Leading the way with wary steps, Richard felt that the whole dungeon experience was...Little off. Thinking for a while, he voiced out the concerns he had.

''Uhh guys? Don't you think that the whole dungeon should have more lizardmen roaming around? Somehow this doesn't match up what I kinda expected.''

''Yeah, there are too few enemies. Could they have escaped the dungeon like the ones we saw outside?'' Nadia concurred her thoughts on the matter and continued.

''But it still doesn't explain why they would venture outside and leave their temple here intact.''

Breaking his silence, Nick offered his opinion.

''Maybe they needed something from the outside? Food or something like that? We should be careful if there are food searching parties outside returning.''

Richard and Nadia nodded their heads and had the same general opinion of the situation.

''Regardless of what they are doing, what we have to do doesn't change. Kill boss and get loot.'' Richard said in a confident tone.

Continuing forward the team marveled the pictures on the wall and the decorations in the temple itself. Somehow it emitted a sacred and inviolable feel in the general sense.

''It's strange. Those ugly lizardmen could not have come up with these braziers and the art style on their own. Something must have inspired them and I get the feeling that we are about to find what that is deeper in the dungeon.'' Nadia spoke while touching the depicted walls.

Suddenly Richard stopped and raised his right hand to signal to be alert.

''Those floor tiles are too suspicious, I mean it just screams trap like in the Jondiana Ines movies you can see that something bad happens when you step on them.'' Richard said, chuckling and signaled to be careful of anything suspicious.

Seeing that the narrow corridors of the temple were getting darker, Richard ripped a nearby brazier from the ceiling. Looking over his shoulder Richard saw Nick trembling a little.

Seeing that something was bothering Nick, he stopped for a moment and asked if everything was all right.

''Guys... Now might not be the best time to say it but I am seriously claustrophobic. I have always worked hard in my previous company with the motivation of getting a wide office. I can still hold it in but if those fucking corridors get narrower and darker, I will just wait there.''

''Calm down honey. It is bound to be wide spaces inside, I mean it's a fucking temple right?'' Nadia consoled Nick by patting him on the back gently.

Minutes later, the group avoided suspicious tiles on the ground and arrived by a great door.

''I have a good feeling about this. Hold on for a little more Nick, I'm pretty sure that there is a big boss behind this door in a wide room.''

Nodding to indicate that he is fine, Nick started to mentally prepare himself for a fight.

''Right, the same battle plan as usual? Nadia vanguard, I assist and Nick long range dps?'' Richard asked as a formality.

''Right. No changes. Let's do this.'' Nadia's eyes were already thirsting for battle.

----------------------------------------

The team pushed the great twin doors open together.

Slowly but surely the 3.5 meters tall, full metal doors were opening.

Feeling the tension rising up, Nick saw light from the cracks.

''Oh thank god, it's open space. No sight of the enemy as of yet.''

Fully pushing the door open with some effort, the team entered the room.

Great halls decorated with ceremonial style items were in abundance, and a ceremonial platform connected by stairs.

The most eye-catching thing about the platform was a huge figure resembling something like a lizard when seen from behind.

Standing tall at a height of 3 meters, covered in luxurious battle armor and emanating considerable pressure even with its back turned on the team.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

''I have a bad feeling about that dude standing out there... How about you Inspect it?

''What the hell is that thing supposed to be? Inspect''

Name: ???  ( Spartoi ) Level ??  (Boss) Hp 1750/1750    Mp: 500/500

''Did you inspect it already Nadia? Just fyi Nick, that is our final boss right there. It's going to be pretty rough on us. The creature is spartoi and if I recall correctly, it is being made from dragon's bones so you can expect anything.'' Richard said with a grim mood.

Sensing intruders on its sanctuary, the spartoi turned around to face the unlucky fools.

''Change of plan Richard, I think that thing will decimate us in close combat. How about kiting it?'' Nadia said with a depressed tone while eyeing the spartoi's weapon.

''Yup, works fine with me. Halberd of that size gives me PTSD flashbacks from Dork Souls.''

''Nick, give me the spear. I gotta borrow it for this fight.''

Finishing the battle plan with great haste, the group took distance from each other in preparation for wide area swings.

