Gregor groaned in pain, struggling against the spikes impaling his body. His massive shield had saved him from instant death, but now he was helpless, trapped at the bottom of the pit.
Ethan's face twisted with rage. "We have to pull him out!"
"No! We need to fall back!" Lara gasped, clutching her burned arm. The earlier fire spell had drained her. She wasn't ready for another.
Derrik staggered, his skin pale from the poison. His dagger trembled in his grip. "I… I can't feel my legs…"
Oscar felt victory approaching.
His dungeon's first real battle was going perfectly.
But he wasn't done yet.
He pulsed a command.
The Goblin Stalker moved again.
---
[Goblin Stalker: Shadow Kill Activated]
The assassin struck from the darkness.
One moment, Derrik was standing.
The next, a black blade pierced his throat.
His eyes widened. He tried to scream—but only a wet gurgle came out.
The goblin vanished again, leaving Derrik to collapse, lifeless.
[Derrik has died. +10 Mana.]
Oscar's core pulsed with satisfaction.
The first of the invaders had fallen.
---
Ethan's Fury
"DERRIK!"
Ethan's roar shook the dungeon. His grip on his sword tightened. His rage was palpable.
Lara's face twisted in fear. "We have to—"
"No," Ethan growled. "We kill it. We kill all of them."
He turned to Gregor, still stuck in the pit. "Can you climb?"
Gregor clenched his teeth, forcing himself to stand despite the wounds. "I… think so."
Oscar pulsed another command.
The Goblin Stalker prepared to strike again.
But this time, Ethan was ready.
---
[Ethan: Combat Instincts Activated!]
The goblin lunged for Lara.
But the moment it stepped from the shadows, Ethan was already moving.
His blade flashed.
The goblin's **dagger met steel—**but Ethan's raw power overwhelmed it.
SLASH!
The goblin staggered back, a deep wound across its chest.
For the first time, Oscar felt something unfamiliar—loss.
His strongest minion was wounded.
Ethan was no fool. He was strong. And he was enraged.
Oscar needed to end this. Fast.
---
Dungeon's Wrath
Oscar poured his remaining mana into his dungeon.
He couldn't let them leave.
Not after this battle.
His slimes were dead. His goblin was wounded. But he still had one advantage.
The dungeon itself.
---
[New Dungeon Upgrade – Collapse Tunnel (10 Mana)]
Oscar focused. The walls trembled.
Rocks shuddered loose from the ceiling.
Lara's eyes widened. "The cave—"
RUMBLE.
The passage behind them collapsed.
Dust choked the air. The entrance they came from was now sealed shut.
There was only one way forward.
Lara stumbled back in horror. "We're trapped."
Ethan didn't hesitate. "Then we fight our way out."
Oscar's core pulsed darkly.
That was exactly what he wanted.
---
No Escape, Only Death
The air was thick with dust, settling like a shroud over the battlefield. The entrance had collapsed, sealing the adventurers inside Oscar's dungeon.
There was no escape.
Lara coughed, her burned arm shaking as she tried to push herself up. "No… No, no, no! We need to—"
Ethan cut her off with a sharp voice. "Get it together." His sword gleamed in the dim light, still stained with goblin blood. His face was cold, but his eyes burned with fury.
Gregor, still trapped in the pit, groaned. "Ethan… help me out of here."
Oscar felt their desperation.
He didn't intend to let them recover.
This dungeon wasn't a test. It wasn't a game.
It was a grave.
---
[Oscar's Status]
Mana: 10 (+10 from Derrik's death)
Creatures:
Goblin Stalker (Wounded)
One remaining slime
Traps Activated:
Hidden Spike Pit (Used)
Collapsed Tunnel (Active)
---
Options:
Summon New Creature (10 Mana) – Reinforce the dungeon's forces.
Strengthen Dungeon (10 Mana) – Reinforce walls and floors.
Expand the Dungeon (10 Mana) – Create a deeper level with new dangers.
Upgrade the Goblin Stalker (10 Mana) – Heal and evolve it further.
Oscar pulsed with calculated intent.
His goblin was wounded. It had done well, but if it fought again, Ethan would surely finish it off.
