The cavern had finally gone still. Smoke and the metallic scent of burnt mana lingered in the air, rising from the scorched remains of the monsters that moments ago had filled the tunnels with chaos.

Noel exhaled slowly, lowering Revenant Fang until its tip scraped against the stone floor. His arm trembled slightly — not from fear, but from exhaustion. The glow of his core dimmed back to its natural rhythm.

From his Dimensional Pouch, he pulled out three bottles of water and a small wrapped bundle of jerky. Tossing one bottle to Selene, he said, "Drink. You look like you're about to freeze yourself solid."

Selene caught it midair, unscrewing the cap with shaky fingers. "Says the one who's been setting himself on fire all morning."

A faint smirk curved Noel's lips. "Fair." He offered the other bottle toward his father. "Here, take it. You've barely stopped swinging since we got here."

Albrecht didn't even look at it. "I'm fine." His tone was steady, but the faint heat radiating off him spoke otherwise — his mana was still flaring beneath the surface, restrained but violent.

Noel leaned against a jagged rock, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. Even wounded, covered in dust and blood, his father stood tall — unwavering. The kind of presence that could silence a battlefield just by breathing, Noel thought.

Albrecht's eyes didn't leave the shadows ahead. "The next wave will come soon. Save your mana."

Noel sighed, straightening up and resting Revenant Fang on his shoulder. "Guess that break's over already."

From deep within the tunnels came a low, rumbling growl — dozens of them, echoing through the stone like the sound of distant thunder.

Noel cracked his neck, eyes narrowing. "Round two, then."

The air split open with a roar.

Dozens of figures burst from the tunnel — Blightclaws and Molten Ravagers, their bodies steaming with molten veins and jagged obsidian scales. Behind them, Frostfang Crawlers scuttled on all fours, their icy breath freezing the ground beneath their claws.

Noel didn't hesitate. He dashed forward, the stone cracking under his boots. "Fire Arc!"

A crescent of blazing flame tore through the first line of monsters, slicing a Blightclaw clean in half. The heat flash-boiled the creature's blood midair, leaving only ash.

Selene moved beside him, wand spinning gracefully. "Permafrost Halo!"

A circular wave of frost expanded from her body, coating the ground in shimmering blue ice. Every Ravager that stepped into it slowed — their molten glow dimming as frost began to crust over their skin.

Noel took advantage, sliding forward on the ice, Revenant Fang dragging behind him.

The blade ignited in a burst of orange light as he whispered, "Ignition Surge."

He slashed upward in a perfect diagonal arc, the strike detonating with a fiery explosion that shattered two Crawlers into charred fragments. The smell of burnt chitin filled the air.

From the side, a Ravager swung its molten arm, the impact cracking the ground. Noel ducked under it, feeling the heat graze his cheek. In the same motion, he spun, driving his sword straight through the monster's torso.

The blade pierced through molten armor like butter, bursting out its back in a surge of fire and lightning. The creature convulsed, its core flickering — then collapsed in a heap of smoke.

[You have slain Molten Ravager (Rare – Ascendant). +0.20%]

A shadow loomed above.

Noel's head snapped up just in time to see a Frostfang Crawler lunging down from the wall. "Voltage Needle!"

A flash of lightning lanced from his palm, striking through the creature's skull midair. It dropped instantly, a burnt hole smoking between its eyes.

[You have slain Frostfang Crawler (Rare – Adept). +0.02%]

Selene raised her wand again. "Cryo Grasp!"

Hands of translucent ice erupted from the floor, clutching at the remaining monsters. They thrashed, roaring as the frost climbed their legs and froze their cores solid.

Noel sprinted toward the largest of them — a Crimson Juggerbeast. The ground shook with every one of its steps. He leapt high, channeling mana into his blade.

"Stormpiercer!"

His body became a streak of light — a thunderbolt wrapped in human form.

He pierced through the monster's chest, exiting behind it as the creature froze in place, then collapsed with a thunderous crash.

[You have slain Crimson Juggerbeast (Elite – Adept). +0.05%]

When Noel landed, molten blood sprayed around him, hissing against the frozen ground Selene had created.

He exhaled sharply, gripping Revenant Fang tighter as his mana flared once more.

Selene's breath came in short bursts beside him, her frost aura still active.

From behind, Albrecht's voice rumbled: "Don't stop."

The tunnel shook again. Noel and Selene turned toward the sound. The next presence wasn't like the others.

It was massive.

The ground cracked beneath their feet, fissures of molten light snaking outward from the central tunnel.

From the depths, something moved.

A massive silhouette emerged, scraping against the ceiling as it forced its way into the chamber.

When it stepped fully into view, Noel felt his lungs seize.

It stood at least ten meters tall — a hulking creature of volcanic bone and shadowed steel, its body pulsating with molten veins that glowed like rivers of magma beneath its obsidian hide. Its head was crowned by twisted horns, and in the center of its chest pulsed a crystal-like core, radiating red mana so dense it warped the air around it.

Selene took an involuntary step back, her grip on her wand tightening. "That's… that's an Archmage-rank." Her voice trembled, and the frost around her fingertips flickered uncertainly.

