[You have entered the Level One Hidden Dungeon.]
The sa calm forest unfolded in front of Martin and the others. Warm sunlight lit up the trees, making every nook and cranny visible even in the densest parts.
The atmosphere put everyone at ease, especially NukEncore, who had expected a stampede right at the start.
[59:25 ti left.]
"Where are the monsters?" NukEncore asked.
Martin smiled faintly. "They’ll peel off the trees soon enough."
"Oh."
Chaosgraphy walked past Martin and the others. "I suggest we explore first. Let our mage prove she’s competent, and you can cover her since you’re her friend."
"I don’t mind," NukEncore said, flashing a sheepish smile.
Of course, there was more to Chaosgraphy than her villain act. She had played this dungeon the most and knew more about it than anyone else on the team.
Also, a Ranger was the best class for scouting given the traps and range, so it only made sense for her and Kill Clause to explore ahead.
"I’ll take the north. Sothing’s buried at the mountain’s feet," Chaosgraphy said. Then she walked ahead without waiting for anyone’s answer.
Kill Clause shook her head. "She still doesn’t see you as the lead, Emperoar. I’ll take the south for full coverage. You’re fine with that?"
"Yeah. Go ahead. Call if you need backup," Martin said, smiling back at her.
As soon as the other two disappeared to scout ahead, NukEncore clenched her small hands and took a battle stance, staring into the densest part of the forest.
She was confident and sure of her skills and training, which looked good.
Martin found her adorable.
"I’ll draw them out and stun them all."
"You can stun them too?" NukEncore’s eyes sparked.
Martin chuckled. "Yeah. You said you can pour more mana into your fireballs to make them hit harder, right? Channel your mana. I’ll set the stage. Wait for my cue."
He said it offhand, yet NukEncore stared at his back, seemingly breathless.
Who in the world would set a stage for a flawed ?
Unaware of NukEncore’s monologue, Martin walked into the forest. A second later, monsters peeled themselves off the trees and took the form of wooden wolves. They growled and snapped their jaws, but after everything he had faced, Martin saw them as nothing more than puppies.
He waited for them to pounce.
When they did, he tumbled out of reach at the perfect mont.
[You have used Aegis Tumble (Rare).]
After rolling on the ground, Martin easily picked himself up and moved backward toward NukEncore. Even while retreating, his movent speed had increased. He was fast, his steps controlled, his eyes fixed on the enemies.
As they caught up and lunged again, Martin held them back with Perfect Blocks. A faint silver aura shimred around him, and it wasn’t NukEncore’s imagination.
[Aegis Tumble (Rare): During tumble, you gain 50% Damage Reduction, all slows are removed, and you gain 75% increased movent speed. The effect lasts for five seconds after the tumble ends.]
Soon enough, Martin planted his feet firmly into the soil and raised his shield.
Is that the cue? No. Not yet. They weren’t stunned.
Behind him, NukEncore released flas from both hands. She stood still with her arms outstretched, the orange glow lighting up her face.
Martin lowered his shield and sent it into the pack of wooden wolves. His shield ricocheted from one wolf to another, hitting them square in the head. By the ti it returned to him, the wooden wolves locked in place, stunned and unable to move.
Martin threw himself to the side, fully exposing the perfectly set stage for NukEncore.
Nothing obscured her view. The monsters were lined up in front of her, waiting to go down.
Her fireballs swelled to the size of an adult’s head and hissed with raw pressure.
NukEncore’s eyes turned golden with excitent. She clasped her hands and scread the skill na her younger self had co up with long ago.
"Final Fireball!"
Two fireballs beca one huge one and flew forward in a straight line. Halfway there, the Final Fireball wobbled off-target and slamd into the wooden wolf farthest from the main group. Still, it exploded on impact, setting the first monster it hit ablaze.
A chain of flas followed, leaping from one wolf to another like a parasite. Flas spread across their wooden hides, making them growl in pain.
Staying still didn’t help, so they all turned their eyes to NukEncore.
She stood there, watching the flas burn everything down, lips parted as if she were waiting for a kiss.
The crit notification, the blast, the hiss afterward. An intoxicating lody. I wanted an encore!
"I want another Final Fireball, Martin. Pretty please!" NukEncore shouted.
"You’re already channeling mana. Don’t ask. Just cast," Martin laughed. "This ti, aim closer to center!"
"Mhm. I will!" NukEncore replied.
She had learned how to handle mana better and had even obtained a new skill, but she rushed ahead and created her own version anyway, in a similar fashion to what Martin did with tumbles and shield rushes.
In her case, it was much more extre, as controlling mana was a completely unfamiliar concept for humans. In other words, it was too fantastical.
Still, Martin enjoyed the sensation of controlling the frontline and letting the real damage dealers do what they did best.
On his head, Ao Tenshin nestled, watching everything from within her shell. Inside her, the primordial instincts of a beast slowly began to stir, as she wasn’t the kind of creature that only wanted to eat and nap.
In the anti, Chaosgraphy slashed down a few Wooden Bears. They were tougher than the wooden wolves, and they were deeper in the forest.
Those bears have a clear choreography... I an, they fight in a way that keeps pulling in one direction. This has to be a cue to a hidden location no one has explored yet.
I checked the forums, and no one shared it, so if I keep pushing through this wave of monsters, eventually I’ll find it...
Just then, she found sothing.
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