Do-Yoon remained on his knees.
His entire body felt heavy.
The pressure filling the room was unlike anything he had ever felt before.
It wasn't simply fear.
It wasn't simply danger.
It felt like his body itself was rejecting the idea of moving forward.
Every instinct screamed at him.
Run.
Leave.
Escape.
But there was nowhere to run.
The giant gate behind him remained closed.
No matter how hard he pushed against it, it didn't move.
Do-Yoon slowly looked into the darkness ahead.
The boss was still hidden.
Yet its aura alone was enough to make him struggle to breathe.
Sweat rolled down his forehead.
His hands trembled.
His legs felt weak.
For the first time since entering this strange world, Do-Yoon felt completely powerless.
"...I'm dead."
The words slipped out naturally.
Nobody answered.
The darkness remained silent.
Do-Yoon sat there for a long moment.
Thinking.
If he stayed here, he would eventually die anyway.
Maybe from hunger.
Maybe from exhaustion.
Maybe from the boss eventually finding him.
Either way, staying still wouldn't save him.
Then another thought appeared.
"If I'm going to die..."
He slowly stood up.
"...then I should at least do something brave."
His voice wasn't confident.
Actually, it was shaking.
But he still took a step forward.
Then another.
And another.
The deeper he walked, the stronger the pressure became.
The air itself felt heavier.
The darkness grew thicker.
The aura became more overwhelming.
Do-Yoon activated Disk Dash several times just to keep himself moving.
But even then, every step felt difficult.
His vision slowly became blurry.
His breathing became uneven.
His body wanted to collapse.
Yet he kept moving.
"...Just a little further."
The aura grew stronger.
"...A little further."
The darkness seemed endless.
"...A little further."
Then suddenly—
The cave opened into a gigantic chamber.
Do-Yoon froze.
There it was.
The boss room.
The ceiling stretched so high that he couldn't even see the top.
Ancient ice covered the walls.
Massive frozen pillars stood everywhere.
The entire place felt ancient.
Then—
Something moved.
Do-Yoon's heart stopped.
A gigantic figure slowly stood up from the darkness.
Its body was enormous.
Much larger than any monster he had ever seen.
A skull-shaped mask covered its face.
Its icy blue eyes glowed through the darkness.
The creature slowly looked down at him.
Do-Yoon felt tiny.
Like an ant standing before a mountain.
A system notification appeared.
[Boss Identified]
[Kong Frost]
Then the notification immediately started glitching.
The screen flickered repeatedly.
Do-Yoon couldn't read the rest.
The boss slowly took one step forward.
The ground shook.
Another step.
The chamber trembled.
Another step.
Do-Yoon felt his legs weaken.
Then—
The monster released its full aura.
Everything changed.
The pressure exploded throughout the room.
Do-Yoon instantly fell to one knee.
His vision spun.
His breathing became difficult.
His body screamed in pain.
Do- Yoon coughed blood
The difference between them was too large.
Far too large.
The Kong Frost looked down at him silently.
Almost like it was examining him.
Judging him.
Then suddenly—
It moved.
Faster than something that size should have been able to move.
Do-Yoon barely reacted.
But it made Do- Yoon more weaker
One moment the monster was far away.
The next moment it was directly in front of him.
His eyes widened.
"...Impossible."
The giant creature reached toward him.
Do-Yoon tried to activate Disk Dash.
The creature caught him easily.
The overwhelming difference in power became obvious.
Do-Yoon struggled.
Activated Blood Rush.
Activated Manipulator's Hand.
Activated everything he had.
Nothing worked.
The Kong Frost didn't even seem interested.
It simply looked at him.
Like he wasn't a threat.
Like he was nothing.
Do-Yoon's heart sank.
So this was the end.
After all that training.
After all those monsters.
After surviving everything.
He had finally reached a wall he couldn't overcome.
His vision slowly darkened.
The last thing he saw was the glowing eyes behind the skull mask.
Then—
A bright light exploded around him.
The Kong Frost paused.
The entire room shook.
The system began glitching violently.
Notifications appeared everywhere.
[ERROR]
[ERROR]
[ERROR]
Do-Yoon couldn't understand any of it.
The light became brighter.
Brighter.
Brighter.
Then everything disappeared.
A few moments later—
Do-Yoon opened his eyes.
"...Huh?"
