I Died and Received an SSS-Rank Unique Ability-Chapter 36: Fiend of the Underworld

Dark red flames slithered through the air, coiling hungrily around the devil’s arms like living serpents. The heat distorted the space around it, warping the ruined cityscape in waves of shimmering agony.

It stood motionless for a heartbeat, its smouldering gaze locked onto the group.

Then—with a single monstrous leap—it lunged.

The ground beneath it buckled and split, sending deep fractures racing outward. A deafening boom followed as the earth caved under its sheer weight.

And then—an explosion.

A blast of hellish fire erupted upon impact, a searing inferno swallowing the space where it had landed. Embers rained down like burning ash from a ruined world.

Vale and Ayla barely evaded the scorching wave, diving out of reach just in time. Klein and Dain, farther from the blast, braced themselves as the shockwave sent a violent gust ripping through the battlefield.

"It’s even faster now," Vale muttered under his breath, already moving. He circled the beast, trying to force its attention away.

But the creature didn’t even glance at him.

Its burning eyes were locked onto Ayla, seething with pure, unrestrained rage.

She didn’t hesitate.

One dagger flew from her hand, cutting through the air like a streak of black lightning. At the same time, she lunged forward, closing the distance.

The moment the dagger struck, the earth trembled beneath its impact—but the fiend didn’t flinch. Flames wreathed its form, and with a furious roar, it swung a blazing arm to intercept her second strike.

Ayla moved like a shadow, weaving around its attacks, her blades a blur of deadly precision. Yet, the monster had grown even faster. It met her every strike, blocking and countering with savage force.

Heat radiated from its body in waves, the flames licking at her skin, searing with each near miss. But she didn’t slow down—her movements relentless, each attack seeking a fatal opening.

After another failed exchange, the creature suddenly raised one of its smouldering arms, locking its fiery gaze onto Ayla.

Then, its flames coiled inward, condensing into a molten sphere that crackled with raw, searing energy.

Without warning, it hurled the fireball straight at her.

The air warped around its blazing path, the sheer heat distorting reality itself. Ayla, caught off guard for the first time, barely had a moment to react—death surged toward her in an inferno of destruction.

But before the flames could reach her, Vale appeared in front of her like a phantom.

With a sharp pull, he unfurled his white cloak, shielding them both from the impact.

A deafening roar erupted as fire clashed against enchanted fabric. Even with the Fire Cloak’s resistance, the heat was unbearable. His teeth clenched, his skin prickled with searing pain. The world around him blurred, swallowed by blinding crimson light.

Then—

[ Your Artifact, Fire Cloak, has been destroyed. ]

The familiar voice echoed in his mind as the once-pristine cloak disintegrated into nothingness, turning to blackened cinders that scattered into the wind.

Vale didn’t hesitate.

The instant the fire dissipated, he lunged forward, his blade cutting through the lingering embers. Dain, roaring like a beast himself, charged in alongside him.

The battle was far from over.

Even with Klein’s debuff and the relentless assault from the three students, the creature refused to falter.

Its attacks remained just as ferocious—its speed unrelenting. The tide of battle was shifting against them. With every passing second, their essence dwindled, their bodies slowing under exhaustion.

Then—a familiar clang cut through the chaos.

For the second time, a coin spun through the air, catching the dim light before it struck the ground.

The moment it landed, a surge of raw energy erupted from Dain. His wounds sealed, his strength restored, his presence towering over the battlefield like an unbreakable force.

For a fleeting second, a questioning thought flickered through Vale’s mind. "How many times can he flip the coin?"

But there was no time for answers.

A brutal strike crashed into his abdomen, the sheer force lifting him off his feet. His ribs screamed in agony as he hurtled backwards, skidding across the ruined earth.

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself up.

His hand shot out, casting his ability—Vine Bind.

The ground trembled as thick, black vines surged forth, locking the monster in place for a brief moment.

Ayla seized the opportunity.

Her dagger flashed—a blur of dark steel—before plunging deep into the fiend’s torso. Dark, almost black blood spilled onto the battlefield, pooling at its feet like ink spreading through water.

For the first time since its transformation, the monster faltered.

Its movements slowed, its attacks losing their terrifying sharpness. But the cost had been great—Vale’s core was nearly drained, and Ayla wasn’t far behind. They had almost nothing left to give.

Only Dain stood at full strength.

The massive student fought like a beast—more monster than man.

With every strike of his heavy gauntlets, the ground quaked. Flames lashed against his flesh, the scent of burning skin thick in the air, but he didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. His roars of exertion clashed with the creature’s guttural howls, both locked in a brutal struggle of sheer will.

Blood pooled beneath them—his, the monster’s, everyone’s blood combined together. A crimson lake spread across the battlefield, soaking into the ruined earth.

They were all at their limit.

Then, the fiend let out a deafening, inhuman screech.

Fire exploded outward, waves of dark-red flames ripping through the battlefield. The air shimmered with heat, the force of the blaze suffocating. The monster swung wildly, its flaming limbs carving arcs of destruction.

Dain gritted his teeth, pushing forward through the firestorm, unwavering in his assault.

Arrows whistled through the air, striking the creature’s exposed back.

Klein had shifted tactics. No longer focusing on weakening the enemy, he now let loose a barrage of precise, deadly shots.

The air around them shifted. Heavy and pressurised.

Vale felt it—an unseen force pressing down on the battlefield.

"Ayla’s Unique Ability!"

She poured the last of her mana into the attack. The monster crashed into the ground, pinned by an invisible weight, its monstrous form writhing in futile resistance.

Vale moved before the fiend could rise.

His hands gripped his weapon tightly, knuckles white from exertion. He leapt forward, driving his blade straight down into the creature’s skull.

Steel of his blade met bone—carving right through it.

He twisted the blade, burying it deeper, pushing until there was nothing left to give.

[ You have slain an S-Rank, Awakened Monster: Fiend of the Underworld. ]

A ghost of a smile crossed Vale’s lips as the familiar voice rang in his mind.

Then his vision blurred.

His head spun. A sharp, piercing pain flared in his abdomen.

Vale’s body collapsed.

His essence was gone. Completely drained.

The darkness swallowed him whole.