The stone door closed behind him with a deep, final sound.
The chamber beyond was massive.
A circular arena stretched out in all directions, its floor carved with ancient runes glowing a deep crimson. Rivers of molten rock flowed through channels in the ground, lighting the space from below. The ceiling was lost in darkness, and the air felt thick enough to choke.
[Dungeon Floor: 2 – Boss Chamber]
[Environmental Effect: Extreme Heat + Mana Suppression]
He stepped forward slowly, golden eyes scanning the arena.
"So this is it."
The runes flared brighter.
Something moved.
From the center of the arena, the ground cracked open. Lava surged upward as a massive figure rose from beneath the floor. Its body was built like a giant, but its skin was made of layered obsidian plates, glowing with heat between the cracks. A crown of burning stone rested on its head, and in its hands was a colossal axe forged from magma and metal.
[Floor Boss Detected]
[Ashen Executioner]
[Level: 28]
The pressure hit him instantly.
His breath slowed, muscles tightening as the dungeon tried to crush him under its weight.
"So you're the one," he said calmly.
The Executioner raised its axe.
The arena shook.
Without warning, it brought the weapon down.
The ground exploded.
He barely dodged, leaping aside as molten rock sprayed through the air. The impact shattered the floor, sending cracks racing across the arena.
Heavy, he thought. And fast.
The Executioner didn't pause. It swung again, forcing him to keep moving. Each strike carried enough force to flatten a fortress.
He activated Dragon Surge.
[Skill Activated: Dragon Surge]
[All Attributes Increased]
Power flooded his body.
He rushed forward, weaving between swings, and slammed his fist into the boss's side. The impact sent a shockwave through the obsidian plates—but the Executioner barely moved.
It countered immediately, backhanding him across the arena.
[HP Reduced: -26]
He crashed into a stone pillar, shattering it on impact.
He stood back up slowly, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Good," he muttered. "This is more like it."
The Executioner roared, lifting its axe overhead. The runes on the floor ignited, and chains of fire burst from the ground, wrapping around his legs.
[Status Effect: Restraint]
He didn't panic.
Flames surged from his body as he forced more power through his limbs. The chains cracked and shattered under the pressure.
With a roar, he shifted further, scales spreading fully across his body as wings erupted from his back. The arena trembled under the force of his transformation.
The Executioner hesitated.
That was its mistake.
He launched forward, wings propelling him like a missile. His tail slammed into the boss's chest, cracking its obsidian armor. Before it could recover, he grabbed the axe and twisted, ripping it from the Executioner's grip.
The weapon hit the ground with a deafening crash.
He didn't give it time.
Fire gathered in his chest, hotter and denser than before.
"Burn."
A focused blast erupted point-blank, engulfing the Executioner completely. The boss screamed as its armor cracked, molten light spilling from the fractures.
Still, it fought.
Even burning, it swung its fists, landing a brutal hit that sent him skidding backward across the arena.
[HP: 92/140]
He dug his claws into the stone and stopped himself.
"Stubborn," he said quietly.
He rose into the air, wings beating hard.
This time, he didn't hold back.
Flames spiraled around him as he compressed them, forcing them into a single point. The air screamed under the pressure.
The Executioner looked up.
Too late.
He dove.
The impact shook the entire dungeon.
The arena split apart as his attack pierced straight through the boss's core. The Executioner froze, cracks spreading rapidly across its body before it shattered completely, dissolving into ash and molten fragments.
Silence.
The runes dimmed.
[Floor Boss Defeated]
[XP Gained: +4,800]
[Level Up!]
[Current Level: 27]
[Skill Progress Increased]
He landed heavily, breathing steady despite the damage.
"Still alive," he said.
The dungeon reacted one last time.
A glowing platform rose from the center of the arena, revealing a staircase descending deeper underground.
[Dungeon Progress: Floor 2 Cleared]
[Next Floor Unlocked]
[Warning: Difficulty Significantly Increased]
He looked down the stairs, golden eyes burning.
"If this is only the second floor," he said calmly, "then you'll have to try harder."
Without hesitation, he stepped forward, disappearing into the darkness—ready to face whatever awaited him below.