NPC wa Eiyuu no Yume wo Miru ka?

I couldn't move.

I didn't know if it was because of fear or because something inside me was reacting to this situation.

But one thing was clear—

Garron would die if I didn't do something.

The Ancient Guardian stood tall before him, its massive sword raised high, ready to crush Garron's helpless body.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to jump forward and stop the attack.

But my body refused to move.

And as the sword began to descend—

Something inside me exploded.

—BOOM!

I couldn't explain what happened.

Suddenly, I was no longer in the dungeon.

The world around me had changed.

I was standing in an empty space—no walls, no sky, no floor.

Only darkness.

And in front of me…

There was someone.

I couldn't see his face.

He stood with his back to me, his figure just a shadow in the middle of this void.

But even though I couldn't see him clearly, I felt like I knew him.

I wanted to speak, to ask who he was, to understand what was happening.

But before I could say anything, he spoke first.

—"You've finally reached this point."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

The figure didn't answer right away.

He simply stood there for a moment before finally speaking in a soft tone.

—"You've been asleep for long enough, Rei."

My eyes widened.

How did he know my name?

Who was he?

Was he… one of those who had been watching me?

I tried to step forward, but my feet wouldn't move.

As if I was locked in place.

I clenched my fists.

"Who are you?" I asked again.

The figure remained silent for a moment before finally turning slightly toward me.

I couldn't see his face clearly…

But I could see his eyes.

Golden eyes that gleamed in the darkness.

And when he spoke again—

I felt the entire world around me crumble.

—"I am your true self."

I woke up.

I didn't know how long I had been unconscious, but when I opened my eyes…

I was still in the dungeon.

I saw the Ancient Guardian standing motionless, its sword frozen mid-air.

And even stranger…

I could feel something flowing inside me.

Like a current of energy I had never felt before.

I looked down and saw my hands glowing slightly.

Not with a bright light, but with a faint, swirling mist of black energy wrapping around my skin.

I was shocked.

"What… is this?"

Zain, standing beside me, stared with a stunned expression.

"What the hell…?"

I couldn't answer him.

Because I didn't know either.

I raised my hand, trying to feel this new power.

And as I looked at the Ancient Guardian still standing before me…

I knew what I had to do.

I finally had something to test.

I clenched my fists, then stepped forward.

"I'll handle this," I said quietly.

Zain raised an eyebrow. "Hah? What do you mean?"

I glanced at him briefly before refocusing on the Ancient Guardian.

"I don't know how… but I feel like I can fight this monster."

Zain was silent for a moment, then let out a small chuckle.

"Alright," he said casually. "Then show me, you weird NPC."

I didn't respond.

I just took a deep breath…

And stepped forward.

I didn't know if I could truly fight this monster.

But one thing was certain—

I would try.

I stepped forward.

My body felt different.

I could feel the energy flowing within me.

Like something that had been dormant was finally awakening.

The Ancient Guardian still stood before me, its massive sword frozen in the air.

As if… it was waiting.

I looked down at my hand.

The dagger Zain had given me was still there.

A faint black energy wrapped around the weapon, like a thin mist flowing along its blade.

I swallowed hard.

What is this?

This dagger was supposed to be an ordinary weapon.

But now… I could feel something different.

I tightened my grip.

I didn't know how strong this power was.

But if it could help me survive…

I would use it.

I looked at the Ancient Guardian.

"Come on," I said softly.

As if responding to my words, its red eyes flared back to life.

And in an instant—

It moved.

Its sword came down at me with unbelievable speed.

I shouldn't have been able to dodge.

I should have died in a single strike.

But…

My body moved on its own.

I leaped to the side, avoiding the attack with perfect precision.

My eyes widened.

I… am this fast?

I didn't even think about dodging.

My body reacted on its own, faster than my brain could process.

The Ancient Guardian didn't give me time to think.

It swung its sword again, this time in a wide arc.

I ducked, barely avoiding the slash, then jumped back.

I stood still, steadying my breath.

Okay… I was much faster than before.

I glanced at Zain and the others.

