Alexander stood at the dungeon entrance—
Smiling.
But there was nothing human about it.
Lightning crackled violently around his body.
Wild.
Unstable.
Predatory.
"What's this?"
His voice dripped with mockery.
"I thought this was supposed to be a one-on-one."
His gaze shifted briefly to Orelia and Hana—
Then back to River.
"Of course…"
He laughed.
"…you're too pathetic to face me alone."
River didn't respond.
Didn't react.
He simply tightened his grip on the Onyx January.
His eyes—
Focused.
Calm.
"I'm going to save you, idiot."
He stepped forward.
Wind gathered at his feet.
"But first—"
He vanished.
A burst of speed—
Closing the distance instantly.
"You need a good punch to the face."
CRACK.
River's fist slammed into Alexander's jaw.
Alexander didn't even flinch.
"You hit like a girl."
He laughed—
As lightning exploded from his arm.
Black armor surged across his body—
Crawling over his skin like something alive.
Forming a sleek, jagged shell.
"Now my turn."
He swung.
Fast.
Deadly.
"Cyclone!"
Wind burst outward.
River launched himself back—
Barely avoiding the strike.
The air where he had stood split apart.
"River!"
Orelia called out.
"What do you need me to do?"
River didn't take his eyes off Alexander.
"I need to be the one to beat him."
His voice was firm.
"Alone."
A brief pause.
"But once he's down—"
"Help me remove the artifact."
"…Understood."
Orelia nodded.
Stepping back.
Hana remained beside her—
Anxious.
Watching.
"Good!"
Alexander's grin widened.
"Let's have some fun!"
Lightning surged violently around him—
As he charged again.
"Slip and Slide."
Water spread beneath River's feet—
Forming a flowing path.
He glided across it—
Fast.
Evasive.
"Don't think you can run!"
Alexander slammed his hand into the water trail—
CRACKLE.
Lightning surged through it instantly.
"—GHK—!"
River's body seized.
Electricity tore through him—
Relentless.
Merciless.
He collapsed—
Muscles spasming—
Vision blurring.
But only for a moment.
"—Heal…!"
Light flickered over his body.
The damage faded—
Just enough.
He forced himself back to his feet.
Breathing hard.
"…Water magic isn't going to work here."
He muttered.
Eyes locked onto Alexander.
Adjusting.
Adapting.
"…His speed is the biggest problem."
River's eyes sharpened.
"But…"
Wind gathered faintly around him.
"…mine isn't far behind."
"Bubble."
Dozens of small water spheres formed in the air—
Floating.
Drifting.
Seemingly harmless.
Alexander scoffed.
"…What is this?"
"Not even worth my time."
Black armor shifted—
Opening slightly—
As he pulled a jagged black sword from within it.
Lightning surged along its edge.
Crackling violently.
He lunged forward.
Fast.
Unrelenting.
SLASH.
River barely slipped past the blade—
The lightning grazing his shoulder.
Burning.
Close.
Too close.
"Prismatic Laser!"
River fired immediately.
A beam of blinding light shot forward—
Straight at Alexander.
Alexander twisted mid-step—
Dodging it effortlessly.
"Too slow—"
River smiled.
The beam struck one of the floating bubbles.
Then—
It bent.
Refracted.
Redirected.
From one bubble—
To another.
And another.
Like a chain of mirrors made of water.
Alexander's eyes widened—
Too late.
BOOM.
The laser came from behind—
Striking him directly.
"—Tch!"
He skidded forward from the impact—
Armor smoking slightly.
River exhaled.
"…Got you."
"Clever…"
Alexander muttered—
A grin slowly returning.
"Let's see how long that works."
"Let's keep playing."
River raised his staff again.
"Cyclone."
Wind erupted outward—
Violent.
Chaotic.
The bubbles scattered—
Spinning rapidly through the air.
Changing positions constantly.
Unpredictable.
A moving network of reflections—
Turning the battlefield into a shifting trap.
River stepped forward slowly.
Eyes locked on Alexander.
"Come on."
A faint smile.
"Try and keep up."
"You using my Slip and Slide against me…"
River smirked faintly.
"…gave me the perfect idea."
Light gathered at his staff—
Firing again.
"Prismatic Laser!"
The beam shot forward—
Only to split—
Reflect—
And twist through the battlefield.
River's strategy was clear now.
Wind—
To move.
Light—
To strike.
Water—
To control the battlefield itself.
A perfect cycle.
Alexander's expression darkened.
"…Tch."
He inhaled sharply—
Then roared.
But not just a roar—
He amplified it.
Wind surged through his lungs—
Forcing the sound outward.
Violent.
Compressed.
BOOM.
The shockwave burst through the air—
Every bubble—
Popped.
River's setup—
Gone in an instant.
