Hope’s greatsword carved through the faceless lava monster’s torso, golden light searing through its molten core. The creature shrieked, a sound like grinding stone, and collapsed into a pool of cooling rock.

But Andrey wasn’t watching the monster dissolve. He was watching Hope’s shoulders, the way her breathing had grown heavier, the slight tremor in her hands as she gripped her sword.

"That’s the third one," Andrey said, stepping over the cooling remains. "He’s sending them in waves."

Hope didn’t answer immediately. She was staring at the distant cliffs, scanning for movement. "I know."

"And he’s not even trying to kill us. Just... tire you out."

Hope’s jaw tightened. She didn’t deny it.

Another creature emerged from the lava river below, pulling itself onto a lower platform. This one was larger, more serpentine, with a maw that dripped molten rock. Its eyeless face turned toward them, and it began to climb.

Hope leaped off the cliff, her greatsword trailing golden light. She landed on the creature’s back, driving her blade into its spine. The serpent thrashed, nearly throwing her off, but she held on, carving a deep gash along its length.

Andrey watched from above, his hands clenched at his sides.

’I can’t just stand here,’ he thought. ’I need to help.’

He leaped down, landing on a lower platform, and drew his katana. The blade sang as he swung it toward the serpent’s exposed side.

The metal clanged against its hide like striking stone. The creature didn’t even flinch.

Andrey’s eyes widened. ’It’s too tough. My blade can’t penetrate.’

Hope drove her sword deeper, and the serpent convulsed, its tail whipping toward Andrey. He dodged, barely, the wind of its passage ruffling his hair.

"Fall back, Andrey!" Hope shouted, her voice strained. "I’ll handle this one!"

But Andrey didn’t fall back. He circled the platform, looking for an opening, a weakness, anything.

The serpent’s hide was thick, layered with cooled magma that had hardened into natural armor. But there were gaps—smaller scales near its underbelly, softer flesh where the joints moved.

He just needed to get close enough.

The serpent’s head swung toward him, its maw opening wide. A stream of molten lava erupted from its throat, aimed directly at Andrey.

"Phantom Step!"

Andrey vanished from his position, reappearing three meters to the left. The lava splashed against the rock where he’d been standing, sizzling and smoking.

Hope saw the movement. Her eyes widened. "What was that?"

"New skill," Andrey said, his breathing controlled. "Short-range teleport."

He circled the platform again, his eyes fixed on the serpent’s underbelly. The creature was distracted by Hope’s attacks, focusing its attention on the greater threat.

This was his chance.

"Now," Andrey whispered.

He raised his hand, fingers splayed. From his fingertips, thin, almost invisible threads of mana shot forth—Mana Thread. The strands wrapped around the serpent’s limbs, its tail, its jaws.

The creature roared, thrashing against its bonds, but the threads held. For now.

"Hope! Now!"

Hope didn’t hesitate. She leaped from the serpent’s back, greatsword raised high, golden light coalescing around the blade.

"VALKYRIE STRIKE!"

She plunged the sword into the creature’s exposed underbelly. The blade sank deep, piercing its molten core. The serpent convulsed once, twice, then went still, dissolving into a pool of lava that slowly cooled.

Hope landed beside Andrey, breathing hard. Her face was flushed, sweat dripping from her brow.

"That was... good thinking," she admitted. "The threads, I mean."

Andrey nodded, his own breathing heavy. "It won’t hold a stronger demon for long. But for smaller enemies..."

"Phantom Step," Hope said, her eyes curious. "When did you learn that?"

"I’ve been practicing," Andrey said.

Hope opened her mouth to respond, but the words died in her throat.

Another creature.

This one was different. It didn’t pull itself from the lava—it rose from it, towering, a massive eel-like form with scales that glowed orange and red. Its maw was circular, lined with rows of needle-like teeth, and its eyes were burning coals.

It didn’t attack immediately. It circled the platform, watching them with cold intelligence.

"A greater elemental," Hope said quietly. "This is what he’s been saving."

Andrey’s hand went to his katana, but he knew it would be useless. The creature’s hide was thicker than the serpent’s, its body larger, its presence more oppressive.

"Can you take it?" he asked.

Hope’s jaw tightened. "I can try. But I’m running low on mana. That last fight took more out of me than I expected."

The eel lunged.

