While they were gossiping, Ethan hurried toward the Stone Golem, its eyes locked on him. The massive creature's eyes glowed with an ominous light as it prepared to attack.
It charged at Ethan, causing the ground to shake with each thunderous step. Despite its size, its speed was impressive, making it a formidable opponent.
Ethan remained calm, raising his C-Grade sword with a steady hand. With a swift, horizontal swing, he unleashed powerful raw force against the golem. The blade sliced through the air with a whistle, demonstrating its exceptional craftsmanship and Ethan's precise control.
"Clang!"
The sound of metal colliding with rock echoed through the cavern as Ethan's sword struck the Stone Golem. The impact was tremendous, sending vibrations through the ground. The mighty creature, unable to withstand the force, crumbled into pieces, transforming into a pile of rubble. Unlike other creatures, the Rock Giant had no blood or organs, making its destruction appear almost clean.
"Wow!" Iris and the others exclaimed, their eyes wide with amazement. They stepped forward, genuine excitement lighting up their faces, except for one.
"Ethan, that was impressive! You managed to defeat it with a single strike. I'm impressed," Cedric said, his voice filled with admiration. He was glad to have such a powerful ally. With Ethan on their side, they might finally clear this dungeon and increase their levels.
"Yes, Ethan, good job!" Lenora and the other two girls chimed in, their faces bright with admiration.
Marcus, on the other hand, grew more jealous and resentful. Previously, the girls would flock to him whenever he finished a battle, but now they were leaning toward Ethan. He felt his spotlight being stolen, leaving him sulking in the shadows.
"No, this can't happen much longer. He's just showing off his wealth and stealing all my limelight. I can't let that happen. I will prove to them that I am better than him," Marcus thought, his resolve growing stronger. He assumed Ethan had no other formidable abilities, only wealth.
They cleared the first floor with ease, but despite their efforts, they didn't trigger any monster drops. With no choice, they headed to the second floor empty-handed.
"Why is it getting so hard to get monster drops nowadays?" Iris grumbled, puffing her cheeks in frustration as they descended deeper into the dungeon.
"It might be because we've been grinding this dungeon too many times. If we're lucky, we might find better drops on the higher floors," Cedric replied, his eyes darting around, alert for any signs of danger.
"Gulu...gulu...!"
At that moment, a horde of golems charged at them, their massive bodies causing the ground to tremble even more violently than before. Their eyes glowed menacingly as they approached in a tight formation.
"Get ready! A big horde is coming," Cedric commanded, quickly assessing the situation. There were seven or eight stone golems in a tight formation, their menacing eyes fixed on the group.
Without hesitation, Marcus surged forward, eager to prove himself.
"Marcus, what are you doing? Stick to the plan!" Cedric shouted, but Marcus ignored him, his mind focused solely on showing his worth.
Holding his greatsword with both hands, Marcus charged at a nearby stone golem.
"Thunder Stream Strike!" he bellowed, activating one of his greatsword skills. His blade crackled with electricity, becoming a weapon of pure destruction. The arcs of electricity illuminated the cavern, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
Marcus's greatsword crackled with energy as he swung it down with all his might, aiming for the nearest golem's head. The blade connected with a deafening crash, sending shards of stone flying in all directions. However, to Marcus's surprise, the golem staggered but did not fall.
"Huh!" Marcus exclaimed, taken aback. Even his powerful destruction skill wasn't enough to destroy a stone golem. It seemed these golems were tougher than the last he had confronted.
"What's going on? Why are they so tough all of a sudden?" he felt frustrated, asking himself in doubt.
"Bang!" Distracted, Marcus was assaulted by another stone golem from the side, sending him crashing back to his teammates with minor injuries.
"Marcus, why did you charge forward alone? Can't you see they are in a horde?" Cedric seemed a little pissed, while Iris used a healing skill on Marcus.
"I-I thought I could defeat them alone, just like the previous raids. But, why are they so tough this time?" Marcus stuttered, confusion evident in his voice.
Cedric rubbed his forehead in frustration at Marcus's rash action.
"Marcus, don't forget we have Ethan with high gear, so it would obviously be a little tougher in terms of fairness." Cedric glanced at Ethan's C-Grade sword as he spoke.
