The dungeon corridor hummed with a low, vibrating energy, the air thick with the scent of dust and faint ozone. The glass walls of Himmel's chamber refracted sunlight in sharp, fragmented patterns across the polished wood floor. Every reflection seemed alive, casting ghostly doubles of Himmel and the paper samurai across the room.
Himmel stepped forward, ash-colored skin glistening, scars shining faintly in the sunlight, his muscles tensing beneath every movement. Blade in one hand, axe in the other, he lunged at the samurai.
The samurai's paper blade flickered, almost impossibly fast. Himmel struck first—but the samurai's counter came like a snapping whip. The air itself seemed to tear with the strike. Himmel barely twisted out of the way; the blade grazed his arm and shoulder, slicing through air with a shrieking sound. He was flung back, skidding across the wooden floor, his feet scraping against the glass reflection with a ringing clang.
He rolled to his feet, heart pounding, and surveyed the room. The samurai had not advanced. It stood poised, passive, its armor and blade gleaming in the fractured sunlight. Himmel's eyes caught the door at the back of the room—etched with runes that pulsed faintly, locked tight. Perhaps someone could open it later, he thought.
Taking a deep breath, Himmel drank a health potion. The liquid slid down his throat, tingling with energy as it soothed his injuries. He attacked again, testing the samurai, and again, each strike was met with a mirrored, unyielding counter. Sparks flew where metal and paper met, tiny shards of enchanted paper floating in the air before dissolving into motes of light. Himmel cursed, throwing cusses in anger, yet the samurai remained unfazed.
He stepped back, frustration mounting. It doesn't fight. It only reacts.
He muttered Kimpa's taught words and unleashed the slow curse. A visible ripple of dark magic spiraled from his hand toward the samurai. Its movements stuttered, each slash weighted and delayed. Himmel dodged easier now, observing the patterns, analyzing the rhythm. Each swing produced a sharp crack as the blade cut the air, a metallic whisper echoing through the glass chamber.
When the samurai dashed to the side for another strike, Himmel feigned vulnerability, placing himself in a corner with a full view of its attacks. He pushed the slow curse to maximum, stacking 4 times, watching the samurai's strikes drag through the air like underwater blades. Himmel hurled a potion bottle; it shattered against the samurai, releasing a misty glow that danced with the slowing aura. Each attack was now predictable, each dodge a precise, fluid motion.
Meanwhile, Texan confronted the metal man in his own room. The polished hands of the automaton gleamed in the dim light, moving with mechanical precision. The hum of its internal mechanisms reverberated through the floor and walls. Texan swung, leapt, and struck—but the automaton absorbed everything. Its armor, heavy and unyielding, reflected the faint sunlight filtering through small windows.
Texan scanned the room desperately. Outside, children played a strange game, they pounded their fist to their palms 3 times before throwing a symbol, a fist, a open hand and what seemed to be scissors. He watched their choices, movements, and outcomes. Slowly, realization struck: the metal man's sequence mimicked a perfect, unbeatable pattern—its design was a puzzle, meant to be invulnerable to force alone. He crouched, patience blooming, focusing on the locked door at the back, waiting for Recon.
Recon, gripping his paper sword, faced the boulder-like golem. Dust rose from its rocky form, faint runes glowing along its surface, pulsing in rhythm with an unseen heartbeat. He lunged, slashing at the golem's arm. The paper sword exploded on impact, sending shards of paper and stone into the air, revealing the glowing core within the golem.
He attacked again—but the golem's massive limb struck him, sending him sprawling across the rocky floor. Pain lanced through his side, but he recalculated. The golem charged again; its momentum unstoppable. Recon planted the sword forward. The golem halted mid-step, as if the sword's presence created an invisible barrier.
Recon circled, the golem following, careful not to touch the paper blade. He balled up the sword into a compact sphere, tossing it into the air. The golem lunged blindly. The paper ball fell, striking the core perfectly, exploding in a shower of magical energy that ripped through the chamber. The golem crumbled. Recon's gamble succeeded, with that the core was the only thing on the floor.
Two doors opened: one held a rock atop a pedestal, the other a path forward. Recon took the rock, the core and ran through the passage. Quickly he noticed the path, it was leading into Texan's room. Recon was ready, he had the rock in hand and was prepared to throw it right for the monster that may lay inside. But, he was met with Texan sitting patiently.
