The Path of Trials and Legends

Auralis, following the map given to him by Herly, stood at the entrance to what seemed like an empty space. "This is the place, but there's no entrance," he muttered, confused. For a moment, he considered that perhaps Herly had made an error in the directions. Just as he was about to turn back, something caught his eye—a figure emerging from the shadows.

It was the old man from before, Hercules. Auralis wasn't surprised that the man had awakened so soon, but he couldn't help but wonder how he had managed to recover so quickly. Hercules, a name once whispered as a legend among warriors, now stood before him, though much older.

"You're a strong brat. I haven't met someone like you in decades," Hercules said, his voice full of respect.

Auralis nodded, giving a small smile. "Thanks for the compliment, old general."

Hercules' eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know my name?"

Auralis didn't answer, instead choosing to focus on the task at hand. He knew that Hercules was once one of the greatest warriors, a god among men. Despite the old general's age, Auralis knew the man still had power in him.

"I want to fight you again," Hercules declared, his voice challenging.

Auralis felt a slight pang of anxiety, but he didn't hesitate. "Alright. I'll accept your challenge."

"Good. I'll count to three: one, two, three!"

Without waiting for the signal, Hercules charged at him with surprising speed. Auralis quickly adjusted his stance, preparing himself. He knew that any hesitation could be deadly.

The fight began. Hercules moved like a shadow, faster than Auralis anticipated, but the younger warrior was determined. He boosted his output, pushing his power to 1.8x, summoning all his energy into the fight. But Hercules, with his legendary strength, vanished and reappeared right next to Auralis, his fist already in motion.

Auralis didn't even sense him coming—his opponent seemed to blend with the surroundings, a white aura surrounding him like a veil of mystery. Without thinking, Auralis countered with his magic, calling forth a series of multi-fireballs, hoping to overwhelm Hercules with the sheer force of the attack.

But Hercules didn't even flinch. The fireballs struck him, but he didn't show any signs of injury. He continued his relentless assault, moving toward Auralis with an almost supernatural calm. Auralis, realizing that close combat would only result in his defeat, switched tactics.

He used a powerful version of his "Upset Mind Brain," hoping to disrupt Hercules' mental focus. But Hercules was quick. He broke free of the mental assault almost instantly, leaving Auralis in a state of uncertainty. What was the next move?

Before Auralis could react, Hercules performed a move called the 28 March Figure, summoning 28 images of himself that rushed toward Auralis. Each image was a perfect replica, creating an illusion so strong that Auralis couldn't tell which was the real one.

Auralis, knowing he had no choice but to act quickly, used his strongest AoE attack: Blast Burn. The spell erupted in a fiery wave, destroying 27 of the images in an instant. But the real Hercules was already close, and the blast only sent him staggering back a few steps. It didn't seem to harm him at all.

"You win," Hercules finally admitted, his voice filled with a grudging respect.

Auralis, though relieved, wasn't surprised. He had expected the fight to end like this. The old general wasn't here to defeat him, just to test his resolve.

Hercules lowered his guard, looking at Auralis with a more serious expression. "You can't do anything inside the dungeon. I don't let anyone in because it leads to meaningless deaths. But I can feel your resolve. That's why I'm giving you this chance."

Auralis stood tall, sensing that the real challenge was just beginning. With a nod, he agreed. "Then let's go. I'm ready."

Hercules smiled, the first genuine smile Auralis had seen on the old man's face. "Good. Let's see if you can handle what lies ahead."

With that, the path to the dungeon revealed itself, and Auralis followed Hercules, ready to face whatever trials awaited him in the depths.