The battlefield no longer resembled a dungeon.
It looked like a ruin that had forgotten it was ever meant to be cleared.
Stone was shattered across every direction. The ground was fractured into uneven layers. Craters, scorch marks, and frozen trails of light and darkness overlapped each other like scars that refused to heal.
At the center of it all, Elias stood breathing steadily, sword lowered slightly but still glowing with residual white-gold flames.
Around him, the others were recovering—barely.
Kiraya wiped blood from her lip, her shield dented but still intact. Fayzan stood with one knee down for a moment before forcing himself upright. Hinabi exhaled slowly, flames dimming around her hands. Ayame held her staff tightly, trying to stabilize her breathing. Magumo leaned heavily against a broken pillar, clearly injured but conscious.
And then—
Silence settled.
For a brief moment, it felt like the fight had finally ended.
Kiraya broke it first, her voice strained but steady.
"...This is getting ridiculous."
Fayzan's eyes remained locked forward on the empty space where the bosses had just disappeared.
"No," he said quietly. "There's a pattern."
Hinabi, who had been observing more than reacting, stepped forward. Her expression had shifted—less aggressive now, more focused. Her eyes moved between the battlefield, the fading light, and the residual darkness.
After a pause, she spoke.
"…They're linked."
Everyone turned toward her.
Hinabi didn't look away.
"They aren't reviving because we failed to kill them properly."
A second pause.
Her voice sharpened.
"They're reviving because we're killing them separately."
Silence hit immediately.
Kiraya's eyes widened slightly.
"You mean—"
"They need to die at the same time," Hinabi finished.
Fayzan clicked his tongue, frustration flashing across his face.
"…Of course they do."
From the back, Magumo muttered bitterly while leaning against the pillar.
"That's insane."
Hinabi ignored him and turned her attention fully to Elias.
Her tone became completely serious.
"…Can you use that attack again?"
Elias didn't answer immediately.
His gaze shifted slowly back to the battlefield where both bosses had fallen before.
Then he raised his sword slightly.
White-gold flames began to build along the blade again.
The air around him immediately changed—becoming denser, heavier, and sharper, as if the space itself was reacting to the pressure of his power.
"…I can," Elias said.
Hinabi nodded once.
"Good."
Her voice turned precise and commanding.
"Then charge it."
Without hesitation, Elias planted his sword into the ground and closed his eyes.
Mana began to surge into him. Not just from skill, but from sheer focus and intent. His breathing steadied as he gathered everything he had left—stamina, energy, willpower, and control.
The flames along his blade intensified, growing brighter and less stable at the same time.
Kiraya watched him for a moment, then muttered under her breath.
"…That much power again?"
Fayzan gave a faint, tired smirk.
"Guess we're buying him time."
Hinabi didn't look away from Elias.
She raised her voice.
"Kiraya."
Kiraya lifted her shield slightly.
"Yeah?"
"Push the White Knight."
Then she turned slightly.
"Fayzan."
He rolled his shoulder.
"…Yeah?"
"Push the Dark Knight."
From the backline, Ayame lifted her staff carefully.
"And me?"
Hinabi glanced at her once.
"Keep them alive."
Ayame nodded immediately.
"…Got it."
Hinabi's gaze sharpened again.
"When I give the signal—"
She looked directly at Elias.
"Move."
The White Knight arrived first.
Radiant chains exploded outward across the battlefield, cutting through the air with precision and speed.
At the same time, the Dark Knight surged forward on the opposite side, its massive blade tearing through stone as it advanced with crushing intent.
Kiraya moved immediately.
She charged forward with her shield raised high.
"COME ON!"
BANG.
Her shield collided directly with the White Knight's blade. The impact exploded with light, cracking the ground beneath them.
Kiraya held her ground, muscles straining as she pushed forward.
The White Knight drifted backward slightly, but Kiraya didn't let up.
She activated her skill immediately.
[Sword Skill: Lionheart Strike]
Her blade ignited and she followed with a flaming slash that forced the White Knight further back—positioning it exactly where Hinabi wanted it.
On the opposite side, Fayzan reacted just as quickly.
