Chapter 38: Veyra In Action (part 2)

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Veyra In Action (part 2)

Her black-and-crimson battle dress had barely been disturbed.

The crimson flames around her body slowly faded.

One adventurer stared at her.

"That explosion didn’t even hurt her..."

Veyra’s smile widened.

"You haven’t even seen my real strength."

She suddenly raised her hand. Crimson flames gathered around her fingers.

The flames compressed. Then they formed into a magnificent crimson sword.

[Infernal Blade]

The temperature inside the throne room immediately rose.

Even the adventurers could feel the danger radiating from the weapon.

Darian’s face became solemn.

"Everyone..."

He slowly raised his sword.

"Don’t let that blade touch you."

Veyra rested the Infernal Blade against her shoulder.

"Now..."

Her crimson eyes gleamed.

"Let’s make this a little more interesting."

She vanished.

Darian’s pupils contracted.

"She’s coming!"

Veyra appeared in the middle of the formation. The Infernal Blade swept horizontally.

Three adventurers barely managed to block it.

CLANG!

The impact shattered one sword instantly.

Another adventurer was thrown several meters away.

Veyra turned her wrist. The crimson blade followed.

A second adventurer raised his shield.

Slash!

But the shield was cut cleanly in two. He stared at it in disbelief.

"My shield..."

Veyra stepped forward.

Before she could strike again, Darian rushed in from the side.

"Leave them alone!"

His sword came down toward her shoulder. Veyra blocked with the Infernal Blade.

CLANG!

The two weapons collided.

Darian pushed forward with everything he had.

For a brief moment, their weapons remained locked.

Darian’s muscles strained.

Veyra simply looked at him, then she smiled.

"You’re brave."

Her flames suddenly intensified.

[Burning Body]

Crimson flames erupted across Veyra’s entire body.

The pressure surrounding her increased dramatically.

Darian’s eyes widened.

"What?!"

Veyra pushed.

BOOM!

Darian was sent flying, he crashed heavily against the stone floor.

Before he could rise, Veyra was already standing above him.

The Infernal Blade rested only a few centimeters from Darian’s neck, its crimson flames flickering silently along the edge. Darian’s chest rose and fell heavily as he stared upward at the woman who had completely overwhelmed him. His sword had fallen several meters away, and his arms were trembling from the impact of their previous exchange.

For a brief moment, Veyra simply looked at him.

"You fought well."

Darian clenched his teeth.

"Don’t..."

His voice was barely audible.

"Don’t look down on me."

Veyra’s expression softened slightly.

"I’m not."

She raised the blade. Darian’s eyes widened.

"Wait!"

Eric’s voice suddenly rang through the throne room.

He stepped forward, his face pale and covered in sweat.

"Stop!"

Veyra paused.

Darian turned his head slightly.

"Eric..."

The mage tightened his grip around his staff.

"Please."

He looked directly at Veyra.

"We’re no longer a threat to you. We can leave. We’ll report everything to the mayor. We’ll tell them this dungeon is not a threat and doesn’t have anything good in it."

Veyra smiled.

"You misunderstand."

Her crimson eyes shifted toward Ragnar.

"I don’t decide whether you leave."

Eric’s expression changed.

His gaze slowly moved toward the enormous figure sitting upon the throne.

Ragnar remained completely silent.

At four meters tall, his massive demonic body towered over the throne, his intimidating features half-hidden beneath the dim light of the chamber. The enormous greatsword strapped across his back remained untouched throughout the entire battle.

He hadn’t needed to lift it.

Veyra had been enough.

Eric’s heart sank, he finally understood.

These monsters are playing with them. And that realization frightened him more than anything else.

Veyra turned back toward Darian.

"I’m afraid this is where your journey ends."

Darian’s expression hardened.

He knew there was no way out.

His hand slowly reached toward the sword lying several meters away, but before his fingers could touch it, Veyra moved.

A crimson flash passed through the air.

Darian’s body went still.

His fingers stopped inches from his weapon.

For a moment, he remained kneeling.

Then his strength disappeared, and he collapsed onto the stone floor.

Silence filled the throne room.

"Darian..."

One of the adventurers whispered his name.

Nobody moved.

Their leader was dead.

The person who had guided them through the forest, organized their formation, protected them from the monsters, and kept them moving forward even after losing ten companions had just been killed in front of them.

The formation that had survived the entire dungeon suddenly began to crumble.

It happened almost instantly.

"Run!"

Someone shouted.

Another adventurer immediately turned toward the entrance.

"Get out of here!"

"Wait!"

Eric raised his voice.

"Don’t break formation!"

Nobody listened, fear had already taken control of them.

One adventurer sprinted toward the doorway.

Another followed.

A third stumbled backward while desperately trying to keep Veyra in sight.

Eric’s expression became frantic.

"Stop! Everyone, calm down!"

He stepped into the middle of the chaotic group.

"Listen to me! Don’t separate! If we stay together, we might still have a chance!"

"We don’t have a chance!"

Someone shouted back.

"Look at what she did to Darian!"

"We’re all going to die!"

Eric’s face tightened.

"Running separately will only make it worse!"

But his words couldn’t reach them anymore. The adventurers had spent too long fighting.

They had watched their companions die one after another.

They had entered the dungeon with twenty-three people.

Now only thirteen had remained when they entered the throne room.

And within moments, their strongest fighter had fallen.

Their courage finally broke.

One of the adventurers raised his sword with trembling hands.

"Just stay away from me!"

Veyra tilted her head.

"I wasn’t planning to chase you."

The adventurer hesitated.

Then he turned and ran.

Veyra sighed.

"What a shame."

She disappeared.

The adventurer barely had time to look back before Veyra appeared in front of him.

He froze, her fist struck his chest.

Boom!

He was thrown backward, crashing into the floor.

Another adventurer attacked from behind. Veyra turned without even looking.

Her Infernal Blade swept backward.

The adventurer immediately raised his weapon.

Clang!

The force sent him staggering.

Before he could recover, Veyra struck him again, sending him crashing beside his fallen companion.

"Stay together!"

Eric shouted desperately.

"Please! Don’t separate!"

But one after another, they broke.

Some tried to attack Veyra out of desperation.

Others attempted to retreat.

A few simply stood frozen, unable to decide what to do.