Point-of-View: Ciel Campbell

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"Huh. Well, this is new," I remarked in bemusement, as a large block slammed down behind us, sealing the entrance.

"Damn it, you've got to be kidding me...alright, everyone else, hang back," Sighed Rex, before turning his attention to the Monster ahead of us.

Three horns, that must be an Archdemon. And that Aura, it's absolutely insane, just looking at it is making my blood run cold.

We'd been assigned to one of the Critical Level Dungeons, and it had been shockingly easy all the way through. We fought our way through swarms of Slimes, mostly Low and Mid Levels, and then a handful of High Levels.

And now, it looks like we're up against a Calamity Level Threat, an Archdemon.

Never seen one in person before, and based on what I've heard from Kai and Ariella...we're in for a serious challenge here.

The rest of our party is all K-Ranks, we can't drag them into a battle against an Archdemon. Frankly, they'd only get in the way.

Either way, this is going to be a serious struggle.

"Yeah, stand back, guys. Focus on protecting yourselves and staying out of the way," I added, before stepping forward with Rex, eyeing the Archdemon warily.

He had long, dark purple hair, dark green eyes, the whites of his eyes were black, he had scaly red skin, and he was pretty tall, with a lanky, agile build.

He had two curved horns on either side of his head, and a straight horn over the middle of his forehead, along with a pair of wings and a tail.

"Oh? Just two of you intend to fight me? Just surrender, you don't stand a-...," Smirked the Archdemon.

"[Explosion Spear]!"

He raised his right hand, coating it in Negative Energy as my explosive projectile closed in on him, swinging his arm across in an effort to bat the projectile away with the back of his hand.

The instant he made contact with my attack, a startled yell of pain rang out as it erupted fiercely and drowned out his voice, the delightful boom sending chills down my spine.

"I'll fight up close. You let loose from back here," Sighed Rex, drawing out his twin blades and sprinting forward as an enraged roar rang out, the Archdemon rapidly regenerating his right hand and forearm, before unleashing a fierce blast of Negative Energy towards Rex.

The blast phased right through Rex and struck the ground behind him, chunks of muddy dirt flying out upon impact...the terrain throughout this entire Dungeon has been nothing but shallow pools of mud that span across the entirety of every floor, it isn't easy to move around...and we're up against a Monster than can fly.

The Archdemon lunged towards Rex as he closed in, the Monster's eyes widened in surprise as he passed right through Rex's body, who swiftly spun around and drove one of his blades towards the middle of the Monster's back, piercing through his skin before the blade dragged across the Archdemon's flesh as he twisted his body across before the blade could reach his Core.

He grimaced in pain as he twisted his body off the blade, before stiffening as I unleashed a barrage of explosions towards him, quickly spreading out his wings and zipping up into the air as fast as he could, a sharp cry of pain ringing out as one of my explosions struck his left knee and erupted with immense force, blasting his leg off.

He let out a furious growl as he ascended up close to the ceiling of the space, his leg growing back in no time, narrowing his eyes as I fired out a rapid volley of explosions up towards him.

He zipped across the air to evade them, my explosions peppering the ceiling and erupting with immense force, chunks of rubble raining down and crashing onto the muddy ground, before I whipped my arm across to unleash a pressurized slashing wave of explosive energy as I drove him into a corner.

He zipped down in alarm, my attack brushing his hair and exploding with devastating force. The Archdemon plummeted as my blast split his skull open, blood bursting out as Rex swiftly shot towards him.

A loud splat echoed out as the Archdemon crashed onto the ground, right as Rex closed in and lunged towards him, driving his right blade towards the Monster's solar plexus, targeting his Core.

Despite his severely dazed state, the Archdemon narrowly avoided a fatal blow as he twisted his body across, Rex's blade piercing through just below the left side of the Monster's ribcage.

The Archdemon tried to grab Rex's arm as his split skull closed up, before wrenching the blade out of his torso and flying back up, gashes appearing across his legs as Rex slashed at the Monster with his blades.

"What the hell kind of Magic is that?!" Snarled the Demon, narrowing his eyes at Rex, before quickly veering across the air as I unleashed several more explosions towards him, snapping as he evaded them, "You damned, lowly insects! I will destroy you...[Demonic Art: Atomic Pulse]!"

An ominous blue glow surrounded the Archdemon, brightening sharply and intensely before bursting out in a powerful eruption.

I quickly crossed my arms in front of myself, gasping in pain as I felt an agonizingly searing pain across my forearms and a few spots on my face...sh-shit, that hurts way more than flames or lightning.

He called it Atomic Pulse, did he hit me with literal nuclear energy?!

It won't affect Rex, but if he can keep firing off that attack, I'll be taken out of commission before too long.

"Ah, I should have realized sooner...I have a rather simple path to victory here," Remarked the Archdemon as he calmed himself down and narrowed his eyes at me.

"No!" Yelled Rex in alarm, turning around and rushing back towards me as the Archdemon swooped down with immense speed, targeting me as a malicious smirk spread out across his face...

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