Ji-han whose eyes was fixed on the crack with steady and calm expression.
"…so it's here already."
"I have waited so long." He sighed in excitement.
Then he raised his hand slightly.
"Stellar Aegis."
A barrier expanded outward. Not just around but over everyone. Which crushed the pressure.
"…the weight… it's lighter…" it raised reactions.
Tae min looked up.
"…you did this?"
Se-ah's gaze locked onto Ji-Han. Sharp and focused.
Those watching from outside was surprised and reacted by what they saw.
"…what? He released the pressure?"
"…he was holding himself back then?"
The top guild-master, foundational master were shocked and even the chairman.
Han Mi-ra wasn't all surprised.
"I knew it. There was something off with him."
The crack split open completely. Darkness poured out endlessly.
Then a presence descended. Not a monster, nor like anything they had faced before. It was something… higher.
Outside the dungeon, no one spoke. Even the foundational masters froze, because they have never fought something like that. Though they may win if they fought, but it will require multiple high rankers.
"…that presence…" Han Mir a whispered.
Jin Tae-kyung's eyes widened slightly.
"…a Demon?"
Min Jae-woo clenched his fist.
"…which one…"
Though they've never fought any of the demon kings before, but fought its' underlings. Also it gave them tough time then when fighting its' underlings, but now it's a demon king.
A figure emerged from the darkness, step by step. The ground trembled beneath its presence.
The air bent, and space distorted. Then it fully revealed itself. The 12th Demon King.
It gaze swept across the battlefield. Slow and disinterested. Until it paused on Ji-Han, who was staring at him resisting his pressure. A faint smile formed.
"…you…"
The pressure surged again, even stronger which affected outside wall of the dungeon and the mana measurement increased, which made everyone panic. With medical team available in order to collect their corpse and also high rankers ready incase there is dungeon break.
The Barrier trembled and bodies shook. And in that moment everyone present understood that this was not a fight they were meant to win. Of course except him. Ji-Han.
Ji-Hans' eyes remained steady and unshaken.
"…not this time."
He stepped forward and raised his again.
"Stellar Aegis."
A barrier formed, then another and another. Layered and stacked, reinforced beyond normal limits. The pressure weakened, and the ones kneeling slowly lifted their heads. Breathing returned, and movement restored.
"…it's… lighter."
"…he's blocking… that?" Se-ah mutters while her gaze was on him.
The demon king paused. Its expression shifted in annoyance.
"…a mere human."
It stepped forward. And each steps crushed the ground beneath it. Its voice echoed filled with authority.
"You dare… oppose my dominion?"
Then it raised its hand, mana gathered violently and it was overwhelming.
"Know despair."
It unleashed its energy. Wave of destruction, capable of erasing everything. Outside the dungeon. Eyes widened.
"…they are dead."
But Ji-Han moved, and his eyes sharpened.
"…not happening."
He released his own energy. Not explosive, not chaotic, it was dense, refined and controlled.
The moment the two energy collided,
BOOM!!!
The dungeon shook violently. The demon king's energy stopped and deflected.
"…what?"
And Ji-Han stepped toward him.
"...do you know how many times I prayed to meet you?" He spoke angrily for the first time.
"Because of you I almost lost everything, my dreams and friends.'' He continued
"But this time I won't allow it."
Everyone who watched the scene was shocked. And the higher up were stunned.
"Min Jae-woo's eyes widened for the first time.
"…he… blocked it?"
The demon king's gaze sharpened, not in annoyance but interest.
"…hmm… so you are not entirely insignificant."
Dark energy swirled around it
"I am" He said while looking at them with a cold expression.
The air trembled.
"Valtherion, the 12th demon king of ruin."
And its presence surged again.
"…and you."
Its gaze locked onto Ji-Han.
"Will die by my hand."
Ji-Han stepped forward, barrier energy forming in layers around his arm. His voice were unshaken.
"…try me."
During those time of his training he obtained new skills and some which had evolved.
Spell analysis Confinement barrier Paralysis barrier Spell destruction Multi-layer barrier
Then the fight began.
During the clash—
Ji-Han didn't rush blindly this time.
His eyes were sharp.
Calculating.
Everything he had gained…
Every skill…
Every experience from before…
He used it.
"Multi-Layer Barrier."
Layers unfolded around him.
One.
Two.
Three.
Stacked defenses—each one reinforcing the next.
"Space Isolation Barrier."
The battlefield split.
