The heavy bronze door had closed shut
At the very center of the room, a translucent interface floated in the air
[Boss: Zorth clawer— Level 5 / Rank F]
The creature standing before the Cleaners was a nightmarish version of the monsters they had encountered earlier in the tunnels. Larger, it stood well over two and a half meters tall.
Its massive body looked as though it had been carved directly from stone. Its mere presence radiated a suffocating pressure that made the air hard to breathe.
The beast's upper limbs were grotesquely oversized compared to the rest of its anatomy. They ended in black claws more than fifty centimeters long, capable of tearing through steel.
"Do not stay grouped!" Gerard shouted
To draw the monster's attention, Gerard slammed his sword violently against his iron shield. The metallic noise shrieked as it tore through the heavy silence of the chamber
The beast turned its hideous head toward him in a jerky motion. Its red eyes burned with a savage, predatory intelligence, locking onto the source of the sound with unmistakable killing intent.
The monster launched into a brutal charge, the ground trembling beneath each of its heavy steps. Despite its colossal strength, its movements remained sluggish, slowed by its own mass.
The creature raised an enormous claw to crush the warrior, a strike of overwhelming violence. The impact alone could have split a massive boulder in two without resistance.
Gerard took the blow head on, his knees bending under the devastating force of the attack. His iron shield let out a strained metallic groan beneath the monster's pressure.
The group leader's muscles trembled under the inhuman effort required not to be crushed. Yet he did not yield an inch, rooted to the ground with iron determination.
Aaron did not waste a single second reacting to the opening Gerard created. Positioned strategically on a rocky ledge above, he overlooked the battlefield.
The archer released three arrows in rapid succession, his movements perfectly fluid. Each projectile whistled through the air
Aaron aimed for the monster's elbow joints, where the skin appeared thinner and more vulnerable. It was the ideal weak point to hinder the creature's striking power.
The arrows sank deep into the oily flesh, drawing a hoarse roar of rage from the boss
The slowness of the Zorth Griffeur was becoming its greatest weakness against the mobility of its opponents. The archer exploited every opening left by the monster's excessive mass without mercy
Jessica, her hands wrapped in a flickering blue aura, began to cast a spell. Her magical murmurs blended with the dull echoes of the battle raging at the center of the room
A freezing mist suddenly wrapped around the creature's massive legs. The biting cold numbed the boss's limbs, further hindering its already labored movements
"Now, Lyna!" Gerard ordered in a hoarse voice. His shout was nearly drowned out by the relentless pounding of the monster's claws against his shield
The young woman surged forward with blinding speed, crossing the arena like lightning. Her short blade gleamed with deadly light
Lyna did not seek direct confrontation, which would have been suicidal against such power. She circled the monster like a relentless, lethal hornet, always out of reach
She targeted the Achilles heels and the less protected flanks of the Zorth with precision. Each strike of her blade left a trail of thick black blood across the ground
Ken watched the scene, completely still near the sealed door that kept them trapped. His eyes did not leave the deadly dance unfolding before him for even a moment
The coordination of the Cleaner group was flawless, the result of long shared experience. It was a controlled ballet of violence where each role compensated for the weaknesses of the others
Ken found the spectacle admirable, analyzing every movement and reaction. He noted how raw strength was neutralized by precise strategy and unshakable calm
The monster attempted a desperate sweeping attack with both massive claws. It was a wide movement meant to reclaim space and drive its attackers back
The group reacted instantly to the new threat, demonstrating perfect synchronization. Gerard immediately raised his shield to protect Jessica, the more vulnerable mage
At the same time, Lyna and Aaron leapt back in perfect unison, moving out of the deadly trajectory. The boss's claw slammed violently into a central pillar
The impact tore massive chunks of stone from the structure, a testament to its terrifying strength. Yet that power was useless against opponents who refused to stay within reach
Watching the monster exhaust itself against empty air, Ken felt a sadistic smile spread across his face. A twisted warmth began to rise within his chest
To him, it was fascinating to see such a colossal beast reduced to helplessness by methodical technique. Every wound inflicted on the boss brought him an inexplicable inner satisfaction
The urge to join the carnage was no longer a fleeting impulse. It had become a burning hunger, a devouring thirst that demanded to be quenched in blood