"The weakest lion always roars the most…"
River said calmly.
Tilting his head slightly.
"…or is that dogs?"
A faint smirk.
"I can't remember."
His eyes locked onto Alexander.
"But you look more like a dog anyway."
Alexander smiled.
Not angry.
Not this time.
Controlled.
"I remember this."
His voice was steady.
"You baited me last time."
"Got me angry."
A small step forward.
"Do you really think the same trick will work twice?"
River shrugged lightly.
"…Nah."
"You're too smart for that."
A pause.
His smile widened—
Just a little.
"I'll have to get trickier."
"Trick Bubble."
More bubbles formed—
Floating into place.
Alexander laughed.
"…Again?"
He inhaled—
Preparing another roar—
BOOM.
The soundwave exploded outward—
Shattering every bubble instantly.
And then—
Light erupted.
From everywhere.
"—What?!"
Each popped bubble triggered a hidden spell—
Multiple Prismatic Lasers firing at once—
From different angles.
Unpredictable.
Relentless.
Alexander twisted—
Dodging most—
But not all.
CRACK.
A beam struck his side.
Another grazed his arm.
His armor smoked.
"…Tch."
River stepped forward.
Calm.
In control.
"Trick Bubble."
More formed—
Drifting into the air again.
"It's a simple spell."
He spoke evenly.
"They look normal."
"But I can hide spells inside them."
A pause.
"They trigger when you destroy them."
He raised his staff slightly.
"Go ahead."
A faint smile.
"Pop them."
Buer chuckled.
Low.
Amused.
"…You're getting more underhanded."
"Almost diabolical."
River didn't flinch.
"It's called strategy."
His eyes stayed locked on Alexander.
"…Besides."
A quiet breath.
"It's not like I'm fighting the real him, just this pale imitation wearing his skin."
"…What did you say?"
Alexander's voice dropped.
Low.
Dangerous.
River didn't hesitate.
"You're not the real Alexander."
His grip tightened on the staff.
"The one I fought before—"
"His attacks had conviction."
His eyes sharpened.
"This?"
A step forward.
"It's pathetic."
Light gathered.
"Come on."
He raised his staff.
"Hit me like the real one would."
"Prismatic Laser!"
Beams fired relentlessly—
Pressuring him—
Testing him.
Alexander didn't respond.
Not with words.
Lightning erupted.
Violent.
Wild.
It consumed his body—
Surging through the black armor—
Until he looked like something else entirely.
A beast.
A lion made of lightning.
"…There it is."
River smiled faintly.
"That's more like it."
He braced himself.
"Come on, little lion cub."
His voice rose.
"Show me the real Alexander."
A pause.
"The one who doesn't rely on some pathetic artifact."
The armor flickered.
Glitched.
Cracked.
Something inside—
Pushed back.
"DEATH BLOW!"
Alexander roared.
Lightning surged into his blade—
Expanding it—
Stretching it into a massive, crackling edge of destruction.
He brought it down—
"Slip and Slide!"
Water formed beneath his feet—
Right as the attack descended.
Alexander's footing faltered—
Just enough.
The strike missed its mark.
River twisted away—
Barely.
But not cleanly.
CRACK.
Lightning grazed his cheek—
Burning flesh instantly.
He didn't scream.
Couldn't.
There wasn't time.
"…Now—!"
"Prismatic Laser!"
The beam fired point-blank—
Straight into Alexander's abdomen.
BOOM.
Alexander was launched backward—
Lightning flickering—
Breaking—
Fading—
For a moment—
The armor weakened.
And beneath it—
Alexander appeared.
"I'm stronger…"
He gripped his head.
Shaking.
"…I'm better…"
His voice cracked.
"I have to be—!"
The armor tightened.
Trying to consume him again.
"I don't need you!"
He clawed at it—
Desperate.
"Get off me!"
"Orelia—!"
River shouted.
"Now!"
She moved instantly.
Light flared.
"Infinite Ribbon Binding!"
Her transformation surged forth—
Wings spreading—
As countless ribbons shot forward—
Wrapping around the armor.
Pulling.
Tearing.
Separating it piece by piece.
"Damn it—!"
Alexander struggled—
Half-free—
Half-consumed.
"Help me, River!"
"I'm on it!"
River raised his staff.
"Prismatic Laser—Bubble!"
Small bubbles formed—
Tightly condensed—
Focusing his beams.
Sharpening them.
Precise.
He fired.
Not at Alexander—
But at the armor.
CRACK.
SHATTER.
Each shot severed parts of it—
Burning it away—
While carefully avoiding his body.
The armor shrieked.
Detached.
Slithered away—
Reforming.
Condensing—
Into a single shape.
A black spider.
It turned—
And tried to flee.
"…Not happening."
River's hand trembled—
But he forced more mana out.
