The massive double doors of Ignis' throne room loomed before Dex, carved from blackened bone and etched with glowing sigils of torment. Two hulking Hellforged Sentinels (Lv. 38) flanked the entrance, their burning gazes tracking his every move.
Dex exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
Time to face the music.
The doors groaned open, revealing the Ashen Maw's nightmarish interior—a cavernous hall lit by floating hellfire braziers, the floor a mosaic of molten fissures. At the far end, atop a throne of fused skulls and smoldering steel, lounged Ignis, the Ember Tyrant.
And this time, Dex could see everything.
[OMNISIGHT: LEVEL 2]
[TARGET ANALYSIS: COMPLETE]
[IGNIS – EMBER TYRANT]
[LEVEL: 40]
[HP: 100%]
[MP: 85%]
[THREAT LEVEL: HIGH]
Skills:
「HELLFIRE ASCENDANT」 (Passive) – Immune to fire damage. All attacks inflict [Burning Soul] (3% max HP/sec for 8s).
「EMBERFANG EXECUTION」 (Active) – Charges forward, impaling target with Emberfang for 250% damage. If target is below 25% HP, instant kill.
「SCORCHED EARTH EDICT」 (Ultimate) – Superheats a 30m radius for 45s. Allies gain +30% attack speed; enemies suffer [Melt Armor] (Defense -50%).
「BLOOD PACT DOMINION」 (Unique) – Controls all Demonkin players who've sworn fealty. Can revoke their logout rights.
Dex's fingers twitched.
Still a raid boss. Just a slightly smaller one.
Ignis smirked, his crown of living flames crackling as he leaned forward. "Ah. The thief returns."
Thief? Dex frowns
Around Dex, a swarm of Demonkin female players (Lv. 30-45) closed in, their smiles sharp as knives. One traced a claw down his panda hood lingring around his crotch, he held her hand before she could go down further.
"Cute outfit," she purred.
The Origin Mask snorted. "Told you."
Dex ignored them all, keeping his eyes locked on Ignis as he pulled the Heart of the Inferno from his inventory. The obsidian egg pulsed in his grip, its veins of molten light throbbing in sync with the warlord's crown.
"I held up my end," Dex said, voice steady. "Now you leave Malo alone."
Ignis' grin widened.
"Oh, I will." His fingers twitched—
—and the doors slammed shut behind Dex.
Ignis leaned back on his throne, fingers steepled, flames dancing in his eyes.
"Malo could never have been freed," he said, voice dripping with amusement. "Not really. The moment I saw the Luciano family's bounty on you two, I knew—you were the other half of the pair. The one Valentina really wants."
Dex didn't move.
"So here's what's going to happen," Ignis continued. "You hand over the Heart. I hand you over to the Lucianos. And Malo? Well. He stays right where he is."
The Demonkin players around Dex giggled, claws twitching.
Dex exhaled.
Then, he grinned.
"Yeah. I kinda figured."
With a flick of his wrist, he stored the Heart of the Inferno back into his inventory.
Ignis' smirk faltered.
"You—"
"I wanted to kill you eventually," Dex interrupted, cracking his neck. "Guess it's happening sooner than I thought."
Then he closed his eyes.
[SKILL ACTIVATED: "AUTO-PILOT"]
His body went limp.
He collapsed onto the floor, the panda hood flopping over his face.
Silence.
The Demonkin players blinked.
"...What?"
Ignis stared. Then snarled. "Wake him up."
One of the Sentinels, a hulking brute with serrated tusks—stomped forward, reaching down to grab Dex's collar—
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[HOSTILE ENEMY DETECTED]
[CYBER LORD GENE: ENGAGED]
Dex's body sat up.
His eyes remained closed.
The panda hood's ears twitched.
Then—
[QUEST COMPLETE: "HEARTSTONE CHRONICLES"]
[REWARD: 1000 CC]
The Cyber Lord gene didn't hesitate.
It bought two potions from the Cyber Lord Shop—[UNSTABLE OVERCLOCK ELIXIR] and [OMNISIGHT PRECISION DROP]—and chugged them both.
The effect was instant.
Dex's body blurred.
Ten Data Daggers materialized in the air around him, their edges humming with lethal energy.
The Sentinel barely had time to gasp before—
THUNK. THUNK. THUNK.
The daggers impaled every guard in the room, their tips bursting from skulls, chests, throats. Blood sprayed in arcs, painting the obsidian floor. The Demonkin players collapsed, their bodies dissolving into logout sparks.
Ignis roared, lunging from his throne—
—only for Dex's body to vanish, reappearing behind him in a flicker of blue static.
A single dagger pressed against Ignis' throat.
The Cyber Lord gene whispered through Dex's lips:
"You should have taken the deal."
Then—
Slice.
....
Somewhere in the real world
The room was dark, the only illumination coming from the crackling fire in the hearth. Shadows danced along the walls, stretching and twisting like restless spirits.
In a high-backed leather chair, an old man sat, his massive frame filling the seat. His suit was impeccably tailored, the fabric straining slightly over broad shoulders. His hair was steel-gray, his mustache neatly trimmed, and his eyes—cold, calculating—reflected the flickering flames. A crystal glass of whiskey rested in his hand, the amber liquid swirling as he took a slow, deliberate sip.
Then—footsteps.
A woman stepped into the firelight, her presence commanding even in silence.
She was stunning.
Long, platinum-blonde hair cascaded over one shoulder, the strands catching the fire's glow like spun gold. Her face was all sharp angles and effortless allure—high cheekbones, full lips painted a deep crimson, and piercing eyes that gleamed with predatory intelligence. She wore a form-fitting black dress, the fabric clinging to every curve, the neckline dipping just enough to tease without revealing. One hand was gloved in sleek leather, the other bare, her fingers adorned with delicate silver rings.
Her hips swayed slightly as she moved, the slit in her dress revealing a glimpse of toned thigh. Every step was deliberate, every breath measured.
Valentina Luciano.
She stopped beside the chair, her expression unreadable.
"Father," she said, her voice smooth as velvet.
The Don didn't look up. "Speak."
"We just received word," she began. "Dex was sighted in Emberfall. He killed Ignis—one of the four district rulers."
A pause.
"The weakest of the four," she added dismissively. "But still. He's making moves."
The Don swirled his whiskey. "And when he returns to Neo-Tokyo?"
Valentina's lips curled. "Then I'll have him."
Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.
Finally, the Don spoke again. "How did he get a server portal key?"
Valentina hesitated. "I... don't know. He must have completed a unique quest."
The Don's gaze finally lifted, pinning her in place. "And that day in Neo-Tokyo—when his power surged. What really happened?"
This time, her hesitation was palpable. "I'm not sure," she admitted, her gloved hand flexing slightly. "But I'll find out."
The Don took another sip of whiskey, his eyes returning to the fire.
"See that you do."