The air inside the A-Rank dungeon was thick with the scent of damp earth and stale mana. The gate pulsed behind them, a swirling vortex of violet light that cast long, dancing shadows against the cavern walls.
Lapis yawned, stretching his arms behind his head as if he were walking into a library instead of a death trap. "I just wanted to take a rest," he sighed, his voice echoing. "But I guess the world has other plans. Let's get this over with, shall we?"
The trio stepped deeper into the darkness. Techyon kept his guard up, his muscles tensed. Now I'll finally see it, he thought, his eyes tracking Lapis's lazy movements. I'll know exactly how far the distance is between me and a Z-Rank.
Suddenly, a screech tore through the silence. Three Shadow Casters emerged from the ceiling, their hands glowing with a sickly green energy. They unleashed a barrage of Acid Bolts directly at Lapis.
Techyon moved to intercept, but Lapis didn't even flinch.
As the magical bolts reached within an inch of Lapis's skin, the air rippled like a stone dropped in a pond. The bolts didn't hit; they swerved. In a seamless arc, the magic reflected off an invisible curve in space and slammed into the dungeon walls, exploding in a shower of sparks.
"What was that, Lapis?" Techyon asked, his heart hammering.
"That's my passive: Space Warping," Lapis said, not even looking back. "Any magical attack—any kind at all—simply reflects. If you can't touch me, you can't damage me. It's physics, bro. Don't overthink it."
He paused, his eyes glowing a faint, piercing purple. "Techyon. Behind you."
A Giant Goblin Chieftain lunged from the shadows, its rusted blade aimed at Techyon's neck. Techyon prepared to trigger a 0.01% Auto-Counter, but Lapis was faster.
Lapis raised a single finger. "Matter Technique: Magenta."
A small, pea-sized orb of shimmering magenta light appeared at the tip of his finger. For a split second, the gravity in the room seemed to scream. The orb shot forward, and upon contact with the Goblin, it expanded into a massive sphere of absolute void.
Techyon watched, completely paralyzed, as the entire group of Goblins—and the air around them—simply vanished. No blood. No rubble. Just a clean, spherical hole where the monsters used to be.
The trio moved through the dungeon like a whirlwind of light and violence. Every monster that dared to emerge was erased before it could even screech.
Techyon watched Lapis, whose Magenta Aura hadn't flickered once. "I heard Space Warping needs a massive amount of Mana," Techyon said, his voice echoing in the stone corridor. "How are you using this continuously without breaking a sweat?"
Lapis didn't even turn his head. "It's the Honoured Eyes. In my clan, the chance of being born with these is one in a billion. If I tried to explain the mechanics of how they filter reality, we'd be standing here for six hours. Just know this: for me, Mana is nearly infinite."
Techyon turned to Elisa, who was calmly walking with her hands behind her head. "And you? What's your passive?"
"Fairy Defense," Elisa replied with a confident smirk. "I can launch massive energy attacks from long range, but don't think I'm a glass cannon. I've mastered the Forger Clan's martial arts. If someone tries to sneak up on me, they aren't getting a knockout—they're getting a broken jaw."
"Fairy Defense... so you're a Fairy Type," Techyon mused. He looked back at the boy in the magenta aura. "What about you, Lapis? What's your typing?"
Lapis stopped at the foot of a massive, rune-carved stone door. "Divine Type."
Techyon froze. "What?! Divine? I thought only the Gods and the Ancient Arcons held that typing."
Lapis finally looked back, his purple eyes glowing behind his goggles. "I already told you, Techyon. I am a prodigy."
Suddenly, a Giant Goblin—twice the size of the others—lunged from a hidden alcove, its club whistling through the air. Without looking, Elisa extended a hand. A burst of shimmering pink energy, a Fairy Blast, erupted from her palm, vaporizing the monster's upper torso in a single shot.
"Enough talking," Elisa said, her eyes fixed on the vibrating stone doors. "The Boss Room is here."