Cherreads

Chapter 17 - Chapter 17

Alex and Eliria appeared directly in the central hall of the Morven Guild, where the coolness of the stone floor stood in sharp contrast to the tension pounding in their hearts. The first to notice them was a young woman—tall, with long chestnut hair tied in a low ponytail. There was seriousness in her eyes behind the glasses, and her restrained outfit—a white shirt, black knee-length skirt, and black tights—marked her clearly as a guild staff member.

"Alex," she said, quickly approaching. "I was just waiting for you."

"Teleport us to the dungeon," Alex demanded without wasting a second.

"Follow me," the girl nodded shortly.

They moved deeper into the building at a brisk pace. Along the way, she informed them:

"One of the Central Guild's operatives has already entered the dungeon. At the same time, we're gathering a reinforcement squad of twelve fighters. They should be dispatched in just a few minutes."

"How long ago did he go in?" Alex asked sharply.

"Seven... maybe eight minutes ago," she replied. "He's level seventy-four. If it's not an S-rank monster, he should be able to handle it."

"I hope you're right..." Alex answered grimly. "But I need to see for myself."

The girl nodded silently and opened the door to one of the rooms. Inside, a large magical circle glowed on the stone floor.

"This circle will take you directly to the target dungeon."

"Thank you," Alex replied curtly.

He and Eliria stepped into the center of the circle. The glow intensified sharply—and in the next moment, their silhouettes dissolved into the air.

 

 

Alex and Eliria appeared in a dungeon corridor. The dim light of the crystals scattered along the walls couldn't hide what immediately struck them both—the air here was heavy, as if filled with lead, and even an untrained eye could tell that something sinister waited deep within.

The aura was so thick it seemed you could slice skin with it.

"This... this can't be a C-rank monster," Eliria whispered, her pupils dilated in shock. "It's—"

"I know," Alex replied shortly. "You still have a chance to go back."

The girl looked him straight in the eyes, silent but resolute.

"I'm staying. With you."

Alex smiled faintly. In the next moment, he swiftly lifted her into his arms.

"Then hold on tight."

Eliria immediately blushed and wrapped her arms around his neck, her heart pounding wildly. Alex surged forward—so fast that the air around them almost rang. Eliria couldn't help but think she had never seen him so focused, so... fast.

 

 

Meanwhile, in the boss chamber, the monster continued pacing back and forth with measured steps, radiating a threatening aura. Emma, who had somewhat acclimated to the pressure over the last few minutes, slowly crawled toward Gabriel. Her hands trembled, but she managed to reach him and began healing. The effect, however, was nearly zero—her fingers shook too much from fear, and it was too hard to concentrate.

The monster stopped, glanced around, and, upon seeing her beside the man's body, stretched out a hand. A magical circle ignited—and three fireballs flew toward Emma.

But the flames shattered against an ice wall that suddenly rose in front of her.

The monster turned—and saw the figure of a man. Light hair, formal uniform stained with blood. His eyes burned with resolve, though his body barely held together.

"You again," the monster rasped with a hoarse satisfaction.

The next instant—he was already in front of the fighter. Claws slashed the air. A deep cut appeared on the shirt, and the man fell to one knee, choking on blood.

The monster's eyes turned to Alpha. Barely standing, she tried to raise her hand for an attack—but her body refused to obey. She could only watch as the monster approached... closer... and closer...

And just as his claws were ready to tear her life away—he suddenly stopped.

He felt it—another aura.

He turned sharply—and saw a young man already ten meters away. Alex clenched his bloodied fist and readied a strike. But the monster leapt to the side, and in the same instant, Alex's blow smashed into the stone floor, leaving behind a crater.

The dungeon shook. All eyes turned to the newcomer.

Alex straightened. His gaze was cold, yet full of resolve.

"I made it in time."

He slowly looked over to Alpha, who stood before him, shaking and exhausted. Her legs gave out—she collapsed to her knees, but before she hit the ground, Alex caught her in his arms. His hand glowed with the soft light of healing magic, and within seconds, energy began washing the wounds from her body.

"It's all right now," he said quietly, looking gently into her eyes.

At that moment, Eliria burst into the room. She stopped abruptly at the sight—wounded everywhere, blood, magical pressure... But she composed herself, and immediately conjured a magical field around herself—beneath each wounded person, circles of green healing light began to glow.

