On such a fine day, sunlight bathed the land in golden warmth—but deep beneath the surface, where light dared not reach, darkness reigned supreme.
Team Phoenix stood tall before the gate of an S-rank dungeon, their expressions solemn. The mission was clear, the stakes higher than ever. Today wasn't just another raid—it was the final floor of the dungeon, where the boss monster awaited: a beast whispered about in legends.
The air grew heavier with each step they descended. The last chamber loomed ahead, cloaked in an eerie silence. And there—amidst the thick, poisonous fog—their eyes met the monster of the abyss.
A monstrous Hydra emerged from the shadows, towering over them. Its body was enormous, covered in black, glistening scales that shimmered like obsidian. Three serpentine heads hissed with menace, their crimson eyes glowing with malice. Four razor-sharp claws scraped the ground as it moved, and its spiked tail whipped the air like a living blade. It exuded raw killing intent, and the very ground trembled beneath its weight.
The moment Yui laid eyes on the monstrous Hydra.
Her aura surged, golden light erupting around her. Divine wings of light unfurled from her back, and intricate golden inscriptions shimmered across her armor like ancient runes carved by gods. Her sword, the Blessed Maiden's Blade, responded to her rising power—its edge wrapped in radiant gold, pulsing with holy energy.
She had entered her Golden Valkyrie Form.
The Hydra sensed the threat instantly. With a guttural roar, it lunged at her with blinding speed, its three heads striking like serpents of death.
But Yui rose into the air, graceful and commanding. Her golden sword gleamed brighter—then, with a flurry of strikes, she carved across the Hydra's hide, leaving glowing slashes along its scaled body.
"Kevin, make the ground muddy—now!" Ryouma commanded without hesitation.
Kevin slammed his staff into the earth. "O spirits of the land, bend to my will!" A deep rumble followed his chant as the dungeon floor turned to thick, clinging mud. The Hydra's massive legs sank in, movements hindered.
"Lyra! Aim for the joints! Ronald—bring that beast down!" Ryouma barked orders.
"On it!" Lyra answered, firing a volley of piercing arrows into the Hydra's leg joints with deadly precision.
"Let's see how you handle brute force!" Ronald roared, activating his Overwhelming Strengthening Magic. Muscles bulging with unnatural power, he slammed into the Hydra's side, tipping the monster off-balance. The beast crashed to the side, half-submerged in the r edge.
Ryouma gave Kevin a sharp glance. Kevin nodded, already chanting again. Chains of glowing silver erupted from the ground, wrapping around the Hydra's limbs, necks, and tail—binding it completely.
Then came the final phase.
"Perisa—your turn!" Ryouma ordered.
Perisa scoffed. "Took you long enough." She raised her wand, casting Bluff on Yui, who hovered midair, waiting.
Yui's aura intensified—the golden light now blinding, pressure radiating like a descending goddess of war. Her presence alone made the air tremble.
She shot forward with terrifying speed, blade gleaming like a falling star.
But just as she approached, the Hydra did something unthinkable—it bit off two of its own heads and swallowed them. With a roar that echoed like thunder, it unleashed a surge of dark energy. Its body pulsed with corrupted power, scales glowing with malevolent light.
Yui's blade met the Hydra's reinforced defense—and for the first time, her attack was stopped cold. The impact knocked her back mid-air.
"Damn it!" Kevin cursed. "Why won't it die?!"
The Hydra had gone berserk. Fueled by self-inflicted sacrifice, it glowed with an aura of pure malice. Lightning crackled, and a storm of hatred swept through the chamber. Dark energy gathered at its mouths, condensing into a massive sphere—a Malice Magic Bomb.
With a deafening roar, the Hydra released it.
The blast tore through the battlefield.
"Scatter!" Ryouma yelled, but the impact hit too fast. The explosion broke their formation, flinging Team Phoenix in all directions.
"Reform! Hold the line!" Ryouma shouted, struggling to his feet.
But the Hydra was already charging another attack—this time aimed straight at Ryouma. A sphere of condensed death surged toward him, fast as light.
Ryouma's eyes widened. For a moment… he felt death reach for him.
"NOOOOO!!"
Yui's scream pierced the chaos.
She saw the blast coming. Her composed demeanor cracked—replaced with raw panic.
She was too far to reach him. Too slow.
Or so she thought.
And then… time itself seemed to slow.
A faint platinum glow emerged from within her golden aura. Something snapped. A crown of light formed above her head, and halo magic circle— golden, platinum—manifested behind her.
