Hearing the words of the shadow-like creature, Erend turned his head back.

"Interesting things?" Erend asked while frowning. "What do you mean?"

The figure of a creature whose entire body was composed of shadows began to float down.

It drew closer to Erend in a soft, almost graceful motion.

Not long after, it was in front of him.

Erend didn't know how that was possible, but he didn't sense any dangerous aura from the creature. Even with his form that was just like a floating dark shadow.

"Yes. You know, I was once a human," said the shadow-like creature.

Erend's two eyebrows knitted together, almost coming together. "What?!"

What came out of that creature's mouth was truly hard to believe.

What did he say? Was he ever human?

"You mean... a human like me?" Erend said while pointing at himself.

The shadowy figure then laughed in a voice that sounded like a young man's voice.

"A human like you? You think you're still a human now?" The figure asked in an amused tone.

Suddenly the black shadow stirred. It looked like a previously calm surface of the water, then was disturbed by a rock thrown from above it.

Not long after, the shadow creature turned into the figure of a man who had the same height as Erend.

His hair is dark and long to his shoulders. The clothes he wore were also all black.

His shirt and trousers are all blacks like a mourning person.

But the man's face and skin looked white, almost pale. Like the skin that looks unhealthy because it is rarely exposed to the sun.

The young man smiled at Erend. From the look on his face, he seemed to be between eighteen and twenty years old.

"See? I was also a human before," he said.

"Okay," Erend said. "But how did you get here?"

The young man sighed. "Ah, that is a very long story. I don't think I want to talk about it."

Erend actually felt quite curious about how he ended up in this place. Besides, he also became a Dungeon Boss.

But if he didn't want to tell him about it, Erend couldn't force him.

"I'm just going to say something I think will be of use to you. Consider this an added reward," the man said. "For now, you can call me Harill."

Erend nodded. Then said. "I assume you already know my name?"

"Yes. I already know your name. Let's go back to the Lobby first. Then we'll talk there."

The man who asked to be called Harill snapped his fingers.

A moment later the two of them were already in the Dungeon Lobby.

Not only that but there was also a table with two chairs on either side.

Erend and Harill sat on the chairs while gazing out at the vast view of the gray sand that stretched out as if it had no end.

"I know that Calamity will come soon," Harill said, starting the conversation.

"That Calamity will come to devour the world that is rich in Magic energy. Your world is quite lucky because there are not many people who can use that Magic there."

Erend nodded. "I know. But that doesn't mean my world is safe. I have to stop that Calamity first before it reaches my world."

"Yes, you're right. However, do you know how strong Calamity really is? I was worried that you wouldn't be able to do anything."

Erend looked up with worried eyes. "What do you mean?"

A sigh escaped Haril's mouth. "I once faced that Calamity. And I was destroyed after failing to protect my world. Even though at that time, I already obtained Systema's power."

Harill's answer made Erend's eyes widen.

"You lost after gaining Systema's power?!" Erend asked in an astonished voice.

"Yeah. That's why I'm here and decided to give information to anyone who will face the Calamity," Harill said.

Erend swallowed hard.

"If you get Systema's power, it means you've become a very powerful being. However, hearing that you lost and failed to protect your world even with that power..."

Haril gave Erend a sad smile. "It happened because of my fault."

There was a pause for a few moments that filled their conversation.

Erend is still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Harill lost even with his power.

Erend, who already knew how strong Systema's power was, couldn't imagine that.

'That means, I might fail to beat that Calamity even with this power.'

When imagining that, Erend felt a fear that he had never felt before.

He thinks that he was still not strong enough to face that Calamity at his current Level.

But Erend thought that he only needed to grind his Level until it reached the highest level, and he would succeed in defeating that Calamity.

However, after hearing Haril's explanation, Erend's mind finally opened to a reality where there was still a possibility that he would fail even after being at a high enough level with Systema's power.

"Take it easy. I'm sure you won't face the same ending as me," Harill said with a smile.

However, his smile couldn't comfort Erend.

"We're not going to talk about that now. I'm just going to say something that might interest you. It's about the curse of the Undead that befell the Elves back then."

Erend immediately looked at Harill after hearing that. For a while, he locked thoughts of the Calamity and listened to what Harill had to say.

"You know about that?" Erend asked.

"Tut told me. He knew I have knowledge about the matter and told me to help you when the time came," Harill replied.

Erend nodded in understanding and paid full attention to what Harill said next.

"I heard that the Elves have a spring that can cure various ailments and even make them immortal. But, why didn't they even mention that when the Undead curse happened?"

When Erend recalled it again, what Harill said was strange. The Elves have the Fountain of Eternity, but they don't use it when it's really needed.

"Why?"

"The curse cannot be overcome by that miracle water. Because the curse is a power that comes from another world."

~~~