"Pspspspsps."
Zephyr with his big brain tried to tame it like an ordinary cat, but as expected-
"SSSSS….GROOOOAR!"
'Heck, your trademark screech doesn't even match at all! Also, didn't Athy say that she managed to get this cat back to the owner? What did she even mean by that!?'
"Huh?"
With the big cat sensing a much stronger presence than her, it begins to forcefully evolve itself to a higher existence.
"SSSSHHHAAAA!"
Its tail begins to mutate, splitting in two and turns into two serpents. The body slowly changes as well, it grows in size and could be perceived as a body of a ferocious fur animal. Lastly, the head begins to show a fiercer expression, fur grows around the side, which depicts a lion.
"ROOOOOOAAAAAR!!"
Dungeon Boss: Moonlight Chimera
Rank: Blood Rank monster evolved into Prism
'What the hell? Aren't these types of monsters only seen in Prism rank dungeons or even in Abyssal Fronts? What is one doing here?' With the Chimera fully ready to take on Zephyr once again, it displays a proud and rapacious stance. Zephyr on the other hand, shakes his head as if saying: "nope".
— — —
BAM! CRASH!
The intense fighting inside the |Cave of Echoes| continues as King Crow took on one of the giant golems in a slug fight. As if the name of the dungeon really portrays itself, the crushing sounds of clashing steel and rock echoed throughout the whole area. Though what's more deafening was the war-cries of King Crow himself.
"OOOORRRAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"
King Crow manages to overpower the Golem's crush with only his pure brute strength, resulting in one of the golem's crushers to dismantle.
"Fuhahahaha!! You can't match the strength of the mighty King Crow!"
Clank! Clank! Clank! Even with multiple deadly hits, a technique designed to easily kill a human cannot possibly affect monsters like the golems they're currently facing.
"Yikes, I feel like my dagger's going dull if I keep on hitting this thing." Erika commented as she backed off after hitting the giant golem multiple times. Though as she's backing off, one of the golem's attempts to swing its giant crusher at her position.
Meiren lifts the small crystal ball up and shouts-
"
As soon as she says the word, a gust of wind gently launches Erika up into the air and gains a temporary ability to walk mid-air.
"Woah, that's a nice artifact!" Erika then uses the chance to make the air her foothold and ultimately leave the golem's area of attack.
"Let's see if they can handle this one!
Athy raises her hand and rains a consecutive spear like icicles towards the golems. It was, of course, a blatant copy of Anastasia's skill, however, it's not as powerful as hers, moreover, she cannot fit the element of darkness in this spell.
The golems were pushed back, seemingly taking damage from the spell. Some of the icicles destroy the weak spot on the golem's knee and make them kneel.
"Alright! That will decrease their mobility!" David remarked as he stabbed his sword in the ground.
"
"Good thinking David! Everyone, let's finish them with one of your killing blows using your main attributes!"
"Fuhahaha!! My mobility may have decreased, but it's not as if this giant rock can dodge my blow!"
As King Crow raises his axe once again to deal a massive blow, along with everyone preparing their attack, the golems start to break apart.
"Wait, what's happening with them?"
After a while, all the broken pieces have gathered, seemingly forming one gigantic form, almost twice the size of what they were before. It almost touches the cave's stalactites despite its sizable interior.
"They can do that?!" David irritatingly asked.
"No, ordinary golems could not possibly do something like it. There's something wrong with this dungeon's ecosystem…it made them adapt a new set of skills."
Fiona surmised as Meiren agreed with a nod.
"I was thinking the same, my
"So dungeons can evolve as well?" ← Erika
"Save those for later!! We have a giant to kill! Don't fail me now, my
"That's right…everyone, King Crow and Athy will be the key to take this one down. Do what you must to support them!" Fiona takes command, which everyone acknowledges.
"LET'S GO!"
Dungeon Infiltrator: Rock Titan
Rank: Blood Rank (80% Immunity to physical damage)
–Meanwhile in Telmaris–
"Gringar, I see you're taking it easy now. Are you expecting that the monster problem would be resolved today?"
"Who says I'm taking it easy? Though, you could say that. After all, {Fate Threader}'s personally taking care of this one."
"Oh! Now that's good news. Good thing he's easy to talk to. Many powerful hunters seem to get full of themselves, but not this guy apparently."
"Yeah, that's why I quite admire his character. Anyway branch head, you're not just here to see me aren't you?"
The Head of GEO's Telmaris branch, Rojin, takes out some documents he was hiding behind him and presents them to Gringar.
"Have you heard of these hunters?"
Gringar studies the documents one by one, though he's clearly showing that he's indeed familiar with the faces and names shown in the documents.
"They're the unauthorized hunters we have been chasing before, but now they just vanished in thin air. What of them?"
"Yeah, they're indeed unauthorized, but hey, their achievements don't lie. The alchemical researches and artifact studies they have created are quite the delight to learn."
"Did we even have a copy of their research?" Gringar asks as if he's suspicious of the GEO's motives about mentioning these hunters.
"No, unfortunately. They have run off with it and stolen some of ours, that's why their licences got revoked."
"So why bring them up now?"
"Haha, well, I just thought that their talents are such a waste now that they're on the run. Most of all, that talented young sorceress and alchemist, Alice."
"The [Young Genius], huh. I know how you feel, such a waste of talent, joining a rogue team like that because she has a relationship with their leader, Horan."
Rojin crosses his arms as his expression gets serious all of a sudden which makes Gringar squint.
"The surveillance team tracked one of those hunters. His face is, how to describe it…hmm, it looks twisted. He's showing signs of getting morphed."
"What the hell?"
"What's more is that…the man in question was Horan. We didn't get to question him since he can't speak normally and died within seconds after the team's approach. Luckily, they have a relic that can help them track his course."
"Where does it lead?"
"You won't believe this but, it leads to a secluded hut in the outskirts of the town. And now we're arranging a team of hunters to survey that place."
"A hut…in the outskirts of the city."
Gringar then remembered something and chuckled.
"Hm? What is it, Gringar?"
"No, I just had this feeling. That someone's already in the case."