The cat demon's attacks were blindingly fast and came without warning.
At such close range, for professionals below level 30, dodging was nearly impossible—unless they possessed spatial skills. Otherwise, reacting to a sudden strike like an assassin's "Lurking" was a gamble with death.
And yet…
Luceris didn't panic. Calm and composed, she pulled her bow close to her body and leapt sideways.
In that instant, something activated.
A bloom of radiant colors enveloped the surroundings. The world slowed—motion stuttered like a frozen frame. Even the cat demon's assault looked like it had been caught mid-air.
Luceris spun gracefully as she jumped, releasing a volley of crystal arrows mid-turn. They struck with ruthless precision, turning the attacking demon into a glittering hedgehog of shimmering bolts.
Before its body even touched the ground, she activated Oath of Wind and Moon. A massive, charged arrow formed and burst forth into the cluster of cat demons.
The crystal flower seeds she'd planted began to stack—then detonated in a cascade of iridescent explosions.
As the dazzling light bloomed outward, several cat demons were obliterated on the spot—never even having the chance to cry out.
Luceris pressed the advantage.
Arrow after arrow poured from her bow like a raging storm, falling from above with such frequency that evasion was impossible. It was no longer an attack—it was an elemental disaster.
Selene, dumbfounded, could only mutter, "What kind of monster…? Does her skill have zero cooldown? Her single-target attacks… are acting like AOE devastation!"
Leanne Vale, equally stunned, added, "She's causing high-frequency explosive damage and group-wide effects? Is this real or are we dreaming?"
The rain of crystal arrows fell endlessly, forming a kaleidoscopic arena of destruction.
Crystal flower seeds stacked and burst repeatedly.
The sound of shattering shards and the tortured wails of cat demons filled the air like a haunting melody.
After one full rotation of her group assault, not a single ordinary cat demon remained. Only the Cat Demon Lord stood—its body riddled with glowing arrows, teetering as if it could collapse at any moment.
Luceris glowed with radiant brilliance.
The final blow gave her a massive surge in experience, instantly boosting her to level 21.
She knew that upon reaching level 30, her class would undergo a second transformation.
And due to the unique nature of her profession, she suspected her next evolution would be accompanied by an entirely new set of Dimensional Divine Equipment.
The Cat Demon Lord itself wasn't significantly stronger than the rest—it was larger and had some enhanced stats, but no evolved traits.
Under Luceris's relentless crystal storm, it barely held on.
"Meow!!"
The beast gave a shrill, guttural cry—its final act of defiance.
Luceris stood firm, bow in hand, like a goddess of war graced by stars.
Magic surged through her; scattered star-points gathered. Three shimmering arrows of pure crystal coalesced in her grip.
Whoosh!!
The air cracked. The arrows vanished in a blink, piercing the Cat Demon Lord through the head and heart.
Its massive form froze, the fire in its eyes extinguished.
Then—silence. It collapsed.
[You have successfully slain the Cat Demon Lord!]
Another flood of experience surged.
At this pace, she'd reach level 30 in just five or six more dungeons.
Among her peers, her progression was rocket-like—simply unmatched.
The slain lord dropped a few high-quality materials, though none were of use to her at the moment. She accepted a few symbolically, then offered the rest to Leanne.
Leanne, ever proper, replied seriously, "Don't worry, Sister Luceris. We won't take materials from your dungeon without proper compensation. You'll receive far more than their worth soon."
Luceris nodded. "Sister Leanne, Sister Selene, we still have time before the dungeon collapse. Let's head deeper."
So far, she had only collected three pieces of the 'Herrscher of Man' Dimensional Divine Set.
There was still no sign of the Blessing of the Elves or the Soul of the Sea of Flowers.
But with her current power, there was no need to rush.
The two women agreed immediately.
Luceris, to them, was a treasure yet to be fully unveiled—a rarity whose potential could alter the course of the nation itself.
They could already imagine the future: Luceris standing atop the world, a national symbol of transcendence.
The trio continued forward, facing no resistance.
The Forgotten Crystal Holy Land was vast—so vast, in fact, that even when the dungeon's collapse timer began, they were still lost in its shadowy depths.
Still, the day's gains were enormous. New materials abounded—certain to inspire a wave of research back home.
When they exited the dungeon, the women parted ways with warm farewells.
With no news yet of Grace Monta's mission to Tranquenhold, Luceris had no immediate reason to report to the authorities.
She walked alone through the city when her phone buzzed.
A mysterious deposit had been made: 10 million ancient coins.
"…What?"
A message from Leanne arrived seconds later:
"Sister Luceris, the materials you contributed are worth far more than that. This is only a token of our sincerity. There will be more compensation to come.
If you need anything—anything at all—don't hesitate to ask. We will do our best to fulfill it."
Luceris nearly dropped her phone.
That amount of money was more than life-changing—it was salvation for her modest family.
She couldn't help but marvel at her own brilliance.
If she'd charged into a high-level dungeon alone, she'd have died instantly. But by leveraging official support, she gained powerful allies and walked away with massive rewards.
This… this was practically hot Thai pants!
She accepted the transfer immediately.
Her thoughts turned to her sister, Aria—who worked hard every day, juggling part-time jobs to help the family and trying to save for a storage ring before the school year began.
The one Aria used now was tiny. It overflowed with just a few items, and that caused complications in combat.
Luceris was already planning to buy her sister a large-capacity ring from a guild or merchant as a gift.
But then—
Ding!
A new message arrived.
It was from her sister.
"You brat. Get back here. I need to talk to you."
A little angry emoji followed.
Luceris froze. Her heart sank.
A cold dread crept up her spine.
…The thing about stealing those stockings…
Maybe—just maybe—she couldn't hide it anymore!!