Chapter 6

The second area boss was a three-headed beast, Cerberus. Like the Minotaur, it had already appeared and was lying on the ground as if asleep. It was enormous, likely heavier than the Minotaur.

As Dandelion and the others stepped onto that floor, Cerberus opened its six eyes and leaped up. It growled menacingly with each of its three heads, and they cautiously closed in, spreading out.

"**Grrrraaaahh!!**"

Annoyed by the approaching humans, Cerberus let out a roar and spewed flames from all three heads. Gwamel held up his shield to block it, Ethan hid behind him, and Ginova and Roderick quickly dodged. Amidst this, one person charged straight in without hesitation: Dandelion, with a holy mark on his face.

Of course, Dandelion didn't rush into the flames without a plan. He held his left hand in front of his face, where a red magical shield was deployed. It was one of his magic spells, the Aegis shield.

With the Aegis shield in place, Dandelion charged through the flames. He quickly closed the distance and slipped into Cerberus's midst, then thrust his sword into the throat of the middle head.

"**Gaaaahh!?**"

"**Grrrrrrrr!!**"

The middle head screamed, and the other two heads tried to bite Dandelion. However, one was slashed at the neck by Ginova, and the other had its eyes pierced by Ethan, both letting out cries of pain. Roderick then leaped high and thrust his spear into Cerberus's back. As Cerberus struggled for breath, Dandelion shouted:

"Back off!"

Following his command, Roderick and Ginova moved away from Cerberus. In the next instant, Cerberus's neck exploded, and its three heads were severed. Dandelion had channeled magic into the sword he had left in place, causing an explosion from within. This technique, called the Burst Finger, is classified as a sword skill rather than magic, though it can't be used outside the dungeon.

With all three heads lost, Cerberus's body fell to the ground and crumbled into ash, leaving behind a large magic stone, just like the Minotaur. Incidentally, there were no drop items.

"That's it? It's a bit disappointing."

"Well, well, Your Majesty. We will surely face another area boss again."

Gwamel said this to calm Dandelion, who looked somewhat dissatisfied. In any case, this completed their objective for the day. After a light meal, they headed for the exit but encountered a party of soldiers mapping the area, who reported the discovery of a new area boss.

"Perfect. Let's head straight for the hunt."

Dandelion said this with a fierce smile. The other members had no objections. Despite the overwhelming power, they still had the physical and mental energy to continue. They had the soldiers guide them to the third area boss.

After about twenty minutes of walking, they arrived at the floor where the third area boss was located. There, an orc sat cross-legged with his eyes closed in meditation. He was massive, with a belly that bulged out, and a crown on his head.

This was not just any orc. It was an Orc King. The crown didn't make him a king; rather, "King" was a title indicating a monster's characteristic.

What this characteristic meant was that a monster called a King could command and lead other monsters of the same type. Moreover, the subordinate monsters would continue to appear infinitely until the King was defeated.

Incidentally, if a monster could lead subordinates but their numbers didn't increase, it was called a General.

Currently, the Orc King sat alone on the spacious floor, with no subordinates in sight. When the soldiers confirmed the Orc King's appearance and retreated from the floor, the Orc King didn't move, but his subordinates chased the soldiers and were all defeated outside the floor.

As soon as they stepped onto the floor, the Orc King would stand up, and his subordinates would start appearing again. Generally, overwhelming numbers are hard to resist, so the strategy when a King appears is to defeat it as quickly as possible.

Dandelion, of course, knew this strategy. However, at this moment, he made a decision completely opposite to the strategy.

"A King, huh? Perfect. Let's thin out the dungeon's forces by taking out the subordinates."

In other words, he decided to prioritize defeating the subordinates that would keep appearing, rather than the King.

The dungeon can't produce an infinite number of monsters in a short time. If a large number of monsters are produced in one place in a short time, other areas will inevitably become weaker. By taking advantage of this gap to defeat the already appeared monsters, the risk of a stampede would decrease. This was the idea.

In reality, it was a war of attrition, and the humans, who couldn't expect reinforcements, would normally be at a disadvantage. However, they had two people with holy marks. This strategy was based more on the trust or confidence that they could defeat the Orc King at any time, rather than the expectation of their combat power. At least, Dandelion had that confidence.

"I and Ginova will hunt as many subordinates as we can. Gwamel, hold the Orc King. Roderick and Ethan, support Gwamel to keep the subordinates from getting close."

There were no objections to the roles Dandelion assigned. Ginova and the others nodded silently. The soldiers who were guiding them were ordered to inform the strategy headquarters in the camp about the sudden change in plans.

"Your Majesty, good luck."

"Aye. Take care as well."

After seeing the soldiers off, Dandelion and the others stepped onto the floor where the Orc King was. Immediately, the Orc King opened his eyes, picked up a large sword that resembled a halberd, and stood up. He then puffed out his already large belly and let out a loud roar.

"**Bumooooooohhhhh!!**"

"**Buhiiiiii!**"

"**Buhii, buhiiii!**"

"**Bum, bum!**"

In response to the Orc King's roar, orcs began to crawl out from the walls and floor of the floor. These orcs were classified as medium-sized monsters, much smaller than the Orc King but still large by human standards. Especially for the short Ginova, they were like giants.

The number of orcs increased rapidly, and the numerical advantage quickly shifted to the monsters' side. However, Dandelion charged into the crowd with a fierce smile. Gwamel and Roderick followed closely behind, and Ginova moved in a different direction. Ethan shot arrows in quick succession to support them.

A holy mark like a flame appeared on Dandelion's face. He deflected the Orc King's attack with one hand and then punched its belly with his left fist. The punch, enhanced by his holy mark and speed, sent the Orc King flying and slammed it into the wall.

"Don't let it move freely! I might accidentally kill it!"

"Hah, leave it to us!"

Gwamel and Roderick slipped past Dandelion and closed in on the Orc King. Ethan followed them. Dandelion switched his target to the subordinates and began hunting them. Ginova had already cut down several orcs.

(Large and surrounded, a bit tricky... But...)

For Ginova, this was nothing new. When he explored the dungeon alone, he often fought opponents larger than himself and was frequently surrounded by multiple enemies. Moreover, the spacious floor meant there was plenty of room to move, making the fight easier.

Ginova moved fluidly between the orcs, slashing them as he passed. His slashes were clearly larger than the white blades of his dual swords. Each swing left an orc with a large gash, falling to the ground and disintegrating into ash.

Ginova was using a sword skill called Extend Slash. It was a simple and basic skill that extended the slash. Normally, it would be difficult to defeat an orc with one hit using Extend Slash, but as expected of someone with a holy mark, he was taking them down one after another. Like the Burst Finger Dandelion used, this skill could only be used in the dungeon.

"**Buhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii