Chapter 105 – "The Heart of the Void"
At HQ, the surveillance crystals pulsed faintly, projecting unstable images of the dungeon.
Fragments of purple energy flickered across the screens, distorting silhouettes and blurring the view — as if reality itself refused to be observed.
Elyon stood silently, arms crossed.
Beside him, Liora monitored the magical flux readings, her gaze focused.
— Their magical signatures are spiking… Liora murmured.
— Yes, Elyon replied. And yet, the dungeon's energy isn't weakening. It's as if it's learning from them.
A little farther off, Valen lounged in a chair, yawning without shame.
— They've made impressive progress, haven't they?
— Honestly, I'm almost jealous, he added with a lazy grin.
On his shoulder, miniature Elyonna spun her tiny sword like a propeller.
— Impressive, sure… but they'll need more than that. This is only the beginning.
Valen raised an eyebrow.
— You say that like the dungeon still has a surprise in store.
Elyon answered calmly:
— It always does. This dungeon isn't testing their strength…
Liora finished for him, her tone grave:
— It's testing what they'll become.
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Then Valen, trying to lighten the mood:
— Well, I don't know about you, but if this dungeon starts developing a personality, I'm moving to another planet.
Elyonna stomped on his shoulder:
— And I'll send you there without a portal.
---
Back in the Purple Dungeon
The last bursts of energy had finally faded.
Lya, Nova, Valor, and Ryn moved slowly through the corridor, the floor still frozen from Valor's magic.
The walls pulsed like living tissue, emitting a sound that was almost… breathing.
Zarion brought up the rear, silent, eyes half-closed, analyzing the structure.
— It's strange, Lya said, eyes narrowed. Even if you said he was a high-level guardian… he felt weak.
— Maybe, Zarion replied. Or maybe… he just wanted to test our reactions.
— A test? Valor grimaced. Test or not, if another purple freak jumps me, I'm punching it anyway.
Lya rolled her eyes.
— Always so subtle, Valor.
Nova chuckled.
— It's almost a strategy: hit first, never think.
— Exactly! Valor replied proudly.
Ryn, more serious, nodded slowly.
— I don't like this. The silence feels… artificial.
— Yeah, Nova said, but don't worry. Honestly, what else could possibly beat us after everything we've faced?
Lya stopped cold, not even looking at him.
— That's exactly what people say before they die.
Valor frowned.
— Or before they win. Depends on your mindset. I choose victory.
Lya sighed and let her magic manifest.
Wings of black shadow burst from her back with a harsh breath, spreading violet mist around her.
— I'm going ahead.
But Zarion calmly placed a hand on her arm.
— No. Relax. You're rushing in too fast.
She took a deep breath, her gaze cooling.
— You're right. I was trained to stay calm no matter what… but I just remembered I've got a new power to test.
Valor raised an eyebrow, suspicious.
— Oh no, not another one. Don't tell me you can eat the mist now?
— Maybe, she replied with a predatory smile.
— Great. One day she's going to swallow the planet, and we'll have to fight Lya the black hole.
Nova burst out laughing.
— Honestly, I'd love to see that.
---
Zarion stepped forward, his expression hardening.
The ground trembled.
A deep rumble echoed in the distance, like a heartbeat slowed to a crawl.
Then a crack split the air.
The purple sky fractured, revealing a black light — so dense it swallowed even the glow of nearby spells.
The walls began to warp, twisting as if trying to flee from the light.
Ryn froze, pupils dilated.
— The mana… it's rewriting itself.
— What? Nova asked.
— This isn't just a magical fluctuation. Something… is changing the rules of this world in real time.
Valor crossed his arms, feigning calm.
— Great. A dungeon that updates itself mid-game. As long as it doesn't switch to hardcore mode, I'm good.
Zarion, without looking up:
— …Hardcore mode just activated.
Silence.
Lya grinned.
— Perfect.
Her eyes glowed with black and purple flame.
— This is the Heart of the Void… I hope it bleeds.
Nova turned to her, deadpan.
— You say that every time, and we're always the ones who end up in pieces.
— That's what we call team spirit, she replied, drawing her daggers.
Another tremor shook the ground.
Thousands of mana fragments began to levitate, linking together with arcs of black energy.
They slowly formed a massive symbol above them — a runic circle shaped like an eye, opening in the air.
A voice echoed, deep and distorted:
You defeated my shadow…
But the true Echo of the Void never sleeps.
