The battlefield shifted once more.
Not from power—
But from presence.
Auram stood between Rio and the ring of rifles aimed at her, his twin blades angled low, his stance calm… almost quiet.
Too quiet for someone who had just stepped into death's path without hesitation.
Magumo's eyes narrowed.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Around him, Elias, Kiraya, and Fayzan stared in disbelief.
"…She has a summon too?" Fayzan let out a breathless laugh, dragging himself upright despite the pain still clinging to his body. "You're telling me she still had something like that hidden?"
Kiraya wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, her eyes fixed on Auram.
"…After everything she just did… she still didn't use him…"
Elias said nothing.
But his gaze sharpened.
Watching.
Measuring.
Trying to understand.
Why didn't she call him during the fight with Allure?
What kind of restraint… does that take?
Magumo, meanwhile—
Began to laugh.
A slow, mocking sound that echoed across the shattered chamber.
"…Don't tell me that's supposed to scare me."
He pointed lazily toward Auram.
"Look at him."
A grin spread across his face.
"…Level 1."
Silence—
Then laughter erupted from his men.
"Seriously?!"
"That's her trump card?"
"Looks cool but probably useless!"
"Summon or not—we'll drop him the same!"
Taunts filled the air.
Mockery.
Overconfidence.
The kind that comes right before something breaks.
Auram didn't react.
Not to the laughter.
Not to the insults.
Not even to the guns still pointed at him.
Instead—
He stepped forward.
One step.
Calm.
Measured.
And spoke.
Low.
Clear.
Unshaken.
"Primal power hidden from the depths of the ancient world…"
The air stilled.
"…Lay judgment upon the souls I deem my enemy."
The laughter faltered.
Just slightly.
"…Unloose the wrath that the eons have long stilled…"
Energy—
Gathered.
Not around him—
But above.
"…their foolish fate has been sealed."
A glow appeared high overhead.
Ancient.
Heavy.
Unfathomable.
"[Sword Skill: World Legacy Awaken]."
For a single heartbeat—
Everything stopped.
Then—
It fell.
A massive surge of energy crashed down from above like a descending star.
Light.
Pressure.
Power.
All condensed into a single point—
And then—
Detonated.
The explosion swallowed the battlefield.
Sound vanished.
Then returned in a deafening roar.
The ground shattered.
The air tore apart.
And every single one of Magumo's men surrounding Rio—
Was erased.
Not knocked back.
Not injured.
Gone.
Instantly.
Cleanly.
Completely.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Unbelievable.
Magumo stood frozen.
"…What…"
His voice cracked.
"…the hell was that?"
Around him—
Nothing.
No allies.
No formation.
No advantage.
Just ash and broken stone.
Fayzan let out a low whistle despite everything.
"…Okay."
A grin pulled at his lips.
"…that's just unfair."
Kiraya exhaled, shaking her head in disbelief.
"…Level 1… my ass…"
Even Elias—who rarely showed anything—allowed the smallest shift in expression.
"…That wasn't normal."
And in that moment—
Magumo hesitated.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
CRACK.
The earth cage shattered.
"—Finally!"
Ryota burst free, dust and debris falling from his shoulders as he lunged forward without hesitation.
His fist slammed straight into Magumo's face.
"—GHH!"
Magumo staggered back, teeth gritting as blood spilled from his lip.
"You—!"
He tried to recover—
Tried to retaliate—
But something else stopped him.
A presence.
Cold.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
Rio.
She stood.
Barely.
But standing.
Crimson Bloodmoon in hand.
Her injured leg trembled.
Blood still stained her clothes.
But her eyes—
Were locked onto him.
And they were cold.
Colder than anything in that room.
"…You're not touching me again."
Magumo felt it.
That gaze.
That intent.
For the first time—
A flicker of doubt crossed his face.
He swung anyway.
Desperation disguised as confidence.
But—
CLANG.
Rio blocked it.
Clean.
Precise.
Effortless.
Even in her condition.
Her blade didn't waver.
Not even slightly.
"…Tch—!"
Gunfire erupted again from the remaining stragglers at the edges.
Bullets tore through the air toward Rio—
—but never reached her.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
Auram moved.
Each strike of his blades cut down the incoming shots with surgical precision.
Not a single bullet passed him.
Not one.
Then—
He looked up.
At Magumo.
No anger.
No hatred.
Just—
Judgment.
And he stepped forward.
Ready to end it.
But before he could—
Seven figures appeared behind Magumo.
His strongest followers.
Breathing hard.
Shaken.
"…Boss—!"
"We need to go!"
"We already got enough—!"
"About 50 copper worth—!"
"This isn't worth it anymore!"
Magumo's jaw tightened.
His eyes darted between them—
Between Auram—
Between Rio—
Between Ryota.
The situation had flipped.
