Chapter 24 – Descent into the Inferno
The sky above Muspelheim was bleeding again.
Rivers of molten rock snaked between shattered cliffs, and the air shimmered like glass, so hot it warped sound itself.
I'd been here countless times before, but this time felt different.
Today wasn't for data collection. It wasn't for testing.
Today was for proof.
The guild had recently discovered a small, unmarked dungeon buried deep beneath the western volcano range—nothing extraordinary at first glance. One of our scouts had flagged it as a minor anomaly, a sub-territory that didn't appear in Yggdrasil's official map data. Normally, I'd delegate exploration to one of the sub-teams.
But not this time.
This one was mine.
---
I stood before the entrance—a jagged maw carved into basalt, exhaling heat and ash. The dungeon's name shimmered faintly above the portal, written in burning runes:
〈Phlegethon's Hollow〉
—Abyssal Depths of the Fireborn.
Simple.
Intimidating.
Promising.
HIME's voice came softly through my interface.
> "Ren-sama, environmental scan complete. Estimated monster range: Level 85 to 100. Elemental attribute: Fire. Four known floors based on spatial depth reading."
"Good," I murmured. "A decent challenge."
> "You intend to enter alone?"
"Of course. That's the point."
> "Acknowledged. Initializing raid protocol: Solo mode."
The portal flared red, and I stepped through.
---
[Level 1: Cinder Plains]
The heat hit me like a physical force.
Lava flowed in rivers beneath a network of black stone bridges, each creaking under the weight of trapped magic. The air buzzed with energy—living flame that twisted into shapes when it moved.
Monsters emerged almost instantly—clusters of Fire Wraiths, their bodies like burning silk, and Ember Golems that crawled from the molten rivers, their eyes glowing like furnace glass.
Ordinary players would've prepared fire-resistant gear or assembled a specialized party.
I just smiled.
With a snap of my fingers, ten silver chains erupted from my hands.
The Shackles of Karmic Silence glowed faintly against the red glare.
"Let's make this quick."
The first wraith screamed and lunged. I flicked my hand—one chain shot forward, piercing its chest. The creature froze mid-motion, flames dimming as its data threads seized.
Then, before the others could react, I activated Data Collapse – Revised.
The world pulsed blue for an instant. The air flickered, like a heartbeat of pure code.
The wraiths continued moving—unaware that their HP bars had already dropped to thirty percent. Their fire burned just as bright, but the illusion was already working.
One minute later, they were all gone.
Nothing left but cinders and silence.
---
The first floor took about twenty minutes to clear—mostly traversal, scanning, and sub-boss detection.
The sub-boss was a Blazing Centurion, level 90, wielding a spear of molten ore. It roared when it saw me, voice shaking the air like thunder.
I didn't even bother summoning illusions.
This was a test of efficiency, not theatrics.
The fight lasted exactly fifty-three seconds.
Chains. Collapse. Strike. Done.
HIME's voice chimed in.
> "Divine Item cooldown: one hour. Ultimate skill cooldown: twelve minutes. Shall we rest, Ren-sama?"
I looked around at the smoldering ruins of the Centurion's arena. "No need. I'll clear the next floor before the cooldown's done."
> "Understood."
I continued downward.
---
[Level 2: The Smoldering Forge]
The second floor was darker, narrower—metallic walls dripping with molten ore, rivers of liquid steel flowing like veins through the earth.
I moved quietly, analyzing patterns. Every twenty meters, a set of sentry-type monsters spawned—Forge Sentinels, humanoid constructs with bodies made of bronze and runes etched along their arms. They carried massive hammers glowing with heat.
Level 93 on average.
"Perfect," I murmured. "Mid-tier resistance type."
I launched my attack before they could detect me.
Chains flashed outward—five targets frozen mid-strike, their hammers halting inches from my face.
Data Collapse.
Their stats bled away invisibly.
The illusion layer kept them unaware—they thought their HP was still full.
They attacked, believing themselves strong.
Their hammers shattered on impact.
Their bodies followed.
It was almost disappointing how easy it was.
HIME spoke again.
> "Efficiency rate: ninety-eight percent. Estimated total floor clearance time: thirty-four minutes."
"Record it," I said. "Mark this strategy for high-speed solo runs."
> "Recorded."
