Summon & Memory Lost (1)

The sudden pull of teleportation yanked at my body like an invisible force, and within seconds, I was no longer in the abandoned house. The world around me twisted, then settled into place.

Dungeon Land.

A vast, fortified city where gates to dungeons of all ranks existed. It was built as a defense against the creatures lurking within those gates—monsters that, if left unchecked, could cause catastrophic destruction.

"Grim watches. Grim waits," the Grim Reaper muttered beside me. His voice was hollow, reverberating like a whisper from the void.

The city was bustling despite the late hour. Even though most Hunters were asleep, there were still a few scattered groups moving toward the dungeon gates, their expressions tense. The emergency alert had woken everyone ranked A or above, yet it seemed that most weren't willing to jump into an S-Class dungeon so suddenly. Not without a solid team.

That was when I saw her.

Miri Hwa.

A well-known name. A rising star among Hunters, rumored to be near S-Class herself. Long silver hair, sharp violet eyes, and an overwhelming presence. She was speaking to a gatekeeper, gesturing toward the dungeon entrance.

"Let me in."

The gatekeeper sighed, clearly frustrated. "Even if you're strong, a solo attempt in an S-Class dungeon is suicide. You need a team."

"I have one." Miri suddenly turned to me, grabbing my wrist before I could even react. Her fingers were warm, her grip firm. "Him."

I blinked. "What?"

A strange flutter hit my chest at the sudden contact, but before I could process it, she continued, her voice unwavering. "I can clear this dungeon with him alone."

The gatekeeper's frown deepened. "That's ridiculous."

Miri didn't flinch. Instead, she took a deep breath, lowered her eyes slightly, and then—

"Please… I have nothing left."

Her tone had changed. It was softer now, fragile. "I lost everything. There's no one waiting for me at home. If I don't do this, then what's the point of me being a Hunter at all?" Her eyes shimmered as if she was barely holding back tears.

I narrowed my eyes. What the hell was she talking about?

The gatekeeper hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. "I—"

"It's fine if I die, right? It's not like anyone would care."

My head snapped to her, stunned. Even though I could tell it was an act, the way she spoke made it seem so… real. She sighed heavily, glancing away as if in deep thought.

"Grim smells deception," the Reaper whispered, his voice crawling up my spine like cold fingers.

Yeah. No kidding.

The gatekeeper groaned, rubbing his temples. "This is absurd."

But her words had done their job.

He let us in.

The dungeon was eerily quiet when we stepped inside. A vast cavern stretched before us, towering rock formations casting jagged shadows under the dim glow of magical torches lining the walls. The atmosphere was suffocating, thick with the presence of powerful monsters lurking beyond the darkness.

Miri walked ahead confidently, stretching her arms. "You know, you could've just played along. You looked so stiff back there."

I sighed. "You didn't have to lie. You could've just gone with a team."

"Boring." She smirked, spinning on her heel to face me. "Besides, I needed to test something."

I felt my stomach sink at the way she said that. "What do you mean?"

"What ability did you awaken?"

My grip on my system interface tightened. I hesitated, but she was already staring expectantly.

"System Share."

With a mental command, I allowed her to see my abilities.

A flicker of curiosity crossed her face as she scrolled through the details.

"Summon? That's it? No second ability?"

I frowned. "You're only seeing what I let you see."

She ignored my words. "Summon what?"

"Grim," I muttered, already regretting this conversation.

Miri's eyes sparkled. "Then summon it. I want to fight it."

I took a step back. "What?"

She cracked her knuckles. "It's an S-Class dungeon. If your summon is strong, I need to see if it's actually useful."

She was insane.

"No," I said firmly.

"Too bad."

Before I could react, she lunged, grabbing my wrist again.

"Summon it."

An icy dread filled me. Something about her grip felt unnatural. I didn't even realize my system had already responded to her forceful command.

The world turned black.

A scythe sliced through the air.

The Grim Reaper materialized between us, its void-like form stretching into existence. Miri barely had a second to react before its hollow gaze fell upon her.

A deep, gut-wrenching silence followed.

Then—

Blood dripped from my lips.

I staggered, my vision blurring. A fatal backlash struck me like a hammer to my chest. Summoning Grim in an unstable environment—inside an S-Class dungeon—had been a mistake.

"Grim smells death. Grim takes what is offered." The Reaper's voice sent shivers through my entire body.

Miri stood frozen, eyes wide. Her lips parted, but no words came out.

Then, she collapsed.

I barely caught her before she hit the ground.

Her body trembled, her breathing shallow. Her once-sharp eyes had lost focus.

"Grim is unsatisfied," my summon muttered. His voice was devoid of emotion, but his presence was overwhelming.

Miri's gaze locked onto mine, but something was different.

She blinked, confusion washing over her features. Then, to my utter horror—

She smiled.

"Sweetie?" she whispered, her voice soft, almost affectionate.

I froze. "What?"

Her arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a tight embrace. "You came back…"

I stiffened. This wasn't right.

"Grim sees broken mind," my summon muttered. Though, I barely heard him.

She suddenly pulled back, eyes flickering as she noticed the blood trickling from my mouth. Without hesitation, she lifted her sleeve and wiped it away, her touch gentle, careful. "You're hurt," she murmured, her voice filled with concern.

My heart was racing, my mind spinning. Miri wasn't acting like herself. Her entire personality had shifted in an instant.

Something had gone wrong.

My system pinged again, the screen flashing before my eyes.

[SYSTEM ALERT]

Fatal Mental Overload Detected.

Subject: Miri Hwa

Consequence: Memory Corruption.

Rewriting Memory…

What…?

I turned back to Miri, whose arms were still wrapped around me like I was the most important person in the world.

She tilted her head. "Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked softly, genuine concern in her eyes.

I didn't know how to respond.

But one thing was clear.

Miri Hwa had lost her memories.

And somehow… she now thought I was her boyfriend.