Demonic Po*nstar System Chapter 782: Third Phase of the Apocalypse

The combat stream shrank into a corner of the projection, and a second feed emerged alongside it. This was the polished studio frame of Global Awakened News, featuring a tactical map that highlighted a red zone across the dungeon cluster the Claimant had been channeling energy into.

"...and we now have confirmed reports that a total of six dungeons have gone offline since the initial breakout event," the anchor stated. "Joining us tonight from the Global Scientific Community is Dr. Elias Roht, whose department specializes in post-mana-apocalypse anomalies. Doctor, thank you for being with us."

A secondary window opened on the broadcast, revealing Dr. Elias Roht's face. His eyes were wide, and he was visibly sweating under the studio lights, which seemed deliberately intensified to make him uncomfortable.

Kaiden and the girls watched, captivated.

"THANK YOU, MARGARET," Dr. Roht exclaimed, his voice pitched two octaves too high for the broadcast. "WE ARE WITNESSING HISTORY!"

The anchor flinched slightly. "Doctor, if you could perhaps lower your-"

"THIS IS IT. THE NEXT STEP. I have always maintained that the mana apocalypse was not a singular event, but a PROCESS. And this-" he jabbed a finger towards something off-camera, "-this marks the commencement of phase three. First, the apocalypse itself, followed by the conclusion of the decade-long tutorial and the global break, and now!"

"Doctor-"

"The scientific community has officially designated the phenomenon you are currently observing as a Natural-Born Dungeon. It is the first of its kind. A dungeon that moves. A dungeon that consumes. A dungeon that is ALIVE, you promiscuous female."

"Excuse me?"

"What does your father say when he sees your cleavage is on display for all-"

From somewhere off-screen, a familiar voice attempted to intervene. "Professor, please, the producers are signaling about your volume and are requesting you cease addressing the lady with such names-"

"SILENCE, LENA!"

The anchor visibly struggled to regain control of the segment while subtly adjusting her blouse to better cover herself. "Doctor, with all due respect, what is the key takeaway for the public from this situation?"

Dr. Roht leaned so close to the camera that his nose hairs occupied a significant portion of the frame.

"Please lean back, this is quite unappealing-"

"You desire a takeaway? I shall provide one. NEVER. REST. EASY. The era of comfort has concluded. The age of complacency is at an end. What unfolds before your very eyes is merely the prelude, and the sole path to ensuring humanity's continued existence is to SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE FUNDING BUDGET FOR MY DEPARTMENT. I humbly implore, on behalf of all humankind, an immediate allocation of-"

"We will unfortunately have to conclude this segment now, Doctor, thank you very much-"

"-NO LESS THAN FORTY MILLION CHRONOS-"

"Thank you, Doctor Roht-"

"-AND THE IMMEDIATE UNFREEZING OF MY ACCOUNTS-"

Kaiden swiftly closed the news feed.

Luna lifted her head from the armrest, a slow grin spreading across her face.

"This fellow is as unhinged as ever, isn't he?"

Kaiden let out a sigh, his attention returning to the combat stream still active in the corner of the projection. The Claimant continued to absorb the dungeon, the ongoing battle still claiming lives within the ring, and the kill count relentlessly increasing.

His gaze then shifted to the system countdown.

[Time Until Defense: 07:50:43]

"That," Kaiden stated softly, "is going to be a truly brutal fight."

Aria's silver eyes remained fixed on the combat feed, not even blinking as she witnessed brave humans perish before her. Her grip on Kaiden's arm tightened, her voice filled with certainty. "They won't be able to stop it for us, Kai."

Kaiden gave a single nod. He had reached the same grim conclusion some time ago.

Luna huffed from her position on the armrest, crossing her arms. "At least the big brute is holding to his word. If he had been lurking outside our dungeon, attacking anyone who dared approach within a mile, we'd be in a far more precarious situation." She gestured with her chin towards the feed. "Small mercies, I suppose."

Bastet's ears swiveled towards the feed, twitching once.

"It is not a mercy, Gremlin. He is augmenting his power as a Dungeon Master. I can sense it."

She leaned closer to the projection, her gold bracelets chiming as she raised one hand towards the image of the Claimant, who was rippling in peristaltic waves against the shattered dungeon entrance.

"His authority is expanding. His personal power, however, I believe, is not."

Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the rippling seams along the Claimant's flanks.

"When we confronted him, beasts only spewed from his mouth. Now, they pour forth from his shoulders, his back, his ribs, his hocks. Every part of his body has become a breeding ground. His authority as a Dungeon Master grows, and it is manifesting in this fashion. He is a savage entity incapable of strategic DMP investment like us. This entire phenomenon must be unfolding differently... He already has the monsters prepared, so he is evolving the dungeon itself..."

Bastet’s ears twitched.

"And observe the speed. The initial dungeon he conquered took over an hour, yet he now stands astride the sixth. The shaft of light ascending into him is more substantial. His absorption is accelerating."

Luna gazed at the display, her arms no longer crossed. Her shoulders were rigid.

"...Right. Yes. That’s plain to see now that you've pointed it out."

"There’s nothing amiss with remaining optimistic," Bastet offered a smile, lending support to the gamer girl. She recognized her own advantage on this particular subject, having been a Dungeon Master herself, even though she never engaged in such outlandish activities as this anomaly.

"Damn it. Normally, it’s you airheads who make the foolish remarks that allow me to shine, but now I feel like the tables have been flipped. What in the world transpired?"

Bastet’s smile grew strained, her expression contorting into one that conveyed, ‘Why was I even bothering to be cordial with this woman?’

Presently, Aria’s hand on Kaiden’s arm relaxed slightly as the tension in the air dissipated. Luna’s posture softened. Bastet’s tail resumed its gentle sway against the dais, and somewhere across the vast cathedral, Calypso’s voice resumed, elaborating on another detail concerning the building’s intricate carvings to Vespera with rekindled fervor.

Kaiden let the dialogue fade into the background for a moment, his thumb caressing Aria’s knuckles while he observed the feed in the periphery of his vision. The Claimant’s sides heaved. Another monstrous entity broke free. The kill counter advanced.

Then, the dungeon communicated with him, a subtle vibration at the edge of his perception. This was the primal, direct connection between a Dungeon Master and his domain.

A new presence had traversed the gateway.

Kaiden’s forehead creased.

No one should have been passing through that gate. Vespera’s outer defenses were under strict orders, the Association’s perimeter held firm, and Eclipse’s seasoned warriors understood the established protocol. No one was permitted to step beyond the threshold without explicit instruction.

He summoned the 3D map.

The projection materialized, the Claimant feed shrinking further into the corner. The entirety of the dungeon unfurled above the dais, five square kilometers of obsidian stone, molten rivers, and verdant plains rotated slowly in the air.

A single dot.

One solitary point of light navigating the Safe Zone, well within his hundred-meter radius, advancing past the threshold towards the initial bottleneck.

Kaiden’s heart lurched.

"No..."