The red light didn't fade.
It deepened.
Thickened.
Like blood soaking into the very air.
No one moved.
No one could.
Because standing before them—
was something that no longer followed the rules they had just learned.
The Allure, Knight of the Eclipse.
It didn't breathe.
It didn't shift.
It simply existed—
and that alone crushed the battlefield beneath its presence.
One crimson eye.
One silver.
Both locked onto the raid party.
And then—
it smiled.
—
"...Everyone, spread—!"
Kiraya's command never finished.
Because the moment Allure lifted its hand—
the world changed.
[Boss Skill: Radiance Domain]
The crimson light exploded outward.
Not like an attack—
but like a territory being claimed.
The entire chamber was swallowed whole.
Walls.
Ceiling.
Ground.
Everything turned into a radiant red abyss.
Then—
chains appeared.
Not summoned.
Not formed.
They were simply there.
Wrapping around every player.
Arms.
Legs.
Torso.
Neck.
"—What the hell?!"
"They're—binding—!"
"I can't move—!"
The chains weren't just restraints.
They pulsed.
With every heartbeat—
they tightened.
With every movement—
they punished.
Ayame gasped as she tried to lift her staff—
CRACK
The chain around her arm constricted violently.
"—AH—!"
Damage numbers flickered.
Not large—
but constant.
Relentless.
Hinabi's eyes sharpened.
"…It's not just binding…"
A pause.
"…It's control."
Fayzan struggled, flames flickering weakly against the chains.
"…Then we break it."
He forced his arm forward—
flames igniting stronger—
but the chains tightened again—
Harder.
Punishing.
"…Tch—!"
—
At the center—
Allure tilted its head slightly.
Watching.
Observing.
Judging.
Then—
it raised its other hand.
And the air above them—
fractured.
[Boss Skill: Eclipse Dominion]
Darkness tore open the ceiling.
Not shadow—
but something heavier.
Something absolute.
And from that darkness—
they fell.
Swords.
Hundreds.
No—
Thousands.
Black blades rained down from above—
each one humming with lethal intent.
"MOVE—!"
Elias roared.
But no one could.
Not fast enough.
Not restrained like this.
Despair hit faster than the blades.
—
Then—
fire erupted.
"GET DOWN!"
Kiraya.
Somehow—
some way—
she moved.
Her muscles screamed.
Chains dug into her skin—
drawing blood—
but she stepped forward.
Forced forward.
Shield raised.
Sword blazing.
[Sword Skill: Lionheart Resonance]
She swung.
A massive wave of fire surged upward—
colliding with the descending storm of blades.
BOOM
Flames devoured dozens—
Hundreds—
But not all.
Never all.
Still—
it created space.
A brief opening.
Enough to survive—
if only barely.
Kiraya planted her shield into the ground.
Flames erupted outward—
forming a protective dome around a portion of the raid.
"—Stay behind me!"
Her voice strained.
But unbroken.
The swords crashed against the flames—
Exploding.
Shattering.
Piercing.
Each impact pushed her back—
inch by inch—
but she held.
She held.
She held.
—
Then—
everything went quiet.
Too quiet.
Kiraya's eyes widened slightly.
"…Wait—"
The flames flickered.
The pressure shifted.
And in the next instant—
Allure was in front of her.
No movement.
No warning.
No transition.
Just—
there.
Face to face.
Smiling.
"…!"
Kiraya reacted instantly—
shield rising—
blade turning—
but she was too late.
Far too late.
Allure lifted its leg—
graceful.
Effortless.
And kicked.
CRACK
The impact didn't just hit Kiraya—
it erased her position.
Her body launched backward—
faster than the eye could follow—
slamming into the far wall.
BOOM
Stone shattered.
The entire section collapsed inward.
Kiraya's shield broke from her arm.
Her sword slipped from her grasp.
Her body fell—
lifeless—
buried in debris.
Her HP—
dropped to zero.
—
Silence.
Absolute.
No one spoke.
No one breathed.
Because the one who stood at the front—
The one who held the line—
The one who never fell first—
Was gone.
"…No way…"
Ayame's voice trembled.
"…Kiraya…?"
Fayzan froze.
For the first time—
truly froze.
"…You've got to be kidding me…"
Hinabi's smile was gone.
Completely.
Her eyes narrowed.
Cold.
Focused.
"…One hit…"
A whisper.
"…She got one-shot…"
—
At the center of the battlefield—
Allure lowered its leg slowly.
Elegantly.
Like nothing of importance had just happened.
Its chains tightened again.
The domain pulsed.
The rain of black blades resumed.
And its gaze shifted.
From Kiraya—
to the rest.
The message was clear.
The tank was gone.
The front line was broken.
And now—
there was nothing left—
between it—
and them.
—
Elias stepped forward.
Alone.
His sword rose once more.
White-gold flames igniting again—
despite everything.
Despite the exhaustion.
Despite the odds.
"…Everyone…"
His voice was calm.
Steady.
Unshaken.
"…Fall back."
A pause.
Then—
"…I'll hold it."
—
Because someone had to.
And now—
there was only one left who could.
The battlefield had already collapsed.
Not just the stone.
Not just the formation.
But the will to keep fighting.
And yet—
the nightmare refused to end.
—
Allure hovered above them once more.
Untouched.
Unharmed.
Unchallenged.
Its wings spread wider—
black feathers edged with crimson light.
Its halo rotated slowly—
fractured.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
Then—
its hand rose again.
Without a word.
Without hesitation.
[Boss Skill: Eclipse Dominion]
The sky tore open once more.
Darkness split the ceiling—
and the rain returned.
Black swords.
Endless.
Falling like judgment itself.
—
Elias stepped forward instinctively.
"…Not again…"
His sword lifted.
