Entering Apocalypse in Easy-Mode

The moment Clyde and Mina stepped fully into the molten nest, the outside world disappeared behind them.

The air inside was thick and hot. Heat lingered in their every breath, not enough to burn them, but it was enough to make their body tense and sweaty.

They were not sure if this place was safer than outside. But at least they would not face another human being. Maybe.

The walls curved inward like a living structure formed from layers of hardened molten rock. Faint red light pulsed through the cracks as if something beneath the surface was alive.

Clyde slowed his steps. He could feel it.

There was an aura here. Something existed deeper inside this place. Not just heat or leftover energy but a presence of life. It was quiet, but heavy enough to press against his senses.

Mina felt it too.

"There’s something here," she said quietly, her grip tightening around her daggers.

Clyde nodded. "Yeah."

They moved forward carefully.

Their steps echoed faintly through the hollow structure. The deeper they went, the hotter it became. The ground shifted from solid rock into uneven terrain with glowing veins of magma running through it.

Then something moved ahead.

From the cracks along the walls and the ground, shapes began to rise. Small creatures formed from molten rock and hardened lava crawled out. Their bodies glowing from within with range lights.

Their eyes burned like embers. They did not hesitate when they saw them and the creatures lunged immediately.

Mina reacted instantly. Her body moved forward in a blur of motion, her daggers flashing as she slashed through the first one. The blade split its rocky form apart and made it to crumble into fragments that cooled rapidly on the ground.

Clyde stepped in right after.

Lightning surged along his arm and into his sword. One swing was enough. The arc of electricity shattered multiple creatures at once, their molten bodies bursting before fading out.

But more of them came.

They climbed from the walls, dropped from above, and surged from the ground. But none of them were strong enough.

Mina weaved through them with precision with clean and efficient movement. She struck at weak points, breaking them apart before they could even fully stabilize.

Clyde didn’t slow down either.

His lightning tore through everything in wide bursts, clearing space around them. The creatures couldn’t even reach him before being destroyed.

The fight ended quickly.

The last of the smaller monsters collapsed into lifeless rock. Their glow was fading completely.

Mina let out a long breath. "That was easy."

Clyde glanced at the remains.

After the broken fragments, faint glimmers of light appeared in their visions. Small drops and items.

The system responded.

"We got materials and something else," she muttered. "Looks like skills."

Clyde collected a few as well. He didn’t inspect them for long, just stored them away. They would be useful later.

"Let’s keep moving," he said.

Mina nodded.

They continued deeper.

The tunnel widened gradually. The heat intensified again, becoming stronger than before. The air shimmered and distorted the space ahead.

Then the path opened. They stepped into a massive chamber.

Both of them stopped.

In front of them stretched a wide pool of molten lava that glowed bright orange and red. The surface moved slowly like a thick liquid ocean, releasing waves of heat that filled the entire chamber.

At the center of it, something moved. There was a massive shape there.

The lava shifted as a huge creature swam beneath its surface. Its body was made of hardened rock layered over molten core, glowing through the cracks like flowing magma.

It rose slowly.

A towering molten beast emerged from the lava, its body dripping with heat and fire. Its presence filled the entire chamber.

The aura they had felt earlier was this creature.

After some time, finally the molten creature rose higher from the lava. Its full massive form towering above the chamber.

Molten rock dripped from its body and fell back into the pool with heavy splashes.

The heat intensified with its presence and pressing down on them like a physical weight.

Mina stared at it, her grip tightening.

"What do we do?" she asked.

Clyde let out a tired sigh, his eyes fixed on the creature.

"What else?" he said. "We need to kill that monster."

He lifted the Demonic Sword. Lightning flared again.

It sparked violently along the blade, spreading across his arm as the familiar white-blue arcs came back to life. The air around him cracked as the energy gathered once more.

Mina glanced at him.

"Aren’t you tired?" she asked.

Clyde didn’t look at her.

"I am," he said simply. "But we won’t be safe until that thing is dealt with."

The molten beast let out a deep rumble, its body shifting as if responding to their presence.

Waves of lava moved outward from it, crashing against the edges of the chamber.

Mina sighed slowly. Then she nodded. "...Yeah. You’re right."

Her stance lowered. Her daggers tightening in her hands as her focus sharpened again.

Clyde’s grip on the sword tightened.

He reached into the weapon once more. The Demonic Sword responded immediately.

The pale orange mist surged out again, wrapping around his body and feeding into his core.

The burning sensation returned to his veins. It felt stronger this time and merging with the lightning that began to roar around him.

His [Pure Lightning] skill ignited again.

The energy exploded out in a sudden surge, illuminating the entire chamber in flashing white-blue light mixed with the faint orange glow.

Clyde bent his knees. Then he jumped.

The ground beneath him cracked as he launched forward, his body turning into a streak of lightning as he shot toward the molten beast.

Mina followed without hesitation.

She pushed off the ground right after him, her body moving fast despite her injuries, her eyes locked onto the towering creature ahead.

Clyde landed on the creature’s back with an explosion of light. Mina right beside him.

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