The tunnel ended abruptly. The cavern ahead was colossal, its ceiling lost in shadow, walls glistening with a faint bluish light. The air vibrated with raw mana, thick and heavy, almost oppressive.
The faint pulse of the dungeon's heartbeat seemed to echo in every step the trio took.
Zack adjusted his robes, dagger at the ready, his calm demeanor never wavering.
Obi The Limit-Breaker cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Finally! Let's see what this dungeon has in store."
PointAndShoot shivered, clutching her staff. "Phew… this is it, right? We're done after this? This place gives me the creeps I don't want to stick around any longer than we have to."
The cavern's shadows shifted. A low, guttural roar vibrated through the walls.
From the darkness, the final boss of the dungeon emerged: a massive creature cloaked in dark scales, six clawed legs digging into the ground, eyes the color of dusk-lit amber—
Its tail whipped through the air and the faint glimmer of magic traced across its horns.
[Boss Detected: Cave Wyrm – Level 5]
HP: 4,500
The trio paused, scanning- only its HP, LvL and its sheer size were visible.
Zack's voice was quiet, calm: "Target its joints and wings. Focus on positioning."
PointAndShoot also spoke, I'll light it up. Just… don't die too early"
Obi responded, "Don't worry, I won't die again. I'll go in close, you two cover me."
The Wyrm lunged first, massive claws scraping the stone, sending shards of rock flying. Its roar shook the cavern, a low vibration that rattled the trio's bones.
Obi The Limit-Breaker charged straight into the boss.
[Fast Strike]
72 DAMAGE!
His blade cut deep into one claw, sparks of shattered stone flying.
The Wyrm twisted violently, tail smashing toward him. Obi The Limit-Breaker just narrowly rolled aside. The boss attack still grazed him slightly, –40 HP
Zack dashed forward, dagger aimed at a joint under the Wyrm's foreleg.
[Detect] activated, revealing a faint red spot.
He stabbed precisely 47 Crit DAMAGE!
PointAndShoot fired [Magic Arrow] at its horn, glowing with sharp green light. 93 DAMAGE!
The Wyrm hissed, glowing eyes narrowing. Suddenly, it spat a cone of dark flame — [Molten Breath] its first skill, sweeping across the floor.
Obi The Limit-Breaker jumped, taking part of the fire to the shoulder. –90 HP
Zack's hand glowed faint green [Heal], restoring Obi The Limit-Breaker's health instantly. +60 HP
PointAndShoot eyes sparkled [Fireball] → 149 DAMAGE!
Sparks of magic collided with the Wyrm's scales, leaving burn marks along its neck.
The Wyrm slammed its massive tail across the cavern. Obi barely ducked.
PointAndShoot's staff whirled again, activating Fireball → 145 DAMAGE!
Hitting the Wyrm's flank. The creature roared, lunging at her. She leapt backward, hardly dodging a swipe from its claw.
Zack advanced with confidence and the dagger pierced the radiant vulnerable spot.
47 Critical DAMAGE! The Wyrm hissed and pulled back slightly.
Obi The Limit-Breaker shook off the wall impact, charging with [Explosive Impact] — 187 DAMAGE!
The force reverberated through the cavern, staggering the Wyrm.
The Wyrm's eyes darkened — it executed [Shadow Slash], a swift 180° sweep using its claws. Obi The Limit-Breaker jumped and twisted in midair but the edge of his torso brushed against it. –100 HP
→ HEAL
PointAndShoot let out a nervous laugh, holding her staff. "I really dislike close-range surprises!" She launched Magic Arrow → 83 DAMAGE! followed by Fireball → 134 DAMAGE!
Zack's calm hands moved in a blur — Dagger → 27 DAMAGE! He sidestepped the Wyrm's forward lunge and stabbed another joint. Critical! 54 DAMAGE!
The boss swayed slightly, rage coursing through fiery streaks running through its scales.
The Wyrm reared back, shaking the cave as dust rained around them.
Without warning, it triggered another skill—[Wing Flap]— unleashing a shockwave that blasted all three party members off their feet.
Obi The Limit-Breaker slammed against a wall. –60 HP
PointAndShoot fell backward. –40 HP
Zack narrowly avoided the impact, dagger still at the ready.
