A new archway had appeared on the far side of the chamber, this one glowing blue instead of red. The entrance to Floor 2.
"We should take this seriously," Effel said. "Floor 2 is significantly harder. Stone Wolves are Rank 1 Mid-tier, but they hunt in packs of six to eight. They coordinate, they flank, they're smart. The objective is to defeat fifty of them."
"Fifty?" Axel's eyes widened. "That's twice as many as Floor 1."
"Floors get progressively harder," Effel confirmed. "More enemies, tougher enemies, less safe zones. Floor 3 will have Armored Bears—you remember how tough those are. We'll need to be at our absolute best."
"How long do most parties take to clear all three floors?" Ava asked.
"Good parties? Two to three days. Average parties? Four to five days. Some never make it past Floor 2." Effel studied them carefully. "You're good, but you're still relatively new. Don't let the boss victory make you overconfident."
Raven nodded. She was right. They'd won, but it had been close. If he hadn't taken that hit for Ava, if Effel hadn't crippled the boss's legs, if any number of small things had gone differently, they could have lost.
They needed to be smarter, more careful. One victory didn't make them invincible.
"We continue," he decided. "But cautiously. The moment any of us feels we're in over our heads, we retreat to the nearest safe zone. Agreed?"
"Agreed," they chorused.
They gathered their equipment, checked their weapons, and approached the blue archway.
---
[FLOOR 2: STONE WOLVES]
[DIFFICULTY: RANK 1 (MID)]
[OBJECTIVE: DEFEAT 50 STONE WOLVES]
[RECOMMENDED PARTY SIZE: 4-6]
[WARNING: WOLVES HUNT IN PACKS]
---
"Together," Raven said, looking at each of his party members.
"Together," they replied.
They stepped through.
---
Floor 2 was different from Floor 1 in every way. Where the first floor had been one massive chamber with branching corridors, Floor 2 was a maze of interconnected caves and tunnels. The ceiling was lower, maybe twenty feet at most, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. The light came from glowing moss that covered the walls in patches, casting everything in shades of green and shadow.
The air smelled different too—mineral-rich, with a hint of something predatory. Raven's instincts screamed danger even though they hadn't encountered any monsters yet.
---
[SAFE ZONE: NORTH TUNNEL, 150 METERS]
[MONSTER SPAWN IMMINENT]
---
"They know we're here," Effel whispered. "Wolves can sense intruders. We have maybe thirty seconds before they attack."
"Formation," Raven commanded quietly. "Axel front, Ava and I flanking, Effel rear guard. Watch the tunnels—they could come from any direction."
They moved into position just as the first howl echoed through the caves. It was deep, resonant, and somehow wrong—like stone grinding against stone. More howls answered, coming from multiple directions. Surrounding them.
"Here they come," Axel breathed.
The first wolf emerged from a side tunnel to their left. It was massive, easily the size of a Great Dane, but its body seemed to be part flesh and part stone. Its hide had patches of gray rock growing through the fur, forming natural armor plates across its shoulders and flanks. Its eyes glowed dull red, and its teeth were sharp chunks of obsidian.
---
[STONE WOLF]
[RANK 1 (MID)]
[HP: 60/60]
---
Then another appeared. And another. Four, five, six wolves, all emerging from different tunnels, all moving with predatory coordination. Their movements were synchronized, spreading out to surround the party, cutting off escape routes.
"They're working together," Ava said, her voice tight.
"Pack hunters," Effel confirmed. "Never fight alone. Always coordinate. Be ready—they'll test us first, then commit to a real attack."
The wolves began to circle, their movements fluid despite their bulk. One would dart forward, feinting an attack, forcing the party to react. Another would probe a different direction. They were learning, mapping out the party's responses, looking for weaknesses.
Raven's Sword Mastery analyzed their patterns. There—the alpha, slightly larger than the others, directing the pack with subtle movements of its head. It was coordinating their actions, making tactical decisions.
"Target the alpha," he said quietly. "The big one with the scar across its face. If we take it down, the others might break coordination."
"That's smart thinking," Effel approved. "But getting to it will be hard. The pack will protect their leader."
As if hearing them, the alpha barked once—a sharp, commanding sound. The wolves stopped circling.
Then they attacked.
All six at once, from multiple angles, their coordination perfect. Axel caught the first one with his axe, the blade biting into stone-hard hide and drawing a pained yelp. Ava's spear took another in the flank, finding a gap between the rock armor plates.