They were staring at me in shock.

Garron, still wounded, growled. "Since when could this kid move that fast?!"

Lyra narrowed her eyes. "That… isn't normal speed. Not something you can achieve with an ordinary skill."

Rin remained silent, but I could see she was just as surprised.

I turned back to the Ancient Guardian.

I had to try attacking.

I tightened my grip on the dagger, trying to feel the energy within my body.

If I could use it to move faster…

Maybe I could use it to strike.

I took my stance, then—

I dashed forward.

I had never felt this fast.

Like I was gliding through the air.

I jumped high, aiming straight for the Ancient Guardian's back.

And without hesitation—

I plunged my dagger into its core.

CLANG!

My eyes widened.

My attack didn't pierce!

Even with my dagger coated in black energy, the Ancient Guardian's armor was still too strong.

I quickly jumped back before it could retaliate.

I clenched my teeth.

"Damn… even that wasn't enough?"

But then…

I saw something.

A crack.

A small crack had started to form on its core.

I held my breath.

It worked.

But I had to strike again.

The Ancient Guardian suddenly let out a deep, mechanical growl, its body trembling.

I could see the red light within it burning even brighter.

I gritted my teeth.

It was about to counterattack.

I had to end this now.

I gripped my dagger tighter, feeling the energy within me surge.

I didn't know how long I could maintain this.

But I would make the most of it.

I dashed forward again.

I could hear Zain shouting.

"WEIRD NPC! BREAK THE CORE NOW!"

I didn't answer.

I already knew.

I jumped again, higher than before.

And this time…

I put everything I had into it.

I drove my dagger straight into the crack in its core.

SRAT!

I felt something shatter beneath my blade.

A bright red light burst from the crack, then began to fade…

The Ancient Guardian let out a deep, echoing sound that filled the entire room.

The massive figure started to collapse.

Its black armor cracked from within, and within seconds—

The Ancient Guardian fell to the ground, motionless.

I stood still, catching my breath.

I had really done it.

I had defeated the dungeon boss.

Not Zain. Not Garron. Not Lyra or Rin.

Me.

I looked at the dagger in my hand, now devoid of its glow.

The black energy had disappeared.

I didn't know what this power truly was.

But one thing was certain…

I wasn't just an ordinary NPC.

I turned to the others.

They were all staring at me in disbelief.

Zain finally let out a small smirk.

"You're getting more interesting, weird NPC."

I didn't respond.

I was still too busy processing what had just happened.

But deep inside…

I knew.

This was just the beginning.

The dungeon room was silent.

The dust slowly began to settle, and the massive body of the Ancient Guardian I had just taken down remained motionless on the ground.

I was still standing in place, my breath ragged.

My hand gripped the dagger tightly, as if I still couldn't believe that I had just defeated the dungeon boss.

I looked down.

The black energy that had once surrounded the dagger had vanished.

As if the power that had suddenly awakened within me… had only lasted for a brief moment.

I didn't understand.

What exactly happened to me?

I turned toward Zain and the others.

They were still staring at me.

Their expressions weren't just shocked—they were filled with confusion and suspicion.

Garron, who was usually laid-back, frowned.

"Hey, kid…" he said, his voice lower than usual.

"What the hell was that?"

I didn't answer immediately.

Because…

I didn't know either.

I could lie and say I just got lucky.

But I knew they wouldn't believe that.

They weren't fools.

Especially Zain and Lyra.

I could see it in their eyes—the way they looked at me had changed.

They no longer saw me as just an ordinary NPC.

I clenched my teeth.

I couldn't let them become too suspicious of me too soon.

So, in the end, I simply let out a long sigh and said,

"I… don't know either."

Zain raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You just soloed a dungeon boss, and you're telling me you 'don't know' how you did it?"

I met his gaze, trying to stay calm.

"It… just happened," I replied.

"So you're saying you suddenly became that fast and channeled some strange power into that dagger?" Lyra interjected, her voice analytical.

I nodded slowly. "Yes."

Silence.

I could feel that they didn't fully believe me.