Texan was informed of what happened to Recon in the other room. The two quickly dispatched of the metal man. Throwing the rock perfectly in the center of the metal man it faded, leaving only its core. The two took the core and left for Himmel. Two doors opened again, similar to last time, a pair of scissors and a passage. The two took the scissors and ran to Himmel, quickly as they opened the door they saw the furious exchange of blows in the corner, Himmel barely dodging each advance of the samurai.
The two of them watched as Himmel fought, exchanging blows with the samurai. Sparks, shards of paper, reflections across the glass walls, and swirls of magical aura created a dizzying spectacle. Himmel bled from shallow cuts, his ash-colored skin smeared with sweat, yet he pressed forward. Each strike tore through the samurai's defenses, gradually inflicting damage.
Himmel's skill and luck combined. Slowly more cracks showed on the samurai and he began pushing the battle. One attack after the other, one dodge after the other, Himmel led the battle back to the center of the room. With four perfect slashes—elbow, knee, elbow, knee—the waltz of attacks ended. Origami magic flickered from its armor, displaying the ritual of seppuku. Himmel understood instantly. He raised his sword in acknowledgment as the samurai drew its blade, stabbing itself. Himmel struck in perfect sync with the motion.
A booming voice echoed in his mind: "You are the fifth in history to accomplish such a feat. You will be given the gift of strength."
A surge of power flooded Himmel. His strength shattered previous limits, breaking past level 3. But he himself wasn't, still at level 2 he realized this was just a small boost. A good boost, enough to help keep him alive in any battle.
Soon the rooms ominous silence ended, all doors opened. The remains of previous bosses merged with the paper samurai in a dazzling display of energy, creating a colossal, fused entity. Recon and Texan hurled their collected items at the beast, leaving only the paper samurai intact. Himmel gripped the scissors, tossed to him by Texan, ready for the final act.
Recon, testing his paper sword's properties, accidentally fused it with the samurai, increasing its power. Himmel reacted instantly, slicing precise angles to sever key points. Then, with a controlled sequence, he unleashed all ten fireballs, igniting the samurai in a blinding inferno. The flames danced, reflected infinitely in the glass walls, consuming the paper and leaving only scorched remnants.
The battle ended in brilliant, blazing honor, leaving the room humming with residual magic.
The trio retrieved the third core, its surface vibrating faintly with residual energy. As they scanned the floor, three spherical indentations glimmered faintly, each pulsing with anticipation. Without hesitation, they placed the cores into the openings.
The floor seemed to breathe. Magical light flowed around the cores, drawing them in entirely. The air shimmered with power as the stone panels reshaped themselves, and three new items appeared where the cores had rested.
The first was a white key, radiant and almost vibrating with latent magic. The second, a pair of scissors—one blade crimson, the other gold—balanced and deadly even in stillness. Lastly, a massive club, heavy with potential, exuding raw energy.
The trio stared in confusion. What were these meant to do? Himmel's frustration flickered in his eyes.
"What is this key supposed to do—just open some random chest out in the world?" he muttered, sarcasm threading his words. Twisting the key in the air, the space before them split with a burst of white light, revealing an empty room. Words floated ethereally:
"0/500 items"
Himmel's jaw tightened. "No fucking way that worked." He reluctantly twisted the key again, and the portal collapsed with a soft, resonant chime.
Texan picked up the club, examining the inscription along its shaft: "Sport." He hefted it experimentally, sensing its latent power, though its purpose remained unclear. Himmel and Recon exchanged glances, intrigued but uncertain. Himmel claimed the pair of scissors for himself.
"Na, na, na. I definitely deserve something," he said with a smirk. "I actually did something in this dungeon." He acknowledged Recon's contribution but knew the beast man wouldn't fully maximize the items' potential.
A compromise formed in his mind. "I take these two items now, and in the next dungeon, you can claim double the rewards."
Recon hesitated only a heartbeat before nodding. "Alright, bet. I'll take that offer to the fullest."
With the agreement settled, the trio exited the dungeon. Outside, sunlight spilled across the terrain, casting long shadows over the rocks and trees. The hum of magic from the dungeon lingered faintly in the air. They mounted their horses, the wind ruffling their hair and the faint glow of the new items reflecting off their gear.
"This next village will be bigger," Himmel warned, scanning the horizon. "About the size of my own village, so stay alert. Danger could be anywhere."
The trio tightened their grips on their weapons. The key's radiant glow shimmered, the crimson-and-gold scissors seemed almost alive, and the club pulsed quietly with latent energy.
With that, they rode toward the next village, each step bringing them closer to untold dangers, new discoveries, and the thrill of adventure.