Chapter 35: Dungeon Guardian

-Reyha Kingdom; Gallo's Outskirts; Goblin's Lair; 10th Floor; Secret Section-

Looking at Kymani, Iketica pointed at the green humanoid and said. "It's him, the dungeon guardian. Irka, The Hobgoblin."

In response, Kymani walked forward a bit and looked at Irka, before saying. "I challenge you, to a battle, I've heard you're strong, and I hope you're ready to go up against us."

"Leave now, before I lose my patience. I'm here to do something important, so if you don't wish to go through the door behind me, I recommend you scram!" Irka was serious and didn't seem to care about what was said to him or those standing before him.

"No can do." Kymani took a battle stance, and following him Iketica, and Rakuia came forward to stand beside him, while Lavenica stood a bit further behind ready for some action.

Having bone daggers in hand, Kymani was observing Irka up and down, being focused waiting to see what his move would be.

"Fools! You shall regret this moment as the time you challenged Irka, the dungeon guardian. Worry not though, I'll make quick work of you, I have a duty at hand, and you shall not pass!" Irka moved forward a few steps then stopped and took a stance, before rotating his spear in the air, and as he did, a whirl of wind build-up around it.

"It's best if we stop him! I'll go in." Iketica was the first one to decide and charged in.

"I guess, I'll do my own thing." Rakuia began using her blades to draw on the ground.

At the back, Lavenica had her shot ready but didn't shoot just yet.

While Kymani himself, looked at Rakuia and Iketika, before deciding something. 'For now, I'll stand guard and cover Rakuia, since this is a good opportunity to get a glimpse into Irka's fighting style.'

As soon as Iketica got close enough to Irka, He put down his spear on its base, in a rather aggressive manner, even creating a small crater doing so, but that wasn't the extent of the effects of this action, no, immediately after he crushed the ground with the base of his spear, an intense pressurized wave of air pushed back on Iketica and threw him off, sending him flying past Lavenica, as the wave continued all the way until it reached Kymani and the others.

"Wind Dancing Warrior Technique: Whirlwind Sway!" Irka chanted as he looked at the group, serious with no change in his expression or demeanor.

The wave of pressurized wind reached Kymani as the one at the front and not having too much time to react, he simply tried to stop it with his weapons, but instead, they broke and he was sent flying just like Iketica before him.

Rakuia as Kymani was getting hit, used one of her own techniques.

"Water Dancing Warrior Technique: Brutalization Bite." She chanted as she sent the two teeth-like lines of her attack at Irka, before being hit by the wave and sent flying just like the two before her.

It continued until it dispersed just a bit before hitting Lavenica, followed by the three who were hit getting back up.

{It seems to have a rather limited range of effect. It didn't hit me.} Lavenica communicated to Kymani as he and the others passed her.

{Well, that's good, but it's best if we just stop him from doing it all together, considering we're mostly close combat fighters, then again Rakuia is kind of an exception but not really... Just hope that's really the case and we aren't misreading his abilities.} Kymani replied.

At the same time, the teeth-like lines of Rakuia's attack reached behind Irka and connected, as a sudden pressure was applied on him and the ground began to cave in as he stood there unmoving.

'He's not just going to tank it, right?' Kymani's eyes widened as the possibility crossed his mind.

While Rakuia weakly smiled and Iketica slowly shook his head. Finally, on the back, Lavenica was simply focused and ready to shoot at the right moment even now.

*Boom!* *Crack*

The floor was caved in by the pressure and some smoke rose as a result of it, and as it dispersed at the end of the crater standing there unscathed was Irka, looking at the party of 4 with a mute expression.

'.... No... Cause that's tough... Could we even damage this guy if we got him?' Kymani narrowed his eyes as he looked at Irka.

"Is it me or is he even tougher than before?" Iketica asked.

"It's not you, this bastard is definitely sturdier..." Rakuia responded.

As they were processing what just happened, the floor began to rise back to its original state.

'Don't you dare fuck this up, got it?' Kymani kept the bone dagger and stretched out his arm as sand shredder came out.

{Hahaha! It seems you have realized my greatest already! Let us put this over evolved goblin back in his place! Below you!} Sand Shredder immediately began expressing its excitement.

'Urggh...' Kymani grunted then his shook head before looking to his sides, where Rakuia and Iketica specifically could be found, and nodded his head to them.

"Actually... I think I can break his weapon with a good opening... Well, then again, it might only be enough to get the weapon off his hands, but I think that would help us a lot." Rakuia suggested.

{Be ready, Lavy!} Kymani alerted her.

{Always!} Lavenica replied.

"Got it, I'm sure he'll go down eventually, we just haven't hit him enough, yet." Iketica had a weak smile on his face and held his weapon as firmly as he could, as his eyes carried his determination to see this through, as a warrior's heart would want to.

