Chapter 232
The pathway led us to a wide staircase, curving to the side, descending lower. The regular toches changed into ones fully made of black metal, with flame at the top that could only work with magic or advanced technology.
Stairs ended with another tunnel, this one was different though. The walls were smooth, just like the floor. Definitely not natural.
I was almost sure that we are going to encounter the armored orcs here, but to my surprise, the first enemies we saw were the regular ones. Patroling the corridors. We just decimated them, but not without any noise. Even before the fight ended from the depths we could hear more enemies approaching.
I shadow walked ahead, and then ran, to soon meet another group. Before they could even swing their weapons I shadow walked again, among their ranks, and slashed them instantly. Echoes told me that there is more still running, just like my friends from the other side, but instead of waiting, I pushed ahead, cutting down more groups like the previous one.
I would probably keep going, but I found myself before large stone double doors, with paths splining to left and right just next to them.
I peaked into both sides, and they led to sleeping chambers filled with beddings. This indicated that we should go forward. As I was staring at the door my friends caught up to me.
- Don't run off like that - said Will.
- Yeah, you are talking all the fun for yourself - said Nil.
- Holy... Is this the boss dor? - asked Alice.
- I don't think so - was my answer.
- Maybe we should stop here? - proposed Boris.
I looked over my shoulder at him. He was hesitant. I saw hints of fear on his face.
- It's not the first time that I see doors in the dungeon. We only saw one type of orcs so far, so those doors are not leading to the boss - I explained.
- Are you sure about that? - asked Nobuo.
I didn't reply and just pushed the door open to reveal a gigantic chamber with a high ceiling. A whole bunch of orcs was already waiting for us there. The armored ones. Standing in lines at the ready. With a quick glance, I could tell that it was about the same number of them I saw in the city during the invasion.
- To work! - shouted Will.
On the signal, we charged at them. I accelerated as much as I could, putting a lot of ki in my shoulder while also activating other skills, and just rammed straight into the first line making orc fall backward and collapsed the first, and the second row.
This created enough of a mess in their ranks, that we could actually deliver a lot of damage, despite how heavily armored they were. Shields didn't mean anything when they lied on the ground.
Then I shadow walked to the side, to evacuate, and flank them using the fact that my friends were grabbing so much attention. Halfway there I realized that just flanking from the side might not be enough, and decided to just make my way all the way to the backline, and attack there.
I shadow walked several times in a row to get there, and just unleashed havoc. My pudao was able to cut deeply into the metal plates. Maybe I couldn't go all the way through, but definitely enough to make their defenses useless.
I was striking left and right, and when it became too tight because of their large frames, and the shields they were using, I repositioned immediately to a better spot and just started swinging again.
They had to focus on me so heavily, that my friends had it way easier, and actually could easily take down those who left engaged with them, but not only, since after they were done with first lines, They could attack back of those trying to get me.
Nobuo and Martin were especially deadly in that fight. The first one thanks to his precision that allowed him to aim at the spots not covered with metal. The second one relying on his ridiculous power, and just smashing. The rest had to struggle with shields, and then use force to pierce through armors.
Eventually, we cleared the room, and then explored every adjacent one. There was a path leading forward, but we needed a bit of a breather after the fight. There were many forges filled with weaponry, defensive equipment, and tools. Everything made out of metal.
- We should take some with us - said Boris pointing at armors and shields.
- They will be too heavy to transport - said Will.
- We can take some on the last day if we will have enough space for them - I said. - I'm sure that craftsmen in the city could make something useful with those, and give it out cheaply to those who need some additional means of protection.
- Yeah. That's exactly what I was thinking - Boris agreed.
We looked a bit forward and found more chambers filled with simple beddings. There was nothing else besides that, so we reunited in the main hall, as some people split during the exploration.
The path led us ahead, to another wide staircase, descending deeper. There were no torches, instead crystals emerging from the walls. They emitted a dim blue light.
- Now the berserkers - said Will. - That will be a rough one. Probably the toughest, as they don't die easily.
- We should assume a formation - said Nobuo. - Those who can deal with the orcs at the front line, and the rest at the backline to kill what will remain.
- Good idea - said Boris. - What about Peter?
- He should just go - said Sanders. - The more enemies around him, the better. I don't want to be close when he is swinging like a madman.
I looked at him over my shoulder.
- I just stated what I see - he said.
I just sighed.
- Don't worry, just go my son - Will patted me on the shoulder. - Go, and beat the shit out of them!
I shook my head and went down, to check those crystals. They were stuck to the wall and looked slightly different from the ones left by monsters.
- We should take one of those too. Maybe it's the same thing as the monster ones - said Boris.
- No. I don't think so - I replied, as there was no such knowledge from the manual left in my head.
- Let's just verify - said Alice. - It would be a big loss if they actually were the same thing.
- Let's pick some on the last day. There is no sense in piling those up if we won't be able to get points from those - was Will's response.
- Fine - she replied.
I just went deeper.