With teary eyes and her head bowed low, Kira let melancholy completely envelop her as she sorted through her thoughts.

"Remember those times? When we'd sneak into the catacombs to play hide and seek. I remember getting lost and bursting into tears, everyone was so worried about me, but you, Arturo, you found me!"

There was a moment of silence, their breaths releasing a chill that froze the air. Kira continued in her nostalgic tone.

"I got a good scolding from the king, but you, Arturo, were always there to stand up for me."

Kira, at first I saw her as a danger, but in truth, she's very dependable and quite sensitive. I had no idea she could open up so much to someone like me. Well, after all, I am her cousin, it's normal for her to do so, but still, her presence makes me feel at ease in this completely turned upside-down world.

"Kira, Uncle Zar, he's not really dead, is he?"

Kira burst out laughing. She'll never tell.

Arturo, to break the wave of awkwardness, stood up.

"The road ahead is still long, if we don't hurry now, we'll never make it back to the surface!"

After that journey, some torches lit up various galleries; there were five in total, each leading in a different direction. They were intertwined, and the two had no idea which to choose.

"So, where do we go now?"

A jolt coursed through Arturo's temples, squeezing them as if they were oranges.

Arturo racked his brain and finally pointed decisively at one.

"Sixth sense is going crazy, telling me to avoid all those paths."

"What?! Are you insane? We've come all this way for nothing?"

Kira strode briskly to the edge of the gallery. After a labored sigh from Arturo, feeling left out, he followed her.

"Hey! Don't leave me behind!"

They wandered through that gloomy conduit, not knowing where it would take them. They had surely reached such a depth that it would take days to return to the surface. Finally, the conduit led them to a spacious area, where they stopped in front of a sarcophagus embedded in the wall.

"A crypt!"

Kira exclaimed.

"This is where the first king of the demons was buried!"

This place was intricate yet fascinating. That's what Arturo thought. Inside were the remains of the first king, a towering figure who once ruled. Arturo didn't pay attention in history class, but in museums, he listened to tour guides as if they were archangels. That's how he got somewhat educated.

Arturo approached the sarcophagus and gently touched it with his hand.

"It's remained so well preserved!"

Suddenly, the sarcophagus began to shake.

"Huh?"

Arturo jumped back. The sarcophagus trembled and then... it opened by itself. Arturo let out a high-pitched, almost feminine scream and fell back behind Kira.

"G-ghost!!!"

From the sarcophagus emerged a sort of mummy. A figure with cracked skin stepped forward, barely able to set foot on the ground, its bones almost visible through the worn patches of skin.

"A mummy?!"

Kira furrowed her brows, readying for an attack. The mummy's face gaped open, showcasing the few remaining teeth, and as its gaze turned towards the two intruders, its entire body began to blaze with intense flames. It was completely engulfed in fire.

Who was this? Was it a ghost, a mummy? Maybe both. As the wave of flames dissipated, it gave way to a new form. A demon with broad horns and a resolute posture, arms crossed. Its skin came back to life, rough like a demon's, burning with the power emanating from the flames that writhed around its muscles. Its eyes were narrow, looking rationally at what stood before it.

"And who might you be?"

Arturo asked.

"Guardian of the first level of the catacombs of Abylissilum! Manclon, the first king."

The two flinched, a long shiver running down their spines. They stood before a king, a mighty ruler once considered perhaps the strongest in that world. What could two youngsters do against such a seasoned veteran, perhaps even more?

"How dare you, beings of the living, descend into the place guarded by the first king."

"I am Arturo, king of demons, and as you see, I am the one who rules this realm. Guardian, let us pass, we must return to the surface world, for a grave threat looms over the kingdom."

"Threat? What threat?"

"The angels, the race that demons have enslaved for centuries, one of them has rebelled. She's attacking a castle, causing a massacre."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Well, actually nothing, it's just that we were passing through the catacombs and got lost."

"And you think I believe your words?"

"Yes, please."

"Silence! I don't believe a word you say, you are not the new king, you are an impostor, I can feel it."

"Look, you're mistaken, we're not the threat!"

Arturo huffed and scratched his head in confusion.

"This one's stubborn, looks like we've got no choice but to face him."

"Hey, guardian of the first level, if we defeat you, then what? Where do we end up?"

"Pff... such insolence! Are you so sure you can defeat me?"

"Yes, you fool."

The guardian cracked a smile.

"I like your spirit, but I cannot neglect my duty as a guardian, I must slay the intruders."

Kira rolled her eyes, feeling as if betrayed. She stepped forward, lengthening her stride and pointed at the guardian.