"Good, me and Iketica will create distractions... What we'll do is..." Kymani moved close to Iketica and communicated his plan.

"Hahaha! That's genius! We HAVE to do it!" Iketica was very much on board.

{I'm ready to tear into him!} Sand Shredder announced.

Done deciding how they'll move from there on, Kymani and Iketica both moved toward Irka, who stood there in wait, prepared to take whatever they threw at him.

Both began moving very fast to the point of leaving behind a sort of afterimage as they surrounded Ikra, in something like a formation.

"Give up while you live! You can't defeat me! You'll never pass! The treasures beyond are forever out of your reach!" Irka declared.

"Whether you believe me or not, it's up to you, but I'm not here for some treasures or for the door you're working so hard to protect. I'm here for your life, and I'm taking it one way or the other." Kymani replied, then looked at Iketica and then.

Like some odd dream, Multiple mirages of Kymani and Iketica appeared, before running around Irka, and then one of the Iketica, came in to punch Irka, who tried to attack him in self-defense, but his move went through, then coming from behind a Kymani slapped Irka on the back of his head, causing him to turn while attacking which once again went through.

""Unique Sand Warrior Technique: Playground!"" They both chanted.

Various times, a Kymani would slap or kick Irka, while an Iketica would actually attack him, with basically no damage done, however, it was still annoying to experience it, so Irka focused to try and hit the right one at the right time.

Most individuals would find it hard to discern between the real ones and the mirages even with skills like <Intermediate Mana sense> at their disposal... Well, it seemed Irka was no ordinary individual, he managed to catch the correct Iketica before he got attacked again, ignoring Kymani who was just a distraction at worse so far, not having actually attacked him.

It was then that Irka was hit in his crotch area with Sand shredder full force by Kymani.

{Yes! Excellent strategy! This way even if enemy escapes and survives, there will be no descendants to carry his grudge against us or exact revenge! Hahaha!} Sand Shredder laughed and reviled in the dirty attack.

"Enough! You damn fools! So long as I live! You will fail! I hope that in death you can see that your lives were wasted, for you pursued not your duties, but feeble greed!" Irka's eyes widened and his muscles tensed, as he lifted his spear with one hand not letting go of Iketica, and ready to use one of his techniques, before turning and kicking Kymani, who was behind him away.

At that moment, a beam of bluish-white light passed by fast as an ice bullet hit Irka's left arm, and exploded to freeze half of his body up to his neck, spear included.

"4th-degree ice shot." Lavenica chanted.

Irka tried to escape from the ice but found himself stuck, as it was slowly cracking... Not feeling like there was much time left, Irka lifted Iketica still in his free hand and was about to throw him to the ground.

Before he could do so, however, Rakuia came in with her grapple hook-like swords shining like the same color as her Brutalization Bite technique does, and she swung both her swords at the shoulder of Irka's arm holding Iketica.

Tense, Irka's muscle was super tense as he put his all into saving his arm, actually not letting Rakuia's technique cut through.

"Just what the hell are you made of?!" Rakuia complained as she continued pushing

"Hehehe... What did I say?! You can't win! Just like the last time the two of you were here! This guy might've given me this scar, but I'm no longer that weak! So long as I live, I will protect this door, the memory, and legacy of my creators! While I fight for my duty! I could never lose to the likes of you!" Irka smiled as he began choking the life out of Iketica.

"... Heh!... So pretentious! Do... You really think your duty... stands above all others?! Then... You must be truly blind!" Iketica despite being choked out, used the strength he still had to use <Light Conversion> as he sword became red, and he slash it at Irka's eyes.

Having half his neck dozen he could not move and both his eyes were slashed, making him soften and allowing Rakuia to cut off his right arm.

"My neck!... *Cough!* *Couch!*..." Iketica fell to the ground with the arm.

"Dear!!" Rakuia immediately went to check on him, only and sighed seeing he was fine before remembering that he would have been ultimately fine either way. "*Sigh*... You scared me you, dummy..."

"Sorry... I tend to really get into fights, but nothing like an angelic face worried about me, to snap some sense into me." Iketica replied.

"Hmph... So stupid..." Rakuia leaned in and they both kissed immersing themselves in one another.

Just then, a spear pierced through Rakuia and into Iketica.

"You fools! How hard is it to understand your place?!" Irka yelled.

Just getting up from the rubble, Kymani saw this and there was a notification in front of him.

[Warning! Named monster Irka has entered crisis state! A significant increase in their overall power has occurred.]

'Fuck me! I forgot this sh*t!... We're so done... But I came this far... Can't back down, now, not after this.' Kymani took a deep breath and held Sand Shredder tighter than before.