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Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: The Shadow Behind the Mask

The air in the cavern grew heavy as the figure in the black robes stepped forward, his golden mask catching the dim light like a shard of the sun. His presence seemed to warp the very space around him, creating a suffocating pressure that Maki instinctively resisted.

Scathach's knuckles whitened around the shaft of her spear, her voice calm but steely. "Zelretch warned us of his return, but I did not expect him to surface here of all places."

Maki frowned, her eyes fixed on the robed figure. "You know this guy?"

The figure chuckled, a sound that resonated like the hiss of a serpent. "Oh, Scathach knows me well. We've clashed across timelines, haven't we? I see you've picked up a fiery companion. A mortal with the spark of the divine—how quaint."

"Caster," Scathach said coldly, her voice slicing through his mockery. "You have no place here. Return to whatever hole you crawled from."

Caster's mask tilted, as though considering her words. "Ah, but the Dungeon called me. Or perhaps I called it. It's hard to tell, isn't it, when time and space blur together so beautifully?"

Before either Maki or Scathach could react, the cavern shifted again, the walls dissolving into a swirling void. Maki's stomach churned as gravity seemed to invert, and she landed in a new battlefield—a circular arena suspended in a starless abyss.

Caster's voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere. "Let's make this entertaining. Show me the strength of mortals who dare defy the gods."

Maki gripped her spear tighter, her cursed energy flaring to life. "This guy talks too much."

Scathach stepped forward, her crimson spear glowing with an ominous light. "Do not underestimate him. His magic warps reality itself. Stay sharp, and follow my lead."

The air crackled as magical glyphs formed around the arena. From them emerged creatures of twisted design—beings that seemed to blend the Dungeon's monsters with the nightmarish forms of Caster's imagination. One, a Minotaur with six arms, roared as it charged toward them.

"Focus on the summons!" Scathach commanded, leaping into action. Her spear tore through the Minotaur's chest in one fluid motion, its form dissolving into black mist.

Maki wasn't far behind, her movements a blur as she darted between the other creatures. Her spear spun in an arc, slicing through an abomination that resembled a chimera with wings of molten rock.

As the summoned creatures fell, Caster himself descended into the arena, his golden mask gleaming with mockery. "Impressive. But tell me, can you fight despair itself?"

With a flourish, he raised his staff, and a wave of black energy surged toward them. Scathach countered, her spear glowing brighter as it formed a barrier of crimson light. The two energies clashed, creating a shockwave that shook the arena.

Maki didn't wait for an invitation. Using the momentum of the clash, she launched herself at Caster, her spear aimed for his chest. He dodged with a fluid motion, as if his body were smoke.

"You're bold, little one," Caster taunted, his staff sweeping in an arc. A burst of energy erupted, forcing Maki to roll aside.

"And you're annoying," Maki shot back, her spear glowing with cursed energy as she slashed at him again. This time, her attack grazed his robe, tearing the fabric.

"Interesting," Caster mused, his tone shifting to one of genuine curiosity. "You wield not magic but something… older. A power that defies this world's rules."

While Maki kept Caster occupied, Scathach observed the arena closely. Her sharp eyes caught the faint traces of glyphs embedded in the platform's edge—glyphs that seemed to fuel Caster's magic.

"Maki, keep him busy," Scathach called, her voice commanding. "I'll dismantle his spellwork."

"On it!" Maki replied, lunging at Caster again with a flurry of strikes. The two danced across the arena, their battle a blur of motion and energy.

Scathach moved swiftly to the edge, her spear glowing as she pierced the glyphs one by one. Each shattered glyph sent a ripple through the arena, destabilizing the void around them.

Caster's golden mask snapped toward her. "Ah, clever as always, Scathach. But do you think I'd make it that easy?"

With a wave of his staff, a barrier formed around the remaining glyphs. Scathach smirked. "Your arrogance will be your undoing."

She channeled her magic into her spear, the crimson light intensifying until it burned like a star. With a single strike, she shattered the barrier, her magic cutting through Caster's defenses like a blade through silk.

The arena trembled as the last glyph was destroyed. The void around them began to collapse, the starless abyss folding in on itself. Caster stumbled, his footing faltering as the arena crumbled beneath him.

"You meddle in forces beyond your comprehension!" he snarled, his mask cracking as his composure broke.

Maki grinned, her spear spinning in her hands. "You're not as untouchable as you think."

With Scathach by her side, the two launched a final assault. Maki's cursed energy and Scathach's divine magic converged, their combined power striking Caster with a force that shattered his mask completely.

Caster's form began to dissolve, his laughter echoing even as he faded. "This is only the beginning. You cannot stop what's coming…"

As the void collapsed entirely, Maki and Scathach found themselves back in the original cavern. The air was still, the oppressive energy gone.

Maki exhaled, leaning on her spear. "Well, that was a trip."

Scathach nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Caster's presence confirms our suspicions. The Dungeon is being manipulated by forces beyond this world."

Maki tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "So what now?"

Scathach's gaze turned steely. "We prepare. This was merely a prelude to the true battle ahead. And next time, we will ensure there are no escapes."

As they exited the cavern, the faint hum of magic echoed behind them—a haunting reminder that the Dungeon held more secrets yet to be unraveled.

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