Chapter 37 – The Awakening of Thegg
[KUTO – NOBLE CLASS DUNGEON, DEEP CORRIDORS]
The air was wrong.
Not just cold — but dense, almost solid, pressing against the skin like invisible hands trying to push them back. Every breath required conscious effort, lungs struggling against weight that should not exist.
Kuto walked at the front, black eyes scanning every shadow, every crack in the fractured walls, every corner where something might be waiting. His muscles were tense — not relaxed since they entered the dungeon, hours ago. Or days? Impossible to know. Time warped in here.
Behind him, Jack kept his gaze fixed on the magical map projected in his palm — blue runes floating and constantly rearranging themselves, tracing a path that changed on its own. The glow reflected on his sweaty face, illuminating eyes blinking too fast, jaw clenched too tight.
He feels it too.
The weight.
Romeu — usually the loudest, always with an inappropriate joke on the tip of his tongue — was silent. He only exchanged nervous glances with Sônia, who bit her lower lip until it nearly bled.
Selina and Sensi floated slightly above the ground, conserving energy, but both mages' eyes never stopped scanning the ceiling — where droplets fell in a constant, metronomic, hypnotic rhythm.
Ploc.
Ploc.
Ploc.
Like a countdown to something inevitable.
Then the pressure changed.
Not gradually. Instantly.
As if something colossal had awakened somewhere deep below and breathed for the first time in centuries.
The ground trembled lightly. Dust fell from the ceiling. The torches — burning cold-blue since the coffin chamber — flickered violently, nearly going out.
Kuto stopped.
Everyone stopped.
Dimitri spoke first, voice coming out strangled, hoarse:
— That… that presence… — he swallowed hard, forcing the words through his tight throat. — That's not normal. That's not like the skeletons. That is…
He couldn't finish.
Jack clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white, trying to hide the tremor starting in his hands:
— It's him. — His voice came out lower than intended, carrying weight that made everyone look at him. — The presence at the bottom of the dungeon. It's the boss.
Silence.
Absolute.
Only heartbeats — fast, uneven, too loud in their own ears.
Kuto felt it through Fragment 001 — which pulsed in response, recognizing something ancient, something that should not be alive but was.
[System flickers]
[ALERT: HIGH-LEVEL ENTITY DETECTED]
[RECOMMENDATION: RETREAT IMMEDIATELY]
Convenient.
But there is no going back.
Romeu let out a laugh — nervous, broken, completely devoid of humor:
— I think… — pause to breathe — …I think I'll head back now.
He tried to sound playful. Failed miserably.
Selina — normally the most pragmatic, always the first to assess risks — nodded slowly:
— This time… I'll have to agree with him.
She turned to Jack, eyes serious:
— We should retreat. This energy is different from anything we've faced. It's not just stronger. It's different. Like it…
— Like it shouldn't be here — Sensi finished, her voice trembling. — Like the dungeon itself fears it.
Jack hesitated.
Kuto saw the battle happening internally — pride saying "we can't retreat", survival instinct screaming "RUN."
But before anyone could decide—
CRACK.
The sound came from behind.
They all turned.
The ground — solid stone they had walked on for hours — began to split.
Not small cracks. Massive fissures opening like hungry mouths, widening exponentially, swallowing everything within meters.
The sound was horrible — like bones breaking amplified a thousand times, like the earth itself screaming.
In five seconds, the corridor they had come through disappeared.
Only a bottomless black abyss remained.
— SHIT! — Gunja shouted, instinctively stepping back. — We're trapped!
Kuto gritted his teeth, hands tightening around the sword hilt until it hurt:
— We have no choice. — He looked forward, toward the corridor leading to the boss. — We go ahead. It's either out that way or die here.
Romeu — desperate, searching for any alternative — raised his voice:
— Wait! — He pointed at Sensi and Selina. — What if they carry us flying? They can take us to the exit, right?
Sônia gave a brief, hopeful smile:
— Good idea!
Jack turned to the two mages:
— Can you?
Selina exchanged a glance with Sensi. Then nodded:
— Yes, but—
Sensi finished, already beginning to levitate:
— I need to check if there's a safe place to land. And whether the barrier at the entrance still exists.
She looked at Jack:
— Give me a minute.
She began to rise — her body enveloped in translucent blue glow, hair floating around her head as if submerged.
She floated to the edge where the ground had vanished, hovering over the black abyss. Then she cautiously advanced toward the entrance corridor, distant but still visible.
Kuto watched tensely, eyes unblinking.