Ethan contemplated the situation and quickly understood. The presence of his high-level gear made the dungeon monsters tougher.
Ethan looked at his sword and said apologetically, "Sorry, guys. I didn't know you would be troubled because of me. Should I leave it outside?" He looked them in the eyes, genuinely concerned.
Cedric and the others shook their heads. "No, Ethan. Although it becomes a little tougher, the advantages will be more apparent. We are hoping to get good results from it. Marcus might have forgotten about it," Cedric explained.
"Ohh..." Ethan nodded in understanding.
This meant Ethan had to be more proactive with his sword, while the others would assist him.
Everyone nodded in agreement, as if they had known beforehand. They had no problem with Ethan taking the frontline lead, except for Marcus, of course.
Marcus seemed indignant, convinced that Ethan was the reason for his failure. He snorted and stood up, completely healed of the scratches.
Ethan took the lead, with Cedric and Marcus beside him. Iris and Lenora positioned themselves in the middle, while Yona covered the rear for any possible ambushes.
Ethan activated [Inferno Leap (D)] and charged forward, pointing his Draconian-blade downwards.
With fiery destruction, Ethan landed, causing the horde's formation to break. The impact sent flames and debris flying, disorienting the golems.
Though surprised by Ethan's skill, Cedric quickly turned his attention to another stone golem and engaged it with his spear skills in close combat.
Marcus, regaining his composure, refused to be bested by Ethan again. He increased the ferocity of his attacks, targeting another stone golem with renewed determination.
Lenora used her inherent fire skill from her Fire Crow bloodline, her fiery attacks illuminating the cavern and adding to the chaos.
Yona joined in, using her top-notch archery skills from the back, targeting the stone golems' weak points with precision.
"Dragon's Wrath!"
Ethan used one of his special abilities from the sword. In an instant, two incoming golems were engulfed in an inferno, melting under the excessive heat.
He looked around for another target and noticed a large golem ambushing Marcus while everyone was distracted. Even Marcus was unaware of the impending danger.
"Watch out!" Ethan shouted and activated [Azula Sword Strike], lunging forward.
"Swish!" The golem was cut in two, crumbling to the ground.
Only then did Marcus realize Ethan had saved him from the ambush. He finished his target and glanced at Ethan with a mix of grudging respect and lingering resentment.
"T-Thanks!" Marcus didn't forget to show his gratitude. It's not like he had a lifetime grudge against Ethan. He just wanted prove himself better. "Maybe his approach was wrong from the start?" This thought just crossed his mind.
Ethan smiled and said, "No problem. We're a team." He never took Marcus's offensive words to heart.
With a renewed sense of camaraderie, the group focused on their battles, clearing the second floor with improved coordination. Even Marcus, despite his earlier resentment, fell in sync with the team, contributing effectively to their efforts.
Unfortunately, they still didn't find any loot, but their experience points for leveling up increased slightly. This small victory kept their spirits high as they moved to the third floor.
Upon entering the third floor, they encountered Stone Golems once again. This time, there were about 10-15 of them spread across the floor, blending in with the rocky terrain. The air felt heavier, and the cavern's ambient temperature seemed to drop, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
Ethan took a moment to survey the scene, his eyes scanning the golems. "Cedric, are there only Stone Golems in this dungeon?" Ethan asked curiously as he prepared for another fight.
"No," Cedric replied, adjusting his grip on his spear. "There are several types of rock giants in this dungeon, each with unique abilities. These Stone Golems are just the basic ones with no special abilities. It's going to get harder the farther we progress. After the fifth floor, we'll encounter Earth Golems.
They have the ability to manipulate earth in their designated domains, which we need to be careful of."
As they conversed, the team fought with improved coordination, taking down the Stone Golems one by one. Each member knew their role, and they moved like a well-oiled machine, their attacks and defenses perfectly synchronized.
"Watch out on the left!" Yona shouted, loosing an arrow that struck a golem's weak point, causing it to stumble.
"Got it!" Marcus replied, swinging his greatsword with renewed determination, shattering the weakened golem.
"Fire Crow's Fury!" Lenora called out, her flames bursting forth and engulfing two golems, their rocky forms cracking under the intense heat.