Darian gritted his teeth, his body trembling from exertion, but his resolve unbroken—yet. "We're not going down here," he muttered, his hand tightening on his blade. The words sounded hollow even to him, as though spoken more to reassure himself than his struggling comrades.
The air in the cavern was thick with the stench of blood and the oppressive weight of dread. Around him, his team fought valiantly, their movements growing sluggish as the battle wore on.
---
Outside the Portal
"What's happening to the portal?"
A crowd of onlookers gathered near the glowing gateway, their expressions shifting from idle curiosity to concern.
"It's...changing," murmured one, pointing to the pale blue shimmer, now streaked with veins of red.
"Something's wrong," another said, his voice laced with unease.
"We need to call the Beast Guild officials—now!"
As the portal began to tremble violently, the crowd erupted into panicked chatter. The glow intensified, turning an angry crimson as ripples of unstable energy distorted the air around it.
"I hope they're okay in there," someone whispered.
The portal, their only link to those inside, looked ready to collapse.
---
Inside the Dungeon
"Watch out!" Ray's shout tore through the chaos, jolting Darian out of his daze. He whirled around just in time to see an orc towering behind him, its jagged war hammer raised high.
BOOM!
The ground shattered under the weight of the hammer, sending tremors through the cavern. Darian had leapt clear at the last second, his heart pounding as he stared at the spiderweb of cracks that radiated from the impact.
'They're stronger than before,' he thought grimly, his eyes darting to the colossal orc.
Summoning his energy, Darian activated his dark armor. Shadows coiled around him, encasing his body in an otherworldly sheen. The same energy radiated from Shadowfang, his beast, which snarled beside him.
"Go!" he commanded.
Shadowfang surged forward, a blur of black as it leapt onto the orc. Its obsidian claws gleamed ominously, slashing through flesh with violent precision. The orc roared, its massive hands flailing as it tried to dislodge the beast latched onto its shoulder.
Darian seized the opportunity, charging in. His blade bit deep into the orc's leg, severing muscle and tendon in a single stroke. The creature let out an agonized bellow, collapsing to the ground. Shadowfang leapt clear as the monster fell, landing gracefully before pouncing again to finish it off.
For a fleeting moment, pride flickered in Darian's chest. But his satisfaction was short-lived.
"Don't lose focus!" Aric's voice rang out as a fiery blade cleaved through another orc. He landed beside Darian, his flame-wreathed weapon crackling ominously. Despite his confident stance, Aric's labored breathing betrayed his exhaustion.
"You alright?" Aric asked, his tone gruff but concerned.
"I'm fine. Thanks," Darian replied.
"Don't thank me yet," Aric muttered, gesturing toward the downed orc.
Darian turned—and froze.
The beast, which he was certain had been killed, was moving again. The gaping wounds inflicted by Shadowfang and his blade began to close, red energy seeping into its body like an unholy balm.
"They're...regenerating?" Darian whispered, horror creeping into his voice.
"Yeah," Aric spat. "And it gets worse."
Darian's gaze swept across the battlefield. Everywhere, his teammates were locked in desperate struggles. Swords clashed and spells crackled, but their efforts were waning. Maria, their healer, stumbled as she poured the last of her mana into a wounded fighter. Her face was pale, her hands trembling.
"We're not making progress," Darian realized, his stomach sinking. "Every time we bring one down, it gets back up."
"And stronger," Aric added grimly.
The tide of the battle shifted rapidly, the once-organized team now scattered and barely holding their ground. Aurora, her fiery talent once blazing bright, faltered. The flames in her hands flickered weakly, a mirror of her dwindling energy.
"I can't...keep this up," she gasped, collapsing to one knee.
"Hold the line!" Aric bellowed, his massive hammer crushing an orc's skull with a resounding crunch. But even he, their stalwart leader, showed signs of strain. His movements were slower, his strikes less forceful.
Darian's heart pounded as panic clawed at his mind. He parried an incoming axe, the impact sending a jolt of pain through his arms. His dark armor absorbed much of the blow, but the sheer force behind the orc's attack left him staggering.
Shadowfang lunged at another enemy, its claws raking across the orc's chest. But even the mighty beast seemed to tire, its attacks less ferocious than before.
"We're surrounded," Maria whispered, her voice trembling.
Darian's eyes darted around the cavern. She was right. The orcs closed in on them, a wall of snarling, regenerating monsters.
"We can't keep this up," Aurora said, despair etched across her face.
"Don't say that!" Darian snapped, though the fear in his own voice betrayed him.
The ground beneath them rumbled ominously, as though the dungeon itself was mocking their struggle. The air grew heavier, the oppressive atmosphere sapping what little energy they had left.
"Something's going on with the portal" Darian thought. A C-rank dungeon was not supposed to be this challenging.
"We need a way out!" One of the swordsmen shouted.
Darian knew he was right, but the portal felt impossibly far away. And even if they reached it, there was no guarantee it would still work. Their escape crystal would not work due to lack of mana
"Fall back!" Ray commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.
But retreat was not an option.
A deafening roar echoed through the cavern, louder and more menacing than any they had heard before. The orcs parted, forming a path as a towering figure stepped forward.
Darian's breath hitched. This was no ordinary orc. Its crimson eyes burned with malevolence, and its hulking frame radiated an aura of pure menace.
"What...is that?" Aurora whispered, her voice barely audible.
The creature raised its weapon—a massive war hammer wreathed in dark flames—and let out a guttural growl.
Darian's resolve wavered. For the first time, he felt the sting of hopelessness.
Darian raised his blade, his hands shaking. The monstrous orc lumbered toward him, its every step reverberating through the cavern. He could feel the menacing dark aura it emitted, and his entire team felt it too.
"We fight," Aric said, his voice firm despite the fear in his eyes. "What's going on? Why all these powerful monsters in a C-rank dungeon?" He thought, his gaze still focused on the nightmarish creature before them. It seemed the more they fought, the more powerful monsters that showed up.
Darian nodded, though doubt gnawed at him. They had no choice but to face this nightmare.
As the battle began anew, the weight of their predicament settled over Darian like a suffocating shroud. He could only hope that, somehow, they would survive what was to come. But even at that hope, doubt clouded him mind. Could they really make it out of here alive?
The obvious answer was....