Reinhardt stood at the entrance of the dungeon, his gaze fixed on the shifting distortion ahead. Behind him, the Iron Fang Guild prepared themselves, some adjusting their weapons, others checking their gear one last time.
Their team was a balanced force—warriors standing at the front, their Force Aligned for endurance and brute strength. Archers and spellcasters kept to the back, their abilities honed for long-range precision. Among them, battlefield manipulators readied themselves to control terrain and flow, while the healers stood poised to support and mend. Each member had a role, a purpose, and a responsibility to the team’s survival.
“Hey, Rein, when do you think Jin will arrive?” one of the members asked, adjusting the grip on their sword.
“I’m not sure,” Reinhardt responded, rolling his shoulders. “He mentioned needing to finish a quest in this area first. Said he’d meet us here when he was done.”
“Guess we’ll just have to be patient,” another member muttered, cracking their knuckles.
“Might as well. This is a Grade E Dungeon—first time any of us are attempting one. No point rushing in without him.”
Before them, the distortion shimmered, lines of energy fluctuating like ripples on a lake.
[System Notice: You have discovered The Serpent’s Nest. A Grade E Dungeon Gate.]
[Dungeons are self-contained realms filled with structured challenges, enemy forces, and valuable rewards.]
[Recommended Entry Level: 8+]
[Recommended Party Size: 10 Participants]
[Danger Level: Moderate]
A heavy silence settled over the group. No one spoke, but the tension was clear.
They were stepping into unknown territory.
And only one thing was certain—once they entered, there was no turning back until the dungeon was cleared.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?” one of the Iron Fang members murmured, arms crossed as they stared into the dungeon’s shimmering entrance. “No one even knows what his Force Alignment is. He barely relies on equipment—just pure hands and ability.”
“Did he ever mention where he’s from?” another asked, adjusting the straps on their gauntlets.
“Not really,” came the response. “But does it matter? We’re damn lucky he was dragged into this mess with us.”
A few murmured in agreement. Jin Saito was an anomaly. The strongest among them, yet no one truly understood the full extent of his power.
The wait stretched on, tension growing as the minutes turned to hours.
Then—footsteps echoed through the clearing.
They turned, eyes locking onto the approaching figure.
Jin Saito emerged from the dense foliage, moving with his usual composed gait. His clothes were slightly dusted from travel, but otherwise, he looked completely unscathed.
“Would you guys like any of this equipment I just picked up?” he asked casually, holding up a bundle of items. “Got some elixirs, potions, and a few other things if anyone needs them.”
The group exchanged glances before Reinhardt stepped forward, accepting a few vials. “Thanks, Jin. This’ll be useful. How’d your quest go?”
“No problem,” Jin replied easily. “Just a cleanup job—had to clear out an area overrun with boars. Took a little longer than I expected, sorry to keep you all waiting.”
A few chuckled, shaking their heads.
“For you? That was probably a casual stroll,” someone muttered under their breath.
Jin only smiled, stretching out his arms before cracking his knuckles.
“Alright then,” he said, gaze turning toward the dungeon entrance. “Shall we get started?”
As they stepped through the portal, the shift in atmosphere was immediate.
The air was thick with humidity, heavy with the scent of damp earth and stagnant water. A murky expanse stretched out before them, tangled with gnarled trees and twisting vines, their roots snaking through the swamp like grasping fingers. Pools of dark water reflected the eerie glow of bioluminescent fungi, casting faint flickers of light against the shadows.
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The reason for the dungeon’s name—The Serpent’s Nest—became evident almost instantly.
Hissing filled the air.
Movement slithered through the underbrush, uncoiling from tree branches and rising from the swampy depths. Dozens of serpents, their bodies glistening with an unnatural sheen, reared their heads in warning. Some bore scales the color of midnight, their eyes glowing a venomous yellow. Others radiated unnatural hues, their bodies crackling with elemental forces—fire, ice, lightning, even poison seeping from their fangs.
The party immediately fell into formation.
“Healers, stay in the center!” Reinhardt commanded, his voice sharp and unwavering. “Long-range, guard the healers! Close combat—engage!”
The response was immediate.
Archers notched their arrows, spellcasters began weaving their Aether, and melee fighters surged forward, weapons gleaming as they met the first wave of serpents head-on.
Steel clashed against fangs.
Bolts of fire and ice streaked through the air, colliding against their slithering foes, some exploding into clouds of frost while others left charred marks across the damp terrain.
