The black door opened with a deep rumble.
The five remaining members of the Iron Arrows advanced slowly, weapons at the ready, faces hardened.
The ground turned smooth, almost mirror-like.The walls seemed to breathe.As if the dungeon itself was waiting.
"This isn't a normal room."
"Nothing's been normal since we crossed that damned entrance."
They took formation.
Then, in a whisper of shadow, he appeared.
The Boss.
A hooded colossus, made of bone, black cloth, and shifting ink.Its face was nothing but a broken mask, its arms held two massive inverted blades.And around it, eight ancient pillars kept it chained.
[Name: The Silent Judge][Level: ???][Status: Binding in progress – 8/8 chains active]
"He's sealed?"
"Then we've got a window to weaken him!"
They didn't wait.
The mage cast a cone of frost.The archer targeted the stress points.The priestess attempted a sacred bind.And the chains… began to crack.
"We can kill him before he breaks free!"
Lin, meanwhile, observed in silence.
"Hm… but who said you controlled the tempo?"
He brushed a golden rune.
[Detection: Major threat to Boss – 73%][Counter-Seal Trigger: Authorized]
One chain shattered. Then another.The floor trembled.A tile sank beneath Nara's foot. A click. A whisper of metal.
"...Wait. No! STOP—"
Too late.
A pillar twisted violently.A wave of black mana rippled out.
An integrated trap. A detonator.
The runes in the ceiling all activated at once.
A flash of light. A scream.
When the dust settled...The priestess, Nara, and the archer lay on the ground. Motionless.The mage screamed, one leg crushed.
Only the captain still stood, broken halberd in hand.
"This… wasn't supposed to…"
The Judge finally opened his eyes.Two cold blue flames, death incarnate.
"Judgment: Failed."
He raised his blades.
The rest happened fast.A series of mechanical, precise movements.The mage, first. Then the captain.
Silence.
In the Observation Room, Lin stood still for a moment.
Then, slowly, a series of windows opened.
[Dungeon Completed: Yes][Party: Eliminated][Total Duration: 1h52min][Impact: High]
[Rewards Acquired:]
Mastery Points: +870Creative Energy: +3 unitsAwakening Fragment UnlockedProgression Tree Branch: Interference Seal (Rare)
He sighed.Not with joy, not with triumph.
Just that feeling of moving forward.