Lyra: "So… let's finish this."
Heat exploded around her.
All the power she had accumulated, concentrated into a single attack, ready to be unleashed.
Lyra: "...".
Lyra inhaled deeply, as if trying to draw the air itself into her chest.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Around her, the temperature rose sharply, the ice beneath her feet cracking with a dry crunch as scorching steam rose in swirls.
The flames she had kept contained began to swirl slowly around her body, tracing increasingly rapid, incandescent circles.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Her gaze hardened, fixed entirely on the two bosses frozen side by side in the center of the arena.
Lyra: "All this fire… I will return it to the world."
She raised her arms, and mana surged forth like a raging tide.
In an instant, flames exploded skyward before collapsing in a gigantic spiral, giving birth to a firestorm.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Burning blasts laden with embers and glowing blades crashed down upon the arena, engulfing the Cryo Hypostasis and Cryo Regisvine in a vortex of devastating heat, melting ice, shattering frozen structures, and transforming the very heart of the arena into a blazing inferno.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
The two bosses were immediately engulfed by the storm, their icy bodies riddled with swirling flames.
The Cryo Regisvine roared with a deep rumble as its frozen vines cracked one by one, the ice melting and then evaporating under the intense heat.
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
As for the Cryo Hypostasis, its cubes began to tremble violently, each one gradually shifting from icy blue to incandescent red.
Pyro energy seeped everywhere, saturating its central core, preventing any regeneration or stabilization.
Lyra maintained the attack through gritted teeth, fueled by Eron's potions and amplified by Venti's buffs.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
The storm intensified, the flames tightening like a vise around the two creatures.
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Finally, the Cryo Hypostasis reached its breaking point:
Its core, overloaded with pyro elemental energy, began to pulse chaotically before exploding in a deafening blast.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
A searing shockwave swept across the arena, hurling shards of molten ice and scalding steam in every direction.
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Caught in the blast, Cryo Regisvine could no longer withstand it.
BBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMM
His frozen heart shattered, and his immense body collapsed heavily to the ground, reduced to a heap of blackened ice and smoldering ash.
When the flames finally subsided, the ice arena had vanished, replaced by a cracked, still-glowing floor, a silent testament to the devastating power of Lyra's firestorm.
Eron: ".... "
"Huh?!
Eron suddenly felt an oppressive pressure crush his chest. His adventurer's crystal vibrated violently, almost burning against his palm, saturated with incoherent elemental readings.
The air around them rippled, distorted by the heat, and the cracked floor of the arena began to glow an ominous red.
The remnants of the previous explosion had not dissipated; on the contrary, the remaining pyro and cryo energy was compressing into a single point, at the very center of the arena.
Eron: "All of you, move away!"
"Now!"
His voice cracked in the air, strained with urgency.
He instinctively took a few steps back, his eyes fixed on the area where the two bosses had vanished.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Where there had been only fragments of ice and embers seconds before, an unstable sphere of elemental energy was beginning to form.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Flames swirled around a glowing core, sucking in the air with a low rumble, while shards of frost vaporized from the intense heat.
Eron: "THE ENERGY IS TOO DENSE!"
"SHE'S COMPRESSING... IF THIS CONTINUES, IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE!"
Bram immediately grabbed Kael by the shoulder and pulled him back, while Venti unleashed a powerful blast of air to push Lyra out of the danger zone.
BBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRR
CRACK
The ground trembled beneath their feet, cracks widening before their very eyes, releasing jets of searing flames.
The temperature rose sharply, making each breath difficult, as if the air itself were catching fire in their lungs.
The energy sphere pulsed one last time, growing ever brighter, emitting a high-pitched, unbearable hiss.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
They all understood that they only had a handful of seconds left.
Bram: "TAKE COVER!"
They threw themselves behind the still-intact stone structures, shielding their faces, while the entire arena seemed to hold its breath, just before the uncontrolled release of this elemental power transformed the place into a veritable inferno of flames.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
.......
When the blast finally subsided, a heavy silence fell over the arena, broken only by the crackling of residual flames.
The once smooth, icy ground was now nothing but a blackened field of ruins, riddled with smoking cracks and patches of half-melted ice.
Columns of steam rose slowly, mingling the residual cold of cryo with the stifling heat of pyro, giving the air an almost suffocating heaviness.
Where Cryo Hypostasis and Cryo Regisvine had once stood, nothing remained but crystalline fragments reduced to luminous dust, gradually dissipating like ashes carried by the wind.
Bram was on his knees, one hand pressed against the ground to catch his breath, his armor covered in soot but undamaged.
Kael, slightly further away, had taken cover behind a fallen block of stone; He slowly rose, shaking his head as if to dispel the ringing that still echoed in his ears.
