In the vast and ever-shifting structure of the dungeon, the divide between strength and hesitation becomes increasingly clear, especially within the outer circle region.
Where countless Stars remains in the early stages of the dungeon, their levels ranging from one to twenty as some of them are in fear to advance forward.
While many of them linger in place, waiting patiently for stronger Star parties to push forward and clear the path, hoping to follow in their wake once the most dangerous obstacles have been removed.
Within one such safe zone the Misty Village—
Tomi and his team remain stationed alongside several other Star parties, the entire area filled with quiet tension as groups gather, rest, observe, and prepare, all fully aware that the deeper layers of the dungeon demand far more than raw strength alone.
Meanwhile, far beyond the outer circle, within the far more dangerous and opportunity-rich central circle of the dungeon.
The pace of progress accelerates dramatically, as numerous Star parties spread across a wide variety of regions, each one engaged in their own intense trials, whether it be hunting for hidden treasures, solving complex puzzles, or confronting powerful Boss Monsters that guard critical rewards.
The objective here is clear, to obtain three Inner Circle Keys, which are required to access the Inner circle.
Among those making significant progress, Gilga and his team.
Having just completed the massive chess trial, they now stand before the Chess Boss Monster, which calmly delivers their rewards as the chess board dissolves around them, returning to a neutral state.
Experience floods into their bodies.
Levels rise.
Gilga reaches Level 48.
Baron stands at Level 44.
Khaos climbs to Level 47.
And the rest of Gilga's zombie summons vary widely, ranging between Level 45 down to Level 20, depending on their role and survival throughout the trial.
The moment the rewards are received, Khaos moves.
Without warning, he lunges forward with his bone sword, swinging it downward with lethal intent, attempting to strike down the Chess Boss Monster.
But his blade passes straight through.
The Boss disappears instantly, its existence dissolving as if it were never meant to be slain in the first place.
Gilga watches calmly.
"There's no use," he says, his voice steady and analytical. "Some Boss Monsters aren't meant to be killed… their purpose is to enforce trials, not to be defeated through force."
Khaos lowers his weapon slightly, his expression unreadable as a low hum escapes him, his thoughts turning inward.
"…Why must the way of the Angel feel so restrictive… so… boring…"
His gaze sharpens.
"Yet it seems… even divine trials require cooperation."
He slowly raises his arm, pointing directly at Gilga.
"I've learned much from your Ultra-thinking skills… that is the only reason you still stand before me."
A faint pause follows, filled with quiet tension.
"But eventually… we will fight."
His grip tightens around his weapon.
"And when that moment comes… it will be to the death."
He steps closer.
"Only through such conflict can I evolve even further towards the path of the Angel."
Then, after a brief pause, his tone shifts slightly.
"…For now… you remain useful."
Gilga smiles faintly.
Not offended or threatened, but intrigued.
"I could say the same about you," he replies calmly. "You and Lars… both serve a purpose for me… but between the two of you, your potential appears to be far greater."
He turns slightly, his gaze drifting outward as if looking beyond the present moment.
"We will all play our roles… until that time comes when we will face each other at our absolute peak."
A brief silence follows.
Then, his expression deepens.
"And there is still another… one who I too wish to see at the endgame."
Within his mind images form as Boa, Lars, and Khaos appears as each one of these Stars are the ones who he want to face the most at the end when they're all at their peak.
Baron suddenly steps forward, her voice filled with defiance and pride.
"Then you better add me to that list as well!"
she declares boldly, her eyes burning with resolve.
"Because I'm going to surpass my limits too, and I'll prove to that damn Lars that I'm not some weakling who only drags others down!"
As her words echo outward, she unleashes a barrage of explosive magic into the sky, causing a chain reaction of detonations that bloom into brilliant, colorful bursts with dazzling fireworks.
Gilga watches quietly, his expression unchanged as the explosions reflect faintly in his eyes, before he turns his attention back toward Khaos
"Khaos… why do you continue to keep such company?"
he asks, his voice steady and analytical.
"She is not on your level, not even close, and Lars may be right… her presence introduces variables that disrupt efficiency."
He pauses briefly, his gaze sharpening.
"Even the slightest trace of attachment can interfere with your thought process, causing hesitation, second-guessing, or delayed action in critical moments."
His words grow colder.
"So I will ask you directly… do you still require her presence… or is it simply weakness?"
For a brief moment, silence settles between them.
Then, Khaos begins to hum softly, the sound low and almost absent-minded, yet filled with thought as his gaze drifts slightly, as if revisiting fragments of his past.
"…Without her…" he begins slowly, his voice calm yet distant, "I would not be standing here."
His eyes narrow slightly.
"I would have died… during the first stage… when the Wave of Darkness consumed everything."
A pause follows, not of hesitation, but of acknowledgment.
"However… I do not entirely disagree with your reasoning."
He shifts his stance slightly, his grip tightening around his weapon as his thoughts begin to take clearer shape.
"It is less about dependence… and more about experience."
His voice becomes more focused.
