<h4>Chapter 17: Arriving at the Boss''s Lair</h4>


    Inside the dungeon, vision was limited for everyone except Erik, who could see thanks to his new eyes, which gave him night vision.


    ''This has gottenplicated. There are too many paths and tunnels, and besides, these guys didn''t bring any healers.''


    Erik scanned the surroundings, observing the numerous tunnels and passageways that stretched in all directions. He got the feeling that the monsters could attack from anywhere without being noticed.


    "[Light]"


    The surroundings lit up as Violet cast her spell, allowing the rest of the group to see where they were at that moment.


    "Shit! There are too many tunnels and paths."


    "Damn it, what do we do now, which way should we take to get to the boss room?".


    "You two shut up!"


    David ordered in a serious tone, looking at the multiple paths and tunnels.


    Richard and Cristina, who were about toin, kept quiet.


    Besides, David, who had a little more head, knew that if he started toin.


    Because it can cause echo, and they were telling the monsters "Here I am, there is fresh food".


    Seeing how David silenced those two, Erik cracked a small smile.


    ''Well, looks like he''s not the leader for nothing.''


    He is satisfied with the quick action of silencing them. He remembered how Adam, when they entered the dungeon, had started shouting from the beginning.


    "Be prepared to avoid a surprise attack. And let''s adopt a defensive formation."


    David stated in a firm, determined voice that did not cause an echo in the cave they were in.


    The group quickly organized themselves as instructed. Each quickly took on their respective roles.


    Thomas is removed from the formation with the luggage.


    David, with his shield, is right in the center. Next to him, Richard is ready to attack at close range.


    Erik is behind David and Richard. To provide additional range, allowing attacks from some distance.


    In the rear is Cristina. Violet is in the center, having a clear view.


    The moment everyone took their positions, strange noises began to echo throughout the tunnels.


    "Krikrirkrkrkrkrkrkkirki!!!!!"


    "Krikrirkrkrkrkrkrkrkkirki...!!!!"


    "What is that sound?"


    "It sounds like it''sing from everywhere..."


    Richard and Cristina panicked as they looked around, listening to the sounds getting closer and closer, and began to break formation.


    "Calm down, don''t break formation or we''ll all die!"


    David spoke firmly, clenching his shield tighter, preparing for the attack.


    Erik tensed as well, and closed his eyes concentrating solely on his ears, trying to discern where the monsters woulde from.


    "Krikrirkrkrkrkrkrkkirki!!!!"


    "Krikrirkrkrkrkrkrkrkrkkirki!!!!"


    ''They don''t seem to being from the front or the sides... so where are theying from?''


    After fine-tuning his hearing, Erik realized that the sounds wereing neither from the front nor the sides, but...


    ''Upstairs''


    He looked up and could see a small stone falling from the ceiling, as the tunnels shook slightly from the movement.


    "They''reing from above!"


    "What?"


    They all looked up and, in an instant, they appreciated a refrigerator-sized centipede,pletely white with red ents, leaping toward them.


    "Krikrirkrkrkrkrkrkkirki!!!!"


    "Krikrirkrkrkrkrkrkrkrkkirki!!!"


    "Shit!!! attack!!!"


    David shouted cing his shield to block the first monsters emerging from the tunnels and activating his "Great Shield" ability.


    A shield made of magical energy appeared that covered them all.


    Violet began intoning a spell; A magic circle appeared in front of her and Christina positioned herself to attack the centipedes using her "Multiple Projectile" ability.


    "This way, you bastards!"


    David roared and activated another skill "Provocation" to attract the monsters'' attention, which he aplished to perfection.


    Violet finished her spell and hundreds of ice shards floated into the air.


    "[Ice Bullets]"


    All the ice fragments flew towards the monsters that were under the effect of "Provocation" causing them to fall lifeless.


    "Krikrirkrkrkrkirki..."


    "Krikrirkrkrkrkrkirki..."


    Those who failed to reach their target due to Violet''s attack ran towards them.


    Some tried to climb the walls but were stopped by Christina, preventing them from escaping.


    Erik also joined the attack with the centipedes, without showing even the slightest effort. He watched everything with an indifferent look.


    ''Why are they so slow and weak?''


    He kicked at the centipedes destroying them with quick movements. He felt that the wolves and skeletons he faced in the test were much more difficult.


    What he didn''t remember at the time was that he was still at level 1, an abysmal differencepared to his current level 11, plus, his strength is at 25.


