That morning.
Early.
At the entrance to Miracle Dungeon.
Twenty-seven adventurers had already gathered.
A fat adventurer with the codename "Pig King" looked around suspiciously."This dungeon is way too shabby. I swear my home toilet is decorated better than this. Are you sure a lord this broke can make a dungeon worth playing?"
Ishida Tetsuya snapped back irritably, "We've been brothers for years. You think I'd scam you?"
Several people nearby immediately voiced their support.
"I trust Hammer Bro's judgment!""It's been forever since I played a dungeon that was actually fun!""I hope this one brings something fresh!""Yeah, dungeons these days are all low-effort scenes, boring monsters, zero sincerity. One's worse than the next.""…"
Not far away stood a female adventurer with the codename "Moonlit Snowfall."
She was a tall beauty, over 170 centimeters, with an outstanding figure, appearance, and temperament. She was standing with several girlfriends beside Nekomi Momo.
Moonlit Snowfall asked, "Momo, is this where the chocolate dropped?"
Nekomi Momo nodded eagerly. "That's right!"
Yesterday, she had only managed to get a single box of chocolate. When she returned and shared it with these girls, it instantly won their hearts. Every one of them felt as if they had discovered a new world. They couldn't believe something so delicious existed. That dreamy sweetness, that overwhelming sense of happiness—it was something they had never experienced before.
"Besides chocolate, there's tons of other delicious stuff! And the dungeon itself is super fun. I promise it won't disappoint, seniors!"
"Really?""That actually sounds exciting.""My expectations aren't high. As long as I can get one box of chocolate today, I'm satisfied."
The girls rubbed their hands together eagerly.
They were clearly more interested in the drops.
On the other side, Lonely Swordsman stood beside a handsome young man dressed in luxurious clothes, codenamed "Sleeping in the Wind."
Sleeping in the Wind said calmly, "If this dungeon is really as good as you say, then we need to take it seriously."
Lonely Swordsman laughed. "Trust me. Young Master Feng won't be disappointed."
"…"
All the new arrivals today had been brought by veterans.
That alone proved how highly Apocalypse Frenzy was regarded by returning players.
Ishida Tetsuya frowned. "Why isn't it open yet?"
Nekomi Momo cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Open up! Open up! Open up!"
Finally—
Miracle City opened its gates.
Even Kanzaki Ren hadn't expected adventurers to arrive so early—or in such numbers.
Lonely Swordsman grinned. "I'm back to challenge the dungeon again!"
Ishida Tetsuya complained loudly, "Lord Ren, you were ten seconds late today. Next time, open on time. My hands are itching like ants are crawling all over them. Every extra second is torture, you know?!"
Nekomi Momo giggled. "Hehehe, we even brought friends to support you. Pretty loyal of us, right?"
Kanzaki Ren smiled. "Welcome, welcome. This dungeon currently has four dungeon crystals. Please queue up in an orderly manner, adventurers."
Only four dungeon crystals?
This dungeon really was poor.
Though they complained internally, everyone understood the rules. The adventurers lined up obediently.
Sleeping in the Wind was lucky enough to be in the first batch, but he didn't rush in. Instead, he yielded his spot to Lonely Swordsman and watched from the crystal to learn.
Lonely Swordsman accepted without hesitation and entered the dungeon.
This time, he discovered many new options on the character selection screen.
They included: Beginner Mode, Solo Mode, Multiplayer Mode, Story Mode, Faction Battle Mode, Battle Royale Mode…
However, only Beginner Mode was currently selectable.
Sleeping in the Wind frowned. "What do these modes mean?"
Lonely Swordsman shook his head. "No idea. They must be new. Maybe we should ask the lord."
Kanzaki Ren patiently explained, "This dungeon is still under active development. What you see now are different gameplay modes. Once you successfully clear Beginner Mode, the others will gradually unlock."
Nekomi Momo asked excitedly, "What's the difference?"
