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Chapter 9 – Capture the Flag
The air was heavy with tension.
Five. That was all that remained out of the original fifty-five recruits.
Jason Walter.
Lucy Shiba.
Luzin Harper.
Taylor.
And one other nameless recruit whose eyes still held the faint, desperate glimmer of survival.
The wide expanse of the dungeon's final floor stretched out before them, its endless plain bathed in an eerie, silver light. In the center, on a jagged stone pedestal, fluttered the Dragon Flag—the final key to victory.
Taylor, the same person who had knocked Jason off balance before they entered the cave, now clashed violently with Lucy. Steel rang against steel, each blow throwing sparks into the air. Their duel was so fierce that it tore the ground beneath them, leaving craters in its wake.
The other recruit, seeing an opening, broke away. His eyes locked on the flag. His breathing was ragged, his steps frantic, but there was determination in every stride. He was going to claim it.
Then it happened.
A shadow fell over the battlefield.
No—not a shadow.
A mountain moved.
The air trembled with a low, guttural roar as something enormous tore through the horizon, shaking the very ground. Stone and dust erupted skyward, and from the veil of chaos emerged the Boss of the Dungeon.
It was massive—its towering form easily eclipsing any structure they had seen before. Blue eyes, burning like ancient glaciers, scanned the battlefield. The temperature dropped instantly, and a suffocating pressure wrapped around them like chains.
Everyone froze. Even Lucy's relentless duel with Taylor paused for a heartbeat.
"Jason!" Luzin Harper's voice cut through the paralysis. She stepped forward, spear in hand, standing between the Boss and the flag. Her tone left no room for argument. "Run for the flag! I'll hold it off as long as I can!"
Jason hesitated, but the look in Luzin's eyes left no space for refusal.
The Boss moved.
Its sheer size made every step a quake, and its roar was so loud that the stone pedestal cracked beneath the flag. In the next instant, the nameless recruit was gone—swallowed in a flash of teeth and darkness.
Jason's pulse pounded in his ears. He dashed forward, the flag within reach. Victory was a breath away.
But just as his fingers grazed the fabric—
A figure stepped into his path.
Lucy Shiba.
Her eyes were cold, determined. "This flag is mine," she said, her voice calm yet cutting like a blade.
Jason's expression hardened. He glanced to the side—Taylor lay sprawled on the ground, blood pooling around him, his body battered and broken. Lucy had already defeated him.
The flag still fluttered above them, but now it wasn't just about victory.
It was a test.
Of honor.
Of friendship.
Of trust.
Would Jason and Lucy fight each other for the prize…
Or would they set aside their rivalry and capture it together?
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Chapter 10 – Now Only Three Remaining
The dust had barely settled from the last clash, and already the battlefield was boiling with tension. Only three remained now—Jason Walter, Lucy Shiba, and Luzin.
The moment was heavy. The air felt denser, almost suffocating, as though the dungeon itself was holding its breath. And then—
> DING!
[System Notice: Final Countdown – Time Remaining: 03:59]
A faint hum resonated in their ears, the familiar system interface flickering in the corner of their vision. Another line of text appeared.
> [Boss Detected: Alat Zemarbarg – B.O.D]
(Boss of Dungeon)
The very mention of B.O.D made Jason's knuckles tighten around his weapon. This wasn't going to be an ordinary fight—this was the final trial, the clash that would determine everything.
Lucy Shiba stepped forward, her eyes sharp and unreadable, her posture screaming confidence. Jason mirrored her stance, the tension between them like a drawn bowstring.
They moved at the same time.
Steel clashed against steel in a deafening ring, sparks flying as both poured their strength into every strike.
It wasn't just a fight—it was a battle laced with words.
Jason parried a strike, gritting his teeth. "We can still get what we want," he said through the clang of metal, his voice laced with urgency. "But not like this."
Lucy's eyes narrowed. She blocked his sword and shoved him back a step. "Exactly," she said coldly, "that's why one of us must lose… and it's not going to be me."
The clash and talk continued.
Every blow was a sentence, every dodge a rebuttal. The floor beneath them cracked under their movements, the dungeon walls echoing with the rhythm of their strikes. Time was ticking down, but neither seemed willing to stop.
Then—
A loud, guttural roar tore through the air, shaking the entire chamber.
Both fighters froze for a fraction of a second. This roar… it wasn't human.
They turned toward the sound.
The Boss of Dungeon had entered the fray—Alat Zemarbarg, a towering monstrosity with jagged obsidian scales and eyes that burned like molten lava. But it wasn't Zemarbarg alone that caught their attention.
Luzin was there—right in front of the beast—her spear raised high, about to drive it into the creature's massive chest.
Jason's eyes widened.
And then he saw them—more than twenty massive beasts charging around Luzin, each one tearing into the boss's hide. His pulse quickened. He knew these monsters.
No way…
They were the very same beasts that had nearly killed him in the Violet Cave. Back then, he'd barely escaped with his life. And now, here they were, fighting for Luzin.
A chilling realization hit him—she had been the one who summoned them.
Before he could dwell on it, his system interface flashed again.
> [Time Remaining: 00:34]
His heartbeat spiked. There was no time.
Lucy noticed the distraction, but Jason moved faster. In that fleeting moment, he sidestepped her attack, slipped past her guard, and sprinted toward the flag at the far end of the chamber.
Lucy cursed under her breath, spinning to chase him—but it was too late.
Jason's hand closed around the flag's staff, and the system blared:
> [Flag Captured – Jason Walter]
At the same time, Luzin's spear struck true. Zemarbarg roared one last time before collapsing, its body shaking the ground as it fell lifeless. The summoned beasts vanished into shimmering dust.
The trial was over.
Only the heavy breaths of the victors filled the dungeon now.
Jason, gripping the flag, looked at Luzin from across the battlefield. She had a faint smile—one that was neither friendly nor hostile, but carried the weight of someone who had fought their own war.
Lucy stood still, her eyes burning with frustration but also… respect.
The final stage awaited them.
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