Her gaze fell on Gabriel's body—still motionless. Eliria rushed to him, dropped to her knees, and with a tense expression, began healing the shattered chest cavity.

As she worked, the cave was shaken by a sinister, cold laugh.

"Oh, you finally came, Alex. How long I've—"

"Shut up," Alex's voice cut through the air like a blade.

His magical aura ignited—dense, deep, laced with darkness and power. It surged through the room in a wave, momentarily pushing back the monster's own aura. The air cracked from the shift in power.

"It's not your turn yet," Alex continued calmly, but cold as ice.

Just as suddenly, the aura faded. The monster froze, narrowing his eyes in surprise, glancing at the man from the Central Guild. The man gave a slight nod. The monster didn't move.

Holding Alpha, Alex stepped closer to the wounded. Now everyone—Eliria, Emma, Gabriel, the maids—was gathered in a tight circle.

"How is he?" Alex asked, standing beside Eliria.

"Strong blow to the chest. Several bones broken... but we made it in time. He'll be all right soon," Eliria replied, concentrating as she directed energy into the man's body.

Alex nodded, exhaled with relief, and looked at Emma. The woman, weeping, clutched the ground with trembling hands. Her eyes darted between her husband's body and her son's face.

"Mom... are you okay?" Alex asked softly, kneeling beside her.

She opened her mouth but couldn't say a word—only trembling lips and more tears.

Alex gently embraced her, pulling her close.

"It's going to be all right now. I promise. Eliria will take care of all of you, and I'll lead us out of this cave."

He was just about to rise when suddenly his mother grabbed his hand. Her eyes, full of terror and tears, looked into his.

"Don't go..." she whispered. "He'll kill you."

Alex smiled gently but firmly. He softly moved her hand from his and stood up, whispering:

"I'll be fine. Just trust me."

Casting one last glance at his mother and the maids—whose wounds had already disappeared, though their eyes were still wet with tears—Alex turned around and, without a moment's hesitation, walked toward the monster.

Silence fell over the cave—everyone held their breath.

At first, Alex slowly approached the man in the suit, who was standing off to the side, leaning against the cave wall. The wounds on his body had already healed thanks to Eliria's magic, but his gaze remained tired, though attentive.

Seeing Alex approach, the man gave a slight bow.

"My name is Heinrich Vex. I work for the Central Guild."

"Alex," he replied briefly, also giving a slight nod. "Thank you for coming to help my family."

Heinrich gave a bitter smile, running a hand across his bloodstained shirt.

"If only I could've truly helped… But even with all my strength, I couldn't do a thing. My movements were too… slow for him."

Heinrich's gaze turned cold for a moment.

"That monster," he added, "he's definitely S-rank. Only they have that kind of dense, dark aura."

Alex cast a quick glance at the monster, still standing motionless dozens of meters away, as if waiting. Then he turned back to Heinrich.

"I have a favor to ask."

"Your friend just saved my life," Heinrich replied, nodding toward Eliria. "So ask whatever you want… assuming we make it out of here alive."

Alex looked him straight in the eye. His voice grew serious.

"When I'm done with him—you'll tell everyone that you killed him."

Heinrich froze for a moment, tilting his head in surprise.

"Excuse me? Did I hear that right?"

"You did," Alex confirmed calmly. "No one can know about me."

Heinrich raised an eyebrow, then gave a short, quiet laugh.

"For saving this many people… they won't just promote me—they'll throw in a bonus. Deal."

Alex nodded and, leaving Heinrich behind, continued walking forward with confidence.

Once he was far enough away, Heinrich pressed two fingers to his ear.

"Master, the boy is in position."

A deep, calm male voice sounded in his ear.

"Finally. I'd like to see what's going on over there."

Heinrich closed his eyes for a moment, focusing mana into his left eye. When he opened it, his pupil glowed softly—the internal visual link was activated.

"I see," the voice said. "Your task is to keep your eyes on the boy."

"Understood," Heinrich whispered, never taking his gaze off Alex, who walked slowly ahead.

"Well then," said the voice, filled with curiosity and a hint of long-held knowledge, "let's see just how much your power has grown since our last meeting..."

Alex stepped right up to the monster. The creature looked at him with the same sinister smile that hadn't left its face.

"Finally," the monster said, clenching its fist. "Finally, someone has come who might be able to entertain me."

Without wasting a second, he swung his fist with full force straight at Alex's face. The air tore, and the strike was so powerful that a crater formed under Alex's feet, while a cloud of dust rose throughout the boss's chamber. Everyone who remained behind froze—like the world itself held its breath, waiting to see the result.

