Black aura surged from Arya's body, the air around him distorting with sheer pressure.
99's instincts screamed at him to run. But before he could react—
BOOM!
Arya's fist slammed into his stomach.
A shockwave exploded through his body as he was sent flying through the air, smashing into the stone wall with brutal force.
His spine shattered.
99 collapsed onto the cold floor, blood spilling from his mouth. He couldn't move. His body refused to obey him.
His vision blurred. But as his eyes focused, he saw Arya standing over him.
Then, suddenly—Arya appeared in front of him again.
99 gasped, his mind unable to process what was happening.
Arya tilted his head slightly. "What happened? You wanted my right hand, didn't you?" His voice was mocking. "Looks like you couldn't take it after all."
99's breath came in ragged gasps. The pain in his body… This is the same pain I inflicted on others.
And now… he was the one suffering.
---
Meanwhile—
89 finally arrived at the hallway leading to the throne room.
He moved forward cautiously, his hand gripping his weapon.
---
Arya exhaled slowly. "I could kill you instantly…"
99's eyes widened in fear.
"But I won't."
A chill ran down 99's spine.
"Because," Arya continued, his voice turning darker, "I think the second option suits you better—"
His black aura surged again, spreading like wildfire across the room.
The shadows twisted, crawling along the floor and walls—until they took form.
Shadow hounds.
Dozens of them.
Their red eyes glowed with hunger. Saliva dripped from their snarling mouths as they growled, their sharp fangs gleaming.
Arya took a step back, gesturing toward 99.
"Look at them," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "They're hungry."
99's breath hitched. His entire body trembled.
"Please… don't kill me!" he begged, his voice breaking. "Please! I'll do whatever you say! Just spare me!"
Arya tilted his head. "Tell me something."
"When others begged for their lives… did you ever let them go?"
99's pupils shrank.
Arya's voice turned cold.
"No. You didn't."
His gaze darkened.
"And neither will I."
Arya snapped his fingers.
"Go."
The hounds lunged.
99's screams filled the throne room as the beasts tore into his flesh.
They ripped off his legs. His arms. His blood splattered across the floor.
His bones cracked as the hounds devoured him piece by piece.
Until—
There was nothing left.
---
Meanwhile—
89 stood at the throne room door.
Before he could open it, an ominous power leaked from inside.
A deep, suffocating aura that made his instincts scream.
Inside, Arya clenched his fists. Damn it…
His heart pounded painfully. His body trembled.
If this body could handle my power, I would've killed him instantly.
Before 89 could burst through the doors—
Arya disappeared.
The doors flung open.
89 stepped inside—
And froze.
The room was empty.
Only a throne sat in the center.
No sign of Arya.
No sign of 99.
Nothing.
Just silence.
Inside the Throne Room—
89 stood in silence, his breathing heavy.
He had made it this far—losing his closest friends along the way.
But now, as he stood before an empty throne, a sinking feeling settled in his chest.
"Was everything we did… for nothing?" he muttered under his breath.
There was no boss here.
No sign of a fight.
No bodies.
Nothing.
His fingers clenched into fists. He couldn't see a way forward—this was the end of the path.
Maybe… just maybe…
Had 99's team already killed the boss and returned to the meeting point?
89 exhaled sharply. If the boss is already dead, then the others must be waiting for me.
Turning around, he prepared to leave the throne room—
But then, a thought struck him.
That aura…
When he had been approaching this room, he had felt something monstrous.
Something that made his blood run cold.
But now… there was nothing.
Was I just imagining things?
89 shook his head, trying to push the unease away.
"This isn't the time to overthink," he muttered.
The others might have already moved deeper into the cave. If that was the case, then they were in danger.
"I need to move," 89 decided. "I need to meet up with them before it's too late."
With that, he turned and left the throne room.
But as he walked away—
The empty throne behind him seemed to loom in the darkness, watching him leave.
Outside the Cave—
Arya arrived at the cave entrance, his sharp eyes scanning the area.
Something's wrong.
Before, there had been more members in both Team A and Team B.
But now?
There were fewer people.
Arya's expression darkened.
After killing the Goblin Boss, Team A and Team B had returned. But instead of regrouping, they had slaughtered the weaker rankers to reduce competition.
Now, only B-rankers and S-rankers remained.
And they were all waiting.
Not for the boss.
They were waiting for Team C to return… so they could kill them too.
Arya clenched his fists. I don't have time for this. I need to get out of the portal before it's too late.
Meanwhile, 89 reached the hall of the giant statue.
The place where they had all agreed to regroup.
But when he arrived—
There was no one there.
His pulse quickened. Panic settled in.
He had already lost so many people.
He couldn't afford to lose anyone else.
Then—
His eyes widened.
Oh no…
If the others had already reached the cave, that meant—
The other teams would kill them.
It was all about the prize money.
The fewer survivors, the bigger the share.
Without wasting another second, 89 sprinted toward the cave, pushing his body to its limits.
---
Inside the Cave—A Scene of Horror
89 finally reached the cave.
But the moment he stepped inside—
He froze.
His breath caught in his throat.
His hands trembled.
The scene before him was pure carnage.
Blood everywhere.
Corpses piled on top of each other.
Heads severed.
Limbs torn apart.
89's mind went blank.
What… happened here?
He took a step forward—his boot splashed into a pool of blood.
The metallic scent was overwhelming.
He moved, desperately searching for his comrades.
But—
Nothing.
No sign of them.
He checked every dead body, but his friends were nowhere to be found.
Did they escape?
Or…
Were they erased completely?
89 forced himself to move, staggering toward the portal gate.
And that's when he saw it—
Arya.
Lying on the ground, motionless.
89's heart dropped.
He ran over, kneeling beside Arya.
"Arya! Wake up!"
No response.
89 grabbed his wrist, checking for a pulse—
He's alive.
Relief flooded him.
Without wasting time, he lifted Arya onto his back, carrying him toward the portal.
Then—
The portal behind them snapped shut.
A loud BOOM echoed through the air.
89 turned his head slightly, staring at the now closed gate.
There was no going back.