The air in the dungeon had turned cold, thick with tension. Lucas's eyes narrowed at the massive iron gate before him. Slowly, it began to open, the sound of creaking metal reverberating through the chamber. The faint glow from the surrounding blue crystals had long faded, leaving the group in a suffocating darkness. But now, as the gate opened, an overpowering energy pulsed from beyond, making the hairs on the back of Lucas's neck stand on end.
A status window flickered to life before him, cutting through his thoughts.
[Congratulations! Your follower André has killed an A-rank Metal Guardian.]
[Reward: 45 Points]
Lucas barely registered the words. He dismissed the window with a swift motion, his mind already focused elsewhere. His hand moved quickly, as if it had a mind of its own, allocating the points.
[+20 Strength]
[+5 Agility]
[+20 Mana]
With a calm breath, Lucas closed the window, returning his attention to the slowly opening gate. But as his gaze moved from the gate to his companions, he noticed their eyes were fixed on him. A collective silence had fallen over them, each member caught somewhere between awe and confusion.
Siman was the only one who didn't flinch. He stood with his usual self-assured grin, the kind of smile that never quite reached his eyes, the smile of someone who knew the world was always one step behind them.
Without breaking the silence, Lucas took a deep breath, his voice low as he muttered to himself:
"This isn't the time for this…"
But before he could think further, the gate creaked to a full stop, revealing a vast chamber beyond it. The overwhelming energy that surged from within felt almost suffocating. Lucas's breath caught in his throat as his gaze swept across the room. And there, in the center of the chamber, lay the source of this power.
A dragon.
It was massive, its body stretching across the floor like a sleeping titan. The scales covering it were red, with veins of gold pulsing faintly beneath the surface, like ancient runes waiting to awaken. A dragon egg rested beside it, its surface glowing with an ethereal, warm light. The air hummed with life, as if the dragon and the egg were one, their power intertwined.
Lucas's heart raced, but he knew better than to show it. He turned to Siman, his voice quiet, almost hesitant, as if he feared the answer.
"Siman... what is that?"
Siman's smile stretched wider, his fingers gently stroking his chin in thought, as though he had all the time in the world to consider the answer.
"Hm..." Siman said, his voice low but filled with amusement. "It's an S-rank dragon."
Lucas's eyes widened at the casualness of Siman's words. The air grew still. The rest of the group seemed frozen in place, their mouths hanging open, eyes wide with disbelief.
"What?!"
Kyle, Darlene, and the three C-rank members exchanged glances, the color draining from their faces. Their voices trembled with a mix of panic and disbelief.
"S-rank?!"
"What are we supposed to do?!"
But Siman oh, Siman seemed entirely unphased. His smirk only deepened as he turned his gaze toward Lucas.
"Heh... Lucas," he said with a playful grin, "if André kills it, how do you think he'll evolve?"
Lucas blinked in shock, his heart skipping a beat. His eyes shot to Siman, who was as nonchalant as ever. But the words hung heavy in the air, laden with implications.
"What?" Lucas asked, his voice suddenly tight. "If André kills it… he'll reach A-rank instantly. If not S-rank directly!"
The chaos in the room erupted at that point. Kyle's face twisted in confusion and fear, his voice cracking as he shouted:
"What are you even talking about?! Are you insane?!"
"This is insane!" Darlene echoed, her hands trembling at her sides.
But Siman ignored them. Instead, he turned to André, pointing a finger at him with a smirk still plastered on his face.
"Alright… let's begin."
Lucas felt the weight of the moment settle on him like a storm cloud. He looked at Seyman, his instincts screaming at him to stop this madness. But despite everything, he spoke calmly.
"André, follow Siman's orders."
André, ever the silent warrior, gave no indication that he had heard anything at all. He simply moved forward, stepping toward Siman without hesitation. It was like he wasn't even present just a machine, a vessel for something far beyond what any of them could understand.
Siman placed a hand on André's shoulder, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
"Don't be afraid."
There was no reaction from André. It was like Siman's words had no weight, like André was already beyond fear. He was a weapon, pure and simple, forged for a purpose none of them could fathom.
In the next moment, Siman's lips parted again, his voice sharp and commanding:
"Activate."
A golden staff materialized in the air, seemingly out of nowhere, gleaming in the dim light of the chamber. It wasn't adorned with jewels or mystical engravings; it was smooth and featureless, yet it radiated power an unfathomable power that sent a chill down Lucas's spine.
Siman tossed the staff toward André, who caught it without a word, his expression unchanged. Without even glancing at the weapon in his hands, he turned toward the dragon, his gaze steady.
"Let's go," André muttered under his breath, as though speaking to no one in particular.
In an instant, André lunged forward, moving like a blur through the chamber. His movements were swift, precise like a predator closing in on its prey.
The dragon stirred. Its massive eyes snapped open, glowing with an ancient fury that shook the very ground beneath their feet. A deafening roar split the air, and the entire chamber seemed to tremble in response. The sound was primal, terrifying, but André didn't flinch.
Lucas watched in stunned silence as the battle began.
Siman moved as well. He wasn't rushing, wasn't even trying to fight with the seriousness of someone engaged in life-or-death combat. No, this was a game to him. He dashed toward the dragon, dodging its massive claws with ease. His movements were graceful, teasing, like he was playing with a child, landing light strikes on the beast's enormous frame. Each blow caused the dragon to roar again, blood spilling from its scaled hide, but Siman didn't even break a sweat.
André, however, was a force of nature. He wielded the golden staff with unyielding power, striking with each movement, each blow a testament to his monstrous strength. The staff's surface shimmered with energy as it collided with the dragon's scales, sending shockwaves through the chamber. The dragon retaliated, snapping its massive jaws and swinging its claws with terrifying speed, but André was relentless. He didn't slow, didn't falter.
And all the while, the rest of the group stood frozen, unable to do anything but watch.
Kyle's mouth was dry, his hands clenched into fists. Darlene's face was pale, her eyes wide with disbelief. They had been in battle before, but nothing like this. Nothing could prepare them for the sheer power on display before them.
But Lucas…
Lucas stood still, watching with a steady gaze. There was no surprise, no shock. This was the world he lived in now. He was accustomed to the overwhelming power of those around him. Yet, a part of him couldn't help but wonder: What did all this power mean? Would it all be enough when the time came?
But for now, there was nothing to do but watch the battle unfold.