"Being surrounded by individuals who are closer to my level has allowed me to observe the world from a more grounded perspective, and through that, I have witnessed something repeatedly…"
His gaze sharpens.
"Even the weak… will rise… when it is for the sake of someone they love."
A faint, almost unsettling curiosity flickers in his expression.
"I want to understand that."
His tone lowers.
"I want to experience that kind of loss… that kind of pain… and the power that is born from it."
The air grows heavier.
"I have killed many…" he continues, his voice devoid of guilt. "And yet, their avengers always return… stronger than before… driven by something beyond logic."
His eyes narrow further.
"Even now… Pax Orda continues to pursue me… despite the overwhelming difference between us."
A slight pause.
"And yet… there was a moment… where he came close to killing me."
His lips curl slightly.
Not into a smile but something close to fascination.
"Luck… intervened… and here I stand… participating in these games… chasing something greater."
His voice steadies.
"Godhood."
He lifts his head slightly
"I will become the God of Angels."
A brief silence follows.
Then Gilga exhales softly, as if concluding the conversation on his own terms.
"…That's enough."
His tone returns to its usual calm precision.
"I can already tell that you've begun to evolve, not just in power, but in thought, considering how many more words you can now form compared to before."
He turns slightly, his gaze shifting forward toward the next objective.
"Let's proceed… we still have one final key to obtain."
Without waiting, Gilga begins walking toward the distance, where a shimmering bubble entrance floats ahead, marking the gateway to their next trial.
Khaos follows.
Behind them, Baron lowers her hand, watching the fading sparks of her explosions before quickly stepping forward, while the remaining zombie summons shuffle closely behind, maintaining formation.
Meanwhile, deep within the factory region, Gaia's team continues their relentless battle against the towering Gear Boss Monster, whose massive body of rotating gears and reinforced armor plates.
Gaia stands firmly, as her summoned turrets remain positioned across multiple angles, continuously firing concentrated laser beams that strike the Boss with precision, gradually tearing away sections of its heavy gear-based armor as fragments of metal scatter across the ground, exposing glimpses of the structure beneath.
At the same time, Ortis charges forward once more, his body radiating draconic energy as he unleashes a continuous stream of blazing fire from his mouth, the flames colliding violently against the Boss's metal body.
However the Boss retaliates.
Its massive form shifts as its mouth opens wide, gathering energy rapidly before unleashing a devastating energy blast that surges forward with overwhelming force.
Hopper reacts instantly.
He leaps forward, planting himself directly in front of the attack as he raises his arm and shouts
"Knight's Shield!"
A massive radiant shield materializes before him, its size dwarfing his own body as he grips it tightly, bracing himself as the energy blast crashes into it with explosive force, the impact sending shockwaves across the factory floor as he holds his ground, absorbing the attack entirely.
While the battle unfolds, Gaia is not looking at the Boss.
Instead, she calmly holds a monster analysis book in her hand, her eyes scanning through its contents at an inhuman speed as lines of text are processed thousands of times within mere seconds, her mind operating under Ultra Thinking, simulating countless scenarios simultaneously, each one exploring a different path toward victory.
"I've got it."
She closes the book instantly.
"No time to explain… I'll do it myself."
She then quickly summons an electro cannon, its form materializing with a surge of energy before she fires it directly at the Boss, releasing a massive lightning explosion that engulfs its body and stuns it momentarily, interrupting its movement.
She raises her hand again and in response every turret she has placed across the battlefield begins firing simultaneously, unleashing a relentless barrage of laser beams that converge onto the Boss.
Their combined output increasing rapidly as the damage accumulates.
Within Gaia's vision, numerical values surge upward.
203,239… 278,540… 353,092…
Her thoughts accelerate.
Calculations form instantly.
"Gear Boss Monster. Level 63. Located in the Factory Region."
"Primary Desire: Self-destruction."
"Threshold trigger: upon receiving one million total damage, armor disengages and exposes true core body."
Meanwhile, her pawn team continues their assault, firing projectiles and casting spells that contribute to the rising damage count, while Ortis unleashes another powerful attack—
"Spirit Dragon's Roar!"
A surge of blue energy erupts from him, detonating across the Boss's body in multiple explosions that shake its entire frame.
Gaia leaps into the air.
Summoning a vacuum gun, she activates it mid-air, drawing in all surrounding magic particles and residual energy scattered throughout the battlefield, compressing them into a dense, concentrated mass.
Her eyes narrow slightly.
"That's enough magic molecules… for the main event."
She lands.
Tosses the weapon upward.
It dissolves into digital particles mid-air.
"Orbital Laser."
The particles reconstruct.
Transforming into a massive satellite above the battlefield.
A beam fires, descending from the sky and striking the Boss directly. The damage surpasses the threshold.
1,000,000.
The Boss's armor fractures violently, cracking open as its outer shell collapses, revealing its true form hidden within.
Gaia does not hesitate and moves in. Jumping into the opening, she enters a contained energy realm within the Boss's core, where its true body reveals itself.
