"So many Red Jewels here! We will be rich!" Jeff said as he mined the minerals embedded in the walls.
"Yes, you are right. I cannot wait to spend it on rum and women. Hehehe!" Vran laughed.
Their group was currently in the middle section of Mooncrest Dungeon. The dungeon had a cave-like structure, with large chambers connected by winding tunnels. So far, they had only encountered Gloomfangs inside the dungeon.
Against the Gloomfangs, they did not have much trouble handling them as a group, since they were all experienced fighters. After some time, they pushed deeper into the dungeon.
"Are they actually illegal dungeon hunters? The way they are talking is so suspicious. I better keep my distance from them." Oliver moved carefully between the rocks.
As the group ventured deeper and deeper, they began to struggle against the second form of Gloomfangs, the Gloomreaver. Unlike its base form, the Gloomreaver moved alone and was far stronger. Taking down even one required three to four men.
But it did not falter the motivation of Vran and his men.
"Finally, we have arrived at the boss room. Everyone, take a rest first and heal yourselves. It will be a tough fight." Vran stood before a massive door adorned with intricate designs. Every dungeon boss had a door guarding its chamber.
"Vran, do we really need to fight this boss? We already have a lot of jewels. Why risk our lives to face it?" one of his men asked. The other members of the group nodded in agreement.
Vran looked at his men before pointing at the door. "Beyond this door, there is a boss with a chance to drop loot ten times more valuable than what we already have. And its monster parts are also valuable for crafting and making armor. We will regret it if we leave without taking it." Vran said with a grin.
"Ohhh." All his group members nodded. They had already come this far after several hours, so it would be foolish to turn back without fighting it. They decided to raid the boss with Vran.
After fully resting, they entered through the door, not noticing that Oliver had slipped in as well. His small body made it easier for him to move without being detected.
They entered the large chamber. The sound of water dripping from the ceiling and the wind slipping through cracks in the stone filled the room. But there was no sign of the boss.
"Are you sure the boss is here? Maybe someone already raided it today," Jeff said as he looked around, gripping his sword. Usually, after a boss was defeated, it would respawn depending on the dungeon's rank. Mooncrest Dungeon was categorized as a Rank 10 dungeon, so its boss typically respawned after twenty-four hours.
"I am sure it is still here. I did not see any signs of anyone entering since we came into this dungeon. Do not lower your guard."
The group slowly moved deeper into the chamber. As Vran walked at the front, he suddenly felt a liquid drop onto his shoulder. He signaled for the others to stop, then touched it. It was sticky. In that instant, he realized something and slowly raised his head.
A massive creature was staring directly at them. Its pair of red eyes pierced through the darkness, drilling into their souls. For a moment, all of them forgot to breathe, frozen in place.
But only for a second.
They had faced situations like this hundreds of times before. Instantly, they moved into position, ready to fight.
"What the hell is that?" Oliver peeked from behind a rock, staring at the boss. The darkness still cloaked most of its form.
The boss suddenly leapt down and began moving toward Vran's group on all fours. Moonlight slipped through a crack above, slowly revealing its figure.
It was a towering wolf-like monster, easily over five meters tall. Its fur was a mix of black and white, while a reddish aura wrapped around its body. Thick saliva dripped from its jaws as it stared with pure fury.
Suddenly, as Oliver stood mesmerized by the boss's appearance, a message appeared.
[Tame this monster, and the system will approve you.]
"Tame? System? What are you talking about? Wait a minute… do you actually want me to tame this monster? Are you crazy?" Oliver whispered, but the system remained silent.
"This is impossible! How am I supposed to tame it by myself?" Then, he froze. He was not alone.
There was a group of hunters right in front of him and already engaging the boss. He recalled the lesson he had learned from Tamera, who was a tamer herself.
"You can attempt to tame a monster when it is tired or nearly defeated."
An idea sparked in his mind and a plan began to form.
"After this group nearly defeats the boss, I will jump in and try my luck to tame it."
Oliver clenched his fists as determination filling his eyes. Though his legs still trembled. This was his first time facing a boss and his first time attempting to tame one. If he failed, he might be discovered by the illegal hunters… or worse, be injured, or even killed by the monster itself.
"There is no reward without taking risks!" Oliver clenched his teeth.
On the other side, Vran's group was already engaging the boss.
"Go, Duoserp! Cast Duovenom!" he ordered his double-headed serpent. The monster spat a stream of purplish venom that struck the boss's fur. Upon contact, a sharp hiss echoed as vapor rose from its body.
Meanwhile, the other members of the group summoned the base form of Duoserp, the Serplet, and continued unleashing venom at the boss.
"Hehehe! Poison-based attacks are the best way to fight a strong opponent. It will chip away at its health and weaken it after a few minutes," Vran thought with a grin.
"Rawwr!"
The boss retaliated with a series of wild slashes. Some of the group members were injured by its attacks, and several Serplets were crushed beneath its massive paws. However, the poison began seeping deeper into the boss's body, causing it to wobble and lose its balance.
"Yes! It is working! Continue attacking!" Vran ordered as they intensified their assault.
Beside the nearest wall, Oliver licked his lips, ready to make his move.