The monster's grin widened.

"Weakling," he muttered and tried to pull his arm back. But… nothing happened.

He yanked again. And again. But the fist didn't move. His arm was locked in place.

Only when the dust began to settle did everyone see what had happened.

Alex stood completely still, firmly gripping the monster's fist just a millimeter from his face. Both his own hand and the monster's were wrapped in a dense layer of blood—magic that restrained the creature, not allowing it to break free.

Alex looked up. His lips slowly curved into a calm, confident smile.

"My turn."

His free hand shot forward and struck the monster square in the chest with a dull thud. Another wave of dust exploded into the air as the monster's body flew backward, crashing through a portion of the cave wall. The sharp crack of flesh and bone being crushed drowned out even the sound of the impact.

In Alex's other hand remained something… heavy.

It was the monster's severed limb.

At the moment of impact, Alex had yanked the captured arm toward himself. As the monster's body flew back while the arm stayed anchored in place, the flesh tore apart.

Alex glanced at the severed limb, from which dark, inky blood dripped. His face remained expressionless. He curled his lips slightly in disgust, then carelessly tossed the arm aside. It hit the stone floor with a dull thud.

The monster, now rising from the rubble, roared furiously. His glowing red eyes burned even brighter. In the next instant, he burst forward, becoming a blurred shadow. His speed was incredible, almost imperceptible to the naked eye. Flames swirled around his one remaining arm, and his fist, like a meteor, flew down from above, aiming straight for Alex's head.

"This is it. He won't even realize what hit him..."

That thought flashed through the monster's mind the moment his flaming fist nearly touched the boy's hair.

But—twist.

Alex, with lightning-fast reflexes, shifted his body to the side, dodging the deadly strike by a fraction of a second. The monster's fiery punch missed, and his eyes widened for a brief moment in shock.

The boy was already clenching his fist, concentrating dark mana into it. His eyes flashed. The punch—short, precise, focused—landed squarely in the monster's face.

An explosion. A shockwave from the sheer force of the blow rippled through the cave, raising an even greater cloud of dust than before. The monster was torn from space, hurled to the left like a projectile. He slammed into the wall with such force that a crack stretched all the way up to the ceiling.

Everything froze for a few seconds. All sound ceased, and only the slowly settling dust bore witness to what had just taken place.

"This… is incredible," came the voice in Heinrich's ear. "His power… it's astonishing. And it's nothing like what he showed in the fight with Elian…"

The voice was even, but filled with clear awe. Heinrich said nothing, silently observing, never taking his eyes off Alex as instructed.

A little to the side, still trembling from the recent ordeal, Alpha watched what was happening and whispered barely audibly:

"How is this even possible?.."

Beside her, Eliria still held her hands above Gabriel's body, sending streams of healing mana into him. But her eyes—full of astonishment—were fixed on Alex, standing in the swirling dust like someone from another world.

"I've never seen such power in him before…" she said quietly. "And… his magical aura… it's different. Deeper. Stronger."

Suddenly, Gabriel's body twitched, and he coughed loudly. All eyes immediately turned to him. Emma, who sat closest, gasped and threw herself onto his chest, hugging him as if afraid to lose him again.

"Easy, love…" Gabriel croaked, wrapping his arms around his wife. "It's all right… it's all right…"

His gaze slowly moved over everyone present, finally settling on the figure standing dozens of meters ahead.

"Is that… or am I just seeing things…" he trailed off, nodding toward the figure in the dust.

"You're not seeing things," Delta replied, never taking her eyes off the same spot. "That really is Alex."

Gradually, the dark, oppressive aura of the monster began to dissipate. The pressure that had bound every muscle suddenly weakened, and the air once again became breathable. The fear that gripped the hearts of everyone present slowly began to recede.

Alex still stood motionless. His gaze was fixed on the spot where he had sent the monster. Though he could not see it—since the dust around the crack had not yet settled—he could feel its aura and knew the monster was preparing a new attack.

When the dust finally cleared, a familiar figure appeared before Alex's eyes. The monster stood upright, as if nothing had happened. Its severed arm was back in place, the plates on its chest restored—no cracks, not a scratch. On its face—still that same predatory grin.

"Nice hits," it said with admiration. "Not enough to cause me serious harm… but still… You're the second person who's managed to injure me. Take it as a compliment."

