The sting of having been forced to run still lingered, but as Team 0 lurked through the dunes, trying to find the fundamental component of their new plan, they didn't bother complaining too much.
They had all known that they would, one day, find a creature within their rank who could face them. It was almost incredible that it had taken them that long to do so.
It's not even that the Boss is much stronger or more powerful than us… It's this damn sand. It'd be like trying to fight a Water Mage in the middle of the ocean. Not a good idea.
They had been forced to realize that a direct assault would be suicidal. The creature's mastery over the sand, turning it into an omnidirectional weapon, made it near-impossible to approach without risking being buried alive. They needed a strategy, something to even the odds.
As they skulked about, James continued explaining what his idea was. "We know it's still around, and for all that monsters of that kind usually have no intelligence, it should still understand that it would be better off being closer to the dungeon's center. More mana means faster healing and growth, after all. It will do most of the work for us if we can lure it into the Boss' territory."
Daniel grunted skeptically. "I'm not saying it won't work, but monsters inside dungeons usually avoid each other, right? Why would the Sandwurm go after the crocodile?"
Maria, who had enthusiastically agreed after James had given the barebones of his plan, chimed in. "Dungeon Bosses are technically different. They're territorial, especially towards other powerful creatures. While some prefer controlling the other monsters - especially if it's in a dungeon where only one type of creature is present - others are quite solitary, and the crocodile gives me the impression of being exactly that. They know any of them might challenge their position at the center of the Mana Sink. That's why they often attack them on sight."
Ezekiel hummed in agreement. "It's a bit risky, but it might be our best shot. If we lure the Sandwurm to the crocodile, we'll be sure it won't be able to just sit there and throw sand at us like it just did. It should be too busy fighting the threat from below."
"Not to throw shade." Lauren interrupted, in the tone of someone about to do precisely that. "But the Boss is the Boss for a reason. It won't take long for it to notice us being followed by the Sandwurm, and probably just a little longer for it to dispatch of it."
"We don't need it to win the fight for us." James explained, even as he scoured their surroundings for a whisper of their quarry. "I just want it to limit the crocodile's movements for a while. I know if I can get a couple of good hits in, it'll be a different ballgame."
Daniel sighed. "Alright, I guess we can still retreat if we need to. It's not like we have much else to do, even if we manage to kill the Boss. We'll probably have to camp out here for a while longer until they come to get us."
The plan was set, and Team 0 moved with a quiet determination. After less than half an hour of scouring the sands, James finally located the Juvenile Sandwurm.
He began to emit mana pulses - a much weaker version of his explosive punches, which he had been working on to increase his control - creating vibrations to guide the massive creature toward the crocodile's domain. The Sandwurm, drawn by the disturbances, followed the trail, its predatory instincts leading it forward.
As it picked velocity, they did too, jogging towards the dungeon's center with the massive beast on their tail.
“We should have thought about this part better!" Ezekiel yelled over the sandstorm's roar, forced to increase his AGI with a buff to avoid being left behind.
As they approached the Boss, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. The wind whipped around them, carrying with it the anticipation of the impending clash. The team veered towards a dune they had assessed was at a safe distance, watching as the Sandwurm neared the crocodile's territory.
James just had the time to sense the Boss' mind focusing, evidently realizing that something had intruded on its territory and to wonder whether it, too, had a sensory ability, that their little surprise erupted from the sands.
When the two titanic creatures finally met, the confrontation was explosive. The Sandwurm, extremely aggressive in its injured state, lunged forward, having shifted its focus when it realized what it was facing. The Boss emerged from the center of the sandstorm to meet the attack like an obsidian giant.
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Team 0 observed the spectacle of nature's raw power as they lunged forward, their clash reverberating through the sands.
As they coiled around each other, both trying their best to crush the enemy with their maws, James gave Maria the signal. She began to form a massive construct of fire, shaping it into a dragon-like figure above her head, now that they were confident it would go unnoticed.
Meanwhile, the fight between the Sandwurm and the crocodile raged, each creature vying for dominance. The Sandwurm's agility and razor-like teeth found weak points in the crocodile's armored hide, taking chunks out of the beast, but the Boss was not without its own formidable arsenal. It manipulated the sand to create barriers and pitfalls, trying to ensnare the Sandwurm, and managing to divert its lunges most of the time.
James waited for his chance until the Boss released a particularly vicious jet of sand - which sent the Sandwurm roaring back in pain, its armor cracked and bleeding - and lunged forward.
The second part of their plan hinged on Maria having the time she needed to craft her construct, and while the monster they had lured had done most of the heavy lifting, he'd do his part, too.
With a burst of speed, he darted towards the crocodile, his fists charged with explosive mana. He took advantage of its concentration on the massive worm and delivered a powerful punch to the creature's side, causing it to roll away and momentarily lose focus, the constant jet of compressed sand dispersing.
