Renzo had just finished storing the last monster corpse inside his Divine Inventory when he suddenly froze.
A strange sensation passed through his body.
It was faint.
But unmistakable.
Like a distant heartbeat.
Renzo frowned.
"What was that?"
The sensation came again.
This time stronger.
The space inside his Divine Inventory trembled slightly.
A new notification suddenly appeared.
Divine Inventory Reaction Detected
Unknown Divine Material nearby.
Distance: 1.7 kilometers
Direction: East
Renzo's eyes narrowed.
"Divine material?"
Kensei-Ryu immediately became serious.
"That's impossible."
Even Vulcanos sounded surprised.
"Interesting."
Renzo looked toward the eastern part of the city.
Tall buildings dominated the skyline.
The signal was coming from somewhere deep within downtown New York.
"Do either of you know what this is?" Renzo asked.
Silence answered him.
Several seconds later, Vulcanos finally spoke.
"I do not know."
Renzo blinked.
"You don't know?"
The ancient forge god answered calmly.
"Divine materials are extraordinarily rare."
"Even among the gods."
Kensei-Ryu spoke quietly.
"If your inventory is reacting..."
"...then whatever is over there is important."
Very important.
Renzo looked at the hidden quest still floating in the corner of his vision.
The First Gate Champion was still alive.
Completing that quest should have been his priority.
Yet...
His instincts told him something.
This signal mattered.
A lot.
Renzo made his decision.
He began moving.
Fast.
His footsteps echoed across the empty streets as he headed east.
The city around him was descending into chaos.
Police sirens filled the air.
Occasional monster roars echoed from distant blocks.
Helicopters circled overhead.
But Renzo ignored everything.
The signal inside his inventory was becoming stronger.
1.5 kilometers.
1.3 kilometers.
1 kilometer.
As he moved deeper into downtown, the atmosphere changed.
The streets here were empty.
Completely empty.
No civilians.
No police.
No hunters.
Just silence.
Kensei-Ryu spoke softly.
"Something feels wrong."
Renzo nodded.
He felt it too.
The air itself felt heavy.
Oppressive.
Almost as if the entire area had been abandoned.
Suddenly—
The signal stopped.
Renzo halted immediately.
He stood in front of a large office building.
Thirty floors tall.
Its glass windows were shattered.
Deep claw marks covered the entrance.
And above the building...
A thin crack floated in the air.
A crack in reality itself.
Unlike the first gate, this one was tiny.
Only two meters wide.
Yet the pressure radiating from it was overwhelming.
A system notification suddenly appeared.
Warning
Unique Dungeon Fragment Detected.
Classification: Unknown
Recommendation:
Extreme Caution.
Kensei-Ryu slowly spoke.
"...Renzo."
"For the first time since meeting you..."
"I recommend running."
Even Vulcanos remained silent.
Renzo stared at the crack.
Inside the fracture, he could see something.
A faint golden light.
Calling to him.
The Divine Inventory began shaking violently.
Another notification appeared.
Emergency Hidden Quest Triggered
Quest: The Forgotten Forge
Objective:
Enter the Unique Dungeon Fragment.
Reward:
???
Failure:
Loss of opportunity.
Time Remaining:
00:58:42
Renzo stared at the countdown.
A unique dungeon.
During the very first gate outbreak.
Something that absolutely did not exist in his previous life.
The timeline had changed.
Again.
Renzo slowly unsheathed Ogre Fang Katana.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Looks like fate wants to play."
Kensei-Ryu groaned.
"I already regret choosing you."
Vulcanos spoke quietly.
"No."
The forge god's voice carried unusual emotion.
"This is destiny."
Renzo stepped toward the fractured space.
Toward the unknown.
Toward a place that should not exist.
And somewhere deep inside that mysterious dungeon...
Something ancient had just awakened.