Its eyes narrowed, and the grin widened.

"And even my aura couldn't paralyze you. Impressive. But…" the monster tilted its head to the side, resting its chin on its hand. "You're too serious. And it seems… you're holding back."

It glanced over Alex's shoulder at Gabriel, Emma, the maids, and Eliria.

"Oh, I think I know why…"

It snapped its fingers.

Alex instantly appeared in front of his companions in a defensive stance. His eyes didn't leave the monster.

Then—from all the tunnels—other creatures began to emerge. Different, grotesque, with powerful auras that weighed heavily on the mind. Twenty in total. Twenty monsters, each of them feeling like an A-rank boss on their own.

"Meet the guests," the monster said ominously, stepping forward. "They'll take care of everyone… while you and I… have a bit of fun."

Alex's eyes narrowed. His body tensed. One thought flashed through his mind:

"There's no choice. I'll have to use the darkness."

The monsters surged forward.

"ALEX!" Eliria screamed, panic cutting through her voice.

Alex turned only for a moment—a brief, confident glance over his shoulder, and a warm smile.

"You have nothing to worry about."

He turned back to face the approaching horde of monsters. In his hands, dark magic circles flared to life, and from them erupted pure darkness.

A pillar of black flame surged forward, consuming everything in its path. The monsters didn't even have time to scream—their bodies turned to ash, as if they had never existed.

But Alex didn't stop.

He directed the darkness further—toward the main monster.

It managed to raise a barrier of flame in front of itself, which hissed as it clashed with the dark magic. The two elements collided, and the cave trembled. Debris began to fall from the ceiling.

Alex ended the attack—he had another task.

Bloody tendrils burst from his hands, shattering the largest pieces of falling debris mid-air. At the same time, he conjured a dense dark barrier above the entire group, shielding them from the rain of smaller stones.

"This… is incredible," a familiar voice whispered in Heinrich's ear. "He's using darkness… And not just using—it's under his control. I wasn't wrong to wait these eight months. He's surpassed all my expectations. Standing against an S-rank monster… and even pushing it back." The voice was calm, but a faint tremor of awe ran through it.

"This is… dark magic…" Gabriel whispered, his eyes fixed on the silhouette of his son standing before the barrier.

The falling debris ceased. Alex stepped out from under the protective dome, leaving it behind for the others. His expression was serious.

"This cave won't hold much longer. Even holding back my power, I can see everything cracking. I can't move my family to the entrance, and I can't kill the boss to open the exit… A monster like this must not be allowed to escape the cave. There's only one option—end this. Quickly."

In a flash, Alex charged forward. The monster still held its flame barrier, but Alex maneuvered around to the right. It noticed him and conjured another barrier on its right side. However, a fist brimming with dark mana broke through the defense and slammed into the monster's ribs. It bent sideways but remained standing.

The counterattack came immediately—the monster swung and landed a solid hit. Its fist crashed through the air and struck Alex square in the face.

Dust flew up. The monster felt a rush of satisfaction—"Finally hit him!"—but it lasted only a second. Its eyes caught the outline of a figure emerging through the dust.

Alex was still standing. Unharmed. He merely spat out some blood.

"Nice hit," he said coldly, and in the next instant, his fist struck the monster's torso once more.

It tried to block—raising both forearms—but it was no use. The plates cracked, and the monster was thrown backward.

It looked up—Alex was winding up again.

"Block again!" the monster thought.

It raised its forearms again, but this time—crack.

Two powerful strikes. One forearm—shattered. The other—too. Pieces from elbows to palms were flung aside, hitting the ground. Blood splattered on stone, and Alex was already preparing his next blow.

The monster leapt back, retreating to the other side of the cave. Within seconds, its limbs fully regenerated.

"He's overpowering me… His strength… his speed…" raced through the monster's mind. "Could he be stronger than me? Could he… defeat me? What is this… strange feeling? Fear?"

But in the next moment, a familiar grin returned to its lips.

"No. That can't be. I'm not afraid. I just let him warm up, as the Fool instructed. But… the games are over now."

The cave fell into heavy silence again, which abruptly ended as the monster's magical aura ignited with renewed force. It expanded throughout the chamber, pressing against the stone, the air, and even the faint light from the crystals. Its body trembled, and the transformation began.

