The cavern burned with chaos.

Cries tore through the dark, ours and theirs, melding into a single, deafening roar. Smoke thickened the air. Heat pulsed from every direction. It was war in a stone furnace.

BLAAST!

Orin launched Mana Bomb, the glowing sphere streaking through the air before detonating with a brilliant flash. The shockwave blew apart a cluster of Morgoths and Borgoths, their charred husks scattering across the cavern floor before vanishing.

Korrogoth answered in kind.

With a bellow that cracked the walls, the colossal beast slammed its hooves down continuously. The earth screamed.

The ground heaved beneath us, split by jagged fissures as Korrogoth's Tectonic Surge tore through the cavern like an angry god.

"Watch your footing!" I shouted, stumbling as a slab of stone crashed beside me.

But there was one upside, Korrogoth couldn't move while channeling. He was rooted, exposed.

"Elena, go!"

Her Silkshade Phantom darted into the chaos, weaving through fire and stone. Shadows danced around her as she drew half the enemy horde away. Gabborgoths, Borgoths, all blinded by her illusion.

In the middle of it all, Muradin stood like a mountain.

Flames licked his armor. Venomous quills rattled against his shield. Blood dripped from a fresh cut over his brow. He should've fallen a dozen times.

He didn't.

I kept my focus on him, weaving buff and healing spells as fast as I could. I refused to let him fall.

Meanwhile, Darwyn, our main damage dealer, zeroed in on Korrogoth. He dashed through the battlefield, narrowly avoiding the crumbling terrain, while Gorgroth, our monstrous ally, unleashed Spitfire into the fray, incinerating any creature foolish enough to stay in its path.

[Enhanced Frostbound Flask used]

Orin hurled an ice-laced flask at the advancing Infergoths.

CRACK!

The flask exploded in a cascade of frigid mist. Ice raced outward, engulfing the creatures in jagged frost. Crystalline spikes impaled limbs. Fire-blooded skin froze solid. Screams echoed as their bodies buckled beneath the chill.

Their eyes, glowing embers of rage, locked onto us.

They were furious now.

"Muradin! Now's your chance!" I called out.

His expression was grim but determined. He knew what I meant. His shield glowed faintly, and he braced himself for the inevitable impact.

"You better be right about this," he growled, voice cracked and low.

"I always am," I said, casting Inner Beast on him.

Muradin exhaled once. Shook off the pain. And charged with shield raised, into the oncoming firestorm.

Up until now, Muradin had rarely used Bastion Strike. It was a short-range, low-damage skill, useful for a light knockback but never a game-changer. At least, that's what he thought.

Until I told him otherwise.

I had spent hours researching numerous skills during my twelve years of playtime. That's when I found a hidden mechanic, a secret about this skill.

The power of Bastion Strike wasn't in the attack itself.

It grew stronger based on how much damage Muradin had taken during the first activation, Bastion Charge, which supposedly only increased his resistance.

Naturally, he hadn't believed me at first.

"That sounds like a load of crap," he'd scoffed when I first explained it.

"Really? Then why don't you prove it yourself?" I had smirked. "Too bad you don't have the spine to do it."

Muradin had grumbled about it back then. But now, as his entire body smoked from burns, as he absorbed every ounce of pain from the Infergoths' kamikaze attacks, he felt it, a surge of power rising from deep within him.

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The skill wasn't weak.

He had just never used it properly.

And now?

It was ready to explode.

[Bastion Strike cast]

A searing burst of light erupted from Muradin's shield. The air screamed. Energy pulsed outward in a wave that slammed into Korrogoth's chest like the wrath of a dying star.

The beast shrieked.

Its tectonic spell broke, earth stilling beneath us as the giant stumbled back, dazed.

The impact was devastating. Only slightly weaker than our usual Thunderstrike Slam combo.

Muradin staggered, smoke trailing from every inch of him.

"By the gods..." he rasped. "You were right!"

"Told you," I grinned. "You really think I read all those dusty books for fun?"

Orin wasted no time. She hurled a Frostbound Flask straight at Korrogoth, its icy contents shattering upon impact. A surge of frost spread across the beast's legs, slowing its movements as its thick, armored hide cracked beneath the sudden chill.

But it wasn't enough.

