With their expanded group of former prisoners, all now armed and determined, they stepped onto the third level. Immediately, the air felt heavier. The walls were lined with dark chains, and the ground had eerie, glowing symbols-a sign that the security here was far more advanced.
The prisoners tensed up as they heard deep, guttural growls from the darkness. A row of demon guards, larger and more armored than before, stood at attention, their glowing eyes fixated on the approaching group.
"Looks like this floor has elite guards," Waker muttered, tightening his grip on his sword.
Darry spun his spear confidently.
"Doesn't matter. We're not stopping now."
Before the first attack, Patrick suddenly flung a metal pot forward, striking one of the demon guards in the face with a loud CLANG!
"Take that, you oversized trash can!"
The demon staggered back, growling in anger.
Grace couldn't help but smirk.
"Still using kitchen gear? Fine, let me show you real firepower!"
She twirled her staff, gathering magical energy. With a flick of her wrist, she sent out a small but concentrated lightning, hitting another demon directly in the chest.
Patrick grinned smugly.
"Hah! You and your flashy show."
Grace rolled her eyes.
"At least it's an actual weapon, Mr. chef."
Their bickering continued, but their teamwork was oddly effective-Patrick's quick, unpredictable attacks and Grace's ranged magic kept the demons off balance.
With the guards momentarily distracted, the other prisoners took action.
Darry lunged forward, stabbing his spear into a demon's chest, then spinning to take down another.
Waker swung his sword in precise, calculated movements, cutting through enemy defenses.
Blaine roared, bringing his axe down with massive force, shattering the helmet of a heavily armored guard.
Ian, meanwhile, stood back, recording everything.
"This is absolutely insane," he whispered to himself, trying to keep his camera steady.
Jen stood near Zack, ready to protect him.
"Zack, be prepared," she warned. "If anyone gets injured, you need to heal them fast."
Zack nodded, gripping his hands together.
"Got it."
As Ian continued filming, he suddenly felt warm arms wrap around him again.
"My prince! You must be careful!~"
Ian froze.
"Oh no, not again-"
Grace had wrapped herself around Ian once more, using him as a human shield.
"You wouldn't let a lady get hurt, right?" she purred.
Ian groaned.
"Please, let me go."
Patrick, already annoyed, yanked Grace away again.
"Enough already! Stop using him as your personal pillow!"
Grace pouted but reluctantly backed off.
Despite the chaos, the group held their ground.
The demon guards were strong, but they were also outnumbered.
With Legend's attack keeping them from being overwhelmed, and Zack ready to heal any wounded prisoners, the team steadily pushed forward.
The path to the fourth level was just ahead.
But something felt... off.
"Wait," Darry said suddenly, holding up a hand. "Why is this level easier than I expected?"
Jen frowned.
"You think this is a trap?"
But before they figured that out, Ian guided the group to focus on freeing the prisoners.
With all the third-level prisoners freed and healed by Zack, their group had grown even stronger.
Unlike the second-level prisoners, these new allies-Tyra, Rojo, Fuga ,Clara and others-were more battle-hardened and ready for a real fight.
"Alright," Tyra said, gripping a long metal staff she had found. "No more holding back. If we want to make it out of here, we take these bastards down."
The prisoners armed themselves with whatever weapons they could scavenge, ready to face the challenges ahead.
However, as they prepared to move, some of the third-level prisoners had a realization.
Ian was dodging Grace's attempts to cling to him.
Patrick was desperately trying to pull Grace away, causing even more chaos.
The two were constantly bickering, completely unaware of the situation around them.
A few of the third-level prisoners exchanged looks.
"These two are going to get us killed."
Without hesitation, three of them grabbed a thick rope.
Before Patrick or Grace could react, they were yanked together and tied up tightly.
"Hey-!" Patrick protested, struggling.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Grace snapped.
"Keeping you from being a problem," Rojo grunted, tightening the knot.
Just as they were about to continue arguing, another prisoner stuffed handkerchiefs into their mouths.
"That should keep them quiet."
Ian, who had been the most tormented by Grace's advances, let out the biggest sigh of relief.
"Finally. Peace."
