Ford and Hanzo locked eyes, their expressions mirroring the same shock. Two Warchiefs now stood before them. The battlefield, already a warzone of chaos and exhaustion, had just become a nightmare.
Without hesitation, both Warchiefs roared and charged—one toward Ford's party, the other toward Hanzo's.
The adventurers barely had time to react.
The Razor Knight's party was paralyzed, their bodies refusing to move under the sheer weight of the Warchief's oppressive aura. Meanwhile, the only remaining Knight in Hanzo's party staggered, his HP dangerously low, his breath ragged as he clutched his sword for dear life.
Hanzo's Priest struggled to stand, sweat dripping from his brow. His fatigue was already at half. If this fight dragged on any longer, he wouldn't last.
THE RAID PARTY MERGE
Prius, assessing the dire situation, acted quickly. "Hanzo! Your Priest is running out of stamina. Accept my Party Invite! We need to form an 8-man Raid Party!"
Hanzo hesitated only for a moment before accepting the request. The moment the party merge was confirmed, Prius slammed his fist into the ground.
"SEED OF LIFE!"
The earth trembled beneath them, and from the cracks in the stone, a colossal tree burst forth, its luminous green leaves shimmering with divine energy. A soft, golden light radiated from the tree, washing over the battlefield like a healing wave.
All party members within its range felt their wounds closing, their stamina replenishing. The fading strength of the injured Knight was restored, his breathing steadying as his HP climbed back to a safer level. Hanzo's Priest sighed in relief as the overwhelming fatigue lessened, restoring his ability to cast spells.
But the moment the spell reached its peak, Prius swayed unsteadily. His vision blurred, his body unable to handle the overwhelming energy expenditure.
"Prius!" Ford called out.
Prius exhaled sharply, forcing a weak smile. "I… gave it everything."
Before anyone could react, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Ford clenched his jaw. "Damn it… He's out!"
Hanzo's fists tightened. They had regained their strength, but now they were down one of their most critical supports.
The two Warchiefs snarled, sensing the sudden resurgence of power in their opponents—and the vulnerability of their healer.
The real battle was about to begin.
UNCOVERING THE ENEMY
Data Connection: 80%.
Jazz stepped forward, eyes narrowing as he activated his Sense Aura skill. His vision sharpened, scanning the twin Warchiefs. "I see it now… One of them isn't a real Warchief. The one on the left—it's the Mirror General!"
Ford and Hanzo turned to him, their attention fully locked. "You're sure?"
Jazz nodded. "Their physical appearance and skills can change, but their auras don't lie. The Mirror General is magical, while the real Warchief is purely physical."
"Nice work, Jazz," Ford said, his mind already racing with a plan.
Hanzo smirked. "Then we take down the Mirror General first before it causes too much trouble."
Ford turned to their healer. "Patty, take care of Prius."
Patty gave a firm nod. "Leave him to me."
Ford readied his weapon. "Alright, everyone—let's wipe out the Mirror General fast!"
Hanzo and the rest of the team echoed their agreement. With their target locked in, they launched forward.
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THE PLAN IN MOTION
Ford tightened his grip on his blade. "Jazz, I'm going all out. This will push my fatigue to the limit, but I need you and the knights to hold out!"
The two party knights nodded in understanding, immediately engaging the original Warchief, taunting it away to create space.
Jazz focused, chanting under his breath. "Magic Shoes!"
A faint glow enveloped his feet, granting him the ability to move while casting. Without missing a beat, he thrust his staff forward. "Ice Spear!"
A spear of crystalline frost materialized in the air, but Jazz didn't launch it. Instead, he kept channeling.
"Magic Wind Cyclone!"
A powerful vortex of wind spiraled around the spear, enhancing its speed and piercing power. Jazz smirked. "Let's go!"
Meanwhile, Hanzo vanished into the shadows. "Hide!" His presence faded from the battlefield, unseen by both allies and enemies.
Ford stepped up, locking eyes with the Mirror General. "Taunt!"
The Mirror General roared, its aggression shifting fully toward Ford. It raised its weapon and rushed him, slashing downward in a powerful strike.
"Now!" Ford muttered, gritting his teeth.
There was only a chance that it would trigger… but—
"Parry!"
Ting!
Sparks flew as Ford's sword intercepted the attack flawlessly. A shockwave pulsed outward, and the Mirror General staggered, stunned for one second.
Hanzo's voice cut through the air. "Go!"
Ford grinned. "Parry negates 100% of the damage… plus 10% based on level. Now take it down!"
Hanzo emerged from the shadows, blade flashing.
"Backslash!"
His attack struck the Mirror General's exposed back, landing a devastating critical hit.
Jazz took his chance. "Combine Skill—Cyclone Ice Spear!"
The enhanced Ice Spear, swirling with violent wind magic, pierced straight through the Mirror General's chest.
A shattering boom echoed as the monster let out a final, agonized roar—then collapsed.
[Mirror General Defeated!]
A NEW POWER AWAKENS
Jazz's eyes burned with newfound power as the last remnants of the energy settled within her.
Floor 20 Data Center
Data's current connection: 99.8%.
Data" Data Connection 100% ! , open the remote Portal now!"
Back at the Dungeons
A portal opened.
A dark figure emerged.
Raven stood up, smirking. "So you're not my Anglias at all… but you fought well. The Queen might be angry if I kill any human, so consider yourselves lucky. But this is just for now."
His gaze shifted toward Patty, his smirk fading. "That was for trying to press that remote earlier."
In a blur of motion, Raven drew his sword—and in the same instant, collapsed.
A flash of energy burst from Patty.
"Will of the Inferno!" Jazz roared.
Six fiery rifts ignited around Raven, spiraling into a devastating explosion. The flames roared, engulfing him entirely.
But as the embers faded, Raven's laughter echoed through the battlefield. He stepped forward, completely unharmed. "Not bad… but not enough."
Jazz staggered, his strength drained. Before he could hit the ground, Data caught him.
Raven advanced toward them.
Ford gritted his teeth, swinging his sword in a desperate strike—but his blade barely grazed Raven, as if striking empty air. His Taunt skill failed to take hold.
"What? Why are you attacking us? You're human!" Ford shouted.
Raven simply smiled and raised his hand. "Astral Descent."
A blinding celestial force crashed down, pinning everyone to the ground. The sheer pressure made movement impossible.
"My Queen will be very happy with this one," Raven said, reaching down. His hand closed around Jazz's collar.
"No—!" Ford struggled, but his body refused to move.
With a single step, Raven vanished into the void—taking Jazz with him.
A guttural roar shook the battlefield.
The Chieftain, now enraged beyond reason, charged straight for Data.
But Data's voice remained calm. His fingers moved swiftly, activating a hidden command.
"Wisdom Unite!"
A brilliant light erupted from the ground. Twenty portals tore open across the battlefield, summoning warriors of various second-class jobs.
With practiced precision, the summoned warriors swarmed the Chieftain, overwhelming it in a brutal clash of steel and magic.
The battle was over.
Data stood amidst the aftermath, his gaze cold. Without hesitation, he activated his final command:
"Initiate Report—From Floor 20 to Floors 1 through 50."
A moment later, a voice echoed through the system—calm yet authoritative.
Uno, Chairman of the Adventurer Hall currently at Floor 50:
"We encountered a Dragon on Floor 50, but don't worry—I am alive and well. All Clan Leaders and Examiners, protect your current floors. Try to stay alive. We will convene once this is over."
The transmission continued, relaying the full battle log across all active floors.
Whatever had just happened—it would not remain a secret for long.