The air turned suffocating the moment Ryujin stepped into the volcanic dungeon. The ground was cracked and glowing with lava veins, and the walls radiated blistering heat.
"This place is insane…" Kai muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Stay focused," Ryujin ordered coldly, his eyes scanning the cavern. "The shard is here."
A deafening roar shook the dungeon. From a molten lake rose a Fire Hydra, its three flaming heads snapping and spewing jets of fire. Its scales glowed like molten metal, unscathed by the heat.
"This thing is A-rank at least!" Ariana shouted as the monster's tail smashed the ground, sending magma flying.
Ryujin didn't wait. Void Step activated—he blurred forward, reappearing above the central head. Dark Moon Slash ripped through the creature's eye, but its armor-like scales stopped the blade from going deeper.
The Hydra screamed, unleashing a firestorm. Kai and Ariana struggled to shield themselves, but Ryujin walked through the flames, his expression twisted into a grin.
"You're not enough to stop me…"
He struck again, faster and darker—Dark Moon: Eclipse Slash—splitting one head from the body. The Hydra thrashed violently, but Ryujin's relentless attacks severed the remaining heads one by one.
As the monster's body collapsed into molten ash, a glowing crimson shard floated in the air. Ryujin caught it, feeling the Abyssal energy surge through him.
"One down," he muttered, pocketing the shard. "Three more to go."
Kai looked at him in disbelief.
"Bro… you fought like a demon back there."
Ryujin just smiled faintly.
"You've seen nothing yet."