After nearly an hour of venturing deeper into the dungeon, they finally reached their destination. Before them lay an open area devoid of trees—a circular platform adorned with intricate patterns, and atop it floated a mysterious stone. This was the teleportation portal that would transport them to the boss room.
"Whew! We're finally here," Sarah exclaimed, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. A collective sigh of relief emanated from the group as they anticipated concluding their dungeon exploration.
"Once we're done with the boss, we'll be officially registered as a squad," Lucius declared as he approached the platform. The others followed suit, with Dante, as usual, bringing up the rear.
They were mere meters away from setting foot on the platform when suddenly…
Whoosh!
A dark shadow darted before them. Instantly, everyone tensed, drawing their weapons. Dante's anxiety was confirmed.
Grrr! The creature that now confronted them moved on all fours, its fur as dark as night, and its menacing red eyes locked onto them—the Ghast Wolf. It was a creature typically found in D-class dungeons or higher.
"Shit! It's a Ghast Wolf!" George cursed, tightening his grip on his shield. Michael took a step back, nearly colliding with Dante, whose eyes reflected despair. Dante knew he couldn't do much in this situation; his survival depended on staying with the group.
"If only they had taken my advice seriously," Dante thought, and with that, he activated his skill—Concentration.
"W-what should we do?" Sarah stammered, her hand trembling as she clutched her bow. She understood that they couldn't handle this monster. Many deaths had occurred in their vicinity, especially among newly-formed squads.
With Concentration active, Dante surveyed his surroundings. His face grew even paler as he realized the dire situation.
Ghast Wolves were slowly advancing towards them. While they typically moved in groups, it was unusual for an F-class dungeon to host such a large pack. This situation couldn't be classified as a "Lost monster," which occurred when a creature intended for a higher-tier dungeon mistakenly appeared in a lower-tier one. Such occurrences were rare, usually involving just one or two lost monsters. However, the sheer number of Ghast Wolves surrounding them indicated a serious problem, and Dante knew they had made a grave mistake.
Lucius's usual arrogance had evaporated, replaced by fear. His entire body quivered, but he needed to break through the encirclement. He had to get to the teleportation platform and escape from there.
"We can't handle this many Ghast Wolves; we need to escape as soon as possible." Lucius thought.
The sound of metal scraping against metal echoed as Lucius unsheathed his sword. His sword ignited into flames, and with determination, he moved toward the nearest Ghast Wolf. The Ghast Wolf leaped at him, but Lucius swung his fiery sword, wounding it grievously.
Lucius possessed the Flame Sword skill, which made him formidable when armed with a sword.
Bang!
The wounded Ghast Wolf fell to the ground, blood oozing from its stomach. Lucius dashed toward the next nearest Ghast Wolf, determined to reach the teleportation platform and escape.
Growl!
The remaining Ghast Wolves pounced with deadly intent, and Michael followed Lucius's lead. George advanced with his shield raised, striking a nearby Ghast Wolf with a powerful punch. Their formation was chaotic as they fought for their lives. Sarah had to dodge and resort to using her bow to fend off the Ghast Wolf, momentarily forgetting that it was designed for ranged attacks, not close-quarters combat like a hammer.
Dante had no choice but to fend for himself. He dropped the bags he was carrying and drew his dagger. His Concentration had worn off, and he had to wait a few seconds before reactivating it. Fortunately, he still possessed basic combat skills and some wits.
When a Ghast Wolf lunged at him, Dante sidestepped and made a quick, light strike with his dagger, inflicting a minor wound. Killing a goblin had already pushed his limits; slaying a monster typically found in D-class dungeons and above was a distant dream.
His attack only enraged the Ghast Wolf, prompting it to launch another assault. Dante activated his Concentration, allowing mana to flow through him and clear his mind. He remained calm, dodging or parrying the Ghast Wolves' relentless attacks. Given his earlier injury, it was nothing short of a miracle that he could fend off the monsters.
They slowly made their way toward the teleportation platform, but the Ghast Wolves kept coming, their relentless assault leaving the group increasingly wounded.
Lucius eventually decided he had had enough. He gathered a substantial amount of mana and raised his sword. The blade burst into flames as Lucius swung it down with all his might, creating a fiery arc that struck down the Ghast Wolves in front of him.
Three Ghast Wolves immediately perished, their smoking bodies emitting the scent of charred meat. Seizing the opportunity, Lucius charged forward, and Michael followed suit. Sarah and George retreated also onto the teleportation platform.
Observing this, Dante attempted to join them. He aimed to reach the floating stone on top of the platform and crush it, which would transport them all safely outside the boss room of the dungeon.
However, just as his feet were about to touch the platform…
Bang!
Dante was sent hurtling backward. All he could glimpse was the terror-stricken expression on Lucius' face, perhaps triggered by the looming specter of death.
Lucius brought down his foot and turned toward his squad.
"Quick! Retrieve your Return Stones and get out of here!" Lucius crushed his own Return Stone first, vanishing in a white light.
Sarah, George, and Michael quickly produced their Return Stones and followed suit, disappearing into the white light. Bearing both serious and minor injuries, they dared not face the boss, especially after the traumatic events that had shattered their confidence.
Thud!
Dante hit the ground, devoid of emotion.
The surrounding Ghast Wolves immediately pounced on him.
***
Dante gazed at the moon with a profound weariness in his dark eyes. Its brilliance bathed his face in an ethereal glow as he lay there, breathing heavily, in stark contrast to the moon's luminance.
Dante swiftly rose to his feet, grasping his dagger. However, instead of confronting a goblin, he found himself facing a pack of Ghast Wolves.
Ghast Wolves proved to be far superior to regular wolves in terms of strength and speed. Their dark fur allowed them to seamlessly blend into the shadows, while their eyes gleamed a blood-red hue. These creatures possessed a regenerative ability that set them apart from their normal counterparts. Minor wounds on their bodies healed almost instantly, while even severe injuries showed signs of gradual recovery.
The cacophonous noise generated by Dante's squad had evidently attracted these formidable monsters, prompting them to pursue their prey relentlessly. It was becoming apparent that other creatures were also being drawn to this location.
Dante's face revealed a profound sense of distress as he surveyed his predicament. Despite the weariness that had accumulated from working with various squads, enduring bullying and exploitation, he still treasured his life. This sentiment grew even stronger now, with the haunting images of Lucius and his cohorts flashing in his mind, fueling a burning desire for vengeance. However, he realized that dwelling on revenge in the current situation would offer him no good.
The encircling Ghast Wolves closed in on him, their menacing growls sending shivers down Dante's spine. After a brief moment of hesitation, he activated his Concentration skill. This unique ability could be directed toward either himself or others, but Dante mainly reserved it for self-use. Employing it on others made him "vulnerable," and most people disregarded his skill due to its simplicity and limited potential, rated at a mere F.
This skill can only boost his combat abilities sufficiently to fend off three goblins before his mana is depleted.
With only a meager amount of mana left in his body, Dante must seize this moment to ponder a potential solution. Fortunately, as a "Holder," his physical strength surpasses that of an average adult, enabling him to remain standing. His mind stays sharp, processing a multitude of thoughts.
"I must reach the platform and activate the teleportation stone," Dante thought, his grip on the dagger tightening. He meticulously gauged the distance between himself and the Ghast Wolves, already devising a plan despite its potential dire consequences.