Dungeon Clear
A massive rune appeared in the sky of the chamber:
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[Dungeon Cleared: Crimson Spiral Vault]
Rewards:
– +1 Level (Lv. 26)
– Essence Core: Spiral Flame Heart
– Equipment: Embersteel Harness (Flame Boost +10%)
– Trait Acquired: Spiral Adaptation (Increased resistance to rotational magic and flame anomalies)
---
Aira exhaled, stepping over the shattered remains of the guardian. Her chest burned—not with pain, but with growth. The chains pulsed in time with her heartbeat.
"One down," she whispered. "One more to go."
Two days later, Aira arrived at the outskirts of the Mirrorflame Crypt, another Extreme Dungeon said to warp the minds of even the strongest flame users. Unlike the Crimson Vault, this one dealt not with physical challenges—but mental and spiritual ones.
Her companions wanted to come, but she refused.
"This one's mine alone," she'd said.
With her new traits and the power of the Soulfire Chains, she felt ready to challenge the most dangerous part of flame magic: its reflection.
---
The Crypt of Echoing Fire
Inside the Mirrorflame Crypt, there were no monsters.
Only reflections.
Each corridor held a shimmering glasslike wall that replicated her every step—and then acted independently.
The first fight was against herself: a mirror Aira, with the same level, powers, and talents.
It was brutal.
They clashed mid-air, chains sparking against each other. Every move she made, the mirror countered. She had to become unpredictable, learning new patterns mid-fight. She began using chains for defense, redirecting her own flame spells through illusions.
Eventually, she outmaneuvered her double—by burning her own reflection in the wall behind the copy.
Cleverness over strength.
Deeper into the Crypt
The deeper levels became worse. The walls whispered doubts in her voice:
"You crave power, not purpose."
"You burned your way to the top. You didn't rise—you conquered."
"You'll end up like the rest."
The Mirrorflame Wraiths emerged next—soulless entities mimicking her worst emotions: fear, guilt, grief. She bound them with Soulfire Chains, only to find they didn't vanish.
Instead, the chains purified them, absorbing their energy as insight.
A new system message blinked:
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[New Soulfire Effect Unlocked: Echo Purge]
Bound illusions or corrupted spirits may be cleansed and absorbed as emotional essence, granting temporary insight buffs or resistance to mental attacks.
---
She pressed onward, deeper into the tomb-like corridors. Memories of the past flickered: her parents, her failures, her betrayals.
But she kept walking.
Boss Fight: The Mirrorflame Queen
The final chamber was endless glass, reflecting infinite copies of her.
In the center stood a tall woman in a burning silver cloak: the Mirrorflame Queen, the entity born from centuries of self-destructive flame mages consumed by their reflections.
She wielded a staff of melted mirrors. Her eyes were pure fire.
"You think you've accepted yourself?" she asked. "Then prove it."
The battle began.
It wasn't just physical. It was mental warfare.
The queen attacked with illusions, swapping her form with Aira's allies, her younger self, even Pyrion. She cast spells that unraveled the mind, confusing flame and memory.
Aira fought with Soulfire Chains, anchoring her spirit as her mind trembled. She bound the queen once—but the chains shattered.
"Not enough," the queen hissed. "You haven't bound your own flame."
Realizing what she meant, Aira did something reckless.
She turned the chains inward, binding her own core for a moment—suppressing every thought, every echo. Only silence.
She centered herself.
Then released the chains again.
This time, they glowed white-hot, pure, unwavering.
They struck the Mirrorflame Queen dead center.
Soulburn: Purge of Flame.
She screamed—and scattered into shards of light.
---
Dungeon Clear
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[Dungeon Cleared: Mirrorflame Crypt]
Rewards:
– +1 Level (Lv. 27)
– Mirror Core: Echoflame Sigil
– Trait: Flame Clarity (Immune to illusion-based flame attacks)
– Passive Skill Unlocked: Flame of Self (Mental focus enhances fire damage by
10%)
---
Aira emerged from the dungeon at dusk.
The world felt quieter. Calmer.
Not because it had changed—but because she had.