With a crunch and dull clang, black plates spread across every inch of the monster's body. Where there had once been exposed areas—now there were none. Its skin was entirely concealed under a layer of smooth black armor, hugging its muscular frame like a second skin.

Its fingers elongated and fused, forming long, pointed blades that gleamed in the dim light like swords. Its figure grew taller—more threatening. And when the transformation was complete, a loud, beastly roar erupted from its throat, shaking the walls of the cave once more. This was no creature's cry—it was a challenge.

The dark aura radiating from the monster grew thicker, heavier—almost tangible. But this time, it couldn't reach the hearts of those behind Alex—a protective barrier of darkness stood firm. They could see the horror—but they did not feel it. They looked upon terror—and did not tremble.

Alex, watching the transformation, did not look away for even a second. And when it was over, he silently stretched his arms to the sides. In his right hand formed his usual blood-red sword—thick and pulsing. But in his left—something entirely new.

Darkness gathered in the center of his palm, forming a hilt, then a blade—black, dull, as if it absorbed the very light around it.

Alex was no longer holding back. A real battle lay ahead.

The monster lunged first. Its movements grew even faster—blurred silhouettes of blades flickered in the air, slicing through space. Alex barely managed to cross his swords—his blood blade in the right hand and the dark one in the left—when the enemy's sharp weapon screeched against his, forcing him to slide backward across the stone floor.

The monster didn't stop. Another strike—this time from above, as if it meant to cleave Alex in two. He bent his knees, slid under the attack, and spun, delivering a horizontal strike with the dark blade at the monster's legs. The sword slid across its armor with a dull sound, leaving a dark mark, but the creature didn't fall. Instead, it kicked Alex hard in the side.

He was hurled against the wall—his back thudded against the stone, and a sharp breath escaped his lips. But he rose instantly, running his hand over his side, healing the cracked rib with magic.

They clashed again.

The blood sword met the monster's blade with a furious clang. Sparks burst in all directions. Alex spun around the enemy, launching a series of rapid attacks—from above, the left, below. The monster deflected most of them with its bladed fingers, but the dark sword still pierced its side.

Thick, black fluid seeped from the wound, but within moments the flesh began to mend—the monster was regenerating again.

Suddenly, the creature stomped the ground—sending a wave of debris flying. Alex shielded himself with a blood barrier, but dust filled the air, clouding his vision. The monster seized the opportunity and slashed at Alex's neck from the left.

Alex barely managed to block with the blood sword. The strike was so powerful it nearly tore the weapon from his hands, but he held firm. Now it was his turn—an upward slash with the dark blade sliced through the monster's chest plate, forcing it back a few steps.

While the creature healed the crack, Alex placed a hand on the deep gash on his shoulder and sealed it with magic.

And again—they collided, their figures blurring into a single shape. The monster hurled itself into the fight, twisting and attacking from unexpected angles. Alex countered with agility, intuition, and flawless swordsmanship.

One of the monster's blows broke through the defense, leaving a deep wound on Alex's thigh. He healed it quickly, never stopping his attack. In response, he slashed the air with the dark sword, driving it deep into the creature's shoulder.

The monster suddenly leaped back, skidding across the stone floor, stopping only at the cavern wall. Its eyes flicked to its shoulder, where thick black liquid flowed. Alex's dark sword had pierced the armor again. A flicker of disbelief crossed the creature's mind:

"How is he still keeping up with me? Sometimes he even outpaces me… How is that even possible?!"

The monster didn't wait any longer. A sharp, guttural breath—and its entire body filled with dark, explosive mana. Alex answered in kind—his eyes lit with a purple glow, both swords at the ready.

They vanished.

A thunderous noise erupted, as though the air itself had been torn apart. All who watched widened their eyes—there was no sign of Alex or the monster. Only narrow lines of pulsing aura slashed through the cave in all directions, tearing space and occasionally clashing.

"What... what is that speed?" Eliria whispered, eyes fixed on the fleeting streaks of darkness and flame crossing the cave. "I can't... I can't follow their movements at all..."

"Incredible..." came Heinrich's voice nearby. He pressed a hand to his ear, eyes never leaving the battle. "My Lord... are you seeing this?"

In the earpiece, a voice answered—awed and deeply sincere:

"Yes. I see it. And I can't believe my eyes... Come on, Alex. Finish him!"

The storm resumed in the cave. Alex and the monster darted from wall to floor, ceiling to tunnels. Their swords and blades sang a song of steel where every note could kill. Each clash sent shockwaves that shattered stone around them.

