We descended to the eighth floor with a steady pace.
The previous arena had been a clear test of precision. The next level did not immediately reveal itself as hostile. The corridor was long, made of dark stone, with a lower ceiling than the previous ones. There were no marks on the ground. No sound besides our footsteps.
But the mana was different.
Not unstable.
Dense.
Concentrated.
I stopped before Vespera needed to warn us.
"It's not one presence," she said in a low voice. "There are several."
I could already feel it as well.
Five distinct signatures.
Separated.
Coordinated.
Liriel adjusted the position of her sword. Rai'kanna flexed her shoulders. Lyannis let energy flow through her fingers. Elara kept the bow steady. Vespera raised her perception to the maximum.
Then the corridor closed behind us.
A wall of stone emerged silently, blocking the retreat.
Ahead, the space widened into a large chamber, different from the previous one. This time there were tall pillars distributed irregularly. A fragmented field.
Ideal for ambush.
They appeared almost at the same time.
Five demons.
Each with a different structure.
One taller, with wide blades on its arms.
Another compact, with thick plates on the torso.
A third with multiple thin arms.
The fourth surrounded by pulsating energy.
The fifth smaller, but with an agile posture.
There was no hesitation.
They advanced in formation.
I understood in the same instant.
It was not a collective battle.
It was strategic containment.
"Move forward," I said.
Liriel turned her face toward me for a second.
"Takumi."
"Continue."
There was no discussion.
They trusted.
Vespera opened a lateral barrier, creating a narrow corridor between two pillars. Rai'kanna and Lyannis assumed the immediate rear guard to prevent direct advance. Elara fired two arrows to delay the two fastest ones.
I advanced in the opposite direction.
All five shifted their focus to me.
Exactly as predicted.
The first attacked with a heavy vertical strike. I dodged inside the trajectory and struck the elbow joint. The blade fell with a dry sound.
The second tried to flank from the right. I turned my body and blocked with the sword, using his own momentum to push him against the pillar.
The third, with multiple arms, launched a rapid sequence of cuts. I stepped back twice, not to flee, but to observe the rhythm. There was a repeated pattern in the third movement.
On the fourth attack, I advanced.
A diagonal cut crossing two extensions simultaneously.
He retreated.
The demon surrounded by energy launched a direct discharge. I did not try to block. I shifted sideways, closing the distance. The energy was efficient at mid-range, but unstable at close range.
A precise strike at the base of the torso.
The energy dispersed.
Three remained in full capacity.
They adjusted formation.
They were not irrational.
They tried to surround me.
I maintained a central position, forcing them to compete for space among themselves. The pillar behind limited the angle of two of them. I used that.
The more compact one advanced with a frontal impact. I absorbed part of the shock, turning my hip to redirect the force. The sword pierced the lower plate of the armor.
He fell.
The smaller and more agile one appeared behind me.
I had already predicted it.
I lowered my body before the cut landed and used my elbow to break his balance. A short movement was enough to open the torso.
The one with multiple arms tried to take advantage of the opening.
This time I did not retreat.
I entered the distance.
Short and successive cuts.
No waste.
When the last blade fell to the ground, only the first remained, the one with wide blades.
He did not advance immediately.
He evaluated.
Breathing steady.
He was the most balanced of the five.
He attacked in alternating sequence, forcing quick blocks. There was no room for error. The strength was consistent.
I did not try to overcome him in a direct exchange.
I waited.
On the fourth consecutive attack, there was a slight delay in the recovery of the left arm.
I entered that interval.
A precise strike at the base of the neck.
The blade pierced the core.
Silence.
The mana in the environment began to dissipate.
I took a deep breath.
No additional movement.
I walked back toward the corridor where the group had advanced.
Vespera's barrier was no longer necessary. She waited farther ahead, together with the others.
Liriel observed me from head to toe.
"Five."
"Yes."
Rai'kanna smiled discreetly.
Lyannis evaluated the residual magical flow.
Elara stored the last arrow she kept ready.
Vespera approached.
"They were coordinated. It was not random."
"A pressure test," I replied.
There was no exhaustion.
But there was confirmation.
The dungeon was raising the demand.
Individual strength alone was not enough.
Control, reading, and quick decision were necessary.
We moved forward.
The corridor continued.
The atmosphere gradually changed, becoming denser as we advanced.
Behind us, the five demons no longer existed.
There was no celebration.
It was not the moment for that.
But something was clear.
If the dungeon intended to divide us, it failed.
If it intended to measure individual limits, it received its answer.
The eighth floor was completed.
And the next level would not allow an isolated confrontation.
I could feel it.
Something greater awaited below.
But at that moment, as we walked together, I was certain of one simple thing.
They were no longer just following my rhythm.
They were at the same level.
And the Abyss was beginning to realize that.