Point of View: Drakar
The groups had returned.
I observed the warriors standing before me. Some were tense, others restless. It wasn't fear… but they were close.
"Good," I said firmly. "One representative per group. Report."
They didn't hesitate.
Several stepped forward.
One by one, they began to speak.
Findings.
Routes.
Encounters.
As I listened, my expression didn't change… but internally, I analyzed every word.
Unknown creatures.
Abnormal durability.
Lack of traditional resources.
My gaze hardened as the reports continued.
This wasn't what we expected.
When the last one finished, silence fell over the group.
All eyes turned to me.
Waiting.
For my decision.
I exhaled slowly.
"I understand your concerns."
Some lowered their gaze slightly. Others remained firm.
"But we cannot retreat," I continued. "Not after coming this far."
A pause.
"Yes, we are not equipped for this."
That much was obvious.
We had come prepared to hunt beasts—collect hides, meat… traditional resources.
Not this.
Not stone creatures.
"But we didn't come to clear the dungeon," I added firmly. "Only to loot it."
The effect was immediate.
The tension eased.
Not gone… but reduced.
"As long as we accomplish that objective, there's no reason to take unnecessary risks."
My eyes swept across the group.
"We will not face the boss."
Some looked relieved.
Others simply nodded.
It was the right call.
With our current equipment… facing it would be an unnecessary gamble.
And a dangerous one.
"At least we now know the entrance to the first floor," I added.
At that moment, one of the scouts stepped forward and placed something on the ground in front of me.
The orb.
I had seen it from afar… but now it was right before me.
I stared at it in silence for a few seconds.
Then I placed a paw over it and rolled it slightly.
Its surface reflected the faint light of the crystals.
"We tried to damage it…" the scout said. "But we couldn't."
I nodded absentmindedly.
"It shows."
I rolled it again.
And then… I felt it.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"…It's light."
Much lighter than it should be.
For its size… I expected weight. Resistance.
But no.
It was strange.
"We thought the same," the warrior replied. "It doesn't match its appearance."
I remained silent.
Observing it.
And then…
I remembered.
My pupils contracted slightly.
"…This material…"
I looked up.
"It's the same one Rangar and his subordinates use in their armor."
The reaction was immediate.
Murmurs.
Shock.
That explained a lot.
I had always assumed those armors were heavy due to their thickness.
But if this was the same material…
Then no.
They were light.
Durable.
And far more valuable than they seemed.
I looked again at the group that had defeated one of those creatures.
"Weakness?"
They shook their heads.
"Not clearly, Captain. We destroyed one of its arms… but it didn't react. No sign of pain. Same when we struck its body."
A pause.
"It only collapsed when we extracted the orb."
I nodded slowly.
"Then that's the core."
I looked back at the object on the ground.
"Without it… they stop functioning."
Stone creatures.
No pain.
No reaction.
Dependent on a central core.
"They resemble golems…" I murmured. "But more primitive."
Or perhaps… more efficient.
I lifted my gaze.
My decision was already made.
"Listen."
The group tensed instantly.
"We're heading to the first floor."
Silence.
"From this point on, our objective changes."
A brief pause.
"We will hunt these creatures… and only take the orbs."
Some exchanged glances.
"Nothing else," I added. "Do not waste time or energy on the rest of the body."
They nodded.
"Since we're not facing the boss, we'll have room to collect more cores."
I glanced toward the portal.
The storm was still there.
Constant.
Relentless.
"We have twelve hours before nightfall."
I looked back at them.
"And I want us out before that."
No need to explain why.
They all knew.
"Any questions?"
Silence.
No one spoke.
I nodded.
"Then we move."
The group that had found the entrance took the lead.
We advanced.
This time, without trying to conceal our movements.
After what we had discovered… it was unlikely Rangar's subordinates were inside.
Or at least… that's what we wanted to believe.
Some of those creatures crossed our path.
We eliminated them quickly.
Now we knew how.
Precise movements.
Targeted strikes.
The orb extracted.
And the body… fell.
No resistance.
No life.
We stored the cores.
And kept moving.
The tunnels became more irregular as we went deeper. Some narrowed, forcing us into a single line. Others opened into wider chambers, where the crystal light barely reached the ground.
The shadows stretched.
Moved with us.
After several turns, descents, and crossings…
We arrived.
The entrance.
Partially hidden.
Collapsed rocks covered much of the access, as if it had been naturally sealed.
"We found it by accident," one of the scouts said. "One of us fell… and noticed the gap."
I nodded.
Made sense.
We approached.
Together, we cleared the rocks.
The entrance slowly revealed itself.
A descent.
Stone stairs.
Uneven.
Leading into darkness.
No natural light.
Only the faint reflection of crystals… fewer here.
Weaker.
The darkness felt deeper.
Heavier.
"Those who can use torches… step forward," I ordered.
Some moved ahead.
Fire sparked to life.
Light danced across the walls, revealing cracks… marks… and shadows that seemed to move on their own.
"The rest, descend carefully."
We organized.
Line.
Control.
Discipline.
And we began to descend.
Each step echoed.
The air grew colder.
My eyes narrowed as I moved downward.
"We're no longer on the ground floor…"
I could feel it.
"And now…"
My claws brushed against the stone.
"We enter the first floor."
A brief pause.
My gaze hardened.
"We are now in enemy territory… and in a place filled with ascended monsters."
There would be no room for mistakes.