Noel's breath came shallow. Even at a distance, the thing's mana pressed down on him like a mountain. His instincts screamed run. Every cell in his body was telling him this wasn't a fight they could win.

He forced his legs to move, planting his feet firmly beside Selene. "Stay close," he muttered. "If this thing gets a single hit on us, we're done."

Albrecht, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward — his shadow stretching long behind him under the molten light.

"You won't have to fight it."

Noel turned sharply. "What? Father—"

Albrecht's expression was calm. "You're not ready for that level yet. Protect her. That's your task."

The Abysslord raised its head and roared. The shockwave cracked the walls and sent shards of stone flying in every direction. Noel raised his arm, shielding his face, while Selene's frost barrier shattered under the sheer force.

When the dust settled, Albrecht was already walking toward the creature. His crimson cloak fluttered in the heat, his sword dragging against the floor and leaving a molten trail behind.

He looked back over his shoulder, eyes sharp as flame. "Watch carefully, Noel. This… is what power really means."

Then he vanished.

In a flash of light and heat, Albrecht Thorne clashed with the Archmage beast. The explosion of fire that followed turned the cavern into day.

Noel squinted through the haze. His father was everywhere at once.

Each swing of Albrecht's blade left behind a streak of incandescent flame, carving deep scars into the Abysslord's armor. The creature's roar shook the stone walls, a guttural sound that made the very air vibrate.

The monster retaliated with a downward punch — a pillar-sized arm coated in magma — but Albrecht twisted midair, landing atop it like stepping on a solid platform. The ground beneath the impact cratered, molten cracks spiderwebbing out in every direction.

He drew back his sword, and his mana ignited.

Flame spiraled up the blade, condensing into a blinding crimson edge.

"Solar Divide!"

The swing that followed split the air.

A wave of pure flame cleaved straight through the Abysslord's arm, severing it at the shoulder. The molten limb hit the ground with a thunderous crash, spraying lava-like blood in all directions.

Noel flinched, throwing up a Frost Wall with what little mana he could spare to shield himself and Selene from the shockwave.

Noel's chest tightened. Watching Albrecht now, he realized how wrong he'd been — his father wasn't just strong; he was terrifying.

The Abysslord howled, its remaining arm gathering a massive sphere of molten energy. It hurled it forward, a miniature sun crashing toward Albrecht.

Without hesitation, Albrecht raised his sword.

Flame surged outward, forming a radiant barrier around him. The projectile hit — and the resulting detonation drowned out all sound.

For a heartbeat, everything went white.

Then — movement.

Albrecht shot through the explosion like a comet, cloak burning away in streaks of ember. He drove his sword straight into the beast's chest, piercing its mana core.

The world froze for an instant — then the Abysslord's body erupted into a violent storm of flame and shadow.

Noel covered his face as the blast washed over him. The heat was unbearable, the force pushing him back several steps.

When the light finally dimmed, the giant creature lay motionless, its core shattered, its molten glow fading to dull ash.

Selene exhaled shakily. "He… he killed it alone."

Noel stared at his father — standing amid the flames, his armor scorched, his sword still buried in the monster's corpse.

For once, Albrecht looked not like a man — but like the embodiment of wrath itself.

Noel's grip on Revenant Fang tightened.

'One day,' he thought, feeling his pulse steady. 'One day, I'll reach that too.'

The cavern was silent again — unnaturally so. The flames had burned themselves out, leaving only the faint glow of molten cracks spidering across the ground. Smoke curled toward the ceiling like whispers fading into the dark.

Noel stepped forward, his boots crunching on scorched stone. Selene followed close behind, still gripping her wand, her breathing uneven.

Albrecht stood near the creature's corpse, one hand resting on his sword buried in the Abysslord's core. The light within the monster had died completely, leaving only blackened crystal.

Noel broke the silence first. "Is it… normal for something like that to appear in a horde?"

Albrecht's eyes stayed fixed on the cooling remains. "No. It isn't."

Noel frowned. "Then how?"

"It shouldn't have been here," Albrecht admitted quietly, pulling his sword free. The metal hissed as it met the air. "Hordes are unpredictable, but an Archmage-rank creature? That's something else."

He turned toward Noel, his expression steady but shadowed by thought. "We're fortunate I advanced when I did. Otherwise, all three of us would've been dead by now."

Noel blinked. "Advanced? You mean—you're Archmage now?"

Albrecht nodded once. "It happened while you were still in the academy. I didn't make it public."

Selene's brows furrowed. "You hid a promotion that important?"

Albrecht's tone was calm, but there was an edge to it. "Power invites attention. And attention invites problems. You'll learn that soon enough."

Noel's mind, however, was already racing.

'An Archmage showing up in a horde… the timing… and Father's sudden promotion.'

He looked down at the fading embers, his thoughts darkening.

'No. This isn't a coincidence and I know it well...'

He exhaled slowly, gripping Revenant Fang until his knuckles whitened. Whatever was happening, it was bigger than the Thorne family — bigger than anything the novel ever described.

For now, though, there was no room to think about it.

He looked toward his father and Selene, nodding once. "Let's recover. The next wave won't wait long."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.