Final Layer
The gate creaked open with a long, hissing exhale, like the dungeon itself was breathing them in.
No one moved at first.
Each of them stood in silence—hearts raw, souls bared. The trial had stripped away more than secrets; it had forced them to confront the truths they buried beneath strength, pride, and duty.
But none of them cried.
Because they understood now—crying changed nothing.
If they wanted to move forward… they had to face it.
Arthur broke the silence, his voice steady:
"Let's go."
One by one, they rose.
And together, they stepped into the final layer.
The moment their feet touched the stone, the air changed.
A low hiss echoed through the cavern—deeper, older, not just sound, but pressure that weighed on their skin and bones. The ground vibrated beneath them as an overwhelming aura surged forward, thicker and darker than anything they had ever felt.
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"Elaris?" he asked silently.
The voice in his mind answered immediately, sharp and grim:
"Snake Lord. Mutated class. Peak Rank 4."
"Master… he's on the verge of evolving into Rank 5. Even most Rank 5s would struggle to kill him now."
Arthur didn't flinch.
"Good. Then we'll stop him before he gets there."
"I'm not alone."
He raised his voice, sharp and commanding.
"Get ready!"
The others had already sensed it. No orders were needed.
Nyx's eyes glowed cold indigo as his aura flared like a blade.
Nyssara's hand tightened around her glaive, force pulsing at her feet.
Saryn rolled his shoulders, mana loading into his gauntlet and gun.
Jullian's dark flames began to smolder again, quiet and hungry.
They dropped into formation without a single word.
And that's when it emerged.
From the shadows at the far end of the chamber slithered a massive serpent—thirty meters long, its scales an oil-slick black that shimmered with toxic green veins. Twin fangs, each the size of a spear, dripped venom that melted stone.
Its golden eyes locked onto them. Intelligent. Cruel.
And then it struck.
With a roar that shook the air, the Snake Lord's tail slammed forward like a tidal wave.
Boom—!
Arthur barely had time to raise his sword before the impact hit.
They were all flung back.
Slammed against stone, crashing through debris. Dust and blood filled the air.
But none of them stayed down.
Arthur led the charge, Phalanx Wave shimmering into a barrier just in time to absorb the first venomous strike. The beast's tail slammed into it—cracks webbed through the mana wall.
"Nyx, left flank!"
"Jullian, draw its focus with flames!"
"Saryn, Nyssara—time your strikes!"
They moved.
Nyx dashed across the beast's side, unleashing "Aura Slash"—a clean, fast arc that left a glowing line on the monster's scales. It barely cut, but it stung.
The Snake Lord hissed and turned, which was when Jullian launched his "Dark Ember Burst"—a spinning spear wrapped in spiraling black flame. It struck the beast's snout and exploded with a blast of heat and shadow.
Saryn closed in next—his fists glowing faint blue. With a shout, he used "Mana Step" to jump upward, kicking down on the Snake Lord's snout. It grunted, reeling slightly.
Nyssara came from the other side, her massive sword glowing faintly as she activated "Force Edge"—each blow a thunderclap. She struck once—twice—three times, staggering the beast.
"We're doing it!" Jullian shouted.
"Don't let up!" Arthur ordered, eyes gleaming.
Then he activated his own base technique: "Void Imprint."
Small, jagged patches of void mana appeared across his sword. When he struck, the mana didn't explode—it erased. A line of missing scales appeared on the Snake Lord's chest.
We can hurt it.
We can kill it.
But the beast wasn't done.
The Snake Lord reared up—its aura flared like a tidal wave. With a shriek, it spat corrosive venom mist, flooding the battlefield.
"Retreat!" Arthur barked. "Don't inhale that!"
Saryn grabbed Nyx and jumped back. Nyssara activated a force dome, blocking the mist from reaching Jullian. Arthur called on his A-Rank skill: Mana Suppression—a heavy pulse of mana pushed the fog down, dispersing it.
But that gave the Snake Lord a chance.
With a flash, it struck with its tail, faster than any of them expected.
BOOM—!!
Nyssara was slammed into a wall. Jullian was thrown across the chamber. Arthur barely blocked, his arms trembling under the force.
Nyx coughed blood. Saryn's gauntlets cracked.
Elaris whispered again:
"You must escalate. Base skills won't kill it."
Arthur's eyes hardened.
"Then we stop holding back."
The cavern shook as the Snake Lord's hiss echoed, a sinister sound twisting the very air. Its multiple eyes glowed with cold intelligence, piercing the dim light.
Without warning, a psychic wave surged forth—a mental attack aimed directly at their minds. Arthur staggered, clutching his head as whispers of doubt and fear clawed inside. The others struggled, their vision blurring as phantom voices echoed their deepest insecurities.
Nyx's eyes snapped open, focusing his aura to form a psychic shield. "Block your mind!" he barked, channeling his S-rank skill to dampen the mental onslaught for the group.
Saryn gritted his teeth, fists glowing faintly. He launched forward, unleashing a barrage of swift martial strikes, aiming to break the Snake Lord's concentration. Each blow rattled the monster's scales, but it barely flinched.
The creature retaliated with a lash of its massive tail, sweeping Nyssara and Jullian off their feet. Nyssara rolled and summoned a force barrier just in time, absorbing the brutal strike with a thunderous crack.
Arthur, recovering from the psychic assault, gripped his sword tighter. Slowly, he began weaving void mana around his blade, preparing his legendary skill—Null Edge. The air thickened with oppressive energy as his sword began to pulse, a golden aura flickering at the edges.
Jullian ignited his spear in dark flame, extending its length with a flick of his wrist, and charged, striking at the monster's thick scales. The Snake Lord growled in frustration, sending out a burst of venomous spines like missiles.
Saryn's gauntlets blazed as he prepared his legendary kick. With a roar, he surged forward, connecting a devastating blow that sent the Snake Lord reeling back, cracking some of its hardened scales.
Nyssara gathered her strength, her sword glowing with raw force. She swung wide, unleashing a shockwave that shattered nearby stalagmites and knocked the Snake Lord off balance.
The monster snarled, venom dripping from fangs, and summoned a swarm of smaller vipers. They rushed the team, forcing them to scatter, cutting off their formations.
Arthur hissed, activating his S-rank skill, Mana Suppression. A golden mist spread around the Snake Lord, nullifying its mana-based attacks momentarily, allowing the team to regroup.
But the Snake Lord was far from beaten. Its eyes glowed brighter as it unleashed a terrifying roar, shattering the suppression and sending a shockwave of pure force at the group.
Arthur vanished in a blink, teleporting behind the creature with void mana swirling around him. With all his strength, he swung Null Edge. The blade cut through not just flesh and scale but the very essence of the Snake Lord's mana, leaving a smoking gash.
Nyssara, Saryn, Jullian, and Nyx seized the moment. Nyssara's sword slammed into the wounded side, Saryn's gauntlet delivered a crushing uppercut, Jullian's spear burned with dark flame as it pierced deep, and Nyx struck with swift, precise aura strikes.
The monster roared in agony, staggering, venom leaking heavily. With a final shudder, it collapsed, the cavern trembling as the great beast breathed its last.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Breathing hard, battered but victorious, the group stood together — a bond forged in battle and unyielding will.