Invisible boundaries formed—
Separating his teammates…
And even nearby groups…
From the core of destruction.
"…stay inside!" Ji-Han shouted.
The others felt it instantly.
The pressure—
Reduced.
Contained.
Tae-min looked around in disbelief.
"…he's protecting all of us…?"
Se-ah's eyes narrowed slightly.
Watching Ji-Han closely.
"…this isn't just defense anymore…"
Back at the center.
Valtherion stepped forward.
Its gaze now locked completely on Ji-Han.
"…you isolate the battlefield…"
"…you protect the weak…"
A faint smirk appeared.
"…then let me break everything you built."
It vanished.
In an instant.
CLANG!!!
Ji-Han barely reacted.
"Stellar Aegis!"
Impact.
Massive.
The barrier cracked—
But held.
Ji-Han's feet slid back violently—
Blood dripping from his mouth.
"…fast…"
He raised his hand again.
"Confinement Barrier!"
A cage of compressed energy formed—
Attempting to lock Valtherion in place.
For a second—
It worked.
"…interesting."
CRACK.
The Demon King shattered it effortlessly.
Ji-Han's eyes narrowed.
"…as expected."
He moved again—
"Paralyse Barrier!"
A pulse of energy shot forward—
Binding.
Restricting.
Valtherion's movement slowed—
Slightly.
"…annoying."
BOOM!!
It broke free again.
But Ji-Han didn't stop.
"Spell Analysis."
His eyes glowed faintly.
Reading.
Understanding.
Adapting.
"…so that's how your energy flows…"
Valtherion raised its hand again—
Dark energy gathering—
Denser than before.
Ji-Han reacted instantly—
"Spell Destruction!"
He struck.
A barrier wave colliding directly with the forming spell—
BOOM!!!
The attack destabilized—
Exploding mid-air.
For the first time—
Valtherion paused.
"…you interfere with my spells…?"
Outside—
The observers were speechless.
"…he's countering an S-rank entity…"
Min Jae-woo's voice was low.
"…no… he's fighting it on equal ground…"
Inside—
The battle dragged on.
Minutes felt like hours.
Ji-Han's breathing grew heavier.
His body—
Covered in wounds.
Each clash—
Shook him to the core.
Still—
He stood.
Protecting everyone behind him.
Valtherion's expression changed again.
No longer amused.
No longer curious.
Serious.
"…you persist…"
"…then suffer."
The air froze.
A new power surged.
Darker.
Heavier.
More absolute.
Valtherion raised both hands.
"Ruin Authority."
The entire space distorted.
Barriers trembled violently.
Ji-Han's eyes widened slightly.
"…this is different…"
Then.
Everything…
Collapsed inward.
BOOM!!!!
Ji-Han's barriers shattered one after another.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Blood burst from his mouth—
His body thrown across the ground.
"…Ji-HAN!!"
Se-ah stepped forward—
But the pressure forced her back.
Ji-Han struggled to rise.
His vision blurred.
"…so this… is your real power…"
Valtherion stepped closer.
"…you forced me this far…"
A pause.
"…impressive."
Then—
Its voice turned cold.
"…but not enough."
Ji-Han's body trembled.
Injured.
Exhausted.
But his eyes—
Still burning.
"…not… enough?"
He forced himself up.
Slowly.
Painfully.
"…I'm not done yet."
And once again—
He raised his hand.
Even as his body was breaking—
He stood alone against a Demon King. Others who were watching grieved as they see they are so weak.
Ji-Han combine barrier and used barrier higher than his level "The ancient barrier 'eternal destruction' ". Which the system charge him with warning that it could destroy his body. But he didn't care. He just wants to save his friends. Valtherion knew this wasn't just a spell. It could be dangerous.
"You persist"
"…then witness ruin itself."
The air froze and something deeper than mana gathered around him, and space warped unnaturally. Then a name echoed.
"Abyssal ruin: Sovereign collapse."
A massive sphere of compressed destruction formed above his palm. Dense, and absolute.
Then, they both released it.
BOOOOOOM!!!!!!!
And the dungeon shook. The barrier around his friends shattered. The damaged done wasn't little.
"…ugh…!"
Blood burst from Ji-Hans' mouth and he knelt powerless. While the damage done on the demon king was also severe.
The observers stood frozen.
"…that's not an S-rank level attack…"
One of the Foundational Masters whispered
"…that's a Demon King Authority…"
"And Ji-han, who is he to stand head to head with him"
Silence flew everywhere as they watched.