A few moments later, the groups split into three, with Asmodeus remaining in the main hallway because he checked the blocked passage ahead of them.

    "Paul, Simon and Baku, can you take the eastern path. Erunda, Arinea and Erika can you take the western path?"

    "Hmmm, no problem, kid. I''ll keep these old men safe."

    "Sounds good to me, Ryuji. Be careful..." Paul grinned at Asmodeus with a smirk because he knew him well and understood that he wanted to explore the strange cave instead.

    "Tsk... I don''t take orders from—ugh!"

    "We''ll be fine. Take care of our princess, Demon King!" Arinea elbowed the huge Erunda in the stomach while grinning at the blushing Ciela, who rubbed her fingers together.

    The princess and Arinea seemed to have a close relationship as the magus winked at her before taking Erunda''s hand and dragging him to the western path.

    "Be careful..." Ciela whispered as Erunda turned back, putting up his thumbs with a wide grin.

    "Don''t worry, Princess!"

    The party waited a few moments before they spread out, switching supplies and ensuring everyone carried a runic flare created by Paul.

    The flares would shoot into the air, creating a coloured smoke signal depending on the user''s situation. The green flare meant a safe passage, the red for a blocked way and the black for danger or help.

    "So this is where the dragon fell?" Paul whispered, looking at the deep crater—rather than a canyon, it looked like someone had smashed the earth with a gigantic foot.

    "...According to the legends."

    Ciela gazed around while peeking back at Asmodeus—her interest in the story of the Demon Queen and the Bronze Dragon seemed quite large.

    "I wonder if there was a chance to save him..." Ciela muttered before showing a sorrowful smile.

    Asmodeus didn''t respond because his attention moved to the cavern ahead of them—in this canyon, the heat constantly smouldered and grew the longer they remained.

    ''I can feel something...''

    The aura resembled the tingling that made his skin itch when first meeting Serena in her divine realm or when he faced Mephisto for the first time.

    —Badump!

    Every few seconds, the ground pulsated... like a heart beating. A powerful and heavy thud.

    "I don''t like this..."

    "What''s the matter Husband?"

    Ciela and Levia remained with him because they both seemed the most affected by the heat, especially Levia, who had worn heavy black armour earlier.

    However, due to the heat, she transformed it into a smaller chain mail set that left her stomach and thighs exposed.

    "Master, the heat... it''s almost unbearable."

    Levia flicked her wet bangs, fastening her black hair into a high ponytail, her face dripping with sweat.

    ''She''s right...''

    —Snap!

    ''After all, it wasn''t intentional...'' Erika shook her head before curling her frown into a small smile.

    "No, I understand... it''s okay—"

    —SHUDDER!

    Before Erika could finish her words, the ground cracked, and a loud rumble in the deep resounded before the roar of a monster sounded from above them.

    "Erunda!" Arinea shouted, but the walls began to fall before they could grasp each other''s hands and jump from the falling rocks and rubble.

    Erika didn''t hesitate, even in the face of such a situation.

    Her body was wrapped in a beautiful aura, different from the past. Now refined and filled with a strong wind and earth element, it allowed her to knock the rocks and debris away with the dull sides of her curved elven blades.

    "We need to pull back! There are Wyverns!"

    ROAR!

    The flying beasts soared into the sky.

    The three wyverns were copper-coloured with hints of red and long, thick, spiked tails.

    Their bodies were covered in scales and sharp spines running along their backs to the tips of their tails. Each wyvern''s arms were bat-like, with wings spanning eight to ten metres long. Their heads resembled those of a dragon with long, spiny horns, but they were much smaller.

    "Miss Erika, pull back! I''ll protect our retreat!" Arinea''s body began to glow a frigid blue. She levitated off the ground, her hair rising and dancing around her, and the runes etched onto her staff glowing brightly.

    —BANG!

    Erunda''s enormous axe slammed into a massive chunk of earth before rushing towards the closest wyvern, who tried to snap at him.

    "Come on, ya'' stupid lizard!"

    —Clang!

    The wyvern''s jaws were powerful enough to crack the stone and send vibrations throughout the area, but it recoiled the moment Erunda''s axe crashed into its face.

    A trail of blood sprayed out of its nostrils and across the earth as Erunda''s axe slashed it from its nose to the top of its head.

    "Damn it!" His body flung back from the wyvern''s wings, flapping at him with brutal air pressure.

    —WOOSH!

    Arinea didn''t miss the opportunity, freezing the wyvern in a thick layer of ice that trapped it.

    Erika rushed forward, using the frozen debris to gain momentum before stabbing both her blades into the wyvern''s skull. She pierced it, causing the ice to shatter and explode in all directions, covering her face in minor cuts from the sharp frost shards.

    "Tsk... shallow!" She yanked out the sword and rolled off the beast''s head, only to see the wyvern snarl and roar in pain and flick her body away with a brutal kick with its hind legs.

    —THUD!

    The impact caused her ribs to fracture and shudder from the force, slamming into the wall with a brutal crash.

    "Gah!" Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she coughed up blood.

    The other two wyverns circled the area, roaring in unison, before they lunged down like eagles hunting for their prey as Erunda held off the first one.