Katsuo and Serena descended the spiral staircase, their footsteps echoing through the narrow stone passage. The air grew colder with each step, and the darkness seemed to deepen, swallowing the dim light from the few remaining torches along the walls. The weight of the dungeon pressed down on them, as though it were alive, aware of their presence.

After what felt like an eternity of walking, the staircase finally ended, opening into a wide, open cavern. As they stepped forward, the atmosphere shifted, and the temperature dropped even further. Katsuo could see his breath misting in front of him. The light from their torches barely penetrated the gloom, and the space ahead felt vast, as if the floor stretched endlessly into the shadows.

"What is this place?" Serena asked, her voice echoing slightly in the eerie silence. "It’s freezing."

Katsuo narrowed his eyes, scanning their surroundings. The walls of the cavern were smooth and polished, as though the stone had been meticulously carved by skilled hands. However, the most striking feature was the floating platforms that hung in the air, connected by narrow, precarious bridges made of translucent energy. The platforms were scattered across the cavern, suspended above an endless abyss. Beneath them, the black void seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy, like the heartbeat of the dungeon itself.

"Looks like we’re walking on air from here," Katsuo muttered, studying the platforms.

Serena stepped forward cautiously, tapping her foot against the closest bridge of energy. "Is this safe?" She glanced at Katsuo, raising an eyebrow. "Or are we about to fall into oblivion?"

Katsuo smirked. "You go first, then we’ll know."

Serena gave him a playful punch on the arm, laughing softly. "Nice try. You first, fearless leader."

Katsuo rolled his eyes but stepped cautiously onto the bridge. It hummed faintly beneath his feet, and though it was translucent, it felt solid enough to hold his weight. He turned back and gave Serena a nod.

"Looks like we’re good," he said. "But watch your step."

They both began crossing the bridge, moving carefully from one floating platform to the next. As they advanced, the oppressive silence of the dungeon seemed to weigh on them, broken only by the occasional creak of the magical bridges and the faint, pulsing hum of the abyss below.

"This place feels... unnatural," Katsuo muttered, keeping his eyes on the path ahead. "Like it wasn’t built by humans."

"Whoever designed it had a taste for drama," Serena quipped. "Floating platforms and bridges over an endless void? Feels like a bad theater set."

Katsuo chuckled, though the tension in his body remained. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them, lurking just out of sight. The entire floor felt alive, as if it were waiting for them to make a wrong move.

As they reached the center of the cavern, they found a larger platform, its surface adorned with strange markings. At the far end of the platform stood an ancient altar, surrounded by flickering blue flames. The flames cast eerie shadows that danced along the walls, making the space feel even more surreal.

"That’s got to be something important," Katsuo said, nodding toward the altar.

Serena narrowed her eyes. "Or it’s a trap."

Before Katsuo could respond, a deep, rumbling sound filled the chamber, and the ground beneath them began to tremble. The blue flames around the altar flared brighter, and the markings on the platform glowed with an ominous light.

"I think we just activated something," Katsuo said, tightening his grip on his sword.

Serena sighed. "Of course we did."

Suddenly, the air around them grew thick with energy, and from the shadows of the cavern, creatures began to materialize. These weren’t like the stone warriors from before. These were wraith-like figures, their bodies made of dark, swirling mist, their glowing red eyes fixed on Katsuo and Serena. They hovered above the ground, their forms shifting and writhing as they advanced.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Great," Serena said, rolling her shoulders. "Ghosts. My favorite."

Katsuo smirked. "Better than stone statues, right?"

"Debatable," Serena replied, her tone dry.

The wraiths moved swiftly, circling the platform as they closed in on their targets. They moved like smoke, their forms dissolving and reforming as they darted through the air, making them difficult to predict. Katsuo’s eyes narrowed as he studied them.

"They’re fast," Katsuo muttered. "But we’ve dealt with worse."

Serena cracked her knuckles, shifting into a ready stance. "You take the left, I’ll take the right."

Katsuo nodded, and in unison, they sprang into action.

The first wraith lunged at Katsuo, its clawed hand reaching for him with a hiss. Katsuo reacted quickly, swinging his odachi in a wide arc. The blade cut through the wraith’s misty form, but it didn’t seem to cause any real damage. The creature reformed almost instantly, its eyes glowing brighter as it lashed out again.