Ken wanted to feel the resistance of that hideous, stone like skin beneath the edge of his own blade. He could already imagine the sharp crack of bones breaking under the force of his hands
The battle was nearing its end, the outcome now inevitable for the Rank F creature. The monster was weakened by the loss of black blood that now stained much of the ground
The arrows lodged in its joints prevented it from moving properly. The proud boss finally dropped to its knees, defeated by exhaustion and repeated wounds
The creature's head lowered toward the ground, as if accepting its inevitable fate
"We finish it!" Gerard shouted, giving the signal for the final assault. It was time to deliver the killing blow to the abomination
Jessica unleashed a concentrated surge of magic of rare intensity. The bluish projectile struck the monster's chest with the force of a battering ram, forcing it to raise its head
Aaron seized the opening to fire an arrow. The projectile pierced directly into the boss's right eye, blinding it permanently on that side
Lyna used the monster's own body as a springboard to leap onto its massive shoulders. In one fluid and merciless motion, she raised her sword
She drove her short blade to the hilt into the exposed nape of the boss. She aimed precisely where the spine was laid bare, where life would end instantly
The creature released one final, tearing gasp that echoed through the bronze arena. Then its massive body collapsed heavily to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust and debris
Silence fell abruptly over the room, heavy and almost unreal after the chaos. Only the ragged breathing of the victorious Cleaners could be heard
[You have cleared the Zorth Clawer Rank F dungeon]
Beneath the main message, the battle statistics appeared to determine each member's contribution
[Gerard group contribution: 1. Lyna Myrt points: 68 / 2. Gerard Smitt points: 67 / 3. Aaron Gurt points: 58 / 4. Jessica Gust points: 31 / 5. Ken Tenshi points: 0]
The system continued processing the combat data. A new message appeared: [Rewards are being assigned based on current contribution]
After a brief moment of calculation, the verdict came down definitively. [Reward assigned]. Each member's interface chip vibrated simultaneously
[The dungeon will disappear in 5 minutes]. There was no time to linger
Gerard sheathed his sword with a slow motion, wiping his forehead with the back of his glove. He seemed relieved to be done with the boss
"Good work, everyone. We were faster than last time," he said. His words were meant to unify the team and acknowledge each member's effort during the fight
Each of them activated their interface chip to check the credited balance. Jessica let out a small sigh of satisfaction when she saw the amount, despite her low contribution
Aaron and Lyna also seemed satisfied with their respective shares of the loot. Despite the modest nature of this Rank F dungeon, every credit was vital for these Rank E Cleaners who had been stagnating for too long
Ken let out a sigh, looking away from his own screen with a hint of embarrassment. His zero contribution points appeared like a silent accusation of his deliberate inaction
Jessica approached him lightly, a small friendly smile on her lips. She seemed to want to ease the tension after the intensity of the final battle
"You were pretty calm... I remember my first time here... I was shaking so much," she said. She was trying to reassure him, assuming his lack of action came from fear
As Ken opened his mouth to reply, Gerard's authoritative voice cut the conversation short. The leader had no intention of wasting time on unnecessary chatter
"Stop flirting, we need to leave before the dungeon disappears," he said sharply. He was already heading toward the door that had reopened after the boss's death
As they stepped outside
Gerard paused one last time, turning toward his companions to conclude the mission. "Congratulations again. That was a clean raid," he said as they headed back toward the portal
As they walked away, some of them talking again, Ken recalled the decision he had made only a few hours earlier. He had seriously considered giving everything up to find a more peaceful job
He had thought about saving his house through conventional means, abandoning this life as a Cleaner. Until now, this existence had seemed too slow for his Rank F potential
But remembering the agony of the Zorth and the black blood staining the ground, a new certainty rooted itself within him. He could not leave, not after feeling that emotion deep inside
This visceral urge to kill was not a burden to carry, it had become his guide. It told him that his place was not behind a desk, but here, at the very heart of destruction
Like a poet gazing upon a celestial light to draw inspiration, Ken wanted to contemplate the agony of monsters. He wanted to observe every detail of their suffering to extinguish them himself
He would find a way to save his house, but abandoning his promise to become a great Cleaner was now impossible. The desire to kill was no longer just a goal, it had become his drug, his only reason to breathe