The group gathered around the fallen creature, catching their breath. The room was now dead quiet, the only sound being the faint crackling of the cursed flames outside.

“Well,” Elias began, looking around the room, “that was a bit more than we bargained for, wasn't it?”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Max muttered under his breath. He glanced at his mana bar, which was nearly empty. His hands were still trembling from the effort of that last Fireball. He wasn’t sure if he could keep this up.

Vera approached him, holding out a small vial. “Here, take this. That last spell was very powerful, your mana should be dangerously low. This will help.”

Max took the potion, thanking her. He drank it in one go. The cool liquid made his mana bar rapidly fill up. He sighed in relief.

“Thanks,” Max said, trying to sound casual. In truth, he was already wondering how many more of those potions Vera had stashed away. Maybe he could slip a few extras into his inventory when no one was looking.

“Keep up the jokes and the fireballs, and I might keep you alive,” Vera joked with a wink.

Max laughed, scratching the back of his head. “I’ll try to use more fireballs than jokes.” His thoughts were focused on his mana reserves. “I definitely need more of those potions. Maybe I should start hoarding them. Never know when the next big, ugly thing will pop out.”

Elias, who was examining the remains of the creature, looked back at the group. “We’ve got more ground to cover. The next sector is likely where the real challenge is.”

“Great, just what I wanted to hear,” Max complained.

“We’re far from done,” the Palading smirked.

The Cursed Quarter was behind them, and they were now entering the Crusader’s Remnants, a part of the city that had once housed the holy warriors of old.

“Why is it always cursed this and haunted that? Can’t we ever explore a place that is just… nice?” Max muttered to himself, though loud enough for the others to hear. “Maybe a nice forest, with some friendly animals and, I don’t know, a picnic spot.”

“That would be too easy,” Seraphina replied, her tone dry. “Besides, where is the fun in that?”

“Fun? Sure, if your idea of fun is constantly nearly dying,” Max replied.

They approached the center of the sector, Max noticed a large structure up ahead—a big cathedral, its once-glorious spires now twisted and on fire.

Elias held up a hand, signaling for them to stop. “This is it. This is the place where the final boss of this dungeon is. Inside there. Everyone, check your gear and be ready. We’re not going in until we’re all prepared.”

Max took a deep breath and opened his sats screen. His mana was full, thanks to Vera’s potion, but he still felt nervous. He glanced over at the others, who were silently checking their weapons and preparing their spells. “Great, just another day in hell. Literally.”

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“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he muttered, gripping his staff. “This is fine. Totally fine. What could possibly go wrong?”

Elias nodded and pushed open the heavy doors of the cathedral. The inside was even worse than the outside. Everything was shattered and destroyed. At the far end of the room stood their next opponent.

The creature was enormous, easily three times the size of any they had faced so far. It was covered in corrupted armor. The aura of darkness around it was visible, and Max felt his stomach drop as the thing turned its gaze toward them.

Max’s stats screen automatically popped up, and he quickly scanned the creature’s information.

Corrupted Crusader

Level: 45

HP: 1,200

Mana: 200

Vigor: 180

Strength: 250

Dexterity: 90

Intelligence: 80

Faith: 150

Arcane: 100

“Great. Just what we need, a cursed tank with a grudge,” Max thought.

“Okay, Elias, you’re up!” Max called out, trying to inject some humor into his voice to mask his nerves. “I’ll just be back here, you know, providing moral support and the occasional fireball.”

Elias smirked, stepping forward with his shield raised. “Stay behind me, and hit it with everything you’ve got when the time comes.”

Max nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. The battle was about to begin, and as the Corrupted Crusader raised its sword, Max couldn’t help but think, Why do I always get stuck fighting the biggest, ugliest monsters?

The doors of the cathedral slammed shut behind them with a loud bang, sealing the group inside with the monstrous Corrupted Crusader. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees, and Max could feel the cursed energy rise even more inside the room. His mouth went dry as the creature began to advance.

Elias moved forward to intercept the Crusader, his shield glowing with divine light. “Everyone, get ready! Stick to the plan!”

Max swallowed hard, gripping his staff. “What plan? Okay, just breathe. You’ve faced worse. Probably. Maybe. Okay, no, this is definitely the worst. But you’re not alone. You’ve got a team, and you’ve got spells. Lots of spells.” He quickly cycled through his available spells, trying to decide on the best course of action. “Start with Fireball. Always start with Fireball. It is a classic for a reason.”

Elias and the Crusader collided with a thunderous crash, holy light meeting dark energy in a blinding explosion. The impact sent shockwaves through the room, shattering what remained of the stained glass windows. Elias was holding his ground, but it was clear that this was no ordinary foe. The Crusader’s corrupted blade hammered against Elias’ shield, and each blow sent sparks flying.

Max didn’t wait any longer. “Fireball!” he shouted, sending the fireball straight toward the Crusader. It struck the creature’s armored chest, the flames covering the dark metal, but the beast barely flinched. “Well, that’s just rude. I worked hard on that Fireball.”

Seraphina was already moving, her bow drawn and an arrow ready. She let loose a flurry of shots, but the creature only snarled in response, its glowing eyes burning even brighter.

Vera was busy in the back, casting a Healing Light on Elias to keep him in the fight. “Stay strong!” she let out a scream.

Darius had vanished into the shadows. Max could only catch glimpses of him as he moved around the battlefield, his daggers flashing as he attempted to find a weak spot in the Crusader’s defenses. When Darius appeared again, it was behind the Crusader, his blade aimed for a critical Backstab. The strike landed, and the Crusader roared in pain, its massive form shaking from the force.

“Nice one!” Max shouted, a grin spreading across his face. “Maybe we’ve got this after all. Just need to keep the pressure on.”

But the Crusader wasn’t done. With a giant swing, he hit Darius, sending him across the room like a ragdoll. He crashed into the far wall with a sickening thud, the impact so forceful that the stone cracked under the force. Max looked at Darius’s HP bar, it was barely visible. It was almost completely drained, just a thin, barely visible sliver of life remaining.

“He is still alive!” Max yelled. “But not for long, just like the rest of us.”