The forest shook harder.
Trees bent violently from the pressure spreading through the domain as Riven and Daxen burst through the woods at full speed.
Neither of them looked relaxed anymore.
Their clothes were torn slightly.
Burn marks covered parts of Daxen's sleeves.
Lightning flickered wildly around Riven's arms.
Riven slid across the ground first.
"Guys prepare—!"
He pointed behind him immediately.
"…It's a chimera and it's no joke!"
Daxen landed beside him breathing heavier than before.
"For it to take my flames with no damage…"
He stared toward the forest seriously.
"…It has strong durability."
The others turned toward the direction they came from.
The smoke from shattered trees and broken earth slowly cleared.
Then Heavy footsteps echoed.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
The chimera emerged from the forest slowly.
Not rushing.
Not panicking.
Walking.
Like it already knew it stood above everything present.
Its golden eyes scanned the group.
Its massive body towered over the trees themselves.
Dragon scales covered sections of its frame while its lion-like body carried enough pressure to make weaker monsters collapse from fear alone.
Three tails dragged behind it.
Each one ending differently.
A serpent.
A blade-like extension.
And one covered in spikes dripping purple poison.
Then it roared.
The sound exploded through the survival domain.
The air trembled.
Even the ground cracked slightly beneath them.
Camry swallowed quietly.
"…That thing is huge."
Serenity stared at it calmly.
"…So this was the beast who was caged?"
Luciferus narrowed his crimson eyes slightly.
"…But for a chimera to exist…"
He looked at the creature carefully.
"…it had to be created or—"
"Mutated."
Serenity finished calmly.
Luciferus nodded once.
"…Yeah."
Riven pointed aggressively.
"Guys it's RIGHT THERE!"
Borin cracked his knuckles loudly.
"…I kinda wanna hit it."
Zayfer immediately answered—
"You'll die."
"…Fair point."
The chimera suddenly focused its gaze—
On Luciferus.
The moment black light faintly leaked from his body—
The creature became restless instantly.
Its breathing deepened.
Its claws dug into the ground.
It hated that energy.
Instinctively.
Deeply.
Luciferus noticed immediately.
Then smiled.
"…Interesting."
Kara growled softly from his shoulder.
The small Qilin's black flames flickered lightly.
Luciferus reached up and picked her up carefully.
"…Sis."
Serenity looked at him.
Luciferus handed Kara to her.
"…Watch her for me."
Serenity took the baby Qilin gently.
Kara blinked before curling comfortably in her arms.
Camry frowned.
"…Wait."
She looked toward Luciferus.
"…You're not seriously planning to fight that thing alone, right?"
Luciferus stepped forward casually.
"…I'll handle it."
Everyone looked at him.
Mystic's eyes narrowed slightly.
Riven blinked.
Borin looked excited.
Daxen folded his arms.
Camry stared.
"…Are you sure?"
Luciferus grinned without looking back.
"…I'm positive."
Black light started radiating from his body slowly.
Not explosively.
Not wildly.
Just enough to make the atmosphere heavier.
The chimera growled louder.
Its hostility increased immediately.
Then It moved.
BOOOOOOM.
The creature swung its massive front leg downward trying to crush Luciferus instantly.
Luciferus sidestepped casually.
The attack missed him by inches.
The impact shattered the earth behind him.
At the same time—
A voice echoed inside his head.
[Mission Triggered]
Kill the Chimera Alone
Rewards:
Master Grade Sword 2000 XP
Accept?
Luciferus smiled wider.
"…Accept."
The chimera roared and attacked again instantly.
Its poison-covered tail lashed toward him violently.
FAST.
Relentless.
Luciferus moved smoothly.
Left.
Right.
Backstep.
Turn.
Every strike missed him.
Barely.
Mystic watched carefully.
"…His movement…"
Zayfer narrowed his eyes.
"…He's reading the attacks before they happen."
The chimera attacked again.
And again.
And again.
Its tails smashed through trees and shattered boulders while Luciferus moved between every strike effortlessly.
Luciferus dashed forward.
He slipped directly beneath the creature.
His left foot planted firmly into the ground.
BOOM.
The earth cracked beneath him.
"…Black Light Enhancement."
Black energy outlined his body instantly.
Thin lines of black light spread across his arms and legs like glowing veins.
Then He kicked upward with his right leg.
WOOOOOMP.
The impact echoed across the entire domain.
The chimera's gigantic body lifted off the ground.
Everyone's eyes widened.
Borin blinked.
"…He kicked that thing?"
Riven stared.
"…He did."
The chimera flew upward violently.
Luciferus bent his knees Then launched himself after it.