But… they also had no reason to argue against it.

In the end, Zain just let out a small chuckle and shrugged.

"Well, looks like we've got ourselves a special NPC in this party," he said casually.

Garron studied me for a moment longer before scoffing. "Whatever. As long as we're still alive."

Rin remained silent as always, but I could feel her watching me longer than before.

Lyra gave me one last glance, then finally sighed.

"I'll ask again later," she said quietly.

I swallowed hard.

I knew this conversation wasn't over.

But for now, I had avoided it.

I took a deep breath, then turned toward the Ancient Guardian's body, which had begun to dissolve, fading into particles of light.

And within that light—

A treasure chest appeared.

I instantly knew it was the dungeon boss's drop reward.

Zain grinned widely. "Finally! The best part of the dungeon!"

Garron laughed. "Hope there's something useful inside."

We all stepped closer to the chest.

Zain placed his hands on the lid and slowly lifted it.

Click.

The chest opened…

And inside, several glowing items lay waiting.

I saw a weapon, gold coins, and a single deep blue crystal.

I frowned. "What's that crystal?"

Lyra immediately picked it up, examining it closely.

"Hmm… this is a Mana Core."

I raised an eyebrow. "Mana Core?"

Lyra nodded. "It's usually used as a material to enhance weapons or craft magical artifacts. But this one…"

She narrowed her eyes. "…looks different from the usual."

I looked at the crystal more closely.

Something felt off about it.

The light inside was unstable.

As if… something was still 'alive' within it.

A chill ran down my spine.

I didn't know why, but I had a feeling this wasn't an ordinary item.

Zain glanced at Lyra. "Can you use it?"

Lyra shook her head. "I need to examine it further. But for now… we should hold onto it."

Zain nodded, then started dividing the rest of the loot.

He picked up a long black sword from the chest and gave it a few swings.

"Nice. I like this one," he said, satisfied.

Garron received a new heavy armor, while Rin took a set of gleaming throwing knives.

Lyra didn't take anything aside from the Mana Core.

And me?

I got a new dagger.

Longer than a standard dagger, with a thin, sharp blade.

I gripped it, feeling its perfect balance in my hand.

I wasn't sure if it was better than the one Zain had given me before, but it definitely felt… right.

I nodded. "Not bad."

Zain smirked. "Congrats, weird NPC. You've been promoted from a porter to a real fighter."

I just sighed.

I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

Once the loot was distributed, we finally left the boss room.

The next corridor was brighter than before, as if signaling that the dungeon was coming to an end.

And sure enough…

After walking for a few minutes, we found the exit.

I could see the night sky outside.

We had finally made it out of the dungeon.

I took a deep breath, feeling the fresh air again after spending so long underground.

"Ahhh, finally…" Garron muttered, stretching his arms.

Zain glanced at me and gave a small smile.

"So, NPC? Not too bad for your first dungeon, huh?"

I scoffed. "If this is 'not too bad,' I don't want to know what a harder dungeon looks like."

Zain chuckled. "Don't worry. We'll find plenty of harder dungeons later."

I wanted to respond with sarcasm, but I was too tired.

I looked up at the sky.

I survived.

I was still alive.

But…

I knew this was only the beginning of something much bigger.

I clenched my fist.

I had to find answers.

About myself.

About the power that had just awakened.

And about whoever was watching me from the shadows.

I looked ahead.

This adventure… was just getting started.

The night air felt cool and refreshing, a stark contrast to the eerie atmosphere inside the dungeon we had just escaped.

I stood at the exit gate, gazing at the starry sky with mixed emotions.

I survived.

We survived.

I took a deep breath and looked at the new dagger I had obtained from the boss loot. The weapon felt light yet strong in my hand, as if it were truly made for someone who fought with speed.

Zain patted my shoulder from behind—too hard.

"Weird NPC, you're officially part of this adventure!" he said with a satisfied grin.

I snorted. "Is that a compliment or a punishment?"

Zain chuckled. "Depends on how you see it."

Garron stretched with a pleased expression.

