CHAPTER 61: CHAPTER 61

Renji stirred with a low groan, his body trembling as consciousness returned. Every muscle screamed in agony, his ribs felt like they were splintered, and the taste of blood lingered at the edge of his tongue. Ezra hadn’t just defeated him—he had broken him down.

He forced himself upright, clutching at his side, vision swimming.

A voice cut through the silence. Calm. Sharp. Unwavering.

"Finally awake?"

Renji turned his head. Ezra stood a few steps away, sword sheathed, his eyes like still water. Not a trace of exhaustion touched his expression—only that same cold steadiness.

"Well," Ezra continued, "you hid it pretty well. If not for this dungeon, maybe none of us would’ve ever known what you carried inside."

Renji’s gaze dropped. He said nothing, only tightening his fists against the ground.

Ezra watched him for a long moment, then sighed softly.

"I don’t want your secrets, Renji. I just want to know one thing—the business deal we made before. Is it still valid?"

Renji’s head snapped up, confusion flickering across his bruised face.

"...Business deal?"

Ezra tilted his head, almost amused.

"Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten."

The memory hit Renji then. The exchange with Ezra. The trade, the promise, the reason he had entered this dungeon at all—for the mana core vines. His breathing steadied, though the pain still dragged at him.

Ezra’s gaze sharpened.

"Is it or not?"

Renji gave a bitter smile, forcing the words past cracked lips.

"You really don’t want to know how a D-rank core turned into this? How I powered up so fast?"

Ezra stared at him, unreadable. His tone was steady, detached.

"Look, Renji. Everyone has their own secrets. I don’t involve myself in them unless they become dangerous for me. I don’t care what you are, or what you’ve done. I asked a simple question. Just tell me if the deal is on—or not."

For a second, silence hung heavy in the cavern. Then Renji’s lips curved into a familiar grin, his cheerful mask slipping back into place despite the blood on his face.

"...Deal."

Ezra’s eyes softened ever so slightly. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Good. Let’s go. Dravis and Xavier might already be fighting the boss."

Renji pushed himself to his feet, wincing but steady. He gave a small nod, brushing dust off his shoulder as if to wipe away the memory of their brutal clash.

"Lead the way."

The two of them set off down the corridor, their footsteps echoing through the dungeon. Behind them, the stone floor still bore the scars of their fight—fractured walls, blood-stained cracks, shattered chains of stone.

But neither looked back.

Ahead, the dull tremor of distant battle grew louder with every step.

_________________

The humanoid boss snarled, its obsidian-like skin flickering with traces of corrupted mana.

Dravis roared, his gauntlets gleaming with bright-blue shimmer as he lunged forward. His fist slammed against the monster’s chest, the impact cracking the stone floor beneath them and sending the beast sliding back several steps.

Before it could recover, a dark silhouette cut through the shadows—Xavier’s sword, cloaked in black mana, slicing down toward the creature’s head.

The monster’s instincts flared. With a guttural hiss, it dropped low, the blade narrowly missing its skull. In the same breath, it twisted, channeling the vile energy known as Evil Remnant. Its movements blurred with unnatural speed, vanishing and reappearing behind Dravis in the blink of an eye.

The beast’s leg snapped forward in a devastating kick.

Dravis reacted instantly. His gauntlet met the kick head-on, the shockwave shaking the cavern. Their clash sent sparks of mana scattering, the sheer force threatening to break his stance.

Then—poison. Sickly green fumes burst forth as the monster unleashed a venomous spell at point-blank range.

"Tch." Xavier’s eyes glowed dark as he slashed his blade through the air, dark magic weaving into a counter-spell. The poison cloud thinned, most of it dissipated before it could swallow Dravis whole.

Dravis seized the opening. His body coiled, one leg pressing against the floor. With a sudden jump, he vanished in a blur, reappearing at the monster’s flank. His fist arced like a cannon, aiming for its neck.

The beast twisted again, dodging narrowly—only to stumble straight into Xavier’s trap.

"Got you."

Xavier appeared behind it, his sword stabbing clean through the monster’s neck. At the same time, Dravis’s gauntlet slammed into its chest with bone-crushing force.

CRACK!

The humanoid boss staggered, its neck severed halfway as a gaping hole tore through its torso. Its body shuddered violently, corrupted mana spilling out in black streams.

"No more games," Dravis growled.

