The door closed behind him with a heavy rumble.
Lucien took a cautious step forward, sword in hand, eyes scanning the chamber.
It was vast and silent, lit only by faint blue crystals embedded in the walls. The air was heavy, vibrating with the pulse of unstable mana.
He could hear his own breathing.
Then... a sound.
A low growl. Deep. Resonant.
From the far corner, a shadow stirred. Something massive stepped into the light.
Lucien's grip tightened. The creature was larger than any goblin. Its muscles rippled under thick, gray-green skin, and its tusks gleamed as it bared its teeth. In one hand it held a massive battle axe that looked as though it could split a man in half with a single swing.
"An orc…" Lucien whispered.
He remembered reading about them on the Association's website. A monster type not supposed to appear in E-Class Rifts. Its presence here made sense only as a Boss.
The orc roared and charged.
Lucien moved instinctively, rolling aside as the axe crashed into the stone floor, shattering it like glass. Dust exploded around them. The sheer force of the blow made the ground tremble.
Lucien countered, his blade flashing toward the creature's flank. The orc blocked with the shaft of its weapon and swung back with brutal speed.
He ducked under the swing, but the follow-up kick caught him square in the chest.
The impact sent him flying backward. He hit the wall hard, the air driven from his lungs.
Lucien gasped, struggling to breathe. He looked up and just in time to see the orc already charging again.
He threw himself into a roll as the axe slammed down where his head had been. Sparks and debris flew everywhere.
Lucien came up on one knee, eyes sharp, muscles burning. The orc roared again and swung horizontally, the blade of its weapon slicing through the air.
Lucien met it mid-swing. His sword clashed against the haft of the axe, metal screaming against metal. His arms trembled from the force, but he slid his blade along the wooden shaft, changing the angle…
and cut through the creature's fingers.
The orc howled in pain, staggering back. Its blood sprayed across the floor in thick, black drops.
But rage replaced pain almost instantly. With its remaining hand, it lunged forward and caught Lucien by the throat.
The pressure was brutal. His vision blurred. The monster's strength was monstrous. His spine screamed in protest.
Lucien's mind went blank for a heartbeat.
Then instinct returned.
He spat the blood in his mouth straight into the orc's face.
The creature recoiled in disgust, grip loosening just enough. Lucien twisted free and drove his sword across its wrist. Bone cracked. The hand fell limp.
He followed through with another strike… low, precise.
The blade tore across the back of the orc's legs, severing both Achilles tendons.
The beast collapsed to its knees with a thunderous growl.
Lucien circled behind it, chest heaving, eyes cold. He raised his sword, angled the point toward the gap between the creature's neck and shoulder, and thrust with all his strength.
The steel sank deep.
The orc convulsed, roared once, then fell still.
Lucien yanked his blade free. Green blood dripped from the edge as he fell to one knee, gasping for air.
His heart pounded in his chest. His body trembled with exhaustion, his armor cracked and dented.
Then… light.
A blinding flash burned across his vision, followed by a noise like distant thunder. For a single second, he was no longer in the dungeon.
He saw a fortress engulfed in flames.
He heard the clash of steel.
Someone shouted his name.
"Lucien!"
Then it was gone.
He blinked. The cavern returned. His sword gleamed faintly in the dim light.
A familiar blue window appeared before his eyes:
[Skill Unlocked]
??? (0.003%)
Lucien stared at the text, still catching his breath.
He frowned, whispering the only words that came to mind.
"What was that…?"