"You're not supposed to be here," Jared said as Alex sat beside him in the carrier. "You're supposed to be resting."

"I'm pretty sure something big is going to happen during this, and I want to be there when it happens," Alex stated.

"We're going to a tier-one demonic lair."

"And I'm sure something will go wrong."

"I don't like where this is going," Jared grumbled.

"I apologize in advance," Alex laughed.

The carrier took off, and the recruits were finally heading to the demonic lair. Demonic lairs are pretty much dungeons where demonic monsters live. They are created when enough demonic energy gathers in a single place, creating a distorted version of the environment around them.

"We're here!" Argon yelled as the carrier opened, allowing the recruits to come out.

Alex looked around. There was a wire fence surrounding the whole area with demon hunters stationed on top of watch towers. Military vehicles drove in and out of the fences, with some helicopters landing in the distance.

"Welcome to the hive," Argon announced. "This is where many lower-tier demonic lairs appear regularly."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Alex whispered.

"Even though demonic energy is abundant, it's to spread out to create higher tier gates," Everyone turned to see a woman wearing a full black cybernetic suit of armor walking towards them. Her mask opened to reveal fair white skin and beautiful amber eyes. "My name is Valery, and I will be accompanying all of you," Valery introduced herself as she drew the katanas on her back.

"Valery has four cores, with each of them being at least tier-three in the upper stages," Argon revealed. "She's strong enough to protect all of you, but don't expect her to your rescue. She's most likely to watch you die."

"You make me sound like a villain," Valery laughed but didn't deny Argon's words.

"Still think somethings going to go wrong?" Jared whispered.

"Something always does," Alex replied.

The group entered the area with Argon leading the way and Valery following at the back. Some of the instructors guarded the sides until they reached a red portal.

"Ominous," Alex commented. "How many do you think will die?" Alex asked Jared.

"Don't jinx it."

"This is a tier-one demonic lair that takes the form of a forest. The demonic beast will resemble the animals living in this forest, so keep that in mind," Argon explained. "Your goal is to eliminate the demon that has been born inside."

"They think we can kill an original demon?" one of the recruits spoke.

"They have to be joking," another one spoke.

"If it was just born, it would be weak, right?" Alex asked.

Jared nodded. "A tier-one dungeon is the lowest, so it would be the weakest form of an original demon."

Alex nodded in understanding. "Can I keep the core?"

Jared shrugged.

------

"You said he wouldn't be coming," Valery smirked as they watched the recruits enter the demonic lair.

"He wasn't supposed to be," Argon replied. "I got a call from the infirmary if he was in the carrier, and it turns out that he snuck out."

Valery laughed. "I like him," her helmet closed, and then she followed the recruits into the demonic lair.

-------

"I think we should form groups," one of the recruits, a guy with brown hair and black eyes, spoke up.

If Alex remembered correctly, his name was Brandon Ford. He had a short sword sword strapped to his waist. The guy next to him was Steven Lee, an archer.

"I agree," Steven stepped up. "We need to form standard groups in formation."

"How do we form teams?" a female recruit named Andrea Barns asked. She reminded Alex of elves since she had blonde hair and pointed ears, along with her preference to use a bow.

"I suggest two groups of five," Jared suggested from beside Alex.

"There's eleven of us," another female recruit, Natasha Wayne, spoke up.

Jared pointed to Alex with his thumb. "This guy doesn't need a team."

The other recruits turned to Alex, who wasn't even paying attention to them. His attention was on the forest that seemed to be moving.

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"Are those trees moving?"

------

Valery was impressed. She didn't expect the spoiled brats to think of a plan to take on this demonic lair. They formed two teams of five, each with two long-range attackers, two front-liners, and one to cover any gaps.

But Valery's interest was in the person who wasn't on a team. Alexander Gray, the new necromancer. Valery had met many necromancers since one of her teammates was one, and this guy was an odd one. Necromancers often stayed in the back and commanded their undead, along with supporting them with other forms of black magic. But this little shit was changing in like a madman.

Treants are slow monsters, but their durability was nothing to scoff at, so it was an odd sight to watch a necromancer that's supposed to be in the back punching a treant.

"They're going to laugh their asses off when they hear about this."

As Valery enjoyed the show, she felt an ominous presence in the distance. "What is that?"

Valery rushed toward the source of the ominous energy and stopped before a giant and withered tree.

"I don't like taking chances," both her katanas lit up in flames as she prepared to burn down the tree.

She unleashed several attacks on the tree, lighting it up in flames. But Valery didn't stop at that. She severed any visible roots and used earth magic to try to uproot the tree.

By the end of it, the tree fell as it burned. "That was too much work than I expected," Valery panted.