Korrogoth rose once more, its colossal frame looming over us, steam rising from its body as it shook off the ice.

Then, with a deep snarling breath, it charged.

Its massive tusks gleamed under the dim cavern light, aimed straight for Muradin, who was already struggling to stay on his feet after unleashing his Bastion Strike.

"Move, dwarf!" Darwyn shouted, already sprinting toward him.

Muradin barely had the strength to react. His armor was scorched, his shield dented, and yet, his stubborn pride refused to let him fall back.

"Damn it, Muradin!" I cursed, heart pounding. "You can't take that hit!"

Korrogoth was closing in fast. Even with the Frostbound Flask slowing it down, it was still too fast for Muradin to escape on his own.

Darwyn was closing the distance, reaching for Muradin's arm.

But they weren't going to make it.

My mind raced. We needed to do something. Now.

[Galestride cast]

A sudden gust of wind surged around the target. But it wasn't meant for Muradin or Darwyn.

Instead—

It was for Elena's Phantom.

"Elena!" I barked. "Send your Phantom in now!"

She didn't hesitate. With a sharp motion, she redirected her Silkshade Phantom, a ghostly illusion of herself, toward the charging Korrogoth.

Darwyn immediately understood and launched the follow-up action.

At the same time, a swarm of Gabborgoths and Borgoths were still chasing after it.

Hopefully this worked.

The Phantom lunged into Korrogoth's path just as the beast reached full speed.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion ripped through the cavern.

The force of the detonation slammed into Korrogoth's side, sending the behemoth crashing sideways with an earth-shaking impact.

Elena had sacrificed her Phantom in a last-ditch suicide attack, a strategy we had previously used against the Blood Berserker.

But this time, it hit even harder, thanks to Wyrmstone Bracelet.

Korrogoth roared in fury, struggling to rise, dazed from the unexpected blast.

Muradin, who had just moments ago been on the brink of collapse, suddenly grinned.

"Heh." He wiped the blood from his chin. "Now that's more like it."

Without wasting a second, he switched his shield into two massive axes.

[Thunderstrike Slam cast]

Muradin's axes whizzed through the air, slicing deep into Korrogoth's thick hide, followed by a thundering sound. The beast howled, but before it could retaliate…

Darwyn was already there.

His bowstring thrummed, releasing an arrow that crackled with electricity.

[Lightning Bolt cast]

ZZZAP! The charged arrow pierced straight into Korrogoth's wounds, the electricity spreading like wildfire across its armored body.

Gorgroth, sensing the opportunity, launched a barrage of Spitfire, three burning liquids seeping into the cracks Darwyn's attacks had made.

Korrogoth thrashed wildly, its agonized roars reverberating throughout the cavern.

But we weren't done yet.

"Now! Everyone, hit it with everything you've got!" I shouted.

Orin used Mana Surge and immediately threw something from her hand, Flameburst Flask. This time aimed directly at Korrogoth's head.

Muradin roared in defiance, his axes falling like hammers of vengeance.

Elena let loose her strongest shot yet.

The cavern was filled with blinding light.

Korrogoth's massive form shuddered, its movements slowing, before its body was consumed by the glow.

It vanished.

The final boss was dead.

For a moment, none of us spoke.

The silence that followed was almost eerie, broken only by the sound of our ragged breathing and the distant echoes of battle still fading into nothingness.

Then, as if waking from a trance, we all turned to the few remaining monsters. Without their leader, they looked hesitant, even afraid.

We didn't give them the chance to fight back. It was over in seconds.

The waves were done.

We had won.

Exhausted but triumphant, I sank to my knees, barely able to catch my breath.

"Well," Orin finally muttered, still panting. "That was hell."

"You don't say," Darwyn chuckled, slumping down beside me.

Muradin, covered in burns and bruises, simply threw his axes aside and flopped onto his back.

"Somebody get me a damn drink," he grumbled.

Elena let out a breathless laugh. "You're not even standing and you're already demanding ale?"

Muradin grinned weakly. "Damn right. We all earned it."

I couldn't help but smile.

After everything we had just endured, after the relentless waves, the monsters, the battle of sheer survival.

We were still alive.

And for now?

That was enough.

[High Willpower detected. A special event has been unlocked. Preparing...]

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