Raven engaged two simultaneously, his Sword Mastery guiding his movements into a flowing pattern that kept both wolves at bay. His blade caught one across the muzzle, drawing blood. The other tried to flank him, but he pivoted, his enhanced Agility letting him stay ahead of its movements.
---
[DAMAGE: 18]
[STONE WOLF HP: 42/60]
---
Effel danced between the wolves with remarkable grace, her daggers flashing. She didn't try to kill them—her role was disruption. A cut here, a stab there, just enough to distract and redirect attacks away from her party members.
But there were six wolves and only four defenders. Math was against them.
A wolf broke through their defensive perimeter, lunging at Ava from behind. She was engaged with another wolf and didn't see it coming.
"Ava!" Raven shouted, but he was too far away, tied up with his own opponents.
Axel moved faster than Raven had ever seen him move. He threw his axe—actually threw it—and the weapon tumbled end over end to catch the attacking wolf in mid-leap. The blade buried itself in the creature's shoulder, sending it crashing to the ground.
---
[DAMAGE: 25]
[STONE WOLF HP: 35/60]
---
But now Axel was unarmed, facing a wolf of his own. The creature saw the opportunity and lunged. Axel caught it by the throat with his bare hands, his Mountain King strength letting him hold the snapping jaws away from his face. But the wolf's claws were raking his arms and chest, drawing blood with each strike.
---
[AXEL HP: 53/110]
---
"I got it!" Effel appeared beside him, her daggers finding the wolf's exposed underbelly. She struck repeatedly, each blow precisely placed, until the creature went limp.
---
[STONE WOLF DEFEATED]
---
The corpse dissolved, but there was no time to collect drops. The remaining five wolves pressed their advantage, coordinating a renewed assault. They were adapting, learning from the first failed attack.
Raven realized they couldn't fight defensively. The wolves were too smart, too coordinated. They needed to take the initiative.
"Power Strike," he muttered, channeling his mana for the first time in combat.
He felt the energy flow from his core down his arm and into his blade. The sword began to glow with faint blue light, humming with contained force. His Sword Mastery combined with the new skill, showing him exactly where to strike for maximum effect.
The alpha wolf was still hanging back, directing its pack. Raven broke from his defensive position and charged directly at it. The other wolves tried to intercept, but he was moving too fast, his enhanced Agility turning him into a blur.
The alpha saw him coming and braced itself, confident in its stone armor. That confidence was its mistake.
Raven's glowing blade came down in a perfect arc, and this time he released the Power Strike's energy at the moment of impact.
The explosion of force was devastating. His sword didn't just cut through the alpha's armor—it shattered it, the stone plates fracturing under the concentrated mana burst. The blade continued through hide and muscle and bone, opening a massive wound across the creature's shoulder and chest.
---
[POWER STRIKE!]
[CRITICAL HIT!]
[DAMAGE: 67]
[STONE WOLF ALPHA HP: -7/60]
[STONE WOLF ALPHA DEFEATED]
---
The alpha fell without even a final howl. Its corpse dissolved immediately, but more importantly, its death had an instant effect on the pack.
The remaining four wolves scattered. Without their leader's coordinating presence, they lost cohesion. They were still dangerous, but now they were acting as individuals rather than a unified pack.
"Press them!" Raven commanded. "Don't let them regroup!"
They pursued the scattered wolves through the tunnels, hunting the hunters. The fight became a running battle through the maze of Floor 2, with brief violent clashes whenever they caught up to a fleeing wolf.
Ava took down one with a perfectly timed spear thrust through the eye socket.
---
[STONE WOLF DEFEATED]
---
Axel, having retrieved his axe, split another's skull with a overhead chop that embedded the blade six inches into stone floor beneath.
---
[STONE WOLF DEFEATED]
---
Effel and Raven cornered the last two in a dead-end tunnel. The wolves, desperate now, fought with suicidal fury. One managed to get its jaws around Raven's leg before Effel's daggers found its throat. The other died to a combination strike—Raven's sword and Effel's daggers attacking simultaneously from opposite sides.
---
[STONE WOLF DEFEATED]
[STONE WOLF DEFEATED]
---
When the last wolf dissolved, they all stood there breathing hard, bleeding from multiple wounds, but victorious.
---
[OBJECTIVE PROGRESS: 6/50 STONE WOLVES DEFEATED]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 180 XP (SHARED)]
[AVARICE GAINS 45 XP]
[BLOSSOM (AVA) GAINS 45 XP]
[KINGSLAYER (AXEL) GAINS 45 XP]
[THORNHEART (EFFEL) GAINS 45 XP]
---
They collected the drops quickly—wolf pelts, stone fragments, and a few mana crystals—before moving toward the safe zone.
