The sound of his own ragged breathing hadn't even faded when he felt the cold sweat on his neck. His hands were clenched so tight he could feel them trembling.
What the hell was that dream?
He let out a long sigh, trying to pull himself back to reality. He reached for the mouse, clicking on the notification flashing in the bottom corner of his screen.
[Whisper from: Karess] "Where'd you go? You just disappeared, afk right in the middle of town."
He rolled his eyes slightly before typing back.
Kalis: Nodded off. Work's been killing me.
Karess: Alright, then. For a second, I thought your soul actually got dragged off somewhere. Boss is about to respawn. Hurry up.
Kalis: Sorry, man. Woke up because of the dream again. It was… weird as hell.
Karess: Another one? What was it this time?
Kalis: Same kind of dream I've told you about… but this one was way too clear. It was like I met myself… another version of me. And he said something like he was… "giving me a quest." Told me, "You must carry out your duty."
Karess: Wait a sec. A dream with a "quest" in it? You dreamed that you got a quest from yourself? If this were a novel, this is where the plot would start getting good.
Kalis: You should be used to it by now, right? I tell you about these dreams all the time. But this one was different. This time… it felt serious. Felt exactly like "getting a quest from myself."
Karess: Gives me the creeps a little. Whatever. Don't overthink it. Let's go kill this boss. Warp to me, magic swordsman. Waiting at the entrance to the Lower Temple Ruins dungeon.
Party Assembled - Entrance to the "Lower Temple Ruins" Dungeon
A cold mountain wind swept past the ancient pillars, sending loose leaves spiraling softly through the air. The light from archaic torches reflected off the black-and-red cloak of Kalis, a magic swordsman with dark grey hair and a stoic face, marked by a faint scar under his left eye. He carried a "Dimensional Spellblade" on his back, its edge glinting like a sliver of the moon in the darkness.
Karess waved him over. He was leaning casually against a rock, clad in the pitch-black attire of an assassin, his cloak trimmed with deep purple. His face was hidden behind a half-mask, revealing only a pair of sharp, crimson eyes that looked like he hadn't slept in over three days.
Karess: "Took you long enough. Was starting to think you'd nodded off again."
Kalis: "You talk too much for an assassin." "I was just restocking."
Karess: "Hmph. Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that." "Everyone else is here."
The chime of a teleport spell rang out again. The figures of their party members materialized one by one.
Zaria — a female human healer in a white and blue robe, its hem embroidered with glowing flowers. She had long, silver hair with short-cut bangs, ice-blue eyes, and a magical crystal necklace that floated slightly around her neck.
Raine — a female elven archer with blonde, half-braided hair, dressed in form-fitting, olive-green leathers. A thin, metal half-mask, typical of a forest stalker, covered part of her face. Her olive-green eyes were still, as if tracking every movement.
Barrow — a dwarven warrior tank, his body a solid block of muscle. He was covered head-to-toe in thick iron plate armor, carrying a round metal shield as large as a door. A long beard flowed from his face, which bore the faint marks of tribal tattoos on his forehead.
Zaria: "Hope you're not going to go afk in the middle of the boss fight again, Kalis!"
Kalis: "I said I was sorry, didn't I?!" "I won't fall asleep on the boss today. I promise."
Raine: "Then let's go. The boss has spawned."
Boss Hunt - The Mountain-Hunter Troll
The battle took place on a wide, stone plateau in the middle of a valley, littered with dried wood, old monster corpses, and a creeping ground fog.
The heavy, thudding footsteps echoed from the mouth of a cave. A figure nearly five meters tall lumbered out slowly, wielding a wooden club studded with bone.
[System Alert]: "Mountain-Hunter Troll" has appeared!
Barrow: "I'm going in! Brace for impact!" — He charged, using "Earthen Shield Bash," and slammed into the troll. The sound of the impact—CRACK!—sent fractures across the ground beneath their feet. The troll staggered back a step, letting out a furious roar.
Raine: "Expose a weak point! Topple it!" — She leaped onto a boulder and fired a "Tendon-Slicing Arrow," piercing the troll's left knee. It immediately buckled to one side, the ground trembling slightly.
Kalis: "Its back is open! I'm in!" — He teleported with "Shadow Step," appearing behind the beast. He cast "Dimensional Rend," slashing across its back. The stone-like hide cracked under the blow.
Kares: "My turn!" — He darted from the shadows, sinking a "Pulse-Severing Shadow Dagger" into the nape of its neck. Black blood sprayed in an arc.
Zaria: "Buffs and debuffs are ready!" — An "Eternal Circle of Light" shone beneath everyone's feet, granting a buff against magic, while she simultaneously cast "Armor Break" on the boss, making it more vulnerable to spells.
Boss: [Disrupting Roar!] — It bellowed, shattering the magic circle. All magical effects collapsed. Kalis and Karess were thrown back, their momentum completely broken. The party was in disarray.
Kalis: "It's not over yet!" — He leaped into the air, casting "Plane-Crossing Boundary." A line of dark light cut across the sky before his "Soul-Ending Spellblade" came crashing down on the boss's head.
Raine: "Covering fire!" — A "Heart-Seeking Arrow" slammed into the troll's chest, wreathed in magical light. The troll's body convulsed twice before it collapsed to the ground in a heap.
[System]: Boss 'Mountain-Hunter Troll Lv.72' has been defeated by your party! Drops: Rare Dimensional Mana Stone, Crystal Sword Fragment, Troll Hide Scraps.
Karess: "I bet you're gonna have another one of those dreams tonight." "This drop rate is way too good to be normal."
Kalis: "Hmph… At this point, I'm not even sure…" "...which part is 'reality,' and which is just a dream."