The air within the dungeon was cool and damp, carrying a faint, sour tang that clung to Nyx’s nostrils. Shadows danced on the jagged stone walls, illuminated faintly by the bluish-green glow of bioluminescent moss. Adjusting her cloak, Nyx stepped forward, the echo of her boots swallowed by the oppressive silence.

As soon as she reached a wide chamber just beyond the entrance, she stopped, letting out a steady breath. Shadows rippled around her feet, swirling like liquid smoke.

“Time to work,” Nyx murmured.

As the bioluminescent moss along the dungeon walls cast a faint, eerie glow, Nyx released her companions from the Shadow Domain. The dark and silver tendrils swirled outward from her shadow, pooling into tangible forms. The goblins emerged, kneeling silently before her as the mist dissipated, their glowing silver eyes trained on her. At their center stood Zarvok, his skeletal frame imposing even in the dim light.

We have a mission,” Nyx said, her voice calm but firm. “Eliminate every slime in this dungeon, but do not destroy their cores. Bring the magic stones back to me intact.”

Zarvok straightened, his skeletal frame creaking slightly. “Understood, Master,” he replied, his deep voice steady and resonant. He turned sharply toward the army, raising his staff. “Prepare for deployment! Leave no slime standing, but spare the cores!”

The goblins rose as one, their movements precise and eerily synchronized. Their silver accents glinted faintly as they began to fan out, disappearing into the shadowed corridors of the dungeon.

Nyx watched them go, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Efficient as always,” she murmured.

But as the other soldiers vanished into the corridors, Len and Ryu remained by Nyx’s side, their forms standing close to her like silent sentinels.

Nyx’s head tilted in confusion. “Why aren’t you two going with Zarvok?” she asked, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

The two shadow goblins looked at her, their glowing eyes unwavering. They shook their heads firmly in unison.

“You’d rather stay with me?” she asked, crossing her arms.

They nodded in perfect sync.

Nyx couldn’t help but chuckle softly, shaking her head. “Alright, suit yourselves.”

“Interesting,” Uriel’s voice murmured in her mind.

Nyx glanced upward slightly, addressing the voice within. “What’s so interesting?”

“Len and Ryu were your first companions—your first creations using the Shadow Domain. Their loyalty to you runs deeper than any command Zarvok could give. While Zarvok leads the others as their general, these two see themselves as your personal guards.”

Nyx blinked, her gaze shifting back to the two goblins standing protectively at her side. Their shadowy forms rippled faintly, as if reacting to her attention.

“They don’t trust him?” she asked silently.

“It’s not about trust,” Uriel clarified. “It’s about connection. Len and Ryu are bound directly to you in a way the others aren’t. Zarvok commands the army, but these two exist solely to protect and serve you.”

Nyx’s lips quirked into a faint smile, an unexpected warmth blooming in her chest. “They’re stubborn, then.”

“Perhaps,” Uriel replied, a faint hint of amusement in its tone. “But their devotion will serve you well. Keep them close.”

Nyx turned her attention back to Len and Ryu, her smile softening. “Looks like I’ve got a pair of bodyguards,” she said aloud, earning faint nods from the two goblins.

“Fine,” she added, adjusting her cloak. “Stay with me. Just don’t get in the way.”

The goblins straightened, their forms almost shimmering with renewed determination.

Uriel’s voice echoed faintly in her mind, a calm undercurrent to her thoughts. “Your bond with them is a strength, Nyx. One worth nurturing.”

“I will,” she replied silently, her expression resolute as she stepped forward into the dungeon’s depths. Len and Ryu followed closely, their forms gliding through the shadows like loyal wraiths.

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Her smile faded slightly as she glanced at the shadowy corridors ahead. “Do you sense anything unusual?”

“The slimes are numerous,” Uriel replied, its voice tinged with analytical precision. “They are clustering deeper within the dungeon. However, the ambient energy suggests a presence beyond the ordinary. It would be prudent to remain cautious.”

Nyx frowned, her fingers brushing the edge of her cloak. “Beyond the ordinary? You mean something like that shaman from before?”

“Possibly,” Uriel said. “But the energy signature is unlike anything we have encountered thus far. Proceed with vigilance.”

Nyx exhaled slowly, steeling herself. “Alright. If things get tricky, I’m counting on you.”

“Always,” Uriel replied, its voice unwavering.

The hunt had truly begun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nyx stepped deeper into the dungeon, the air damp and thick with the faint stench of decay. Shadows danced on the jagged walls, illuminated by the flickering glow of her twin blades. She tightened her grip on the hilts, the familiar hum of their energy soothing her nerves.

Her veil fluttered as she turned to Len and Ryu, who flanked her like silent sentinels. “Let’s begin,” she said softly, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.

