The jungle path opened into a wide, bowl-shaped clearing encircled by thorn-wrapped trees and dense mist. Sunlight filtered down in slanted beams, hitting the moss-covered floor like divine spotlights. Towering in the center was the Floor 33 Boss: a monstrous silverback gorilla, ten feet tall and built like a siege engine. Glowing crimson runes pulsed along its fur, carved into its skin like living tattoos.
Its roar sent birds scattering and the jungle trembling.
Twelve players were already engaged and losing badly. One unfortunate swordsman was hurled through the air like a tossed doll, landing at the trio's feet.
Kenshin squinted. "Yep. Buff confirmed."
Drathan winced at the groaning player. "So… who's tanking?"
Seme said nothing. She stepped forward, sword slung over her shoulder, confidence exuding from every step. "We kill it fast. No mercy."
Drathan sighed. "Guess I'm healing. Again."
"Like you ever do," Kenshin smirked, already zipping forward in a trail of electricity.
The battle ignited in a storm of motion.
Kenshin darted around the beast's legs like lightning incarnate, cutting tendon and drawing the boss's attention. The silverback swung with massive arms, creating sonic booms with every swipe. Seme leapt up its back, slicing deep between rune lines, the magic flaring with each cut.
Drathan conjured a defensive dome at the edge of the arena and stood calmly inside, drinking from a fruit pouch.
"Support beam… check. Passive void shield… check. Refresh buff… check. Enjoy the suffering, teammates."
At 60% HP, the silverback slammed both fists into the ground. The shockwave cracked stone and launched Kenshin into the air. Drathan's dome flickered. Seme skidded backward but stayed upright.
"New phase?" Drathan called.
"Definitely," Kenshin yelled as he landed in a roll. "It's angry now."
The boss pounded its chest, and four smaller ape minions burst from the underbrush, each bearing smaller but faster forms.
"Minions?!" Seme growled.
"This wasn't in the patch notes!" Kenshin barked.
"Read the fine print," Drathan muttered, casting a ripple of void that devoured one of the smaller apes whole. "I'm multi-tasking."
Kenshin intercepted two with blade and bolt, while Seme tore through another with a vicious shoulder charge and a rising slash.
As the last mini-ape dissolved, the silverback roared and spun with a backhand aimed directly at Kenshin.
"Duck!" Drathan called.
Kenshin barely avoided it. "Not again!"
"This is the part where you got clotheslined last time," Drathan noted with a chuckle.
"I. REMEMBER."
Seme charged, blade glowing with a temporary buff. "Finish it now!"
Drathan raised his hands, condensing void energy into a lance. "Void Spiral!"
The beam ripped through the boss's runes like a blade through parchment.
With a final roar, the silverback collapsed, dissolving into red fragments.
A ping echoed across their HUD: +4000 Event Points
Kenshin exhaled. "We lived."
"Barely," Seme muttered.
Drathan flopped dramatically onto the grass. "Totally carried."
As they gathered loot, a hooded NPC emerged from the mist.
"You three. The guildmaster wants a word."
Drathan groaned. "Here we go again…"
As they followed the hooded NPC kenahin couldn't help but ask
" does this have to do with the guild that got mopped before we went in?"
Seme muttered " not our fault they suck."
The hooded NPC looked back at them silent for a while and then stated
" sorry but those who went before you are not from our guild, I'm just a servant so I don't know the details only to bring you three to the Guild."
Drathan moving one of his locs from in front his face let out a slight grin.
" well I guess it's for recruitment. I will say it again" in an annoyed yet playful voice " here we go again."