The massive doors creaked open with a sound that echoed like a death knell across the chamber.
A suffocating silence followed.
Nick was the first to step inside, his grip tightening around his weapon. The others followed closely behind—Kael's sharp eyes scanning every corner, Rem already preparing her bow, Lloyd cracking his neck with a faint grin, and Yuki walking calmly, though her gaze was unusually serious.
The room was enormous—far larger than anything they had encountered before. Dark pillars stretched high into the shadows above, and the air itself felt… heavy. As if every breath required effort.
At the far end stood a towering throne.
And on it… sat the devil.
He was unlike any creature they had ever seen.
His body was humanoid, but far too perfect—and far too wrong. Dark crimson skin seemed to pulse like molten lava beneath the surface. Massive horns curved backward from his head, and his glowing red eyes pierced through the room like blades. In one hand, he casually held a radiant orb, glowing with a deep, ominous crimson light.
The aura surrounding him wasn't just powerful—it was overwhelming.
It pressed down on everyone like gravity itself had intensified.
"W-what is that…" one of the students whispered, his voice trembling.
The devil slowly lifted his head.
And smiled.
That single expression sent chills through every person in the room.
"So… you've made it this far," the devil spoke, his voice deep and echoing unnaturally, as if multiple beings were speaking at once. "Pathetic creatures crawling to the end of a path they do not understand."
A teacher stepped forward, trying to maintain composure. "All students, prepare for combat! Formation—now!" The tension snapped. In an instant, dozens of students launched forward.
Spells ignited the air—fire, ice, lightning—blades flashed, arrows shot forward in a storm. For a brief moment, it looked overwhelming.
But the devil didn't move. Not even a step. The attacks reached him—and vanished. Not blocked. Not deflected.
Erased. As if they had never existed. A wave of confusion spread across the room. "What…?" Kael muttered under his breath. The devil sighed.
"Boring."
Then he moved. No one saw how. One moment he was sitting. The next—A student was slammed into the far wall with a deafening crash, blood splattering across the stone. Another was lifted into the air, choking, before being thrown aside like trash.
Panic erupted.
"Fall back!"
"Regroup!"
"What is happening?!"
The devil walked forward slowly, each step echoing like thunder. Every movement was effortless. Every attack against him… meaningless. A teacher charged with a powerful aura surrounding his blade, shouting as he swung with full force—The devil caught the blade with two fingers.
And crushed it.
The sound of metal shattering echoed through the hall.
Before the teacher could react—
He was sent flying, crashing through a pillar, collapsing instantly.
Nick's eyes widened. "This… this isn't a normal boss…"
Lloyd clenched his fists, grinning despite the situation. "Finally… something interesting."
"Don't be stupid," Kael snapped. "This thing is on a completely different level."
Rem released a volley of arrows, each infused with mana, aimed precisely at vital points. They didn't even reach him.
The arrows froze mid-air—and dropped.
The devil glanced at her.
Just a glance.
Rem felt her entire body freeze, her breath catching in her throat as an invisible force pressed against her.
"Rem!" Nick shouted.
Yuki stepped forward, her presence suddenly sharp and commanding. "Stay together. Don't engage recklessly."
But it was too late.
The battlefield had turned into chaos.
Students were being overwhelmed one after another. Some couldn't even get close. Others collapsed under the sheer pressure of the devil's aura alone.
Screams filled the chamber.
Explosions echoed.
And through it all—
The devil walked calmly, like a king strolling through a battlefield already won.
"This is disappointing," he said, his voice cold. "Is this truly the strength of those who seek the depths?"
Another group of students charged desperately. He raised his hand slightly.
A surge of red energy exploded outward.
BOOM. The entire group was blown away instantly, crashing unconscious across the floor. Silence followed. Bodies scattered everywhere. Teacher… defeated. Elite students… crushed.
No one could stand against him.
Nick's heart pounded violently in his chest. This wasn't a fight. It was a massacre. "Kael…" he said quietly, "what do we do?" Kael didn't respond immediately.
For the first time, even he looked uncertain.
"…We observe," he said finally. "We can't rush in. Not yet."
Lloyd growled. "Observe? Everyone's getting destroyed!"
"And if we rush in, we join them," Kael shot back.
Yuki stepped slightly forward, her eyes locked on the devil.
"He hasn't used his full power yet," she said calmly.
That realization hit even harder. All of this—And he wasn't even serious. The devil suddenly stopped. He looked around at the fallen bodies. Then… he laughed.
A deep, terrifying laugh that echoed endlessly through the chamber.
"So fragile. So weak."
He raised the glowing orb slightly.
"This world… has grown dull."
A faint pulse of energy spread from the orb. The air trembled. Even standing far away, Nick's team felt it. Power. Unimaginable power. One last student, barely able to stand, charged forward with a desperate scream. The devil didn't even look at him.
The student collapsed mid-step. Unconscious. And just like that—
It was over. The chamber fell completely silent. Dozens of students. Multiple teachers. All defeated. All unconscious.
Only five figures remained standing.
Nick.
Kael.
Lloyd.
Rem.
Yuki.
The devil slowly turned his gaze toward them. For the first time—His expression changed. A hint of interest.
"Oh?" he said softly. "You five… are still standing?"
The pressure in the room intensified. Nick felt his legs trembling, but he forced himself to stand firm. This was it. There was no one else left. No backup. No escape. Just them…Against him. Kael stepped forward slightly, positioning himself ahead of the group.
"Stay sharp," he said quietly.
Lloyd cracked his knuckles, a fierce grin returning. "Now it's getting good." Rem steadied her breathing, raising her bow again despite her fear. Yuki's eyes narrowed, her aura beginning to rise subtly. Nick tightened his grip on his weapon. The devil took a single step toward them. The ground beneath him cracked.
"Perhaps…" he said, his voice lowering, "you will entertain me."
The red orb glowed brighter. The air trembled violently. And in that moment—
Nick realized something terrifying. This wasn't the end of the dungeon. This was only the beginning of something far worse. The five of them stood alone…
Facing a being that had just annihilated everyone else without effort. And now—
Its full attention was on them