This allowed the Sandwurm to recover and lunge forward. James jumped back, not wanting to be near the two titans as they clashed, and was treated to the sight of the worm sinking its teeth in the crocodile's hide.
The Boss, however, was not done. Indeed, it released a mighty roar and the sand all around for a radius of a few hundred feet started moving towards it.
James jumped away, feeling the ground below him shift and not wanting to be caught in it.
In the span of a couple of seconds, tons and tons of sand had accumulated around the two monsters, obscuring their massive forms as a gigantic ball of shifting grains rotated in the air.
Suddenly, it significantly shrank in size, an unseen pressure crushing it. It fell to the ground, the sand once again free from the Boss' grasp, to reveal the Sandwurm to have been pulped.
The crocodile was somewhat injured and worse for wear but not out of it. It released a victorious roar, making the ground tremble.
Its celebration, however, was cut short because Maria unleashed her fiery construct. The dragon of flame roared to life, descending upon the battlefield with a heat so intense it turned the surrounding sand to glass. The area around the crocodile was engulfed in flames, momentarily preventing it from manipulating the sand.
Team 0 took advantage of the chaos. With his shield up, Daniel charged forward, aiming to draw the crocodile's attention. Ezekiel quickly cast a barrage of debuffs, weakening the creature's defenses, while Lauren circled around, looking for vital points to strike.
Despite the long, tiring slog through the desert, they all moved as if they were as fresh as daisies, thanks to their increased stats.
James joined in, momentarily wondering if he should try to use his corrosive mana, but shelving the thought for later. He wasn't confident he'd be able to focus on it wholly, and considering how much effort it required, it would mean becoming a sitting duck.
Instead, he charged his fists and ran forward, glass shards crunching beneath his feet.
Daniel's Bash was met head-on by the crocodile, whose body was still more than powerful enough on its own. At the last second, it turned around, whipping its tail into the glowing shield and sending the Tank staggering back, his attack momentarily arrested.
Lauren darted in and out of the crocodile's range, her daggers slicing through the air. Each strike was calculated, aimed at the joints and the already wounded part of the beast's hide. She was a whirlwind of precision and deadly grace, appearing and disappearing every time the Boss' focus shifted.
Ezekiel maintained his magic and kept an eye on their surroundings. Their first experience with the Boss had shown it to be resourceful and its Talent extremely adaptable, and he would serve as a lookout in case something unexpected happened.
Still, Maria's fires raged on, the dragon-like form of her construct having exhausted itself after achieving the goal of removing the bulk of the sands from the crocodile's control, aided by the fact that it had summoned almost everything it could reach in one spot. Only the sand being blown by the storm remained, but it wasn't enough for it to do anything beyond craft a few shields or keep them at bay with condensed lances.
Just after Lauren had sank her dagger into an open wound and disappeared again, James took his chance.
The crocodile had reared up, trying to cover its injured back, and he didn't let that mistake go unpunished. He struck with all his might, his punch connecting with the crocodile's underbelly.
The impact created a shockwave that echoed through the dunes. The crocodile reeled, its massive body convulsing with the force of the blow, its internal organs terribly damaged.
Daniel, recovering from the tail strike, charged back in. His shield, glowing with his Bash skill, smashed into the crocodile's side. The beast was sent rolling back, its balance thrown off by the combined assault.
The crocodile, though weakened, was not defeated. It roared, shaking the ground, making the glass shards tinkle and jump, and lunged at James. But he was ready. He sidestepped, avoiding the snapping jaws by mere inches.
At that moment, Maria, seizing the moment, released most of her ongoing fires and concentrated on gathering them all together, crafting her fiery construct anew, aiming to strike at the Boss. The dragon swooped down, its flames engulfing the crocodile in a fiery explosion that sent the others tumbling away despite the distance.
For several seconds, the Fire Mage kept up her attack, not allowing the fires to lower in intensity until the pain-filled roar from within the cocoon of flames went out.
A notification rang out, and only then did everyone let out a sigh of relief.
Lowering her arms, Maria let out a surprised laugh. "I can't believe that worked out." She said, before collapsing on the ground.
Ezekiel ran to her side, worried she might have gotten injured, but she waved him off. "Just exhausted. That took everything I had in the tank, even if I took my time crafting the dragon."
"Just think of what you'll be able to do at the next Tier." James joked, getting a slightly deranged grin back, though the mask made it difficult to tell.
Lauren sheathed her daggers and took out the dressing knife before evidently thinking better of it. "We'll probably have to wait a bit for that thing to cool off before we can cut into it. I suppose we could set up camp here. We earned the rest, and it's not like we can go anywhere else at the moment."
James sighed but agreed. "Alright, let's do that. At least we have dinner ready." He said, looking at the smoking remains and wrinkling his nose.