Obi grinned despite the pain. "This is exhilarating!"
Zack replied in a calm voice: "Keep focused. The wings are a weak spot."
PointAndShoot fired a Fireball → 145 DAMAGE! at the exposed joint near the wings. Sparks of magic exploded against the Wyrm's armored scales.
Obi The Limit-Breaker leapt forward, Fast Strike → 77 DAMAGE!, slicing the side of the Wyrm.
He followed immediately with Explosive Impact → 189 DAMAGE!
Zack dashed between shadows, Dagger → 47 DAMAGE! hitting precise weak points.
Numbers kept popping above the Wyrm in holographic red: 47… 34… 52… 87… 45… 93… each strike leaving cracks in the massive boss.
The Wyrm roared and charged [Tail Grab + Bite Combo] — a dual strike catching Obi The Limit-Breaker mid-swing.
Obi The Limit-Breaker: –150 HP, staggered
HEAL
PointAndShoot hurriedly casted Fireball → 145 DAMAGE!
Zack, ever calm, moved in between them, stabbing the exposed flank. Dagger → 57 DAMAGE! (Critical)
Obi The Limit-Breaker shook it off, grinning despite the blood trickling from his arm. "That was a close one."
The Wyrm staggered back, lava-bright cracks snaking along its scales.
Its final phase activated: [Earth Shatter], causing the cavern to tremble violently. Rocks fell from above — all three managed to dodge, Zack activated the boots effect to evade the falling debris and cast a healing spell on the fighter.
His eyes gleamed as numbers flashed across the boss's HP bar, "Boss HP low, lets nuke it, no mercy!"
Fireball → 155 DAMAGE!
Magic Arrow → 83 DAMAGE!
Obi The Limit-Breaker → 95 DAMAGE!
Fast Strike → 62 x 2 DAMAGE!
Zack Dagger → 26 DAMAGE!, then immediately Critical → 52 DAMAGE!
The Wyrm let out a final, guttural roar as its massive body finally collapsed
The cavern's lingering mana whirred softly, the dust of shattered stone still floating in the air. A hush enveloped the cavern.
Dust came to rest. Dim mana radiated around the three, shaking off the tension.
Then, a sudden chime echoed through their HUDs (Heads-Up Display or simply user interface) — clear and bright, cutting through the fading sounds of battle.
"The first clear of Haunted Cave – by Zack, Obi The Limit-Breaker, PointAndShoot! Rewards Granted!"
A golden HUD flashed before their eyes.
Loot: 1 Gold Coin
5 Free Stats
Obi's grin stretched wide, almost splitting his face.
"Did you see that?! The first clear! And they threw a coin at us!" He laughed, punching the air. "I'll take it! One gold is still one gold!"
PointAndShoot rolled her eyes with an exaggerated gesture, laughing. "Only one coin? Don't you realize those free stats are more valuable than gold?" Her eyes sparkled as she already contemplated where to allocate them.
Then the server chimed again, brighter and louder this time. The sound pierced through the cavern like a spark and for a moment, everyone froze, glancing at the glowing system message that began to materialize before them.
"WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT: The first hidden dungeon clear of server Gaia by Zack, Obi The Limit-Breaker, PointAndShoot!"
Rewards Granted!
The user interface erupted with bursts of golden light.
Loot: 10 Gold Coins
20 Free Stats
Obi's jaw almost dropped to the ground. "TEN coins! And twenty stats? That's… that's unbelievable! Did we just crash the server?" He took a step back, laughing hysterically. "Hey, are you all seeing these numbers appearing? This is huge!"
PointAndShoot clapped her hands, her eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Twenty free stats?! I can finally elevate my magic attack to outrageous levels. And ten gold coins? We're probably the wealthiest in the server. Yes! Yes! This dungeon was totally worth it!"
The golden glow of the reward HUD gradually faded, leaving the group surrounded by the remnants of the cavern.
Obi inhaled deeply, calming his racing heartbeat and moved closer to loot the fallen Wyrm. The faint light of the cavern illuminated the giant corpse, producing shifting shadows over the broken stone.
From the hoard, he retrieved the spoils:
Mystic Wand (Rare) — +25% Magic Attack, +15 INT, Unique Ability: Flame Surge
Obsidian Armor (Rare) — +20 DEF, +30 HP, reduces fire damage by 20%
Materials: Wyrm Scale
Coins: a small pile, gleaming faintly
The cavern's heartbeat faded and the portal that had brought them here glimmered weakly.
