I could have waited, maybe should have waited, but as soon as the door closed behind me, Kingsley turned around and swung his paw. Time seemed to slow down as I barely managed to duck, feeling the rush of air from his massive paw just inches above me.
The room was dimly lit, the flickering torchlight casting eerie shadows on the cold terracotta walls. My heart pounded in my chest, the adrenaline coursing through my veins like wildfire. Sweat beaded on my forehead, stinging my eyes. My breath came in ragged gasps, the air heavy with the scent of damp stone and burning wood.
In a split second, I retaliated with a point-blank fireball, the heat searing the space between us. The flames roared to life, illuminating the room with a blinding light. Kingsley snarled, recoiling from the attack, and quickly backed away as Thomas burst into the room, sword drawn and ready for battle.
Without hesitation, Kingsley turned tail and bolted, his heavy footsteps echoing through the chamber. My eyes darted around, quickly taking stock of the room. It was then that a chilling realization hit me—I had overlooked a crucial detail.
Kingsley's roar shattered the brief moment of clarity, and I watched in horror as eight goblins materialized, their forms twisting and warping into grotesque, hulking figures. Their skin was a sickly green, and their eyes glowed with a sinister red light. The air filled with the acrid scent of molten metal as they brandished red-hot swords, their edges glowing with intense heat. They carried buckets of bubbling lava, the liquid sloshing and hissing as it splashed onto the stone floor.
"Here they come!" I shouted, my voice bouncing off the cold stone walls. The sound was almost drowned out by the clamor of the goblins charging forward, their eyes glowing with malevolent intent. The heat from their swords and lava buckets was palpable, making the air thick and stifling.
As the first goblin closed in, time seemed to freeze as turn-based mode, silently thanking whatever luck had decided to favor us. My breath was ragged, and I could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on me. The pressure was suffocating, every second stretching into an eternity. But I couldn't afford to hesitate.
I charged forward, channeling my energy into a series of Ice Breath spells. The cold magic flowed through me, and I cast the spell three times in rapid succession. The temperature in the room dropped sharply, a biting cold permeating the air. Frost spread across the ground, creeping up the walls and encasing the goblins' monstrous forms in ice. Their growls turned to shrieks of agony as the cold bit into their flesh.
Thomas appeared beside me, his sword flashing through the air with deadly precision. He moved like a dancer, each movement fluid and calculated.
His blade cut down the frozen goblins one by one, each strike clean and efficient. Despite the chaos, I wasn't overly worried about being killed; the furthest goblins were still a safe distance away, enough that they'd only get one or two hits in before I could freeze them again. The cold air burned in my lungs, and every breath was a struggle as the frost spread.
A soft glow surrounded me as I started to feel the weight of the approaching goblins. Klericho's ward had activated, casting a protective barrier around me. The warmth of the ward contrasted with the cold of the ice, creating a comforting sensation that bolstered my resolve. I smiled, feeling a surge of gratitude. It was a rare moment of camaraderie amidst the madness. My muscles ached from the strain, my body trembling with exhaustion, but I pushed through the fatigue.
A goblin lunged at me, swinging its red-hot sword with a menacing growl. The blade crashed down, but the ward held strong. The sword shattered on impact, the brittle metal breaking into pieces. I couldn't help but laugh, the relief washing over me like a wave. The rest of the goblins paused, clearly intimidated by the display of power. Their hesitation was palpable, the air thick with their fear.
Grinning, I prepared for my turn. With the enemies within striking distance, I quickly grabbed a mana potion from the bag Klericho gave me in the previous run. The liquid was cold and invigorating, sending a rush of energy through my body.
"Time to chill," I muttered, unleashing two consecutive Ice Breath attacks. The temperature in the room plummeted, and the air filled with the crackling sound of ice forming. The goblins were quickly encased in thick layers of frost; their movements slowed to a crawl. I didn't have time to question my insane luck, so I brushed the errant thought aside.
Thomas, moving with the speed and precision of a seasoned warrior, dispatched the remaining goblins. His blade cut through them with lethal efficiency, leaving nothing but shattered ice and defeated enemies in his wake.
I dropped to the floor in exhaustion.
If I'm this tired now, how am I going to face two bosses?
There was no need to expend more mana or energy; the battle was over, and we had won. My body felt heavy, and the adrenaline crash left me drained.
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As soon as I recovered, I gathered the corpses, carefully saving the organic material for future runs. Every bit counted, and I wasn't about to let anything go to waste. The room was silent now, the echoes of battle fading into the distance. The air was cold, the frost from my spells still lingering. With the immediate threat neutralized, we sprinted after the Goblin King, the urgency of our mission driving us forward. The stone floor was slick with ice, and we moved quickly, our breath visible in the chilly air.
