Demon of the Sealed Room

A sharp jet of purple liquid erupted from the scorpion's tail. Hajime leaped sideways, barely avoiding the deadly acid as it splashed onto the floor, dissolving the stone beneath it. The air smelled acrid, and the ground sizzled where the liquid touched.

Hajime quickly assessed his surroundings, then drew Donner with practiced precision.

BANG!

The bullet tore through the air, striking the scorpion square in the head with overwhelming force. The creature staggered, but didn't fall. Yue, perched on Hajime's back, stiffened at the sheer power of the weapon. She had never seen anything like it—no incantations, no magic circles, just raw, unfathomable power emanating from Hajime's hand. Her crimson eyes narrowed; Hajime was the same as her, able to manipulate magic directly. But how did he do it without the usual rituals?

The scorpion didn't move.

Hajime's expression hardened, his lips curling into a grimace as he floated in the air, using his Air Walk to stay agile. His mind raced as he accessed Perception and Magic Perception. The beast was still—its only movement came from its tail, twitching slightly as it prepared to strike again.

Suddenly, its tail shot out like a whip, the needle on the end of it aimed directly at Hajime. Just as he was about to dodge, the needle exploded mid-air, bursting into a scatter of smaller projectiles.

"Kuh!"

Hajime gritted his teeth, his body whirling as he emptied the remaining rounds from Donner into the oncoming swarm. He swept the air with his Grand Kick and struck out with his Air Claws, but nothing seemed to land a decisive blow. The scorpion barely flinched.

It wasn't just tough—it was adapting.

The creature's four long arms stretched forward with terrifying speed, each one closing in on Hajime from a different angle. He managed to avoid one with Flicker and dodge another with a leap, but the third arm collided with his side, throwing off his balance. The fourth arm came crashing down, and Hajime barely twisted out of the way in time. Donner fired, using the recoil to flip him into a safer position.

But even that wasn't enough.

Hajime landed with a heavy thud, and the scorpion, undeterred, began charging again. A grenade, wrapped in a pouch, fell from Hajime's hand and rolled toward the scorpion.

This wasn't just any grenade—it was an incendiary device made with Fulham ore, capable of burning at temperatures of 3000°C. The small explosive ignited on impact, sending a wave of burning tar cascading over the scorpion's body.

The creature screamed in fury, thrashing against the flames. But it was far from finished. With a deafening roar, it charged once more, its monstrous arms stretching to strike. Hajime's options were running out.

The scorpion's next attack came like a storm. Its arms moved faster than he could dodge, its tail flicking in every direction, ready to unleash more needles. He leaped backward, throwing another incendiary grenade toward its back, but this was just a temporary delay.

Then, a sudden, shrill scream pierced the air. Hajime's heart skipped a beat.

The ground began to tremble. Sharpened splinters of rock shot up from the earth in all directions, surrounding Hajime and Yue.

"Damnit!"

Hajime cursed under his breath, using Flicker to narrowly avoid one of the jagged projectiles. He twisted to shield Yue from another, the splinters narrowly missing them both. His heart raced as he tried to stay ahead of the terrain shifting around them.

And then, the scorpion prepared to fire.

He could see the acid gathering at the tip of its tail, the air distorting with heat. He couldn't avoid both the acid and the buckshot this time. Gritting his teeth, he braced for impact.

Using Air Walk, he twisted his body, evading the acid just in time. But the needles from the scorpion's tail pierced into his body before he could fully protect himself. Pain exploded through him as the needles impaled his flesh.

"Gaa!!" He screamed, the agony flaring as they dug into his skin. But he didn't have time to dwell on it. With Yue still clinging to his back, he threw the flash grenade in desperation.

The grenade arced through the air, and a blinding flash burst out in front of the scorpion's eyes. The creature recoiled, blinded by the intense light. For a moment, it staggered in confusion.

Hajime, battered and covered in wounds, pulled the needles from his body with gritted teeth. Blood dripped down his arm as he fumbled for a healing potion, swallowing it with a grimace.

Yue, shaken but determined, finally ran to his side. Her face was etched with worry, but she tried to hold it together. She had never seen him like this before—so worn and in pain.

"Hajime!"

Her voice cracked, and for the first time, the coldness of her demeanor melted away. She was afraid, truly afraid for him.

But Hajime just gave her a reassuring smile, despite the pain, and muttered, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." His eyes shifted to the scorpion, which was now recovering. "I just need to think of a new strategy…"

Yue stared at him for a moment, before shaking her head. "Why don't you just run?"

Hajime froze. The question hit him harder than he expected. It was possible—he could leave her behind, escape, and survive. But that wasn't an option.

"No way," he replied, his voice firm. "I'm not running. Not when you're with me."

Yue blinked, taken aback. His gaze held unwavering conviction. There was no running from this fight—not for him, not for her.

He would do whatever it took.

Yue understood. The words, the determination in his voice—it was all she needed to hear.

A single tear slipped down her cheek as she embraced him, whispering softly, "Please… believe me."

Before Hajime could ask what she meant, Yue leaned in and kissed his nape. Her lips brushed against his skin with the gentle pressure of a bite. His eyes widened as the familiar, cold sensation of her vampire bite stung his neck. But Hajime didn't flinch or pull away.

It was an odd mix of discomfort and warmth. He felt the power flow through him, draining him slightly, but at the same time, he could sense her connection to him deepening.

He couldn't help but smile despite the situation. "You're still weird, you know that?"

Yue pulled away, her eyes now sparkling with a mix of vulnerability and strength. She had just given him a part of herself, trusting him with more than just her blood.

The scorpion's roar snapped Hajime back to reality. Its body trembled, the ground beneath them shaking again as it prepared for its next strike.

"But that's my forte."

Hajime slammed his hand into the ground, and with a burst of transmutation, a stone wall shot up around them. The jagged splinters came in waves, striking the wall with force, but each time they did, Hajime quickly rebuilt it, his concentration unwavering.

Yue's face had regained its usual composure. She licked her lips, her skin glowing like porcelain, her crimson eyes gleaming with renewed energy.

She raised her hand gracefully toward the scorpion, her voice low but filled with an ethereal power.

"Aazure Sky."

A pillar of bluish-white flames erupted from the ground, engulfing the scorpion in searing heat. The creature howled in pain as the flames consumed it. But the flames didn't stop. They chased the scorpion, and with a sharp gesture from Yue, the pillar followed, closing in on its target.

The scorpion's desperate screech filled the air as its tough exterior began to melt under the inferno. It tried to retreat, but the flames were relentless, burning it to the core. The creature's roar ended in a blood-curdling screech as it collapsed, its body charred and blackened.

Yue collapsed to her knees, exhausted. Her breathing was shallow, and her face was pale, but her lips curled into a faint smile.

"Hajime, I did it…"

"You did. You saved us." Hajime knelt beside her, supporting her as she caught her breath. "Take a rest. You've earned it."

Hajime turned his attention to the now-dead scorpion. It was still alive, its outer shell smoldering, but he wasn't taking any chances. He loaded another round into Donner and shot three precise shots into the beast's mouth, ensuring it was dead.

When he was satisfied, he gave a nod. "It's done."

As Hajime approached Yue, he reflected on the journey ahead. The dungeon had been a brutal trial, but he had gained a reliable partner in Yue. Whether or not Pandora's box would offer more challenges, they would face them together.