PointAndShoot's eyes sparkled as soon as she spotted the wand. "It's meant for me!" she exclaimed, grasping the Mystic Wand like a child snatching up candy. "It's practically calling out to me."
Obi chuckled, lifting the Obsidian Armor in his hands. "Looks like this shiny suit is for me, then. It might be heavy but I bet it'll protect me from becoming charred against fire-type creatures."
In the meantime, Zack quietly gathered the dropped coins and luminous materials—Wyrm Scales could be useful for crafting gear or enhancements, he thought.
"Dungeon closing in 10 seconds," a calm voice from the system proclaimed through the cave.
Obi The Limit-Breaker massaged his shoulders, laughing. "And just like that, it's finished. Wow… that announcement really got my adrenaline going."
Zack adjusted his robes, he glanced at the stats HUD that was still untouched.
From Level 1, he hadn't allocated a single point. He had 40 free stats to spend.
I'll plan mine carefully, he thought.
Then he opened the friends list menu.
Notifications flooded their HUDs, hundreds all at once— friend requests, messages and congratulations pouring in from players who witnessed their achievement.
The trio stared at the screen, a mix of surprise and amusement on their faces.
Point let out a bright laugh as she scrolled through the list. "Looks like we've earned quite a reputation… or perhaps just become everyone's newest headache."
Zack proceeded to add his teammates: Obi The Limit-Breaker and PointAndShoot.
"Wait, you added me?" Obi The Limit-Breaker's voice crackled over the interface, as cheerful as ever.
PointAndShoot also quipped. "You're in! Great. Now we can find each other when it's time to grind. But remember… if you get too far ahead, I'll be coming for you!"
Zack kept his voice steady, though a small smile flickered on his lips. "Let's keep in touch."
Obi The Limit-Breaker laughed, rolling his shoulders. "I'll hang around a little longer, I've got to level up some before logging off. Time moves the same way here as it does out there; an hour is still an hour.
PointAndShoot rested her staff against her shoulder, her voice casual as she replied. "I'm on board with that. Might as well take advantage of the extra time to hunt for some rare mobs."
Zack nodded politely. "Got it. See you both in the grind. Stay safe."
The portal sparkled more intensely and one by one, Obi and PointAndShoot stepped through, leaving Zack alone in the dim light of the dungeon's final room.
***
Sounds from the outside world filtered in, the distant murmur of NPCs, the breeze rustling through the trees and the faint glow of Gaia City in the distance.
Zack took a deep breath. He had yet to allocate a single stat point and now every decision lay in front of him like an open map.
The streets of Gaia unfurled ahead, lanterns gently swaying in the evening breeze. Players bustled around, their avatars flashing with equipment in the soft light.
But Zack's mind was elsewhere, wandering back to why he had even picked up Immortal's Conflict in the first place.
He had borrowed money from Rin, a friend whose background remained a mystery even to him, to secure a small apartment near his college.
Every penny had been painstakingly repaid through part-time work, late-night tutoring sessions and additional shifts to make ends meet.
He was careful, methodical and self-disciplined. Achievements did not come easily.
With things improving, he decided it was time to explore his past, something that had always stayed in his mind.
It was Rin who had suggested the game.
"Immortal's Conflict is extremely popular right now," he said eagerly, his eyes shining with excitement.
"There are already over a million players. We can make real money while grinding. And trust me, it's not just about the in-game gold coins."
Zack pondered the idea.
However, he was reluctant to join the game until a letter from an unknown sender arrived, claiming to know the truth about his past. It said that if he wanted answers about his parents' death, he had to play Immortal's Conflict.
Zack was skeptical at first but his resolve wavered the moment he remembered the other item tucked inside the envelope.
He took pleasure in strategy and valued practicality above all. The game offered more than recognition; if he played his cards right, it could help him study and build toward his future.
With that in mind, Zack inhaled deeply, straightened his shoulders and proceeded further towards Gaia City: on the way to shops, side quests and the potential of new opportunities waiting just around the corner.
This game… could be more than mere entertainment. And for Zack, that was a sufficient reason.