I Can Extract Game Items

"That's not the point," Aria said. "Other parties are probably way ahead of us now."

"Hey, at least we survived," Drask said with a grin while clapping Torin on the back. "Besides, it's not every day you get to fight off two hundred undead knights."

"Not every day I want to," Viora muttered, using her staff to heal the group.

---

[ System Notification: Viora Activated Restoration ]

[ HP Restored: +200 to All Party Members ]

After collecting the loot, the group resumed following the spirit girl. Aria fixed them all with a warning glare. "No more mistakes. Got it?"

Everyone nodded with sheepish expressions. They trailed after the spirit girl, mimicking her movements exactly.

"She better lead us to some *serious* loot," Torin muttered under his breath.

"If you screw up again, you'll need *serious* healing," Aria snapped.

The spirit girl eventually led them to a spiral staircase at the edge of the floor. As they descended, August couldn't help but wonder what awaited them below.

---

[ System Notification: Floor Progression - You Have Reached the 19th Floor ]

---

"I don't like this," Gareth said as they stepped onto the new floor. The air felt heavier, and the dim light from the crystals seemed weaker. "It's too quiet."

"Let's stay sharp," Aria said. "We can't afford to lose any more time."

As the group cautiously followed the glowing spirit girl through the nineteenth floor, the strange, shimmering air began to ripple. The surroundings dimmed slightly, and a familiar blue haze enveloped them.

"What's happening now?" Torin questioned with a wary tone while gripping his bow tightly.

"Another projection?" Aria voiced with an uncertain look. "Stay alert."

The group paused, watching as the room around them transformed. It was as if time had rewound, bringing them into a scene from the distant past.

The spirit girl was no longer translucent but appeared as a vibrant, living child with rosy cheeks and a playful smile. She sat on a grand decorated bed within a luxurious chamber filled with glowing crystals, and gilded furniture.

A tall figure entered the room with a crown on his head.

His presence exuded majesty and strength. The group watched in awe as he approached the bed with his face still obscured from their view.

"Same dude from before?" Gareth muttered.

"Probably the Swordking," Drask replied with a reverent tone. "Who else would wear a crown like that?"

The crowned figure knelt by the bed, tucking the young girl under a silken blanket. He pulled a large, leather-bound book from a nearby table and began reading aloud with a deep soothing voice.

The spirit girl giggled and leaned back as her laughter filled the room. The peaceful atmosphere tugged at something deep within the group.

"Not gonna lie," Torin whispered, "this is kinda nice."

"I have a feeling it won't last," August said grimly.

As if on cue, the serene scene shattered. The room was suddenly engulfed in flames.

The once peaceful chamber trembled violently as the sounds of battle echoed from beyond its walls. The group flinched as the crowned figure leaped to his feet, unsheathing an enormous sword that glowed with power.

From the shadows, a wave of humanoid enemies surged into the chamber with their weapons drawn. The crowned figure moved with power, cutting them down in rapid succession. Each swing of his blade unleashed devastating arcs of energy that obliterated everything in their path.

---

[ System Notification

[ Swordking Activated: Arc of Desolation ]

[ Damage Dealt: -99999 HP to Intruders ]

---

"That's insane," Gareth voiced with widened eyes. "He's unstoppable."

Everyone couldn't imagine just how powerful the Swordking was in his prime to deal such damage numbers with a casual attack.

"He's protecting her," Viora said softly as she fixed her gaze on the little girl who had curled into a ball on the bed.

Despite the crowned figure's efforts, one of the intruders managed to break through his defenses. The enemy lunged at the girl and their blade pierced her chest before the Swordking could stop it.

The girl let out a pained gasp before collapsing.

"No!" the Swordking's voice roared through the room, filled with anguish. He decimated the remaining intruders in a single, devastating strike before falling to his knees, cradling the lifeless body of the girl.

The projection flickered and faded, leaving the group standing in silence amidst the ruins of their surroundings.

---

[ System Notification: Projection Complete - The Tragic Tale Ends ]

---

"What the hell did we just see?" Torin question broke the silence.

"A memory?" Aria voiced with a hushed tone. "It must've been something tied to this dungeon."

"Whoever that girl was," August added, "she meant everything to him."

They exchanged somber glances before the spirit girl appeared once more. Her glowing figure waited patiently ahead.

"Let's keep moving," Aria said firmly. "We're not here to solve mysteries. Focus."

"Or maybe we are," August chipped in.

"Nevertheless, we gotta keep moving," She added.

The group continued forward with a steady but cautious pace.

The atmosphere grew heavier as they advanced. Shadows loomed over them, and the air felt thick with mana. Suddenly, humanoid figures emerged from the darkness, their eyes glowing ominously.

"Did someone trigger another calamity?" Aria questioned with a baffled expression.

"Not this time, I think we're meant to fight these ones," August responded.

"Get ready!" Gareth shouted, raising his shield.

---

[ System Notification: Hostile Encounter - Shadow Sentinels (Level 28) ]

---

"Finally, something to hit," Drask said while swinging his axe with a roar.

---

[ System Notification: Drask Activated Axe Cleave ]

[ Damage Dealt: -800 HP to Shadow Sentinel ]

---

August darted around the battlefield, targeting the sentinels' weak points. His dagger flashed as he landed strike after strike, taking advantage of their sluggish movements.

---

[ System Notification: Aleman Activated Slash ]

[ Damage Dealt: -420 HP to Shadow Sentinel ]

[ Critical Hit ]

---

Aria hurled fireballs from the backline, igniting the sentinels and causing them to crumble into ash.

---

[ System Notification: Aria Activated - Inferno Burst ]

[ Damage Dealt: -800 HP to Shadow Sentinel ]

[ Burn Effect Applied ]

---

The fight lasted for several minutes, with the group working in perfect sync. Viora kept their health up while Torin picked off enemies from a distance. By the end, the Shadow Sentinels were nothing more than a pile of charred remains.

---

[ System Notification ]

[ Enemies Defeated: Shadow Sentinels ]
Explore more stories at empire

[ EXP Earned: +8000 ]

[ Loot Acquired: Mana Crystal x3, Shadow Core x1 ]

---

"Well done," Aria said to the group. "Let's keep moving."

As they descended the final staircase of the floor, the air changed.

A dense, almost suffocating energy filled the space, and the faint sound of chanting echoed from below.

"This is it," Aria voiced with a tense tone. "The twentieth floor."

When they reached the bottom, they were met with a vast chamber, unlike anything they'd seen before.

The walls were lined with ancient murals depicting battles, coronations, and what appeared to be the tragic scenes they had just witnessed.

"This is..." Viora's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'm guessing the further we descend, the more we find out about the Ancient Swordking and probably what led to his demise," August stated with a look of certainty.

...

...

It was already past three in the afternoon when Sophia returned home from school.

Her bag hung loosely over her shoulder as she stepped into the apartment, noticing the quiet atmosphere. She glanced toward the kitchen and saw that the food she'd prepared for August earlier was still untouched.

She frowned slightly. "He hasn't eaten? He must still be in the game."

Walking upstairs, she stopped at the door to his room. The same makeshift sign he'd pinned earlier was still there in bold handwriting: "In Game - Do Not Disturb."

Sophia sighed and shook her head. "Seriously, how long does he plan to stay in there?" She lingered for a moment as her brow furrowed. "He probably knows he'll be up to a day. That's why he left the sign."

Shrugging off her worry, she headed back downstairs, pulling out her smartphone as she settled onto the couch.

She scrolled through her social media feeds absentmindedly until a notification popped up on her screen.

---

News Update: "The Oni Terrorist Group Strikes Again!"

---