reason to explain that to Ji Won.

Ares looked toward Fenrir.

"Let’s deal with them first."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!