Gazing upon his transformed form, Thanatos couldn't help but feel the surge of power within him, a strength that seemed to surpass anything he had experienced before.
'The strength I feel is beyond anything I've known,' he thought, a mix of awe and trepidation flitting through his mind.
Thanatos' thoughts turned to the possibilities that lay ahead, his eyes fixed on his armor-clad form.
'If I feel this powerful now, what will it be like when I evolve even more?' he mused, a twinkle of excitement dancing in his glowing eyes.
'To become even stronger, even faster, even more formidable. I can't wait to see where this path leads, to experience the heights of power that lie ahead.'
Thanatos' mind returned to the present, his gaze shifting from his transformed body to the face of his companion.
"Charlotte," he said, his voice a mixture of apology and gratitude, "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting all this time."
The mage smiled, her expression warm and understanding. "It's okay, Thanatos. You've gone through quite the transformation, after all."
"And honestly, I was fine," she continued, a playful grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"All I had to do was sit here and read my grimoire. And when the food started to run low, I made little friends—the boars around here are quite tasty when cooked properly."
She gestured to a small pile of boar bones near the entrance of the cave, evidence of her survival skills.
The mage's words caught Thanatos off guard, and his surprise quickly morphed into laughter.
"Eh? Since when could you hunt monsters on your own?" he teased, a wide grin on his face.
Charlotte joined in on the laughter, her smile only growing wider as Thanatos chuckled beside her.
Suddenly, a sense of urgency filled the atmosphere.
"We've been down here for far too long," Thanatos said, rising to his feet and hefting his new blade. "It's time we continued our ascent up the dungeon."
Charlotte, still laughing, quickly gathered her things and stood by his side. "You're right. And with your new powers, we might have a chance of actually surviving whatever awaits us."
Thanatos nodded, a determined look in his eyes. "Let's go then, Charlotte."
As the pair made their way back to the entrance of the cave, Thanatos' thoughts drifted to the power that coursed through him.
'I can't wait to put this new strength to the test, to feel the power of the Undead Knight flowing through me in battle,' he thought, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword.
'But, for now, I have to be patient. After all, we're only just resuming our journey upward.'
Adjusting to the dark, dank surroundings as they exited the cave, Charlotte lit her torch, its flickering light casting eerie shadows upon the rocky walls of the crevice.
With caution in their steps, they began to climb out, their hands and feet finding purchase on the rough rock surface.
The uneven ground beneath them made for slow progress, but they knew haste would only increase their chances of attracting unwanted attention.
As they emerged from the large hole and onto the dungeon floor, Thanatos and Charlotte paused, adjusting their eyes to the dim light and straining their ears for any sign of movement.
Gasping for air after their careful ascent, Charlotte steadied herself against the wall and chuckled, her voice echoing in the empty dungeon.
"Well, that was a workout," she said, brushing the dirt and dust from her robes. "If there were an Olympic event for climbing out of crevices, I think we'd be top contenders."
Thanatos, sword hanging on his side, turned to regard her with a smirk. "It's just the first event, Charlotte. Wait until you see the hurdles."
Charlotte gave Thanatos a quizzical look, her brows furrowing in the dim torchlight.
"What do you mean by hurdles? Are you talking about literal obstacles we have to jump over, or is this a metaphor for something else we need to face?" she asked, her voice betraying a hint of concern.
"Look, there's a lot about this place that we don't know, and your mysterious Undead Knight transformation isn't exactly reassuring," she added, her tone shifting from light-hearted to slightly serious.
Thanatos drew in a deep breath, steadying his nerves as he met Charlotte's gaze.
"The only way to ascend from one floor to another is by defeating the boss that guards it," he explained, his words measured and firm.
"These dungeons, they're structured in a way that forces adventurers to face challenges on each floor. And the key to progressing is to defeat the boss in the boss room. After that, a set of stairs will appear, leading either up or down, depending on the direction we want to go."
Charlotte's eyes widened in realization.
"With my new power, we may stand a chance against these bosses, but it's not going to be easy," he warned, his voice low but resolute.
"We need to be ready, both physically and mentally. Start preparing yourself, Charlotte. We might encounter one of these bosses soon."
Charlotte, meeting his gaze with her own, simply nodded in response.
Thanatos felt a nagging sense of unease begin to grow within him.
'Why haven't we encountered a boss yet?' he pondered silently, his mind racing with the possibilities.
'We've been through quite a bit since we entered this dungeon, and not once have we stumbled upon a boss room. Are we still on the first floor? No! We can't be. Have we accidentally skipped some floors? Yes, that's more likely.'
His Undead Knight form had given him strength and confidence, but the unknowns of this place were a source of anxiety. They needed answers, and quickly.
Thanatos, his senses heightened and on alert, turned to Charlotte. "Stay sharp and be prepared for anything," he warned her, his words carrying a gravity that matched the dark shadows around them.
'This could be the perfect opportunity to test my new abilities,' he thought, a thrill of anticipation running through him.
The mystery of his Undead Knight form was both a boon and a source of concern, but he knew he couldn't let it hold him back.
But doubt still nagged at him.
'If we're deeper in the dungeon, there could be unimaginable horrors lurking in the shadows, just waiting to consume us,' he pondered.
The thought sent a chill down his spine, even as his sword arm remained steady and ready to fight.
They pressed on, their footsteps echoing in the stillness of the dungeon, each step bringing them closer to the unknown threat that awaited them in the boss room.