The S-ranks had gotten closer to the exit when the scorching heat suddenly disappeared.
The immense mana and suppression they felt earlier had also vanished as well.
They immediately started to ask each other questions they had absolutely no answers to.
"Do you think Hunter Lee Minho won?"
"I don't know. What entered Hunter Reed? He just killed Jax like it was nothing."
"What was that form?"
"I don't think Hunter Lee would have survived that heat. He might be a fire mage as well, but that was definitely going to turn him to ash."
"Yeah, telling from his distance."
"Hunter Reed was annoyed with him from the start."
"It must have all stopped because he killed Hunter Lee,"
A specific Brazilian S-rank that was quiet all along—back turned to them, facing the dungeon—finally spoke up. "Your answers are here," he said.
…
They all turned to him, before their eyes fell further into the darkness as a figure emerged.
Walking into the light, their jaws fell as they watched Minho drag Reed's dead body on the floor, by the hair.
More surprisingly, he had no marks or bruises. Not even the ones from their seen exchange was there. He was completely healed.
How? No one knew.
Some of the American S-ranks looked down, while some gritted. Yes, he was the one who started the fight, but seeing that he had died in the hands of Minho raised a small fury in them towards the Korean.
However, no one dared do or say anything to Minho. A man that could kill one of their country's strongest wasn't one they could ever dream of standing a chance against.
Minho quietly walked up to them and dropped Reed's lifeless body in front of them, then he said, "Sorry. I had to," in English.
They looked amongst themselves and realized how stupid they were to even think bad of Minho. Reed didn't think twice in killing one of them. It was clear Minho had to put him down to save them.
Jax was supposed to be their squad leader after Reed, but since he was also dead, one of the older hunters walked over to Minho and bowed his head. "I don't know if you get what I'm saying, but… thank you."
Minho nodded and then turned back.
They all wondered what he was looking at, but after he spoke, they confirmed two things.
"You've been doing well enough, hiding your presence in this dungeon. Show yourself now," Minho said to the darkness.
A tall humanoid figure that seemed to swallow the light around it stepped into view, with glowing yellow dots for eyes.
One, this was the real Boss Monster of the dungeon, not any of those that threatened their lives earlier.
And Two—
"Eslin," Minho said.
A silver flame burned by his side, forming a silhouette before fading off and revealing Eslin, one knee down, bowing to Minho. "My Liege," she said.
Having their full powers started to make it hard for Minho's disciples to keep their human forms, so a few draconic features had started to be a constant in their human forms—the reason for Vasha's dressing yesterday.
Eslin had her silver scales across her neck and on her hands, it came in two streaks that intertwined down to her palms. Her eyes were slits, her ears slightly longer, hands clawed and hair tied back in a rough ponytail.
The Brazilian and American hunters all stepped back in fear as they saw her. This was what National Level Hunter Lee Minho summoned? A… whatever kind of hybrid she was.
The monster ahead of them roared loudly, the sudden mana surge dropping an immense pressure on the hunters.
"Kill it," Minho said.
The hunters couldn't move an inch. Their bodies were glued in place and they also were unable to take their eyes off it.
They saw Eslin stand up and take two steps forward, swiping her hand upwards. The next moment, the pressure disappeared.
What they saw next was the monster's body splitting into two vertical halves and falling apart. The ground in front of her followed suit, splitting in two.
Eslin turned back, looking between the hunters who were more than shocked with a smile, but expressionless eyes.
She returned and bowed in front of Minho and he dismissed her.
Turning, Minho felt the wide eyes of the hunters all fixed on him. He looked around with a blank expression and shrugged.
The dungeon started to shake and Minho pointed at the dungeon gate, before walking past them towards it.
They were still shell-shocked in what just unfolded before them.
If the man's summon could do that, then just how strong was he to even begin with?
They had the one usual question,
Who was this man?
… …
In a pocket dimension...
The Monarchs were gathered in their usual meeting area.
"He fell for the bait," Rakkan mused.
"I would not say he fell for it, rather, he came across it earlier than expected," Yogumunt said.
"Either ways, he is there now. So, we begin?" Queresha asked.
"It looks safe to say that, but he is quite an unpredictable human, you see," Sillad spoke, his voice calm. "I still say, I do not support this plan of yours. We are jumping in too early."
"Are you scared?" Queresha sneered mockingly.
Sillad chuckled. "Ask the Monarch of Iron Body."
Tarnak frowned. "Do you mock me?"
"He is not wrong though. You could have faced him yourself, but you let fear get to you," Queresha shrugged.
Tarnak gritted and looked back down. "You should have been there then. Then we would see you do a better job."
"Do not blame him," Yogumunt cut in. "That human embodies the former Dragon Monarch's entire destructive authority. I hesitated, going to help as well."
Sillad waved at the matter dismissively. "Monarch of Fangs, do you really believe what you set can hold him down?"
Rakkan nodded.
"You really do believe a mere beast of yours can handle him and his dragons? Perhaps you have forgotten that he killed a general of mine, though weak, it was not something the human world could handle even with the Ruler vessel," Sillad added.
Rakkan hummed, thinking it through. So did the Queresha.
"Calm down and let things fall into place," Sillad smiled. "Let Legia get freed first."