Chapter 22 – The Ruins of Eden
The next morning...
The headquarters of Dawn was already bustling before sunrise.
Guild members carried supplies to the entrance while others inspected weapons and armor one last time.
This would be humanity’s first expedition into a Planetary Dungeon.
No one knew what waited inside.
Azrael adjusted the black scarf around his neck—the one the survivors had made for him.
Seraphina noticed and smiled.
"You’ve been wearing that every day."
He shrugged.
"It reminds me why we’re fighting."
She nodded.
"Then don’t lose it."
"I won’t."
Marcus walked over carrying an enormous backpack.
Ryan stared at it.
"...What’s in there?"
"Food."
Ryan blinked.
"That’s enough food for a month."
Marcus grinned proudly.
"You never know."
Sophia sighed.
"He’s actually serious."
Everyone laughed.
The nervous atmosphere lightened considerably.
Claire approached carrying a small wooden box.
"I made these last night."
She opened it.
Inside were dozens of communication badges.
The Guild emblem was engraved onto each one.
Elena picked one up.
"What do they do?"
"The Guild Core powers them."
"As long as we’re within fifty kilometers..."
"...we can communicate."
Azrael smiled.
"Good work."
Claire looked a little embarrassed.
"I only combined some old radio parts with the Guild blueprint."
The System chimed.
Guild Technology Developed
Basic Communication Badge
Guild Contribution +200
Claire’s eyes widened.
"It counted?"
Marcus laughed.
"So we don’t just get rewards from fighting."
Azrael nodded thoughtfully.
"The System rewards progress."
"No matter what form it takes."
After distributing the badges, the twenty-member expedition assembled outside the headquarters.
Claire looked toward Azrael.
"Come back safely."
"We will."
She smiled.
"Dawn will be waiting."
The massive gates opened.
The expedition stepped into the ruined city.
Two Hours Later
The streets became quieter the farther they traveled.
Strangely...
There were almost no monsters.
Marcus scratched his head.
"This feels wrong."
Sophia nodded.
"They’re avoiding this place."
Ryan pointed ahead.
"There!"
Everyone stopped.
An enormous stone structure stood in the middle of what had once been a public park.
Ancient white pillars reached toward the sky.
Vines covered broken statues.
Golden light leaked from countless cracks in the ground.
At the center stood a colossal stone gateway nearly fifty meters tall.
Unlike anything on Earth...
Its architecture resembled Raphael’s armor.
Elegant.
Ancient.
Divine.
Above the entrance, faded letters glowed softly.
RUINS OF EDEN
The System immediately appeared.
Planetary Dungeon
Ruins of Eden
Difficulty: F
Status:
Unclaimed
First Clear Reward Available.
Marcus swallowed.
"So..."
"We’re really doing this."
Azrael stepped toward the gate.
The moment he crossed the first step...
The entire ruin trembled.
Golden light erupted from every pillar.
Ancient runes illuminated one after another.
Then...
A deep voice echoed across the ruins.
"Bloodline detected."
Everyone froze.
The voice continued.
"Authority..."
"...Genesis confirmed."
"...Oblivion confirmed."
Dungeon access authorized.
The gigantic stone gates slowly opened.
Cold air drifted out from the darkness within.
The expedition exchanged nervous glances.
Azrael smiled.
"Let’s make history."
First Floor
The moment everyone entered...
The world changed.
Instead of dark tunnels...
They found themselves standing beneath an endless blue sky.
Beautiful grasslands stretched toward the horizon.
Crystal rivers flowed peacefully.
Birds flew overhead.
Marcus looked around in disbelief.
"This is inside a dungeon?"
Ryan frowned.
"It feels..."
"...too peaceful."
Elena slowly drew her sword.
"Stay alert."
The System suddenly updated.
Floor One
Sanctuary Plains
Objective:
Reach the Temple of Dawn.
The group followed an ancient stone road cutting through the grasslands.
Hours seemed to pass without encountering a single monster.
Instead...
They found abandoned villages.
Broken fountains.
Collapsed temples.
Every structure carried the same winged sun emblem.
Seraphina gently touched one of the ruined walls.
"It doesn’t feel abandoned."
"It feels..."
"...lonely."
No one answered.
Even Marcus remained unusually quiet.
Then...
A child’s laughter echoed across the plains.
Everyone instantly turned.
Standing beside the road was a little girl wearing a white dress.
She couldn’t have been older than seven.
Golden hair reached her shoulders.
Bright blue eyes sparkled with curiosity.
She smiled sweetly.
"You’re late."
Silence.
Marcus whispered,
"...Where did she come from?"
The little girl tilted her head.
"I’ve been waiting."
Azrael stepped forward cautiously.
"Who are you?"
Instead of answering...
She walked toward him.
She stopped directly in front of the twins.
Then smiled.
"You really do look like them."
Seraphina frowned.
"Like who?"
The little girl giggled.
"You’ll find out."
Before anyone could react—
She gently poked Azrael’s forehead.
Golden light exploded.
Memory Trial Activated
Azrael’s surroundings shattered like glass.
He found himself standing inside a magnificent palace.
The walls stretched endlessly into the sky.
Hundreds of angels walked peacefully through the halls.
At the center...
A young man stood with his back turned.
Long silver hair reached his waist.
Unlike Raphael...
This man possessed only two wings.
Yet...
The pressure he emitted surpassed everything Azrael had ever experienced.
The man slowly turned around.
His eyes widened.
"...Impossible."
He stared directly at Azrael.
"You shouldn’t be here yet."
Azrael couldn’t move.
The man smiled sadly.
"So..."
"My son."
"You’ve grown."
Azrael’s heart stopped.
"...Son?"
The man nodded.
"My name..."
Before he could finish—
Everything around them began collapsing.
Crimson cracks spread across the palace.
A terrifying roar echoed from beyond the sky.
The man immediately looked upward.
"They found the memory."
He looked back toward Azrael.
"I don’t have much time."
"Listen carefully."
"No matter what anyone tells you..."
"...your mother never abandoned you."
"She sacrificed everything—"
The memory suddenly shattered.
Azrael found himself back inside the dungeon.
He stumbled backward.
Seraphina immediately caught him.
"Azrael!"
"What happened?"
He stared at the little girl.
She smiled sadly.
"The memory is still incomplete."
"The dungeon is protecting it."
Elena frowned.
"What memory?"
The little girl looked toward the distant horizon where a magnificent golden temple stood upon a floating island.
"You’ll understand..."
"...when you reach the Heart of Eden."
Then...
She slowly faded into countless golden butterflies.
The butterflies drifted toward the floating temple before disappearing.
The System appeared once more.
Hidden Quest Discovered
Echoes of the First Family
Objective:
Reach the Heart of Eden.
Reward:
???
Azrael slowly clenched his fists.
He could still hear the final words from the mysterious man.
Your mother never abandoned you.
He looked toward the floating temple.
"This dungeon..."
"...knows who we are."
High above the Sanctuary Plains, hidden behind the clouds, two enormous golden eyes silently watched the expedition.
An ancient guardian awakened after thousands of years of slumber.
"The heirs have arrived."
"Lord Orion..."
"Lady Auriel..."
"Your children have finally returned."
Far away, in the depths of the Abyss, Malachar slowly opened his eyes and smiled.
"So they’ve entered Eden."
He rose from his throne.
"This time..."
"...I’ll let them uncover the truth."
His smile widened.
"After all..."
"The deeper hope grows..."
"...the sweeter despair becomes."