After hearing Max’s question, the tall and massive demon suddenly burst into loud laughter.His laughter did not sound like that of a normal living creature. It was like a rumble from the belly of the world, heavy, deep, and layered. Each wave of laughter made the space around them tremble, the dark ground beneath Max’s feet pulsing like the skin of a living being that had been disturbed.“Me?” he said as he stepped forward half a step. “You want to know who you must pass?”He straightened his body fully, his shadow rising high and swallowing Max beneath it.“I am Tharazun,” he said with a voice filled with pride. “I have lived for thousands of years. I stood when human kingdoms were born and when they fell into dust. I have fought many powerful entities from the upper world, the lower world, and the earth itself.”His red eyes burned brighter as he stared at Max.“And if you ask whether a human like you is an obstacle to me,” Tharazun grinned. “That is not even a fight. It is only a

Max finally answered, his voice flat, without even a hint of pride.“Yes,” Max said. “What do you think? Do you still insist on fighting someone who has reached the infinity level?”Those words hung in the heavy air.For the first time since the battle began, Tharazun hesitated.The hesitation was very brief, only a blink of an eye. But for a being who had almost never doubted anything in thousands of years, it was more than enough to become a crack.The glowing cracks on his skin dimmed for a moment. His red eyes trembled slightly as he reexamined the small human standing before him, calm in a way that made no sense.But the hesitation was quickly suppressed.Tharazun remembered who he was.He was an ancient demon. The guardian of the demon world. A being who had seen civilizations rise and fall. For thousands of years, no human had ever truly threatened his existence.He had heard rumors about grandmasters who reached the infinity level. Legends about humans who could break laws, su

Varak smiled casually when he heard Aurora’s question. “Liora is still sleeping in her room,” he replied lightly, as if it were something completely normal. Aurora was slightly surprised. She glanced at the empty chair across from her, then looked back at Varak. “Oh… if that’s the case, I can wake her up,” she said without thinking. “Which room is she in?” Her tone was sincere, without any suspicion. In her mind, Liora was her attendant, someone who was always by her side. It felt natural for them to have breakfast together, especially in an unfamiliar place like this. But Varak immediately shook his head gently. “No need,” he said calmly. “Just let her be.” Aurora frowned slightly, confused. Varak continued before she could think too much about it. “I’m Liora’s friend,” he said as he poured coffee into a cup with relaxed movements. “I know her sleeping habits well. She does not like being woken up. If you force her to wake up, her mood can be bad all day.” He smiled faintly,

The demon ran at once. Its body shot forward like a shadow torn away from light, merging with the darkness before vanishing as if it had never existed. Max did not chase it. He moved forward calmly. Each step was steady, unhurried, and without hesitation. When Max’s foot neared the edge of the path, the next gate opened by itself. There was no sound of hinges. No force pushed it from the outside. The gate seemed to recognize his presence and chose to open the way for him. Max stepped inside. The world beyond the gate was different. Fire burned everywhere. Flames rose from the ground, from walls with no clear shape, and even from the air itself. Red and black light mixed together, creating an atmosphere like the breathing core of hell, alive and moving. The air trembled with heat, rippling like endless waves. But Max felt nothing. There was no heat burning his skin. No pressure tightening his breath. The fire felt like an illusion to him, nothing more than a meaningless sight. H

Meanwhile, at Jae Mansion, the morning passed quietly, as if the world beyond its walls was not in turmoil. Aurora had just finished breakfast with Varak. They sat facing each other, just the two of them, in an atmosphere made warm and intimate. No servants stood too close. No disturbing sounds were present. Everything felt orderly, carefully arranged so that Aurora would feel comfortable. After that, Varak invited her to walk behind the mansion. “There is something I want to show you,” Varak said lightly. Aurora followed him without suspicion. Behind the mansion stood a large gazebo surrounded by a garden. As Aurora stepped closer, her eyes widened. A vast spread of flowers stretched out before her, colorful and neatly arranged, as if the garden had existed for a long time. The air was filled with a gentle, calming scent that made anyone who entered feel at peace. Yet the garden was not a real garden. It was a false one. A garden deliberately created. Varak knew one thing ver