With a flicker of her thoughts, Nyx Emperor of Slimes title immediately activated as slimes came into view

A subtle ripple emanated from her, an invisible wave that caused the slimes ahead to quiver and retreat slightly, their gelatinous forms trembling. Their movements slowed, their vibrant hues dimming as fear seeped into their cores.

Nyx smiled faintly. “This will be fun.”

Len and Ryu stepped forward, their glowing forms shifting as they activated their skills. Aegis Bond pulsed to life around them, creating a shimmering barrier that pulsed faintly with light. The air buzzed with energy, a soft hum resonating through the chamber. Behind the barrier, Arcane Tempest erupted, sending swirling torrents of arcane energy cascading into the cluster of slimes. The storm’s impact was immediate, tearing through the creatures like a whirlwind of silver and black.

Nyx darted into the chaos, her movements swift and precise. She activated Solar Storm Rend, golden arcs of light surging around her blades as she slashed through the quivering slimes. Thunderous shockwaves followed each strike, scattering slime fragments across the cavern. The golden energy burned through their gelatinous forms, leaving faint trails of residual light in its wake.

The slimes writhed and split into smaller pieces, their once-bright cores now dimmed. Despite their fear, they surged forward instinctively, their numbers overwhelming.

“Keep them distracted,” Nyx called out, leaping over a wave of slime that surged toward her. She landed gracefully, her blades crossing in a sharp, blazing arc. The radiant energy sliced cleanly through the wave, reducing it to shimmering, harmless liquid.

Len and Ryu advanced in unison, the energy of Arcane Tempest intensifying as they pushed forward. The tempest lashed out with precise strikes, disintegrating the larger slimes into harmless puddles. The barrier of Aegis Bond pulsed steadily, absorbing the occasional acidic spray from the slimes and reflecting it back as bursts of silver light.

When the last of the slimes in their path had fallen, Len and Ryu moved swiftly, their shadowy forms darting between the remains. They retrieved the glowing cores, carrying them carefully back to Nyx and placing them in her bag. She nodded in approval, the faint glow of the cores lighting her path forward.

Meanwhile, deeper within the dungeon, Zarvok stood at the head of his shadowy battalion. His skeletal frame gleamed faintly, the silver runes etched into his bones pulsing with each command. The air around him was cold, heavy with the unnatural energy of his necromancy.

The slimes ahead quivered, their gelatinous forms unbothered by the presence of Zarvok’s undead minions. They surged forward mindlessly, their translucent bodies shimmering faintly under the dim dungeon light.

Zarvok raised a bony hand, the shadow soldiers behind him moving as one. The clash was immediate and brutal. The soldiers tore through the slimes with precision, their shadowy claws slicing cleanly through their gelatinous bodies.

But it wasn’t enough. More slimes poured into the chamber, their numbers seemingly endless. Zarvok’s glowing sockets flared, and with a guttural incantation, he activated Necromancy.

From the shadows, figures began to rise—twisted forms of farmers and hunters long lost to the dungeon. Their decayed bodies moved stiffly, their eyes glowing with the faint silver light of Zarvok’s command. The newly raised zombies joined the fray, their relentless movements tearing into the slimes.

Despite the carnage, the slimes continued their assault, unaffected by fear or intimidation. They surged forward in waves, their gelatinous forms absorbing blows only to split into smaller fragments.

Zarvok’s skeletal jaw cracked into a faint smirk as his forces adapted. The zombies worked in unison with the shadow soldiers, focusing their attacks on the cores of the slimes. As the slimes fell, their glowing cores were carefully extracted and set aside, untouched and intact.

“Efficient,” Zarvok muttered, his voice low and hollow. “As it should be.”

The battle raged on, the chamber filling with the sound of splattering slime and the heavy thuds of zombies and shadow soldiers fighting in tandem. Zarvok’s glowing runes pulsed rhythmically, his commands precise as he directed the relentless assault.

Back in her section of the dungeon, Nyx wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, her chest heaving from the exertion. Len and Ryu stood by her side, their forms glowing faintly as the remnants of Arcane Tempest faded.

“That’s the last of this group,” Nyx said, her voice tinged with satisfaction. She glanced at the cores in her bag, their faint light casting a soft glow.

Uriel’s voice echoed in her mind, calm and steady. “Your progress is efficient, Nyx. Zarvok reports similar success in his area. The dungeon is steadily being cleared.”

Nyx smiled faintly, adjusting the strap of her bag. “Good. Let’s keep moving. I want this place cleared by sundown.”

Len and Ryu nodded silently, their glowing eyes fixed on her as they prepared to follow her deeper into the dungeon.

The hunt continued.