The light staircase vanished the moment Riven stepped through.
He was falling—no, floating—downward, surrounded by glowing gears, clocks, and swirling galaxies suspended in time. All around him, books flipped open mid-air, quills scribbled on their own, and hourglasses poured silver sand upward.
A system message hovered above his head like a crown:
You have entered Dungeon No.002 – The Magician's Labyrinth."Knowledge is power—but power always asks for a price."
Riven's boots touched solid ground.
He looked around. The dungeon looked nothing like the first one. This wasn't dark or creepy—it was bright, clean, and… alive.
A massive floating library.Bookshelves twisted into spirals. Stairs went sideways. Floating islands carried tables, desks, even burning candles that dripped glowing blue wax.
"This… looks like if Hogwarts had a baby with a dream."
📖 A magical tome floated before him.
The Magician's Trial:"Solve the Puzzle of the Three Names. One is false, one is stolen, and one is yours. Choose wrong—and your mind becomes part of the Library."
[Timer: 15 Minutes]
[Penalty: Mental Wipe]
Riven's eyes widened. "Mental wipe?! No thank you!"
Three glowing scrolls floated toward him. Each bore a name in glowing gold letters:
Lucian Valtor
Riven Cross
Marek Callum
Riven stared at them.
"One is mine. One is false. One is stolen…"
His heart beat faster. Obviously, Riven Cross was his name. Right?
Right?
But the system wouldn't make it that easy.
He called up his Meta Reader System and activated Narrative Override again.
Override Options (Lv.1):
Peek into a memory
Hear one truth
Delay the timer by 30 seconds
He chose: "Hear one truth."
The whisper returned, not from outside—but from inside his own head.
"Riven Cross is not the name you were born with."
His throat tightened.
"What the hell does that mean?"
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the library.
"Did you forget already?"It was smooth. Intelligent. Dangerous.A tall man stepped from between the bookshelves, wearing deep violet robes covered in glowing runes. His eyes were bright silver, and a white mask covered half his face.
He held a glowing wand made of glass and smoke.
The Magician.
"I see. You're the version that still thinks names matter," he said with a crooked smile."Let's play then. I'll give you a clue. Each of those names belongs to a soul that tried to rewrite their fate."
Riven narrowed his eyes. "You're a dungeon boss, aren't you?"
The Magician bowed mockingly. "Call me a test, a trap, or a storyteller. But if you lose… you'll become another page in my endless book."
The timer kept ticking.
He looked again at the names. Riven Cross… Lucian Valtor… Marek Callum…
A new idea struck him.
He tapped into his inventory and used the Memory Fragment: Timeline 27.
You recall a moment from Timeline 27—your final breath.
"Tell them… my name was… Marek Callum…"
Riven's heart skipped a beat.
"So I wasn't born Riven Cross… I was… Marek?"
He smiled grimly and pointed at the scroll bearing Marek Callum.
"That's my real name."
The scroll glowed and burst into flames—blue, not red.
Correct. Real Identity: Marek CallumFalse Name: Riven Cross (World Imprint)Stolen Name: Lucian Valtor (Mystic Class Holder)
Skill Unlocked: "Name-Eater's Insight" – You can now detect lies within names and titles.
The Magician clapped slowly.
"Well done. You're smarter than you look."
The dungeon trembled.
Books flew open. A storm of scrolls swirled around Riven like paper blades.
"You passed the trial… but that was just the theory exam."
With a flick of his wand, the Magician sent a burst of light flying at Riven.
⚡BOOM!
He dove behind a floating desk as it exploded into shards.
[System: Combat Initiated]
Boss Fight: The Magician Begins
Riven didn't even have a weapon. But he had Narrative Override again.
This time, he picked: "Change environment element."
The storm of papers froze for half a second—long enough for him to shout:
"Turn this desk into a sword!"
🗡️ The desk shattered—reformed—and reappeared in his hands as a long curved blade made of ink and wood.
He charged.
The Magician grinned and flicked his wand.
Reality twisted.
The room split into three mirror dimensions—all showing different versions of the same battle.
Riven swung his blade—only to cut into thin air.
"That was the reflection."
A hand grabbed his ankle from behind.
The real Magician.
"Let me borrow your memories," he whispered.
[HP -30]
Pain shot through Riven's head as flashes of his real past—his world, his job, even his webnovel obsession—started to drain.
He bit down and shouted:"Wildcard Instinct—Activate!"
💫 BOOM.
A glowing Fool Tarot Card exploded in light. Reality wobbled. The mirrors shattered. The Magician reeled back in pain.
Riven pushed forward and drove the ink-blade through the Magician's chest.
The boss gasped.
"…You… remember too much…"
[Boss Defeated]
[You have cleared Dungeon No.002 – The Magician's Labyrinth]
As the room crumbled around him, a second Tarot Card floated into his hand.
Tarot Acquired: The MagicianNew Skill: Reality Ink – Once per dungeon, rewrite one object's purpose.
Riven stood alone in the floating library, panting.
"That's two dungeons cleared… and 106 to go."
But one thing was clear now:
His name was never Riven Cross.
He was Marek Callum—a soul who had tried and failed across dozens of timelines.
This time, he wouldn't fail.
This time… he would become the Final Boss who rewrote the ending.