A six-foot-tall humanoid figure with blackened skin, its form sustained by three glowing fusion cores embedded within its stomach, chest, and head, each protected by a thin layer of glass-like energy.
The creature roars.
The space trembles.
Gaia's mind races again.
"The three fusion cores are primary it's weakness points."
"Damage requirement: each core must be destroyed from different class-based attack types."
"Time limit: five minutes before armor regeneration cycle resets."
Her eyes sharpen.
"No time for coordination… I'll handle it alone."
A menu appears beside her.
"Class Change – Ranger: Magic Archer."
Her form shifts.
A magical bow materializes in her hands.
She fires.
Hundreds of arrows rain down in rapid succession, filling the space with glowing projectiles as the Boss dodges most of them, moving unpredictably, but one arrow connects, piercing through the stomach core causing the first core to shatter.
The Boss retaliates instantly, unleashing a spinning laser attack from its mouth that fills the entire space with destructive beams, forcing Gaia into constant movement as she narrowly avoids each strike.
"Class Change – Magic Archer → Artificer: Engineer."
A firearm appears in her hand as she fires a shot that lands near the Boss marking an X mark on the ground.
She fires again near her feet, marking her own position.
"Class Change – Engineer → Rogue: Assassin."
Daggers form in her hands.
She steps onto the marked spot and instantly teleports to the second mark.
In one fluid motion, she drives both daggers into the Boss's chest causing the second core to be destroyed.
The Boss's body shifts, turning completely white as the final core in its head begins spinning rapidly.
Lasers erupt from its entire body, filling the space with continuous destruction as Gaia moves with extreme precision, dodging every beam despite the increasing pressure.
"Class Change – Rogue → Barbarian: Battle Rager."
A massive great axe materializes in her hands as she stops dodging and takes the hits.
Each laser strike lands against her body, but instead of hurting her, it fuels her power, causing her aura to surge as the axe begins glowing with overwhelming energy.
Once enough power is gathered she throws it, the axe spins violently, crashing directly into the Boss's head.
The final core shatters, the entire realm collapses, as a explosion expands outward, destroying everything in its path as Gaia attempts to retreat, but her stamina is depleted, her body unable to move further.
Ortis arrives, catching her, carrying her out just in time.
Hopper raises his shield once more, bracing against the expanding explosion as it engulfs the battlefield, protecting them from the remaining impact.
Then silence as EXP orbs flood into them.
Their levels rise rapidly.
Gaia reaches Level 53.
Ortis reaches Level 48.
Hopper reaches Level 47.
Ortis drops to the ground, sitting heavily as he exhales.
"Thank the lord… we found the correct monster book for that thing…"
Hopper lowers his shield and bows respectfully.
"Well done, my Lady… we have successfully obtained another Inner Circle Key."
Ortis suddenly perks up.
"And that makes three keys! Let's head straight to the Inner Circle!"
Gaia raises her hand slightly.
Stopping them.
"Not yet."
Her tone is calm and decisive.
"The Inner Circle is the final stage of this dungeon… which means the enemies there will be far much stronger, likely ranging between Level 80 to 99."
She pauses, thinking ahead.
"We will continue gathering additional keys and EXP before advancing… we need to be fully prepared for what comes next."
Ortis and Hopper immediately straighten.
Saluting.
"Yes, Lady Gaia!"
Meanwhile, at the edge of another regional bubble entrance, Jayden and his team emerges, the ground beneath their feet is covered in soft, vibrant pink grass, stretching endlessly across the region like a surreal dreamscape.
Pax immediately activates his enhanced vision, his robotic eyes glowing faintly as scanning data begins to overlay his field of view.
His tone sharpens.
"Careful… we're not alone. There are multiple presences nearby, all positioned strategically… they're waiting for an opportunity to ambush us."
Ambros exhales slowly, adjusting his sniper rifle
"Another group…? Seriously, do they ever stop?"
Vesper lets out a quiet breath, her expression calm and almost bored.
"Predictable," he says softly. "We'll deal with them the same way we handled the others."
Rudi raises her hand slightly
"This time… we won't let them make the first move."
But suddenly Jayden steps forward.
Without warning, he walks past his entire team, positioning himself at the very front of the open field.
He takes a deep breath and shouts.
"Come forth, Stars! All who are willing to face the Hero of Courage!"
Behind him, every single member of his team simultaneously facepalms.
Pax lowers his head slightly.
"…And there goes our element of surprise."
From all across the pink grass fields, hidden Star Parties begin to reveal themselves, stepping out from concealed positions, their weapons already drawn as they surround Jayden's team from multiple angles.
One of them speaks
"That party… they've got a top ten Star with them."
Another scoffs, clearly underestimating the situation.
"That buff guy is only ranked number ten… we outnumber them, so this should be easy."
Jayden doesn't flinch and smiles.
"We are not the same," he says, his voice filled with unwavering confidence
"We are heroes… and we will face our enemies head on!"
Without waiting for any further discussion he charges forward.
His body moves with full commitment, sprinting directly toward the incoming Star Parties with his chest forward