The chaos of battle filled the Trap Room as Ryo focused intently on the unfolding confrontation. Mira fought valiantly against the archer, her sword clashing against the woman's arrows with every dodge and counterattack. Meanwhile, the goblins and the Giant Rat distracted the burly man, who was struggling to regain his footing after climbing out of the pit.
"We need to finish this quickly!" Ryo urged, his thoughts racing. "If more adventurers show up, we'll be overwhelmed!"
Mira was in the zone, her instincts taking over as she ducked under another arrow. "I can handle this! Just keep those goblins coming!"
Ryo nodded, summoning another goblin to keep the pressure on the burly man.
Dungeon Core Status
• Core Level: 1
• Mana: 0 (Regenerating)
• Current Layout:
• Room 1: Entrance (Plain Room)
• Room 2: Narrow Hallway with Slippery Floor (10 Mana)
• Room 3: Training Room
• Room 4: Trap Room (Traps Active)
• Abilities Unlocked: Basic Room Creation, Summon Slime (Tier 1), Illusory Treasure Chest, Falling Rocks Trap, Goblin Summon
As the new goblin emerged, it charged straight at the burly man, who was attempting to swing his sword at the approaching Giant Rat.
"You think you can take me down?" he roared, but the goblin deftly dodged his strike, leaping onto the man's leg and sinking its teeth into his armor.
"Focus on the archer!" Ryo encouraged. "If we take her down, the burly guy will be outnumbered!"
Mira nodded, her resolve hardening. With a swift motion, she launched herself at the archer, striking low to catch her off guard.
"You're going down!" Mira shouted as she brought her sword up in a powerful arc.
The archer managed to deflect the blow, but Mira pressed the attack, using her agility to keep the archer on the defensive.
The Turning Point
Ryo sensed the tide was shifting. The burly man was getting frustrated as he struggled against the goblins and the Giant Rat.
"Now's the time to strike!" Ryo shouted mentally. "Mira, hit her with everything you've got!"
With a fierce determination, Mira spun and delivered a powerful kick, knocking the archer off balance. Ryo could see the opening—this was it!
Special Move: Empowered Slash
• Effect: Channel a surge of energy into a powerful attack that can break through defenses. Requires 10 Mana.
As Ryo felt his mana begin to regenerate, he spent 10 points to channel energy into Mira's sword.
"Feel the power, Mira!" he called out. "This is your chance!"
The sword glowed with a radiant light as Mira swung with all her might, the empowered slash connecting with the archer's bow.
"No!" the archer cried out, her weapon shattering into pieces. Stumbling backward, she fell to the ground, unable to defend herself.
"You're done!" Mira declared, readying her sword for the final blow.
The Conclusion of the Battle
Meanwhile, the burly man was losing ground against the relentless assault of the goblins and the Giant Rat.
"Get off me!" he bellowed, swinging wildly, but the goblins were persistent, darting in and out to deliver small bites and annoying scratches.
With the archer down, Mira turned her attention back to the burly man. "Together! Let's finish this!"
Ryo felt the rush of energy as he summoned yet another goblin, sending it charging toward the man. The three goblins and the Giant Rat swarmed him, forcing him to back up against the wall of the trap room.
"This isn't over!" he roared, but his defiance was quickly crushed as Mira joined the fray, her sword piercing through his defenses.
"It is for you!" she shouted, landing a decisive blow that sent him sprawling to the floor.
Victory
Ryo watched as the burly man fell, defeated and gasping for breath. Mira stood tall, victorious, her sword at the ready.
"We did it!" she exclaimed, panting but exhilarated. "I can't believe we actually held them off!"
"You were amazing!" Ryo responded, feeling pride swell within him. "And look at how well the goblins performed!"
As the adrenaline began to fade, Mira turned to the fallen adventurers, her expression shifting to concern. "What do we do with them? They might have friends nearby."
Ryo considered the situation. "We can't let them get to the core. It's too risky."
Mira nodded. "Then we need to secure them and get ready for the next wave. Let's drag them into the Trap Room and set up defenses."
Dungeon Core Status Update
• Core Level: 1 (Experience Gained)
• Mana: 30 (Regenerating)
• Current Layout:
• Room 1: Entrance (Plain Room)
• Room 2: Narrow Hallway with Slippery Floor (10 Mana)
• Room 3: Training Room
• Room 4: Trap Room (Traps Active, Two Adventurers Captured)
• Abilities Unlocked: Basic Room Creation, Summon Slime (Tier 1), Illusory Treasure Chest, Falling Rocks Trap, Goblin Summon, Empowered Slash
After dragging the defeated adventurers into the Trap Room, Mira began to set up makeshift restraints using the traps that Ryo had created.
"If more come, we need to keep them secure," she said as she worked. "And we should be ready to defend the core."
"I can sense more coming," Ryo warned. "We need to prepare our defenses."
As they hurriedly reinforced the Trap Room, Ryo's thoughts raced. The battle had shown them both that they could work together, but it had also revealed how dangerous their situation was. They needed to be ready for anything.
A New Ally?
With the adventurers secured, Mira took a moment to catch her breath. "Ryo, if we're going to make this dungeon stronger, we need to think bigger. What's next?"
Ryo pondered the question. "We need more mana and resources to expand. If we can capture more adventurers, we can use their gear and skills to grow."
Mira nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe we can turn this place into a training ground for adventurers, but on our terms. They could come to level up, and we could benefit from their presence."
"That's a brilliant idea!" Ryo exclaimed. "With your skills and my abilities, we could create a dungeon that's both safe and a challenge!"
Mira smiled, her eyes glinting with ambition. "Let's do it, Ryo. But first, we need to deal with the adventurers who just attacked."