Eron frantically checked the condition of his vials, relieved to find that none had exploded in the shockwave, even though his hands still trembled from the elemental overload he had just measured.
Lyra, at the center of the device, remained standing, panting, her shoulders slightly slumped. Glowing embers still floated around her before dying out one by one. Her face was pale, marked by the colossal effort she had just made, but her eyes shone with undiminished determination.
Venti, for his part, had cushioned the impact with a powerful gust of air; he stood calmly, observing the devastated arena with a mixture of satisfaction and caution.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
The green glow of his abilities slowly faded around the group, a sign that the immediate danger had passed.
They were all alive.
Venti: "HA HA HA HA HA HA."
"WE'RE ALIVE."
Exhausted, covered in dust and minor burns, but still standing.
And given the state of the arena and the complete absence of any hostile presence, one thing was now certain:
The two bosses had been definitively defeated.
Bbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Suddenly, without warning, the adventurer crystals of each of the five companions began to vibrate violently, casting a soft yet powerful glow around them.
The energy released by the final disappearance of the bosses and the erasure of all abyssal presence condensed in the air before being absorbed by their crystals, as if the dungeon itself acknowledged their victory.
Bram: "....".
Bram felt a familiar warmth coursing through his muscles, his body gaining stability and raw strength as his level increased from 44 to 45.
Kael: "....".
Kael, for his part, felt a marked improvement in his reflexes and perception; his crystal quickly confirmed his advancement from level 39 to 40.
Lyra: "....".
Lyra took a deep breath as a surge of energy coursed through her magical circuitry, bolstering her reserve and elemental mastery, propelling her from level 37 to 38.
Eron: "..."
Eron watched his crystal with fascination as it confirmed his advancement from level 40 to 41, a sign that his composure and unwavering support had been fully recognized.
But it was around Venti that the phenomenon was most spectacular.
Its crystal pulsed more intensely than the others, emitting a green glow tinged with bluish reflections:
[Level Up!]
Venti — Level 21
HP: 6300 → 8400
ATK: 1100 → 1300
DEF: 740 → 860
Elemental Mastery: 250 → 310
Its level jumped dramatically, jumping from 17 to 21, an unusually rapid progression that confirmed just how crucial its role had been in this battle.
At the same time, several of her abilities evolved:
Elementary Anemo Mastery — Level 3 → Level 4
Stat Boosting — Level 2 → Level 3
Resistance Reduction — Level 4 → Level 5
Stat Reduction — Level 2 → Level 3
Her Elemental Anemo Mastery increased from level 3 to level 4, a direct result of her intensive use of energy to propel herself backward and protect herself from the final explosion.
Her Stat Boosting ability also gained a level, reaching level 3, strengthened by the prolonged and targeted use of her buffs on Lyra.
Resistance Reduction progressed from level 4 to level 5, evidence that her debuffs had profoundly affected the cryo bosses.
Finally, Stat Reduction went from level 2 to level 3, thanks to its last-minute use to propel themselves and dodge the explosion.
When the light finally faded, the five adventurers exchanged silent glances.
They were stronger than before, not only in terms of levels and stats, but also as a group.
The dungeon had been conquered, the Abyss repelled… and yet, deep down, each of them felt that this was just one step, and that far more dangerous trials still awaited them.
It took the group members several long seconds to fully regain their feet.
Cccccccrrrrrrrrreeeeeee
The arena floor was still warm in places, covered in frozen cracks mixed with black burn marks left by the explosion.
Bram planted his sword in the ground with both hands to help himself to his feet, breathing heavily.
Meanwhile, Kael knelt down, trying to calm the trembling in his legs caused by the adrenaline and prolonged exertion.
Eron sat for a moment on a cracked block of ice, mechanically checking his vials to make sure none had shattered during the chaos, before standing up himself.
Lyra, still surrounded by a few residual sparks of pyrotechnics, ran a hand over her forehead, closing her eyes, exhausted but visibly satisfied.
As for Venti, he remained motionless for a moment, letting his breathing stabilize as the Anemo energy around him slowly dissipated.
They eventually gathered in the center of the now-destroyed arena, forming an instinctive circle, each observing the others to ensure no serious injuries had been concealed beneath the fatigue.
Bram was the first to break the silence, a weary smile playing on his lips as he mentioned his leveling up, half-joking that the dungeon had finally recognized his worth.
Kael nodded, confirming that he too had leveled up, adding that he felt sharper than before, as if his reflexes had reached a new level.
Lyra, still seated, admitted with a soft laugh that she had never felt such a surge of power after a single attack, her level increasing despite the colossal amount of energy expended.
