The clash between Cain and Magal raged on like a storm, the ground trembling under the weight of their relentless battle.

Neither of them showed any intention of backing down.

Cain, though bloodied and battered, stood his ground with a fiery determination.

His green aura burned fiercely around him, a defiant blaze against the monstrous force of Magal.

His movements were slower now, his injuries taking their toll.

Yet, with every dodge and strike, he pushed himself beyond his limits, gritting his teeth as pain lanced through his body.

Magal wasn’t faring much better.

His once-imposing carapace was riddled with cracks, dark ichor dripping from countless wounds inflicted by Cain’s poisoned daggers.

His regeneration, which had been formidable at the start, was faltering.

The poison coursing through his veins dulled his ability to recover.

Yet his attacks didn’t waver—they grew even more ferocious, each strike a tempest of rage and desperation.

Scarlet glanced at Cain through the chaos, her heart clenching at the sight.

He was covered in blood, his breaths ragged, his form swaying ever so slightly from exhaustion.

Yet he fought on, every motion a testament to his unyielding will.

She wanted to help, to intervene and give him the support he desperately needed.

But she couldn’t.

The battlefield around her was a maelstrom of golems and chimera ants, all swarming the remaining hunters with unrelenting aggression.

Scarlet stood at the center of the chaos, her fiery magic flaring as she struggled to hold the line.

Fireballs erupted from her palms, incinerating chimera ants before they could reach their targets.

Shields of flame materialized around wounded hunters, protecting them from the crushing blows of the golems.

But it was draining her.

Her mana reserves were dwindling, and exhaustion clawed at her mind.

Still, she couldn’t stop—not when so many lives depended on her.

She cast a glance toward Cain again, her eyes reflecting a mix of worry and gratitude.

Ss much as she hated to admit it, his duel with Magal was buying them all precious time.

Yet, even she couldn’t ignore the looming shadow of their greatest threat.

Cyrus stood at the edge of the battlefield, unmoving, his abyssal eyes fixed on the chaos before him.

The dungeon boss seemed almost serene amidst the destruction, his cold gaze analyzing every movement, every strategy.

His inaction was the most unsettling part.

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Scarlet could feel his presence like a suffocating weight on her chest, a reminder of the overwhelming power he hadn’t yet unleashed.

Why wasn’t he attacking? Was he waiting for something? Was this all just a game to him?

The hunters were nearing their breaking point.

Their attacks slowed, their movements became sluggish, and the weight of fatigue bore down on them like a crushing tide.

Scarlet’s flames flickered weakly as she cast another shield over a group of hunters, her breath labored.

Then, just as the tension reached its peak, a voice sliced through the chaos like a blade.

"Stop."

Cyrus’s voice was calm yet commanding, resonating with an unnatural authority that sent a chill down everyone’s spine.

At his word, the battlefield fell eerily silent.

The golems froze mid-charge, their towering forms halting in unison.

The chimera ants skittered back, retreating as if pulled by invisible strings.

Even Magal, despite his bloodlust, growled lowly and stepped away from Cain, his cracked carapace glinting in the dim light.

Cain staggered, his body trembling from exhaustion and pain.

He remained on guard, his daggers raised as he watched Magal retreat.

The sudden stillness felt surreal, like the calm before an even greater storm.

The hunters, too, lowered their weapons cautiously, taking the chance to catch their breath.

The silence was broken only by the sound of ragged breathing and the distant crackle of Scarlet’s fading flames.

Cyrus took a step forward, his presence oppressive and overwhelming.

Krothe flapped its wings lazily, perching on his shoulder as he surveyed the battered hunters.

"How about we stop this now?" Cyrus’s voice was smooth, almost conversational, as his gaze shifted between Cain and Scarlet.

Cain narrowed his eyes, his body still tense despite the momentary ceasefire.

“What are you trying to say?”

Cyrus took a step forward, the quiet menace in his presence palpable.

“I mean, I’m willing to step down. Call off my army. But there’s one condition.”

Scarlet’s fiery eyes blazed with suspicion. “What condition?” Cain asked cautiously, his voice edged with weariness.

Cyrus smirked, his abyssal raven fluttering onto his shoulder.

“Work with me, and I will stop this. No more bloodshed, no more senseless fighting.”

Scarlet’s voice rose, anger and disbelief mixing in her tone.

“What nonsense are you spouting? You’ve massacred entire towns, killed countless people—how can you expect us to trust you?”

