THE KING FALLS, THE PAWN IS SACRIFICED

The eerie quiet of the arena was broken by the deep rumbling of Erebus's arrival. Standing twice the height of a normal man, his form was like a twisted amalgamation of human and decay, a hulking presence that exuded an almost unnatural aura. The arena around them seemed to bend, as if the world itself trembled before him.

Baek Ji-Hoon watched with a cold, calculating gaze. The final battle had begun, and his strategy was as intricate as the gears of a finely tuned clock.

Every move, every second, had to be flawless. He could already feel the growing pressure of time, knowing that as long as Erebus survived, his strength would only multiply.

"Hold steady,"

Ji-Hoon's voice cut through the tension, as the team braced themselves for the oncoming storm.

The tank charged forward first, his shield raised high. Erebus, with his towering form, easily brushed off the initial strike, sending the tank stumbling back. But this wasn't unexpected—Ji-Hoon knew this was only the first step in a far more elaborate plan.

Kwon, the team leader, quickly followed, darting in with a series of calculated attacks. His blade met Erebus's sword with a metallic clash, sending sparks flying. But despite the skill, Erebus was no mere foe to be overpowered with brute force.

His power was steadily rising with every passing second. Ji-Hoon could feel it—the energy in the arena began to grow heavy, as Erebus's aura intensified.

"We need to buy time,"

Ji-Hoon muttered under his breath, as he observed the growing intensity of the fight.

As Erebus began to grow stronger, he unleashed his Fury of the Abyss, sending a devastating shockwave across the arena. The mage had positioned herself at the far end, casting spells that weakened Erebus's defenses, but even her most powerful attacks had little effect on his escalating power.

The tank, still recovering from his last encounter, took the brunt of Erebus's next attack—a crushing blow to his chest that sent him flying across the arena. He struggled to stand, his armor dented and battered.

Ji-Hoon didn't panic. His plan had accounted for moments like these.

"Stay focused!"

He barked at his team, signaling for them to regroup.

"We're just setting up the trap."

As Erebus grew stronger with each passing moment, the team struggled to keep up. His strength was terrifying, each swing of his sword faster, more destructive. The tank was knocked down again, and the mage was pushed to the brink, her spells barely doing any damage as Erebus's resilience increased.

But Ji-Hoon's eyes never left the boss. He was watching for the right moment, knowing that Erebus's power would continue to grow—until it reached a breaking point.

Kwon was the first to notice. "He's getting stronger every second," he grunted as he blocked another brutal strike from Erebus.

"I know,"

Ji-Hoon replied.

"But that's the key. He'll get so strong that he'll break himself."

As the battle raged on, Nox's plan slowly began to unfold. Erebus's Fury of the Abyss had reached its peak, and the boss was now so powerful that his strikes were no longer just a threat to the players—they were a danger to himself.

Nox knew that Erebus's ability to grow stronger meant that the boss's energy would eventually spiral out of control. The more damage Erebus inflicted, the more power he would gain. But in the process, his body would begin to deteriorate from the constant strain.

Ji-Hoon gave the signal.

"Now, everyone—retreat!"

For a brief moment, the team backed away, allowing Erebus to unleash his full fury. The boss, with his immense power, smashed his sword into the ground, creating fissures in the earth. He howled, his body surging with dark energy.

And then, something Ji-Hoon had anticipated began to happen—Erebus was pushing himself too far. His body began to buckle under the weight of his own power. His movements grew erratic, and cracks began to form in his decayed flesh.

It was now or never.

"Focus fire on his core!"

Ji-Hoon shouted.

The mage and Kwon launched their attacks in sync. The mage cast her most powerful Arcane Blast, a concentrated bolt of energy aimed directly at Erebus's chest, while Kwon, using his unparalleled speed, launched himself forward with a flurry of slashes.

The combined effort hit Erebus at the exact moment his body was at its most vulnerable. The force of the attacks tore through his decaying form, causing a massive explosion of dark energy. Erebus staggered back, howling in pain, as his body twisted and broke apart from the strain of his own power.