Zarion , eyes locked forward.
— Get ready. That wasn't the real guardian.
— Wait, what? Valor said, panicking.
— That was only its shadow. The true Echo of the Void… has awakened.
A portal opened before them.
Chapter 106 – "Descent into the Void"
A portal opened before them, swallowing the surrounding light.
A cold breath emerged, as if the Void itself were exhaling.
Lya placed her hand on the hilt of her dagger and smiled.
— Alright, let's dive in.
Without waiting, she plunged inside. The others followed — and were instantly pulled in.
They fell.
Not an ordinary fall: an infinite descent through violet emptiness, where pulses of energy flashed like heartbeats.
Fragments of worlds drifted past — ruins, suspended oceans, half-formed creatures.
Nova, focused, conjured steps of void beneath his feet, walking through the air.
— Definitely better than crashing like apples.
Lya spread her shadow wings, stabilizing her descent.
Valor wrapped himself in a whirlwind of wind.
— Behold! The great Valor finally flies! I knew I was meant to be above you all!
— You just copied Lya, Nova replied without looking up.
— Yeah, but with more style, Valor retorted, proud as a peacock.
Ryn, calm, placed a hand on her chest.
A soft glow enveloped her body.
— Gravity zero buff.
She floated peacefully beside them, hair and clothes drifting in the void.
Zarion, gliding calmly behind them, spoke:
— Be careful. I suspect we'll be greeted by illusions upon arrival.
Lya smirked confidently.
— That's exactly where my new power comes in.
A third eye slowly opened on her forehead, radiating a purple glow.
The air warped around her.
Nova raised an eyebrow.
— Looks like the eyes those creatures had earlier.
Valor, arms crossed:
— Yeah, those weaklings that lasted ten seconds.
Ryn frowned.
— Zarion said not to look at them too long. They read memories through eye contact.
— Correct, Lya replied. But not just that. This eye can manifest memories into reality, see through illusions, alter time perception, even modify memory.
She tapped the center of her third eye.
— Those creatures only used a fragment. I absorbed the full power.
Valor paled slightly.
— So you're literally a walking glitch now.
— Thank you. That's a lovely compliment, she said with a predatory grin.
Nova shook his head.
— Either way, no illusion could fool us.
Valor:
— Exactly, especially with me here.
Ryn:
— "The one who gets tricked first," you mean?
— Hey! Not fair, priestess!
Zarion took a more serious tone.
— Imagine for a moment we're separated upon arrival. If an illusion isolates you… you'll be on your own.
He crossed his arms.
— Ryn would likely be immune — her mana purifies instinctively — but the rest of you?
Nova shrugged.
— Easy. I blindfold myself and rely on combat senses.
Lya:
— Simple and effective.
Nova:
— Or suicidal, depending on context.
Valor raised his hand like a schoolboy.
— I've got an idea.
Nova:
— Oh no.
Valor:
— I'll use… anti-illusion magic.
Zarion:
— That doesn't exist.
Valor:
— Exactly! That's the genius. If I believe hard enough, it will exist.
Lya (sighing):
— And if you believe even harder, maybe you'll grow a brain too.
Valor pretended not to hear and continued proudly:
— Otherwise, I'll use my sensory magic. I'll detect distortions and counter illusions with a mental barrier.
Zarion, surprised:
— Hm. Not dumb, for once.
Valor:
— I'll take that as a compliment.
Nova:
— It wasn't one.
Zarion looked at each of them.
— Alright. Brace yourselves, we're nearing impact point.
— Impact? Valor repeated. Wait, what do you mean impa—
Too late.
They dove headfirst.
Lya folded her wings, accelerating.
Nova sprinted across invisible steps, leaping from one to the next.
Ryn cast a light field to cushion their fall.
Valor summoned a slab of earth beneath his feet, then froze it mid-air, creating a platform.
— Behold! Improvised ground, courtesy of Valor the genius!
— We're just going to slide off it, Lya muttered.
— I've got it under control! Ow!
— …Did you slip?
— No, gravity cheated!
They finally landed on a vast plain of black crystal.
The air vibrated, saturated with mana.
Around them, glowing spheres floated slowly — memories of other explorers trapped in the Void.
Zarion stepped forward, his expression grave.
— We've reached the Heart of the Dungeon.
He looked up.
A massive eye opened in the darkness above them.
Its pupil… moved.