"All I know is, it's time to EAT! I'm starving to death!"

Lyra glanced at the small town ahead of us—Veyle, a settlement that served as a resting place for players coming out of the dungeon.

"I want to get a room at the inn first," she said.

Meanwhile, Rin remained silent, staring at the shadowed cityscape with the same unreadable expression as always—calm and indecipherable.

As for me…

I needed time to think.

About the power that had suddenly awakened inside the dungeon.

About how my body moved faster, stronger.

About what I really was.

I swallowed hard. I wasn't just a normal NPC. That much was clear.

But if I wasn't just a normal NPC… then what was I?

I had to find answers.

But before that…

I had to survive first.

We walked into the town, passing by other players who also seemed to have just returned from the dungeon.

I made sure to stay low-profile.

To them, I was just a regular NPC.

And it had to stay that way.

Zain eventually found a small inn in the town center and arranged rooms for all of us.

I hadn't expected to get a room of my own.

I thought they would make me sleep in a storage room or something worse.

But before I could head to my room, Lyra suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Come with me for a second," she said.

I blinked. "Huh?"

Before I could protest, she had already dragged me out of the inn.

Garron smirked mischievously. "Hoooh~ Is this a date?"

Zain chuckled. "Don't be too harsh on him, Lyra. He's just an innocent NPC."

I wanted to object, but Lyra didn't give me the chance and kept pulling me away.

We finally stopped behind the inn, in a quiet open area.

I was still confused.

"What is this about?" I asked.

Lyra looked at me with a serious expression.

"Be honest," she said. "Do you know what happened to you back in the dungeon?"

I fell silent.

I couldn't answer right away.

I knew I was different.

I knew that power wasn't something a normal NPC should have.

But I couldn't just tell her that.

So, I finally just shook my head.

"I don't know either," I said honestly.

Lyra kept staring at me as if trying to read my thoughts.

Then, she sighed.

"You're really weird," she finally said.

I shrugged. "That was obvious from the start."

She clicked her tongue, then reached into the pocket of her cloak.

"I'll be looking into this. I don't believe you're just a regular NPC."

I tried not to react.

If Lyra was really going to investigate me… I had to be more careful.

I could only nod. "Do whatever you want."

Lyra watched me for a moment, then stepped closer.

I tensed. "Eh? Why are you getting closer?"

She placed her finger on her chin, examining my face from a very short distance.

I could feel her breath.

"…What are you doing?" I asked, slightly nervous.

"Looking at you up close," she said flatly.

"But why?!"

Lyra narrowed her eyes. "I'm curious… If you're really an NPC, why do your expressions feel so natural?"

I felt my face heat up.

"I'm just… trying to survive!"

She clicked her tongue again, then stepped back, crossing her arms.

"Hmm… even weirder."

I let out a long sigh.

This was exhausting.

But before I could say anything else—

I felt something cold on my cheek.

I froze.

Lyra had placed her finger against my face.

I reflexively jumped back.

"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Lyra remained expressionless. "I just wanted to see if you're really an NPC or not."

I touched my cheek where she had just poked.

"TOUCHING SOMEONE ISN'T A WAY TO FIGURE THAT OUT!"

"There's no rule against it," she replied casually.

I wanted to scream.

I glared at her in frustration.

"Alright, if we're done here, I'm going back to my room!"

I turned around quickly, walking away before she could do anything else weird.

But just before I completely left, I heard a quiet voice behind me.

"…Thanks for saving us back there."

I stopped.

I glanced back slightly.

But when I looked at her again…

Her expression was already cold once more.

I could only sigh and walk away.

But deep inside…

I felt a little lighter.

I returned to my room and immediately collapsed onto the bed.

The mattress was soft.

Much better than the hard dungeon floor.

I stared at the ceiling.

I survived today.

But I knew…

This was only the beginning.

I clenched my fist.

I had to find answers about myself.

And about why I was here.

But before that…

I needed sleep.

I pulled the blanket over myself and closed my eyes.

Tomorrow…

A new adventure would begin.