"How dare you speak to me like that? I am of royal blood; I won't stand for such disrespect."

It was clear that he was once a fire element demon. Every demon had its inherent element, the first signs either visible from birth or becoming apparent over the years. Arturo hadn't yet discovered his element. The mummy made it clear, he wouldn't let them pass; from the first king, he had become the guardian of the catacomb levels.

When he lifted his fingers, spheres of flame began to emerge from the tips. The demon charged his attack.

"Although brief, this was an interesting conversation. It's been centuries since I last left my coffin, but now you must... vanish!"

The first king hurled two spheres with extreme power that crashed against the two intruders. Luckily, Kira unleashed a barrier strong enough to withstand the first hit, but the impact was so severe it could deplete her magical mana and injure them.

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The guardian advanced with heavy steps, his body covered in bulging muscles and horns curved upward like a pitchfork. He charged with latent speed, targeting Kira first, obviously because she was the strongest among them. Arturo was puzzled; could he also see others' interfaces? Maybe it was an ability only those of royal rank possessed.

The battle had begun, he moved with latent speed and exchanged kicks and punches with Kira. It seemed Kira was also skilled in martial arts, blocking every blow as if she could anticipate the direction of his punches. As soon as she saw an opening, she landed a direct hit to his stomach, sending him flying backward.

Kira let out a smirk.

"You're just decrepit corpses; you can't do anything against the living."

The mummy was thrown with all his might against the wall. Manclon's HP had dropped by 10%.

"Eh eh... you move like an earth element demon."

The mummy got up with renewed vigor.

"But you insist on using the fire element, despite it being out of your league."

Kira raised an eyebrow, and like a raging beast, lunged at the guardian.

"Quiet!"

Suddenly, everything around the mummy turned into flames.

"I will not allow you to pass, I am the guardian of the three levels."

Meanwhile, Arturo had hidden behind a rock, head between his knees. Suddenly, dancing little flames emerged from the walls. They hopped along, step by step, gathering in a circle, dancing joyfully.

"Greetings, king!"

"Good morning, king!"

"Give us orders, king!"

With a furious look, the king pointed at the girl.

"See her?! Stop her!"

"As you wish, king!"

Happily, the little flames grabbed Kira by the arms and legs. They pulled at her while she tried to break free.

"W-What are you doing?!"

At the touch of those tiny flame beings' paws, Kira's clothes burned away, revealing her smooth skin.

"NO!"

"My clothes!"

The guardian looked on with satisfaction.

"Mwahaha, good job, my little creatures, show her what you're made of!"

"They're burning her clothes!"

Arturo was about to burst out from behind the rock and spring into action, but something held him back.

"But I can't, then I'd see her naked, ha! Damn!"

He remained hidden behind the rock.

Kira shot back a sharp look.

"You disgusting creep!"

The king gave a smug look and stuck out his tongue at her.

"Bleeeaaaahhhhh!!!"

Kira tried to glance behind her.

"Arturo, help me!"

Arturo clenched his fists and stepped out into the open. But as soon as he saw his cousin's naked body dangling in the air, he covered his eyes with his hand and faced the king.

"Knock it off!"

But the guardian pretended not to hear, paying him no mind. Arturo furrowed his brows and sized up the guardian.

"I am the king. You're supposed to follow my commands."

The guardian slightly turned his head, extended his palm, and hurled a wave of fire at Arturo, traversing the vast space toward him. Manclon slowly turned his head and launched from his palms a wave of fire that crossed the vast space, reaching Arturo.

"Die!"

Arturo closed his eyes, but when the wave reached him, it missed the target and twisted away, striking a catacomb wall instead.

"Huh?"

The reason became clear, the interface appeared: "Resistance to ranged attacks." Arturo burst into laughter.

"Impossible!" Exclaimed the guardian as he launched more ranged attacks. It seemed that every time an attack reached Arturo, it was repelled by an invisible barrier and deflected elsewhere. Manclon smiled smugly.

"The best part is you haven't seen my other abilities yet."

"I don't have time to waste, come on, show me your final attack."

"You haven't seen my other techniques yet."

"No, just go straight to the last one."

"Tsk... this guy is so boring! Doesn't even let me have a bit of fun! Alright, have it your way!"

Kira let out a smirk.

"You're just decrepit corpses; you can't do anything against the living."

The mummy was thrown with all his might against the wall. Manclon's HP had dropped by 10%.

"Eh eh... you move like an earth element demon."

The mummy got up with renewed vigor.

"But you insist on using the fire element, despite it being out of your league."

