Dungeon (2)

Part 2: E-Rank Boss {Golden-eyed Chimera}

Outside the dungeon, the two soldiers stood guard, their eyes fixed on the ominous portal that shimmered with an unnatural light. The air was thick with tension, each of them contemplating the fate of the Hunters who had entered earlier.

"Do you think they've ended up like the others?" one of the soldiers asked, his voice heavy with unease.

The other, maintaining his vigilant watch on the portal, replied, "An hour's passed. Hard to believe they're still alive in there."

Inside the dungeon, Lee Seung stood over the massive corpse of the serpent, his breath still ragged from the battle. As he pinned his hand on the dead creature's body, thick tendrils of azure light began to seep out of the serpent's body, winding through the air like living smoke. The light reached his outstretched fingers, and he felt a surge of power rush through him, filling him with a heady sense of exhilaration.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face as the last of the light faded. He could feel the monster's mana now pulsing within him. But there was no time to savor the victory. He turned to his replicas, who were already beginning to fade, their forms losing solidity as they began to dissipate into the air.

'I can't imagine how dangerous this dungeon will become without them,' Seung thought, urgency snapping him back to the moment. He quickly raised his hand towards the fading clones, and just as before, the azure light flowed from him into their forms, solidifying them once more.

A screen flashed before his eyes:

[Clones' Energies]

[200 out of 200]

His eyes widened slightly as he noticed the increase. The clones' energy capacity had doubled, and he realized with a thrill that his own power must have increased by an even greater margin.

"I think my strength is double my replicas'," he murmured to himself, satisfaction lacing his words.

His clones, now fully restored, stood ready by his side. With a nod, the three of them ventured deeper into the dungeon.

The narrow pathway ahead was lined with webs, and soon enough, the source of those webs emerged. Ash-bodied giant spiders, their many eyes glinting with hunger, descended upon the group. One of the spiders lunged at Seung, but he was ready. He leapt high into the air, his body twisting gracefully as he brought his blade down in a swift, clean arc. The spider's body was cleaved in two before it even hit the ground.

These creatures were minor nuisances, their purpose clearly to overwhelm intruders through sheer numbers. But Seung had no intention of being bogged down by such tactics. They had a boss to defeat, and he wasn't going to waste time on lesser threats.

'Activate Shadow Manipulation!' he commanded in his mind.

The Shadow Blade in his hand began to glow with a menacing, lightning-like energy. As it did, dark umbras rose from the ground, coalescing into shadowy forms that lashed out at the spiders. The creatures had no chance, their bodies crumbling into dust as the shadows consumed them.

Seung and his clones moved forward, stepping over the fallen monsters without a backward glance. The further they went, the more creatures they encountered, but each was swiftly dealt with, their presence barely slowing the group's progress.

Step...

Swoosh...

Hiss...

"Stop, guys," Lee Seung ordered, his voice tense. His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, a growing unease settling in his gut. Something was off. The air had grown thicker, almost oppressive, and there was a metallic scent that stung his nostrils. His heart skipped a beat as he realized what this meant.

'Have we reached the boss chamber?!'

Ahead, the passage opened into a large, glowing entrance, its edges lined with crystalline formations that emitted a faint, eerie light. The sandy floor crunched beneath Seung's boots as he approached, every step echoing in the silence.

'Is this…?'

Bang!

A deafening crash reverberated through the chamber, causing the ground to tremble beneath his feet. Seung's breath hitched as his eyes locked onto the source of the noise. Something massive had dropped inside the chamber.

His heart pounded in his chest as he stared into the brightness beyond the entrance. Unlike the rest of the dungeon, this chamber was bathed in light, a clear indication that something powerful lay within.

'The boss may be the strongest in this dungeon, but it's still an E-ranker,' he reminded himself, forcing his nerves to steady. He straightened his back and walked through the entrance, determination hardening his resolve.

'Why should I be scared of a relatively weak monster? Bring it on. I can't wait for more fun.'

But the moment he stepped into the chamber, his confidence faltered. The air was stifling, as if an invisible force had gripped him, rooting him to the spot.

"What the hell…?" he whispered, eyes wide with shock.

Wham!

A powerful force slammed into his side, and before he could react, he was sent flying across the chamber. His body collided with the crystalline wall with a sickening thud, the impact forcing the air from his lungs in a painful gasp.

* * *

In the Dongwon Guild, Kang Wonsik stood before the guildmaster's desk, his posture rigid with respect. The guildmaster, a man with chubby cheeks and an air of authority, glanced up at him, his expression unreadable.

"Has Choi Minho given you a call since that day?" the guildmaster asked, his tone laced with frustration.