She didn't think. She moved.
In a flash, she was in front of Ryouma.
Her sword, wreathed in both divine and sovereign light, cut clean through the deadly blast.
And with one more flash of golden platinum light—
She streaked past the Hydra.
And in that instant, the monster's massive body was carved into dozens of clean, blazing cuts.
For a moment, the Hydra stood still.
Then…
BOOM.
Its body fell apart, cleaved by divine judgment.
Silence fell. The dungeon walls trembled. The monster's remnants dissolved into black mist.
Yui stood in the fading light, her form flickering as the golden-platinum aura slowly vanished. Her chest rose and fell with exhaustion… but she didn't fall.
Team Phoenix, one by one, gathered behind her.
After the intense battle, silence loomed over the shattered battlefield. Yui stood still, her gaze cold as ice as it landed on Ryouma. Without a word, she turned her back and walked away.
Ronald and Kevin exchanged glances and sighed."You okay, man?" Kevin asked.Persia scoffed mockingly. "Surprised you're still breathing."
But Ryouma wasn't listening to them. His mind lingered on Yui's eyes—those eyes that once held warmth now seemed to look down on him, filled with judgment and distance.
She must just be worried... right? That's why she's acting cold… he tried to convince himself.
But Yui, on the other hand, was making a decision. She quietly called Ronald over. The two walked away from the others, their expressions grim as they engaged in a private, serious discussion.
Watching them from a distance, Persia clicked her tongue. "Sometimes I wonder... are Yui and Ronald secretly dating?"Her voice dripped with mockery, clearly aimed at Ryouma.
He said nothing. He knew Persia was trying to provoke him.
Annoyed by his lack of response, she continued, more viciously."Nothing ever comes good for Yui. If she stays with a worthless man like you, she'll just suffer more. You should quit already."
Still, Ryouma remained silent.
From the side, Lyra approached him hesitantly, concern etched in her eyes. "Ryouma… are you okay?"
But he walked away quietly, leaving her behind.
Later that night, the team gathered inside an inn. The room was filled with a heavy silence, with Ryouma sitting at the center and all members seated around him. In front stood Yui, calm and composed, her red eyes unflinching.
With a voice devoid of emotion, she said, "You're out of the party. From now on."
The words echoed in the room.
Ryouma stood frozen. Deep inside, he had sensed this coming. Yui's warmth had faded over time, replaced by a sharpness that cut deeper than any blade.
"…I won't ask why," Ryouma said at last, his voice low. "I know I wasn't strong enough today event is the proof… but why did you still try so desperately to save me back then?"
Yui flinched slightly. That single moment of hesitation betrayed the wall she'd built.
Unknowingly, Ryouma's body began releasing a thick, subtle aura—a murderous intent, cold and suffocating. His eyes, once gentle, now mirrored the stillness of death.
"You're my childhood friend…" Yui whispered, her voice shaking ever so slightly. "I don't want you to die on me. That's all."
"That's all, huh…" Ryouma smirked bitterly. "Then I understand everything now. I'll leave. I assume my presence just makes you uncomfortable."
As he turned and walked away, Persia mocked again with a smug grin."Try not to cry, weakling."
Kevin and Lyra both moved to stop him.
"Ryouma, wait—""Please don't go…"
But Ryouma turned to Lyra. His eyes narrowed.
"You knew, didn't you?"
She trembled. "I-I knew… Ronald told me not to say anything. The rest… they all agreed."
He turned to Ronald, who gave a weak, guilty smile."Don't look at me like that. I wasn't the one who suggested it, but… yeah. I agreed. I gave it my best shot."
Ryouma chuckled to himself. How foolish I've been...
He turned and walked out of the room, silent and alone.
Inside the room, after his departure, Yui let out a long, weary sigh.
Ronald leaned back, arms crossed. "I played the perfect villain, didn't I?"
Persia smirked. "Yeah. It's like you were born for it."
Ronald shot her a side glance. "I don't have the energy to argue with a lunatic like you."
Outside, under the pale moonlight, Ryouma stood alone near the inn.
He looked up at the stars, a bitter smile tugging at his lips.
"So… I've finally been kicked out, huh?" he whispered. "I had this thought for some time now. And now that it's happened… weirdly enough, I feel kind of refreshed."
The wind brushed against him, silent and cold.
He turned his back to the inn.
And walked into the night—alone, but strangely at peace.