The Ironclaw guildhall was alive with its usual noise—a mix of clinking mugs, boisterous laughter, and the occasional argument. Kael sat alone at his corner table, carefully restringing his worn dagger. His body still bore faint bruises and cuts from the Gloamwood mission, but his Energy Channel now felt different, stronger.
Even with his upgraded ability, Kael had no delusions that he was considered an equal. The guild's disdain remained palpable, but he had survived when Sera had likely expected him to fail.
"You actually managed to crawl back, huh?" Leoric's voice boomed as he approached Kael's table. The tank leaned down, his bulk blocking the room's light. "Don't get cocky. A single B-rank quest doesn't make you one of us."
Kael met Leoric's glare, his expression calm. "Good thing I'm not doing this for your approval."
Leoric's brow twitched, but before he could retort, Sera entered the hall, her fiery presence silencing the room.
"Listen up!" she called, tossing a scroll onto the mission board. "We've got a new contract. Mid-tier dungeon near the Cragsmire cliffs. Multiple reports of unstable monster activity and a possible rogue dungeon core. This one's serious, so don't screw it up."
Her gaze swept over the room, pausing briefly on Kael. Though her expression betrayed no emotion, Kael knew her well enough by now to sense her irritation. He was still here.
As the guild members prepped for the mission, Kael went to the supply room to gather his gear. He carefully selected potions, enchanted rope, and additional daggers—anything that might give him an edge.
"You're not going to last five minutes," Brynn sneered as he walked in, sparks of electricity flickering around his hands. "Why don't you just stay here and polish Sera's boots? It's the only thing you're good for."
Kael didn't rise to the bait, focusing on securing his supplies.
"Nothing to say, huh?" Brynn leaned closer, his tone venomous. "You think surviving one mission makes you special? You're just lucky you're too pathetic to bother killing."
Kael's hand twitched, but he took a deep breath, reminding himself that Brynn wasn't worth the effort.
"Done talking?" Kael asked evenly.
Brynn's eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Sera's voice echoed down the hallway.
"Move it, Brynn. We're leaving in five."
With a final glare, Brynn stormed off.
Kael sighed, adjusting his pack. He had more important things to focus on.
The Cragsmire cliffs loomed above them, jagged and imposing. The entrance to the dungeon was a dark, gaping maw, its edges pulsing faintly with an unnatural light.
"Standard formation," Sera ordered. "Leoric, you're on point. Dray, scout ahead. Brynn, keep the perimeter secure. Kael…" She paused, her lip curling. "Just stay out of the way."
Kael bit back his frustration, falling into position at the rear.
The dungeon's interior was a mix of sharp stone and glowing moss, its air heavy with the stench of sulfur. As they descended deeper, the ambient magic grew unstable, causing small tremors to ripple through the ground.
"Careful," Dray's voice crackled through the shadows. "There's a cluster of mana wisps up ahead."
"Mana wisps?" Kael asked, frowning.
"They'll explode if disturbed," Dray replied, his tone clipped.
Sera motioned for Elira. "Take them out."
Elira stepped forward, her Hawk's Eye activating. Her vision sharpened as she loosed a series of arrows, each one striking the wisps with pinpoint precision. The corridor ahead cleared with a faint shimmer of dissipating energy.
"Keep moving," Sera commanded.
The group pressed on until they entered a massive chamber. Its walls were lined with glowing veins of crystal, and the air crackled with energy. At its center stood a cluster of malformed beasts—creatures warped by the rogue dungeon core's unstable magic.
"Positions!" Sera barked.
Leoric charged first, his Adamant Hide activating as he absorbed the brunt of the monsters' initial attacks. The beasts swarmed him, their claws and teeth bouncing off his steel-like skin.
"Brynn, now!" Sera shouted.
Brynn raised his hands, summoning a storm of lightning that crackled through the chamber. The bolts struck multiple beasts, stunning them long enough for Sera to leap into the fray. Her flaming swords carved through the creatures with precision, each strike leaving trails of molten fire.
"Elira, cover us!"
Elira's arrows rained down from the backline, each one finding its mark.
Kael held back, watching the others move with practiced coordination. His moment came when a smaller beast broke off from the pack, lunging at him.
Kael sidestepped, channeling energy into his dagger. His strike was clean, severing the creature's limb. He followed up with a burst of force that sent it sprawling.
"Not bad, rookie," Dray said as he appeared from the shadows, dispatching another beast with his daggers. "Try not to die." Kael grunted, focusing on the next target.
As the last beast fell, the room trembled violently. From the far wall, a crack appeared, revealing a pulsating mass of unstable energy—the rogue dungeon core.
"It's destabilizing!" Brynn shouted.
"Take it out!" Sera ordered.
The core emitted a high-pitched whine as it released a wave of energy. Kael felt the blast rip through him, sending him sprawling. When he looked up, the core had begun spawning more creatures, each one larger and more grotesque than the last.
"We don't have time for this!" Leoric roared, smashing through one of the beasts.
"Sera, we need to contain it!" Callista called out, her Lifewave healing the group's wounds.
Kael staggered to his feet, his energy reserves low but not depleted. He saw an opening near the core, its defenses weakened by the group's attacks.
"I can get close!" Kael shouted.
Sera hesitated, her gaze hard. "Don't screw it up."
Kael nodded, darting toward the core. As he approached, a massive beast intercepted him, its claws swiping at his chest. Kael absorbed the blow, redirecting the energy into a concentrated strike that pierced the creature's chest.
The core pulsed violently, its energy reaching a critical point. Kael placed his hands on its surface, channeling everything he had into destabilizing it further.
With a final surge of energy, the core exploded, the shockwave throwing Kael across the chamber.
Kael groaned as he pushed himself up, his body aching but alive. The chamber was silent, the rogue core destroyed and its creatures gone.
The group gathered near the exit, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and relief. "Lucky idiot," Brynn muttered. "Let's move," Sera said, her tone cold. She glanced at Kael, her eyes narrowing. "Next time, try not to almost get us killed."Kael bit back a retort, falling into step at the rear.