"Not at all, Guildmaster," Wonsik replied, his hands clasped behind his back. The tension in the room was palpable, and when the guildmaster sighed heavily, Wonsik knew what was coming.

"Are you really going to sue him if he fails to pay by the end of this week?" Wonsik ventured, carefully neutral in his tone.

The guildmaster leaned back in his chair, a contemplative look on his face. "I believe he doesn't want to rejoin the guild, so he's most likely to pay back his loan. Just wait for him to turn up, and then the suspense will be over."

"Noted, sir," Wonsik said with a respectful bow.

* * *

Back in the dungeon, Lee Seung's clones quickly helped him to his feet. He winced, feeling the lingering pain from the impact, but his eyes were already scanning the chamber.

What he saw stole the breath from his lungs. The floor was littered with corpses—dozens, no, hundreds of them. They were Hunters, just like him, their bodies twisted and broken, a grim testament to the monster's power.

At the center of the carnage stood the creature responsible. It was a nightmare made flesh, a twisted amalgamation of a lion, a dragon, and a serpent. The beast's body was a chaotic blend of scales, fur, and sinew, its presence exuding a malevolent aura. Above its head, a screen displayed its name: Golden-eyed Chimera.

Seung's gaze shifted to the chamber walls, which were lined with massive crystals that seemed to pulse with a soft, ethereal light.

'Aren't these mana crystals? Being the boss is something, huh?'

The Chimera's roar shook the very air, a sound so powerful it made Seung's bones vibrate. A strong breeze whipped through the chamber, but he and his clones stood their ground, their eyes burning with fierce determination.

"You have to be stronger than this to defeat the three of us!" Seung shouted, stepping forward, his voice echoing in the vast chamber. "I mean… I am gonna kick your BUTT!"

His clones surged forward, engaging the monster with ruthless efficiency. But as Seung watched, he couldn't shake the unease gnawing at his gut. The Chimera was strong, far stronger than he'd anticipated. It was absurd to call it a mere E-rank boss when it was proving to be anything but weak.

'The points added to my stats when my clones leveled up is actually something…'

He rolled his dagger in his hand, watching as the blade spun faster and faster, until it was little more than a blur. With a practiced flick of his wrist, he sent the weapon flying towards the Chimera's head—the one spot where even the strongest monsters were vulnerable.

But instead of piercing flesh, the dagger bounced off with a metallic clang, clattering to the ground at Seung's feet.

His heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening in disbelief. "The dagger… bounced off?"

He stared at the weapon, then back at the Chimera's head, which was as unscathed as if nothing had happened.

Sigh…

Meanwhile, the Chimera was still locked in combat with the clones, who attacked it with relentless fury. But despite their best efforts, the monster was barely slowing down.

"I'm going to create a blind spot on the monster," Seung muttered, picking up his dagger with renewed determination. "Then I'll make a sneaky attack."

He leapt into the air, landing nimbly on the Chimera's massive, scaly leg. He dashed upward, using the creature's body as a springboard to gain height. As the Chimera roared again, sending another gust of wind through the chamber,

Seung gritted his teeth and pressed on, determined to strike at the beast's eye.

But just as he was about to deliver the final blow, something went terribly wrong. His body froze mid-air, as if an invisible hand had seized him, locking his muscles in place.

'Hum… yish… what's happening?! I can't… I can't move!'

Panic surged through him as he struggled against the unseen force. It felt as though his very breath was being squeezed out of him, his chest tightening painfully.

Before he could react, a powerful force sent him hurtling backward, slamming him into the crystalline wall with bone-rattling force.

"Argh…" he gasped, pain lancing through his body.

The Chimera, now free from the clones' assault, turned its attention back to Seung. It roared once more, and the sheer force of it sent the clones crashing into the walls as well.

"D*mn it! How's this monster so strong?" Seung growled, wiping the blood from his face, his mind racing to find a strategy.

Suddenly, the bodies of the fallen Hunters began to glow with an eerie blue light. Seung's heart raced as he realized what was happening. The Chimera was absorbing their mana, drawing strength from the very souls of its victims.

'It has absorbed their mana! Screw this, I am not gonna die in this kind of place! A monster can't decide my fate!'

Gritting his teeth, Seung clenched his fists, determination burning in his chest. But before he could act, a reddish energy erupted from the Chimera, snaking through the air like living tendrils. The energy wrapped around Seung's neck, lifting him off the ground, its grip tightening like a noose.

"What… do… I do?!" Seung choked out, his vision blurring as the energy began to siphon the mana from his body. He could feel his strength fading, his life force being drained away.

His heart pounded in his chest as the blue light from his clones began to fade as well, their mana being sucked into the Chimera's insatiable maw. The realization hit him like a physical blow: he was going to die here if he didn't do something—anything—to stop it.