*Slash!*
"There goes the last one," Ekin said after he pierced a dark goblin's throat with his dagger, which turned into motes and vanished.
It's been an hour since they entered the Deep Rooted Cave dungeon.
The dungeon was simply too big because it was not just a cave but a vast underground place with multiple big caves and passages.
Each time they chose a path and arrived at another cave, they would have to battle stronger monsters.
"Let's go into the left passage," Arankar said after looking at both passages.
"Your turn is also next," Kira said as she showed a fist to Arankar with innocent but eagerness on her slightly default indifferent face. "Fast kill."
'What is this creature? So cute!' Erina internally screamed.
"Yep. Let's go," Aranka said with a smile as he entered the left passage.
Erina, Kira, Luna, and Ekin followed him and soon exited the passage after five minutes.
'Summon: Ryuhon Infernal Katana.'
Arankar used his skill and pulled out the infernal Katana before dashing forward.
"So there's a pond here," Luna commented as he looked around in this big cave.
"The path should be there," Erina said as he pointed at a passage entrance thirty meters away from them at the northwest wall.
*Screee!*
On the other hand, Arankar killed the first Blade Mantis, who jumped at him as he calmly slashed it into two before the Mantis landed on the ground.
Continuing, he dashed forward as all remaining seven Mantises screamed as they took action.
'I am lacking speed.'
Dodging a slash and immediately counter-attacking with a circular moon slash, Arankar cut another Mantis into two before he somersaulted to dodge a wind blade and waved his sword while he was in the air as a flaming slash projectile turned two more Mantises into motes.
"His moves are so damn precise," Ekin muttered as he was fully focused on observing Arankar. 'And as always, enemies die in one hit.'
"En," Kira nodded. "It looks beautiful, unlike when I fight. Sad, I want to move like that."
Erina looked at the party status and saw Arankar's level increase by two after killing all Mantises in the cave.
[ Arankar, Level: 24 ]
[ Erina, Level: 23 ]
[ Kira, Level: 23 ]
[ Luna, Level: 23 ]
[ Ekin, Level: 24 ]
'Next turn is mine,' Erina thought before she moved towards the next cave chamber's entry passage. "Let's continue moving."
"I wonder how long will this last?" Arankar said. "We've already cleared over ten caves but didn't meet anyone."
"Yea, we saw another party entering with us but haven't encountered them. Is it like this private instance?" Ekin wondered.
"Hmm? I hear the sound of battle," Arankar said before he dashed a bit and saw the passage's exit. "Boss room?"
Others quickly followed as they also heard the sound of fighting and saw that the next cave area was way bigger than the others.
Moreover, it was filled with over twenty people, all fighting a pair of giant boss goblins.
However, the battle was messy because all four or five parties were attacking and obstructing each other.
More than the boss, they were busy fighting among themselves.
"What the fuck?" Ekin dumbfoundedly said while others were also startled at the nature of battle in front of them.
"What should we do? If we go there, there's a high chance that all of them will target us," Erina said with a frown.
"But why are they doing this? Doesn't this dungeon refresh every other day? They could just come back two days later," Luna said, shaking her head. She felt they were being stupid.
"Or, there's a particular reason that drove them to fight among themselves?" Kira questioned as she tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful.
"Dungeon Boost."
"Dungeon Boost."
Erina and Arankar spoke at the same time.
They had never entered the dungeon, but the academy taught them general information and such.
"Ah, right. I forgot about that."
"Me too."
"What is Dungeon Boost?" Kira asked with confusion.
"Didn't you study it?" Luna asked in surprise. Kira would have surely remembered if she had studied it, but…
"Nope. I didn't study anything. That's why I will need to learn from you all," Kira said straightly. "But I know how to fight and survive."
'We know that, you cute little monster,' Erina internally giggled. Kira was actually the second strongest of the group after Arankar.
"Dungeon Boost means that after defeating the boss, five people with the highest contribution would get to spin a treasure roulette with a chance to get rare things. Recently, bloodline was automatically added, so people might get bloodline orb too," Ekin explained.