For a brief moment, it seemed as though the boss might recover, but the damage was irreversible. Erebus, now fully consumed by his own power, could no longer maintain his form. The arena trembled as his body began to collapse inward, the dark energy spilling out of him in chaotic waves.

Erebus staggered, his massive form trembling under its own overwhelming power. His strength had reached its peak, but now that very power was tearing him apart from the inside. This was exactly what Baek Ji-Hoon had planned. He had turned the boss's ever-increasing strength into its greatest weakness.

As Erebus took another step, deep cracks spread across his decayed body. The dark flames that had once made him unstoppable now flickered erratically, as if struggling to hold his form together.

And then, the blazing sphere that served as his head suddenly fell from his shoulders.

Time seemed to stop.

The team stood frozen as the flames dissipated, revealing something they never expected—a human face.

A man's face, twisted in grief, with hollow, sorrowful eyes.

A silent understanding passed between Baek Ji-Hoon and Erebus in that instant.

This wasn't just a mindless boss. This creature had once been something more. Someone who had lost everything.

And then—

BOOM!

The flaming sphere hit the ground, unleashing a violent explosion of radiant light that engulfed the entire arena. For a few agonizing moments, all anyone could see was blinding whiteness. The shockwave sent dust and debris flying, forcing the team to brace themselves.

When the light finally dimmed, the air felt heavier—charged with an eerie presence.

From the remnants of the fallen core, a glowing, spectral light began to rise. It drifted into the air like a sentient wisp, pulsating with an otherworldly energy. It was neither hostile nor friendly—just... waiting.

Baek Ji-Hoon instinctively took a step back, but the wisp moved toward him, slow yet deliberate. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to dodge, but something deep inside told him it was too late.

The light shot forward.

Before he could react, it pierced straight into his chest.

His vision blurred. His body stiffened. A cold yet strangely familiar sensation wrapped around his soul, as if something ancient had just fused with him. His heartbeat pounded in his ears.

And then—silence.

The world around him faded into the background. For a brief moment, he wasn't in the arena anymore. He was somewhere else. Somewhere dark, where echoes of a past long forgotten whispered in the void.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over.

Baek Ji-Hoon gasped, his knees nearly buckling beneath him. He clutched his chest, feeling a lingering warmth where the wisp had entered. Whatever it was, it was now a part of him.

The team stood in stunned silence, watching him.

"Ji-Hoon... what the hell was that?" Kwon's voice was cautious, almost fearful.

Baek Ji-Hoon didn't answer. He wasn't sure himself.

But this wasn't over yet.

His gaze shifted toward the far end of the arena, where the King's Throne had begun to crack. With a deep, echoing groan, the massive stone seat split apart, revealing a hidden stairway descending into darkness.

Whatever secrets Erebus had guarded… they were waiting below.

Baek Ji-Hoon was the first to step forward. His body still ached, his mind still reeled from what had just happened, but he didn't hesitate.

They had come too far to stop now.

One by one, the others followed. Kwon, the tank, limped slightly but forced himself to keep pace. Seohyun, the mage, kept glancing at Baek Ji-Hoon, as if trying to decipher what had happened to him. The rest of the team remained quiet, tension thick in the air.

The deeper they went, the colder it became. The flickering torches lining the walls cast long, eerie shadows.

And then they reached it—the treasure chamber.

At the center of the vast underground hall stood a grand pedestal, adorned with ancient carvings. Resting atop it was a single, ornate artifact. It radiated a faint golden glow, its energy pulsing in a steady rhythm.

Baek Ji-Hoon narrowed his eyes. This was it. The true prize.

But something felt… wrong.

A shiver ran down his spine.

And then, before he could react—

A blade sank into his back.

A sharp, burning pain spread through his body. His breath hitched. His vision blurred.

And when he turned his head—

His sister stood behind him, eyes filled with hesitation… yet she still refused to meet his gaze.

Betrayal had finally arrived.