Fighting Against Aquatic Monster

Nikos and his party descended the worn stone steps to the second floor of the lake dungeon. The air grew cooler, and the sound of trickling water intensified. As they reached the bottom, the tunnel opened into a vast, dimly lit cavern.

In front of them, the floor was submerged in water, a vast expanse that stretched out like an underground lake. Nikos noticed some subtle and vague movement on the water surface.

Nikos paused at the edge of the ground floor, his analytical mind working rapidly. "Stay alert," he said, his voice calm but authoritative. "We need to check if there's a way around this without going into the water."

Marielle looked at Nikos. "Do you think there might be another path, master?" she asked, gripping her staff tightly.

Liriel, ever alert she appreciate Nikos' cautious approach, and scanned the surroundings. "I don't see any other paths, but we should check thoroughly. I don't like the idea of going in there directly," she said, her voice low and steady.

Jarek nodded in agreement of Nikos cautious approach. "Mashter, I'll take the lead and look around. If there's another way, we'll find it."

The party moved along the edges of the cavern, their lamps casting a faint glow on the water's surface. Nikos' eyes flicked to every shadow, every ripple. His adaptable and calculating nature kept him focused, always seeking the best route forward.

After several minutes of searching, it became clear that there was no alternative path. The only way forward was through the water.

Nikos sighed, but his mind already formulating a plan. "We have no choice but to go through the water," he said, pulling out a collection of small potions from his pack. "But we're not going in unprepared."

He opened twenty poison elixirs, pouring them into the water and tossing a few to the ceiling where they shattered and spread their contents right into the middle part. The water around them began to swirl and change color, the poison mixing thoroughly. "This should weaken anything lurking in the water," he explained, his calm demeanor putting his team at ease.

"We'll wait here for thirty minutes," Nikos continued, his tone decisive. "The poison needs time to spread and take effect."

Marielle, still nervous, nodded. "Understood, Master. I'll be ready to heal if needed."

Liriel, persistent and appreciative, kept her eyes on the water. "Good idea, Sir. This should give us an advantage."

Jarek, always honorable and cautious, stood guard with his greataxe at the ready. "I'll keep watch. We can't let our guard down."

The minutes passed slowly, the only sound the dripping of water and the faint hum of the poison spreading.

The small movements Nikos had noticed earlier gradually ceased. All the poison is working properly, it should be safe now.

After the wait, Nikos signaled for the party to proceed. "It's time. Stay close and be ready for anything, we'll use the previous formation, Jarek on the front, Marielle and me in the middle, and Liriel on the back," he instructed, his boldness and calm nature inspiring confidence in his team.

The trio noded following his instruction, then finally the group walked into the water, the cold water rising up to their chests. Jarek, being a lizard-man, moved with more ease, his natural abilities giving him an advantage in this terrain.

The water level almost reached Marielle and Liriel's necks, while Jarek and Nikos, being taller, move trhough the water a bit better. Marielle and Liriel, however, found it challenging, their movements slow and cumbersome.

As they moved deeper into the cavern, the water around them became eerily still.

There's no movement, is they all dead from the poison? Nikos' eyes darted around, his mind assessing every ripple and shadow. "Keep your guard up," he warned, his tone low and focused.

Suddenly, the water erupted around them. Ten aquatic monsters, resembling large, serpentine fish with razor-sharp nails and teeth, their glowing eyes looking ferocious at them, emerged from the depths of the water.

Nikos was the first to sense them. They've been pretending to be dead all this time, waiting for us to drop our guard and attack the moment we lost our focus.

But their movements were definitely sluggish, the poison clearly taking effect on them. However, they were still formidable opponents; we need to eliminate them quickly. Who knows how many monsters are still in this water.

— Enhance Speed Allies

Nikos raised his hand, buffing the entire team with momentary speed, boosting their speed up to five times more, giving them a boost advantage in this terrain.

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!Change Class

{Class: Support} ⇄ {Class: Warrior}

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Nikos quickly shifted to his warrior class, drawing his sword. "Form up! Jarek, take the front. Marielle, stay back and heal. Liriel, flank them and target their weak points," he ordered, his voice calm and authoritative. He moved to draw some of the monsters away.

Jarek charged forward, his greataxe cleaving through the water with powerful swings. "For lizard-folk honor!" he roared, his cautious nature giving way to raw determination.

— Power Strike

Jarek's weapon struck hard, hitting one of the monsters and creating a wound in the creature's chest. The blue blood pooled on the water around the monster, and the monster roared with glowing red eyes at Jarek.

