"Don't you think it's a strange coincidence that we both showed up in front of this hidden dungeon at the same time?" Varrick asked, his voice low and serious.
Edrim shot him a skeptical look, "What are you trying to imply?
"Come on, my friend, don't play the fool," Varrick retorted, his eyes narrowing with a glint of suspicion.
"You feel it too, don't you? That nagging sense that someone's been orchestrating this, pushing us into conflict."
The forest around them fell unnervingly silent, the tension thick in the air.
Edrim's gaze hardened as he considered the implications. "So, whoever it is... they want us to fight over the rune? Don't they?"
"Exactly," Varrick nodded grimly. "At least you're not as stupid as my subordinates." He smirked, trying to lighten the mood.
Edrim shot him a warning look. "Don't start, Varrick. We've got more important things to focus on."
"Alright, alright," Varrick said, his voice turning cold as he looked toward the dungeon's entrance. "How about we clear the dungeon first, and then we'll see who's coming to take my rune?"
Edrim rolled his eyes. "It's not Yours, Varrick. Its mine for taking, Keep dreaming."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's get going," Varrick muttered, already heading down the narrow staircase. Edrim followed closely behind.
They didn't bother ordering their subordinates to follow. Instead, they instructed them to guard the entrance and ensure no one got near the ancient tree.
If their suspicions were correct, whoever was behind this plot couldn't be stronger than them, or they'd have taken care of the dungeon themselves.
As they descended, the chilling air grew heavier, the narrow staircase leading them into an oppressive darkness. The walls seemed to hold their breath, as if the dungeon itself was waiting for them. With every step, the silence became more suffocating.
The first to reach the bottom was Edrim, his broad frame casting a shadow as his cloak fluttered with each step. He was followed by Varrick, whose wiry form blended with the shadows around him. The tension between them was palpable, a mixture of rivalry and reluctant cooperation.
"We're close," Varrick muttered under his breath, his voice edged with danger. "This place reeks of death."
Edrim didn't look at him, his eyes scanning the darkened path ahead. "I hadn't noticed. Let's just make this quick. I hate places like this."
Varrick shot him a look. "Trust me, Edrim, you'll wish your biggest problem was the dark once we reach the bottom."
Edrim's lips twitched into a smirk. "Just try not to stab me in the back, Varrick."
Their rivalry simmered just beneath the surface, but they had no choice but to face it together. Both wanted the same prize: a RUNE hidden deep within this cursed dungeon. And neither was going to let the other get in the way.
Although no one knows the true purpose of the Rune, mages purchase them for research, spending trillions of gold coins. If someone manages to sell one, they would be set for life, free from all worries.
The stairs seemed endless, each step more exhausting than the last, until they finally reached the bottom. The heavy wooden door groaned as it opened, revealing the cavern beyond. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and the silence was broken only by the distant echoes of their footsteps.
What awaited them in the center of the chamber was a horror like no other: a towering, grotesque creature, its form a mass of writhing shadows and twisted muscle, with glowing ember eyes locked onto them. Its presence alone made even the bravest hesitate.
"Its a Demon Beast, the Shadow Maw," Varrick whispered, his voice tinged with disbelief. "An S+ rank Beast as a Guardian... I thought we were just supposed to fight each other, not face something like this."
Edrim's eyes narrowed, his sword ready in his hand. "We can't let this thing stand in our way. How about we take it down first, and then settle things. Deal?"
Varrick' s lips curled into a cold smile. "Fine. But no promises I won't leave you to die if things go south."
Edrim chuckled darkly. "Nothing less Expected from the dogs of Black Market."
"..."
"..."
Without another word, they charged. Edrim's blade, imbued with crimson fire, blazed in the dark as he swung it in wide arcs as he unleashed his Sword Art.
Varrick moved with eerie speed, his form flickering in and out of the shadows as he closed the distance between himself and the beast.
The monster roared, its voice shaking the very ground beneath them, before launching forward with terrifying speed.
Edrim barely managed to side step, flames bursting from his sword to deflect the creature's deadly claws.
Varrick, using the shadows to his advantage, appeared behind the creature and slashed at its exposed flank.
The beast howled in pain, but retaliated with a devastating swipe that sent both warriors sprawling. Edrim rolled to his feet, his flames reigniting. Varrick followed, his eyes narrowed with focus.
"Impressive," Edrim said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But let's see how well you keep up." He raised his sword high, summoning a blast of fire so intense it lit the entire cavern.
Varrick' s lips quirked, "Keep it up, Edrim."
Before they could catch their breath, the beast lashed out with its shadow tendrils, attempting to ensnare them. Varrick dodged effortlessly, but Edrim was less fortunate. The creature's grip tightened, lifting him off the ground.