Kanzaki Ren replied, "Both monster types and gameplay mechanics will change drastically."
"What?""There are other monsters too?""That actually makes me look forward to it!"
"Impressive. Didn't expect you to still have more tricks.""Interesting. This lord really does have something special.""…"
Although Apocalypse Frenzy was inspired by Left 4 Dead, Kanzaki Ren could use these materials to develop countless gameplay variations—CS-style modes, battle royale, biohazard PvP, and more.
All of them were proven classics.
Had adventurers ever seen anything like this?
Once they got hooked—
harvesting them would be effortless.
After selecting his mode and character, Lonely Swordsman once again entered the dungeon world. He skillfully scavenged supplies, used axes and firearms to kill zombies, navigating constant danger and tension—before ultimately dying to a sudden zombie ambush.
After exiting, he sighed. "Dead again. Even though most zombies have fixed patrol routes, there are always random spawns you can't predict. Every run is full of variables."
"This dungeon really is interesting."
Sleeping in the Wind had explored dozens—if not hundreds—of dungeons before.
They were all monotonous mazes, with crude environments, malicious traps, and repetitive monsters.
He had never seen a dungeon this detailed, vivid, tense, and immersive.
Finally, it was his turn.
Sleeping in the Wind entered the dungeon crystal.
The experience was completely different from watching.
The immersion and sense of presence were on an entirely different level. The world's art style was strange, yet the details were incredibly rich and alive. It felt like a real, atmospheric alternate world.
"Interesting. Novel."
That was his first impression.
He had never encountered a dungeon with such powerful immersion.
From vehicles and billboards to buildings and roads, everything exuded a strong sense of daily life. It was clear this world had been bustling and prosperous not long ago.
It stirred a powerful urge to explore.
As for the gameplay itself?
No complaints.
Top-tier.
The creative firearm designs, the overwhelming zombie numbers, the visceral satisfaction of tearing through flesh and blood—it was an adventure experience unlike anything before.
Because dungeon crystals were limited, adventurers lined up patiently. While one person played, the others gathered around the crystal to watch, interact, and learn. That process itself was surprisingly fun.
"Careful! Zombies are vicious. Don't shoot anywhere else—only headshots kill them!""Beautiful!""Moonlit Snowfall, amazing aim!""Hey, that's a waste of bullets. Early on, use the axe whenever you can, or you'll run out later!""Pig King, turn left ahead! There's a pistol and ammo in the drawer!""Ah, dead again. What a shame!""There are way too many zombies. It's impossible to guard against all of them!""Hahaha, you're just trash. Finally my turn—watch this!""So satisfying! Kill! Kill! Kill!""I'm killing fifty this run!""Then let's see who gets more kills!""…"
Whenever someone pulled off an impressive play, the surrounding adventurers erupted in cheers. The emotional payoff was immense—it felt exactly like cramming into an internet café with friends during their school days.
It was obvious the adventurers were having a blast.
Watching this scene—
Kanzaki Ren felt nostalgic.
How many years had it been since he'd seen something like this?
This kind of pure joy—anyone who's experienced it understands.
And naturally, Mental Power and Soul Crystals poured in nonstop.
[Adventurer 'Nekomi Momo' generated 1 point of Mental Power!][Adventurer 'Nekomi Momo' has died. Mental Power +1. Soul Crystal +1!][Adventurer 'Pig King' has died. Mental Power +1. Soul Crystal +1!][Adventurer 'Moonlit Snowfall' has died. Mental Power +1. Soul Crystal +1!][…][Adventurer 'Ishida Tetsuya' generated 1 point of Mental Power!]
Kanzaki Ren had expected solid income today—but seeing the notifications flood in still thrilled him.
This was even better than expected.
If this trend continued,
the territory's facilities would soon be fully built.
In just a couple of days, he'd be able to upgrade and gain the chance to draw a brand-new game.
Kanzaki Ren felt he had taken yet another step toward becoming the greatest Dungeon Lord.