It'll work.
It has to work.
Sensi reached the area where the dungeon entrance should have been — where the black gates had swallowed them hours earlier.
She extended her hand, touching the air.
And exploded.
Not literally. But bright-blue electrical energy instantly engulfed her, arcs jumping across her skin, her hair, her entire body.
— AAAAAAHHH!
The scream echoed through the walls, piercing everyone's bones.
Her body convulsed violently — back arching, limbs contracting, mouth open in silent agony after the first scream.
Then she was thrown backward with brutal force, her body spinning uncontrollably, plunging into the black abyss.
— SENSI! — Jack shouted, extending his hand uselessly.
Selina didn't hesitate.
She launched from the ground like an arrow — cloak fluttering behind her like wings, hands already glowing arcane blue.
She dove into the void.
Five seconds that felt like eternity.
Then she emerged, carrying Sensi in her arms — the smaller body hanging limp, smoke rising from burned skin.
She landed with difficulty, nearly collapsing under the weight.
Everyone ran.
Célia arrived first, already casting before kneeling:
— LUX SANARE!
A golden circle burst beneath her hands, warm light enveloping Sensi's convulsing body.
The burns began to heal — skin regenerating, redness fading, breathing stabilizing.
It took ten seconds.
Then Sensi's eyes opened — glassy, confused, but conscious.
Her voice came out hoarse, burned:
— There's… there's a barrier. — She coughed, blood staining her lips. — No one can leave. Not until…
She couldn't finish. She fainted in Célia's arms.
Jack clenched his fist so hard the sound of joints cracking echoed in the silent chamber:
— Damn it… — His voice came out low, dangerous. — This damned dungeon won't let us escape before we finish everything.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Everyone understood perfectly what that meant.
Either they won. Or they died here.
There was no third option.
Kuto took a deep breath — not from fear, but from acceptance.
So this is it.
No exit.
Only forward.
He spoke with firm, controlled voice:
— No going back. Only forward. — He looked at each of them. — Broken tools are useless. But functional tools together… win.
It wasn't an inspiring speech. It was fact.
Dimitri — trying to break the weight — forced a smile:
— Complaining only brings bad luck. Let's finish this and get out.
Romeu slapped Jack's shoulder, his voice steadier now:
— Come on, leader. Not the time to crumble. Time to fight.
Jack looked around — at each face, each expression carrying fear but also determination.
He took a deep breath.
And smiled — tired, but genuine:
— Right. Time to fight.
He began assembling formation:
— Gunja, Célia — he looked at the two at the rear — keep your distance. Long-range support spells. Healing when necessary.
— Understood — they answered in unison.
— Sônia, Dimitri — he turned to the elemental mages — left side. Hit with everything you have when I signal.
— Leave it to us — Dimitri said, spinning his staff with renewed confidence.
— Selina, Sensi — he looked at the two — right side. Same thing. Maximum power on signal.
Sensi — still trembling but standing — nodded:
— Understood.
— Haru, Kuto, me — Jack adjusted his steel gauntlets, tightening the straps. — We go front. Vanguard. We absorb the first impact.
Kuto nodded once.
Haru said nothing. He simply vanished into the shadows — already positioned, already ready.
---
They advanced.
The corridor gradually widened, walls covered with ancient murals carved directly into stone.
Kuto observed as he walked.
First panel: Colossal warrior — muscles defined to caricature, wild eyes, expression of pure fury. He wielded two axes, each the size of an adult person.
Second panel: Battle — the warrior massacring entire armies, bodies piled at his feet, blood covering everything.
Third panel: Betrayal — his own soldiers surrounding him, daggers gleaming, expressions of fear and determination.
Fourth panel: Fall — the warrior on his knees, dozens of blades piercing his body, blood pouring.
Fifth panel: Sealing — the body dragged into a dungeon, runes being carved, gates closing.
General Thegg.
Betrayed by his own.
Sealed here.
Not dead.
Just… sleeping.
The atmosphere grew even heavier.
Then they saw it.
A colossal door.
Three times the height of the dungeon entrance. Made of dark-purple stone that pulsed faintly, as if breathing. Carved with hundreds of skulls in relief — each with a different expression of agony. Runes covering every inch, glowing blood-red.
The air around it was distorted — rippling, vibrating, as if space itself were unstable.
Haru materialized from the shadows, involuntarily stepping half a step back:
— That door… it's even bigger than the entrance.
Romeu tried to joke, but his voice came out hoarse, broken:
— And how… how do we open that?