The cavern began to collapse. A crack split through the wall, and with a crash, a massive chunk fell. As it plummeted, Alex slipped between it, deflecting the monster's strike with the dark blade and countering with the blood sword to the chest. The creature turned, blocked with its bladed hands, and they vanished again in a burst.

Another collapse. Tons of rock crashed down—but a moment later, they reappeared among the debris, blades colliding in a blast of sparks. Fragments of stone flew in every direction.

They stopped only when they clashed in the center of the cavern.

One strike. Then another. A third.

The ground cracked beneath them. A massive crater formed, its fissures spreading in all directions. Dust rose like a wall, even dimming the glow of the blue crystals buried in its thickness.

Among the crater's cracks, they continued to fight—strikes flew from both sides so quickly that their echoes rang through the cave. The monster's sharp blades sliced the air, while Alex's swords struck with merciless precision. Attack, block, counter—each movement was perfection.

And again—a dash.

They broke distance, reappearing in another part of the cave. Strike. Another. Then another. The ground couldn't take it, and from the next clash, a second crater formed—deeper, wider. A cloud of dust covered the battlefield.

At its center—a new flurry of strikes. This time, Alex landed solid hits—the dark blade cut into one shoulder, the blood sword into the other. A burst of dark energy—and both of the monster's arms were severed, crashing onto the stone with a thud.

The creature shrieked, leapt back—and suddenly shot into the air. Blood splashed downward, but the wounds were already closing. Moments later, it hovered above, and its arms regrew—stronger than before.

"Die!" it roared, thrusting both palms downward.

Flames burst from its hands—a continuous stream of fire struck the ground, chasing after Alex. He leapt aside, dodging. But the fire didn't stop—the monster, still airborne, relentlessly pursued him with flame.

Realizing he had to end the attack, Alex conjured several dark orbs, woven from pure shadow, and hurled them skyward. The monster spotted them and redirected the flames to destroy the threat.

But when the fire clashed with the darkness—nothing happened. The orbs didn't dissolve, didn't weaken. They simply advanced.

The monster's eyes widened. It immediately halted the attack and dived downward. Flames engulfed its arm-blades, and just as the orbs closed in, it slashed them apart with cutting strikes. A blast of darkness collided with fire, raising a new cloud of dust around it.

Alex charged forward again, not wasting a second. Through the dust—a strike. The twin blades slashed the monster's left side. A counterattack. Alex parried it and drove his blade into its thigh. Another blood arc—to the chest. And another—to the ribs.

The monster snarled. Panic shone in its eyes.

"What is happening to him?! Why... why am I losing?!" it screamed inwardly.

It cast a quick glance to the side, where the boss lay. The spider, still motionless, was encased in ice created by Heinrich.

The monster gritted its teeth, heart racing.

"No... I can't die here. Not now!"

It looked briefly at Alex, just as he raised his blade for another strike.

"I have to... I have to escape him!"

Summoning a dense wall of fire in front of itself, the monster dashed toward the boss. It slipped through the dust, barely evading Alex's blade, and sped toward the icy barrier.

Alex noticed where the monster was rushing and, without wasting a second, conjured a new protective shield in front of it — a dense, impenetrable barrier made of pure darkness.

The monster screamed and crashed into it with all its blades. And then again. And again. And again, unleashing a flurry of relentless attacks. Yet the barrier held. Alex strained every muscle, every fiber of his body to keep it intact. He couldn't let the monster reach the boss.

With every passing second, the onslaught weakened. The monster, furious and exhausted, turned around. Its eyes — wild. It began frantically searching for a way to escape.

"I need to hide... escape... get away..." flashed madly through its thoughts.

And then it saw — an opening in the ceiling, formed during their battle. It was almost directly above Alex.

The monster roared and lunged at Alex. The boy reacted instantly, raising both swords for a strike. But the monster, just inches from him, suddenly veered off course and vanished into the dark tunnel above. Alex's blades sliced through nothing but air.

"You won't escape," Alex muttered and, without hesitation, gave chase.

He bounced off the walls like a shadow at incredible speed. Within seconds, he was above the monster. And then — both swords came flying down. The monster managed to deflect them, but Alex was already within striking distance. A flurry of lightning-fast blows to its body — fists empowered by darkness and sheer rage. The final punch hit with such force that the monster was launched back to the ground like a cannonball.

