Farewell to My Dungeon
Dungeon Maker. Dungeon Maker. A game where you build your own dungeon and forces to fend off invading enemies. They say too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, right?
From my snot-nosed elementary school days—a solid six years straight. I'd poured everything into this one game, so it was only natural my dungeon had become nearly invincible. But they say once you reach the top, emptiness sets in. Now, there was no content left to enjoy. Clearing every hidden ending was child's play, and I'd even conquered every extreme challenge and degenerate playstyle that only hardcore veterans attempted. A true fossilized pro who'd done literally everything there was to do. Nothing more remained for me to achieve in this game.
I'd clung to it out of sheer affection for the creation I'd nurtured like my own child, but now it was really time to let go. University enrollment was right around the corner; I needed to pack for the dorms and gear up for real life. My parents had chewed me out so much for holing up in my room grinding this game that my ears had practically blistered. Yeah, it was time to get my shit together and quit.
This would be my final high school hurrah—the grand finale to the game that had consumed my entire teens. I'd make it perfect, no regrets. With a light heart, I moved the mouse and pulled up the final status window of my dungeon.
Name:Ark Guardian
Grade:EX
Master:Eugene
• 1st Floor: Outer Defense Line
• 2nd Floor: Abyss Garden
• 3rd Floor: Citadel of Death
• 4th Floor: Labyrinth of Illusions
"Kruuuh... My chest swells with grandeur."
The ultimate pinnacle of grinding. A masterpiece born from shattering limits far beyond the system's official max level.
"Alright, now..."
Swallowing my lingering regret, I clicked the mouse to load the completed dungeon. This final playthrough would let me release them without a shred of attachment.
That instant—
Weeeeeeng!
"Wh-what the...?"
A siren shrieked, sharp enough to tear my eardrums. Startled, I whipped my head toward the window.
A colossal pillar of light was surging skyward, as if piercing the heavens themselves.
'Eh...?'
With that flash of light, my memory from that day ten years ago cut off like a snapped film reel.