He ducked under the Dark Knight's massive swing, the blade missing his head by inches.
Then the Dark Knight suddenly changed tactics.
It hurled its sword directly at him.
Fayzan's eyes widened.
"…Damn—"
Before the strike could land, Ayame reacted instantly.
She raised her hand.
[Tamer Skill: Crystal Raven]
A massive violet crystal raven formed in mid-air and intercepted the attack.
CRASH.
The raven shattered, but it altered the sword's trajectory just enough for it to miss Fayzan completely.
Fayzan exhaled sharply.
"…Nice save."
Ayame gave a weak smile.
"…Try not to die."
Fayzan didn't answer verbally. Instead, he pushed forward with both hands.
[Sword Art: Crimson Flame Drive]
A concentrated blast of fire slammed into the Dark Knight's chest.
BOOM.
The Dark Knight was forced backward, sliding across the ground until it came to a stop near the White Knight.
Hinabi's eyes narrowed.
That was the positioning she needed.
Now.
She stepped forward and raised her hand.
Mana condensed instantly.
Then she cast.
[Mage Skill: Ember Collapse]
A compressed ring of fire erupted beneath the White Knight.
BOOM.
The explosion struck from below and pushed it sideways directly into alignment with the Dark Knight.
For the first time, both bosses were positioned perfectly in a straight line in front of Elias.
Hinabi turned sharply and shouted.
"ELIAS!"
Elias opened his eyes.
White-gold flames erupted around him instantly.
The pressure across the entire chamber shifted violently.
The others instinctively stepped back as the sheer intensity of his power filled the space.
Elias stepped forward.
His sword lifted.
The flames along it expanded—becoming longer, brighter, and more concentrated than before.
[Sword Skill: HellBlitz Excalibur]
The entire chamber seemed to scream under the pressure.
Elias swung.
A single horizontal strike.
No hesitation.
No wasted motion.
Absolute execution.
The white-gold arc of fire tore across the battlefield in a straight line.
It struck both the White Knight and the Dark Knight at the same time.
For a brief instant, everything stopped.
Then the attack completed.
The White Knight split apart into fragments of light.
The Dark Knight shattered into pieces of darkness and broken armor.
Both forms disintegrated into particles that scattered across the air before fading completely.
Silence followed.
Then realization hit.
"We did it!" someone shouted.
"They're gone!"
"It's over!"
Relief spread immediately.
Kiraya let out a short breathless laugh.
Fayzan dropped to one knee from exhaustion.
Ayame nearly collapsed from relief.
Hinabi exhaled slowly, a faint smirk forming.
"…Told you."
Elias slowly lowered his sword. His breathing was heavier now, but controlled. He remained standing.
And for a moment, it truly felt like victory.
Then the chamber changed.
The air turned red instantly.
Not gradually—instantly.
Every wall, every crack, every piece of broken stone was flooded with crimson light.
The celebration stopped immediately.
Silence returned—but this time it was cold and wrong.
Then a system voice echoed throughout the chamber.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
[Hidden Boss Skill has been activated.]
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Then the remains began to move.
Fragments of white light. Pieces of dark armor. Broken weapons. Scattered energy.
All of it began sliding across the ground toward the center of the arena.
Kiraya took a step back.
"…No…"
Fayzan slowly stood again.
"…That's not possible."
The red light intensified.
The fragments merged together.
White and black fused unnaturally. Light and darkness intertwined. Chains and mist wrapped around each other. Blood-red energy seeped into the structure forming between them.
Something began to rise.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
A single figure formed from the fusion.
Its body was split perfectly down the middle.
The right side was jagged black armor leaking dark mist.
The left side was pristine white armor glowing faintly with radiant light.
Blood-red veins pulsed beneath both halves.
Two dark wings unfolded behind it.
A fractured black halo rotated above its head.
Its face was perfectly symmetrical.
Beautiful.
Expressionless.
Inhuman.
Then the system spoke again.
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
Allure, Knight of the Eclipse has resurrected.
State: Blood Release
The creature opened its eyes.
One crimson.
One silver.
And smiled.
The entire raid party froze.
Because at that moment, everyone understood the same truth.
The real boss had only just begun.