"Dammit!" Edrim cursed, struggling in its grasp.
Varrick' s eyes flashed with determination. He couldn't afford to let Edrim die—he needed him to survive this battle.
Drawing upon his Mana Arts, Varrick enveloped himself and his sword in shadows, making his attacks sharper and more deadly. With a powerful leap, he appeared behind the beast and struck, his blade cutting through the creature's arm, though it only bled darkness.
The beast roared in pain, its form flickering as it lost control over the shadows, releasing Edrim. Without wasting a second, Edrim summoned the full force of his fire mana, his sword glowing with intense heat as he slashed downward.
A ring of fire shot forward, spiraling toward the creature. The beast didn't notice until it was too late. The fire collided with its chest in a violent explosion.
For a moment, everything was still. The beast staggered back, a massive scar across its chest, blood pouring from its wounds. But the battle was far from over.
The cavern trembled as the two warriors adjusted their stances, sensing that the Shadow Maw wasn't finished yet.
Its body seething with shadowy tendrils, let out an eerie, guttural growl that reverberated through the chamber. Its glowing red eyes fixed on the two, its massive form moving with a disturbing grace despite the damage it had sustained.
Varrick, ever the strategist, had already disappeared into the shadows before the creature could react. His form flickered in and out of existence, moving like a wraith. He reappeared behind the beast, his sword glowing with dark energy as he aimed for its exposed flank.
"Now!" he shouted, hoping Edrim would see his opening.
Edrim didn't hesitate. Flames erupted from his body as he surged forward, his sword crackling with scorching heat. The fire around him made the air shimmer, distorting his figure like a mirage. He lunged at the beast, aiming for its back.
"Take this!" Edrim roared, swinging his sword in a blazing arc.
The fire wave shot forward, colliding with Beast shadowy form, and the explosion of heat and force rocked the cavern. The creature staggered, its form flickering as if struggling to hold itself together. But it wasn't defeated yet.
The Demon Beast retaliated with an earth-shattering roar, sending a shockwave of pure dark energy through the air.
The ground beneath them cracked, and the force of the attack threw both warriors off balance. Varrick, however, was quick to recover, melting into the shadows once more, his presence almost impossible to detect.
Edrim, on the other hand, wasn't so fortunate. The shockwave sent him hurtling back, his cloak billowing in the air as he hit the ground with a loud thud. His sword was still burning, but the impact had knocked the wind out of him. Before he could rise, A Shadowy claws shot forward like spears, aiming to impale him.
"Shit!" Edrim cursed, rolling to the side just in time to avoid being skewered.
The claws barely grazed his shoulder, but the sharp pain sent a jolt through his body. His hand, however, took the worst of it, leaving it injured and throbbing.
Meanwhile, Varrick was closing in from behind. Using the darkness to his advantage, he slipped through the shadows, reappearing above the creature.
His blade was ready, shimmering with dark energy. He struck downward, aiming for the back of The Shadow Maw's neck.
The blade met the creature's shadowy flesh, but instead of cutting through, it only sank partway in. The Demon Beast body writhed, the wound quickly healing as the shadow around it twisted and mended.
"Not good enough," Varrick muttered under his breath. He leapt back, his sword dripping with the dark essence of the beast. "We need to burn this thing to the ground."
Edrim, still recovering from the near-death swipe, climbed to his feet, his eyes burning with determination.
"Lets Burn this Mother F*ck*r," he said, his voice cold and fierce.
The Beast seemed to sense their renewed determination. With another screech, it lunged at Varrick, its claws swiping through the air, faster than anything they had seen before.
"Watch out!" Edrim yelled, his voice carrying a sense of urgency. He threw himself forward, conjuring a wall of fire in front of Varrick. The flame exploded outward, creating a protective barrier.
The monster's claws collided with the flames, but its momentum carried it forward. It crashed through the barrier with terrifying force, scattering embers into the air like a fiery storm.
Varrick cursed as he was forced to leap back, narrowly avoiding the beast's maw, which was snapping hungrily at his throat.
"This thing won't stop," Varrick growled, his patience wearing thin. "It's time to end it."
Edrim, his body still glowing with the heat of his fire affinity, stepped forward. "Agreed."
The fight continued for what felt like an eternity, each second stretching longer than the last. The cavern echoed with the clash of steel and the monstrous roars of The Beast, the Shadow Maw.
The ground beneath their feet trembled with each blow, the air thick with the scent of burning flesh and the overpowering presence of magic.
Its shadowy form, already battered from their earlier attacks, was now a patchwork of flickering darkness.
The creature's glowing red eyes flickered with a mixture of fury and desperation as it lashed out with its claws. Every attack it made was fueled by primal rage, but the warriors had become accustomed to its tactics.
