The air inside the dungeon was heavy and stale. The torchlight flickered against the walls of jagged stone as Renji moved forward with the army behind him.
Monsters appeared every floor—skeleton knights, grotesque wolves with glowing eyes, swarms of shadow bats. Yet with every encounter, Renji cut them down one after another. His sword cutted through enemies with precise strikes, and defeating very monsters and lead to the victory, the army cheered louder.
The system message appeared:
[Level Up!]
New Skills Acquired:
– Shadow Dash
– Blade Tempest
– Mana Reinforcement (Intermediate)
Renji wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Good. Let's keep moving. We cannot stop now."
Floor after floor, wave after wave, the party went deeper. Some soldiers fell to fatigue, but Renji's relentless determination kept them moving. By the time they reached the 50th floor.
The chamber opened into a vast arena, the air thrumming with violent energy. From the shadows emerged a hulking beast—an armored Minotaur, its massive axe scraping against the ground, appeared and rushed to them.
The soldiers gasped.
"A… mini boss!" one of the mages shouted.
Renji stepped forward, blade drawn.
"Formation! Archers, cover from the rear! Mages, cast barriers and support behind! Knights cover them. I'll fight from front!"
The Minotaur roared. The ground trembled beneath its heavy steps.
Renji targeted its head, shooting with every elements but it covered with its axe. So to against the monster's axe, he pushed back, his blade glowing with mana.
"Now! Surround it!"
Arrows rained from above, bouncing off its armor but slowing its movements. Fireballs and lightning bolts slammed against its flanks. The knights targeted at its legs, trying to bring it down.
The beast swung its axe in a wide arc, knocking several soldiers to back. Renji dashed forward, sliding under the weapon, and slashed across its chest. Blood spurted, but the Minotaur only grew angrier.
The fight went more and more difficult and rough—every strike, every dodge from the Minotaur were scary. Finally, after Renji unleashed Blade Tempest, his blade spun in a storm of slashes that tore through the monster's chest. The Minotaur stumbled, roared last time, and collapsed with a thunderous crash.
The army erupted in cheers.
"We did it!"
"Finally we defeated the boss!"
Renji, checking his notifications.
[Level Up!]
New Skills Acquired:
– Titan's Endurance
– Minotaur's Strength
He closed the menu, but something gnawed at his mind.
…Why haven't I seen a single summoning circle?
They had cleared dozens of floors, yet there were no traces of the magic arrays the demons had used before. His chest tightened as realization dawned.
His eyes widened.
"…No. Don't tell me..."
He turned sharply to the soldiers.
"Everyone! Retreat! Go back to the castle immediately!"
Confused murmurs spread through the ranks.
"What? But Sir Renji, we just defeated—"
Renji shouted, his voice shaking the chamber.
"This was never their plan! They wanted us here—wanted to drag adventurers and soldiers away from the city! Right now, the town is almost defenseless!"
Faces went pale as the truth sank in.
He grabbed a nearby soldier by the shoulder.
"You—go! Report to the King right away! Tell him to deploy every guard, knight, and adventurer to defend the town. The demons are planning a raid while we're stuck in here!"
The soldier's eyes widened, but he saluted sharply.
"Yes, sir!" He sprinted back toward the surface without hesitation.
Renji turned back to the rest of the army.
"All of you, return as well. Protect the capital! I'll continue deeper alone. If the Demon Lord's plan is hidden here, someone has to stop it."
The soldiers froze, disbelief flashing in their eyes.
"Alone?!"
"That's suicide!"
"Captain, please, we should go back together—"
Renji shook his head firmly.
"If we all stay here, the kingdom will fall. You know this is the only way. Go. That's an order."
His aura flared. One by one, the soldiers lowered their heads.
"…Yes, Captain."
As the army hurry turned back, Renji tightened his grip on his sword and rushed deeper into the abyss, his footsteps echoing into the darkness.
The next day, the army burst back into the capital. Dust and exhaustion clung to their armor, but urgency carried them straight to the throne room.
The soldier Renji had sent ahead knelt before the King, voice trembling as he delivered the report.
"Your Majesty! It was Sir Renji! He discovered the demons' plan—the dungeon was just a distraction! They wanted to lure us away from the town. He ordered us back while he went deeper alone!"
The King's eyes widened in shock. He slammed his fist against the armrest of his throne.
"Damn it… so that was their game all along."
Immediately, he barked orders.
"Summon every adventurer in the capital! All knights, all guards—defend the city at once! We won't be fooled by that demon lord again!"
The soldiers saluted and rushed out, the castle erupting in organized chaos.
The doors to the throne room burst open again, and Elira and Celis rushed in, their faces pale.
"Father! We heard the soldiers returned—where's Renji?!"
Elira demanded, her voice cracking.
"Yes, all the army came back but not him! What happened to Renji?!"
Celis's hands trembled.
The King exhaled slowly, his expression grave.
"…He went deeper into the dungeon. Alone. He believed it was the only way. And I agreed… for the sake of the kingdom."
The princesses froze, their eyes wide in shock.
"Alone… he's fighting deeper in that nightmare… by himself?"
Elira whispered.
Celis bit her lip, her hands clutching her dress tightly.
"That idiot… he always smiles and says we don't have to worry… but how can we not?!"
The King's voice softened, though his face remained stern.
"I understand your worry. But trust him. He's proven himself time and again. Right now, we must prepare for the raid."
The two sisters lowered their heads, but tears welled in their eyes.
And so, while the kingdom scrambled for war, their hearts lingered only on the boy who had gone into the darkness alone.