7 - Second Floor of Stone

Dante, Stiles, SteelArm, and Kiera set out the next morning, returning to the building.

"We should call this place 'Bullshit Dungeon,'" Dante said with a grin.

"Hell yeah," Stiles agreed without hesitation.

SteelArm and Kiera just sighed but nodded, seemingly resigned to the name.

As the four stepped inside, the heavy doors slammed shut behind them once again. Kiera immediately tried pulling them open, but they wouldn't budge.

"Guess that means we have to clear a boss before we can leave," Stiles said, glancing back at the sealed entrance before turning his attention forward.

Dante frowned, scanning the main hallway they had walked down the previous day. "Is it just me, or does this look different?" he asked. "The door on the left—by that window we checked out yesterday—it's gone."

Stiles and SteelArm followed his gaze, noticing the missing door as well.

"Maybe we just… took a different path yesterday?" SteelArm suggested, though his voice lacked confidence. He scanned the area, his sharp eyes taking in the surroundings. Yet no alternate routes presented themselves—there was only one way forward.

"Either way," Dante said, rolling his shoulders, "looks like we're in for another round of this dungeon's bullshit."

Dante activated [Phantom Materialization], forming a spear in his hand as he took the lead down the dimly lit hallway. SteelArm followed close behind, with Stiles and Kiera bringing up the rear.

As they advanced, Dante suddenly stopped, planting his spear against the floor just as a barrage of poison darts shot out from the walls, striking the opposite side.

"Stay sharp," he warned. "Looks like the traps are just as bad as yesterday."

Kiera raised a hand, casting [Search] to scan the area. A faint magical glow surrounded her as a small map of their immediate surroundings formed in her vision.

"There's another trap three steps ahead of you," she said.

Dante nodded, breaking a loose chunk of stone from the wall and tossing it forward. The moment it hit the ground, the floor gave way, revealing a pit filled with roaring flames. He peered over the edge, watching the fire crackle hungrily below.

"A hidden fire pit?" he muttered. "This place really wants us dead."

Carefully maneuvering past the traps, the group pressed forward until they reached the end of the hallway. There, two massive doors loomed before them, each adorned with an ornate carving—one of a snake, the other of a lion.

SteelArm, now at the front thanks to his [Mountain Body], reached out and pushed against the heavy doors. To everyone's surprise, they swung open effortlessly.

"That's suspiciously easy," Stiles muttered.

Dante tightened his grip on his spear. "Yeah… I don't like it."

With caution, they stepped inside.

As the four of them stepped inside, the doors slammed shut behind them. Blue flames ignited along the walls, their eerie glow casting long shadows as the ceiling above them vanished, revealing the moon's cold light.

SteelArm dropped into a martial artist's stance, his body tense and ready. Dante lowered his spear, prepared to strike. Kiera gripped her staff, stepping back to assess the situation, while Stiles unsheathed his twin blades, activating [Silver's Last Pride], causing them to shimmer with a silvery glow.

Their eyes locked onto a figure ascending the stone steps ahead.

"You… lowly fucking bastards."

The voice was dripping with disdain. And then, they saw him.

A tall man with wild long red-and-black hair. Bare-chested, his lean but muscular frame was covered in faint scars. He wore loose martial artist's pants, his bare feet treading silently across the stone floor.

Dante moved first.

[Phantom Lunge] activated.

For a fraction of a second, Dante's speed tore through the laws of the world itself, his form becoming a blur of afterimages. He appeared directly in front of the man, spear swinging upward in a devastating arc aimed at his chin. The illusions trailing behind him struck in unison, overwhelming the figure in a flurry of phantom attacks before Dante's final blow crashed down.

The sheer force sent the man hurtling into the wall, shattering the stone upon impact. He collapsed to the floor, unmoving.

Dante exhaled, stepping back toward the group.

"So… those illusions of yours aren't just for show, huh?" Kiera mused, eyes scanning the remnants of lingering mana. "Each one carried actual energy. That's impressive."

Dante gave a small smirk but immediately tensed, his instincts screaming. "Get ready."

Stiles raised an eyebrow. "The hell do you mean 'get ready'? You just one-shotted the guy."

"Not even close," Dante muttered.

From within the swirling dust, a shadow emerged.

The man stepped forward—without a single scratch.

Kiera's eyes narrowed. "He's regenerating… his mana flow—it's the same as a healer's."

Dante and Stiles both grimaced.

SteelArm chuckled. "So, you guys think this'll last longer than yesterday's fight?" His tone was dripping with sarcasm.

"If we make it out of here, I'm killing you first," Stiles shot back.

Then—

"Fuck, that hurt!"

The man took a single step forward—and instantly appeared in the center of the room.

Dante's breath hitched. He had seen the step… but not the movement itself.

"This isn't just an SS-rank gate…" His grip tightened around his spear. "This is an SS-rank dungeon."

No hesitation. [Phantom Overdrive]. [Phantom Annihilation].

Dante vanished again, his speed multiplying as his spear became an extension of destruction itself. He lunged—

The man's eyes flickered, sensing something.

The moonlight caught fragments of shattered glass hidden across the room, reflecting countless versions of him. His speed surged beyond human comprehension. Then, as the air pulsed with eerie green energy, the flames along the walls shifted—now burning an unnatural, sickly green.

