The deeper they moved into the dungeon, the heavier the atmosphere became. The air felt denser, the silence sharper, and every step echoed slightly longer than before. Igna stayed alert, his grip firm on his dagger as he followed behind May and the others.
After a while, the path split into multiple directions.
Different routes.
Different dangers.
Maxe paused, her eyes scanning the paths carefully.
Maxe: "We should take that corner path."
She pointed toward a darker, narrower route.
May didn't hesitate.
May: "Alright. Stay close."
They moved forward.
The deeper they went, the more unnatural the surroundings felt. The walls became rougher, the ground uneven, and faint growls echoed from the distance.
Then—
They stopped.
Ahead of them stood a group of goblins.
Not ordinary ones.
Armed.
Organized.
And behind them—
A larger figure.
A Goblin General.
Its presence alone felt oppressive.
And beside it—
Two mutated dungeon wolves.
Stronger than anything they had faced before.
Around them, several dungeon wolves were locked inside crude cages, growling violently.
Igna's expression sharpened.
(This is different…)
May stepped forward slightly.
May: "Stay focused. This won't be easy."
The goblins charged.
The battle began instantly.
Stela moved first.
Lightning erupted from her hands, tearing through the weaker goblins effortlessly. Her attacks were fast and precise, leaving no room for the enemies to react. Several goblins fell within seconds.
But then—
The cages broke open.
The mutated dungeon wolves rushed toward her.
Fast.
Violent.
Stela smirked slightly.
Stela: "Now this is more fun."
She shifted her focus, engaging both wolves at once, her lightning clashing against their speed.
At the same time—
May and Igna faced the Goblin General.
The moment it moved—
The pressure increased.
It was fast.
Far faster than a normal goblin.
Its weapon swung toward Igna.
He barely dodged.
The force of the swing alone shook the ground.
Igna (thinking): This is on another level…
Maxe stood behind them, raising her hand.
A soft glow surrounded Igna and May.
Their bodies felt lighter.
Stronger.
Faster.
Maxe: "I'm supporting you. Don't hold back!"
May attacked first.
Her strikes were sharp and continuous, forcing the Goblin General to defend. But it wasn't enough. The monster countered, pushing her back slightly.
Igna stepped in.
He attacked from the side—
But the Goblin General reacted instantly.
Blocking.
Countering.
Its speed shocked him.
(I can't keep up…)
Then—
For a brief moment—
He saw it.
A golden path.
Faint.
But clear.
A line of movement.
A perfect route.
Igna's eyes widened.
(There…)
Without thinking—
He moved.
Faster than before.
He dodged the Goblin General's attack—
Slipped past its defense—
And struck its neck.
But—
The dagger cracked.
And broke.
The blade wasn't strong enough.
The Goblin General roared—
And swung its weapon.
Igna couldn't dodge in time.
BOOM
He was thrown back violently, crashing into the wall.
Pain shot through his body.
His vision blurred.
May: "Igna!"
Maxe reacted instantly.
Her healing magic activated.
The wound closed rapidly.
Igna forced himself to stand.
His breathing heavy.
(I failed…)
At that moment—
The battlefield shifted.
Stela raised her hand.
Her expression serious.
Stela: "Move back."
Lightning gathered intensely around her.
More than before.
Much more.
Stela: "Orb of Thunder Destruction."
A massive sphere of lightning formed—
Then exploded outward.
The shockwave wiped out the remaining goblins and both mutated wolves instantly.
The battlefield cleared in seconds.
Now—
Only the Goblin General remained.
May stepped forward.
Her eyes sharp.
Her aura changed.
May: "I'll finish this."
Her speed increased drastically.
Her movements became almost impossible to follow.
She entered a state of rapid attacks—
A storm of blades.
Each strike faster than the last.
Within seconds—
The Goblin General lost its arm.
Then—
Its head.
The battle ended.
Silence filled the area.
Heavy breathing.
Fading tension.
May: "We won."
Maxe lowered her hands slowly, still watching Igna.
Her eyes slightly wet.
Maxe: "You scared me…"
Igna looked down.
His fists clenched.
Igna: "I was too weak…"
Stela walked over and patted his head.
This time—
Igna didn't stop her.
He was distracted.
Thinking.
About that golden path.
(What was that…?)
After some time, they rested briefly before heading back toward the surface.
The dungeon felt quieter now.
But Igna's mind wasn't.
Something had awakened inside him.
Something new.
Something powerful.
And he knew—
This was only the beginning.