Belial and Xin exited the guild with a two-hour gap to fill before the raid. The streets of the city bustled with energy, vendors calling out their wares, and the smell of food hanging thick in the air. They decided to wander, taking in the vibrant atmosphere while chatting about what obstacles might lie ahead during the raid.

As they walked, the heat of the sun bore down, prompting the two to seek out some relief. They soon found themselves standing in front of a colorful ice cream shop, its windows displaying an array of flavors. Xin, ever the minimalist, opted for vanilla, while Belial, true to his sweet tooth, chose the more adventurous rocky road.

"That looks a bit too sweet," Xin commented, eyeing Belial’s ice cream with mild disdain. He was never one for sweets.

"There’s no such thing as *too* sweet," Belial replied with a grin, taking a large bite of his ice cream.

With cones in hand, they ambled along the busy streets, soaking in the city’s lively atmosphere. Street performers played their instruments and displayed magical tricks, children darted between people, laughing, and the occasional horse-drawn carriage clattered along the cobbled roads.

Once their ice cream was finished, Belial and Xin’s curiosity got the better of them, leading them to explore a nearby museum that had piqued their interest. The building was a grand structure, its towering columns inviting them in. As they neared the entrance, Xin suddenly stopped and tilted his head, listening intently.

"Hey, Belial, do you hear that?"

Belial paused, frowning as he listened. He heard nothing unusual, only the soft murmur of the city. He shrugged. "It's probably just the wind," he replied, though he noticed the suspicious glint in Xin’s eyes.

Before they could dwell on it further, a group of guards came sprinting in their direction, their armor clanking as they rushed past the crowds. One of them stopped in front of Belial and Xin, his expression urgent.

"Have you two seen someone with a stolen artifact run past here?" the guard asked, slightly out of breath.

Belial shook his head. "No, we haven't seen anyone. What was stolen?"

The guard’s face tightened as he explained, "A precious statue was stolen from the royal collection. We’ve been searching for hours, but the thief has vanished. If you see anything suspicious, let us know immediately."

"Got it," Belial replied, and with a nod, the guards rushed off, their search continuing.

As the guards moved on, Belial caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye—a flash of silver disappearing around a nearby corner. His instincts flared. He quickly handed what remained of his cone to Xin. "Hold this for me," he said, already taking off in pursuit.

"Wait—Belial!" Xin called after him, but Belial was already gone. After a brief hesitation, Xin followed.

Belial dashed around the corner, his eyes scanning for any trace of the silver figure he’d seen. But the alley was empty, and there was no sign of anyone. He cursed under his breath, frustrated at having lost them so quickly.

Moments later, Xin caught up, panting slightly. "What's going on? Did you see something?"

Belial shook his head, still scanning the area. "I thought I saw someone, but they’re gone now. Damn."

With the trail gone cold, Belial and Xin spent the next hour wandering the museum. They marveled at the ancient sculptures, intricate tapestries, and stunning paintings that adorned the halls. Belial, ever the enthusiast for art and history, took his time at each piece, explaining its significance to Xin, who listened with a mix of curiosity and confusion.

“Look at this sculpture,” Belial said, pointing to a magnificent marble piece depicting a warrior in a dynamic pose, his muscles carved with astonishing detail.

Xin furrowed his brow. "What's so great about it? It’s just a piece of rock."

Belial chuckled. "It’s not just a rock, Xin. It represents the beauty of the human form. The way the artist captured every curve and line—it's incredible. Look at the way the light hits the marble, how it almost seems alive."

Xin shrugged, clearly unconvinced. "If you say so."

They continued their exploration, eventually stopping in front of a large painting of a dark castle, towering and foreboding, with clouds swirling ominously above it.

"Belial, what’s so special about this painting?" Xin asked, squinting at the image.

Belial studied it for a moment before shaking his head. "Nothing really. It’s just a boring old castle. I don’t know why anyone would want to paint something so dreary."

Just as Belial finished speaking, he glanced at his watch and felt his heart skip a beat. "Oh no, the raid is starting in six minutes! We need to get to the north gate now!"

Xin’s eyes widened. "We’ve been here for over an hour already?" he asked in disbelief.

