CHAPTER 295: THIRD VILLAIN ACT [1]

The New Dawn moved as a unit, their steps echoing softly against the dungeon’s stone floor.

"Oh, as expected." The giant man at the front let out a booming laugh, flexing his shoulders as though the air itself was too light for him. "The equipment the boss gave us really works. She said we’d all land in the same spot if we held hands, and look at that—we did." His grin widened, equal parts relief and bloodlust.

"Don’t touch the monsters," their leader warned, voice sharp. "Information says they’re docile, so long as we don’t try to break into the boss room."

The giant’s grin faltered, his brow twitching. "...Tch. No fun. Wouldn’t it be quicker to just smash our way through?"

"It would also be suicide," the leader snapped back, eyes narrowing. "If there’s a hero among the civilians that were dragged in, they’d notice. Worse, they might find the reward before we do. I can’t replicate the same dungeon twice. If we lose this chance—it’s gone."

"Tch. Fine," the giant muttered, kicking a stray pebble.

"Idiot," the short woman behind them chimed in, lips curling into a scornful smirk. "Just do what the boss tells you. Don’t make me babysit you again."

The giant scowled, but didn’t answer. Instead, he folded his arms and muttered, "Still... what a shame. If I’d gotten a proper look at that kid’s skills earlier, I wouldn’t be this bored."

"...Do it outside," the leader said coldly. "I don’t care if you pick fights with heroes then. But inside this dungeon? No. And don’t forget our rule."

"I know, I know." The giant raised his hands mockingly. "We don’t kill the kids. Even if they’re rotten little trash."

The short woman shot him a look, then turned back to the leader. "...But boss. This dungeon—Rose Alchemist, right? Is the treasure really worth all this? You’ve been obsessed."

The leader’s gaze didn’t waver, though a faint shadow crossed his expression. "I can’t say for certain. But there’s a chance—just a chance—that something I’ve been searching for lies here."

"And you won’t tell us what?" the giant pressed, a note of impatience in his voice.

"Be quiet," the short woman hissed. "Focus. Think about the boss before you think about me."

Silence settled briefly, broken only by the scrape of boots on stone.

"...We’re close," the short woman murmured at last. "The map said the boss room should be around this corner."

And the map was right.

The corridor opened into a massive archway framed by roots and roses, glowing faintly in the dungeon’s gloom. But the three of them stopped dead in their tracks.

Because someone was already there.

A lone figure stood before the boss room’s doors, backlit by the eerie light of the roses. Their presence oozed a quiet, suffocating pressure, and the mask they wore—a pale, demon-like visage—hid any trace of their identity.

The figure tilted their head ever so slightly.

[Welcome, members of New Dawn. So, we finally meet.]

The words weren’t shouted, yet they rolled through the corridor with unnatural weight.

The giant’s grin returned, wider than before. "...Well, well. Looks like we’ve got ourselves an uninvited guest."

But beneath the mask, Rin’s lips curved upward.

The masked figure leaned casually against the doorframe, arms folded as if he had been waiting for hours.

[You’re late.]

The giant blinked, then barked out a laugh. "Late? To our own raid?"

[Well, the boss doesn’t like tardiness, you know,] Rin replied smoothly, tilting his head in mock scolding. [And here I thought New Dawn had standards. Tsk, tsk.]

The short woman’s eyes narrowed. "...Who the hell are you supposed to be?"

[Me?] Rin tapped a finger against his mask. [Just a passerby. A curious little moth drawn to the same flame as you.]

"You’re in the way," the leader cut in, voice cold. "Move."

Rin let out a low whistle, as if impressed. [Straight to business, huh? I like that. But... no can do. You see, I’ve grown rather fond of this spot. Good view, quiet atmosphere, perfect lighting. You understand, don’t you?]

The giant cracked his knuckles, grinning wide. "Oh, I understand. You’re asking to get flattened."

[Flattened?] Rin tilted his head, as if genuinely curious. [Hm... You can try, but fair warning—I’m not very good at staying still.]

His words carried a lightness that made them all hesitate. Not because they believed he was stronger—but because he acted as though he knew something they didn’t.

The short woman stepped forward, whispering low to her comrades. "Careful. He’s stalling for something."

Rin’s chuckle echoed through the hall, almost melodic. [Oh, don’t flatter me. I just like watching people squirm when they realize they’re not the only predators in the room.]

The giant’s grin faltered for the first time.

The mask tilted upward slightly, as if smiling.

[So... what’ll it be, New Dawn? Will you dance for me, or shall I dance first?]

The air grew taut, every sound swallowed by the weight of his voice. The boss room door loomed just behind him, vines curling like silent witnesses.

No one from New Dawn moved. They stood frozen, waiting. Not because they didn’t want to act, but because they couldn’t—not until their leader gave the word. Disobeying her was unthinkable.

Dangerous. Very dangerous.

The thought rippled among them.

Although the mask obscured his face, the details that were

visible made him all the more unsettling. The sharp cut of his tailcoat, the lean height, the casual way he carried himself—it suggested a man, but nothing about him could be pinned down with certainty. He was incomprehensible.

What unsettled them most wasn’t just his appearance. It was the fact that he’d arrived here before them, despite their path being the shortest. And his words—his casual certainty when naming them "New Dawn."

"There seems to be some misunderstanding here," Seraphine finally said, her voice calm, measured. "We are not ’New Dawn.’ We are A-rank heroes registered with the Hero Association."

The denial came smooth and practiced, though everyone here knew it was already too late. He had called them New Dawn twice now, and each time with the confidence of someone who knew.

So why did she bother?

Because Seraphine wasn’t a fool. Their goal lay behind that door, and if she could avoid wasting strength here, she would. A battle with an unknown opponent was the last thing they needed.

"In this sudden situation, while searching for an exit, we arrived here first. Nothing more." Her words were calm, logical, almost reasonable.

However...

[Seraphine.]

The man’s tone cut her explanation apart like a blade.

[You—disguised as the boss of the villain alliance New Dawn—live three lives. Seraphine, the leader of New Dawn. Elara Veylen, an A-rank hero of the National Heroes Association. Emma Watson, an S-rank hunter of the Guild. And one more identity—an ordinary, non-awakened civilian, which I will not reveal out of... privacy.]

The words hung in the air, heavy and sharp.

[You hide your face while leading because you’re a striking beauty, aren’t you?]

Seraphine’s composure cracked. The calm mask she wore at all times slipped, replaced by a fleeting expression of shock.

"...Who are you?" she demanded, her voice tighter than she intended.

The masked man straightened, as if to make his presence known all the more. His hands spread slightly, like a conductor before a symphony.

[Who am I?]

The demon mask tilted again, voice echoing in the silence.

[I am the one who has come to test you. Prove to me that you are worthy.]

The pressure that poured from him was overwhelming, suffocating. It wasn’t simply killing intent—it was something heavier, like a storm pressing down on the skin, daring them to stand.

For the first time in a long while, Seraphine felt her breath catch.