Lya stepped back, her third eye opening on its own.
— No… this isn't an illusion.
The ground pulsed like a heartbeat.
Structures formed around them — alive.
And at the center of the void… a silhouette slowly emerged.
Nova drew his sword.
— Tell me that's not what I think it is.
Zarion, in a low voice:
— The true Echo of the Void… has manifested.
Valor clenched his fists, a nervous smile on his face.
— Perfect. Finally, a worthy opponent for the great Valor!
Ryn looked skyward.
— He says that every time before flying backward.
Valor:
— False! Sometimes I roll across the ground with dignity!
Lya, unsheathing her daggers:
— Then get ready… because this time, it's not a test.
It's the dungeon's final battle.
Chapter 107 – "The Echo of the Void"
An absolute silence fell.
Even the wind had stopped.
Even Valor, for once, said nothing.
Before them, the silhouette forming in the void took on a human shape… then something inhuman.
A faceless being, composed of unstable reflections.
Each second, its appearance shifted: one moment it had Valor's build, the next Lya's, then Nova's.
Then… a grotesque blend of all three, as if the Void itself couldn't decide which version to plagiarize.
Lya murmured, eyes narrowed:
— It's copying our forms…
Zarion nodded slowly, his tone icy.
— No. It's copying your existence.
He stepped forward, gaze locked on the creature.
— This is the Echo of the Void. The reflection of the inverted world. Every being who enters here leaves a trace… and it feeds on that.
The Echo slowly raised its hand.
A chill swept through the space.
Behind it, hundreds of shadows appeared — unstable duplicates of the hunters themselves.
Some had blurred faces, others moved out of sync, like they were being played in fast-forward or reverse.
Nova cracked his knuckles.
— Great. Copies of us. I hope they're less funny.
Valor:
— And less handsome, obviously.
Ryn:
— You? Even your reflection would avoid you.
Valor:
— False. It would be dazzled. And jealous. And probably in love.
A tremor shook the plain.
Lya felt the Void Eye activate on her forehead.
— It's trying to invade our minds. Stay focused. And don't look at the mirrors.
Too late.
The ground fractured into shifting shards.
Each mirror reflected a scene from the past: their battles, their fears, their doubts.
Nova saw his former master's disappointed gaze.
Ryn saw her temple in ruins, the ashes still warm.
Valor saw… his botched hairstyle from the "experimental" phase.
— No. No no no, that's too cruel! he shouted, turning away.
Lya ignored him, focused.
— Don't stare too long. These images are bait. And some are really ugly.
Nova, unfazed, stepped forward.
— Alright, cheap copy. Let's see if you can keep up.
He activated Void Art – Second Movement: Multiple Accelerations.
His body vanished.
Dozens of energy blades struck the Echo from all directions — but each blow was blocked…
by another Nova, moving at the exact same speed.
— Tss… It's anticipating my moves?
Zarion:
— No. It's replaying them. It reads your presence in the Void's weave. It's your echo… squared.
Ryn raised her hand, summoning several orbs of light.
— White Blessing, Pure Dispersion!
The orbs exploded around the clones, dissolving nearby illusions.
But instantly, the light froze mid-air.
Then… turned against them.
— What?!
— It reversed my magic flow! Ryn shouted.
Zarion, placing his hand on the ground:
— This domain obeys its rules, not ours. And it cheats. A lot.
Valor raised his hands, forming a shield of stone mixed with raw energy to absorb the orbs.
— Seriously?! It's playing with our own attacks now?
Then, gritting his teeth:
— Okay. Plan B. Time to return the favor.
He slammed his hands into the ground.
— Earth Magic: Titan's Cage!
Massive pillars erupted, closing in on the Echo of the Void.
But just as the cage sealed… the pillars turned to ice, then sand, before exploding in a windstorm.
— …Did it just fuse my three magics?
Lya:
— Yep. And it did it better than you.
Valor:
— Hey! That's hurtful… and true!
Lya charged.
— Multiple Stealth Lacerations!
Her body became a blur of slicing shadows, but another Lya appeared before her, blocking every strike with cold grace.
A grace… infuriating.
Lya grinned viciously.
— Devouring me won't make you stronger… but eating you will boost my power.
Her third eye opened wide, radiating black aura.
The other Lya stepped back. First sign of doubt.
Nova joined in, his movements overlapping in a blade-filled dance.