Belial nodded, already moving toward the exit. "Last one to the gate buys dinner!" he shouted, taking off at a sprint.

Xin grinned, his competitive side flaring to life. "You’re on!" he shouted back, quickly catching up to Belial.

The two raced through the museum, dodging startled visitors as they weaved through the halls. Bursting out onto the street, they grabbed their weapons from a nearby rack and dashed toward the north gate. Belial tapped into his hax abilities, boosting his physical strength to run faster and leap higher over obstacles. Meanwhile, Xin manipulated the sound waves around him, creating small sonic booms that propelled him forward.

As they neared the gate, they could see the raid party gathering. Belial pushed himself harder, his legs burning as he ran. Xin followed close behind, both of them determined to win.

Finally, they reached the gate just as the raid was about to begin. Belial skidded to a halt, breathing heavily but grinning. "We made it!"

Xin collapsed against the gate, panting. "Thank goodness. I thought we were going to be late."

Belial clapped him on the back. "Well, it looks like you’re buying dinner tonight, buddy."

Xin groaned, rolling his eyes. "Aw man, why did you have to remind me?"

Belial laughed, his voice echoing against the tall, glowing gate. “Come on, let’s go.”

As he and Xin approached, they could see their guildmates waiting ahead. However, as they scanned the area, there was no sign of Cassidy. Instead, Troxl stood in front of the gate, the pink and gold glow reflecting off his imposing figure. 

"So, you two actually came," Troxl said, a smirk playing on his lips as he approached them. "I thought you'd have chickened out by now."

Belial rolled his eyes, unfazed. "Please. We're not afraid of you."

"But it's not too late to back out, little boy," Troxl taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.

Belial chuckled softly. "I’ve faced far scarier things than you," he replied, flashing a cocky grin. "Besides, I wouldn’t miss a chance to show off my skills."

Before the situation could escalate further, Xin stepped forward, his hand landing gently on Belial's shoulder. "Let's not start any fights. We're here to work together, right?"

Troxl laughed, a mocking sound that reverberated through the air. "Work together? You two? With me? That's a joke."

Belial’s eyes narrowed. "Hey, don’t underestimate us. We’re not here to play games."

"I don’t need your help," Troxl spat back, his eyes hardening. "But since Cassidy left me in charge, I’ll tolerate your presence. This is a C- dungeon, and I'm not in the mood for babysitting."

Belial’s lips curled into a smirk. "Oh, so Cassidy didn’t think you were capable enough to handle this alone?”

Troxl’s expression darkened as his fists clenched. "Shut up. We’re wasting time. And you won’t be doing anything in this dungeon. Your  is too low, so just stay on guard."

Belial let out a carefree laugh. "Don’t worry, big guy. I’ll handle myself just fine." He hefted his katana over his shoulder with a confident flick.

Xin, standing beside Troxl, gave Belial a small smile. "Let’s just stick together and watch each other's backs, okay?"

The group stepped through the gate, swallowed immediately by darkness. The air was thick and cold, a stark contrast to the warm glow of the entrance. Troxl frowned, his eyes scanning the murky shadows.

"It’s too dark," he muttered. "Sora, light us up."

Sora, a thin man with a long staff strapped to his back, snapped his fingers. The tip of his staff began to glow, casting a faint light that illuminated the stone path ahead. 

"What is this place..." Troxl said, his voice low and wary. "There should be monsters by now."

"Yeah, it's quiet," Sora added, his brows furrowing. "Dungeons usually have torches or some kind of light source."

Their footsteps echoed eerily through the cavern as they made their way deeper. The walls were damp, and the faint smell of rot hung in the air. As they neared a large door at the end of the corridor, the unmistakable sounds of battle reached their ears—clashing steel, pained grunts, and snarls. 

Troxl stepped forward, pressing his hand to the massive door. "Stay alert," he said, his voice gruff.

As the door creaked open, the scene beyond unfolded—a hunter, locked in combat with a chimera, was seconds away from being torn in half by the beast’s sharp claws.