"Damn," Katsuo muttered, dodging another swipe. "They’re not solid."

"I noticed!" Serena shouted from the other side of the platform, dodging two wraiths that had lunged at her.

Katsuo needed a different approach. He remembered Taka’s lessons about the 4th Form, The Iron Mountain—a form focused on defense and fortifying one’s body. In theory, the 4th Form wasn’t just about holding your ground but about turning your defense into an impenetrable force.

He took a deep breath, shifting his stance. He needed to become an immovable object in the face of these spectral enemies, but he also needed to understand their movements.

As the wraith lunged at him again, Katsuo grounded himself, planting his feet firmly. He swung his sword with measured force, not aiming to slice through the creature but to redirect its energy. The wraith’s form collided with his blade, and instead of dispersing harmlessly, it was deflected, spinning away with a screech.

Katsuo grinned. "Okay, I think I’ve got it."

He continued to use the 4th Form, focusing on precise, defensive strikes. Each time a wraith lunged at him, he used his sword to deflect its energy, turning its momentum against it. The wraiths were relentless, but with each attack, Katsuo grew more adept at handling their movements, deflecting them without letting them pass through him.

Meanwhile, Serena used her speed and agility to stay ahead of her opponents. She darted around the platform, her tonfas spinning as she struck the wraiths with rapid, well-timed blows. Her strikes didn’t seem to damage the wraiths physically, but she was patient, waiting for openings in their movements.

"They’re made of energy," Serena called out, dodging another swipe. "We can’t just hit them like normal. We have to break their form!"

Katsuo nodded. "I’m working on it!"

Serena grinned, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Good thing I’ve got the speed for this."

With a burst of speed, she darted toward the closest wraith, narrowly avoiding its misty claws as it lashed out at her. She spun on her heel, using the momentum to drive her tonfa directly into the center of the wraith’s chest, disrupting its form. The creature let out a distorted screech as it dissipated into the air.

"One down!" Serena called out triumphantly.

Katsuo smirked. "Not bad."

He continued to use the 4th Form, deflecting the wraiths’ attacks and searching for a way to disrupt their energy. As one of the wraiths lunged at him, he saw his opportunity. He grounded himself in the Iron Mountain stance, swinging his odachi with precise timing. The blade connected with the wraith’s core, and instead of passing through it, the force of the blow shattered the creature’s form, sending it spiraling into oblivion.

"Two down," Katsuo said, his grin widening.

Serena rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at her lips. "Don’t get cocky."

The remaining wraiths circled them, their red eyes glowing with anger. But now, Katsuo and Serena had the upper hand. They moved in tandem, Katsuo using the 4th Form to deflect and disrupt the wraiths, while Serena darted in with her speed and precision, finishing off the weakened creatures with well-timed strikes.

As the last of the wraiths dissipated into the air, the cavern fell silent once more. The only sound was the faint hum of the blue flames around the altar.

Serena wiped the sweat from her brow, breathing heavily. "That was... exhausting."

Katsuo sheathed his sword, his heart still racing from the adrenaline of the fight. "But effective."

They both turned toward the altar, the eerie blue flames casting long shadows over the platform. The markings on the altar seemed to pulse with energy, and a faint glow surrounded the stone, as if it were protecting something within.

Serena raised an eyebrow. "Think it’s safe to touch?"

Katsuo gave her a sideways glance. "When has it ever been?"

Serena smirked. "Good point."

With a cautious step, they approached the altar. The closer they got, the stronger the magic in the air became, pressing down on them like a physical weight. Katsuo reached out, his hand hovering over the surface of the altar. The moment his fingers brushed against the stone, the runes flared to life, and the ground beneath them began to shake.

The blue flames intensified, and the sound of grinding stone echoed through the chamber as the floor beneath the altar shifted. A hidden staircase revealed itself, spiraling down into the depths of the dungeon.

Serena crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing as she peered into the darkness below. "More stairs. Great. My legs are just thrilled."

Katsuo chuckled. "Don’t worry. Maybe the next floor will be easier."

Serena shot him a look. "Yeah, because this dungeon has been so welcoming so far."

Katsuo shrugged, a grin on his face. "You never know."

With a final glance at the now-dormant altar, they descended into the next level of the dungeon, the darkness swallowing them once more as they ventured deeper into the unknown.