As we ran, my mind raced. The encounter with the goblins had been a diversion, a distraction from the real challenge ahead. The magic lamp weighed heavily in my thoughts. I still didn't have a concrete plan for dealing with it or the Djinn. The rules were clear—I couldn't directly harm the Djinn. But perhaps there was a way to wish for the fight to be easier or end quickly. The thought was tempting, but I knew it was too vague. The Djinn was notorious for twisting wishes, and a careless request could spell disaster.
Frustration gnawed at me, a bitter reminder of my inadequacies. "I wish I had done better in school," I muttered under my breath, the words tinged with regret. Maybe then I'd have been smart enough to devise a real plan, something foolproof that could guarantee our victory. But there was no time for self-pity. My legs burned from the exertion, my muscles screaming in protest.
We burst into the final room of the floor, the air thick with an oppressive energy. The atmosphere was stifling, the weight of the magic in the air pressing down on us like a physical force. The room was vast, almost rivaling the entrance in size. The Djinn floated casually in the air, cyan wisps of smoke radiating from his arms and legs, the magic reflecting his power. His skin was a deep blue, and his eyes gleamed with malevolence. He held a spear in one hand and a fireball in the other. His expression was one of cruel amusement, a smile playing on his lips.
Funnily enough, two more lamps were in the room, guarded by pillars of golden wards. Cyan smoke rose from the lamps, lazily drifting toward the Djinn as it vanished. I used Scan immediately.
Secret Boss Entry 0002: The Djinn of Aerlyn.
This Djinn has been ravaging the city of Aerlyn for ages, taking away the hopes and dreams of any penitent trying to reach the 3rd floor. This secret boss was unleashed by Thomas's and Klericho's meddling. This would never have happened if they had simply not poked into a room they weren't ready for. Let that be a lesson to you, Rod.
Stat:
Level
Effect:
Health
????/????
This boss monster is currently invisible and immune to damage.
I stared at the space where the invisible monster used to be as the king cackled in the background. The air was thick with tension, every sound amplified in the silence. A double-boss fight had nothing on the four-boss gauntlet the first floor had become, but an invisible boss seemed insurmountable. My palms were sweaty, the lamp in my hand slippery with moisture.
"I know what my wish needs to do," I thought, "I just need to figure out how to make it." Discreetly rubbing the lamp hanging at my side, I whispered my wish. Nothing happened. The silence was deafening, my heart pounding in my ears.
“Hey guys, how do I activate the lamp?” I asked, my voice tinged with frustration and desperation. The air was thick with the scent of burning, the smoke from the Djinn's fireball hanging heavy in the air.
"Give it to me," Thomas said, an unusual anger glinting in his usually calm eyes. His face was flushed, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple.
"What, no? Crystal just said you were the reason this mess even happened!" I snapped, my voice louder than intended. Anger flared within me, burning hot and fierce. The gods wouldn’t have meddled this much if there hadn't been so much chaos on this floor. My hands shook, the lamp rattling in my grip.
Thomas's expression hardened, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something dark in his eyes. "We don't have time for this, Rod. Just give it to me!" His voice was sharp, edged with desperation and urgency. His jaw was clenched, his knuckles white as he gripped his sword.
"No!" I clutched the lamp tightly, my knuckles white. "We'll figure this out together. I'm not letting you make things worse." My heart pounded; a mix of fear and determination drove me. My mouth was dry, my throat tight with anxiety.
Klericho stepped between us, his eyes darting nervously between me and Thomas. "Rod's right. We need to think this through. Fighting among ourselves won't help." His voice was calm, but I could see the tension in his posture, his hands clenched at his sides. His face was pale, a sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead.
Thomas let out a frustrated growl but backed down, the tension in the room palpable. The Djinn watched us with amusement, his eyes glowing with dark energy, an evil smile playing on his lips. His laughter echoed in the chamber, a haunting sound that sent chills down my spine.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. "Okay, we need a plan. The Djinn is now invisible, so we need to make him visible. We can worry about hurting him later." The words felt heavy, each one a struggle to get out.
Klericho nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Maybe we can disrupt the flow of energy from the lamps. If we can cut off his power source, he might become tangible." His voice was steady, but I could see the worry in his eyes.
Thomas's anger seemed to subside, replaced by a steely determination. "I'll take out the guards around the lamps. Rod, you focus on keeping the Djinn distracted. Klericho, see if you can weaken the wards." His voice was firm, his eyes locked on the Djinn.
"I got it," I said, my grip tightening on my staff. Let's do this." The air was electric with anticipation, the weight of the coming battle pressing down on us. We were in for the fight of our lives, but I was ready. The sweat dripped down my back, the adrenaline surging through my veins. This was it. No turning back.