''Nick stay behind and grill that as much as you can. If you are able, aim for the head to limit its vision.''

''Roger that.''

Richard pulled his pistol out, and waited for the combat to begin.

The spartoi descended the curved stairs with steady steps, closing into the middle section of the great hall. Crunching sounds were echoing in the great hall as the giant approached the team.

''What the hell is making that sound?'' Nick commented uselessly.

Nadia was a bit closer and had a better view from the side and commented back.

''Do you really want to know? Because from what I can see, that thing is stepping on human skeletons.''

''WTF? How can there be skeletons here, I thought that we were the first to find this place.''

''Yup. I just said what I saw, not how there are skeletons.''

''Now is not the time to find out why. It's taking a stance to charge.''

Richard uttered in a tense voice rebuke to the lovers.

Waking up to reality, Nick started to channel his mana to fire at the spartoi.

Seeing that Nick and Nadia were ready, Richard aimed his pistol at the head of the spartoi.

''Open fire!''

Firing rapidly at the giant's head without regard for the bullets, Richard started the boss fight.

Reacting to the bullets, the boss turned its attention towards Richard.

''That's right big boy, come to daddy.''

Charging in with inhuman speed, the spartoi swung the halberd as soon as it was in range. Narrowly avoiding the strike, he created an opening for Nadia.

The boss was completely focused on the first aggressor, and Nadia was opportunist by nature. With the back wide open, Nadia took a throwing posture with her old spear.

Taking careful aim, she threw the spear with great precision.

Hitting the boss directly in the upper torso with her spear, Nadia prepared to go in with her swords.

''Bullseye! Nick, Now is the time!''

''Blast burn'' Nick started to channel a steady stream of fire at the boss and Nadia closed in carefully.

Seeing that the boss was not the sharpest pencil in the case, Richard sighed a breath of relief.

''Thank god it's not too bright. We can most likely win without any big damage.''

Seeing that Nick already started to fry the boss and Nadia moving in the attack position, Richard had to only keep the giant's attention on him.

''You fucking giant lizard turd. How useless you have to be to be the final boss if you can't even manage to hit a noob like me. Watch how I can dance with you without a problem.''

Seeing that there was some emotion in Spartoi's eyes, Richard knew that it at least had some sort of consciousness.

''Imitation skill: Parkour Nick-style!'' Turning his back in a blink of an eye, Richard started his ''strategic retreat'' while slapping his ass and taunting the spartoi on the way.

Hearing a low growl closing in quickly, Richard knew that it had understood him.

''Richard! Duck!''

Hearing Nadia's voice, Richard dived into the ground without asking anything.

Hearing the wind whistle above his head and plenty of hair dropping before his eyes, he shuddered.

''Bro, not cool. Some men of my age already have confidence issues stemming from balding gradually but you just made it to my naughty list.

Touching his head, he felt a cool wind against his scalp.

Quickly getting back to his feet and leaving the resentment for the bald spot aside, Richard saw the giant to prepare for another strike.

Taking Curtain-kun in his hands, he was prepared to parry the next strike. Fortunately it never came to that as Nick and Nadia managed to land solid hits on the giant and attracted its attention away from Richard.

''Phew, thankfully it is dumb AF. Reap and sow''

Slashing to the giant's sides with his scythe, he finally got to use his skill.

Seeing that the skill did activate, he recalled the description for it.

Reap and sow (Skill) - Deal basic weapon damage

- Inflicts stacking DoT for 16 seconds (based on intelligence)

- Steals small portion of the targets attributes (Based on spirit)

''Guys! If we can, we need to tire this guy out. I have a DoT skill on him that I will try to stack.''

''Why did you not say it before asshole? I get it that it's private thing but it affects us all!'' Nadia resentfully yelled while dodging the giant halberd.

''Sorry, it must have slipped my mind. Inspect''

Seeing that the health of the boss had dropped by only 400 HP while constantly regenerating at an alarming rate, Richard had to let the team know what was up.

''Holy moly! It is regenerating fast as fuck. It's something like 20 hp/s.'' Richard yelled while gawking at the speed of regeneration.

''And there goes your master plan. Cover me and I will chop it's head off.''