The massive stone gate of the Boss Room began to crack, a low, guttural growl vibrating through the floor. The A-Rank beast inside was waking up, its hunger radiating through the door like a physical weight.
Techyon and Elisa tensed, their mana flaring. But Lapis didn't move. He stood there, his hands buried deep in his pockets, his head tilted back with a look of pure, exhausted boredom.
"Elisa. Techyon. Get away from the gate," Lapis said. His voice was cold, cutting through the Boss's growls. "I don't want to talk to that beast. I don't want to trade blows with it. I just want to take a rest."
The Honoured Eyes behind his goggles flared with a jagged, magenta light. "I'm going to destroy this whole dungeon."
Techyon felt the hair on his neck stand up. "Lapis, wait—"
"Antimatter Technique: Orange," Lapis whispered. A spark of volatile, sun-colored energy ignited on the tip of his finger.
"Matter Technique: Magenta," he followed. A swirling, deep-purple orb manifest beside the first.
Lapis didn't just fire them. He forced them together. The two opposing concepts fought, the air between his fingers screaming as physics began to break down. The light didn't just mix; it spiraled into a terrifying, swirling singularity—a black core surrounded by a violent, spinning vortex of orange and magenta fire.
"Annihilation Technique: Universal Vermilion."
Lapis flicked the orb forward.
It didn't move like a projectile. It moved like an expanding reality. The moment the Vermilion Orb touched the Boss Gate, the world didn't explode—it imploded.
Elisa who was watching would describe it as a "glitch" in the universe. The swirling magenta-orange eye swallowed the gate, then the Boss, then the walls of the dungeon. Techyon watched in absolute horror as the light expanded, turning the very atoms of the mountain into nothingness.
In a blink, the darkness of the cave was replaced by the blinding light of the afternoon sun.
The dungeon was gone. The mountain was gone. There was only a perfectly spherical crater of white dust where a landmark used to be. Lapis stood at the center of the devastation, his Magenta Aura flickering like a dying candle, a single, dark red streak of blood trailing from his nose.
"Finally," Lapis muttered, his eyes closing. "Peace and quiet."
The trio stepped out of the crater where the dungeon entrance used to be. The dust was still settling, and the air smelled of ozone. The Guild's mobile reception unit was already there, looking at the missing mountain in stunned silence.
The Lead Receptionist, trembling as she held a digital tablet, stepped forward. "U-uh, Mr. Lapis... since the dungeon was... well, removed... we've processed the completion immediately. Here is your payment for the S-Rank emergency clearance."
She handed over a heavy, enchanted storage pouch. "300,000 gold coins has been deposited to your account."
Techyon choked on his own breath. "300,000?! Gold coins? For one afternoon? That's more than most A-Rankers make in a year!"
Elisa leaned against a nearby pillar, looking bored. "It's normal for a Z-Rank, Techyon. When you can delete reality, people pay you well to make sure you delete the right things."
Techyon turned to Lapis, eyes wide. "Lapis... that means you're basically a walking bank. You have too much money."
Lapis didn't even look at the pouch. He reached in, pulled out a massive stack of gold-platinum chips worth 100,000 coins, and shoved them into Techyon's chest. "You helped us in there. Here's your cut."
Techyon stumbled back, holding the fortune like it was a live bomb. "But I almost did nothing! You erased the whole place before I could even draw my breath! I can't take this."
Lapis sighed, his Magenta Aura almost gone. "Don't worry. We're friends, aren't we?"
"Yes, but still—"
"No 'buts'. Take the money. Think of it as a gift from a friend. You don't have to pay me back. I have more than I can spend on naps and snacks anyway."
Techyon looked at the gold, then at Lapis. For the first time, he saw past the Divine Type arrogance. Lapis was lonely at the top.
Suddenly, a high-pitched scream pierced the air. A massive group of girls was sprinting toward them, holding signs and cameras. "LAPIS! THE SPATIAL SOVEREIGN! LAPIS, LOOK HERE!"
Lapis's face went pale. "Techyon, Elisa... you guys find your own path. I have to run!"
Elisa rolled her eyes. "Why are you running on foot? You can literally teleport, you idiot."
Lapis paused, slapping his forehead. "Right. I'm so tired I forgot I'm a God." He snapped his fingers. The space around him rippled in a violent magenta spiral, and in a blink, he was gone.
"Well," Elisa said, turning to Techyon. "I'm heading back to the Forger Estate to report the Breach. Take care of yourself, Techyon. See you at the Guild."
"Bye, Elisa."
Techyon watched her leave, the 100,000 coins heavy in his pocket. He found a high-end "Water Hotel" near the docks—a place he could never have afforded yesterday. But as he stood at the check-in desk, the hushed whispers of two scarred veterans caught his ear.
"Did you hear? The Hydro Tankers out in the deep sector... they aren't just leaking."
"I heard it's unnatural. The water isn't flowing right. It's like something is breathing inside the metal."
Techyon's Brain Spark flickered. The peace was already over.