The air in the Chief's hall was thick, electrified, as if the whole environment was alive, breathing the same tension that affected the team members. The black stone walls pulsed in sync with the roar of the colossal creature in front of them, each vibration bringing back ancient memories of pain and ruin.
The Boss rose completely, revealing its monstrous form: almost five meters tall, with a rocky carapace that covered its body like mountain armor. Its eyes, liquefied flames in holes set in the stone, watched Seth with a hungry glare.
The creature roared again, this time with clear intent. It was a warning. A challenge.
Seth took a single step forward. The monster's shadow didn't intimidate him. His fingers gripped Vaali's handle lightly, as if he were carrying a feather and not a weapon that could theoretically cut through realities. A faint buzz ran through the room. Vaali recognized the combat intent. She was hungry.
At the back, the group watched in complete silence. None of them dared to move. Ames had his lips parted, his hand resting unconsciously on the hilt of his own sword, as if he hoped in vain that he would have to intervene. But no one moved. Not when Seth was there.
The Chief was the first to attack. His huge mace rose up with a clatter of rocks and came down like a comet. The impact against the ground generated a shockwave that would have thrown anyone thousands of meters backwards. But not Seth. He had moved before the mace hit the ground using his lightning speed.
Vaali glowed in his arc. A trail of electrifying light was all the group saw before one of the creature's arms was severed. The monster screamed, a sound that made the walls crack. Stones fell from the ceiling.
The Boss retreated with surprising speed for its size. Its eyes narrowed, and the aura around it began to glow in shades of gray and red. The air shook. In response, Seth lifted Vaali, spinning her around with cool elegance. A small crack was heard, as if the sword had... laughing?
The creature, irritated, lunged forward with a headbutt. Seth threw himself to one side, sliding across the floor, Vaali scratching the ground like a paintbrush on canvas. The next moment, he stood up and jumped. His body was propelled by a leap so fast that for a second he disappeared.
[Jackpot: Activated.]
A gigantic explosion formed when Seth struck the center of the Boss's shell. The energy generated by the explosion pushed him back, but the Boss was thrown hard against one of the hall's columns, causing the entire structure to wobble. Parts of the wall collapsed.
When the dust cleared, the creature lay partially buried, its body cracked and smoking. But still alive.
"He... what kind of ability is that?" asked Durik, wide-eyed. "His sword... it's like a game of chance, isn't it? And he's winning them ALL."
The Boss roared, his flesh pulsing, slowly regenerating. The ground shook. Stones floated. The creature exploded at speed, appearing in front of Seth with its claws open. Seth blocked with Vaali, but the force was such that he was thrown backwards against the ground, sliding for several meters.
"He's... been hit!" Ames stepped forward, but Seth was already on his feet, a silent laugh on his face.
"It finally got interesting," he said.
Vaali glowed again, this time in blue. He and the sword became completely electrified... and he used everything he had in speed.
Seth advanced. His movements were a blur to human eyes. One cut, two, three. They all pierced through the creature's defense as if they were cutting through air. Each blow left an incandescent trail that would not heal. The creature roared in agony.
Then, the unexpected: the Boss split in three. Literally. Its body split, forming three smaller entities, each representing an aspect of itself: Strength, Speed and Magic.
The three creatures spread out, surrounding Seth. One attacked with brutal blows, the second with extreme agility, and the third began conjuring arcane spells that distorted the reality around it.
Seth was not intimidated. On the contrary. He smiled.
The lightning flashed even brighter, and his body disappeared. Literally. Not even his magical senses could locate him. The three creatures stepped back, confused. Then, like thunder, Seth reappeared in the air, striking the magical version with a vertical slash.
The resulting explosion consumed half the hall. The group protected themselves with mana barriers. When they opened their eyes again, the magic version had disintegrated.
The fast version tried to run away, but Seth teleported in front of it with a snap of his fingers. "You're not running away, you little shit"
He raised his sword at a speed that surpassed the boss's senses, and cut it into ten pieces in the blink of an eye.
Only the crude version remained. It roared, summoning stalactites from the ceiling, stones that flew like missiles. Seth sliced each one in the air, his expression unchanged.
"Vaali... let's wrap this up." The sword glowed. A bright, pulsating gold - not a color, but a promise.
Triple Jackpot.
The runes on the blade lit up in sequence. One chance in a thousand. All the effects active at once, a symphony of destruction.
Seth advanced. In an almost imperceptible leap, he appeared in front of the monster. Before the creature could react, he drove Vaali deep into its chest. The blade sank to the hilt, and then... the world exploded.
The light was pure, absurd, incandescent. The hall was engulfed in a white flash that blinded the senses. There was no sound. There was no space. Just the glow of something that didn't belong in this world.
When the light finally dissipated, there was nothing left - just dust and a crater where the dungeon master had once stood. No bones. No flesh. Nothing.
From the center of the destruction, Seth slowly emerged.
Vaali rested on his shoulder, still vibrating in silence. Seth's body didn't have a scratch on it. His breathing was calm. His eyes were serene. He looked more bored than triumphant.
The group approached, hesitantly. None of them dared to speak up, as if words could break the charm of the scene.
Anika was the first to speak, her voice almost a whisper. "Who... is that you?"
Seth stopped. He turned around slowly. His eyes, for a brief moment, glowed golden - a deep, ancient light, impossible to fake.
An almost imperceptible smile touched his lips. "Only a Rank-E... remember?"
[You've gone up a level]