Grass.
Blue sky.
Fresh air.
No snow.
No frozen forest.
No boss.
He quickly sat up.
His eyes widened.
He was outside.
Completely outside.
A huge field stretched before him.
In the distance stood a mountain.
Even farther away—
A giant academy gate.
Do-Yoon blinked repeatedly.
"What happened?"
He slowly stood up.
His body felt terrible.
Not because of injuries.
Because of exhaustion.
The dungeon had pushed him beyond his limits.
Then suddenly—
He remembered something.
"The entrance exam!"
His eyes widened.
The academy.
The exam.
The principal.
Mrantor.
Everything came back at once.
Do-Yoon quickly checked his system.
The shop icon appeared.
Without hesitation, he opened it.
After looking around for a few moments, he found something.
[Basic Healing Potion]
"Perfect."
He bought it immediately.
Then drank it.
Warm energy spread through his body.
The soreness disappeared.
The fatigue lessened.
His body felt much better.
Not perfect.
But much better.
Do-Yoon smiled.
"Nice."
Then he removed the heavy winter coat.
The weather here was warm.
He stored the coat inside his inventory.
The moment he returned to his black shirt and black pants, he felt comfortable again.
His black cape moved behind him in the wind.
Do-Yoon grinned.
"Now I look cool again."
Then he looked toward the academy.
The entrance exam was about to begin.
A determined expression appeared on his face.
"I'll cook everyone."
A few seconds later he paused.
"...Actually maybe not everyone."
Then he activated Disk Dash.
His body shot forward.
The field blurred.
The wind rushed past him.
He continued moving.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
The academy gates slowly became larger.
Soon hundreds of students came into view.
Many people had already gathered.
Teachers.
Staff.
Students.
Exam participants.
Everyone was waiting.
Then—
A red-haired boy wearing a black cape suddenly appeared.
Do-Yoon skidded to a stop.
Silence.
Everyone looked at him.
A few students blinked.
Some teachers frowned.
Several Mirrors widened their eyes.
They recognized him.
Not personally.
But they knew the story.
The Player who entered the impossible dungeon.
The Player who should have died.
Yet somehow survived.
Whispers immediately spread through the crowd.
"That's him."
"He survived?"
"Impossible."
"How is he alive?"
Do-Yoon scratched his head awkwardly.
"...Hi."
Nobody answered.
The silence became even more awkward.
Then suddenly—
A teacher walked forward.
"What time do you think it is?"
Do-Yoon froze.
"...Good time?"
The teacher's face darkened.
"No."
"Perfect time?"
"No."
"A little late?"
The teacher pointed toward the giant clock.
"You're extremely late."
Do-Yoon looked away.
"...Oops."
The teacher sighed.
"Get in line."
"Yes, sir."
Do-Yoon immediately obeyed.
While moving toward the line, he noticed someone watching him.
Saphiens.
The silver-haired girl stood quietly among the participants.
Unlike everyone else—
She wasn't shocked.
She simply observed him.
Calmly.
Silently.
Almost like she was trying to understand something.
Do-Yoon awkwardly looked away.
Then—
He felt another terrifying presence.
His entire body froze.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
He turned around.
Mrantor stood nearby.
The teacher's face was completely red.
Not from embarrassment.
From anger.
Pure anger.
The kind of anger that made people update their will.
The kind of anger that made people regret existing.
Mrantor slowly crossed his arms.
"Kim."
Do-Yoon swallowed.
"...Yes?"
"You missed training."
"...Technically yes."
"All of it."
"...Technically yes."
The vein on Mrantor's forehead twitched.
Do-Yoon immediately looked away.
The entrance exam suddenly became much less scary.
At least the exam probably wouldn't punch him through a wall.
Probably.
Mrantor stared at him for a few more seconds.
Then finally looked away.
"After the exam."
Those three words alone terrified Do-Yoon.
He nearly cried.
Meanwhile, the exam participants continued gathering.
The atmosphere became serious.
Teachers moved into position.
The principal arrived.
The giant gates slowly began opening.
The entrance exam was finally about to begin.
And despite everything he had survived—
The frozen forest.
The impossible dungeon.
The Kong Frost.
The mysterious teleportation—
Do-Yoon couldn't stop smiling.
A new adventure was about to start.
And this time...
He was ready.
Or at least—
He hoped he was.