THE DUNGEON SHOOK AS A GUTTURAL ROAR RIPPLED THROUGH THE AIR.
THE TORCHES FLICKERED WILDLY AS RYUJIN AND HIS TEAM ENTERED THE FINAL CHAMBER.
"STAY CLOSE!" ARIA HURRIEDLY WHISPERED, HER STAFF READY.
A COLOSSAL ARMORED MINOTAUR STEPPED OUT OF THE DARKNESS.
HORNED, COVERED IN BATTLE SCARS, AND CARRYING AN AXE AS LARGE AS A TREE.
ITS EYES LOCKED ON THE TEAM LIKE PREY.
THE FIGHT BEGINS
THE MINOTAUR CHARGED WITH A DEAFENING ROAR.
ITS AXE SWUNG DOWN, SMASHING THE FLOOR INTO RUBBLE WHERE KAI HAD STOOD A SECOND AGO.
"MOVE, KAI!" RYUJIN SHOUTED, GRABBING HIM BY THE COLLAR AND DIVING AWAY.
CRASH!
THE GROUND SPLIT OPEN FROM THE IMPACT.
MIRA'S ARROWS RATTLED USELESSLY AGAINST THE MINOTAUR'S THICK ARMOR.
ARIA CAST A LIGHT BARRIER JUST IN TIME TO BLOCK ANOTHER SWING, BUT THE SHIELD WAS ALREADY CRACKING.
"WE CAN'T KEEP THIS UP!" MIRA YELLED.
RYUJIN TAKES THE LEAD
RYUJIN KNEW THEY WOULD ALL DIE IF HE DIDN'T TAKE CONTROL.
HE CLOSED HIS EYES FOR A BRIEF MOMENT.
ULTRA INSTINCT TRIGGERED.
THE WORLD SLOWED.
HE DODGED THE NEXT SWING WITH PRECISION AND CUT ACROSS THE MINOTAUR'S EXPOSED ANKLE.
BLOOD BURST OUT IN A SPRAY.
"KAI, MIRA—FOCUS ON THE SAME LEG! BREAK ITS BALANCE!"
FOLLOWING RYUJIN'S COMMAND, KAI SLASHED THE INJURED LEG WITH HIS DAGGERS WHILE MIRA FIRED POINT-BLANK ARROWS.
THE BEAST ROARED IN PAIN AND CRASHED TO ONE KNEE.
THE FINAL STRIKE
THE MINOTAUR LIFTED ITS AXE IN A LAST ATTEMPT TO KILL THEM, BUT RYUJIN WAS ALREADY MOVING.
HE RAN UP THE BEAST'S ARM, LAUNCHED INTO THE AIR AND PLUNGED HIS KATANA THROUGH ITS SKULL.
BOOM!
THE MONSTER FELL WITH A THUNDEROUS CRASH, THE CHAMBER SHAKING AS ITS LIFELESS BODY HIT THE FLOOR.
LEVEL UP
[LEVEL UP!]
CURRENT LEVEL: 16
RYUJIN FELT A SURGE OF POWER FLOOD HIS VEINS.
HIS STRENGTH, AGILITY, AND MANA SPIKED SHARPLY.
"That was insane…" KAI SAID, BREATHLESS, STARING AT HIM.
"RYUJIN… HOW DID YOU—?"
RYUJIN MET HIS EYES, SILENT.
KAI SAW THAT LOOK AND NODDED.
"I WON'T ASK. BUT… THANK YOU FOR SAVING US."
ASSOCIATION CLEARS HIM
OUTSIDE THE DUNGEON, ASSOCIATION AGENTS WATCHED THE MAGIC RECORDINGS.
"NO SIGNS OF CORRUPTION. HE PROTECTED HIS TEAM THE ENTIRE TIME," ONE OFFICER SAID.
CAPTAIN VAREL CROSSED HIS ARMS.
"FINE. REMOVE SURVEILLANCE.
RYUJIN KAZURO IS CLEARED… FOR NOW."
MOVING FORWARD
AS THE TEAM EXITED THE DUNGEON, ARIA AND MIRA WERE CELEBRATING THE WIN.
BUT RYUJIN WALKED QUIETLY BESIDE KAI.
"YOU COULD HAVE LET ME DIE BACK THERE," KAI SAID, HALF-SMILING.
"BUT YOU DIDN'T. I OWE YOU, RYUJIN."
RYUJIN DIDN'T REPLY, BUT A SMALL SMIRK PULLED AT HIS LIPS.
"LEVEL 16… STILL NOT ENOUGH.
I HAVE TO GET STRONGER."