Lithaer, The Pentagon—or by her human name, Charlotte Lestaer—was a mage who sealed and battled the boss monsters that once roamed the earth. She was extraordinarily gifted, and her beauty made her unforgettable. Hair as dark and smooth as silk, and golden eyes that gleamed like stars in the night sky.
Many said she looked like the night sky itself.
She was one of the strongest humans to have ever lived—and also the reason half the world was cast into darkness for over a decade.
Her power was so overwhelming, she engulfed five kingdoms in her shadows, blotting out the sun entirely.
Thus, a thousand years ago, began what came to be known as the Era of Darkness. And Charlotte became feared as The Pentagon's Shadow.
It was the birth of her legend.
She was the strongest mage—and once humanity's greatest enemy, even more so than any Demon Lord.
If not for the Seven Legendary Heroes—six at the time—who sealed her within a dungeon, she might still walk the earth.
That was all Haku knew. He shared the tale with Ryusei, and they began formulating a plan. Her powers were undoubtedly linked to shadows.
What that truly meant could wait. Right now, they had to deal with Spiky.
They stored their gear in their storage rings and stepped outside to face it.
***
The sun beat down on the dunes, casting a golden light over the sand-strewn landscape. A silent streak sliced through the terrain—Spiky, the beast, moving unseen beneath the surface, headed straight for Ryusei who stood at the village outskirts.
Haku hovered above, eyes scanning the field. The sand blurred everything, making it hard for Ryusei to track the creature. What unsettled him more was that neither Sense Detail nor Thermal Vision worked. Just white. Blank nothingness.
So, he waited—for Haku's signal.
A few tense seconds passed. Spiky was now mere meters away.
Then it came—a whistle.
Ryusei unleashed a Black Hole from beneath. Haku followed up with a fireball from above. The attacks struck their target
—but it only made things worse.
A violent screech pierced the silence. Both Ryusei and Haku clutched their ears.
The sand began to fall like a cascading waterfall as something rose from beneath.
It wasn't a worm.
It wasn't Spiky.
Haku had been wrong.
A colossal, pure white serpent emerged from the dunes—casting a massive shadow over Ryusei.
"…Shiro?" Ryusei muttered, eyes wide as he took in the serpent's piercing red gaze.
It hissed—an unmistakable sound. A warning. A threat. To the snake, they were prey.
Both Ryusei and Haku immediately entered State of Suppression—a mental technique that cleared away unnecessary thoughts, allowing for rapid response and heightened perception. Haku had taught it during their trek across the desert.
But it shattered instantly.
The serpent's eyes rolled back.
It collapsed—head-first—into the sand.
Dead?
A chilling silence fell, interrupted only by a crack—a sound coming from the serpent's mouth as it slowly opened.
Legs and a torso emerged from the half-open jaw, followed by a full body as the mouth split completely.
A man stepped out.
Clad in a crimson suit that exuded nobility, his black hair shimmered under the sun. His eyes—deep red with sharp white pupils—locked onto Ryusei.
Haku's arm trembled. He clenched it, trying to stop the shaking. It had been a long time since he'd felt fear.
But there was no mistake.
The being before them was a Demon.
What was such a monster doing inside a dungeon?
Ryusei sensed it too—the overwhelming mana. Not much greater than his own—but Haku's reaction said everything.
This creature was dangerous.
The Demon cracked his neck as he stepped forward, muttering,
"I can't believe I was swallowed by an Ancient Serpent. What would my Lord say if he found out?"
He had been trapped for a hundred years—unable to escape while the serpent remained underground. But now, thanks to Ryusei and Haku, he was free.
Unbeknownst to them.
He dusted off his suit, then turned his eyes toward Ryusei, a curious smile curling on his lips.
"Oh-ho~ What's this? A being with mana nearly equal to mine?" His grin widened, teeth gleaming. "Interesting."
Haku landed in front of Ryusei, cautious but firm.
"…Demon. What are you doing here?"
The Demon's eyes narrowed, his gaze venomous.
"And who are you to question me? I was speaking to the one behind you."
Despite the fear, Haku didn't move. He had sworn to protect Ryusei—not just as repayment to his former partner, but because Ryusei had become irreplaceable.
"I am this person's shield," he said firmly.
Ryusei's eyes widened slightly.
The Demon laughed—a deep, mocking laugh.
"Hahaha! You? His shield? How can a shield be weaker than what it protects?"
The words were true.
But Haku didn't falter.
He opened his mouth to speak—but Ryusei cut in.
"Demon. Do you have a death wish?"
The bloodlust in his voice chilled the air.
Even the Demon paused.
Then, he laughed harder than before. Wiping away his tears, he snapped into seriousness in an instant.
"Don't get cocky, kid. I could kill you in less than a heartbeat."
Black mana burst from his body, kicking up a storm of wind. The pressure was suffocating. The unmistakable aura of a Demon—even it were a low-ranked one.
But Ryusei didn't back down. He stepped past Haku.
"Is this how you do it?"
In a heartbeat, a brilliant blue aura erupted from him, crackling with pure energy.
Haku's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it.
Ryusei had replicated a Demon's aura.
But… how?
He wasn't one of them. That much Haku knew.
The Demon, however, looked intrigued.
"This will be fun," he thought.
Their auras collided, the pressure rising as the battle began.