First red gate dungeon...
Atop a mountain.
Minho was on a horse with his hands tied as he got dragged by the elven leader who was ahead, sitting calmly on his horse. A smug grin on its face.
Minho's fingers were broken and his right shoulder bled from a deep wound and an 'X' gash on his chest. His head down as he tried to catch his breath. From the sight, there was no mistaking that he got battered.
After a while, they arrived at a cave and entered.
They passed through a few elven guards who exchanged nods with the one dragging Minho, their smiles evident as they saw him in such a state.
Minho eventually got dragged deeper in where a massive elf sat on a ice-carved throne. One could easily mistake it for an enormous orc, due to its huge build. But it happened to also be the ugliest elf Minho had ever come across.
Its aura was intimidating and it was undoubtedly on the level of the elves he'd seen in the Monarchs' and Rulers' wars.
It was the dungeon boss.
Its grin stretched wide as it saw Minho. "Ah, the young dragon. It is an honor to meet you… in such a state." It laughed maniacally.
The elf that brought Minho in, came down from from its horse and yanked Minho down from his, making him fall with a loud thud to the ground. Its jaw clenched for a split second before it dragged again, forcing him to stand.
"So, it was a rumor after all that you had become a Monarch," the elven leader mocked with another chuckling, making it look even uglier.
"Now, how should I deal with you? If just a general of mine can put you in this state, will I kill you with a small pat?" It added.
Minho said nothing.
"Ah, bring him outside. I need to feel the air as I torture this fool." The leader stood up, walking past Minho and making for the exit.
The elf holding Minho dragged him again to follow and the others elves in there fell into step behind them.
As they got outside, the leader commanded a circle be formed.
An elf that was a mage, quickly made a throne out of ice, for their leader to sit.
The elf holding Minho brought him to the center of the circle, in front of the leader who was already thinking of how to torture Minho.
With his hair partially hiding his features, he turned around, looking at the elves that were all around him and the ones at the back.
He could roughly guess they were about half a hundred.
"Tell me, how do you wish to die?" The leader spoke again with a mocking tone, but Minho didn't reply. "Are you deaf?" Its expression became a little more serious as its aura flared.
Minho's shoulders started to shake.
"Ah, is it because you are scared?" The leader laughed, but then it died almost instantly as Minho raised his head.
A smile.
Minho was smiling, laughing quietly and soon enough it grew louder. "My my, what an ugly asshole for the strongest." His fingers cracked, slowly going back to their normal state, the gashes in his shoulder and chest knitting shut as he effortlessly cut the rope by just slightly moving his hands apart.
"I thought I'd see frosty, but I guess I was wrong."
The elven leader gritted its teeth, pointing at Minho. "Kill him. Now!" it said, referring to the elf that brought him.
It took out its bow and aimed for Minho's head from behind, but Minho didn't flinch. It released the arrow and the arrow flew just past Minho, embedding itself into the head of one of the guards flanking the leader.
"Makar," the leader muttered, staring at the elf in disbelief.
… …
30 minutes ago...
Minho stood with his foot on Makar's chest. The lower half of the elf lay behind Minho, its arms were also cleanly cut off from the shoulders as it bled profusely.
The elves that came with it had already been decapitated, and Vasha was still busy clearing the countless weaker ones.
"I can tell you're not the dungeon boss. You guys barely lasted thirty seconds." Minho stated. "I can still sense mana. Are they in there?" he pointed at the caves.
"Up…there… another ca-cave…" It muttered before finally dying.
"Ah, so there's another cave up there." Minho put a hand on his chin, stroking it. "Is that frosty gray-head there?" Minho looked to the top of the mountain, then his eyes landed on Vasha was done with her part now.
"Stab my shoulder," Minho said to Vasha. "Make sure it's deep."
"Eh? M-my Liege, what do you—" Vasha panicked but got interrupted by Minho.
"Be fast about it."
"My Liege, I can't—"
"Vasha."
It was clear there was no room for argument in Minho's voice. She reluctantly raised the dagger, her hand shaking as she pointed it to his shoulder, hesitating.
Minho held her hand and completed its journey, stabbing himself. "Now cut me up," he added.
Vasha hesitated before carving an X on his chest, her eyes closed, not wanting to see what she'd done.
She felt the urge to just stab herself for such a sin, but Minho's words cut through her thoughts. "Don't try anything stupid,"
He bent towards Makar and used its sword to carved open its chest, taking out its core and tossing it to the ground. "Where's the slime?" he asked.
Bihami who was wrapped around Vasha's arm like an armband, dropped to the floor, taking its normal form.
"Eat that," Minho pointed at the core. "We've got a mission, Mini boss,"
… …
Now...
The elven leader roared at him and the other elves were about to start attack when something suddenly landed behind them.
It was Kamish and atop it were Eslin and a fuming Vasha.
Rathalos in his dragon form landed by the other side, cornering them.
Vasha jumped off Kamish first, hitting one of the elves to the ground. Before it could register what was happening she stabbed her dagger into its head, once, twice and so she kept on stabbing until it was a jumbled mess of blood, flesh and bone where its head once was.
She looked up at the other elves, her teeth gritted as her eyes blazed in anger.
For the amount of pain she caused her Liege, she was going to brutally dismantle every single elf she could get her hands on.
The elven leader watched in shock, its hand shaking slightly.
Minho tilted his head with a sharp grin as his eyes glowed crimson. "Why's your hand shaking?"
The leader clenched its fist tightly.
"Ah, is it because you are scared?" Minho chuckled lightly. "Now, how do you wish to die?"