"Even if not bloodline, people can get affinity blessings, talents, skills, growth items, and such. Boosted Dungeon happens rarely, but it indeed attracts bloodbaths. Are we lucky or unlucky?" Luna asked with a wry smile as she remembered about Dungeon Boost.
"I see. So, that's why both bosses still have so much health," Kira said as she understood the current situation. Then, taking out a spear, she added, "Let's kill them all and take the boss?"
"What are you saying?" Luna asked with a speechless expression.
Others were also startled at Kira.
"What? If we go there, they will surely attack us and will not hold back. We might even die. See, that person is going to die."
Everyone looked at the ongoing battle and saw a young man being sliced into two by a wind slash that he couldn't even sense due to the chaotic situation.
That death became some trigger as the party of that killed young man quickly retreated. The leader looked like a busty young dark elf. She quickly tore a scroll that wrapped her party in a silver hue and vanished.
This dungeon had Elite at the end of its name, which means that only people with already established backing and preparation would enter due to the challenging monsters.
Arankar's party also had two mana potions and two health potions each, but the one that just left had a mass teleport scroll.
"The battle became intense. What should we do?" Luna asked as she turned to Arankar.
Others also looked at Arankar.
"I learned that brute force shouldn't be our priority, so let me go and try reason first," Arankar said with a smile before he dashed towards the battle zone fifty meters away.
"Hello, fellow adventuerers! Can we stop fighting ourselves and kill the two bosses first? Whoever has the most contribution in defeating the bosses will get the reward. There's no need to kill each other for it. It's not worth it!"
Arankar's loud voice as he approached the battle zone was heard clearly by everyone, but…
"Fuck off!"
A palm-sized fireball, but condensed with explosive power, shot towards Arankar as a red-haired handsome young man shouted at him.
Arankar paused, narrowed his eyes, and drew his Katana before he immediately enchanted it with flame and slashed the incoming fireball into two while also scattering its untamed energy with his higher flame control.
"As you wish." Arankar nodded before slightly tilting his head to look at his party, "Guys, you know what to do."
*Swoosh!*
After speaking, Arankar immediately waved his sword at the person who attacked him as a powerful flame slash zoomed toward the red-haired guy who attacked Arankar.
"You!…"
Reigan saw the flame slash and thought the barrier he used would defend him, but the flame slash shattered his barrier in a second and continued toward him.
Alas, just before the flash slash could hit Reigan, a light gold bangle on his arm wrist shined and broke.
'My protective accessor was used up here…' Reigan's mind turned blank before turning livid.
"Bastard! I'll kill yo-!"
*Chrii!*
"Reigan!"
Reigan's companion shouted in shock as they saw a spear piercing his head and taking his whole body along with the momentum as it hit the giant male dark goblin.
"Roar!"
The male goblin picked up Reigan and roared before removing the spear and eating him.
Arankar turned to Kira, who thumbed up at him, "Dead."
"Your spear…"
"I have more."
Kira took out two more spears, looking the same as the one she threw, and dashed into the battle zone.
"Don't be reckless!"
On the other hand, Erina and Luna stayed far and supported Arankar and Kira, who were fighting close on that messy battlefield.
Ekin went into his assassin mode, looking for chances to kill.
"Fuck! Miseo, Rose, and Lyuk, we are leaving! I don't have any more health potions!"
One of the tanks with bulky, heavy brown armor shouted and left the battle zone.
"Leave if you don't wish to die!" Arankar shouted in a deep and majestic voice boosted by mana as it filled the entire cave.
*Slash!*
Arankar gracefully parried a claw projectile attack before dashing forward and slicing the woman's arm.
"N-No, please… spare me, please," the young woman begged, but her eyes hid hatred and anger.
"Apologize, I can't do that. However, I hope you can fare better in your next life," Arankar said with a calm expression before cutting off her head.
"Screw this. I am out! The bosses are getting more annoying!"
Soon, only Arankar's party was left in the battle zone.
"Let's quickly kill the bosses before more parties arrive," Erina said as she aimed her attack at the boss.
"They'll get berserk after losing fifty percent of health and also increase trouble for us in one way or another, so stay focused," Arankar said.