---
The sub-boss of the second floor waited inside a chamber shaped like a forge cathedral—a giant elemental blacksmith known as Magmarion, Keeper of the Anvil.
It stood ten meters tall, every motion leaving trails of sparks.
Level 95. A tank-type boss with massive defense and AOE smashes.
Under normal conditions, even a full party could take over two hours to bring it down.
Me? I was curious how long I'd last.
"Ren-sama," HIME said cautiously, "its armor class resists binding-type magic."
"Then it's a good test."
I drew a breath. "Begin."
The chains shot forward, wrapping around Magmarion's legs. It roared, shaking the chamber, trying to break free—only to find itself locked in place.
The Shackles glowed red, straining but holding.
Then I whispered, "Collapse."
A pulse of blue code radiated through the arena. Magmarion faltered. The flames on its body flickered weaker, its swing slowed by invisible lag.
It never realized its HP was already reduced to a third.
I stepped forward, summoned a phantom blade from the data around me, and struck once.
The echo of the impact rang like a church bell.
Magmarion's body crumbled, collapsing into molten dust.
---
One hour since entering.
Two floors cleared.
Even I was a little impressed.
> "Cooldown on divine item: twenty-four minutes remaining," HIME reported. "Ultimate skill recharged and stable."
"Perfect," I said. "On to the next."
---
[Level 3: The Crimson Labyrinth]
This floor was different—less like a forge, more like a living maze.
Walls of red crystal reflected my movements in dozens of mirrored fragments. Lava dripped from the ceiling in slow, viscous streams that hissed when they hit the obsidian floor.
The monsters here were smarter—Flame Eidolons and Firebound Archmages, spellcasters that specialized in AOE and illusions.
For a while, I let them attack. I wanted to study their pattern.
Their illusions were clumsy—visual overlays only, no real data distortion.
When one of them tried to mirror my image, I laughed softly. "Cute."
I released a chain. It pierced its chest.
The illusion broke.
Data Collapse.
Its mana bar—visible to me only—dropped instantly to thirty percent.
The creature tried to cast again. Its staff sputtered, failing halfway.
It looked down in confusion.
Then I erased it.
---
The fights came faster after that.
Every corner, every narrow passage, another group of enemies, another set of test cases.
By the time I reached the sub-boss room, both the divine item and the ultimate skill were fully recharged.
The sub-boss was Vulcanis, the Fire Seraph, level 97—a hybrid of angelic form and molten metal wings. It hovered above a pool of magma, surrounded by circles of fire that pulsed like hearts.
It looked at me and spoke in an ancient tongue—half code, half flame. "Mortal, you should not walk alone in fire."
I grinned. "You'd be surprised what I can walk through."
The fight started with a flare that could've blinded a lesser player.
I moved like smoke, sidestepping every beam of fire it unleashed. When its wings spread, I saw the opening.
Chains.
Shackles of Karmic Silence.
They struck like lightning, wrapping around its arms and wings.
The seraph screamed, trying to ascend.
Too late.
Data Collapse – Revised.
The pulse was subtle but absolute. The world around us dimmed. The angel froze mid-motion, fire sputtering. Its HP read 30%, but to its own eyes, it still glowed full and proud.
I stepped closer. "Illusions are only dangerous," I whispered, "when you believe in them."
The final strike was clean—no drama, no flourish.
Just quiet light.
---
The dungeon's third floor was silent when I walked out of the chamber.
Not a single ember stirred.
> "Ren-sama," HIME said softly, "all three floors cleared in one hour and six minutes. You have exceeded previous solo raid records by a factor of four."
I smiled faintly. "Let's see if the next floor can make me sweat."
> "Divine item cooldown complete. Ultimate skill: ready. Proceed?"
"Proceed," I said, stepping toward the massive crystal gate that led downward.
The ground trembled faintly beneath my feet.
The fourth floor's gateway pulsed red—darker, heavier, alive.
I stopped for a moment at the threshold, gazing down into the flickering abyss below.
Something about the silence there felt… different.
Older.
I couldn't explain why, but for the first time that day, I felt something stir—a thrill, sharp and electric.
Not fear.
Anticipation.
I adjusted my crimson hat and smiled.
"Let's see what kind of devil lives at the bottom of the fire," I said quietly.
Then I stepped forward.
And the world swallowed me whole.
---
End of Chapter 24 – Descent into the Inferno