“It’s not nonsense,” Cyrus replied calmly, almost dismissively.

“Think about it. Yes, you might defeat Magal, and perhaps you’ll even push back my forces. But at what cost?” He gestured around the battlefield.

“Look at your hunters. They’re already at their limits, barely standing. My army?” He spread his arms wide.

“They’re still strong. And as for me…”

His eyes glinted with a sinister light. “I haven’t even begun.”

The weight of his words settled over the battlefield.

Hunters glanced at one another, their exhaustion evident in their faces, though their eyes still burned with defiance.

Cain clenched his daggers tighter, his mind racing.

Cyrus’s confidence wasn’t an empty threat.

He knew the hunters couldn’t withstand another full-scale assault.

“I might even be willing to live peacefully with you humans,” Cyrus continued, his tone almost teasing.

“If you’re willing to negotiate properly, that is. So, what do you say?”

Cain’s gaze flickered around the battlefield.

The hunters were battered, their weapons trembling in their hands.

Scarlet, though powerful, was visibly drained, her fiery aura dimming.

And yet, despite their fatigue, their expressions told him all he needed to know.

Not a single one of them would ever consider working with this monster.

He inhaled sharply, steeling himself. “I see…” Cain muttered, his voice low.

Then his eyes sharpened. *Now.*

Without warning, Cain’s green aura surged to life.

His body blurred as he dashed forward, faster than anyone could react.

The ground beneath him cracked from the force of his movement, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of Cyrus.

With all his strength, he thrust his daggers forward, aiming straight for Cyrus’s heart.

The blades pierced through his chest, sinking deep. Cain’s lips twitched into a faint smile.

I did it.

For a brief moment, the battlefield stilled.

The hunters’ faces lit up with hope, their hearts pounding with relief.

Even Scarlet exhaled shakily, her eyes wide with disbelief.

But then, a cold, mocking voice shattered the silence.

“Are you done?”

Cain’s blood ran cold.

His eyes snapped to Cyrus’s face, which remained as composed as ever.

Slowly, Cyrus glanced down at the daggers lodged in his chest.

Cain stumbled back, his energy drained, his legs threatening to give out.

He looked at the wound, expecting to see the damage he had caused—but there was no blood, no sign of a mortal injury.

Where his heart should have been, there was nothing.

Cyrus tilted his head, his lips curling into a cruel smile. “If you wanted to kill me, you should have aimed for my neck.”

Cain’s mind reeled in disbelief.

How…?

“I modified my body long ago,” Cyrus explained casually, his tone almost bored. “I moved my heart somewhere... safer.”

Cain barely had time to process the words before Cyrus’s hand transformed, his arm elongating into a sharp, metallic blade. With lightning speed, Cyrus lunged forward.

“Let me show you how it’s done.”

The blade pierced through Cain’s abdomen, the sharp pain causing him to gasp.

Time seemed to slow as blood dripped from the wound, pooling on the cracked earth beneath him.

Scarlet’s scream echoed in the distance, her voice laced with horror.

Cain’s knees buckled as Cyrus withdrew his blade, his green aura flickering weakly before disappearing altogether.

He collapsed to the ground, clutching his wound, his vision blurring.

Cyrus turned away, his voice as cold as the grave. “Enough playing around. Finish them.”

At his command, the golems and chimera ants surged forward, their collective roar shaking the battlefield.

Magal let out a guttural screech, his battered form leaping back into the fray with renewed ferocity.

The hunters, already pushed to their limits, couldn’t hold out any longer.

The golems crushed their defenses with ease, their massive fists tearing through shields and armor.

The chimera ants swarmed, their venomous bites and razor-sharp claws overwhelming even the most skilled fighters.

Scarlet fought desperately, her flames roaring one last time as she tried to protect the remaining hunters.

But her mana gave out, and she collapsed to her knees, helplessly watching as the monstrous horde closed in.

The battlefield was consumed by chaos and blood.

The hunters fell one by one, their cries of defiance silenced by the relentless onslaught.

And amidst the carnage, Cyrus stood untouched, Krothe perched on his shoulder.

He surveyed the destruction with cold indifference, his gaze lingering on the broken form of Cain.

“Futile,” he murmured, almost to himself. “You should’ve chosen differently.”

The once-defiant battlefield was now a graveyard of dreams, the echoes of battle fading into an ominous silence.