A single wounded goblin couldn't win this fight.
But a new, powerful monster could.
Summon New Creature (10 Mana) – Confirmed.
---
[New Monster Summoned – Shadowfang Wolf]
A deep, menacing growl echoed through the chamber.
Lara's breath hitched. "What was that…?"
A pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the darkness.
Then another.
And another.
Oscar had summoned his first beast-type monster.
A Shadowfang Wolf.
A creature born of darkness, made for hunting and killing.
Its fur was black as the abyss, blending into the shadows of the cave. Its fangs dripped with venom, capable of paralyzing prey within moments.
And it wasn't alone.
Oscar had spent all his mana to summon not just one, but two.
Two wolves against three injured adventurers.
The odds had shifted once again.
---
The Hunt Begins
Ethan's grip on his sword tightened. "We're not alone."
The wolves moved in silence, circling their prey.
Gregor, still trapped in the pit, tried to push himself up. "Get me out first!"
Oscar pulsed. No.
The wolves struck.
One lunged for Lara. The other went for Ethan.
Lara barely had time to react. She screamed, raising her staff—
CHOMP!
The wolf's fangs sank into her arm.
She shrieked in agony, trying to cast a spell, but the venom was already spreading. Her fingers twitched. Her body froze.
Oscar felt her mana falter.
Her magic was useless now.
Ethan roared in anger. He dodged the second wolf's attack, slashing his sword in a wide arc.
The wolf jumped back, unharmed, its red eyes glowing with cold hunger.
Gregor watched in horror. "Lara! Hang on!"
She tried to speak—but her lips wouldn't move. Her body was going numb.
Oscar pulsed.
One down. Two left.
---
Ethan's Desperation
Ethan knew they were losing.
The goblin was wounded, but still lurking.
The slimes were almost gone, but the real threat was these wolves.
They moved like shadows, attacking and disappearing.
Lara was helpless. Gregor was trapped.
And Ethan?
He was alone.
But he wouldn't go down without a fight.
He gritted his teeth and shouted, "I'll hold them off! Gregor, climb out of that pit! We're not dying here!"
His sword glowed faintly—a skill activating.
---
[Ethan Uses Combat Art: Blazing Slash!]
FLAMES EXPLODED from his blade.
The Shadowfang Wolf lunging at him was too fast to stop its momentum.
SLAASH!
Fire met fur.
The wolf howled in agony, its body catching flame as Ethan's attack tore through its side.
It collapsed, whimpering, dying.
Oscar's core trembled.
His new creature—killed so easily.
This adventurer…
He wasn't normal.
---
A Dangerous Threat
Ethan panted, sweat dripping down his face.
His mana was low. That attack had cost him too much.
But one wolf was dead.
He turned to Lara, who was barely breathing. The venom was killing her slowly.
Gregor, still struggling, had managed to pull himself halfway up the pit.
They were wounded. Beaten. Outnumbered.
But they weren't dead. Not yet.
Oscar pulsed, his mind racing.
These adventurers were stronger than he expected.
Ethan had battle instincts. Skills. Experience.
If he let him escape now…
He would return stronger.
And Oscar wouldn't let that happen.
---
The Dungeon Evolves
Oscar had a choice.
Should he use his remaining mana to strengthen his creatures, ensuring victory?
Or…
Should he focus on evolving the dungeon itself, preparing for future battles?
If he won here, adventurers would come back stronger next time.
If he lost, Ethan and Gregor would leave, bringing more reinforcements.
Oscar pulsed darkly.
He would not lose.
He would change.
He would evolve.
Unlock New Evolution Path – Dungeon Growth (Special Option Unlocked!)
---
[New Evolution Path Available!]
Mutated Dungeon Core: Oscar gains access to special evolutions, allowing unique dungeon abilities.
Predator Dungeon: The entire dungeon becomes a living organism, feeding on intruders.
Abyssal Core: Unlocks dark magic, summoning entities from beyond reality.
---
Oscar pulsed.
The choice he made here…
Would shape the future of his dungeon forever.
And the fate of every adventurer who dared to step inside.