Second Wave (1)

The grimborg let out a guttural cry as the intense flames struck its massive form, sending it hurtling across the cave, crashing into its already knocked out companion.

WHAM!

The impact knocked both creatures to the ground, defeated. Issac focused his energy, and the flames around him intensified, forming a swirling vortex of scorching heat.

"Take this!" With a mighty roar, Issac unleashed the torrent of flames toward the grimborgs, engulfing them in a searing inferno. The cave trembled from the intensity of the blazing onslaught, and the grimborgs' bodies were consumed by the fiery onslaught.

As the dust settled, Issac stood amidst the victorious aftermath of the battle. His breaths were heavy, but he had won against the four higher grimborgs, and he did it alone.

"Now that that's over…" He whispered softly under his breath, before turning around and walking in the direction where the grimborgs had come from. "...Where's the second wave?"

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At the entrance of the dungeon.

A crowd of students had gathered in front of the dungeon, their eyes fixated on the looming portal with a mix of anticipation and excitement. They were eagerly waiting for the outcome of Issac's daring solo dungeon run. He had ventured into a B-rank dungeon all by himself, without any backup, and his classmates were curious to know if the class prodigy would succeed or fail.

"Hey, have you heard? Issac went in for a solo run of the dungeon! Yeah, no, I swear to you, dude. Yeah, I don't care if you're having your lunch or not. You need to get here fast if you don't want to miss it!" One student was screaming into his phone, trying to contain his excitement as he shared the news with his friend.

"I still can't believe he's actually doing it alone," another student exclaimed, wide-eyed with disbelief.

A group of friends huddled together, speculating about Issac's progress. "I wonder which wave he's reached by now," said one.

"I bet he's already onto the second wave," another chimed in optimistically. "Issac's skills are top-notch, you know. He's trained for this."

A confident voice broke into the conversation, "Ten bucks says he'll lose at the first wave itself."

A few students chuckled at the person's comment, while another classmate disagreed. "No way! This is Issac we're talking about. He's definitely too good to lose to the first wave. He'll probably only lose when he gets to the third wave."

Beaver, standing alongside Enrique, Maria, and Edgar, couldn't help but express his concern. "It's been quite a while since he went in. Do you guys think he's okay?" His voice carried a mix of anxiety and nervousness as they waited for news of Issac's progress.

"I mean, remember what Professor Mosely said about the hired hunters monitoring us?" Enrique chimed in. "They'll be there to help if things get too dangerous." He shrugged his shoulders, attempting to appear nonchalant, but his slightly nervous expression betrayed his true feelings about the situation.

"He's fine," Maria addressed her concerned friends with a calm and reassuring voice, causing Enrique, Beaver, and Edgar to turn their attention toward her, prompting her to elaborate. "Given how much of a genius he is, he's probably already defeated the first wave. It's no surprise, considering the first wave in this dungeon is like the second wave in a relatively difficult C-rank dungeon," Maria explained, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. "He's more than capable of handling the first wave alone. The real question is, will he be able to maintain that level of performance? Will he continue to push forward, or will he face his limits?"

Her words left her friends pondering the implications, and a moment of silence followed.

"You really know a lot about Issac, huh?" Beaver finally broke the silence, catching Maria off guard with his observation.

"Ehem.." Maria cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. "Well, you know, just paying attention to our class prodigy," she replied, trying to play it cool. "But seriously, the real challenge lies ahead for Issac." Her eyes held a mix of confidence and concern as she shared her insights.

Beaver, Enrique and Edgar nodded their heads before before refocusing their gaze on the entrance of the dungeon, their hearts beating rapidly and their fists clenched tightly, their minds filled with concern for their friend Issac, who was braving the dangerous depths alone.

Professor Mosely stood near the entrance of the dungeon, keeping a watchful eye on the students. He retrieved his phone from his pocket, dialed a number, and brought it to his ear.

"Any updates on Issac?" he inquired as soon as the call connected. "He's done with the first wave," came the response from the other end. "Now, he's gearing up for the second wave."