"That was harder," Ava said, limping slightly. A wolf had caught her leg during the fight, leaving deep claw marks.
"Much harder," Axel agreed. His arms were covered in scratches and bite marks.
"And we still need to kill forty-four more," Effel pointed out. "Plus whatever the floor boss is. A Stone Wolf Alpha, probably. Twice as tough as the regular alpha we just fought."
The safe zone was a small cave with smooth walls and that familiar blue glow. The moment they entered, the tension drained from all of them.
---
[SAFE ZONE ENTERED]
[HP REGENERATION RATE INCREASED BY 500%]
[STAMINA REGENERATION RATE INCREASED BY 500%]
[MONSTERS CANNOT ENTER]
---
They collapsed, drinking water and assessing injuries. Effel distributed healing potions—Grade 1 ones, saving the more powerful Grade 2 potions for emergencies. The wounds closed slowly, but they'd need rest before continuing.
"We're doing well," Raven said, though his body ached in a dozen places. "Better than expected, actually. We're learning, adapting. The wolves won't surprise us like that again."
"No, but there will be different challenges," Effel said. "Stone Wolves hunt in packs, but they also set ambushes. They're smart enough to use the terrain against us. We need to be more careful moving forward."
They rested for an hour, using the time to eat, recover, and plan their approach for the remaining wolves. The safe zone's accelerated regeneration meant that by the end of the hour, they were mostly healed, though still tired.
---
"Ready for more?" Raven asked.
"Ready," Ava confirmed, though he noticed she kept her distance, that tension between them still present.
"Let's keep moving," Axel said. "We've got forty-four more wolves to hunt."
They left the safe zone and ventured deeper into Floor 2's maze. The next several hours passed in a blur of combat—packs of six to eight wolves, ambushes from side tunnels, running battles through narrow corridors.
They fought, they bled, they learned. Their coordination improved with each encounter. They developed shorthand commands, understood each other's fighting styles intuitively, moved as a true unit rather than four individuals.
Raven's Power Strike became a trump card he used strategically, saving it for alpha wolves or particularly dangerous situations. His Sword Mastery continued to evolve, his understanding of blade work deepening with every fight.
Ava's spear technique refined itself, becoming more efficient, less wasteful. She learned to read wolf behavior, anticipate their movements, position herself for optimal defense and counterattack.
Axel discovered that his Mountain King strength gave him a unique advantage against the stone wolves—he could actually break their armor with pure force. He began targeting the rock plates specifically, shattering them to expose vulnerable flesh beneath.
Effel proved her worth repeatedly, her alchemist knowledge identifying useful materials in the environment. She found glowing mushrooms that, when crushed and mixed with wolf blood, created a compound that weakened the stone armor. She located mineral deposits that enhanced their weapons' sharpness when ground into powder and applied to the blades.
They cleared packs methodically, working their way through Floor 2's maze. The objective counter steadily climbed:
15/50
25/50
35/50
45/50
By the time they reached forty-five wolves defeated, they'd found three more safe zones and were starting to map the floor's layout in their minds. The maze wasn't random—there was logic to it, patterns in how the tunnels connected.
"Five more wolves," Axel said, checking the notification. "Then we can access the boss."
"Should we find it?" Ava asked. "Or keep hunting regular wolves until we hit fifty?"
"The boss fight will count toward the total," Effel explained. "Most parties try to get close to the objective before challenging the floor boss. Safer that way—if you die, you've at least made progress."
I'll continue from where you left off and conclude with them clearing Floor 2 with a 50/50 split of the boss loot.
---
"We go for the boss," Raven decided. "We're strong enough. And fighting five more regular packs will just drain our resources before the real challenge."
They followed the tunnels deeper, guided by instinct and the subtle changes in the environment. The moss grew dimmer, the air colder. The tunnels widened, opening into larger caverns. They were approaching something significant.
Then they found it—a massive chamber that dwarfed even the Floor 1 boss room. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like stone teeth, and the floor was littered with bones. Not monster bones. Adventurer bones.
In the center of the chamber, sleeping on a raised stone platform, was the boss.
---
[FLOOR BOSS DETECTED]
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH]
[RANK 1 (PEAK)]
[HP: 300/300]
[ABILITIES: PACK SUMMON, STONE ARMOR, CRUSHING BITE]
---
The creature was enormous—twice the size of the alpha they'd killed earlier. Its body was more stone than flesh, massive plates of rock covering nearly every inch of its hide. Its eyes were closed, but Raven could sense the raw power radiating from it.
