Aisha spoke.
"Everyone," her voice was calm, yet sharp enough to cut through the thick silence that followed their laughter. "Don't forget… the boss is still alive."
The words dropped like a boulder in still water, sending shockwaves through the group.
The cheerful atmosphere vanished in an instant. The warmth of victory was devoured by the creeping cold of reality.
She was right.
The dungeon wasn't cleared yet.
They had slain the corrupted hunters—traitors who had once been human like them. Their blood still stained the ground, their broken weapons scattered like bones. But that wasn't the end.
The true challenge still awaited—the Dungeon Boss.
The heart of this nightmare.
And so, their joy withered. The fire in their eyes dimmed but didn't die. Instead, it sharpened into steel.
Weapons were raised once more. Tired limbs steadied. Bloodied bodies stood tall.
They had survived this long. They would not fall now.
---
The Path to the Boss
