Chapter No.7 Hunters!

[Third Person's POV]

"T-This..."

"It is the fourth time now..."

"Kevin, What do you think?"

"It's either a team of hunters who entered before us but... that's impossible because the bureau wouldn't make such a mistake, which leaves only..."

"Dungeon Outbreak!"

A group of seven could be seen, the path narrowed leading into the cavern where Lucifer fought the wind elemental wolf.

The group consist of women girls and three men, each clad in adventurer gear suited for dungeon exploration. Their expressions ranged from wary to outright panicked as they examined the aftermath of the carnage left in Lucifer's wake. The scorched remains of creatures littered the ground, the obsidian walls charred and cracked from the unrelenting force of Hellfire. The heat in the air was still palpable, causing beads of sweat to form on their brows.

The leader of the group, a tall man with dark, weathered features and a stoic demeanour, adjusted his grip on his broadsword. His name was Kevin, a seasoned adventurer known for his tactical approach to dangerous situations. He surveyed the destruction, his sharp eyes narrowing as he analyzed the scene.

"This... doesn't look like an outbreak," Kevin muttered, his voice low and tense. "The damage is too concentrated. Whatever caused this knew exactly what it was doing."

One of the women, a petite mage with fiery red hair named Elena, shivered as she stepped closer to the scorched remains. Her staff emitted a faint glow, attuned to the magical energies lingering in the air.

"This isn't normal," Elena whispered, her voice trembling. "The residual energy here—it's dark, unstable. I've never felt anything like it before. It's like... like someone ripped a piece of hell and unleashed it here."

A younger man in the group, his armor gleaming but his hands visibly shaking, looked around nervously. "D-Do you think it's still here? Whatever did this?"

Kevin's gaze lingered on the faint scorch marks that seemed to form a trail leading deeper into the dungeon. His instincts screamed at him to retreat, but his pride and responsibility to his team wouldn't allow it.

"If it is," Kevin said grimly, "we'll need to be ready. Stay close, stay alert, and no one acts without my command. Got it?"

The group nodded, though unease was evident in their expressions. They tightened their formation, each member preparing themselves for whatever lay ahead.

As they moved cautiously forward, the oppressive atmosphere thickened, and the faint rumble of battle reached their ears. The ground beneath them vibrated ever so slightly, signalling the presence of something massive and powerful nearby.

Elena hesitated, her grip on her staff tightening. "Kevin... that rumbling. It's coming from the boss's chamber, isn't it?"

Kevin's jaw tightened. "Yes. And whoever—no, whatever—is fighting it might be more dangerous than the boss itself."

The group pressed on, their steps silent yet deliberate. With each passing moment, the sounds of the confrontation grew louder: the roar of flames, the crash of stone, and the guttural bellows of a monstrous entity.

When they reached the entrance to the boss chamber, they were greeted by a sight that froze them in their tracks.

A white-haired man covered in black and crimson fire stood at the center of the room, his back to them. The sheer magnitude of his power distorted the air around him, and the remnants of Hellfire still danced like embers on his skin. His mismatched eyes—one a brilliant red and the other a haunting blue—glowed with an unearthly intensity as he stared down the towering dungeon boss.

The demon, now visibly scarred and seething with rage, lunged forward, its claws crashing down with earth-shattering force. Yet, the man did not flinch. Instead, he vanished in a flicker of flame, reappearing above the boss with an outstretched hand crackling with Hellfire.

The adventurers watched in stunned silence as the man unleashed a concentrated blast of infernal energy straight into the beast's skull. The impact sent shockwaves through the chamber, the very walls groaning under the pressure.

Kevin clenched his fists, his instincts warring with his rational mind. "Who... or what... is that?"

Elena, still trembling, whispered, "He's not human. No human could wield power like that. He's... something else."

The young adventurer in shining armour gulped audibly. "Are we sure we're on the right side of this?"

As the boss staggered, the man landed gracefully, his movements fluid and deliberate. He raised his hand, summoning Hellfire that coiled around him like a living serpent. With a flick of his wrist, the flames surged forward again, this time forming a massive spear of pure fire.

The demon roared, its body convulsing as the spear pierced through its chest, pinning it to the ground. The flames erupted, consuming the creature in a blinding explosion of light and heat.

When the brilliance faded, only ashes remained where the dungeon boss had stood. The man stood alone amidst the devastation, his breathing heavy but steady. His aura, though subdued, still exuded an overwhelming dominance.

Kevin and his team exchanged uneasy glances. They were seasoned adventurers, accustomed to danger, but this was something beyond their understanding.

Before they could decide their next move, the man turned to face them. His dual-coloured eyes seemed to pierce through their very souls, and a faint smirk played on his lips.

"You've been watching for a while," he said, his voice low and laced with amusement. "Care to introduce yourselves, or do you prefer lurking in the shadows?"