He immediately resumed documenting their journey in whispers, ensuring they wouldn't attract unnecessary attention.
With Patrick and Grace struggling and muffled behind them, the group stepped toward the entrance of the fourth level.
A deep, unnatural silence filled the air.
As the group stepped in, an ominous air surrounded them. Unlike the previous floors, this one was eerily silent. The usual sounds of clanking chains and murmurs from imprisoned souls were absent. Instead, the corridor stretched before them in dim red light, with thick iron doors lining both sides.
Tyra tightened her grip on her metal staff, her battle instincts warning her of something unnatural.
"Something's wrong," she muttered. "Where are the guards?"
The prisoners moved cautiously, their eyes darting to every corner. The tension was unbearable, and even Ian held his camera still, sensing the danger.
Suddenly-the walls shifted.
Without warning, the iron doors flung open all at once, revealing hordes of monstrous creatures. These were not ordinary demon guards-they were experiments. Twisted beings that had once been prisoners, transformed into horrific abominations.
"They turned prisoners into monsters?!" Blaine gritted his teeth, gripping his axe.
The creatures rushed forward, screeching. Their deformed limbs and glowing eyes revealed their mindless, tormented state.
Just as the first wave of creatures lunged-a blinding golden light erupted from above.
BOOM!
The entire level shook violently as Legend's divine power descended upon the battlefield.
With a single sweep of his hand, a massive golden shockwave surged through the area, obliterating the nearest monsters in an instant.
"Keep moving!" Legend's voice thundered in their minds. "I will handle the obstacles-free the prisoners!"
The survivors didn't waste a second.
Rushing past the burning remains of the monsters, Zack, Clara, and Fuga scattered to find the locked cells.
Tyra and Rojo hacked away at chains, while Ian filmed everything.
Zack, out of breath but determined, placed his glowing hands on the wounded prisoners one by one. The moment his healing touched them, their agony faded, and strength returned to their bodies.
One of the newly freed prisoners-a tall, battle-scarred warrior with crimson hair-stepped forward.
"You're not just escaping," he observed, grabbing a weapon from a fallen monster. "You're leading a revolt."
"Damn right we are," Tyra responded, smirking. "You in?"
"I wouldn't miss it."
The fourth-level prisoners, now freed and armed, joined the growing rebellion.
Meanwhile, Patrick and Grace were still tied up, awkwardly watching the battle unfold.
"Mmmph!" Grace muffled angrily through the handkerchief in her mouth.
"I swear," Patrick grumbled internally, struggling against the ropes. "I'd rather fight with kitchen knives than be stuck like this."
One of the fourth-level prisoners sighed and untied them.
"Try not to kill each other, alright?"
The moment Grace was freed, she turned and smacked Patrick's arm.
"Ow! What was that for?!" Patrick yelped.
"For getting me tied up in the first place!"
Before another argument could break out, a massive explosion rocked the level.
BOOM!
"No time for nonsense!" Tyra shouted. "The exit to the final floor is just ahead-move!"
With Legend's divine power clearing the path, and their numbers greater than ever, the squad charged forward-ready to face the final level.
This time, the atmosphere was heavier than before.
"This place... feels cursed," Rojo muttered, gripping his sword tightly.
Unlike the other levels, this one had no cells. Instead, the prisoners were restrained in dark, glowing chains, their bodies twitching unnaturally.
"They're still alive," Fuga observed, his sharp eyes scanning their conditions. "But... barely."
The prisoners used their weapons to break the cursed chains.
As Zack began healing them, they slowly regained their strength. Among them were:
Vera (25, long yellow hair) - Once a renowned warrior, she had been broken both mentally and physically by Raven's torment.
Gorin (30, muscular with black armor) - A former gladiator who had been forced to battle demons for years.
Kellan (27, dark blue cloak, sniper specialist) - A strategist and sharpshooter whose eyes were once filled with wisdom but now carried shadows of the past.
"You freed us...?" Vera whispered in disbelief, looking at the group. "After everything... I thought we'd die here."
"Not today," Clara said, handing her a pair of swords. "We're getting out of here, and you're coming with us."