In one final motion, the two struck together—Xavier’s blade finishing the cut, Dravis’s fist pulverizing its core.

The monster gave a broken, gurgling scream before its body crumbled into fragments of ash, dispersing into the air.

Dravis lowered his gauntlets, chest heaving. Xavier steadied his blade, both of them drenched in sweat, their breathing ragged but victorious.

"...It’s over," Xavier muttered, wiping blood from his cheek.

But before relief could settle, a ripple of presence washed through the chamber. Two familiar auras pressed against their senses.

Both turned toward the gate.

Standing there, framed by the dim glow of the torches, were Ezra and Renji.

Dravis narrowed his eyes. "About time you showed up."

"Well, you guys have done well against that Peak Rank 2 mutated beast," Ezra said calmly, his crimson eyes flickering toward the dissipating remains of the boss. "But get ready. The next one will be even more dangerous."

Dravis straightened, still catching his breath. His gauntlets hummed faintly with residual mana as he glanced at Renji. "Okay... but hey, you alright?"

Renji forced a faint grin, though his shoulders were stiff with pain. "Yes. I’ll explain everything once we get out of this dungeon."

Xavier exhaled sharply, sheathing his blade for a moment. "Fine. Your secret, your wish."

But before another word could be spoken, the cavern itself seemed to tremble.

The ground cracked under their feet. The air grew heavy, thick with malice. A horrifying presence bloomed in the center of the chamber, pressure crashing down on them like a tidal wave.

All four turned as the shadows condensed, swirling into a grotesque form.

Stone and flesh knit together in a grotesque mockery of life. Black mist seeped from its body, the Evil Remnant clinging to its frame like a living shroud.

At first glance, it almost looked human. Broad shoulders, taut muscles drawn tight like cords of steel, each line of its frame built for killing efficiency. Its movements were measured, controlled—nothing wasted, nothing beastly.

Its skin was pale, ashen, marred by veins that pulsed with a faint crimson glow, like molten cracks running beneath stone. Across its face, a jagged bone mask clung like a parasite, one hollow socket burning with a coal of black fire that flickered with every breath.

In its grip rested a mace—its shaft solid, its spiked head dripping a venomous ichor. Every drop hissed where it landed, boring tiny craters into the stone floor. The weapon wasn’t oversized. It wasn’t monstrous. It was precise, balanced, a warrior’s tool sharpened into something merciless.

Ezra’s expression darkened, his grip tightening on the sword in his hand. "Peak Rank 3..." he muttered, his voice low.

The others froze.

Ezra continued, "Peak Rank 3 mutated monsters are as strong as a beginner Rank 4. And depending on their special traits, they can even fight a major realm above." His crimson eyes narrowed. "This one reeks of bloodlust. Go all out—from what I can feel, this is going to be hell of a fight."

Dravis clenched his fists, his gauntlets shimmering brighter, veins of mana coursing through them. Xavier’s dark blade resonated with a low hum, crimson lines glowing across its edge. Renji lifted his sword, the faint glow of his curse magic igniting around him.

Only Ezra remained unnervingly calm.

Ezra’s gaze shifted toward the Crimson Sword sealed within his space ring. The black gem at its hilt carried a destructive force that could be unleashed only once. It wasn’t crafted for wars or glory—it was meant for this monster, and nothing else. But he held himself back.

Not yet, he thought. If I use it too soon and it misses, or if the monster withstands it, we’ll be finished. I’ll save it for the decisive moment... when this thing is weakened and has no chance to dodge.

The mutated humanoid lifted its mace slowly, the spikes grinding against the cavern ceiling, showering the floor with stone fragments. The sound echoed like thunder.

Then its hollow mouth opened—no voice, no words, only a bone-rattling screech that shook the dungeon walls.

The monster moved first. Its mace, shrouded in a suffocating evil aura, blurred from sight and reappeared in front of the party.

"Disperse!" Ezra barked.

They scattered just in time, but the moment the mace struck the ground, the earth itself shattered, collapsing beneath their feet.

Ezra didn’t think—he acted. His sword flashed, cloaked in a sharp silver aura, and met the incoming mace head-on. The clash roared like thunder. The monster staggered back a step, but Ezra was hurled through the air, crashing hard.

Damn it... its combat strength is nearly Rank 5, Ezra cursed in his mind, forcing himself back on his feet.