Kira raised an eyebrow, and like a raging beast, lunged at the guardian.

"Quiet!"

Suddenly, everything around the mummy turned into flames.

"I will not allow you to pass, I am the guardian of the three levels."

Meanwhile, Arturo had hidden behind a rock, head between his knees. Suddenly, dancing little flames emerged from the walls. They hopped along, step by step, gathering in a circle, dancing joyfully.

"Greetings, king!"

"Good morning, king!"

"Give us orders, king!"

With a furious look, the king pointed at the girl.

"See her?! Stop her!"

"As you wish, king!"

Happily, the little flames grabbed Kira by the arms and legs. They pulled at her while she tried to break free.

"W-What are you doing?!"

At the touch of those tiny flame beings' paws, Kira's clothes burned away, revealing her smooth skin.

"NO!"

"My clothes!"

The guardian looked on with satisfaction.

"Mwahaha, good job, my little creatures, show her what you're made of!"

"They're burning her clothes!"

Arturo was about to burst out from behind the rock and spring into action, but something held him back.

"But I can't, then I'd see her naked, ha! Damn!"

He remained hidden behind the rock.

Kira shot back a sharp look.

"You disgusting creep!"

The king gave a smug look and stuck out his tongue at her.

"Bleeeaaaahhhhh!!!"

Kira tried to glance behind her.

"Arturo, help me!"

Arturo clenched his fists and stepped out into the open. But as soon as he saw his cousin's naked body dangling in the air, he covered his eyes with his hand and faced the king.

"Knock it off!"

But the guardian pretended not to hear, paying him no mind. Arturo furrowed his brows and sized up the guardian.

"I am the king. You're supposed to follow my commands."

The guardian slightly turned his head, extended his palm, and hurled a wave of fire at Arturo, traversing the vast space toward him. Manclon slowly turned his head and launched from his palms a wave of fire that crossed the vast space, reaching Arturo.

"Die!"

Arturo closed his eyes, but when the wave reached him, it missed the target and twisted away, striking a catacomb wall instead.

"Huh?"

The reason became clear, the interface appeared: "Resistance to ranged attacks." Arturo burst into laughter.

"Impossible!"

exclaimed the guardian as he launched more ranged attacks. It seemed that every time an attack reached Arturo, it was repelled by an invisible barrier and deflected elsewhere. Manclon smiled smugly.

"The best part is you haven't seen my other abilities yet."

"I don't have time to waste, come on, show me your final attack."

"You haven't seen my other techniques yet."

"No, just go straight to the last one."

"Tsk... this guy is so boring! Doesn't even let me have a bit of fun! Alright, have it your way!"

The guardian lifted his index finger and suddenly, a buildup of energy manifested at the tip. He generated an energy sphere comparable to a supernova.

"Let's see if you can dodge this one!"

Kira braced herself on a stalactite, so as not to be swept away by the storm.

"Ha ha ha!

Arturo leaped backward, ending up on his rear.

"LORD FREEZER?"

The demon smirked sadistically. It was as if a storm had leaked into the catacomb but only within that space. It was sublime to think that the catacombs could withstand such powerful attacks; what were they made of? Surely some indestructible material. The supernova moved closer to Arturo.

Kira braced herself on a stalactite, so as not to be swept away by the storm.

"Ha ha ha! What will you do now? Even if you could deflect this attack, the girl would be hit instantly by it and would die, burned by the flames!"

As the supernova descended to touch the ground, and as it neared Arturo's range, he opened the interface and deactivated the "resistance to ranged attacks" skill so the sphere wouldn't deflect elsewhere and hit Kira.

Arturo pressed his palms against the supernova, almost kneeling under its weight. He pushed against the sphere, straining until his eyes bulged. Thin shrieks escaped from Arturo's mouth, unheard by anyone.

"Arturo!" Kira yelled.

"Deflect his attack!"

"If I do, you'll get hit too!"

"I'll manage!"

"I can't do it! She'd be burned alive by those flames. The guardian was right; she's an earth element, she couldn't withstand the high temperatures of that supernova."

Kira couldn't even flee because the catacomb entrances were blocked by Manclon. The supernova was a difficult magic to counter, having exterminated entire peoples with that attack; now imagine a single individual. It was more than just a flame; it was the flame of the king. An attack devised to kill an individual, and not even a demon's skin could withstand such high temperatures. Naturally, Arturo could, but Kira wasn't yet capable of withstanding such an attack. Kira wasn't a fire element; she was earth, but what distinguished this element from others was that it could adapt to fire-type spells, though not fully retaining its characteristics.