He barely finished—
The door opened.
By itself.
A deep sound echoed — not mechanical, but organic. Like the roar of a colossal beast being awakened after an eternity asleep.
Cold wind blew from inside — unnatural, carrying the smell of old blood and rotting bones.
It extinguished half the torches instantly.
The group looked at each other in absolute silence.
Jack whispered — barely audible:
— Guys… advance.
---
[BOSS ROOM]
They crossed the threshold.
The door closed behind them.
BOOM.
Final. Heavy. Like a verdict being pronounced.
Kuto looked around, processing.
The room was immense — perhaps fifty meters in diameter, ceiling lost in darkness above.
Cracked floor, covered by thin layer of black dust that rose with each step. Blue flames flickered along the walls, casting sickly light that made shadows dance like specters.
Runes covered the floor — not carved, but pulsing like veins of a living creature, pumping purple-black energy in hypnotic patterns.
And in the center, kneeling before a fractured altar, he was there.
Colossal.
Not metaphor. Literally three meters tall even while kneeling.
Grayish skin — not dead, but not alive either — covered in deep scars forming patterns, as if each wound told a story.
Long black hair falling to the ground, partially covering his lowered face.
Barefoot. Only coarse furs covering his massive body.
And in his hands — each the size of a shield — two axes.
Blades embedded in the floor. Black metal that absorbed light. Handles carved with runes glowing faintly.
Above his head, a title floated in blood-red:
[GENERAL THEGG – LEVEL 30]
[NOBLE CLASS DUNGEON BOSS]
His mere presence made the air vibrate.
As if space around him tried to retreat but couldn't.
Kuto felt it through the Fragment — which pulsed violently, reacting to something similar.
[System flickers – MAXIMUM ALERT]
[LEVEL DIFFERENCE: EXTREME]
[CHANCE OF VICTORY: 12%]
Twelve percent.
Better than zero.
Jack swallowed hard, his voice trembling:
— F-formations!
But before he finished—
FWOOOOSH.
A cutting sound tore through the air.
Kuto saw it in slow motion — metallic gleam crossing the room in a fraction of a second, slicing wind passing so close to Jack that a lock of hair was ripped away.
A thin line of blood ran down his face — the axe had grazed his cheek.
Then—
CRASH.
Violent impact against the wall.
Kuto turned.
And froze.
Gunja was pinned to the wall.
Split.
Not crudely cut. Perfectly divided — from waist to chest, two symmetrical halves.
Blood flowed in silence.
For three seconds, no one breathed.
Then the body began to disintegrate — digital light particles floating, small bright sparks rising until they vanished into the air.
Dead.
Gunja died.
Instantly.
No chance.
No fight.
Just… dead.
Jack stood motionless, eyes wide, mouth half open, body trembling.
The sound of the axe returning echoed — metal sliding across the floor, flying back to Thegg's hand as if alive.
Kuto forced himself to look forward.
And saw.
Thegg slowly raising his head.
Hair parting, revealing his face.
Red eyes — not merely colored, but glowing, emitting their own light that cut through darkness.
Focused directly on Jack.
The floor runes began to shine brighter, pulsing in sync with a sound like a colossal heartbeat.
Thum-thum.
Thum-thum.
The entire dungeon trembled.
Jack took a step back, cold sweat covering his face, his voice coming out like a strangled whisper:
— Damn…
Thegg stood up.
The movement was slow — not from weakness, but from weight. Each muscle visibly contracting, each joint cracking loudly.
When fully upright, the scale was absurd.
Three and a half meters. Maybe four.
Shoulders as wide as doors. Arms thick as tree trunks. Chest covered in scars forming a map of decades of battle.
He raised both axes — one in each hand, as if they weighed nothing.
And smiled.
Not happy. Not friendly.
Predatory.
His voice came out deep, hoarse, like stones being ground together:
— Finally…
Pause.
— …worthy prey.
The air filled with unbearable pressure.
Kuto forced himself not to step back, hands tightening on his sword until his fingers hurt.
Tools must function.
Gunja died.
But the others…
…the others I keep alive.
Not out of love.
But because I cannot do this alone.
Jack shouted — voice tearing his throat, breaking fear with pure determination:
— FORMATION! NOW!
And the true nightmare began.
---
[BOSS: GENERAL THEGG AWAKENED]
[GROUP: 9 MEMBERS REMAINING]
[FIRST DEATH: GUNJA]
[CHANCE OF SURVIVAL: ???]
[NEXT CHAPTER: THE INITIAL CLASH]