Dante appeared behind him, spear thrusting forward with the force of a collapsing mountain. His weapon didn't just cut through flesh—it severed the soul itself.

The man's soul was split in half.

Dante reappeared with the group, panting. No one spoke.

Then—

"My name is Riven Vorn."

His voice was calm, but his eyes—locked onto Dante—were filled with murder.

Dante's blood ran cold.

He had felt nothing when his attack landed.

"...A soul attack on a being without a soul?"

Riven's lips curled into a vicious grin. His eyes darkened to blood-red fury.

"A useless ass skill from a useless ass nobody." His voice dripped with venom. "You worthless bitches think you know how to fight?"

His aura flared, the entire room trembling under its weight.

"I'll show you useless bitches what real combat looks like."

The air grew heavier. The green flames flickered violently as if reacting to the sheer malice radiating from Riven. His blood-red eyes locked onto Dante like a predator to its prey.

Then, he moved.

Faster than thought.

Dante barely had time to raise his spear before a fist blurred through the air. A shockwave exploded outward as Dante was sent hurtling backward, slamming into the stone wall with bone-crushing force.

SteelArm lunged. His fists, reinforced by Mountain Body, swung toward Riven like boulders crashing down from the heavens.

Riven didn't dodge.

He caught SteelArm's punch with a single hand. The sheer impact shattered the ground beneath them, cracks webbing out in every direction.

Then—he twisted.

With terrifying ease, he lifted SteelArm off the ground and slammed him face-first into the floor so hard that the entire room shook.

Kiera's voice rang out. "Arcane Bind!"

Chains of pure mana erupted from the air, wrapping around Riven's arms and legs, glowing with an intense blue light.

Stiles was already moving. His twin blades glowed silver as he activated [Relentless Edge] as his [silver's Last Pride] had been activated for a while, his slashes becoming blurs of light. Each strike aimed for Riven's vital points.

A cut to the ribs—

A slash to the throat—

A stab straight for the heart—

Every single attack hit and a second later, an explosion happened. Riven didn't even flinch, instead—he grinned.

With a flex of his muscles, he tore through Kiera's Arcane Bind like paper. In an instant, he caught Stiles by the wrist and slammed a knee into his stomach before holding him by his shirt and threw waves of punches into his stomach.

The impacts was deafening.

Stiles' eyes widened as blood burst from his mouth, his body doubling over before Riven kicked him across the room, sending him crashing into the torches lining the walls.

Dante reappeared. His body flickered with [Phantom Overdrive], moving faster than human eyes could track.

A spear thrust—

A sweeping kick—

A flurry of afterimages converging into one singular, perfect strike.

For a moment, the room stood still.

Riven grin became even wider. Dante froze. His spear had pierced clean through Riven's chest perfectly. 

Riven grabbed the spear's shaft and pulled it deeper, impaling himself further.

He leaned in, voice dripping with mockery. "Nice try you useless bitch."

A devastating punch connected with Dante's ribs. Something broke. Pain exploded through his body as he was sent skidding across the ground, coughing up blood.

SteelArm slammed his hand into the ground activating [Earthen Grip] Stone hands from the ground appeared and grabbed around Riven tightly 

"Dante! Now!"

Dante spat out blood, his eyes burning with determination.

"[Phantom Annihilation]!"

His spear pulsed with an ethereal glow—a direct attack on Riven's very existence.

Dante lunged—aiming straight for Riven's head. It was the perfect opening. The moment his spear touched Riven's forehead, it shattered.

Dante's eyes widened as he saw his phantom spear break for the first time.

Riven chuckled darkly. "Pathetic... son of a bitch!"

Then—he erupted.

A burst of raw energy detonated from Riven's body.

The force sent everyone flying. The flames in the room turned black, the walls trembling under his sheer presence.

Riven cracked his neck, his expression twisted somewhere between amusement and contempt. Dust rolled off his shoulders, a silent testament to how meaningless their attacks had been. His voice, calm and measured, carried the weight of something truly monstrous.

He looked over towards everyone and grinned, his eyes complete red, his muscles flexing on their own as he looked at 

Riven stood silent for a moment before talking again, "I learned this disgusting language you humans use to communicate to share my hatred with the things I hate the most." 

Dante struggled to his feet, his chest heaving as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. The pain was searing, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to stay down. His body trembled, but his resolve burned brighter than ever.

Kiera, though still standing, had blood trickling from her lips. The shockwave had rattled her to the core, but she refused to show weakness. Her hands gripped her staff tightly, her breath shallow as she focused on regaining her composure.

Stiles was on the ground, struggling to push himself upright. His body trembled from the sheer force of the impact, the pain in his stomach making it difficult to breathe. He coughed violently, spitting out a stream of blood, his eyes welling with tears from the agony. Every movement felt like torture.

SteelArm, on the other hand, stood tall and unwavering. His body had absorbed the blast, his [Iron Fortress] absorbing the energy and leaving him unscathed. He looked down at his teammates, his expression unreadable, but the fierce glint in his eyes showed no sign of weakness.

Riven spoke up once again, "I'll show you the principle of bloodshed."