Completely.
"…Tch."
He clicked his tongue.
"…Fine."
A step back.
Then another.
"…This isn't over."
Ryota took a step forward.
"Running already?!"
Auram shifted his stance—
Prepared to pursue—
To finish it—
—
"Don't."
Rio's voice cut through the air.
Calm.
Firm.
Unquestionable.
Both of them stopped instantly.
No hesitation.
No argument.
They turned to her.
"…Let them go."
Silence fell.
Everyone else stared.
Confused.
Shocked.
Fayzan blinked.
"…Wait—what?"
Kiraya frowned.
"…You're serious?"
Even Elias narrowed his eyes slightly.
But Ryota—
Said nothing.
Auram—
Did not question it.
They stepped back.
And simply watched.
Magumo hesitated.
Just for a second—
Clearly not expecting that.
Then he smirked.
"…Heh."
"Smart."
He turned.
"…Fall back."
And just like that—
They ran.
Disappearing into the broken remains of the dungeon.
Gone.
Silence returned.
Heavier this time.
More uncertain.
Fayzan scratched his head.
"…You really just let them walk?"
Kiraya crossed her arms.
"…That guy just tried to kill all of us."
Elias said nothing.
But his gaze remained fixed on Rio.
Waiting.
Rio didn't answer immediately.
Her eyes—
Shifted.
Not toward the exit.
Not toward the battlefield.
But—
Upward.
Somewhere unseen.
"…She's here."
She whispered.
Low.
Barely audible.
But enough.
A familiar feeling.
The same one.
From before.
From the forest.
From the moments before everything changed.
Auram stood silently.
The battlefield had quieted.
Not with peace—
But with exhaustion.
Smoke still lingered in the air, drifting lazily across shattered stone and fractured earth. The remains of the dungeon told a story of violence that words could never fully capture.
At the center of it—
Rio stood.
Barely.
Her grip on the Crimson Bloodmoon had loosened, her breathing uneven, her body still trembling from the aftermath of everything she had endured.
Then movement.
From the edge of the ruins, three figures leapt across broken terrain, closing the distance in seconds.
Kiraya.
Fayzan.
And Elias—
who was carrying Hinabi in his arms.
They landed near the large rock where Rio and Ryota had regrouped, the impact sending small fragments of stone skittering outward.
"Careful," Kiraya muttered, immediately dropping to one knee beside Hinabi.
Elias lowered her gently.
Hinabi's condition was critical.
Blood stained her armor, her breathing shallow but steady—barely held together by sheer will.
Kiraya wasted no time.
Her hands moved quickly, efficiently, tearing fabric, applying pressure, stabilizing wounds with what little resources remained.
"…Stay with me," she muttered under her breath.
Hinabi gave a weak, irritated scoff.
"…That traitorous rat…"
Her voice trembled—not from fear.
From rage.
"…Once I recover… I'll find him…"
A pause.
Her fingers clenched weakly.
"…How dare he betray Burning Pride…"
Fayzan exhaled slowly, leaning back against the rock.
"…Yeah… that was something else…"
His tone was lighter—
But his eyes weren't.
They shifted.
Toward Rio.
Toward Auram.
Auram stood slightly ahead of Rio, his stance firm, blades lowered—but ready.
Watching.
Always watching.
Every movement.
Every shift.
If any one of them made the wrong move—
He would act.
Without hesitation.
Kiraya noticed it too.
Her gaze lingered on him briefly…
Then returned to Rio.
She moved closer.
"…Hold still."
Without waiting for permission, Kiraya knelt beside Rio's injured leg.
Carefully—
She reached for the wound.
The bullet still lodged inside.
"…This is going to hurt."
Rio didn't respond.
She didn't need to.
Kiraya worked quickly.
Precise.
Efficient.
And then—
She pulled it out.
Blood followed.
A sharp inhale escaped Rio—but she didn't cry out.
Didn't flinch.
Kiraya glanced up slightly.
"…You're ridiculous, you know that?"
Rio gave a faint breath.
"…I've heard worse."
Kiraya smirked faintly—
Then her expression shifted.
Serious.
"…So tell me something."
A pause.
"…Why did you let them go?"
The question lingered in the air.
Fayzan looked over.
Elias as well.
Even Hinabi despite her condition turned her head slightly.
Auram didn't move.
But his attention sharpened.
Rio answered without hesitation.
"…Because by letting them go…"
Her gaze lifted.
Cold.
Certain.
"…I gave them the worst possible outcome."
Silence.
No one spoke.
"…Facing her…"
A faint pause.
"…is far worse than fighting me."
Confusion spread across their faces.
Kiraya frowned slightly.
Fayzan tilted his head.
"…Her?"
But Rio said nothing more.
And something about her tone—
Made them stop asking.
Because whatever she meant—
She believed it.