"Game plan," he whispered. "Same as before—adds first, then focus the boss. But this thing has way more armor. We need to break through it."
"I'll handle that," Axel said, hefting his axe. "My strength can crack stone."
"I'll use Power Strike on weak points," Raven added. "Joints, neck, anywhere the armor doesn't cover."
"I'll keep you all alive," Effel promised, her potion belt ready.
"And I'll..." Ava hesitated, then her expression hardened. "I'll burn it. My fire should be effective against the flesh once you break the armor."
They approached the platform carefully. The moment Raven's foot touched the raised stone, the Patriarch's eyes snapped open—glowing red orbs that fixed on them with ancient intelligence.
It howled.
The sound shook the chamber, and immediately six regular Stone Wolves materialized from the shadows—the pack summon ability activating instantly.
"Here we go!" Raven charged.
The fight was chaos. The regular wolves attacked in coordinated waves while the Patriarch hung back, observing, learning. Raven and Axel focused on clearing the adds while Ava and Effel harassed the boss, preventing it from joining the fray.
Raven's sword flashed through wolf after wolf, his Sword Mastery pushing him beyond his normal limits. Each strike was precise, efficient, finding gaps in armor or weak points in anatomy.
---
[STONE WOLF DEFEATED]
[STONE WOLF DEFEATED]
---
Axel fought like a berserker, his axe rising and falling with mechanical precision. His Mountain King strength shattered stone armor with every impact, his raw power overwhelming the wolves' defenses.
---
[STONE WOLF DEFEATED]
[STONE WOLF DEFEATED]
---
Within two minutes, all six reinforcements were down. But the effort had cost them—Raven's HP was at 73/110, Axel's at 61/110. They were bleeding, exhausted, and the real fight hadn't even started.
The Patriarch rose from its platform.
It moved with terrifying speed for something so massive, crossing the chamber in three bounds. Its jaws opened wide enough to swallow a person whole, obsidian teeth gleaming.
Raven barely dodged the first bite, feeling the wind from those massive jaws. He countered with a strike to the creature's front leg, but his sword skipped off the stone armor without penetrating.
---
[DAMAGE: 3]
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH HP: 297/300]
---
"The armor's too thick!" he shouted.
"I got it!" Axel charged in, his axe raised high. He brought it down on the Patriarch's shoulder plate with all his strength.
The stone cracked. Not broke, but cracked—spider-web fractures spreading across the armor plate.
The Patriarch snarled and twisted, its massive body slamming into Axel and sending him flying. He hit the wall hard enough to crater the stone.
---
[AXEL HP: 34/110]
---
"Axel!" Ava's scream was raw with fear.
But there was no time. The Patriarch was already pivoting toward Effel, recognizing the alchemist as the most vulnerable target. Its jaws opened, lunging for her.
Raven activated Power Strike.
His blade glowed blue as he charged, channeling every point of mana he had into the skill. His Sword Mastery showed him the target—the cracked armor plate Axel had weakened.
His sword struck with explosive force.
The armor shattered. Stone fragments exploded outward, and his blade continued through, biting deep into muscle and bone beneath.
---
[POWER STRIKE! CRITICAL HIT!]
[DAMAGE: 74]
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH HP: 223/300]
---
The Patriarch screamed and rounded on Raven, its eyes burning with rage. It snapped at him, nearly catching his arm, but he rolled under the bite and came up slashing at its exposed underbelly.
---
[DAMAGE: 22]
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH HP: 201/300]
---
Ava moved in from the opposite side, her hands glowing orange. Flames erupted from her palms, washing over the boss's wounded shoulder. The flesh sizzled and burned, the fire finding purchase now that the stone armor was gone.
---
[DAMAGE: 31]
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH HP: 170/300]
---
The Patriarch tried to activate its pack summon again, but Effel had been waiting for it. She threw a vial that shattered against the creature's head, releasing a black smoke that disrupted the magical energy. The summoning failed, the wolves flickering into existence for only a moment before dissipating.
"Nice!" Raven shouted.
Axel had recovered, charging back into the fight despite his injuries. His axe targeted another armor plate, cracking it with brutal efficiency. Then another. He was methodically destroying the boss's protection, exposing vulnerable flesh for the others to exploit.
The fight became a pattern. Axel broke armor. Raven and Ava attacked the exposed areas. Effel supported with potions and alchemical compounds that enhanced their damage or weakened the boss.
---
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH HP: 134/300]
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH HP: 98/300]
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH HP: 63/300]
---
But the boss wasn't done. As its health dropped below a quarter, it activated its final ability—one they hadn't anticipated.
