At first, all Hera felt was movement. Her body rocked violently with every leap as a sharp pain throbbed through the side of her head, while freezing cave air rushed harshly across her face.Then came the metallic scent of blood.And after that, the low vibrating hum of wings beating somewhere above her."...What is happening?"The thought surfaced sluggishly as her eyes slowly opened. Then everything came rushing back.The Blood Skitter.Hera's eyes snapped fully open, and the moment she realized she was being carried by the same creature that had knocked her out, her expression hardened.One of the creature's elongated limbs was wrapped tightly around her waist as it sped through the tunnels, dragging her deeper into the maze.Dread settled heavily in her chest.Without hesitation, mana surged through her body, and instantly, frost exploded outward.A violent wave of ice spread from her skin, rapidly climbing across the Blood Skitter's limb and freezing over the chitin restraining

Ava was being held upside down by the Blood Skitter, blood running down the side of her head.Cain's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the blood skitter standing upright.'What the hell happened to it?'The last time he had seen the creature, it had moved on all fours like the other Blood Midges.But now it stood almost like a person.Even so, the Blood Skitter wasn't without injuries.An ice spike was embedded deep into its shoulder, a massive gash along its side continuously spilling blood, while a visible crack stretched across part of its face, making it clear the girls had pushed the creature hard before he arrived.But it was still alive.Meanwhile, they kept falling one after another, making the situation increasingly hopeless.The Blood Skitter itself remained oddly motionless, though not by choice.Avery was holding it in place with her ability, her body visibly trembling from the strain as she prevented the creature from finishing off her sister.Cain didn't hesitate. Th

Cain began putting on the dark, heat-resistant attire he had once worn back on Ember Isle. Compared to regular clothing, the material was far more durable, and more importantly, it was fireproof, which was the main reason he had decided to switch outfits in the first place. The clothes he had entered the rift in were practically ruined now. The moment he used [Scorch Dash], the intense heat had burned through his shoes entirely and scorched large portions of his clothing, making it obvious that continuing to fight in normal gear simply wasn't practical anymore. So if his abilities naturally produced heat powerful enough to burn through fabric, then it only made sense to wear something suited for it. Cain adjusted the dark outfit over his body before draping the worn cloak across his shoulders. After that, he slid on the thick boots designed to withstand both heat and rough terrain, followed by the gloves. Lastly, he lifted the half mask and secured it over the lower half of his

Avery had been so terrified of the blood skitter, and once panic took hold of her mind, nothing else had mattered besides her own life and her sister's.So she chose to abandon Cain, using him as a distraction to escape.Avery slowly placed an arm over her forehead, guilt twisting painfully inside her chest.'I killed him.''No... Cain could still be alive,' she quickly thought in response, almost as though trying to reject the guilt before it settled too deeply.But the moment the image of the Blood Skitter resurfaced in her mind, her body instinctively shuddered.That creature had been terrifying. And Cain was only D-rank.The chances of him surviving alone against something like that were...slim to none.Avery shut her eyes tightly."Are you asleep?"Mira's voice suddenly broke through her thoughts, causing Avery to jerk upright immediately."No," Avery answered quickly as she sat up. "Did something happen?"Mira simply looked at her calmly."I know this isn't easy, Avery, but you

Soon, the corrupted berserker emerged from the smoke and rubble, staggering forward.Her eyes were unnaturally wide, almost insect-like, bloodshot, and twitching as they darted around. Her hands had become shriveled and charred, chunks of flesh were missing from various parts of her body, and deep cracks spread across her skin, exposing the damage the explosions had inflicted.Cain exhaled quietly in relief.She hadn't walked away unscathed. But she wasn't nearly as injured as he had hoped.Mira slowly turned toward his position within the smoke.The moment her gaze shifted in his direction, Cain concealed himself."Must... must... feed... must feed queen..."The corrupted berserker muttered as she stepped deeper into the smoke, her wide eyes constantly searching for the prey she had been pursuing.Watching from concealment, Cain steadied his breathing. Then he moved.Using [Scorch Dash], he burst through the smoke and instantly appeared beside her. His blade swung in a clean arc as [