Hope met it head-on, her greatsword clashing against its armored scales. Sparks flew, golden light against molten rock. The creature recoiled, but only for a moment. Its tail whipped around, slamming into Hope’s side. She stumbled, catching herself on a outcropping of obsidian.

Andrey moved.

He sprinted along the platform, his feet finding purchase on the uneven rock. The eel’s attention was on Hope, its maw opening wide, lava pooling at the back of its throat.

He wouldn’t reach it in time.

’Phantom Step.’

He vanished, reappeared directly in front of the eel’s gaping maw. Its burning eyes fixed on him, surprised by the sudden appearance.

Andrey raised his hand, mana threads lashing out, wrapping around the creature’s jaws. They pulled, forcing them shut, trapping the lava inside.

The eel thrashed, smoke pouring from its nostrils, its body slamming against the obsidian cliffs. But the threads held.

"Andrey, move!" Hope shouted, already sprinting toward them.

Andrey leaped backward, using Phantom Step to put distance between himself and the thrashing creature.

Hope’s greatsword blazed with golden light. She drove it into the eel’s side, carving a deep gash. Molten blood sprayed, sizzling against her armor.

"VALKYRIE STRIKE!"

The blade sank deeper. The eel convulsed, its body going rigid, then limp.

It dissolved.

Hope collapsed to one knee, breathing hard. Her armor was cracked in several places, and her face was pale beneath the sweat.

"We need to move," Andrey said, helping her to her feet. "He’s going to keep sending them until you break."

Hope nodded, leaning on her greatsword for support. "I know. But I can’t... I can’t keep this up forever."

Andrey’s internal thoughts raced. ’She’s right. At this rate, she’ll collapse before we even reach the demon. I need to do more. I need to fight.’

He looked at his katana, still sheathed at his hip. It wasn’t enough. His physical attacks barely scratched these creatures. But he had other tools. Other skills.

Ki Manipulation. Damage Absorb. Regeneration. Phantom Step. Mana Thread.

He just needed to use them smarter.

Another creature was already rising from the lava. Smaller than the eel, but faster. Sleeker. Its body was covered in spines that glowed with molten heat, and its claws scraped against the obsidian as it pulled itself onto the platform.

Andrey stepped in front of Hope.

"Andrey, what are you—"

"I’ll handle this one," he said, his voice calm.

"Don’t be stupid! You can’t—"

"I can."

Andrey’s Ki surged. He could feel it flowing through his body, warm and responsive. His regeneration kicked in, healing the minor burns and cuts from the earlier fights. His Damage Absorb was ready, waiting to store energy.

The creature lunged.

Andrey didn’t dodge. He stepped into its attack, letting its claws rake across his chest. Damage Absorb flared, drinking the energy, storing it. His chest glowed red beneath his torn shirt.

The creature recoiled, surprised by his lack of evasion.

Andrey used that moment. He grabbed its wrist with both hands, Mana Threads wrapping around its limbs, binding them together.

The creature thrashed, but Andrey held on, his Ki-enhanced strength keeping it pinned.

Now he could see.

The creature’s hide was tough, but there were gaps—small, almost invisible—where the spines met the flesh. The joints. The weak points.

He released one hand and drew his katana. Ki flowed into the blade, making it glow with pale blue light. Ki Blade.

He swung.

The blade found the gap, slipping between the spines, piercing the soft flesh beneath. The creature screeched, its body convulsing. Andrey didn’t stop. He drove the blade deeper, twisting, and then released a burst of Ki directly into the wound.

"Ki Burst!"

The explosion of energy tore through the creature’s insides. Its body went rigid, then limp. It dissolved.

Andrey stood over the fading remains, breathing hard. His chest ached from the creature’s earlier strike, but Damage Absorb had taken the edge off. Regeneration was already working, knitting the shallow cuts.

Hope stared at him, her eyes wide.

"How... how did you do that?"

Andrey sheathed his katana, adjusting his glasses. "I analyzed its weak points while it was restrained. Ki Blade let me pierce its hide. Ki Burst finished it."

Hope shook her head slowly. "That’s... that’s not C-rank fighting. That’s..."

"I’ve been training," Andrey said simply.

He offered her his hand. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet.

"We need to keep moving," he said. "The demon is waiting. And I don’t intend to let him win."