The Boy Who Walks Beyond The End-Chapter 53: The Flames Beneath Grace

While Zen, Lyra, and Sylvia ventured through the left passage, another corridor echoed with measured footsteps. Team Arisella advanced calmly—refined, focused, regal.

The walls were narrower here, cracked with veins of molten rock pulsing like blood. The heat was intense, thick in the air.

"Watch your steps," Fiora said, her tone clipped but calm. "There's fire mana saturating this path."

Arisella moved ahead, her silver-edged cape fluttering, eyes glowing faintly with divine light. "We're being observed."

Elvren, tall and composed, trailed behind with one hand casually in his coat pocket. Flames curled around his palm like they worshipped him.

"Let them watch," he said, voice as smooth as velvet. "Let's show them how it's done."

Suddenly, three flaming hounds emerged from the lava cracks, snarling, their forms unstable and burning.

Lava Hounds – Class D+ monsters

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They didn't hesitate.

Elvren stepped forward and raised his hand lazily.

"Ashen Phoenix."

A phoenix of roaring fire burst from his palm, its wings illuminating the dark corridor. It swooped through the hounds with divine fury, leaving only trails of ash in its wake.

Fiora didn't blink. She raised her staff, forming a barrier of shimmering blue sigils. "Reinforce."

Arisella, with almost no change in expression, drew her twin blades.

[Slice.]

[Spin.]

[Silver flash.]

The last hound lunged for Fiora—only for Arisella's blade to pierce its skull mid-air.

It collapsed, not even given the honor of a roar.

Elvren smiled faintly. "You haven't lost your edge."

"I never do," Arisella replied without looking at him.

Fiora tapped her staff twice, sealing a crack in the wall. "This place will only get worse the deeper we go."

"I'm counting on it," Elvren said, his silver hair glowing orange in the flickering firelight. "Bigger challenges. Bigger flames."

Arisella glanced forward. "Let's move. There's something else here... something watching."

As they turned the next bend, a low growl echoed—not from beasts, but something worse.

A silhouette shifted in the flame—a humanoid figure of molten armor and obsidian eyes.

Dungeon Warden – Magmablood Knight

It stepped forward, dragging a blade of glowing red steel.

Elvren smirked. "Now that's more like it."