    The jump was too big for E-rank monsters like these moon centipedes.


    The confrontation continued for two hours, while the moon centipedes kept appearing all over the ceiling tunnels.


    The group was starting to get exhausted due to the constant fighting against the monsters, and finally, when thest one fell...


    "Krikrirkrkrkrkrkrkirki..."


    The ce wentpletely silent, only interrupted by the heavy breaths of the group, who were drenched in sweat all over their faces.


    Except for Erik and Violet, who were not sweating like chickens, but were a bit shaken by all the movements they made.


    Thomas began to pick up the mana stones from the corpses.


    "Gasp... I thought this would never end."


    "Gasp... and we''re barely at the dungeon entrance."


    "Damn, how can a low-ranking dungeon be so hard?"


    "HAAA! I want to go home, I can''t take this shit anymore."


    "Guys, stopining. Dungeons are not a yground."


    David saidpletely serious, looking at them coldly.


    "Tsk!"


    David regretted bringing them, but it was necessary for his n. He just had to hold on a little longer, looking at Erik''s spear and Violet''s wand, both of which seemed unique.


    After the group rested sufficiently and Thomas finished collecting the mana stones, they all looked at the paths that stretched out before them.


    "So now, which path do we choose?"


    "Which one do we take?"


    Everyone turned their gazes to David, who was considered the leader of the group.


    David thought for a moment and said:


    "Let''s continue on this path, but let''s be alert, we don''t know what awaits us."


    They all nodded and advanced along the path pointed out by David.


    ***


    As they walked, they encountered some moon ants and centipedes, which posed no threat to the group.


    As they went deeper, they came to a ce covered with spider webs, where some lifeless ants and centipedesy.


    "So this is the boss''sir?"


    Erik asked without thinking, scanning the area with his eyes.


    "Yes, it appears to be the boss''sir."


    Violet confirmed, moving closer to him.


    ''So this is the boss''sir?''


    Erik surveyed the ce, assuming that all dungeons had a boss room like in online games.


    However, he is wrong in that thought.


    ''Or maybe this particr dungeon is special... anyway,''


    Erik decided not to think about it anymore and concentrate onpleting it so he could move up the ranks.


    "Why are there so many cobwebs in this ce?"


    "Well, maybe it''s because the boss monster is a spider."


    "Maybe that''s it."


    "Gather around, let''s discuss the strategy to defeat the monster."


    David, called them all together to discuss the strategy they would use against the boss monster.


    "The way we will attack the boss monster will be as follows. Erik and Violet, you guys will go to the front while the rest of us will stay back to protect the bouncer."


    David exined how they were going to attack the boss monster.


    Hearing this, Erik narrowed his eyes. He sensed that something was not quite right, but decided not to say anything.


    He could use this to his advantage since he hadn''t used his skills or energy.


    Violet also sensed that something was wrong. She didn''t decide to keep quiet.


    "Why do we have to go to the front?"


    His body emitted a murderous aura. They didn''t like the idea at all.


    "Calm down, you seem to be misreading the situation."


    "That I''m misreading it?"


    "Let me exin why we sent them to the front. As you can see, they are in no condition to take on a boss of rank D. If I put Richard to the front with me, we will most likely lose our lives."


    "..."


    Violet narrowed her eyes for a few seconds and pulled back snorting dissatisfied.


    "Phew..."


    David let out a sigh and lowered his head to hide the big grin on his face.


    ''She bought it. I just have to wait for them to turn their backs on us.''


    "Okay, let''s get started."


    Violet gave David a cold look, she had a bad feeling because she had noticed the nasty look that nasty man had been giving her a long time ago.


    They all got organized and entered the boss''sir. Once everyone was inside, they began to feel nervous because they couldn''t see the boss monster anywhere.


    "Where''s the boss monster?"


    At that moment...


    RETUMBLE!!!


    The whole ce shook violently as the ground vibrated with each step of the monster.


    "What is this?"


    "This doesn''t sound like the sound of a normal boss monster''s footsteps!"


    David eximed looking over to where Richard and Cristina were standing and gesturing to them with his eyes.


    Erik and Violet, who weren''t paying attention to what was going on behind their backs because they were waiting for the monster to arrive, suddenly...


    REUMBLEEE!!!!


    And with thatst tremor, a huge three-meter spider appeared from one of thergest tunnels on the site.


    Boom!


    A dense cloud of dust rose in the ce covering everyone''s sight, and only the shadow of the imposing spider could be seen.


    ...