Completely.
Elias exhaled slowly.
"…Then we move."
No one argued.
They stood.
Gathered what strength they had left.
And made their way toward the loot chamber.
The room was still intact.
Barely.
Chests lined the walls—some shattered, others untouched.
The remnants of reward.
Proof of survival.
Elias took command again.
"Split everything evenly between the guilds."
His voice was firm.
Steady.
"…And no fighting over scraps."
The remaining members of both Eternity Lions and Burning Pride moved accordingly.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Out of the 129 who entered—
Only 13 remained.
And yet—
They worked.
Because that's what survivors did.
They moved forward.
Rio and Ryota stood off to the side.
Watching.
Not participating.
Elias noticed.
"…You're not taking anything?"
Rio shook her head.
"…I don't need potions."
A small pause.
"…Or materials."
Ryota shrugged.
"…We're good."
Elias frowned slightly.
"…At least take something."
"…You earned it."
Rio didn't respond.
Because she meant it.
She didn't need it.
Not anymore.
Fayzan clicked his tongue.
"…You're both weird."
Then—
He reached into his inventory.
Pulled something out.
And tossed it toward Rio.
"Then take this."
Rio caught it instinctively.
Her eyes lowered.
And widened—
Just slightly.
"…This…"
Even she didn't expect it.
Fayzan scratched the back of his head.
"…Useless to us."
A grin.
"…But I've got a feeling it's not for you."
Rio stared at the item in her hand.
Quiet.
Thoughtful.
Interested.
Very interested.
Far away—
Miles from the ruined dungeon—
The forest stood still beneath the night sky.
Moonlight filtered through the trees.
Casting long shadows across the earth.
And through that darkness—
Ran Magumo.
With his men.
Laughter filled the air.
Relief.
Victory.
Greed.
"…We actually pulled it off!"
"50 copper easy!"
"With this we can start our own guild!"
Magumo smirked.
"…Not just a guild."
His voice lowered.
"…We'll rule Floor One."
Behind him—
Six of his best trackers and sensors scanned their surroundings constantly.
Alert.
Precise.
If anyone followed—
They would know.
That was their strength.
Their advantage.
Their safety.
Or so they thought.
They slowed.
A clearing ahead.
And in it—
A figure.
A girl.
Standing under the moonlight.
Crimson hair.
Sharp violet eyes.
A dagger in her hand.
Covered in blood.
She polished it slowly.
Casually.
As if nothing else mattered.
And she was—
Whistling.
"…Took you long enough."
Her voice was light.
Almost playful.
"…I was getting bored."
Magumo frowned.
"…Who the hell are you?"
His eyes shifted to the dagger.
Then—
He smiled.
Greedy.
"…Hand over that weapon."
A step forward.
"…And anything valuable you've got."
His men surrounded her instantly.
Weapons ready.
Guns raised.
Numbers overwhelming.
But the girl—
Didn't react.
Didn't move.
Didn't care.
She looked at him.
And laughed.
Softly.
"…You guys sure talk a lot…"
A pause.
"…for dead people."
Laughter erupted from the group.
"Seriously?"
"She's insane."
"Kill her."
But she laughed again.
Louder this time.
"…You guys really don't get it, do you?"
She pointed.
Toward the river.
"…I killed you thirty minutes ago."
Silence.
Confusion.
Then—
They looked.
And saw it.
Hearts.
Torn out.
Floating in the water.
Still warm.
Still fresh.
Still pounding
Their eyes widened.
Slowly—
They looked down.
At their own chests.
Holes.
Blood.
Missing.
"…What—"
Bodies fell.
One by one.
Dead before they even realized it.
Magumo stumbled back.
"…No… no—!"
He lunged forward—
Desperate.
Panicked.
But she only smiled.
"…You sure talk a lot…"
A whisper.
Cold.
Final.
"…for a dead person."
Magumo froze.
"…Dead…?"
She stepped closer.
Grinning.
"…The moment you left the dungeon…"
Her voice dropped.
"…I already cut your head off."
A pause.
"…You just didn't notice."
His eyes widened.
Reality—
Finally—
Caught up.
"…No!"
A flash.
A single movement.
Clean.
Effortless.
His head fell.
And silence returned.
The girl Sayanaki checked the time.
"…Five hours until respawn."
She stretched slightly.
Then sat on a nearby rock.
Looking up at the moon.
"…Rio…"
A soft smile formed.
"…Such a shame…"
"…I couldn't show you everything."
A pause.
"…Next time, I'm looking forward to it"
Her gaze shifted.
To the bodies.
To the loot.
Scattered.
Unclaimed.
"…Jackpot, huh…"
A quiet laugh escaped her.
"…No need to rush."
She leaned back.
Relaxed.
Completely at ease.
"…I've got all the time in the world."