Darell and his friends, finally reached the 20th floor of the dungeon.

 

And, when they entered it, their first reaction was...

 

"Ahhh!"

 

They cried out in pain and clutched their chests.

 

The pain they felt throughout their bodies was unbearable.

 

It was so much that they were unable to stand upright.

 

Their legs quivered and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

 

Because of the oppressive pressure they felt due to the darkness around them.

 

Eric and Ariel held onto themselves and desperately struggled against the pressure.

 

Lilith, too, found herself grappling with the overwhelming pressure of the surrounding darkness.

 

Her body trembled relentlessly, refusing to stand still.

 

But, the worst of them all was... Emma.

 

Her ability - Light was the direct opposite of the darkness around her and she felt as if somebody had a tight grip around her throat and choking her.

 

Her low level worsened the situation, making the pressure unbearable.

 

Her body was drenched with sweat while she tried to fight against the pain she felt throughout her body.

 

However, she couldn't bear for too long and her vision blurred as the world around her began to fade.

 

* THUD *

 

She collapsed on the ground as she fell unconscious.

 

Darell remained unaffected by the tormenting pain and pressure that affected his friends.

 

Instead, to his surprise, a soothing sensation coursed through his veins, granting him a sense of comfort.

 

Yet, he had little time to dwell on this, for his focus shifted swiftly to the dire condition of his friends.

 

He rushed to Emma's side and helped her get up.

 

He took out the vitality potions and opened her mouth and made her drink it.

 

He saw her eyes flutter open and smiled.

 

He looked at the rest of his friends and ordered with a concerned expression on his face, "Quickly, construct barriers around yourselves to shield against the overwhelming pressure."

 

The group wasted no time in creating barriers around them.

 

Eric controlled the very ground beneath him, fashioning a robust armor that enshrouded his body in a dark brown hue.

 

This formidable earth-based defense alleviated a portion of the relentless pressure bearing down on him.

 

Ariel used her control over sound waves, skillfully manipulating them to form a dense barrier that served as a shield against the oppressive darkness.

 

Lilith, drawing upon her expertise in ice manipulation, encased herself in an intricate armor woven from frozen shards.

 

The ice armor around her shielded her against the darkness.

 

She turned to Emma and crafted an icy shield around Emma which lessened the pressure she felt.

 

A sigh escaped Darell's lips as he gazed at them.

 

He glanced around but before he could dwell further, his attention was abruptly diverted by a system notification.

 

 

Darell furrowed his brows as he read the notification and thought, 'What? What the fuck?'

He felt a sense of familiarity around him.

 

However, he put the notification aside and opened his status interface.

 

 

Darell's eyes widened in shock when he looked at his status and thought, 'What the fuck? A jump of eight levels?!'

 

It was an extraordinary boost, with his stats soaring by a staggering 80 points despite the level remaining the same.

 

Shaking off his astonishment, Darell gathered his composure and addressed his companions.

 

Their inquisitive gazes locked onto him, seeking an explanation for the overwhelming pressure they were experiencing.

 

"With regards to the oppressive pressure you all are feeling," Darell cleared his throat and said, "Allow me to shed some light on the matter."

 

Seeing them nod, Darell began, "Long ago, this dungeon had a different name, and it was infested with undead creatures under the dominion of a powerful high-ranked undead monster, residing on the boss floor. In the surrounding forests, there lived a beast with the Light ability, known for its serene nature."

 

Darell explained how the Light beast suddenly grew mad one day and massacred nearby towns.

 

"The king, driven by righteous anger, assembled a group to capture the beast responsible for the massacre. The pursuit stretched for months until, finally, the beast sought refuge within this very dungeon. The king, believing the creature would meet its demise within, called off the chase."

Darell then revealed the beast's survival and its metamorphosis into the current master of the dungeon—the Forsaken Draathil.

 

The gravity of the revelation settled upon each member of the group, their expressions morphing into seriousness.

 

As the group contemplated the weight of Darell's words, he cast his gaze upon the eerie environment surrounding them.

 

The sky stretched above them, devoid of any semblance of light, an endless expanse of oppressive darkness.

 

Its sight alone sent shivers down their spines, a foreboding aura emanating from its inky depths.

 

Turning his attention to the ground, Darell took note of the desolation that had befallen the once-vibrant flora.

 

The grass, shrubs, and trees stood as remnants of their former selves, drained of vitality and reduced to lifeless, ebony forms.

 

It was as if every ounce of life force had been mercilessly sucked away, leaving behind brittle husks.

 

Even the once-glistening lakes that once dotted the floor had fallen victim to the pervasive darkness.

 

They now lay shriveled and barren, transformed into colossal craters.

 

The very air that wafted through the floor appeared tainted, swirling in ominous currents of blackness.

 

With every breath, the group could feel the suffocating weight of the darkness pressing upon them, a tangible manifestation of the pressure that had enveloped their bodies.

 

The floor had been completely silent until...

 

* AWOOOOO *

 

A sudden piercing howl shattered the silence of the floor.

 

The group quickly turned their attention toward the source of the sound and their eyes widened in fear.

 

Standing before them was a magnificent beast and it was glaring at them.

 

This beast possessed the robust body of a wolf, its pure white fur radiating an ethereal glow amidst the encroaching darkness.

 

Towering at an astonishing height of around 10 meters, it bared its menacing fangs, exuding an aura of power and dominance.

 

What truly captivated their attention were the beast's striking white antlers, emanating a luminous light that pierced through the oppressive darkness.

 

The antlers on its head was adorned with lush leaves and it signified it's long lifespan.

 

The Draathil's purple eyes gleamed with an ominous intensity, seemingly peering into their very souls.

 

An eerie purple aura enveloped the beast, enhancing its aura of malevolence.

 

In an instant, Darell, Lilith, Emma, Eric, and Ariel realized that the colossal creature standing before them was none other than the Forsaken Draathil itself.

 

Darell quickly activated his Inspect skill to check the stats of the beast and find any information that could help them in the battle.

 

 

Darell's heart sank when he saw the high stats of the Forsaken Draathil.

Its power surpassed anything they had encountered thus far in the dungeon, and the subsequent revelation of an army of various beasts only deepened their sense of impending danger.

 

Without wasting a moment, the Draathil unleashed its horde of minions—a diverse assembly of ogres, orcs, lizardmen, goblins, centaurs, and more.

The ground quaked beneath the weight of their combined charge as they charged towards Darell and his companions aggressively.