The group stiffened, their weapons instinctively raised, though it was clear they knew they stood no chance against him.

Kevin stepped forward, his tone cautious but firm. "We are hunters from the Red Guardian guild sent to clear this dungeon. And you... who are you?"

The man tilted his head, the smirk deepening. "Who am I?" His voice was calm, almost playful. "I'm Lucifer. And as you can see, the dungeon is already clear."

"You... cleared this alone?" Elena's voice broke the silence, her disbelief evident. Her wide eyes darted to the remnants of the boss, reduced to ashes, and the scorched marks that marred the chamber. The sheer magnitude of destruction seemed impossible for a single individual to cause.

"Yes..." Lucifer said as the adrenaline left his body, making the ferocious aura around him subside gradually. The flames that had coiled around him like living serpents flickered and dissipated, leaving only faint traces of smoke in the air. His mismatched eyes, once glowing with unrestrained power, softened slightly, though their intensity remained unnerving.

Kevin hesitated, his grip on the broadsword tightening. This man—no, this being—had single-handedly annihilated the dungeon boss, something his entire team would have struggled to accomplish even with meticulous planning. Yet, despite the sheer display of strength, Lucifer didn't appear hostile, at least not overtly.

Lucifer took a step toward them, his boots crunching on the ash-strewn floor. The group instinctively shifted into a defensive formation, their movements automatic, though fear was evident in their eyes.

He raised an eyebrow at their reaction, his smirk fading into an expression of mild amusement. "Relax. If I intended to harm you, you'd already be..." He paused, his smirk returning. "Well, you wouldn't be standing there."

Elena shivered at his words, but Kevin stepped forward, trying to project confidence despite the oppressive pressure emanating from Lucifer.

"If you're not our enemy, then why are you here?" Kevin asked cautiously. "This dungeon was scheduled for clearing. The bureau didn't report any independent hunters entering ahead of us."

Lucifer's smirk turned contemplative, his lips moving faintly as he muttered something too low for them to catch. The faint flicker of Hellfire danced in his mismatched eyes as if reacting to his thoughts. Finally, he glanced up, meeting Kevin's gaze with a piercing intensity that made the seasoned adventurer swallow hard.

"I'm not here for your bureau or your schedules," Lucifer said, his tone cool and unyielding. "I had... personal business in this dungeon. And as you can see, I've finished it."

Kevin frowned, trying to steady his nerves. "Personal business? In a dungeon overrun with monsters? That doesn't explain—"

"It doesn't need to," Lucifer interrupted, his voice sharp enough to cut through the tension. "You've seen what I've done here. Do you really want to question me further?"

The unspoken warning in his words sent a chill through the group. Yet, Kevin refused to back down entirely. His team depended on him, and despite the overwhelming difference in power, he couldn't allow fear to paralyze him.

"We're here to ensure the safety of the surrounding regions," Kevin said, straightening his posture. "If there's anything left in this dungeon that poses a threat, we need to know."

Lucifer tilted his head, studying Kevin with a curious glint in his eyes. "A noble sentiment. Admirable, even. But unnecessary. The dungeon is clear. Every threat, including the boss, is gone."

Elena stepped forward hesitantly, clutching her staff. "And what about you? Are you planning to leave the dungeon, or do we need to report your... presence to the bureau?"

Lucifer chuckled softly, the sound both unsettling and strangely captivating. "Report me? To your bureau? Oh, little mage, you're free to try. Though I doubt they'd know what to do with such a report."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to proceed. Lucifer, sensing their hesitation, sighed lightly and took another step toward them. The faintest ripple of his aura made them all tense.

"I have no interest in your guild, your bureau, or your rules," he said, his voice softer now but no less commanding. "Consider this a fortuitous encounter. The dungeon is clear, and you're alive to return with the news. Isn't that enough?"

Kevin held his ground, though his mind raced for a response. Before he could speak, Lucifer turned away, his movements fluid and deliberate.

"One more thing," Lucifer added without looking back. "You'd do well to forget this encounter. Some stories are better left untold."

With that, his form shimmered, engulfed in a swirling vortex of crimson and black flames. The oppressive heat made the adventurers shield their faces, and when they looked again, Lucifer was gone, leaving behind only a faint trace of ash in the air.

For a long moment, silence hung over the chamber, broken only by the faint crackle of lingering embers.

"What... just happened?" the younger adventurer whispered, his voice trembling.

Kevin sheathed his sword, exhaling deeply. "We survived. That's all that matters."

Elena nodded, though her eyes remained fixed on the spot where Lucifer had vanished. "Do you think we'll ever see him again?"

Kevin's expression darkened. "If we're lucky? No. But if we do... we'd better be prepared."

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[To Be Continue]

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