The faint glow of the loot shimmered once more before dissolving into tangible objects. Among the pile, one item stood out—a necklace of crude bone strung with sharpened wolf fangs, each polished to a dull gleam.
[Wolf Fang Necklace]
– Grants +8 Agility, +3 Endurance
– Increases attack speed by 10%
Kane turned it over in his palm, weighing its value before looking toward the team. He scanned each member, then stopped.
"You," he said, tossing it toward one of their fighters who specialized in rapid movement and precision strikes. "This will suit you better than anyone else."
The young fighter caught it with wide eyes, then bowed his head in thanks. With the necklace fastened, his presence seemed to sharpen immediately—his stance lighter, quicker, almost predatory.
"Wear it well," Kane said. "You'll need every ounce of speed from here on."
The stone stairwell spiraled downward again, deeper than any floor before. The air grew heavier, tainted by the faint scent of smoke, cooked meat, and something bitterly metallic. By the time they reached the bottom, Kane's instincts were already on edge.
The portal pulsed open, and the team stepped into the blinding light once more.
When their vision cleared, they stood before a sprawling village of goblins.
Crude wooden huts ringed a central bonfire, its smoke curling up toward the cavern's jagged ceiling. Spears jutted from the dirt like crude barricades, and everywhere, green-skinned figures scuttled—some armored, others bearing simple blades, others dragging supplies.
Kane's eyes narrowed.
This wasn't a random horde. This was a community.
[Floor 5 Objective: Annihilate the Goblin Village. No survivors.]
The notification pulsed cold and merciless in his vision.
Lena hissed quietly. "An entire village? That's… not a normal dungeon challenge."
Kane lifted a hand to silence her. His gaze swept over the village, his Warlord instincts already breaking down the threat.
Goblin Grunts: Countless. Weak individually, but dangerous in swarms.
Hobgoblins (Warriors): 6, armed with jagged cleavers and iron plating.
Goblin Archers: 10, spread across rooftops and watchpoints.
Goblin Shaman: 1, cloaked in ragged furs, staff glowing faintly with runes.
Kane's eyes locked onto the Shaman. Its crooked staff pulsed faintly, lines of energy coiling upward into the air.
"That one…" he muttered, pointing. "It's the anchor. If we charge headlong without silencing it first, we'll be drowning in curses and fireballs."
Maya shivered. "Then it's our first target."
Elysia's voice rang calm, steady. "Do you want me to strike from the start?"
Kane shook his head. "No. We'll need you as a shield if things turn. Let's not waste your presence too early."
Kane crouched low, drawing lines into the dirt with his axe blade. His voice carried authority, sharp and confident.
"Listen closely. The Shaman dies first. We take it out before it can rally the rest. Rabbit and Robot will disrupt the wolves patrolling the edges. The twins—circle wide, flank the Shaman's hut, and hit it the moment I give the signal. Mage, prep silence magic if you've got it. Lena and Maya, you're on archer suppression. Don't let them rain down on us."
"And you?" one asked.
Kane smirked, gripping his axe tighter. "I'll lead the charge. Draw their eyes, keep their focus on me. Once the Shaman drops, the village will lose its backbone. Then we carve through the rest."
The team exchanged nervous but eager glances.
From their vantage point above the goblin village, they could see the fire flickering, shadows dancing across twisted faces below. The Shaman was already muttering, hands raised toward the flames.
It was time.
The strike began like a thunderclap.
Twin voices rose in unison, weaving their fledgling power into something far greater than they had ever cast before.
[Mana Surge: Twin Resonance – Arcane Bolt]
The twins' palms flared, two bright glyphs intertwining in the air before hurling a twisting orb of condensed energy straight at the Shaman's hut.
At the same moment, the mage unleashed a column of searing flame.
[Fire Pillar]
The twin arcs of destruction merged midair, erupting as the pillar of fire roared skyward, consuming the crude structure in an inferno.
The Shaman's scream cut through the night—but its power didn't matter, not when Kane's voice rolled over the battlefield like the beat of war drums.
[Warlord's Skill: War Cry Activated]
– Party Damage +15%
– Morale Surge: Fear immunity for 30 seconds
A crimson wave of intent pulsed out of Kane's chest, rolling over his allies like the embrace of a god of battle. Every strike burned brighter. Every spell crackled harder. Even the air seemed to vibrate with the weight of his command.
The blast tore apart the Shaman's hut, flames licking across nearby goblins who shrieked in panic. The first step was complete.
"COME TO ME!" Kane roared, his voice shaking the ground itself.
The Hobgoblin warriors froze for a heartbeat, stunned by the sudden assault, before their yellow eyes locked onto him.
Just as he planned.
The six brutes snarled, gripping their jagged cleavers, and charged in unison. Their steps thundered like a drumbeat, but Kane stood his ground, axe braced across his chest.
This was no longer just a skirmish. This was war.
And the true Warlord had entered the battlefield.
Around him, chaos bloomed in perfect rhythm.
Rabbit darted like lightning, leaping high and slamming its new [Jump Strike] into one wolf's skull.
Robot shimmered with its [Shield Generator], a glowing barrier bursting to life as it intercepted incoming arrows.
Lena and Maya peppered goblins with rapid strikes, cutting down archers before they could regroup.
The twins, flushed with the aftershock of their overcast spell, still hurled glowing bolts, burning down stragglers around the fire.
But all eyes shifted to the center, where Kane met the Hobgoblins head-on.
The first cleaver swung down, and Kane caught it on his axe haft with a metallic shriek. He shoved back, boots grinding against dirt, before his blade blurred.
[Warlord's Wrath]
The air split as Kane's strike carved a crimson arc through two Hobgoblins at once, staggering them back.
Another lunged from the side, but Kane's Iron Will flared, his stance immovable as the cleaver glanced harmlessly from his shoulder. Blood welled, but he only grinned, the pain fueling the fire in his chest.
"Is that all you've got?!" he bellowed, his voice breaking the goblins' morale as they hesitated.
The Hobgoblins snarled, regrouping—but Kane had already dictated the rhythm of this war.