A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night

"Everyone, get ready." The princess passed the order. "The same as before, Leiza, you are with me. Orin, you are our shield. Mia, you know what to do; coordinate with us. And Kael, I don't care what you do. Just don't get in our way. Best if you and Nyx stay far away in an invisible state. This one's an 8-Tier. So, we won't be needing your wolf's help."

Kael and Mia didn't even have the chance to react to her words as the golem let out a guttural groan, and the floor shuddered. With a creaking roar, it stomped forward and raised one massive arm, then slammed it down.

Shiera blurred forward, catching the edge of the shockwave on her shoulder but managing to slice across the golem's arm. Her blade scraped sparks across its barklike armor but barely pierced it.

"Damn, it's skin is thick," she growled, pulling back just in time to avoid a burning swipe.

From the rear, Kael raised his hand. "Nyx, now. Energy blast!"

The spectral wolf opened its mouth wide, and a silvery bolt of pure energy shot forward, striking the golem's chest with a concussive boom. The golem staggered slightly but didn't falter.

"Sis, you need to hit that core!" Kael called out.

Meanwhile, Mia circled wide, chanting. Blue-white magic surged around her as she summoned frost tendrils, wrapping around the golem's leg, trying to slow its movement. "No, we can't absorb it if you directly damage its core. Let's first slow it down. Kael, be on my side."

Shiera took the opportunity and leapt, landing a powerful downward slash into the golem's shoulder. This time, the blade sank deeper, flames hissing at the wound.

Leiza and Orion moved in from the sides, launching strikes, but the golem swung its arm, catching both of them mid-motion and hurling them back.

"Leiza!" Mia yelled.

"Ugh…" Leiza groaned from the floor, coughing. Blood ran down her cheek. Orion wasn't faring much better, his arm twisted awkwardly under him.

"I'm fine," Leiza muttered. "Still alive."

*Graaaa*

The golem roared, molten sap dripping from its arm as it reared up for a stomp, but Shiera dashed in, her sword enveloped in mana. She carved a vicious line through the creature's abdomen.

"Now, Mia!"

"Glacia Descent!"

A storm of icy blades rained from above, striking the wound and extinguishing the burning sap. The golem froze literally as frost crystallized around the broken wood.

Leiza charged forward, her twin swords gleaming in power as she unleashed her ultimate skill, consuming her entire mana reserves. "Thousand Cuts of Slash"

Just as its name suggests, Leiza cut off the frozen Golem into a thousand cuts, careful enough to leave out the core undamaged.

The chamber fell silent as the remains flickered for a moment, and then, with a small clink, the glowing mana core rolled out from the pile.

Leiza picked it up, panting heavily as that movement placed quite a toll on her body. "That… Can I take this? I need it for the breakthrough."

No one argued.

"Lord Moonstone?" Leiza glanced at Kael, the weakest in the group. Kael shrugged. "You need it the most, Ms. Leiza."

With no one objecting, she took the core in both hands and sat down in a meditative pose. As the core disappeared into her body, the energy surged within her, radiant light engulfing her.

This went on for atleast twenty minutes. Everyone sat around in patience as her aura pushed from the Advanced stage to the Peak stage, and it is still rising higher.

And then, all of a sudden, a thick aura exploded.

"Hey, she's breaking through…"

Shiera and Orin stood to their feet, in anticipation, their eyes now fixed on their teammate.

Soon, the radiant light faded, and Leiza stood slowly, her aura layered over her now more solid.

"Failure," Mia sighed, shaking her head.

Leiza looked at her hands in disappointment. "Thought this would push me to Tier-8, but I couldn't break through that door."

"Better than nothing," Shiera said, patting her shoulder. "Anyway, it looks like the battle isn't over. You can take the core of the boss and break through this time."

They gathered near one of the walls to rest, realizing that the dungeon hadn't been cleared. The steps that go downstairs aren't leading to the vault, after all. It will be their next boss. They could only hope that it is the final one, and for that, they need as much strength as they can muster.

Shiera sat cross-legged, sword across her lap. Leiza tended to Orin's arm. Mia shared her water while Kael leaned back against Nyx's side, tossing a mana berry in the air.

Six hours later;

With their peak strength, the group stood before an enormous, double-doored gate, carved with ancient runes glowing faintly in crimson.

The ground beneath was cracked and scorched, and the oppressive heat in the air was as unbearable as it had been all along.

"This is it," Shiera said, voice low. "The final chamber."

"Let's hope it is not a 9-Tier…" Mia muttered under her breath.

Kael stayed quiet. His eyes were locked on the door. Nyx let out a low growl beneath him.

Mia stepped forward and placed her hand on the seal. The moment she did…

BOOM.

The gate swung open, and a wave of blistering heat rolled out like a blast furnace.

And then a beast stepped forward.

Its body shimmered like molten metal, each step trailing fire. Its wings were made of lava-threaded magma. Its mane flickered like a wildfire, and its hooves sent up sparks with every step.

"A peak stage 8-Tier boss," Mia whispered.

The pegasus raised its head and vanished.

CRACK!

Leiza screamed as he was sent flying, struck mid-air by an invisible charge. She crashed to the ground, fell unconscious in one move.

The creature reappeared in a burst of flame.

Kael's eyes widened. "It's teleporting."

Orin raised his shield, but the pegasus reared and slammed down both hooves, unleashing a shockwave of lava that cracked the ground beneath them. A geyser of fire shot up and engulfed Orin, throwing him back into the wall unconscious. He didn't even get a chance to dodge or counterattack at all.

Shiera dove in, but the creature caught her mid-strike with a lash of its tail. She crashed hard with her armor dented, coughing up blood.

Mia tried to slow it with magic. "Ice L—"

BAM!

A flaming wing cut through her spell and sent her flying into Kael's side.

"You beast!" Kael growled, catching her and glaring up at the beast. His hand trembled.

He could feel the tattoo on his arm, pulsating in hunger. It was as if the tattoo wanted to tame this beast.

At the same time, his demon's heart pumped up. A thought appeared in his head. If he just transformed into the demon, he could end this.

One transformation, and this thing would be ash.

But… He hesitated.

He wouldn't dare to transform in front of those.

In the end, thinking fast, Kael came to a decision to retreat.

"Nyx," Kael said under his breath. "Unleash Veil Shift. Get all of us out of this place."

Nyx's eyes pulsed. "Are you sure? We will teleport randomly if I have to take all of you."

Kael nodded once. "That's better than death. Now, go…"

*Awoo*

The spectral wolf let out a low howl, and magic started swirling around it like mist.

The Lava Pegasus shrieked and charged, but it was too late to stop Nyx.

The light enveloped everyone of them, and a blink later, the party collapsed in a heap on a dune.

Mia looked around. "Where are we?"

Kael let out an awkward smile, scratching his cheek. "Well… I don't know."

"What!" Shiera, coughing aloud, spitting the sand she accidentally swallowed when they teleported to her, couldn't help but scream in surprise.