The cavern was silent except for the hiss of cooling magma and ragged breathing.

Drip. Drip.

The massive corpse of the Infernal Juggernaut lay broken and dark.

Its brutal defeat had cracked open its chest. Just enough to expose the prize within.

A fist-sized multi-faceted black gem. Pulsing with orange light.

An S-rank mana core. A star of condensed volcanic power.

And Dante wanted it.

The hunger was physical. A gnawing emptiness in his soul screaming to be filled.

The power he'd devoured from the Gorgon-Hydra had shown him what true strength felt like. This core was the next step on that path.

'Taking it is logical. I'm the leader. My strength is their strength. Simple. Undeniable.'

But as he looked at his team, he saw the flaw in that logic.

They weren't just tools anymore. They were intelligent weapons. And they were getting tired of his absolute rule.

Masha, Talia and Jin stood with tense energy. Faces showing awe at their victory. And deep-seated anger at his methods.

Eric's and Kael loyalty was solid. But even bedrock cracks under too much pressure.

To claim this core. To again declare his right to all the loot. It would be a step too far.

The crack that would shatter his control.

'A smart leader knows when to tighten the leash. A brilliant one knows when to loosen it.'

With a deep sigh of regret, he let the hunger go.

He was playing a longer game.

"I'm out, out from this race for claiming," he announced. His voice echoing in the cavern.

Every head snapped toward him. Shock. Disbelief.

"What?" Masha spoke first. Her voice sharp with suspicion. "You're just giving it up? The most powerful core we've seen?"

"I've gained enough recently," Dante said. His tone weary. Generous. He gestured to Soul-Drinker.

"This weapon. The power from the Hydra. I'm at a new level already."

He paused. Let them process.

"Taking this core as well would be too much. Yes, I have regrets about the previous choice but also not about the previous choice, but now that I think about it from your perspective, it wasn't good for the team. What if I'm not here next time? What if a trial forces you to face a stronger threat alone? Or What if we win and you alone are forced to something more brutal in that new world? I realized this too late, so I won't take it.

It was a beautiful piece of strategic generosity. Cost him nothing but greed. Reframed his previous tyranny as logical leadership.

The tension shifted immediately.

The anger in Jin's eyes softened to confusion. Eric's conflicted expression cleared. Replaced by renewed respect.

'Good. They're buying it.'

But his withdrawal didn't bring peace.

It opened the floodgates.

"I should have it," Lana declared. Stepping forward. "My skill is weapon-based. More raw power means more force behind my attacks. I can kill more efficiently."

"No," Erica countered. Stepping in front of Lana. Hands sparking with fire. "My magic was useless in this fight. I was on defense."

"If my power is stronger, I might overcome immunities. I won't be a liability again."

"It should go to frontline," Jin interjected. His voice a low growl. "Eric or me. We take the most damage. We need the durability."

The argument devolved quickly. Tense. Bitter.

They were all correct. They all had valid reasons.

And Dante could see the cracks forming in their unity.

'This is inevitable. Only one can have it. And they'll destroy each other trying to decide.'

It was Masha who silenced them.

"Enough."

Her voice wasn't loud. But it carried authority that cut through the bickering.

She looked at each of them. Her gaze cold. Analytical.

"Lana, you have a new weapon. Erica, your Sunstone. Jin, your gauntlets. Eric, your greaves. And for Talia, Kael and Rina"

"You've all received powerful artifacts in the last week."

Her gaze settled on her frost-covered grimoire.

"This book is a tool. A library of techniques. It doesn't increase my own power. My own mana pool."

"In the fight against the Hydra, and again here, I was the key. And in both fights, I was the first to be completely drained."

Her voice was steady. Confident.

"Of everyone here, I would gain the most from a larger energy pool. I could control battlefields longer. Cast more powerful spells. Be more effective."

Her logic was cold. Flawless. Undeniable.

The others fell silent. Unable to argue.

She hadn't argued from want. She'd argued from pure tactical efficiency.

She'd used his own language against them.

'Brilliant. She's learning. Using logic instead of emotion. She's becoming dangerous.'