— Void Art… Fusion of First and Second Movement: Paradox Slash!
A slicing wave exploded, cutting through reality itself — but his double mirrored the move.
The two attacks collided in a burst of void that bent space.
For a moment, everything froze. Even time hesitated.
Ryn, meanwhile, vanished in a golden flash.
She reappeared before the Echo and delivered a mana-charged punch so powerful it detonated everything for hundreds of meters.
But the creature caught her arm, broke it without emotion, and hurled her away.
Ryn rose instantly, her body regenerating in white light.
— Okay… bad move. Let's try again. This time, I'm aiming for the head.
Meanwhile, Valor faced his double.
His reflection charged with brutal speed. Valor extended his hand, weaving mineral energy threads that immobilized it.
With his free hand, he launched a mana-coated punch that should've sent it flying…
…except the double raised a shield just before impact.
Valor groaned:
— Okay, I take it back. He's as handsome as me. And just as annoying.
Ryn skidded to a stop, her double lunged — but an energy beam repelled it before it could strike.
She turned her head.
Zarion, arms crossed, stood facing the Echo.
He hadn't moved.
He hadn't attacked.
But the Echo… was watching him.
Their eyes met.
Something passed between them.
A silence deeper than the Void itself.
Zarion finally spoke, voice low, almost weary:
— You want to copy me too? Good luck. I don't even understand myself.
The Echo trembled.
For the first time… it hesitated.
And that was the beginning of its first mistake.
Chapter 108 – The Duel of Reflections
Zarion slowly placed his hand on the hilt of his black blade.
A faint shiver ran along the metallic grip.
— Well, looks like it's my turn to deal with you, he said in a calm, almost bored voice.
— Finally, someone who dares.
The Echo opened its multicolored eyes, shimmering like stars in the night.
— I didn't recognize you.
This perfect body… that appearance, it's exactly what I need.
I'll claim you and add you to my collection.
A sly smile split its lips.
— You and all your facets.
---
Meanwhile, Lya was executing precise, deadly movements.
Her third eye opened wide, glowing with a dark light.
She froze one clone with a piercing gaze, then devoured it in a surge of shadow.
With a swift motion, she parried another clone's attacks using her daggers, then sliced it into neat pieces — before absorbing it.
If I use my spectral form, they'll use it too, she thought, frowning.
I need to rely on my other abilities.
She launched into phantom-like movement, stealth slicing.
She cut down several clones before they even realized they were dead.
She didn't bother sparing them, devouring them without mercy.
But her strongest clone soon emerged, blocking her daggers with force.
Lya leapt back, annoyed.
— Seriously, you're such a pain. You just won't quit, huh?
---
Nova advanced through the air, using void steps to walk as if flying.
His lightning-fast strikes sliced through multiple clones, using the air itself as leverage.
But before him stood his toughest double — the one who had already countered his attacks earlier.
With a smirk, Nova clenched his fists.
— Challenge accepted.
---
Valor, on his end, wasn't backing down.
He bombarded his strongest clone with powerful energy beams, but it dodged with almost insulting agility.
Other clones appeared behind him, but Valor snared them with energy chains woven in an instant.
Then, one by one, he disintegrated them in a storm of radiant blasts.
— You can come at me one by one, huh?
He winked at his opponents.
---
Ryn summoned two luminous daggers and dashed forward at near-instant speed.
She sliced through all her clones in her path, vanishing and reappearing like a flash of light in the night.
But her strongest clone was waiting.
With a swift gesture, it hurled a beam of light straight at her face.
— That's for earlier.
Ryn's eyes widened and she raised her arms defensively.
Boom.
---
After the explosion, Ryn stood tall, her arms scorched and smoking.
Her breath was short, but her limbs were already regenerating, skin reforming slowly as if nothing had happened.
— Not bad. You got me with that one.
She smiled.
---
The Echo suddenly changed form.
Its true appearance emerged: a striking young man with white hair streaked with iridescent hues, wearing a flowing black cape.
He sat casually, resting on his wrist, watching the scene with unsettling calm.
Then he fixed his gaze on Zarion with his multicolored eyes.
— You're the one I'm interested in.
An enigmatic smile stretched across his face.
— Because you're the only enigma I haven't been able to decipher.
---
Zarion tightened his grip on the black blade.
— Then come. Show me what you've got.
He assumed a combat stance, ready to dive into a duel that might just redefine what they thought was possible.