Raegar ignored the teasing about his affair with the Forest Widow Queen, which made him cringe and laugh at the same time. He finished cooking his campfire bread before pulling out some fresh monster meat.
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'Now I need to dose it in spices and add honey to the bread,' he mused and started cooking the meat.
After that, he pulled out the Monster Compendium and started studying the monsters in Bloodfang Forest. Raegar came across one that caught his attention and it made his skin crawl.
'This thing's an absolute nightmare,' he thought, a shiver creeping through him. 'Ambush predators, perfectly built to ruin your day.'
It was a dark colored crocodile built for land and fast like a Forest Deer. The realization that it was the size of a tiger on Earth sent a cold shiver racing up his spine as he skimmed the brief description.
''A Snubclaw,'' he mumbled, ''As lethal on solid ground as it is in the water.''
Raegar continued only to sigh while thinking with furrowed eyebrows. 'End of Tier Two but some can be Tier Three and the author claims lightning is its weakness because it slows the creature down.'
After that, he flipped to the next entry, relief washing over him that he hadn't crossed paths with the Snubclaw. The next description painted a vivid picture of a Vasuki, a colossal snake of terrifying proportions.
'Beware this massive beast,' the author penned a dire warning under the picture. 'Lurking in the southern swamps and towering grasses of Bloodfang Forest.'
While sitting there, Raegar smelt the aroma of cooked meat hit his nose, causing his stomach to growl. He put the book down and plated his meal and put the melted honey on the bread which he loved.
The monster meat was delicious and he enjoyed every bit, especially when he combined it with the fresh bread. While eating, the adults were looking at him as they chewed on dry rations.
''Why are you dining like a king inside a Rank D dungeon?'' Tarrin commented while holding back a laugh.
Raegar's eyes narrowed before pointing his dagger at the blonde man and answered. ''Fighting on an empty stomach is stupid. Food is important to your body, Aether Pools, and health. I eat this because I enjoy it, not because I'm forced to.''
''He's is right darling,'' Elaris suddenly jumped in. ''We should take a leaf out of his spellbook. Maybe we can get better food when getting out of here?''
Tarrin put on a fake offended look as he moaned. ''Why take the kids' side my dear! It wounds your poor husband's heart.''
Everyone laughed before the blue-haired woman went to retort but Orin spoke up. ''Now now people. Let's get some rest, we have many fights tomorrow.''
The bear man looked at him with a friendly expression. ''You too kid. We will need you tomorrow,'' he said.
Following that, the group settled down with the big man watching over them. Raegar soon fell asleep after wrapping a few blankets around himself while curling up in front of the fire, which made it better.
A few hours later, he jolted awake to the sound of hushed, anxious whispers. An explosion rattled the floor beneath him. He shook his head to clear the fog of sleep, rising to his feet as he called out, ''What's happening?''
''Tarrien and Elaris went out to scout the entrance to the second floor, but they were chased back here and now we're trapped in here by a horde of Lost Ones,'' Lyra revealed while catching her breath.
Raegar's gaze flicked to the door where the bear of a man stood guard. He approached, his voice steady as he spoke. ''Orin, let me through. I'll carve a path through those monsters, give you all some breathing room to fight.''
The older man's eyes widened at the words, but he nodded, swinging the door open to let him out. Beyond it, a cluster of Lost Ones loomed, their wild, unhinged expressions locking onto them.
The eerie scene sent a ripple of unease through Raegar, but he shoved it down, focusing instead on the task at hand. With a surge of will, he infused his blades with fire and wind, the Aether blending seamlessly into a volatile mix.
He hurled the weapons into the heart of the horde, and they detonated in a deafening explosion, flames and gusts tearing through the Lost Ones in a brilliant, chaotic burst as he summoned them back and charged.
With a ferocious leap, he plunged into the seething swarm, a whirlwind of death. He ricocheted off the tunnel walls while carving through the enemy ranks like a force of nature unleashed.
Raegar vaulted from one Lost One to the next, using them as springboards. With each leap, he drove his blades downward, smashing through their skulls with devastating force, the impacts so brutal they erupted in grisly bursts of bone and gore.
The creatures lunged at him with feral desperation, but he dipped and wove beneath their strikes, a shadow too fast and savage to pin down. He quickly cast several Lightningfire Blasts into the crowd, turning loads to ash.
Moments later, Tarrin and the others rushed in and cut down the remaining Lost Ones. Once the fighting was done, Raegar collected everything before handing it to Lyra, who was holding the group's loot.
''Let's go, we have eight more floors to go before reaching the boss and monsters need to be killed,'' Tarrin said as Orin took up the front while the others stayed back.
Raegar took up his usual spot at the front as they exited the fake Dreadshade City and stepped onto the grasslands before continuing north. After a few hours they reached a homestead that was off to one side.
''I'll go check it out,'' he shouted before approaching the house just as he spotted something out of the corner of his eye.
Without wasting time, Raegar spun around while casting Stormfire Bullet that slammed into a Tier Two Blood Wolf, which Orin told him about during their journey. Suddenly six more appeared causing him to react.
He burst toward the closest one after casting Enhancement magic, which shocked the creature as he got even faster before driving his dagger into its eye while throwing the second into another's pupil.
The beast slammed into the ground, lifeless, just as more hurled themselves at him. Raegar's speed outpaced their feral onslaught, a blur of motion as he summoned his weapons mid-stride, slashing out with skill.
Blood Wolves fell in heaps, their crimson-soaked bodies littering the earth, when Orin and Tarrin burst onto the scene. The two seasoned warriors tore into the monsters ruthlessly, blades singing through flesh and bone.
Orin, the bear of a man, glanced at Raegar amidst the carnage, a wry grin breaking through his grizzled features. ''These damn things get old once you've gutted enough of 'em,'' he rumbled, driving his weapon through another snarling foe.
Following that, Lyra cast refreshing spells on them before gathering the loot the monsters dropped. While standing there, Raegar asked. ''Why have we only come across Gutter Rats, Blood Wolves and Lost Ones? I expected there to be more.''
''Wait until we get to the lower floors,'' Elaris answered with a knowing smile. ''Boggarts and Trolls linger in the darkness. Their stronger than these monsters.''
When Raegar heard this, his red eyes glowed with excitement before Tarrin booped him on the head. ''They are Tier Three monsters at best kid, you're strong yes but not at that level yet. We will help out in the fights down there so don't rush off.''
''Okay,'' he answered the blonde leader.
Moments later, the group continued and entered the second floor before fighting through waves of monsters. Raegar turned to Hydra Blades that managed to kill hundreds of creatures with ease.
Hours later, they stepped onto the seventh, the monsters appeared, sending an uneasy prickle up his spine as he guessed why. Before them sprawled a vast desert, its endless expanse stretching out in every direction.
''Wow, what is this place?'' he muttered while taking in the scene. ''Why is there a damn desert inside a dungeon?''
''This place is a Death Floor to people under Tier Three. There are all kinds of landscapes and monsters in a dungeon kid. You just have to be careful,'' Tarrin said while drinking some water.
''Death Floor? Is this place a deathzone?'' Raegar replied before seeing an explosion in the distance.
When the group saw this, Tarrin looked at Orin and nodded just as he stepped in front of everyone. He watched as a massive worm exploded out of the sand, but the bear man chanted something that sent a wave of mana shooting from his body.
The monster snapped toward the big man, causing Raegar's eye to widen as he realized what was happening. 'He has a taunt skill! So cool!'
Following that, Tarrin suddenly leaped through the air with his greatsword and swung down while letting out a roar.
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