Eron gazed intently at his crystal, noting his own level gain and emphasizing that, for once, his potions and support had truly made a difference in a boss fight.
They all turned to Venti.
Seeing the extent of his progress, even Bram fell silent for a moment.
Venti: "It seems the dungeon has been generous to me..."
Eron: "Generous?"
"You've gained more levels than all of us combined."
Lyra smiled gently, clearly
grateful.
Lyra: "Without your buffs... this attack would never have been possible."
A strange but comforting feeling settled between them: fatigue was overwhelming, their bodies cried out for rest, but the certainty of having survived together an ordeal that would have been fatal to hundreds of adventurers gave them a newfound strength.
In this shattered arena, amidst the ruins of ice and flames, they no longer felt simply like adventurers brought together by chance… but like a true group.
Suddenly, a collective realization seemed to sweep through the group.
Bram: "... "
Kael: "... "
Eron: "... "
Lyra: "... "
Venti: "... "
As each of them continued to examine their Adventurer Crystal, instinctively comparing the gains, a realization gradually dawned.
This time, unlike the fight against the Abyss Lector, none of them had gained several levels at once.
Just one level.
No more.
Bram frowned, breaking the silence.
Bram: "That's strange..."
"After a fight of this magnitude, I expected much greater progress."
Eron nodded slowly, thinking.
Eron: "It's not a question of brute strength."
"Those two bosses were strong, yes… but they were predictable."
"They were monsters, yes, but they weren't endowed with great intelligence."
Kael looked at the crystallized remains of the Cryo Hypostasis, now reduced to mere inert fragments.
Kael: "They attacked by patterns."
"No cunning."
"No adaptation."
Lyra lightly gripped her staff before adding, in a more composed voice:
Lyra: "Unlike the Abyss Lector…"
"It thought."
"It provoked."
"It analyzed our reactions."
They all turned to Venti.
He lowered his eyes slightly, lost in thought.
Venti: "The monsters of the Abyss are not only dangerous because of their strength."
"They possess a will, an intelligence… and a cunning that makes them unpredictable.
"To confront them is to confront something that learns."
A shiver ran through the group.
They understood then that the experience gained depended not only on physical danger, but also on mental pressure, on the need to adapt to an enemy capable of thinking, deceiving, and manipulating.
The two cryo bosses, as destructive as they were, were ultimately just living weapons, devoid of true consciousness.
Eron sighed softly.
Eron: "In other words… this fight was difficult, but not lethally unpredictable."
Bram clenched his fists.
Bram: "Which means that… if other members of the Abyss are still waiting for us, things could get much worse."
A heavy silence fell.
They had won, yes.
But this victory had also taught them a far more disturbing lesson: The real threat of the dungeon lay not in its bosses, but in the entities capable of thinking… and wanting their death.
A soft blue glow suddenly erupted a few steps from the group, contrasting sharply with the dark hues and still-smoldering scars of the destroyed arena.
The air vibrated slightly, as if rippled by a familiar wave, and a blue geometric pattern, composed of interlocking, luminous shapes, materialized above the ground.
They all recognized it almost instantly: it was the dungeon's exit system, an unmistakable sign that the ordeal was drawing to a close.
Around this pattern, mana particles floated slowly, illuminating the scene with a calm, almost reassuring light.
Then, in a more intense burst, five chests appeared, arranged with precision, as if placed there by conscious will.
The chests that appeared near the blue pattern all shared the same robust and well-crafted appearance, attesting to their magical origin and value.
Each was of medium size, large enough to hold substantial objects without being cumbersome.
Their structure was primarily made of solid wood in light brown hues, polished but marked with subtle natural striations, as if the material had been chosen for its strength rather than mere decoration.
The corners and edges were reinforced with black metal plates.
These reinforcements gave the chests a sturdy appearance, capable of withstanding the rigors of a dungeon without breaking.
Small, thick, slightly worn metal handles were attached to the sides.
[Venti's Stats — Visible only to him]
Name: Venti
Level: 21/100
Max HP: 8400
ATK: 1300
DEF: 860
Elemental Mastery: 310
Identified Skills:
- Telekinesis — Level 2/10
- Stat Boosting — Level 3/10
- Intangibility — Level 3/10
- Flight — Level 2/10
- Soul Manipulation & Lie Detection — Level 2/10
- Elementary Anemo Mastery — Level 4/10
- Illusion Creation — Level 2/10
- Resistance Reduction — Level 5/10
- Stat Reduction — Level 3/10
- Mass Increase/Decrease — Level 2/10
- Teleportation — Level 4/10
- Wind Communication — Level 2/10
Stock exchange: 19000 Moras
Chapter 43: The great union of Pyro and Anemo
The End