"What happened here?"

She turned to find Alexander Gray behind her with his undead behind him.

"I just dealt with some unexpected variables," Valery sheathed her katanas. "Where's the others?"

"They're taking a while," Alexander replied.

"Master," a death knight stepped out of the forest and handed him two demonic energy crystals. "We have dealt with the pests."

"The only ones that remain are the ones facing the other humans," a lich followed after.

Valery's eyes widened at the lineup of high-ranking undead that showed up. "How?"

"Never seen a lich?" Alexander raised an eyebrow.

"You shouldn't be able to control such high-ranking undead yet."

"Who decides that?" Alexander replied as he gestured for his undead to charge at the burning tree.

"Huh?" Valery looked confused for a moment until she noticed that the tree had begun to move.

Valery grabbed a scroll from her pouch and ripped it before the tree.

[Withered treant tier-3]

"Why is that thing in a tier-one demonic lair?" Valery muttered in confusion as she pulled out her radio. "Argon, we have a problem."

"I'm aware," Argon replied. "We found the original demon."

"Let me guess. It's not a tier-one."

"It's a corrupted Dryad," Argon revealed.

"I knew something would go wrong," Alexander commented.

-------

Alex watched as all the skeletons he summoned were destroyed by the tree monster. "Shall we begin, master?" the lich asked.

"Not yet," Alex replied. "Can you summon more?"

"If you wish," the lich responded.

"Summon everything."

"What are you planning?" Valery asked. "Wood-type demons have the strongest vitality. Those skeletons won't do anything to it."

"You'll see," Alex replied as another wave of skeletons were destroyed.

Bones were scattered all around the monster, between its branches, roots, and even in the trunk.

"Bone armory," Alex smirked as all the bones turned into spears.

Although it didn't kill the monster, it did significant damage to restrict its movements. Valery smirked when she witnessed the monster take too long to regenerate since the bone spears were still embedded in it.

"I really like you, kid," Valery said as she charged with her katanas engulfed in flames. "Let me show something cool in return."

Two spectral arms came out of her back and drew the katanas on her waist. All four katanas erupted in blue flames.

"Purgatory!" Valery yelled as she unleashed four slashes of blue flames at the monster.

The tree monster tried to move out of the war, but its roots snapped from the strain after already receiving damage from the bone spears. The monster wailed as its body was being reduced to ashes.

"Why didn't you use that earlier?" Alex asked.

He turned back to Valery to find her on the ground. He rushed towards her and lifted her. "It puts a lot of strain on my body," Valery managed to groan. "Let's get out here."

Alex nodded. "Clean everything up," he ordered his lich and death knight. "Escort us out of here," he ordered his werewolf.

Alex carried Valery back to the entrance of the demonic lair. On his way there, a small blob of mud with yellow eyes approached them.

"What's that?" Valery asked.

"It's mine. I asked it to come back when the others left the dungeon."

"Demonic lair."

"Pardon?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"We're in a demonic lair. Not a dungeon."

"It's all the same to me," Alex replied as they reached the exit. "Do you want me to put you down?"

"It's fine. I can't stand anyways," Valery sighed.

When they came out, they found a large number of demon hunters gathered. Some of them rushed to give Valery first aid.

"What's going on?" Alex asked in confusion.

"Classified," the instructor replied as Alex was led to the tent where the other recruits were.

"Seriously..."

------

"You look horrible," Argon commented as Valery rested in the medical.

"Screw you, Argon," Valery responded. "You know damn well evolved-treants are the hardest demonic monsters to kill."

"I know. That's why we always deal with them before they evolve as training for the recruits," Argon replied.

"Tsk," Valery crossed her arms. "What happened with the original demon?"

"We dealt with it," Argon answered. "It just took some time since we had to evacuate the recruits first."

"That's good then."

"I'll let you rest then," Argon left the medical tent, leaving Valery by herself.

A moment later, her phone began ringing. She answered the call, and a holographic projection of a black-haired woman with an eye patch appeared.

"What is it?" Valery asked.

"You used your restricted core," the woman stated.

"I had to deal with an evolved treant. I didn't want to risk it surviving."

"Self-sacrifice was never your thing. Why did you use it?"

Valery huffed. "I wanted to impress a recruit. Show him how cool their senior was."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Must be an impressive recruit."

"He could already control high-ranking undead."

"Have they been awakened?"

Valery shook her head. "They're still in their normal states."

"Then it's only because of his core skill," the woman stated. "Once you've recovered, return to the base. We need to prepare for the recruit exhibition."

"Aye, aye, captain," Valery saluted, making the woman glared at her before the call ended.