BOOOOOOM.
The ground exploded beneath his feet.
He shot through the air like a black comet.
The chimera regained balance mid-air and roared angrily.
Then Luciferus reached it first.
WOMP.
His fist slammed into the creature's stomach again.
The force bent the chimera's massive body inward.
Air burst from its mouth violently.
The beast was sent flying even higher.
Mystic stared upward silently.
"…What is that power?"
Serenity looked at her brother calmly while holding Kara.
The old transcendent spirit inside her consciousness remained completely silent.
Even he was shocked.
Luciferus floated briefly in the air—
Then smiled.
"…Black Step."
He vanished.
A sonic burst exploded where he had been.
The next second—
He appeared high above the chimera.
Far higher than before.
The stars above the survival domain reflected in his crimson eyes.
Black light flickered around his body softly.
Dangerously.
Below him—
The chimera spun through the sky trying to regain control.
Its roar became more furious.
More desperate.
Luciferus slowly brought his palms together.
Then—
Pulled them apart.
A black sphere formed between his hands.
Small at first.
The size of a marble.
Then it grew.
To the size of a baseball.
Then larger.
Rays of black light radiated from it.
The surrounding air distorted slightly.
Even space itself seemed heavier around the sphere.
Below—
Everyone felt it instantly.
Camry stepped back unconsciously.
"…That thing feels dangerous."
Mystic looked upward seriously.
"…No…"
A pause.
"…That feels like sudden death."
The chimera looked up.
And for the first time Fear appeared in its eyes.
Luciferus smiled.
"…Black Beam Eclipse."
The chimera suddenly launched itself upward toward him desperately.
Spinning through the air with terrifying speed.
Trying to kill him before the attack formed completely.
Too late.
Luciferus thrust his hands forward.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
The beam erupted instantly.
A gigantic pillar of black light exploded downward.
The world itself disappeared beneath the attack.
From the perspective of everyone below—
It looked like half the sky had turned black completely.
The beam swallowed the chimera entirely.
No resistance.
No struggle.
Just annihilation.
The attack continued.
Straight through the forest.
Straight through mountains.
Several mountain ranges vanished instantly.
Erased completely.
The domain trembled violently.
Shockwaves spread in every direction.
Trees collapsed from the pressure alone.
Riven stared upward speechless.
"…What the hell…"
Daxen laughed softly in disbelief.
"…That dude's insane."
Camry looked frozen.
Borin grinned like a maniac.
Zayfer stayed silent entirely.
Mystic just stared.
Trying to process what he had witnessed.
The beam slowly faded and Silence followed, Heavy silence.
Then—
A figure descended slowly from the sky.
It was of course, Luciferus .
Black particles faded from around him as he dropped toward the ground calmly.
BOOOOM.
He landed on both feet.
Dust spread outward from the impact.
Everyone stared at him.
Luciferus rolled his shoulder slightly.
Then exhaled.
"…That took a lot of energy."
Kara immediately jumped from Serenity's arms onto Luciferus' shoulder again.
The baby Qilin rubbed its head against his cheek proudly.
Luciferus laughed softly.
"…Yeah yeah. I know I looked cool."
Serenity walked toward him calmly.
" You Know you could've killed it without destroying everything right, Why did you destroy half the landscape for no reason?."
Luciferus shrugged.
"…The mission didn't say I couldn't."
Riven finally spoke.
"…Bro."
A pause.
"…What ARE you?"
Luciferus looked at him.
Then smiled casually.
"…A student."
Riven:
"…Bullshit."
Daxen started laughing loudly.
Even Camry couldn't stop herself from smiling slightly.
Then—
A sound echoed through the domain.
DING.
Instructor Kael's voice spread across the survival realm.
"Thirty minutes have passed."
"Final thirty seconds before extraction."
Luciferus blinked.
"…Wait."
He looked at Serenity.
"…We were in here that long?"
Serenity nodded slightly.
"…Time flies when you erase mountains."
Luciferus looked offended.
"…One time."
The others laughed lightly.
Even Mystic smiled faintly.
The pressure in the group eased slightly,the danger had passed…for now.
Serenity looked toward the gate calmly.
"…Well."
She adjusted Kara slightly in Luciferus' arms.
"…The thirty minutes are basically up."
She looked at the others.
"…It's time to get out."
Far above the domain—
Hidden behind layers of barriers—
Instructor Kael Varion stood silently watching everything. Especially Luciferus.
And for the first time in years—
The Imperial-ranked Conqueror looked genuinely stunned.
"…Bellet…"
His eyes narrowed slowly.
"…Just what kind of monsters did your family create?"