The entire chamber began to shake. Stone fragments lifted from the ground, swirling around the Patriarch like a storm. The creature's remaining armor thickened, reinforced by the flying debris.
---
[ENRAGED STATE ACTIVATED]
[DEFENSE INCREASED]
[ATTACK SPEED INCREASED]
---
"New phase!" Effel warned. "Common boss mechanic—they get stronger as they approach death!"
The Patriarch attacked with renewed fury, its movements faster, its strikes hitting harder. A lucky bite caught Ava's shoulder, its obsidian teeth punching through her armor.
---
[AVA HP: 41/100]
---
She screamed but didn't fall, her spear driving upward into the boss's open mouth. The iron point struck the roof of its mouth, penetrating through into the brain cavity.
---
[CRITICAL HIT!]
[DAMAGE: 43]
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH HP: 20/300]
---
The Patriarch thrashed wildly, dislodging Ava and sending her sprawling. But it was mortally wounded now, its movements becoming uncoordinated. Blood poured from its mouth, and the stone storm around it began to falter.
"Finish it!" Raven commanded.
They all attacked together. Axel's axe. Ava's spear. Raven's sword. Effel's daggers. Four weapons driven by four warriors who'd learned to fight as one.
---
[STONE WOLF PATRIARCH HP: 0/300]
[FLOOR BOSS DEFEATED]
---
The massive corpse collapsed with a ground-shaking impact. Golden light erupted from it, swirling upward before condensing into a shower of loot that clattered across the chamber floor.
---
[CONGRATULATIONS!]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 750 XP (SHARED)]
[OBJECTIVE COMPLETE: 51/50 STONE WOLVES DEFEATED]
[AVARICE GAINS 188 XP]
[BLOSSOM (AVA) GAINS 188 XP]
[KINGSLAYER (AXEL) GAINS 188 XP]
[THORNHEART (EFFEL) GAINS 188 XP]
[LEVEL UP!]
[CONGRATULATIONS! AVARICE HAS REACHED LEVEL 5]
[CONGRATULATIONS! BLOSSOM HAS REACHED LEVEL 5]
[CONGRATULATIONS! KINGSLAYER HAS REACHED LEVEL 5]
[ADDITIONAL REWARDS:]
[BOSS DROP: PATRIARCH FANG (GRADE 2)]
[BOSS DROP: STONE PELT (GRADE 2)]
[BOSS DROP: SUPERIOR MANA CRYSTAL (GRADE 2)]
[BOSS DROP: SKILL BOOK - IRON DEFENSE (GRADE 2)]
[RARE DROP: AMULET OF STONE SKIN (GRADE 2)]
[RARE DROP: GAUNTLETS OF CRUSHING GRIP (GRADE 2)]
---
They collapsed where they stood, too exhausted to even celebrate. Raven's entire body ached, and he could see similar exhaustion in his companions' faces.
"We did it," Ava breathed. "We actually did it."
"Floor 2 complete," Effel confirmed, looking impressed despite her usual composure. "That was... genuinely skilled work. Most parties take multiple attempts on the Patriarch."
They rested for several minutes before examining the loot. Six items total, which meant they could split everything evenly—two items each.
"Fair distribution," Raven said. "We'll take turns choosing. Ava, you go first since you landed the critical hit that brought it down."
She selected the Gauntlets of Crushing Grip after reading its description—it provided more damage and ensure she wouldn't be separated from her weapon, which would help with her in close corners.
Axel chose the Iron Defense, which would add defense to his already formidable strength.
"I'll take the crystal," Raven said. The mana crystal would complement his new skill power strike, increasing his mana pool reserves slightly.
"Amulet of Stone Skin for me," Effel chose. "I need more defense."
That left the Patriarch Fang and Stone Pelt. They agreed to add them to their to sell list.
---
[FLOOR 2 COMPLETE]
[ACCESS TO FLOOR 3 GRANTED]
[RECOMMENDED: EXTENDED REST BEFORE PROCEEDING]
---
A new archway appeared, glowing purple this time. The path to Floor 3 and the Armored Bears that awaited them.
But none of them were ready for that yet.
"We rest," Raven said firmly. "Find a safe zone, sleep properly, recover completely. Floor 3 can wait until we're at full strength."
No one argued. They'd pushed hard, fought well, and earned their victories. But they'd also learned that dungeon crawling was a marathon, not a sprint.
They found the nearest safe zone and settled in for a long rest, their loot secured, their friendship tested and proven, ready to face whatever challenges Floor 3 would bring.
Together.