Dante gave a slow, deliberate nod.

"Masha is correct. The decision is made. The core is hers."

No more arguments.

Masha knelt by the corpse. Carefully pulled out the pulsing obsidian gem.

As she held it, she looked at him. Her expression complex. Victory. Gratitude. Unwilling admiration.

'She thinks I gave her this. That I'm being generous. She has no idea I just bound her with a chain stronger than fear.'

'Debt. Obligation. Gratitude. Much more effective than threats.'

While she began absorbing the core, Dante turned to his own prize.

He walked to the shattered cooling corpse. Its power was gone. But its essence remained.

He placed his hand on its obsidian head.

"Your war is over," he whispered. "Your fire is mine."

He reached out with his will. Shadowy hands emerging. Grasping for the spirit.

This time, the process was different.

No agonizing struggle. The Pool of the Firmament had changed him. His body was no longer fragile. It was a reinforced container. Forged to hold divine power.

His will, sharpened by enslaving Ouroboros, was now a precise instrument.

The Juggernaut's spirit met his will. A being of pure elemental rage. Powerful. Furious.

But simple. Direct. Not the ancient consciousness of the Hydra.

He met its fire with his cold, empty void.

The struggle was brief. Intense. Completely one-sided.

With a final, silent roar of surrender, its spirit broke. Flowed into him. Settling into the slot he'd emptied. It had settled in the slot of Orc champion the half of his and rest would be filled by the Stuff he had gone through from the fights, the harvest after defeating the Serpent till now.

Done.

The pain was minimal. The process efficient.

'Another weapon in my arsenal. Another step toward absolute power.'

"Another one for your collection," Lana purred. Appearing at his side.

"Magnificent," Erica added. Coming to his other side. Voice full of awe.

He ignored them both. Focusing on his complete shadow army.

'My power is terrifying now. Six summons. Each one deadly.'

First, The Guardian. The ghostly Wardcrafter. His personal defense. A silent, ever-present shield.

Second, The Juggernaut. Derek's ghost. His vengeful shock trooper. Mental terror and brutal force.

Third, Edgar. The ghost of his lie. His analyst. Appraisal feeding battlefield data directly into his mind.

Fourth, his masterpiece. Ouroboros, the Abyssal Shadow. Living darkness. His ultimate trump card.

And now, the final piece. Taking the last slot: Hephaestus, the Infernal Juggernaut. A walking siege engine. Obsidian and magma. Pure, unstoppable force.

His army was complete.

Six slots. Six beings of immense power.

'If I had unlimited mana, I could walk out of here alone. Kill my own team. End the charade. Claim the prize myself.'

'The thought is tempting. Seductive. No more acting. No more managing their emotions. Just pure, absolute power.'

He looked at his teammates.

Gathered around Masha. Who was glowing with faint orange light as the core merged with her.

They were tired. But stronger than ever.

His army. His living army.

'For now, they're more useful alive than dead. But that calculation can change.'

"We're done here," he announced. Pulling them from their thoughts.

He turned toward the dark entrance of the lava tube. Toward the world beyond.

"Zone A holds nothing more for us. We're strong enough now."

He let his gaze sweep over them. Eyes burning with cold purpose.

"We're moving to Zone S. The final trial. The Bone Dragon. The New world."

He paused. Let the weight settle.

"Prepare yourselves. The real war is about to begin."

Masha stood. The absorption complete. Her eyes glowing faintly with orange light. Power radiating from her.

She looked at him. And for the first time, there was no resentment in her gaze.

Only loyalty. Respect. Maybe something deeper.

'Perfect. She's mine now. Completely. And she doesn't even realize it.'

Jin nodded grimly. Eric checked his shield. Talia sharpened her daggers. Lana and Erica stood close to Dante.

They were ready.

His army of the living. His army of the dead.

Six summons of immense power. Then his powerful team.

'The Bone Dragon doesn't stand a chance. And after that, the wish will be mine.'

They began their march toward Zone S.

Toward the final trial.

Toward Dante's ultimate victory.

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.