After defeating the fearsome Eight-Headed Serpent, a wave of exhilaration washed over me. My companions and I were safe, and I had managed to take down that monstrous creature on my own. Opening my interface, I discovered that the victory had earned me a significant amount of experience.

[Experience Gained: 1800 XP]

[Level 67 → Level 72]

I couldn’t help but smile, satisfied. My hard work had paid off, and I had just reached an important milestone in my growth. But as I was about to share the good news with my friends, I noticed something strange—my health, mana, and stamina had dropped drastically.

Interface:

Name: Griffith Age: 15 Level: 72 Race: Human Strength: 152/152 ▲ Speed: 225/225 ▲ Defense: 151/151 ▲ Intelligence: 86/86 ▲ Health: 350/810 ▼ Mana: 100/390 ▼ Stamina: 200/435 ▼

"Strange… My reserves have weakened considerably," I muttered, confused.

Seraphina stepped closer, her eyes scanning my interface with concern. "You must have used an incredible amount of energy during that battle. Your body is probably exhausted and needs time to recover."

Kenzo nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, we shouldn’t linger here any longer. Let’s move forward carefully."

I agreed and prepared to press on when my interface suddenly lit up.

[Notification]

Incoming magical call…

Miss Elise (Guide)

Frowning, I accepted the call. Immediately, Elise’s panicked voice filled the air.

"Griffith! My apologies, but there’s been a major development in the dungeon!" she exclaimed. "This was never supposed to be so dangerous! It was meant to be a routine mission—just a basic test against a few goblins!"

My brow furrowed as unease crept in. "What do you mean, Miss Elise? What happened?"

"The mission was intended to evaluate your abilities," she explained frantically, "but the dungeon has been infiltrated by a demon! Even the lowest-class demon is far beyond what mages, warriors, or priests at your level can handle. You need to leave the dungeon immediately!"

My blood ran cold at her words. So, this wasn’t a simple test—it was a full-blown demon incursion? That would explain the serpent’s absurd strength and why I felt so drained.

"We understand the situation, Miss Elise," I replied firmly. "We’ll make our way out as quickly as we can."

"Be extremely cautious, Griffith!" she urged. "Under no circumstances should you face a demon head-on. Run if you encounter one—that’s an order!"

I nodded gravely. "Understood. We’ll do everything we can to make it out safely."

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Elise sighed, her voice trembling with relief. "Take care of yourselves, all of you. Call me if you need help."

The connection ended, leaving me with a growing sense of dread. My companions were watching me intently, waiting for answers.

"So? What’s going on?" Liam asked, his brow furrowed.

I relayed Elise’s warning, watching their reactions as I revealed the truth. Their faces paled with every word.

"A demon?" Seraphina whispered, fear flickering in her eyes. "How is that even possible?"

Kenzo shook his head, his expression grim. "This is worse than we thought. If even the weakest demons are this dangerous…"

Liam let out a dry, cynical laugh. "Well, that’s just great. What now?"

I looked at each of them in turn, fully aware of the gravity of the situation. "Elise made it clear—we need to get out of here immediately. Facing a demon directly isn’t an option."

Seraphina nodded, her relief evident. "Yes, that’s the smartest thing to do. Let’s stay alert and get out of here as quickly as possible."

Kenzo gestured for us to follow. "Let’s go. The sooner we leave, the better."

Casting one last glance at the serpent’s lifeless body, I hurried after my companions. As much as I wanted to track down and eliminate any demonic presence in the dungeon, I knew caution was the wiser choice.

We moved quickly through the dark, twisting corridors, tension radiating through the group as we stayed on high alert. My thoughts churned, the revelation of a demon’s presence filling me with both dread and fury.

I silently vowed that if we did encounter this creature, I wouldn’t hesitate to confront it, no matter the cost. My resolve to wipe out every trace of demonkind had only grown stronger, and I wouldn’t back down from that goal.

But for now, survival took priority. We needed to escape the dungeon before it was too late.

As we ran, the oppressive silence was broken by a sudden crack. Seraphina tripped, and for a brief, embarrassing moment, her pink underwear was visible. My cheeks burned as the unexpected sight caught me off guard.

"Ah! Don’t look!" Seraphina cried, scrambling to her feet, her face flushed with mortification.

I quickly averted my gaze, my heart racing. "S-Sorry! I didn’t mean to!"

We resumed our hurried escape, but before long, a figure appeared in the distance. It was a young man I vaguely recognized—the same one I had encountered near the Academy’s restrooms a few days earlier. He had warned me not to cross his path.

His Academy uniform was tattered, and his body was covered in injuries. A surge of resentment welled up in me—this unexpected encounter felt like the perfect chance to settle the score.

"Well, well," I said with mock cheerfulness, "isn’t this a surprise? What are you doing here, looking so… pathetic?"

I paused, pretending to search my memory. "What was your name again?"

"Varon," he spat. "I was promoted to rank B-."

"But you look seriously injured," I remarked, feigning concern.

He glared at me, his expression sour. "Griffith… Still sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong."

"Oh, don’t mind me," I said, flashing a smug grin. "Feel free to tell us what happened. You seem to be in quite the predicament."

Varon grimaced, clutching his side, but his pride wouldn’t let him crumble completely. "My team was wiped out by a demon. We thought we could handle it, but it was far stronger than we expected."

Raising an eyebrow, I feigned shock. "A demon, you say? How… fascinating."

"It was humanoid," Varon continued, his voice trembling slightly. "With sharp horns, jagged teeth, and a long, whip-like tail. Even our strongest warriors and mages couldn’t stand against it."

My friends and I exchanged uneasy glances. His description matched what Elise had warned us about.

"Well, it seems we’re in the same boat," I said grimly. "We also need to get out of here as soon as possible."

Varon’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What are you suggesting, Griffith? Don’t tell me you’re inviting me to join you."

I shrugged. "What do you say to a truce, just until we escape this dungeon? Our odds of survival are better together."

My companions stared at me, stunned by the suggestion. Varon, meanwhile, seemed to weigh his options before letting out a reluctant sigh.

"Fine, Griffith," he grumbled. "We’ll call a truce—for now. But the moment we’re safe, I’ll go back to being your sworn rival."

I smirked. "Deal, Varon. Now let’s move. Time is of the essence."

And so, Varon joined our group, his hostility temporarily set aside. Together, we pressed forward, the shadow of the demon’s presence looming ever larger.