Chapter 42: Zarl’s Confession 2

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Zarl’s Confession 2

"Because the previous Dungeon Master had her as well." Silence fell over the group as Arin stared at Zarl. Ayan’s eyes were stormy. "Explain." Zarl nodded. "Now, now, this is interesting." He looked at the restraints binding his wrists. "I was not given control of the artificial dungeon." Ayan’s eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" "I stole the Dungeon Core." Arin’s eyes widened in shock. Zarl continued, unfazed. "I took it from the previous Dungeon Master’s dungeon."

Ayan’s expression darkened. "You stole his Dungeon Core?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"After everything was over."

Zarl’s voice was quiet. "The dungeon was in ruins, the Dungeon Master was dead, and his family was gone." He looked down at his hands. "The Core was all that remained." Ayan’s expression was thunderous.

"You stole it."

"I took what was left."

Zarl raised his head, his smirk returning. "That is when I obtained the fragment of his authority."

"Of his Dungeon Master power."

"Exactly."

Arin looked down at his hand, where the Dungeon Master’s Mark glowed. Zarl’s eyes narrowed. "You have the complete connection." Arin frowned. "Complete?"."I only had a fragment." Ayan stepped forward. "Yet, it was enough for you to take control of the dungeon."

"But not enough to become its true master."

Zarl replied. "Because the dungeon rejected me." Arin’s mind raced, recalling all the strange occurrences in the artificial dungeon. Its walls, its rooms, the monsters that appeared. It all made sense now. "You forced it to obey you." "Yes."

Zarl chuckled.

Arene’s voice echoed in his head once more.

[Artificial Dungeon Authority confirmed.]

[Authority source: Fragment.]

Arin narrowed his eyes. "So that is why Ayan could recognize the dungeon." Ayan nodded. "The architecture." He turned to Zarl. "Some parts of it were similar to the ones we saw in the previous Dungeon Master’s domain." "Indeed." Zarl’s smirk returned. "I stole them." Saira looked surprised. "And you did all of this because someone ordered you to?"

Zarl’s expression was unreadable. "I was following orders."

"You killed his family."

"I did not say I was innocent."

That silenced Saira. Zarl looked away. "The experiment was not meant to end that way."

Ayan’s voice was colder. "What was it supposed to do?" "His wife was meant to become controllable." Saira’s eyes widened in horror. "And the children?"

Silence.

Ayan’s expression darkened. "Answer." "They were supposed to be part of the experiment." The air itself seemed to turn to ice. Zarl continued, his voice steady. "After her conversion began, it was supposed to spread to them as well." Arin’s mind was racing, thinking of the woman and the children he saw in the visions. The Dungeon Master’s shaking hands. Zarl’s voice was quiet. "He tried to stop it." Ayan said nothing. "He fought it." "He pleaded with me." "He did everything he could." Zarl looked down. "But eventually, he realized there was nothing left for him."

Arin’s fists were clenched. "You know what happened?" Zarl looked up at him. "I suppose he killed them."

Silence.

"And then? He killed himself, there’s no cure for it, well except now." Saira looked away, her expression horrified. Ayan’s expression did not change, but his eyes were burning. "He used the last of the Dungeon Master’s power to seal the dungeon. That was to ensure that no one would possess what little remained." Zarl looked at Arin and continued. "I wondered why would he do that?" Zarl’s smirk was almost invisible.

"Perhaps he wanted to protect the world."

"Perhaps he wanted to protect his family."

"Perhaps..."

He looked toward the forest.

"...he simply wanted to end it all."

No one said anything as the wind whispered through the village. Finally, it was Ayan who asked the question that had been plaguing him. "Why did someone want his wife turned into a Chimera?" Zarl’s expression was serious. "I do not know." Ayan’s eyes were dark. "But the one who sent the Hero knew something." "What?" "Something about Dungeon Masters." Zarl looked at Arin. "They were not trying to create a monster." Arin stiffened. "They wanted to learn about Dungeon Master Authority."

Arene’s voice went silent for the first time since she awoke. Even the System was surprised by this revelation. Zarl smiled. "Even she does not like that answer." Arin looked at him. "Why the elves?" Zarl’s smirk returned. "Because the Hero who delivered the message was an elf." Ayan’s eyes narrowed. "You said he was a Hero." "Yes." "An elven Hero?" "Most likely."

"Most likely?"

"I told you, I did not see his face."

Zarl’s gaze was fixed on the forest. "But I do know one thing."

"What?"

"He told me something." Ayan waited, and Zarl continued.

"He said..."

His voice was quiet as his gaze met Arin’s.

"The Dungeon Master must never return."

Arin’s expression changed, and Ayan’s eyes widened slightly. Saira stepped forward. "Why?" Zarl shook his head. "That is a question you should ask the elves." Ayan looked at him. "Is that all?"

"For now." Zarl’s smirk returned. "You wanted answers." He looked at Arin. "I gave you enough to find your next destination."

Arin stared at the distant forest, where the elves’ territory was most likely located. The elven Hero who gave the order. The previous Dungeon Master whose family was turned into monsters.

The person who wanted to end everything by sealing the dungeon. His hand tightened around the small crystal in his fist. Arene’s voice echoed in his mind.

[New objective detected.]

[Investigate Elven Territory.]

Arin turned to face Ayan, who was already looking at the forest. Saira crossed her arms. "So, it seems we are going to the elves." Ayan nodded. "Yes." Arin turned to Zarl. "You are coming with us." Zarl raised an eyebrow. "Am I?" Arin nodded. "I still have questions."

Zarl chuckled. "Then it seems our conversation is far from over." Ayan turned away. "It is not." Zarl watched them leave. His subordinate finally spoke. "Master." Zarl turned to him. "Yes?" "Did you tell them everything?" Zarl’s smirk was hidden behind his broken mask.

"No."

He looked at the forest.

"Not even close."