As the Frost Titan's body dissolved into a stream of light, Metatron's visor flickered—then the entire dungeon shattered like glass. The world folded inward, and his body was lifted into a swirl of digital frost. A single message blinked across his HUD before the scenery warped away:
> [Dungeon Complete – Frostvale Solo Dungeon Cleared]
The frozen chamber vanished, replaced by the vast expanse of a new land. When the light faded, Metatron found himself standing on a colossal stone bridge overlooking an endless fortress city—the Empire Gatefront. Massive gates towered ahead, framed by statues of armored sentinels, their eyes glowing faintly with runic fire. Beyond them stretched a skyline of metal spires, banners, and gleaming towers that reached into the clouds.
Then came the sound that made every player on the server freeze.
> [System Broadcast: Player "Metatron" has achieved the First Clear of Frostvale Dungeon!]
[Reward Granted: Title – "Frostbreaker" | Item – Frost Titan Core (Epic) | XP – 10,000 | Region Access – Empire Gatefront Unlocked]
The air shimmered with golden light as his rewards materialized before him. His interface glowed brighter than ever, displaying each new item in crisp holographic clarity.
He examined the Frost Titan Core—a crystal sphere swirling with pale blue energy, humming faintly like a heartbeat.
> [Frost Titan Core: A fragment of the frozen colossus. Can merge with armor to grant Frost Resonance.]
Metatron's reflection gleamed off its surface, the cyan glow painting his visor. "So this is the key to the next stage," he muttered, sliding the core into his inventory.
All around him, notifications flooded in.
> "Metatron got first clear?!"
"He already reached the Empire!"
"No one even survived past the mid-boss!"
Metatron ignored the chaos. His focus locked on the enormous gate ahead. Its central emblem—a circular crest with twin dragons spiraling around a crown—marked the border between Frostvale and the Imperial Region.
He took one last look back at the horizon where Frostvale's snowy peaks glimmered faintly behind him.
"From here on," he said quietly, "the real climb begins."
With that, he stepped forward. The gates rumbled open, and a gust of radiant air swept through the bridge.
The Empire Gatefront welcomed its first challenger.