Intangible undead fear fire, but not without resistance. It is the light of the flames they truly dread, not the fire itself.

Undead with physical bodies, however, fear fire in its entirety. Their desiccated forms ignite with ease, making it their greatest bane—especially for those still wearing flammable remnants of their past lives.

Yet, some undead possess both corporeal forms and exceptional Durability, allowing them to stride through fire unscathed. Among them was one such terrifying foe—

The Blood Demon!

“Grrrraaaaaaaa!!!”

A massive, two-meter-tall figure erupted from the sea of flames. Its crimson skin shimmered, muscles taut and sinewy, as it ignored the fire consuming its grotesque form. Its long, dripping tongue lashed out, and with a deafening roar, it lunged at Anyi.

[Creature: Blood Demon

Strength: 20 Agility: 20 Endurance: 8

Durability: 15 Prana: 0 Intelligence: -3

Technique: 0]

Anyi’s eyes narrowed. His grip on his sword shifted subtly, pressing the blade to his side in a poised stance, mimicking a sheathed position. He took a deliberate step forward, his movements calm and measured, as though preparing to strike a cornered beast.

In this cramped hallway, the expansive, large-scale sword techniques of the world were ill-suited. Instead, Anyi relied on a precise, efficient style—one perfectly adapted to such close quarters.

He waited, his gaze unwavering as the Blood Demon bore down on him.

“Grrrraaaaaaaa!!!”

The beast’s maw gaped wide, its claws outstretched to rend Anyi apart. At a distance of less than half a meter, its speed and power, driven by 20 Agility, would annihilate most opponents.

But then—

Anyi moved.

「Lai.」

“Kesagiri.”

The sword sang as it was drawn, its silver-white blade flashing through the fiery haze. The movements were as swift as lightning—one stroke downward, then another in retreat. Two sharp whistles of steel rang out, and the draw-and-sheath sequence was complete.

The first slash severed the Blood Demon’s grotesque head cleanly from its shoulders. The second, a diagonal stroke, bisected its body from shoulder to abdomen in one smooth motion.

With a heavy “Bang”, the Blood Demon collapsed in three lifeless pieces at Anyi’s feet.

Without pausing to admire his work, Anyi spun on his heel and began to retreat.

“Moo…ooo…——!!”

A low, thunderous bellow echoed through the hallway, shaking the walls and heralding a new threat.

Another figure emerged from the inferno—a hulking Bull Demon.

【Creature: Bull Demon

Strength: 20 Agility: 10 Endurance: 10

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Durability: 30 Prana: 0 Intelligence: 1

Technique: 0】

The Bull Demon’s massive frame radiated raw power. Flames licked its thick, impenetrable hide, but the beast seemed entirely unbothered.

Anyi grimaced. A direct confrontation with such a foe was a poor choice. Even with Ariana’s【Encourage】, boosting his Strength to barely 30, the Bull Demon’s 30 Durability made it a battle of attrition he could ill afford.

Instead of engaging, Anyi pivoted, opting for a swift retreat.

The 【Goblin Priest Sword】 in his hand pulsed faintly, its enchantments designed to amplify elemental damage rather than brute force. Against an elite monster like this, his 【Encourage】 ability—his trump card—would be better saved for more critical moments.

He caught up to Layton, who was still sprinting ahead without looking back.

“Anyi, are you done?!” Layton called, his voice laced with tension.

“Yes,” Anyi replied evenly, his strides matching Layton’s. “I slowed them down, but they’ll catch up soon.”

“Then what should we do?! Should we turn and fight?” Layton asked, his expression grim.

“No, we can’t deal with those things directly.”

As he ran, Anyi pulled up the group chat, typing a message with swift precision.

【Sword Hero: Miss Miruku, put Holy Maiden down when you reach the corner.

When you sense our distance is about 20 meters away, using Miss Karen’s ability, use Beam on the entire hallway.

Thorn Hero: Received.

Holy Hero: Understood!】

“What about me?” Layton asked between huffs, his boots pounding against the scorched hallway floor.

“You’re the key,” Anyi replied without missing a beat.

Layton felt a surge of relief at those words. For a moment, he had feared he was utterly useless against these monsters—spectral beings that could phase through his shield, his armor, even his very body, to target those behind him.

But Anyi’s next words came as a shock. “Mr. Layton, have you allocated your attribute points? It’s best to assign 5 points to Prana right now. If you didn’t already have them, you could use the 2 points you gained from killing the Headless Knight.”

Layton’s eyes widened. “I haven’t allocated anything since we returned from the Goblins!” he exclaimed. It had seemed prudent at the time to hoard his points, relying on Ariana’s 【Encourage】 to boost his stats when needed. But now he had a hefty surplus—7 unspent points.

Following Anyi’s instruction, Layton immediately assigned 5 points to 【Prana】. He felt an instant shift as his mana reserves surged to their new maximum, completely replenished without any additional effort.

“Mr. Layton,” Anyi asked calmly, “what’s your maximum mana now?”

“Three hundred!” Layton replied, his voice charged with excitement.

“How much does Taunt require per use?”

“Ten points!” Layton answered without hesitation.

Anyi nodded. “Good. Now, use all your Prana… Launch a group Taunt.”

Layton froze, realization dawning on him. Anyi’s plan was bold, reckless even—but brilliant. By using a group Taunt, Layton would attract the full attention of the undead swarm, giving the others a clear opportunity to strike.

Bracing himself, Layton skidded to a stop, planting his shield firmly before him. “Got it!” he shouted, his voice filled with determination. Drawing a deep breath, he roared:

“Taunt! Using all Prana, Multiple release—Group Taunt!”

A pulse of energy rippled from Layton, emptying his mana bar in an instant. The effect was immediate.

The undead faltered mid-charge, their heads swiveling toward Layton.

「Kill!」

「Kill that man!!」

「I want to eat him!!」

“Run!” Anyi barked, already darting back toward Ariana and the others. But before Layton could take a single step, Anyi reached out, grabbing him around the waist and lifting him off his feet.

“Hey! Hey! Anyi! Put me down!” Layton spluttered, squirming. “I can run on my own!”

“I know you can,” Anyi muttered under his breath, his tone unreadable.

Layton opened his mouth to protest further, but his voice caught as he saw a flash of movement. A spectral monster materialized through the wall, phasing through his body before he could react.

“Ah?! Where did that come from?” Layton gasped, his status bar flashing with a new ailment: 【Blindness】.

More monsters followed in a frenzied tide, each moving faster than the last. The undead poured through walls and floors without hesitation, a chaotic swarm that disregarded physical space entirely.

Layton’s status bar filled rapidly: 【Blindness】 【Hallucination】 【Paralysis】 【Stun】 【Silence】 【Phantom Hearing】 【Nausea】 【Insomnia】 【Charm】 【Sore Throat】 【Frustration】

The onslaught of effects overwhelmed him. Despite his best efforts, Layton’s body went limp in Anyi’s grip as unconsciousness claimed him. Yet, the Group Taunt remained active.

The undead focused solely on Layton, their attacks relentless but oddly coordinated, completely ignoring Anyi as he carried the now-unconscious warrior.

At the far end of the hallway, Ariana stood ready, her staff glowing with a brilliant, golden light. She had waited for this moment, the precise alignment of the undead horde.

Spinning the staff in an intricate pattern, she called upon her skill: Beam.

Multiple Release: Ultimate Flash.

Blinding light erupted from her staff, engulfing the entire corridor in a searing, holy brilliance.