Chapter 81

“We’re good to go,” Derek added, his voice laced with anticipation.

Both had received new gear recently, and it was clear they were eager to test their strength against formidable monsters.

Nathan, however, seemed wistful as he absently stroked the flute hanging at his side. Inside a confined space like this dungeon, his Pegasus was useless.

“Alright then, let’s move,” Justin commanded.

The interior looked much the same as before: a long corridor lit by flickering candles set in sconces along the walls. The only differences were the intricate carvings on the stone walls and the occasional decorative ornament embedded between them.

They hadn’t made it far before the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the shadows.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Of course, something’s coming,” Justin muttered as everyone tensed, weapons drawn. It seemed like a universal rule—every dungeon greeted its intruders with monsters.

“At least the footsteps don’t sound too numerous,” Derek noted, trying to stay optimistic.

“That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy,” Rachel cautioned. “It could be three orcs, for all we know.”

“Why would you say that? You’ll jinx us…” Derek grumbled.

“KRAAAAAA!”

Before he could finish complaining, a guttural roar echoed through the corridor. Three massive shadows emerged from the dark, their green-skinned frames unmistakable.

Scratching his cheek in resignation, Justin sighed. “You all know this isn’t my fault, right?”

“I know, but I still feel like blaming you!” Derek growled, hefting his thunder hammer.

As the group prepared for battle, Justin’s sharp eyes caught movement at the rear—an orc hidden behind the others.

“An orc shaman?” he muttered.

It was hard to see clearly through the shadows, but the telltale rags draped over its body resembled a crude robe.

The orc shaman snorted loudly and raised both hands toward the ceiling.

“Faiya Boru!”

FWOOOOOSH!

“Are you kidding me? An elementalist?!” The sheer size of the fireball forming above the shaman’s head left Justin momentarily speechless.

Elementalists were terrifying foes—masters of destruction, capable of wiping out entire groups if caught unprepared.

“This difficulty level is insane!”

“Humans! All of you DIE!” the shaman bellowed.

“Shield up!” Justin shouted.

Just as the fireball hurtled toward them, Rachel stepped forward with a gleaming magic shield. The orcs sneered, already imagining the humans engulfed in flames.

But the devastating blast never landed.

BOOM!

“Graaagh!?”

“Solid work!” Rachel grinned as the shield easily dispersed the fireball.

The shaman, rattled, tried to cast again.

“F-Faiya Boru!”

“Dual-cast—Black Missile,” Justin incanted, his own spell forming at the same moment.

Both attacks launched simultaneously. The result was almost anticlimactic.

BOOM.

THUD.

“Grrrk!”

The fireball scattered harmlessly against Rachel’s shield again, but Justin’s Black Missile struck true, piercing the shaman’s forehead in a blink.

The remaining two orcs, flanking their fallen comrade, screamed in rage.

“Shaman-friend DEAD!”

“Humans! You DIE!”

“…Are we the bad guys here?” Justin muttered. “Dual-cast—Black Missile.”

“KRAAAAGH!”

The two orcs charged forward, but Justin’s magic dropped the first before it could even get close. The second orc, however, managed to close the distance.

Before its weapon could strike, Derek leapt forward with his thunder hammer.

“Take this!”

“Hah! You weak human—”

The orc scoffed, swinging its massive axe to clash with Derek’s weapon. It clearly intended to overpower him with brute strength.

CRACK!

“Guhk!?”

But the orc’s confidence was misplaced. The shockwave from Derek’s hammer obliterated its axe and caved in its chest with crushing force. The creature’s body twitched weakly before collapsing.

The battle ended far too quickly for the group’s liking.

“That’s… it? We actually beat three orcs that fast?”

“Were orcs always this weak?”

“No way,” Justin said, shaking his head. “Without the dungeon rewards, that fight would’ve been much harder. Still, good work, everyone! If we can keep this up—”

Just as he was about to congratulate his team, a system message appeared before his eyes:

《You have reached Level 25. You are now eligible for a second-class advancement.》

《New Quest: ‘Whispers of the Demon’ has been initiated.》

《The Grand Dukes of the Demon Realm have invited your soul to the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons.》

Suddenly, his vision went black

“…Where am I?”

Justin squinted as the landscape around him changed in an instant. It couldn’t have been more than three seconds, and yet, everything around him had transformed completely.

‘A colosseum?’

This was no dungeon stone chamber—he now stood at the heart of what resembled a massive circular colosseum. Yet, unlike any arena built by human hands, the entire structure was cast in black stone, and ominous crimson reflections shimmered across its surfaces, casting an unsettling glow.

The strange atmosphere didn’t end with the building itself. Above him, the sky boiled with violet storms, lightning crackling endlessly across the heavens. Each strike shattered the silence like breaking glass. And then there were the holes—great, gaping voids scattered across the sky, as though some cosmic giant had clawed through the heavens themselves.

『』

“…It’s like staring into a real version of hell,” Justin muttered.

『Indeed. This is true hell—home of all demons.』

A voice thundered in response, heavy and oppressive. Startled, Justin turned around.

Four shadows loomed where nothing had stood before.

They weren’t particularly large—each no more than twice the size of a human. Yet the pressure they exuded was overwhelming, like being crushed under the gaze of a mountain given eyes.

The first shadow, the one that had spoken, remained silent after its declaration. Then, as if on cue, the other three joined in unison:

『Do you like our home, seeker of power?』
『Whether you like it or not, you soon will.』
『This is the place all black mages dream of reaching.』

The voices echoed from every direction, drilling into his ears with such force that they left a high-pitched ringing behind. He shook his head, slapping the sides of his head in an attempt to clear it, but the ringing remained.

The shadows laughed louder, their amusement clear.

Irritation bubbling beneath his calm exterior, Justin didn’t bother hiding his frustration.

“Enough with the cryptic nonsense. If you’ve got something to say, say it straight. I’m not here for your riddles.”

『….』

The laughter ceased instantly. He couldn’t see their faces, but their hesitation was palpable. The shadows exchanged glances as if unsure how to respond.