Tian realized that the situation had reached a critical point. The strike squad was taking too much time, and the sounds of battle inside the dungeon had grown chaotic. He couldn't wait any longer; he needed to act. With a sense of determination, he placed his hands onto the cool moss beneath him, and the earth seemed to respond to his command. Notifications flashed before him, confirming the activation of his skill.
"Skill activate," he muttered under his breath as he felt the mana flowing through him. "Earth Golem successfully created. 1/2. Earth Golem successfully created. 2/2."
Tian made a quick decision; he would send the first golem inside as a scout. It was a risky move, as it would reveal his presence, but he needed to know if there was a trap lurking within the dungeon. He watched as the earth golem, a hulking figure, clumsily lumbered toward the dungeon's entrance.
As the golem ventured deeper into the dungeon and survived without any sudden mana drain, Tian felt a sense of relief. It seemed safe, and the golem should be causing chaos within. The only command he had given it was simple: "Crush goblins."
With his second golem acting as a shield, Tian cautiously entered the dungeon. His priority was to assess the situation and find an appropriate weapon. He had once been a "Weapon Master," and his past experience made it easier to locate a suitable weapon despite losing his previous class skills. His physical stat had returned to C rank after he reawakened, allowing him to wield weapons effectively.
Tian stepped into the boss room, and the chaotic scene unfolded before him. The goblin village was a twisted maze of makeshift huts and barriers, and the narrow pathways were littered with debris from the fierce battle. The remaining six or seven members of the strike squad were huddled in the center, besieged on all sides. Spells and goblin strikes rained down upon them from every direction.
Tian's eyes darted around, quickly assessing the situation. It was clear that the goblin shaman was the real threat, not the small goblins. His plan focused on taking down that caster first. He rushed toward the center of the room, his gaze locked on a spear someone had dropped onto the ground.
As he approached the ongoing melee, a goblin attempted to stab his nearby golem. To Tian's amusement, the goblin's knife merely bounced off the golem's hard body. In a peculiar moment, the golem reacted with surprising sentience, swiftly retaliating by smashing the goblin flat with a heavy fist before staring down, its head tilted slightly as though it was confused why the goblin had attacked it.
Drawing closer to the epicenter of the battle, Tian locked eyes with the goblin shaman. He couldn't help but taunt the creature, "Nice fireworks!” Kicking the spear off the ground and sending it flying toward the shaman.
The goblin shaman teleported nearly fifty feet away before the spear could strike it, resetting the exchange. It took Tian much more seriously than the others. The goblin shaman knew that it couldn't afford to underestimate him.
Seconds after the exchange as Tian was already dashing toward the next weapon while weaving through the small horde of goblins, a notification flashed before Tian:
'Dian Lee cast Enhance on you. Physical stats increasing. Physical resistance increasing.'
Tian glanced toward the surviving members of the strike squad and gave them a nod of acknowledgement without pausing his movement.
‘This will make it easier.’ Tian thought, decisively taking the riskier course of action he had previously decided against.
‘Skill deactivated. Earth Golem removed. 1/2.’
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Tian and the goblin shaman clashed once again. From an outsider's perspective, it might have seemed like Tian was on the back foot as he was unarmed and within melee distance now, the goblin shaman's spells forcing Tian to defend more than they would have liked.
Suddenly, the goblin shaman smiled, its rotting yellowed teeth visible as it licked its lips in joy, conjuring a devastating lightning strike, aiming it directly at Tian. The strike squad members could only watch in fear, believing that this was the end for their last hope.
“NO!” The support in white and gold robes that had previously used Enhance on Tian shouted out, he had seen Tian as their only hope of survival after Marcus’s sudden disappearance.
However, at the critical moment, one of the strike squad members realized what was happening. In an act of bravery, he activated a teleportation skill, positioning himself in front of the incoming lightning, determined to protect Tian at all costs.
“Get down!!”
‘Skill activated.’ ‘Earth Golem successfully created. 2/2.’
Tian, who had planned for the strike, couldn't help but smile in the split second of reaction time the man had. Goblin shamans had limited skills, and he had expected its attack. The ground quaked beneath him as a hulking figure of a golem burst from the earth, taking the full force of the lightning strike with a thundering CRRRACKKK.
The golem shattered to pieces as Tian, with remarkable speed, dashed toward the goblin shaman, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. The shaman's eyes widened with a mix of shock and confusion as it realized the danger it was in. The knife pierced the goblin shaman's neck, and a gurgled cry escaped its lips. Dark, foul blood oozed from the wound as the shaman's body crumpled to the ground.
Tian stood over the defeated caster, his chest heaving with exertion and adrenaline coursing through his veins. The strike squad members watched in awe, their fear giving way to joy as they witnessed the unexpected turn of events.
‘Goblin Shaman defeated. Rewarding ranker Tian Gias’
One of the squad members, the rogue who had sacrificed himself to protect Tian from the lightning strike, approached with a sheepish grin, "Well, I guess that went better than expected."
Tian's eyes widened as he picked up the mysterious item lying amidst the remnants of the Goblin Shaman’s hoard –
Item Status:
Name: Scroll of Elemental Mastery
Rank: C
Description: An ancient scroll imbued with the essence of the elemental forces. Upon reading, the scroll grants a unique elemental skill based on the user's class, enhancing their combat capabilities with the power of the elements."
His fingers traced the ancient symbols on the scroll, feeling a slight warmth emanating from the parchment. He could sense a surge of power waiting to be unlocked. His heart raced with anticipation as he thought of the potential power boost this scroll could provide.
Meanwhile, the rest of the survivors were in a state of confusion and worry. Marcus, their temporary strike leader for this dungeon raid, was nowhere to be found. The sudden realization of his disappearance sent a wave of anxiety among the remaining members. They started to call out for Marcus, their voices echoing through the eerie silence of the now cleared dungeon.
“Marcus? Marcus, where are you?” shouted the only surviving healer, her voice tinged with a blend of fear and anger.
Tian, however, seemed unaffected by Marcus’ disappearance. His focus was solely on the scroll he had just acquired. He knew that this item could be a game-changer for him. It was as if the universe had thrown him a lifeline, a chance to further harness his Summoner capabilities.
Ignoring the escalating chatter and distress of his guild members, Tian decided it was time to leave.
‘It’s best I get out of here before they realize that I wasn’t a member of their original team.’ With that Tian made a snatch at some of the items before taking a quick leap to the exit portal, having appeared at the center of the village where most of the members had been the second the “boss” had died.
Tian then turned his attention towards finding the exit portal. The air shimmered as he stepped through the portal, leaving the dungeon behind. He was overcome with an intense feeling of nausea as what should have been a peaceful return was shattered as he was immediately ambushed upon his exit. A group of officers surrounded him, their expressions stern and weapons drawn.
“You there! You’re under arrest for assaulting a strike squad under the banner of the Emerald Hawk Guild,” bellowed the lead officer, his face twisted with contempt.
Tian was taken aback, “What? There must be a misunderstanding. I helped the strike squad back there.”
The officer sneered, “Oh, we have a very reliable source that says otherwise.”
‘They’re not even willing to listen.’
Tian sighed as he followed their commands and started getting onto the ground.
‘Skill activated.’
“Please be careful.” Tian cooed before making a break for the exit of the alleyway.