"Almost there!" RaidKing roared, his Berserker Rage still active. "Push!"
The final phase was a pure DPS race. The Guardian abandoned defense entirely, its attacks becoming wild and frenzied. IronVanguard's health dropped dangerously low several times, only saved by HealerMiko's constant healing.
1,000 HP... 500 HP... 200 HP...
Max, coordinating with the Shadow Echo through their mental link, timed a final synchronized assault. His sword struck from one side while the Shadow Echo's claws raked from the other.
-95 HP! (Max)
-43 HP! (Shadow Echo)
[GUARDIAN OF THE CORRUPTED GROVE DEFEATED!]
The massive entity let out a final, echoing roar before its form began to crumble. The corruption energy dissipated, and the tree it had emerged from started to heal—bark regenerating, leaves turning green.
[DUNGEON COMPLETE: THE CORRUPTED GROVE]
[BOSS DEFEATED: First Kill Bonus Applied!]
[Party EXP Gained: 2,000]
[Additional Rewards for Boss Kill]
[You are now Level 9!]
Max dismissed the Shadow Echo quickly, not wanting anyone to ask questions if they suddenly noticed something odd. The spirit retreated into his shadow, and he felt its satisfaction through their bond—it had enjoyed the fight.
The party collapsed in exhaustion, their stamina bars nearly depleted.
"Holy shit," RaidKing panted. "That was intense."
"Everyone alive?" IronVanguard checked the party frame. "Yeah, we're good. Corruption levels are high but manageable."
Max's corruption had jumped to 31/100. The others were between 20-25.
HealerMiko cast purification spells on everyone, reducing the corruption by small amounts. "We'll need to visit a temple to get this fully cleansed, but it's not dangerous yet."
Loot materialized where the Guardian had fallen:
[Corrupted Heart] – Quest Item
[Guardian's Blade] – Two-Handed Sword, Attack +45, Vitality +8
[Shadowweave Cloak] – Defense +20, Agility +6, Stealth +10%
[Ring of the Grove] – Intelligence +7, MP Regeneration +15%
[Corrupted Essence] x10
[25 Gold]
"Damn, that's good loot," Velara said, examining the items. "Standard dungeon rules—roll for what you need?"
They used the game's built-in loot system. RaidKing won the Guardian's Blade, replacing his starting weapon with something far superior. Velara got the Shadowweave Cloak, which was perfect for her stealth-based class. The Ring of the Grove went to HealerMiko after a close roll between her and Max.
Max didn't mind—he was still using his rusty shortsword anyway, and the ring wouldn't benefit him as much as a healer.
"Good run, everyone," IronVanguard said, clearly pleased. "We should team up again. Maybe hit the Tomb of the Fallen King tomorrow?"
"I'm down," RaidKing agreed.
"Me too," said Velara. "Max?"
"Yeah, sounds good," Max nodded,
They exited the dungeon, appearing back in the forest outside Veridian Gate. The corruption effect gradually faded from their status bars as they left the dungeon zone.
"I'm logging off for dinner," HealerMiko announced. "But that was fun! Thanks for the run!"
"Yeah, I need to crash too," RaidKing said. "Been playing since morning. See you guys tomorrow."
One by one, the party members said their goodbyes and logged out, their avatars disappearing in flashes of light.
Soon, only Max and Velara remained.
"That was a good interrupt, by the way," Velara said. "Saved our asses. If that ultimate had gone off, we probably would have wiped."
"Just lucky timing," Max deflected.
Velara studied him for a moment, her gray eyes sharp. "You're hiding something about your class."
Max's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know exactly. But you don't fight like any hybrid build I've seen. Your movement patterns are weird—like you're coordinating with something I can't see." She paused. "Or maybe I'm just paranoid from too much gaming."
"Probably paranoia," Max said with a forced laugh.
Velara smiled, but her eyes remained curious. "Well, whatever you're doing, it works. You're a good teammate." She stretched her body. "Alright, I'm out too. Got work tomorrow. Catch you later, Max."
"Later, Vel."
She logged out, and Max was alone.
He stood in the forest outside Veridian Gate. The Shadow Echo was invisible to other players. That changed everything.
It meant he could use it freely without anyone knowing his true capabilities. His opponents—whether PvE bosses or eventual PvP enemies—wouldn't see half of his attacks coming. They would see Max with a sword, not realizing he was fighting with two entities simultaneously.
The tactical advantages were enormous.
But it also meant he had to be careful. If people noticed damage appearing from nowhere, if they analyzed combat logs too closely, questions would be asked.
Max pulled up his character sheet:
[MAX THORNE – Level 9 Soulbinder]
[HP: 260/260]
[MP: 300/300]
[Stamina: 220/220]
[Stats]:
[STR: 17 | AGI: 22 | INT: 28 | VIT: 20 | LUK: 10]
[Corruption: 28/100]
[Shadow Echo Status]:
[Level: 9]
[HP: 340/340]
[Current Abilities: Phase Shift, Shadow Claws, Drain Touch, Umbral Presence]
Both he and the Shadow Echo had reached level 9. They were growing together, becoming stronger together.
Max smiled to himself and began walking toward Veridian Gate. He needed to sell his loot, maybe upgrade his weapon, and plan his next moves.