After a while Alex stopped, he froze.
Memories flickered—faces from his past life, the time when he was the weak one, barely surviving, saved only because someone stronger had decided to help. He remembered the feeling of gratitude, the burning promise that he would repay that kindness someday.
His hand clenched around his scythe. The coldness in his eyes softened.
"…Damn it."
He turned back toward the fight, shadow energy flaring around his body as he sprinted forward.
Before Alex turned back to help, the girl who had shouted earlier — Leana — stared blankly in disbelief as he walked away. Her voice caught in her throat, and for a moment, she couldn't move.
The Iron Lash didn't wait. With a metallic roar, it lashed out, its rusted sword cleaving through the air toward the group.
"Move!" shouted a man with a tower shield. He stepped forward, bracing himself against the impact. The blow struck with enough force to send shockwaves through the ground. His shield held — barely — but the recoil was too much. A sickening crack echoed as his arm gave way under the pressure, severed just above the elbow.
"James!" Leana screamed, rushing to his side as blood splattered across the broken stone.
Another man — a swordsman named Jack — roared in fury and dashed toward the Iron Lash. His blade shimmered with mana as he struck at the creature's legs. Sparks erupted on impact, and though his attack didn't cut deep, it managed to cripple the monster's movement, slowing it down just enough to buy them time.
"Retreat!" Jack shouted. "Get James out of here!"
The group began dragging their wounded comrade toward the edge of the street, their breaths ragged, panic setting in. The Iron Lash, however, wasn't done. Its red eyes glowed brighter as it bent its knees and leapt. The ground shattered beneath it, debris scattering as it soared into the air — and then came crashing down with its sword aimed straight at them.
There was no time to dodge.
The adventurers froze, realizing death was only a second away.
Then —
Boom!
A surge of black energy split the air.
Alex descended from above, his scythe cloaked in a storm of Shadow Energy so dense it distorted the very light around him. As he swung downward, the air pressure shifted violently, creating a visible shockwave that cracked the ground beneath him.
The attack cleaved through the Iron Lash's neck in one fluid motion. Its head detached cleanly, spinning once in the air before crashing into the rubble below. The rest of its body stood for a moment — then collapsed, chains falling limp beside it.
Silence followed.
Leana and the others stared in disbelief as the Iron Lash's corpse began to dissolve into mist. Slowly, they lowered their weapons.
Alex stood over the monster's remains, his scythe dripping with faint trails of shadow energy. His expression was unreadable — calm, cold, detached.
Then Jack stormed forward, grabbed Alex by the collar, and shouted furiously, "Why the hell didn't you come when we asked for help?! James lost an arm because you just watched!"
"Jack!" Leana shouted, grabbing his arm. "Stop it! If not for him, we'd all be dead right now!"
Jack froze, his grip tightening, anger still burning in his eyes. But when he met Alex's gaze — those eyes, completely black with only faint white pupils glimmering in the center — his breath caught. For an instant, he felt a primal fear, as if he were staring not at a human, but at something darker. Something monstrous.
Alex's voice was quiet, emotionless.
"Move your hand."
Jack hesitated, then let go. Alex brushed the man's hand away and adjusted his cloak.
"This place is too dangerous for people at your level," Alex said flatly. "Go back. If you stay here, you'll die."
He turned and began walking toward the deeper fog.
"Prick…" Jack muttered under his breath, glaring at his back.
Leana put a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head. "Enough. He's right. We were lucky he came at all."
She glanced at James, whose face was pale from blood loss. Her expression hardened. Part of her still resented Alex's late arrival, but she knew blaming him wouldn't change anything.
"Let's just go," she said quietly. The group gathered their wounded and limped away.
Alex continued onward, his footsteps echoing through the empty, crumbling village. Every shadow that moved met his scythe's edge — wraiths, lesser lashers, and the remnants of cursed souls that prowled the second layer. By the time he reached the far end, his level had risen again, his system window glowing faintly beside him.
Ahead stood an enormous gate — so tall it disappeared into the darkness above. Its surface was carved with intricate reliefs depicting the monsters of the second layer: wraiths bound in chains, knights twisted in agony, and at the center, a towering figure draped in broken armor.
The carvings pulsed faintly with crimson light.
Alex stared up at the depiction of the Fallen Knight, its countless chains coiling around its arms like serpents. "So… you're Velkar," he muttered. "Those chains… are they your weapon?"
He placed a hand on the gate. It trembled beneath his touch — then, with a thunderous rumble, began to open. A cold wind rushed out from within, carrying the scent of death and rust.
[System Message: You have entered the Domain of the Boss Monster — Velkar, the Fallen Knight.]
Alex's expression hardened. His shadow energy flared, swirling like black smoke around his body. He stepped forward through the widening gap, determination gleaming in his dark eyes.
[Alex: Level 26]
[Strength: 41]
[Agility: 40]
[Stamina: 40]
[Mana: 40]
[Shadow Energy: 26]
The gate closed behind him with a heavy echo, sealing the chamber in silence. The final battle was about to begin.