Ember surged forward like a blazing hurricane. Every step she took ignited the ground, and the scorching aura around her made even the air crackle. The creatures before her hesitated for an instant, an unforgivable mistake.

The redhead swung her blade in a flaming arc, leaving incandescent trails in the air. The first monster that dared to intercept her was struck from the side; its flesh hissed, releasing a nauseating stench of burning meat before it collapsed.

Without losing momentum, Ember leaped, spinning midair with astonishing speed. Her blade glowed fiercely as she slashed, carving deep wounds across the thick hide of the main beast. The monster roared, its guttural voice shaking the battlefield.

Enraged, it counterattacked. Its claws slashed downward with blistering speed, and though Ember moved with great agility, she couldn't fully evade. The talon ripped through her abdomen, tearing flesh and letting blood spill hot against her skin.

The pain was intense, but Ember didn't falter. Her eyes shone with determination as she pressed forward, forcing her body against the monster's claw to avoid breaking her attack. The fire around her erupted in a surge, enveloping her blade until it blazed like a radiant beacon.

With a final charge, she drove her weapon into the creature's chest. Her sword then gleamed, serving as the catalyst for her ability. Her flames danced, spiraling into a fiery storm that consumed the beast. The monster let out a strangled roar before, little by little, it turned into a heap of ashes carried off by the wind.

"Damn…" Ember muttered, spitting blood, her breath ragged.

She staggered back, nearly stumbling. The claw still lodged in her body made her grit her teeth, but with a brutal yank, she tore free of it. Every muscle screamed in agony, her vision wavered, but she knew this wasn't enough to bring her down.

"Idiot!" Sophia snapped with biting irony, stepping forward. "Don't fight so recklessly!"

"Just do your job, you annoying bitch," Ember shot back, spitting more blood, her usual mockery still intact.

The two were arguing as usual, but Sophia did her job perfectly. Using <Advanced Healing>, she began to heal the redhead.

A golden light spread, enveloping Ember's wounds, which started to close rapidly. The bleeding stopped, the pain eased, and she stood firm again.

The blonde then looked around. The battlefield was still thick with the smell of smoke and burnt flesh. The other hunters were scattered across the area, most with minor injuries, looking tired but likely able to continue the expedition.

Sophia raised her hand, the soft glow of her golden magic illuminating the dungeon's darkness. She quickly began healing those in critical condition. The other three healers on her team also sprang into action, ensuring everyone received care.

"Let's stop here," Sophia announced. "One hour of rest. Everyone, tend to your wounds, eat something, and prepare your weapons. We're not moving forward exhausted."

Ember, still with dried blood on her abdomen and her sword smoking in her hand, turned with a fierce glare. "Since when do you give orders to the group?" she snapped in a sharp tone. "There's no reason to stop and rest. The last thing we need is to lose momentum. Let's go now."

As always, the two were at odds, which made those around them smirk, already used to their bickering. Sophia huffed, turning to face the redhead. "You can barely stand, you idiot. If it weren't for me, you'd be dead on the ground. Who do you think closed that hole in your stomach?"

"You just did your job!" Ember shot back.

But even as they argued, both continued to perform their tasks flawlessly. After all, they were used to working together. Sophia, between insults, moved from group to group, healing cuts, realigning bones, and stopping bleeding.

Ember focused on regaining her energy and giving combat instructions to her subordinates. In theory, she was the commander of this group.

In Enki, outside of student training expeditions, only authorized hunting groups were allowed to enter the rift. It wasn't too difficult to form a group, just an S-Rank student as the leader and approval from the instructors.

Davi, for instance, had his own group, which Ember regretted not being able to join. For many reasons, she chose to join the Salamanders, the hunting group tied to her family, the Darnels.

That would be the best path for her to grow stronger. Due to her influence, her family ties, and her power, Ember quickly earned the right to lead a battalion within the massive Salamanders hunting group.

Sophia, on the other hand, created her own group, one focused solely on support, which often worked alongside Ember's battalion.

Because of this, the two had to deal with each other even more frequently. It was also the job of Sophia's team to dismember the monsters and collect valuable parts, which would not only be sold later but also earn points for the Salamanders and Ember herself.

"Okay, I think we're ready," Sophia remarked, noting that everyone around her seemed prepared to move on.

The hunters pressed forward through the dungeon. The corridor opened into a wider chamber, lit by the bluish glow of crystal formations on the ceiling.

Small groups of monsters appeared soon after, deformed beasts with sharp fangs and elongated claws. The monsters in the dungeons were increasingly losing their animal traits, growing in both number and strength.

"Formation three!" Ember shouted, her sword already engulfed in flames. The hunters spread out in pairs, forming ranks to balance attack and defense.

The creatures charged with shrill screeches but were met by a wall of blades. Ember spun in the center, her sword blazing like a fiery scythe, cutting down two enemies at once.

Meanwhile, Sophia observed everything from a safe vantage point. When one of the hunters was nearly knocked down by a sideways blow, a golden barrier rose just in time to protect him. The blonde was always watching her surroundings.

"Don't split up! Keep the rhythm!" Ember commanded firmly, her voice bringing structure to the chaos of battle.

After a series of small skirmishes, the group reached a vast chamber with a ceiling so high it vanished into the darkness. The floor was littered with bones, many still smoking from recent kills. A deep roar echoed, reverberating off the stone walls.

From the back of the chamber emerged a colossal monster with black skin and glossy bone plates reflecting blue light, two twisted horns, and a pair of glowing eyes that glared at the intruders with fury. Around it, hundreds of smaller creatures crawled, advancing menacingly toward Ember's group.

The redhead and the blonde exchanged glances and immediately agreed to retreat, but as they took a step back, they noticed even more monsters surrounding them. Escape wasn't an option.

"Maybe I can clear a path," Ember suggested, but Sophia shook her head.

"Go for the boss," she said, pointing at the largest monster. "It'll be tough, but I can lead the group to handle the others. As long as you can take that thing down."

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Ember replied with an arrogant smirk, her sword beginning to glow.

"Just don't die, idiot," Sophia shot back, already turning to the rest of the group to give instructions.

Just to be safe, she used her powers to boost Ember's stats. The redhead noticed but pretended not to.

Then, creating chaos, Ember charged forward, burning everything around her until she stood face-to-face with the main monster. She knew she had no chance in that fight with her normal abilities, so she immediately activated her skill: <Queen of Hell>. Her appearance changed, and black flames surrounded her.

"Let's see if you're a worthy opponent," the Queen of Hell murmured arrogantly, staring down the beast before her.

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