Xin’s eyes widened. Without hesitation, he surged forward, his feet barely touching the ground as he propelled himself toward the hunter. His hax activated in an instant, sending out a sonic wave that disoriented the chimera just long enough for him to grab the hunter and pull him to safety.

Before the group could regroup, a red light appeared on the floor, pulsating with an ominous glow. A towering red ogre materialized from the light, its massive body covered in jagged scars and thick armor. Troxl’s hand flew to the hilt of his sword as he sized up the new threat. 

"That’s a B- ogre," he muttered, drawing his blade. "I’ll handle this. You three deal with that chimera."

Belial grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Finally, some action!" His eyes gleamed with excitement as he glanced at Xin and Sora. "Let’s take this beast down."

Xin nodded, hoisting his massive axe over his shoulder, while Sora, standing a few steps back, adjusted his grip on his staff. "I’ll provide backup from here," Sora said, his voice steely.

As they rounded the corner, the chimera came into view—a monstrous creature with three snarling heads, each one snapping viciously at the air. The room was large, but the chimera dominated it, its muscular frame heaving with every breath. It snarled, locking its eyes on the trio.

"Puny... child... do... you know... who I am?" the chimera growled, its voice a low, rumbling echo. "I shall... show you... the wrath... of Prince Valtor!"

Belial raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Prince? You?" He grinned, spinning his katana lazily in his hand. "You’re more like an overgrown blob. No offense."

The chimera’s heads hissed, fangs bared, each one preparing to strike. Belial wasted no time. He charged forward, his katana flashing as he dodged the chimera’s clawed feet. With quick, fluid movements, he slashed at one of the heads, forcing the beast to recoil.

Xin roared, his axe swinging with immense force as he struck another of the heads, eliciting a pained roar from the chimera. Sora stood back, his eyes glowing with focused energy. He raised his staff, firing off concentrated beams of light that singed the chimera’s thick hide.

"Keep it distracted!" Sora shouted, ducking as the chimera’s tail whipped past him, nearly knocking him off balance.

Belial darted around the creature, his sword a blur as he targeted the chimera’s legs, slicing deep into its flesh. Xin swung his axe with unrelenting power, aiming for the chimera’s vulnerable neck. The chimera howled in fury, thrashing wildly as it tried to fend off its attackers.

But just as victory seemed within reach, the floor glowed a sickly green. From the cracks in the stone emerged a horde of smaller creatures, each one pulsing with that same green light. They swarmed toward the trio.

Belial cursed, his katana flashing as he cut through the horde with practiced precision. "This is getting annoying," he growled.

"We can’t keep this up forever!" Sora called, firing rapid beams at the advancing creatures.

Belial’s eyes gleamed. "Then let’s end it now!" He looked to Xin, who nodded in understanding. 

"Xin, I need a boost!"

Without hesitation, Xin lowered himself slightly, readying his hands. Belial sprinted toward him, and with perfect synchronization, Xin launched him into the air with a powerful burst of hax. Belial soared upward, katana raised high, dark energy crackling along its edge.

With a fierce cry, he descended upon the chimera, slashing through all three heads in one clean, powerful motion. The beast let out a final, deafening roar before collapsing to the ground, its body twitching in its death throes.

As the dust settled, Belial landed beside Xin, both of them breathing heavily. "That was close," Xin said, wiping sweat from his brow.

Belial sheathed his katana, a smirk on his face. "Of course we did."

Their moment of triumph was short-lived. A door at the far end of the room slid open, revealing a chamber bathed in bright light. The group cautiously approached, their eyes drawn to the array of treasures within—ancient weapons, glittering jewels, and a dark coat that radiated an ominous aura. 

But standing at the center, holding the most precious gem in her hand, was a  girl slightly taller than belial with white hair, her eyes covered by a black blindfold.

Belial’s eyes widened in recognition. "You again!" he shouted, drawing his katana.

The girl smirked, twirling the gem between her fingers. "Looks like you caught me," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, whatever shall I do?"

Before Belial could react, she disappeared in a flash, reappearing directly in front of him. His sword swung through the air, but she vanished again.

"Damn it! Not again!" Belial growled, his frustration boiling over as her mocking laughter echoed through the chamber.