Several hours passed as we ventured deeper, eliminating countless monsters along the way. The most common were Kobolds, small, hunched, rat-like creatures that attacked in packs. There were also Mantipades, swift, multi-legged insects with razor-sharp limbs. But the most troublesome were the Weaver Ants. Not because they were strong, but because they swarmed in overwhelming numbers.

Luckily, Orin's area-of-effect damage wiped them out before they could overrun us.

"Ugh, I'm going to start dreaming about bugs crawling in my ears," Orin groaned, scratching her ear frantically. "Too many legs. Way too many legs."

"I'll take ants over another Mantipade ambush," Muradin muttered, rolling his shoulder. "One more scratch on my back and I swear I'll lose it."

"You mean lose your temper or your backplate?" Darwyn smirked, crouching beside him to retrieve monster drops.

"Both," Muradin grunted.

After gathering the loot, none of which contained Soul Fragments, much to our frustration, we took a brief respite. Orin collapsed against a mossy rock and let out a long sigh.

"Still nothing," she said, flicking a pebble across the floor. "We're deep enough to be knee-deep in fragments by now. This can't just be bad luck."

"No," I muttered. "Welcome to my world."

Darwyn sighed as he wiped away the blood and viscera splattered across his armor. "We should be close now."

I nodded, adjusting my grip on my staff. "Yeah. But the real fight hasn't even begun."

We spent some time reviewing our strategy, making sure every detail was in place. The monster we were about to face wouldn't allow even the slightest mistake.

"Everyone knows their role?" I asked.

Muradin thumped his chest. "I'll keep it focused on me. I won't let them touch you guys."

"No worries," Orin said, twirling a flask. "I'm well prepared. I'll help you from behind."

"Darwyn?" I turned to the elf.

"I already know all of their weak points," he replied calmly. "I'll strike them one by one. Just buy me the window."

Once we were ready, Muradin stepped forward and gripped his warhammer tightly. With a powerful swing, he struck the sidewall, one that was subtly different in both color and texture. A deep, rumbling thud echoed through the chamber, followed by the sharp scrape of stone breaking apart. Shards crumbled to the ground, leaving behind a gaping hole.

"No turning back now," I said.

Without hesitation, we stepped through.

The air immediately turned thick with an oppressive weight, charged with something primal and foul. And there it stood, the King Kobold.

Unlike the common ones we'd fought before, this one was massive, nearly three meters tall. Its dark, matted fur shimmered with streaks of silver. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto us with unsettling intelligence.

"Oh, gods," Elena whispered. "It's huge."

"Bigger they are, harder they fall," Muradin growled.

King Kobold's clawed hands flexed, talons glinting like curved blades. The ceremonial cloak draped over its shoulders fluttered slightly as it stepped forward.

"It's sizing us up," Darwyn muttered. "Not attacking immediately… unlike other monsters."

"Yeah, it isn't like the others," I said. "And we'd better be careful."

The beast's tail lashed the ground with a heavy crack, sending dust billowing into the air. The spiked tip resembled a deadly iron club.

"Time to end this," Muradin said, stepping ahead.

"Careful," Elena warned. "This isn't just a brute. It's a king."

Darwyn inhaled deeply, his eyes glowing. "Let's dethrone the bastard."

The King let out a low, guttural snarl, the sound echoing like a warning drum.

And in response, its minions stirred.

Kobold Diggers, the smaller, stocky creatures, shifted restlessly. Their powerful, clawed hands were built for burrowing through the earth, allowing them to strike from unexpected angles.

Then there were the Black Kobolds, the sinister assassins of their kind. Their coal-black fur and glowing red eyes made them terrifying in the darkness. They specialized in deception: stealth attacks, traps, and poison-coated weapons.

And finally, the Grobolds, the muscle of the Kobold forces. They were larger, hulking figures, with thick, battle-scarred hides and immense strength. Their massive arms allowed them to wield oversized clubs or stone hammers effortlessly. Their snarls and guttural growls filled the chamber as they stood like a wall of living flesh between us and their king.

Muradin grunted. "Well… this looks like it's gonna be fun."

Darwyn shot him a glance. "If by fun, you mean an absolute nightmare, then yeah, sure."

Orin exhaled sharply, gripping her staff tighter. "A-are you sure this is going to work?"

"We stick to what we discussed," I replied, scanning the battlefield. "Focus fire, control their movements, and pay close attention to your assigned role."

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The King Kobold raised its clawed hand, and the chamber fell into complete silence.

With a guttural roar, it slashed the air, signaling the attack.

And all hell broke loose.

***

Muradin raised his shield, bracing himself for the brutal onslaught from the King Kobold and its Grobold enforcers. His job was simple. Hold the line, endure the blows, and keep the monsters from reaching the rest of us.

On my end, I focused on keeping the team alive. With a swift motion, I cast Rejuvenation and Tempest Shield on Muradin, strengthening his defenses and ensuring he could weather the incoming attacks. Everytime I had a chance, I directed Galestride to Darwyn, our main damage dealer, enhancing his attack speed and mobility.

Without pause, Darwyn activated Piercing Arrow and Lightning Bolt, his attacks precisely targeting the elusive Black Kobolds lurking in the shadows. Their agility made them difficult to hit, but Darwyn's relentless barrage kept them from maneuvering freely. Beside him, Elena loosed arrow after arrow at the Kobold Diggers, preventing them from burrowing underground.