A dull thud. The earth cracked, the cave trembled. A massive crater formed from the impact. Around it rose the largest cloud of dust in the entire battle.

Alex hovered in the air above the crater, arms outstretched. Two magical circles appeared, releasing dark flames. Flames that didn't burn — they consumed. With a roar, they descended upon the monster.

It had just regained consciousness — and immediately saw what was coming. With its last strength, it stretched out its arms, creating a fiery barrier. Its defense clashed with the darkness — and began to crack. Then — in a single moment, the barrier shattered, and Alex's flames engulfed the monster.

It screamed. Its body writhed in the dark. Its regeneration could no longer keep up. Its flesh could no longer resist.

"Could I have... lost...?" echoed one final thought.

The monster's last scream rang out, and a moment later, its aura disappeared.

Alex felt it, and immediately ceased the attack. His feet touched the ground. He was breathing heavily, his mana nearly depleted. In front of him — only a black smear remained where the so-called S-rank monster had been.

The cave trembled once more.

"No, not now..." Alex whispered.

Again, debris began to fall from the ceiling. Some pieces were heading straight for the barrier of darkness that protected his family and Eliria. Without a second's delay, Alex summoned several dozen spears of darkness and launched them directly at the debris.

He immediately turned his gaze to the boss. With a single motion, a dark spear shattered the icy barrier and pierced the spider's body straight through. The spider stopped moving.

A portal opened in the center of the cave.

Alex rushed to his family. He dispelled the protective shield, helped his father to his feet, then threw his arm over his shoulder. All the girls were already on their feet, and within moments Heinrich joined them.

Alex looked over each of them, and then, in silence, they walked through the portal — returning to the guild building.

 

 

They reappeared in the same small guild room where their raid had begun. Gabriel removed his arm from his son's shoulder.

"Thank you, Alex. I can take it from here," he said softly.

Alex only nodded in silence.

They stepped into the corridor and then into the main hall. There, in the spacious chamber, about two dozen people had already gathered. Some were actively talking, others were just waiting. Among them bustled a familiar girl with long brown hair and glasses — the same one who had met Alex and Eliria earlier.

Upon seeing them, she immediately ran up, quickly examining each of them.

"You're back! How are you? How did you get out of the dungeon? What happened to the monster?!"

Alex opened his mouth to respond, but Heinrich beat him to it. He stepped forward and spoke confidently:

"All questions — to me. What matters most is that we're alive. The monster is dealt with. I personally killed it."

Gabriel took a breath and was about to say something, but caught a brief, meaningful glance from Alex. He held his tongue.

"I'm just glad all of you made it back," the girl replied, then turned to Alex. "Do you need anything?"

"Just a hot shower... and a few hours of sleep," Alex answered with relief.

She nodded and returned to the others with Heinrich. They didn't hide their astonishment — especially when all eyes landed on Alex at once.

The boy conjured a magical circle beneath his family's feet, and in an instant, they vanished from the hall.

 

 

They appeared right in front of the estate.

Alex smiled, lifting his gaze to the sky.

"It feels so good to finally get out of that cave... and see the sun again."

"That's exactly how it is," Emma said gently, then looked at Eliria. "Come with us. You need some rest."

"N-no... you all need peace and quiet, I don't want to be a burden," the girl protested, blushing.

"Don't say that," Gabriel interjected. "You saved our lives. We're grateful to you." And with those words, he bowed.

Emma bowed next, followed by all the maids.

"It... it was my duty... as a healer..." Eliria murmured, blushing even more. "Please, rise."

They straightened up. Emma gently took Eliria's arm and led her toward the mansion.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you. Alex talks about you all the time."

"A-about me?.. Really?.." Eliria asked shyly.

Emma only smiled mysteriously in response.

Everyone moved forward. Alex lingered behind, watching them. His face glowed with a warm, happy smile.

But the moment he took a step — a wave of dizziness hit him. He clutched his head, barely able to stand.

"What... is happening to me?" he rasped.

"My Lord!" Sirena's voice rang in his mind. "You used far too much mana… Your body is exhausted. You must rest immediately!"

Alex tried to lift his gaze to the sky... but the image before his eyes blurred.

"...Alex?" Gabriel called from behind. "I could really go for something tasty right now, huh, son?"

There was no reply.

Gabriel turned around... just in time to see Alex collapse to the ground.

"Alex!" cried Eliria, Emma, and Alpha at once, as the entire family rushed to his side.

 

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