The doors groaned as they opened.
A deep, ancient sound echoed through the dungeon as if the structure itself resisted what lay beyond. The moment the gap widened, a wave of dense, suffocating air poured out—thick with mana, heavy with something far more sinister than anything they had faced before.
Nick stepped forward first.
"Stay sharp," he muttered, gripping his sword tighter.
Beyond the doors stretched a long hallway—so long that its end disappeared into darkness. The walls were lined with cracked stone pillars, each engraved with faint glowing symbols that pulsed like a heartbeat. Torches flickered weakly, barely lighting the vast corridor.
And then they saw them.
Monsters.
Rows and rows of them. Each stood perfectly still, spaced evenly across the hallway as if waiting. No chaotic swarm. No random movement. Just silence… and presence. Rem narrowed her eyes. "Why are they just standing there?" Kael's voice was low. "Because they're guarding something."
Yuki took a step forward, her silver hair swaying gently. "No… look carefully." Nick followed her gaze. Each monster… was different. Not just slightly. Completely.
One was a hulking brute with stone-like skin—clearly from an earlier floor. Another had insect-like limbs, twitching slightly. A shadowy figure flickered in and out of visibility. A serpentine creature coiled slowly, its tongue tasting the air.
Lloyd's grip tightened around his weapon. "Don't tell me…" Rem's voice turned serious. "Yeah… one from each floor."
Kael exhaled slowly. "Ninety-nine floors… ninety-nine monsters." Silence fell over the team. Nick smirked slightly, though his eyes were sharp. "So this is the final test before the boss, huh?" The moment his foot crossed the threshold—
Everything moved.
The monsters lunged forward simultaneously.
"Formation!" Kael shouted instantly.
Nick dashed ahead, his blade flashing as he met the first attacker—a massive armored beast. Their weapons collided with a deafening clang, sparks flying as the force pushed Nick back half a step.
Lloyd rushed in from the side, his strikes brutal and relentless. He cleaved through a smaller creature, its body dissolving into particles, but barely had time to react as another lunged toward him.
Yuki moved like a ghost.
Her blade danced through the air, precise and elegant. Each swing found its mark. A monster fell. Then another. Her movements were fluid, almost effortless—but her eyes were cold and focused.
Rem stayed back, already drawing her bow.
Her arrows flew in rapid succession, each one glowing faintly as it pierced through enemies. One shot hit a flying beast mid-air, sending it crashing down. Another arrow split into two mid-flight, striking separate targets.
Kael stood at the center.
"Left side collapsing—Nick, push forward! Lloyd, cover him!"
His voice cut through the chaos, guiding every movement.
Nick didn't hesitate. He surged forward, slicing through enemies with raw aggression. Blood and particles scattered with every strike as he carved a path deeper into the hallway.
But the enemies didn't stop. Each monster was stronger than the last. They began to recognize them. "That's from the 30th floor!" Lloyd shouted as a heavily armored knight charged at him.
"And that one—50th!" Rem called out, firing rapidly. The difficulty kept increasing. Their breathing grew heavier.
Sweat dripped down Nick's face as he blocked a powerful strike, the impact rattling his arms. He gritted his teeth and countered with a swift slash, finishing the enemy.
"How many left?!" he shouted. Yuki's voice came calmly, despite the chaos. "Thirty-two." "Still that many?!" The hallway seemed endless. Time blurred into constant battle. Step by step. Enemy by enemy. They pushed forward.
At one point, a massive beast from the 70th floor roared, shaking the entire corridor. It charged directly at Rem. Before it could reach her—An arrow pierced straight through its eye. Rem exhaled sharply. "Not today."
Kael nodded slightly. "Good shot." But even he was beginning to tire. His movements slowed just slightly. His commands became shorter—but no less precise.
"Fifteen left!"
Nick roared as he clashed with a shadow creature, their blades sparking in rapid succession. With a final burst of strength, he cut through it.
"Ten!"
Lloyd smashed through two enemies at once, breathing heavily now. "This better be the last wave!"
"Five," Yuki said quietly, stepping forward.
Her presence shifted. The air around her grew colder. In a flash, she disappeared—and reappeared behind the final group of monsters. Her blade moved faster than the eye could follow.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
All fell. Silence. The hallway, once filled with enemies, was now empty. Only the sound of their breathing remained. Nick dropped his sword slightly, panting. "That… was insane…" Rem wiped sweat from her forehead. "Ninety-nine monsters… one from each floor…" Lloyd laughed weakly. "Whoever designed this dungeon is crazy." Kael looked ahead.
"The real challenge is still waiting." At the end of the hallway—A massive door.
Unlike the previous ones, this one was different. Dark. Covered in intricate carvings that seemed to move when you looked too closely. Nick straightened up. "Boss room." Without hesitation, he pushed the door open. It creaked slowly.
Beyond it lay a vast throne room. The ceiling stretched high into darkness. Pillars lined the sides, each one cracked and ancient. The ground was smooth, almost polished—like it had witnessed countless battles.
And at the far end—A throne. Massive.
Dark. And sitting upon it…Was a figure.
A devil-like being. Its presence alone made the air feel heavier. Dark horns curved from its head. Its body was wrapped in shadows, making it hard to fully see. But its eyes…Glowed. A deep, burning red. In its hand, it held something. A glowing orb.
Pulsing with energy. The same rhythm as the dungeon itself. For a moment, no one spoke. Then—The figure moved. Slowly, it leaned forward. A low, distorted voice echoed through the room.
"So… you made it."
Nick stepped forward, raising his sword.
"Yeah," he said, a faint grin forming despite everything. "And we're not stopping here."
The red orb pulsed brighter. The devil's grin widened.
"Good."
A surge of power exploded through the room.
"Then entertain me."
The battle…
Was about to begin.