White-gold flames tried to ignite—
tried to answer his call—
but—
nothing came.
The light flickered.
Then died.
His body swayed.
"…Tch…"
The backlash.
Delayed.
Absolute.
His final attack—
had taken everything.
Mana.
Stamina.
Control.
His legs gave out.
He dropped to one knee—
then both.
"…Damn it…"
For the first time—
Elias couldn't stand.
—
The blades descended.
Fast.
Unavoidable.
And there was no one left—
to stop them.
—
Then—
"Move!"
Hinabi stepped forward.
Her breathing uneven.
Her mana—
nearly gone.
But her eyes—
burning.
"…I'm not done yet."
She raised both hands.
Crimson light gathered—
violent—
unstable—
her last remaining power.
[Mage Skill: Crimson Red Lotus]
A massive lotus of fire bloomed above them.
Petals of flame spiraled outward—
intercepting the falling blades.
BOOM
The first wave shattered.
Then the second.
Then—
the third broke through.
"—GH—!"
Hinabi's body trembled.
The lotus cracked.
Shattered.
The remaining black swords pierced through—
Striking her—
Striking Elias—
Again.
And again.
And again.
Blood.
Impact.
Silence.
—
When the blades stopped falling—
they were still alive.
Barely.
1%.
Both of them.
Collapsed.
Unable to move.
—
Above—
Allure watched.
And smiled.
—
Its gaze shifted.
Past the fallen leaders.
Past the broken battlefield.
Toward the only movement left.
Ayame.
Sumi.
And the remaining survivors—
limping—
dragging bodies—
trying to reach the exit.
"…Run…"
Ayame whispered.
Her voice shaking.
"…Just run…"
Sumi gritted her teeth.
"…I'll hold it—"
"You can't—!"
"I don't need to win."
Sumi stepped forward.
Daggers drawn.
"…I just need to buy you time."
—
They didn't get the chance.
Allure vanished.
Then—
appeared above them.
The dungeon door—
behind them—
exploded.
Stone shattered outward.
The exit—
gone.
—
Sumi lunged.
[Assassin Skill: Double Edge]
Her blades flashed—
aimed for the neck—
fast—
precise—
desperate—
—
Allure didn't dodge.
It didn't block.
It simply—
grabbed her.
By the head.
"…!"
CRASH
Sumi's face was slammed into the ground.
The impact echoed.
Her HP plummeted instantly.
But it didn't stop there.
Allure dragged her.
Face scraping across stone.
Leaving a trail of blood.
Sumi struggled—
kicked—
clawed—
but the grip—
didn't loosen.
Then—
Allure spun.
Effortless.
And threw her.
Her body flew across the room—
slamming into the far wall—
right beside Kiraya's unmoving form.
BOOM
Sumi hit the ground.
And didn't move again.
Her HP—
zero.
—
"…Sumi…"
Ayame's voice broke.
Her hands trembled.
Her body froze.
"…No…"
—
Allure turned.
Slowly.
Toward her.
One hand lifted.
Crimson energy gathered.
Condensed.
Violent.
[Boss Skill: Eclipse Impermanence]
A point-blank annihilation.
No escape.
No survival.
—
Behind her—
movement.
Fayzan.
Burning.
Raging.
"…YOU—!"
He charged.
Flames erupting violently—
one final push—
one final attack—
—
Allure didn't even turn fully.
It simply flicked its hand.
The skill released early.
BOOM
The blast struck Fayzan mid-charge.
His body was launched—
like nothing—
crashing into Elias and Hinabi.
All three collapsed together.
Broken.
At 1%.
—
Now—
only one remained.
Ayame.
—
She fell to her knees.
Shaking.
Crying.
Her staff barely held in her hands.
Behind her—
leaders.
Elites.
All fallen.
"…I…"
Her voice cracked.
"…I can't…"
Allure raised its hand again.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Final.
—
Ayame gripped her staff tighter.
Tears fell freely.
"…I don't want to die…"
A whisper.
"…Not like this…"
—
The energy gathered.
Brighter.
Larger.
Final.
—
Then—
something changed.
A system voice echoed.
Sharp.
Unnatural.
Out of place.
[System Notice]
Intrusion Penalty Activated
Allure paused.
Slightly.
For the first time—
its motion hesitated.
[Players HP reduced by 50%]
The energy it gathered—
flickered.
Destabilized.
Weakened.
—
Then—
it fired.
BOOM
The blast surged forward—
toward Ayame—
toward everyone—
toward the end—
—
CLANG
It stopped.
Split.
Deflected.
—
A figure stood there.
Between the blast—
and them.
White hair.
Saber drawn.
Arm steady—
despite the impact.
Rio.
—
The energy wave split in two—
rushing past her—
exploding behind.
The ground shook.
The chamber trembled.
But the survivors—
remained untouched.
—
Above—
another figure fell.
Fast.
Precise.
Unstoppable.
Ryota.
"Move."
Too late.
CRASH
His strike connected.
A single blow—
but it carried everything.
Allure was slammed into the ground—
the impact forming a massive crater beneath it.
Stone shattered.
Dust erupted.
Silence followed.
—
Ryota landed.
Perfectly.
Beside Rio.
His stance relaxed—
but his eyes—
locked forward.
"…That thing again, huh."
Rio didn't respond immediately.
Her gaze fixed on the crater.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
Her grip tightened slightly.
"…Looks worse than the last one."
—
The dust cleared.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
And from within—
Allure rose.
Unharmed.
Unshaken.
Its wings unfolded again.
Its halo spun once more.
And its eyes—
locked onto them.
Rio.
Ryota.
—
For the first time—
it didn't smile.
As if two anomalies have arrived to challenge it's throne
—
The battlefield held its breath.
Because now—
the real fight—
had begun.