"Focus, Edrim!" Varrick shouted, narrowly avoiding another strike from its claws. The shadowy beast swung its massive arm, aiming to crush him, but he melted into the shadows just in time, appearing behind the creature.
His blade flicked out, striking once again, though the damage was minimal.
"I'm trying," Edrim retorted, sweat dripping from his brow as he parried one of the creature's massive claws with his flaming sword. The flames sizzled against the creature's dark form, but they didn't penetrate deeply enough. "This thing regenerates faster than we can burn it!"
The Beast growled, its voice a low, guttural rumble, and its form seemed to ripple with darkness as it tried to reform itself. The wound Varrick had inflicted earlier was already closing, the darkness swirling back into place like liquid.
"We need to disrupt its regeneration," Varrick said, his mind racing. "If we can cut off the source of its power, we might stand a chance."
Edrim nodded grimly. "Then we need to go for the heart."
The two warriors, now locked in the rhythm of battle, continued to weave in and out of the shadows and flames. Varrick darted between gaps in the creature's form, his strikes precise and sharp, but the shadow seemed to stretch and bend around him, rendering his attacks less effective.
Meanwhile, Edrim' s fiery attacks were starting to slow, the flames flickering and sputtering as the beast's shadow tried to smother them.
As the creature advanced again, its massive jaws snapping, Edrim suddenly saw an opening. "Varrick, to the heart! I'll cover you!" he shouted, his voice firm.
Without a second thought, Varrick dove forward, disappearing into the shadows once more. He moved like a wraith, blending with the darkness, but his senses were acutely aware of the beast's every movement.
The Shadow Maw's attention was now split, its burning eyes flicking between the two warriors. It was on the defensive—slower, more cautious than before.
Edrim swung his sword wide, calling on every ounce of his fiery magic to amplify his strike.
"Inferno's Fury!"
The sword blazed with intense heat, the air around him rippling with the force of the flames. The firestorm that followed swirled around the creature, its tendrils biting into the creature's form.
The Beast roared in pain, its shadowy body buckling under the onslaught.
Varrick, watching the distraction, took his chance. With a swift movement, he materialized behind the creature, just below its neck. His blade, glowing with dark energy, aimed for the heart of the creature.
"Now, Varrick!" Edrim shouted, sweat pouring from his face.
Varrick' s blade struck true, slicing through the dark mass with an almost otherworldly precision. The beast screamed in agony, its form flickering violently as the darkness around it began to unravel.
For the first time, the Shadow Maw's regeneration faltered, its form twisting as if trying to maintain its integrity.
"Not yet," Varrick muttered under his breath, feeling the resistance of the creature's immense dark power.
Edrim, seeing the opening, rushed forward.
"Flame burst!" he cried, unleashing a concentrated burst of fire directly at the exposed wound.
The flames erupted, searing the dark essence of The beast. The creature's form screamed, the fiery blast overwhelming its regenerative powers.
The flames licked at the darkness, burning away the essence of the Shadow Maw.
For a moment, it seemed as though the creature would simply fade into the abyss from which it came. But then, in a final, desperate effort, it surged forward, its claws swiping wildly, trying to tear them apart in one last act of vengeance.
But it was too late. Varrick' s blade, infused with dark energy, pierced deeper into the creature's chest.
The beast let out a final, blood-curdling scream as its body began to break apart. The shadow that had once been a terrifying, unstoppable force was now disintegrating, the darkness unraveling into nothingness, the last remnants of the creature's essence consumed by Edrim's flames.
The cavern trembled one last time, the sound of Creature's death reverberating through the walls, and then… silence.
The two warriors stood amidst the smoking ruins, their chests heaving as they tried to catch their breath.
Their bodies were battered, their clothes singed, and their weapons glowing faintly, but the creature was gone. The oppressive weight that had filled the cavern was now lifted.
Varrick wiped blood from his brow, his hands trembling slightly. "That... was too close," he muttered, his voice hoarse.
Edrim, equally exhausted, managed a strained smile. "We're still alive, aren't we? At least one of us should be proud."
Varrick shot him a sidelong glance. "Yeah, just don't expect me to say 'thank you.'"
Edrim laughed softly, shaking his head as he wiped sweat from his face. "Wouldn't dream of it. Now, let's finish what we started."
With the creature vanquished and the cavern falling silent, the warriors turned toward the deeper, darker corridors ahead. The dungeon still had secrets to reveal, With the Shadow Maw vanquished, the dungeon's oppressive atmosphere seemed to lift, though the tension between the two men remained thick in the air.
Neither spoke as they made their way deeper into the heart of the dungeon, both knowing that the battle had only ended for now.
***