The aftermath of the duel with Vera left the city buzzing. And
yet—the Phantom Ghost vanished without a trace.
No sightings. No rumors. Just silence.
"Hey... what do you think happened to that masked guy?" Scarlet
asked, glancing sideways at Zero, who sat beside her in the guild
hall, quietly nursing a drink.
"Who knows? Who cares?" Stealth replied through a mouthful of
roasted meat. "It's not like we ever had anything to do with him
anyway."
He pointed a greasy chunk of meat toward Zero. "Anyway, Zero—
we're heading out on another dungeon raid tomorrow. You in?"
Zero tilted his head slightly.
"Sorry, I've got something lined up. But if I clear it in time, I'll
let you know. What's the dungeon type?"
Tank leaned forward. "It's either a Knight or Samurai-type domain.
We haven't confirmed which yet, but the rank came through. It's
A."
Zero raised a brow. "A-rank already? You guys are leveling up
fast. So you're finally pulling A-ranks now."
He stood, slinging his cloak over his shoulder.
"Where are you always heading off to these days?" Scarlet asked
softly, her voice carrying the faint sting of worry. "You've been...
distant. Avoiding us."
Zero paused mid-step. Then, without turning, he offered a small
smile.
"Just tying up loose ends. So I can be fully free for raids like
this. Focus on prepping for the dungeon—think about how you're
gonna tackle it."
And with that, he vanished into the evening light.
Scarlet sighed and slumped into her seat.
"I don't get him sometimes."
"Don't overthink it," Tank said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"He'll talk when he's ready."
The Next Day
As mist rolled through the entrance, the portal cracked open like
lightning—an arcing vortex of glowing blue carved into the mouth of
an ancient dojo, buried deep beneath the mountains.
From its core stepped four adventurers, their silhouettes etched
against the radiant mist. Their armor shimmered, weapons drawn,
eyes sharp.
Zero. Tank. Scarlet. Stealth.
The Phantom Ghost walked again—this time with his old team.
"Whoooah, so cool," the group murmured in awe.
"Okay, wow…"
Stealth said, adjusting his dual daggers. "This place is insane."
"So this is what an A-rank dungeon feels like... I can feel the
mana everywhere," Zero murmured, his eyes scanning the polished
stone and glowing kanji carved into the walls.
"Stay close," Tank ordered. "If this is a Samurai Domain, we're
dealing with masters of stealth and deception. Watch your backs."
He looked at Zero. "And Zero… don't stray. Samurai strike before
you even sense them."
Zero chuckled faintly, trailing just behind the group.
**Within the Dungeon**
They moved through narrow corridors and grand halls lit by
lanterns flickering with eerie blue fire.
Then came the ambush.
Blades slashed from the shadows. Enemies cloaked in tattered
samurai armor lunged silently—Shadow Ronin, Spirit Ashigaru, and
Blade Phantoms.
Scarlet instinctively shielded Zero, loosing bursts of flame from
her palm. Tank charged forward, roaring as he crashed into foes.
Stealth darted like lightning, weaving between opponents and carving
through them with deadly precision.
Zero remained behind, arms crossed, eyes sharp—an observer
cloaked in calm.
**The Duel of Honor**
The double doors opened with a deep groan, revealing a vast
arena-like chamber. Tatami mats lined the floor. Banners hung from
the walls, incense curling lazily in the air.
At the center, kneeling in perfect stillness, was a towering warrior
in obsidian armor. A blade lay at his side.
"Let's strike now while he's unawa—"
"Hold," the boss said calmly, his voice cutting the air like steel.
"You come with chaos in your hearts. If you wish to earn my blade…
then honor the code. A duel. One-on-one. No ambush. No
deception."
The room froze
"A talking boss? In an A-rank dungeon?" Tank muttered. "What is
this place…?"
"Bosses don't talk," Stealth whispered. "Not unless this is tied to a
high-rank variant."
"Guess we picked the hard mode," Tank said.
"Who fights him?" Scarlet asked.
Stealth cracked his neck. "I've got the speed. Might as well earn
my lunch."
Stealth entered the arena. "Speed versus speed."
The boss rose
fluidly, unsheathing a katana glowing with divine light
he clash was instantaneous—blades flashing like lightning. Sparks
danced, and shockwaves rippled through the hall.
For a time, it
seemed even. Stealth danced and flipped, attacking from every
angle.
Then came the afterimage.
A phantom strike, too fast to see—unavoidable.
The samurai
vanished and reappeared in impossible places, cutting into Stealth
from angles even he couldn't counter.
Blood sprayed.
Stealth dropped to one knee. Another blow landed, then another.
He hit the ground hard, skidding across the floor.
"STEALTH!" Scarlet screamed.
But Zero was already gone.
He appeared in the blink of an eye,
catching Stealth mid-fall and retreating in a blur.
"He's still breathing," Zero said, laying him at Scarlet's side.
"Patch him up."
Scarlet grabbed his sleeve. "Don't. You saw what that thing did—"
"I'm done hiding," Zero said calmly.
He turned back toward the
boss. "Sorry I didn't tell you before. I could've prevented this."
He equipped his Cloak of Reversal, fastened the Mask of Eclipse,
and drew his S-rank dagger—heat pulsing at its edge.
"All right," he
whispered, stepping forward. "Let's get this over with. I skipped
breakfast."
The boss bowed solemnly. "A true warrior steps forward."
Zero returned the bow.
Then the duel began.
To Be Continued...