Liriel moved with agility, her daggers flashing as she darted around the battlefield.

— Lethal Precision [Passive] + Shadow Strike

She hid using the shadows of the surrounding dimly lit area, reappearing next to one of the monsters and dealing a big damage, stunning the target. Jarek assisted her with a strong attack, cutting the stunned monster's body.

On Liriel's back, one of the aquatic monsters suddenly came out of the water, grabbing her arm with its sharp nails. "Argh!" she winced in pain. Liriel pushed the monster hard to the back. "Watch their movements. They're slower but still dangerous," she called out, her persistence driving her forward as she attacked the monsters.

Marielle stayed back, her staff glowing as she cast healing spells to mend her comrades' wounds. "Be careful, everyone! I'll keep you healed," she cried out.

— Healing Wave

The fight was intense, the water adding a layer of difficulty for everyone except Jarek. The monsters, though weakened, still fought fiercely. Nikos' calculating mind kept him focused, switching between attack and defense with ease.

One of the monsters lunged at Marielle, its jaws snapping shut inches from her.

— Power Slash

Nikos, in his warrior form, was quick enough to lunge to Marielle's side, intercepting the monster with a powerful slash, sending the monster reeling back. "Stay back, Marielle. Focus on healing," he instructed, his boldness unwavering.

"Thank you, Master," Marielle nodded, understanding her role. She kept supporting the group with her continuous healing spells.

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!Change Class

{Class: Warrior} ⇄ {Class: Mage}

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— Fireball

Nikos shifted to his mage class, summoning a burst of fire that boiled the water around the monsters, causing them to thrash in pain. "Use everything you've got! We need to finish this quickly," he commanded, his adaptable nature keeping them ahead.

Jarek's greataxe cleaved through another monster, but the resistance of the water made his movements slower. "Thesse monstersh are tough, even weakened," he grunted, his caution giving way to sheer force.

Jarek, being surrounded and attacked by the monsters, stopped and squatted into the water, holding his greataxe with both hands and holding his breath. Then, in strong motions, he spin his body together with his greataxe, creating a powerful spinning attack that attacked the monsters.

— Cyclone Strike

Jarek's Cyclone Strike created a powerful vortex, slicing through the water and striking multiple monsters. The force of the spin sent water and blood spraying, disorienting the monsters and pushing them back. The impact was devastating, leaving deep gashes and dismembered limbs in its wake.

Liriel, continuing to alert, seeing her comrades' efforts, targeted the monsters being pushed back by Jarek's skill.

— Ambush Specialist [Passive] + Quick Strike

She pierced their glowing eyes and their exposed hearts, her daggers finding their mark with deadly precision, ending their life.

Despite their disadvantage in the water, Nikos' party fought with precision and teamwork. Jarek's powerful strikes, Liriel's lethal accuracy, Marielle's constant healing, and Nikos' versatile abilities slowly turned the tide in their favor.

The remaining monsters, sensing their impending defeat, launched a desperate attack. Nikos quickly switched to his support class, casting a protective barrier around the party.

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!Change Class

{Class: Mage} ⇄ {Class: Support}

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— Barrier Area

"Hold the line! We're almost there," he encouraged, his calm demeanor never faltering.

Jarek, driven by honor and loyalty, landed a devastating blow that cleaved one of the monsters in half. "For the Masster!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the cavern.

Liriel's daggers flashed one last time, striking the final monster's eye, piercing through its brain, causing it to collapse into the water. "That's the last of them, sir," she said, her voice filled with relief.

The water around them grew still once more, the monsters defeated.

Finally, it's all done. Nikos took a deep breath, his analytical mind already planning their next move. "Well done, everyone. We handled that well," he said, his calm and calculating nature reassuring his team.

Marielle sighed in relief, her nervousness dissipating. "We did it," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

Liriel sheathed her daggers, her eyes still scanning their surroundings as she collected some parts of the monsters. "We work well together. It's all thanks to your instruction, sir. Let's keep moving," she suggested, her appreciation for Nikos' leadership clear.

Jarek, ever honorable warrior, nodded in agreement. "We're stronger as a team. Let's continue to the third floor, Mashter."

Nikos nodded after collecting some monster parts. He immediately led the way, his lamp casting a steady glow as they moved deeper into the dungeon. They finally found a path out of this submerged area, then climbed back onto solid ground, and they continued their journey on this second floor.

The atmosphere grew heavier around their path, the air thick with moisture and the sound of water echoing through the corridors. The trickle from the ceiling increased, creating small streams that flowed along the ground.