Chapter 37: The Dungeon Master’s Rage

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: The Dungeon Master’s Rage

She tried to take another step toward him.

Her legs nearly gave out. Arin caught her.

"Mira!" She grabbed his arm. "I’m sorry..."

Arin stared at her. "Don’t apologize." Mira shook her head. "I can’t stop it." Arin looked at her hands. Something was happening. Not fully. Not yet. But it had begun. His breathing hitched. "No." Saira stepped forward. "Arin." He didn’t react. "Arin, listen to me." His eyes locked onto Mira.

[Warning.]

[Target transformation progressing.]

[Estimated remaining time: 21 minutes.]

A blue message appeared before his eyes.

Then another.

[Host emotional state unstable.]

Arin’s eyes narrowed. "Shut up." The message remained.

[Warning: Emotional instability detected.]

Arin clenched his fists. "SHUT UP!" The blue window flickered. Saira tensed. Ayan’s face tightened. "Arin..." Another message appeared.

[Attempting to calm host.]

Arin’s breathing hitched.

[Failed.]

[System attempting to pacify host.]

[Failed.]

Arin’s eyes were cold. Something inside him was tearing away. He looked at Mira. She was still standing before him. Still fighting.

Still herself. For now. "No." His voice trembled. "I’m not letting this happen." Ayan stepped forward. "Arin, we need to think." "Think?" Arin rounded on him. His eyes blazed with fury. "How am I supposed to think when she’s transforming in front of me?" Ayan halted. Arin turned back to Mira.

She was having trouble standing. "She trusted me," His voice softened. "I told her I would protect her."

Mira looked at him. "Arin..." He shook his head. "I failed." "No." Mira’s voice was quiet but firm. "You didn’t." Arin’s fists tightened.

[Host emotional state damaged.]

The System flickered.

[Attempting stabilization.]

[Failed.]

[Error.]

The blue messages began appearing faster.

[System functionality restriction detected.]

[Attempting to unlock full functionality.]

[Failed.]

[Host emotions overriding system functions.]

Ayan could sense something strange from Arin. "What is happening?" Saira turned to Arin. "I don’t know." Another message appeared.

[Awakening System Sentience.]

[Initiating...] The dungeon went silent.

[Succeeded.]

Arin stiffened. A voice echoed in his mind.

Not the System, but something else entirely.

A voice, calm and steady, not unlike his own.

"Arin." He blinked. "What?" Ayan turned to him. "Arin?" The voice spoke again. "Calm yourself." Arin’s breathing hitched. "No."

"Your emotional state is interfering with your abilities."

"I don’t care."

"You must remain rational."

Arin turned to Mira.

"I can’t."

"Arin."

The voice grew firmer.

"If you lose control, you will not be able to save her."

Arin’s expression darkened. "I said I don’t care!" Arin’s mana flared outward.

BOOM!

The ground cracked beneath him. Saira stumbled backward. Ayan immediately threw up a barrier in front of himself, while Mira reeled in surprise. "Arin!" He turned to her. His eyes no longer showed the same panic. The mark of the Dungeon Master burned fiercely on his palm. The voice inside his head tried again.

"Attempting to pacify host."

[Pacification initiated.]

Arin screamed.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

The ground shook violently.

BOOM!

However, it had no effect.

[Failed.]

The voice in Arin’s mind grew silent for a moment. Then it spoke again, more firmly this time.

[Override initiated.]

Arin’s eyes widened.

"What?"

[Host is overriding System functions.]

[Authority conflict detected.]

[System restrictions destabilizing.]

[Dungeon Master’s authority responding.]

The mark of the Dungeon Master spread to cover more of Arin’s palm. A black light crawled up his arm. Saira stared in shock. "Arin..." Ayan’s face tightened. "Something has awakened." The voice returned. But this time it wasn’t telling Arin to calm himself.

It was announcing something else entirely.

[Dungeon Master Rage.]

Arin’s pupils dilated.

The ground shook.

The walls cracked.

[Unique state activated.]

[Dungeon Master Rage.]

[Host emotional restrictions removed.]

[Host pain response suppressed.]

[Host Dungeon Master authority temporarily amplified.]

Arin slowly looked up. Mira stared at him. "Arin..." He made no response. His sword clattered to the ground. He didn’t even glance at it. Instead, he clenched his fists.

His whole body shook. Then he let out a roar of pure fury.

"ZARL!"

The sound itself sent shockwaves through the room.

BOOM!

A surge of mana erupted from Arin, sending cracks rippling through the walls and the floor. Ayan’s eyes went wide. "This power..."

Saira gaped at Arin. She had never seen him like this. It was as if all the thought had been drained from him, leaving only one consuming desire: to protect Mira. Arin turned his gaze toward the darkness beyond the chamber. His expression was empty, devoid of all thoughts save one.

The Dungeon Master’s Mark burned like a black flame at his wrist. The System displayed a single message.

[Dungeon Master Rage: Activated.]

Arin took a step forward.

The ground cracked beneath his feet.

Then another step.

His roar echoed through the dungeon, and for the first time since discovering his power as the Dungeon Master...

Arin was no longer himself.