A viper lunged toward one of the support fighters, its fangs dripping with paralytic venom—only for a greatsword to cleave through it mid-air, its corpse landing with a sickening splash.
Further back, a healer’s hands glowed with soft Aether as they patched up a warrior who had taken a glancing bite, purging the venom before it could spread.
Jin stood near the back, watching the battle unfold with an unreadable expression. Unlike the others, he had yet to draw a weapon—his hands remained loose at his sides, his stance relaxed.
One of the serpents, larger than the rest, took notice.
It slithered forward, its body rippling with Aether-infused muscle, its forked tongue flicking in anticipation.
Then—it struck.
Faster than the eye could follow, its body lashed out like a whip, aiming to coil around Jin and constrict.
But it never made contact.
Jin moved.
His form blurred, stepping just out of reach in a motion so smooth it seemed effortless.
Before the serpent could react, his hand shot forward—fingers gripping the underside of its head, just behind the fangs. With a single, brutal motion, he twisted.
CRACK.
The massive serpent went limp, its body coiling into the mud as Jin calmly released his hold.
Silence followed.
Then, without looking up, he spoke.
“You’re slowing down,” he muttered, nudging the fallen serpent aside with his foot.
The others barely had time to register his words before the next wave came—larger, faster, more aggressive.
The real battle had only just begun.
As the group sifted through the loot, tending to wounds and distributing equipment, a sharp, reverberating hiss cut through the air.
A sound that demanded attention.
Jin, mid-bite into his meal, paused. His gaze flickered to the treetops, where the shadows seemed to shift unnaturally.
The others reacted instantly, hands tightening around weapons, bodies tensing.
Then—it appeared.
The swamp trembled beneath its sheer mass, murky water rippling outward as something enormous slithered through the trees, its scaled body gliding across the terrain with an eerie silence.
Towering above them was a monstrous serpent, easily triple the size of anything they had encountered so far. Its scales gleamed like wet obsidian, shifting between shades of deep violet and black as though absorbing the faint light. A thick, ridged hood flared from its neck, marking it as a king among serpents.
[Abyssal Fang Viper]
[Level 12]
[Force Alignment: Abyssal Venom]
Its golden eyes, slit-pupiled and filled with a predatory hunger, locked onto the party.
Aether radiated from its form—thick, suffocating, potent. The air itself seemed to grow heavier in its presence.
Then, in a single fluid motion, it struck.
The Iron Fang Guild barely had time to react before the viper’s massive tail lashed through the air, uprooting trees and sending debris flying. The shockwave alone nearly knocked them off their feet.
To their credit, they recovered fast.
"Spread out!" Reinhardt barked, his sword flashing as he surged forward, launching a powerful downward strike.
The viper twisted, its movements impossibly fast for its size, avoiding the attack with minimal effort.
Archers loosed arrows, spellcasters unleashed bursts of Aether—fire, ice, lightning, each strike slamming against the serpent’s thick hide.
Yet none of it seemed to matter.
Its scales absorbed the blows like a fortress of living armor, leaving barely a scratch.
Then, with another ear-splitting hiss, the Abyssal Fang Viper retaliated.
It reared back, its fangs glowing with a sickly green hue. Aether condensed around its mouth, swirling into a dense, bubbling venom.
And then—it spat.
A torrent of corrosive liquid shot toward them, sizzling through the air, leaving deep, smoking pits where it landed.
A few of the Iron Fang members barely dodged in time, but one was caught at the edge of the spray. His armor melted almost instantly, the venom eating through fabric and flesh alike. He hit the ground with a choked cry, the poison rapidly spreading through his veins.
"Healers!" Reinhardt roared.
A pair of support fighters rushed in, hands glowing as they purged the venom with hasty incantations.
Meanwhile, Jin remained seated, casually finishing the last of his food.
His gaze followed the battle, watching the group struggle, adapt, counter.
The viper was fast, but it wasn’t invincible.
Its patterns were clear—its strikes, its evasions, its reliance on overwhelming force.
They were holding their own.
For now.
But it wouldn’t last.
Jin exhaled, dusting off his hands as he stood.
The moment he moved, the viper reacted.
Its eyes snapped to him instantly, instinct screaming at it that the real threat had finally made a move.
Jin rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck before stepping forward.
The swamp grew eerily quiet.
Then, with no warning, he vanished.
And the Abyssal Fang Viper—apex predator, king of the swamp—flinched