[Quick Enhance cast]

[Enhanced Electroflask used]

At this stage, Orin played a critical role. She periodically hurled Electroflask into the battlefield, an item that normally dealt damage in a small area. However, with enhancements, the explosion covered a much wider radius, delivering periodic shock pulses that interrupted enemy movements. The Kobold Diggers, highly vulnerable to electricity, writhed in agony. Some were already on the verge of collapse, their twitching bodies struggling to continue fighting.

Suddenly, I caught a flicker of movement from the corner of my eye.

"Elena, watch out!" I shouted, instinctively casting Tempest Shield on her.

A Kobold Digger had slipped past our defenses, disappearing underground undetected. In an instant, it reemerged, sensing Elena as the weakest target and lunging for a lethal strike.

A flash of light streaked through the air.

Darwyn reacted instantly, loosing a Lightning Bolt that struck the monster mid-attack, killing it before it could return to the underground. Elena gasped, frozen in place, her body trembling as she struggled to process how close she had come to death.

"Orin, cover her!" I ordered.

Without hesitation, Orin dashed toward Elena, standing protectively by her side.

Muradin's strained voice cut through the battlefield.

"A little help here!" he bellowed, barely holding his ground against the relentless assault from the King Kobold and its Grobold enforcers. They had completely surrounded him, hammering his shield with powerful strikes.

[Wind Cutter has reached maximum stack. Hidden effect activated – Tornado Slash cast]

A fierce gust of wind howled through the chamber.

Just in time.

Tornado Slash erupted, a spiraling storm of razor-sharp wind cutting through the enemy ranks. King Kobold and the Grobolds recoiled, wincing as the attack tore into them, giving Muradin a brief window to fall back and chug a healing potion.

[Enhanced Flameburst Flask used]

A roaring inferno engulfed the battlefield.

The flames, usually a deep red, burned with an intense blue hue, a sign of their scorching heat. The lingering effects of Tornado Slash fanned the blaze, amplifying the destruction. The King Kobold let out a guttural roar, its massive form momentarily writhing in agony. The enhanced version of Flameburst Flask was ridiculously powerful. No wonder Orin had earned a team on her very first exploration.

I exhaled, my heart still pounding.

Thanks to that, we had a brief moment to recover.

Elena steadied herself and returned to battle, while Muradin reinforced his shield, preparing for what was to come.

We had barely caught our breath when another incident struck.

A Black Kobold hurled a smoke bomb, instantly engulfing the battlefield in a thick, choking fog.

"Darn it! I can't see a thing!" Darwyn cursed, shooting his arrow blindly.

Before we could react, another Black Kobold had already slipped through our defenses, moving with eerie precision.

A glint of poison-coated steel flashed in the darkness…

"Darwyn, watch out!" I shouted.

Too late.

"Ugh!" Darwyn gasped as the poisoned blade sank into his side. He stumbled back, clutching the wound before collapsing onto one knee.

"Elena!" Orin's voice rang with urgency.

Elena had already nocked an arrow. She barely took a breath before loosing it.

Thwip!

The arrow pierced straight through the Black Kobold's eye, sending it crumpling to the ground.

Orin rushed to Darwyn's side, quickly pulling out a healing item. "Hold still," she murmured, her hands steady despite the chaos.

But before we could recover, another crisis struck.

A rock, larger than a fist, slammed into my head.

Everything went black.

For a moment, there was only silence, a ringing in my ears.

Then, blurry shapes.

Pain.

Shouting.

As my vision returned, I saw Orin. Wounded.

A Grobold had broken through Muradin's defenses, attacking the back formation.

I tried to move, but my limbs felt sluggish.

"Not today, bastard!" Lightning flashed.

Darwyn, despite his injury, had managed to cast Lightning Bolt, the arc of electricity paralyzing the Grobold mid-strike.

"Elena!" he barked.

"On it."

Another arrow. Another kill.

The battlefield was chaotic, but we were holding our ground. Barely.

At last, the moment we'd been waiting for arrived.

"Now! Hit it again!" Muradin shouted.

Another Tornado Slash activated, unleashing a howling vortex that tore through the remaining Kobold Minions. The sharp winds carved through their ranks, sending them stumbling.

"Make it count, Orin!" I called.

"With pleasure!" she yelled, yanking a glowing orange vial from her pouch.

She hurled a Flameburst Flask straight into the storm. The glass shattered mid-spin, and a heartbeat later—FOOM—the entire vortex ignited. Flames roared to life, twisting with the violent wind. A swirling inferno raged outward, engulfing the panicked Kobolds.

"That's right, burn, you filthy mutts!" Orin cried.

Screeches of agony echoed through the cavern as the combined power of wind and fire left nothing but scorched remains.

Suddenly, Darwyn's voice rang out, calm and precise, "Last one's mine."

A flash of light erupted from his bow.

The projectile streaked across the chamber, trailing a faint silver arc. It struck the final Grobold right between the eyes. The creature let out a strangled yelp before collapsing in a heap, unmoving.

Then, the entire chamber shook violently.

"What now—?" Orin started, but her words were drowned out by a deep, bone-rattling growl.

Cracks splintered across the stone floor as dust rained from the ceiling.

"Get back!" I shouted, grabbing Orin by the arm and pulling her away from the center.

Muradin planted his feet wide. "Here we go again…" he muttered, tightening his grip on the warhammer.

Cracks splintered across the stone floor as dust and debris rained from the ceiling. A deep, guttural growl reverberated through the room.

Darwyn's eyes narrowed as he scanned the shifting rubble. "That sound didn't come from above."

"No," Elena whispered, trembling. "It came from below."

"Everyone, positions!" I barked. "This is where it gets real."

Muradin raised his hammer and grinned. "Aye. Time to dance with death."

The second phase had begun.

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