"What's your prediction?" Professor Mosely asked, a mix of concern and intrigue etched on his face. "Do you think he'll clear the dungeon on his own?"

"I usually don't like to come to a conclusion after just one wave," the person on the other end replied, contemplating for a moment. "But based on what I've seen of his skills and abilities so far..."

Professor Mosely's eyes widened for a second before returning to a normal expression, and after a few more seconds, he ended the call, letting out a long sigh as his gaze returned to the entrance of the dungeon.

Back inside the dungeon.

About a dozen creatures that looked like a cross between a crocodile and a bear were roaming around within the long passageway. Towering and imposing, they possessed a formidable build, with broad shoulders and powerful limbs that could crush their prey with ease. Their bodies bore a fearsome combination of brown fur and hardened scales, providing both speed and defense. Rows of razor-sharp teeth lined their formidable jaws, and a menacing long tail trailed behind them, making them truly terrifying to behold.

"So the second wave consists of Arkdelios…" Issac whispered under his breath as he watched the group of monsters while carefully observing the group of fearsome monsters from his concealed position amidst the hanging rocks on the dungeon's high ceiling. The darkness above made it a perfect vantage point for him to study the arkdelios, whom he had to defeat in order to advance to the third wave and conquer the dungeon.

"I didn't expect there to be so many of them," Issac muttered under his breath, his mind racing as he assessed the situation. The arkdelios were formidable opponents, all at level 17 or 18, as indicated by the data displayed on his new smart glasses, courtesy of Mr. Ritchie. The fact that there were nearly a dozen of them posed a significant challenge.

While Issac was confident in his abilities, facing such a formidable group head-on would be risky. A dozen arkdelios would require a strategic approach, and Issac knew he needed to come up with a clever plan to overcome the odds and emerge victorious. His mind raced through different possibilities, searching for that one ingenious solution that would turn the tides in his favor.

"What the hell can I do?" he pondered silently, eyes darting around the cave. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the stalactites hanging from the ceiling nearby. A sly grin spread across his face as a brilliant idea took shape in his mind.

GRRRR! GRRRR!

The passageway echoed with the low growls of the arkdelios as they paced back and forth, guarding their territory. However, their routine was abruptly interrupted by a resounding cracking noise that reverberated through the cave.

TRRRRRRRR!

The arkdelios were caught off guard by the sudden noise, their heads turning upward in confusion as they tried to identify its source. Without warning, a massive stalactite came crashing down from the ceiling with a deafening roar, striking one of the arkdelios with incredible force. The impact sent the arkdelios nearby hurtling backward, slamming into the walls of the cave with loud thuds that reverberated throughout the dungeon.

BAM!

The arkdelios, now aware of the source behind the cracking noise, tilted their heads and looked up, only to find countless more stalactites falling down from the ceiling.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

With a deafening roar, the stalactites descended like rain, becoming a relentless barrage of rock projectiles. The arkdelios scattered in a frenzied scramble, their instincts compelling them to evade the perilous shower of falling debris. The once-coordinated group now resembled a chaotic swarm, with each arkdelia attempting to dodge the unrelenting onslaught.

After the relentless barrage of falling rocks persisted for a few more seconds, it finally ceased. By then, over half of the arkdelios were buried under the massive pile of rubble, while the remaining arkdelios were scattered in various directions, their unity shattered by the chaos and destruction.

GRRRR…

Emerging from the rubble, one of the arkdelios managed to shake off the debris that clung to its body. But before it could fully regain its footing, Issac swiftly deactivated his shoes and descended like an arrow, a fiery red spear materializing and enveloping his hand with grace.

Issac's eyes locked onto the arkdelia beneath him, and in a blur of motion, he descended upon it, driving the fiery spear through the creature's head with lethal precision.

GRRRAAAR!

The arkdelia let out a thunderous roar of pain as the fiery spear pierced through its head, splattering brain juice all over the surroundings before its eyes lost their luster, and it collapsed to the ground lifeless.