"Bubble."
Dozens formed instantly—
Surrounding it—
Trapping it in midair.
Sealing every escape.
The spider clawed at the barrier—
Desperate.
Violent.
River exhaled heavily.
His body shaking.
Mana nearly gone.
"…Got you."
Suddenly—
A figure appeared.
Right in front of the bubble.
Pharos.
"Well…"
He smiled, amused.
"That went much smoother than I expected."
He reached out casually—
Grabbing the bubble.
Pop.
It burst instantly.
The black spider dropped into his palm—
And without hesitation—
He slipped it into his pocket.
"…Good job."
"Damn it—!"
River staggered forward.
His lungs burned.
His legs trembled.
"Why are you here…?"
Pharos tilted his head.
"Why?"
A soft chuckle.
"I set this entire game up."
He vanished—
Then reappeared in front of Alexander.
Who was barely conscious.
Broken.
Gasping.
"I expected you to lose…"
Pharos sighed.
"…but not this easily."
A pause.
"What a disappointment."
THWIP.
An arrow pierced his head.
"Get away from him, you monster!"
Hana's voice rang out.
Vines exploded from the arrow—
Wrapping around Pharos—
Constraining—
Strangling—
Pharos didn't react.
He simply reached into his coat—
Pulled out a small stone—
And ignited it.
WHOOSH.
Flames consumed his head.
The vines shriveled instantly—
Burning away into ash.
His flesh regenerated—
As if nothing had happened.
"…So annoying."
He sighed.
"Now I'm going to taste smoke for the next week."
His gaze shifted.
To Orelia.
To Hana.
"…You two still have mana, right?"
"…We do."
Orelia stepped forward—
Mana gathering at her wand.
Pharos smiled.
"…Perfect."
"You know…"
He reached into his bag of holding.
"I recently paid a visit…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"…to your mentor, Orelia."
He turned the bag upside down.
And dumped its contents onto the ground.
Puzzle pieces.
Dozens of them.
Grotesque.
Twisted.
Made from—
Human skin.
Orelia froze.
Her eyes widened—
Then filled with rage.
"…You bastard!"
She lunged forward—
Fury overtaking her composure.
Pharos laughed.
Delighted.
"Allow me…"
He raised his hand.
"…to show you the pinnacle of Light Magic."
His smile widened.
"Grand Illusion."
Reality—
Cracked.
The ground beneath them—
Collapsed.
Opening into darkness.
A void.
River fell.
Alexander fell.
Hana screamed—
As she dropped with them.
Even Orelia—
Despite her wings—
Was dragged down.
As if gravity itself had changed its mind.
Pharos remained above.
Floating.
Watching.
Smiling.
"An illusion so perfect…"
His voice echoed.
"…even the world believes it's real."
"Grand Illusion."
"The ultimate deception."
"The world itself…"
"…rewrites reality to match it."
And just like that—
They were gone.
Consumed.
By something that wasn't real—
But might as well have been.
Leaving Pharos alone.
Above.
Watching.
As everything unfolded exactly as he planned.
Some time later—
River woke up.
"…Ghh…"
His body ached.
Every muscle screamed in protest.
His vision blurred—
Then slowly focused.
"…Where…?"
He pushed himself up slightly—
And froze.
The smell hit him first.
Rot.
Decay.
Something thick—
Clinging to the air.
His eyes widened.
The floor—
Was covered in corpses.
Not just a few.
Dozens.
Stacked.
Discarded.
Some fresh.
Some… not.
"…No way…"
His voice came out hoarse.
Weak.
He looked around.
Trying to understand.
Trying to breathe.
Metal shelves lined the walls—
Each one filled with bodies.
Neatly arranged.
Like items in storage.
Other rooms stretched beyond—
Open doors revealing glimpses inside.
Autopsy tables.
Tools.
Hooks.
Detailed diagrams of the human body—
Pinned up like educational charts.
Clean.
Precise.
Completely at odds with the horror surrounding them.
"…The third floor…"
River muttered.
Realization settling in.
A morgue.
A place for the dead.
And he—
Was standing right in the middle of it.
"…Great."
A shaky breath escaped him.
Then—
A voice.
"Excuse me…"
Soft.
Polite.
Too normal.
"Have you seen my brother?"
River's body stiffened.
He turned slowly.
A young girl stood there.
Close.
Too close.
Long brown hair fell over her shoulders.
Her skin was pale—
Like something that had long since lost warmth.
Her dress—
A deep, unsettling red.
And her face—
Her eyes were gone.
Empty sockets stared forward—
Yet somehow—
She was still looking at him.
A wide smile stretched across her lips.
Too wide.
Too perfect.
"Have you seen him?"
She asked again.
Tilting her head slightly.
Waiting.
For an answer.