Mike stepped out of the auction house, satisfied with how things had gone.
After a quick stop at a nearby stall for a drink, he headed home.
His mom was relaxing in the living room.
"You're back early," she said.
"Just a quick trip to market. I'll be in my room," Mike replied.
"Okay, take care," she called out as he headed upstairs.
The moment his door closed, Mike lay down on his bed, opening his awakener system and logged back in.
A flash—and he returned to the exact spot he had logged out earlier.
Inside the grand reception hall.
Except now… it was empty.
The rows of armored knights that had once been standing proudly along the walls were gone—because he had already looted them all.
"Time to move to the next room," he muttered.
He had come back after emptying everything at the auction house—even the monster parts and other items were left there to be sold.
As for the remaining knight sets, he had removed all of them and left them in his room before logging in.
Now he was back with an almost empty inventory—except for a single Black Mithril Knight set and the sword in his hand, ready to fight any unexpected enemy inside this massive royal mansion-castle… or whatever this place truly was.
Mike took a steady breath and walked deeper into the hallway, each step echoing through the pristine silence of the ancient residence.
He pushed open the next door.
A soft whoosh of stale yet strangely cold air brushed past him as he stepped inside.
This room was different.
There were no knight statues… no armor stands… no furniture.
Just a wide, open hall with high ceilings and polished marble floors that reflected faint golden light from the glowing runes embedded along the walls.
But something did catch his eye.
On the far wall—
Two swords were mounted in a crossed pattern, displayed like regal decorations.
But the moment Mike Appraised them… his pupils shrank.
[ Mirage Soul – Illusion Magic Sword ]
Grade: Epic
Effect: Creates realistic illusionary copies of the wielder. Illusions deal 30% real damage.
Mike blinked.
"…An epic illusion sword? And this one is illusion magic type."
He walked closer, unable to hide the excitement building in his chest.
The swords were thin and elegant, each with a translucent, shimmering blade that seemed half-real, half-crystalline illusionary. When he moved his hand closer, the surface rippled like water touched by light.
"These are the second Epic-quality items I've gotten… so this place has multiple Epic categories."
He used Appraisal once again.
Now that the sword was in his hand, the result appeared much more detailed and accurate.
[Mirage Soul – Illusion Magic Sword]
[Rank: Epic +]
[Skill: Mirage Clone]
Creates up to five illusionary copies of the wielder.
Each illusion deals 30% real damage and can use basic sword techniques.
[Skill: Phase Step]
Allows the user to blur their body for 1 second, evading all physical attacks.
Cooldown: 20 seconds.
[Skill: Mind Veil]
Confuses enemies within a 10-meter radius, lowering their perception and reaction speed by 25% for 5 seconds.
[Description:]
A sword used by the elite Royal Knights of the Mirage Empire.
Crafted using Soul Glass and Mirage Steel, it allows its wielder to manipulate light and spirit energy, creating illusions indistinguishable from reality.
Though elegant in design, it is deadly in skilled hands—capable of overwhelming opponents through deception and misdirection. ]
"So this is also from the Mirage Empire… but used by the Royal Knights," Mike nodded, satisfied as he stored the swords away.
This room—with its long table and ornate chairs—looked more like a dining hall, and there were four Mirage Soul swords here. He took all of them without hesitation.
After clearing the place completely, he moved on from one room to the next, taking everything of value.
Most rooms held decorations, relics, crystal lamps, or beautifully preserved furniture—but nothing dangerous.
Until he reached a heavy iron door deeper inside the mansion.
The moment he pushed it open, the smell of metal and old magic hit him.
Inside was an armory.
Not a small one—but a massive chamber lined with weapons from wall to wall.
Dozens upon dozens of racks filled the room, each holding unique, high-quality weapons: uncommon, rare, and even several Epic-ranked ones. Spears, halberds, bows, dual blades, maces—everything.
Mike's eyes widened.
"This… this whole room is a treasure vault."
He immediately used Appraisal on a few items, but he didn't need full inspection to know one thing:
He was about to become rich beyond belief.
He began storing the weapons row by row, humming to himself.
But then—
Just as he was storing the final batch, he suddenly felt a presence behind him.
Cold. Heavy. Wrong.
As he slowly turned around—
A towering figure stepped out of the shadows.
A knight.
But not like the ones before.
This one's armor was pitch-black, cracked, and covered in deathly mist.
Its helmet had a jagged horn, and a chilling blue flame burned inside the eye sockets.
It wasn't a statue.
It wasn't dormant.
It was alive.
A Death Knight.
The name floating over its head made Mike's blood freeze.
[LV. 406 – Death Knight Lord – Rank: 4]
Mike's throat tightened. He had never—not even in his dreams—imagined facing something this strong.
"Are you… the guardian here?" Mike asked, voice shaking despite trying to stay calm.
The Death Knight Lord's flaming eyes fixed on him.
A wave of killing intent washed through the room, so heavy Mike's legs trembled.
This thing wasn't something he could run from.
And definitely not something he could fight—
Not at his current level.
"You must be the rat stealing things from here."
The Death Knight's voice was calm—far too calm—but the pressure carried within it sent Mike flying backward, slamming him into a rack of weapons.
His whole body shook violently; he coughed up blood.
With difficulty, he pushed himself up again and said,
"F-Forgive me, Sir Guardian… I thought this was just a ruin, so I came to explore it."
He fumbled a health potion from his inventory and chugged it down.
The Death Knight didn't stop him—instead, he simply watched Mike with a cold, steady gaze.