"Seriously," Stallus was saying. "They are wiser than they should be. It’s as if I’m fighting a human. Granted, it’s of limited intelligence, but I thought monsters were not supposed to be more intelligent than an animal at this rank?" That last part was directed at Alex.

Alex scowled. "I don’t know too. They are not supposed to be using strategy against us like that. Ambush and stuff."

"You should remember that this is not a normal crypt even though it looks like one," Catena said.

Everything they were saying was the truth, Azaroth thought. Those monsters had even fought with their claws as if they were weapons. They used them like weapons.

They continued to walk through the turns and bends, wary of ambushes that might come. But no monster came their way, and eventually, they reached where they assumed the boss was staying.

It was an open space, but there was natural defense here. Large rocks formed what appeared to be four fingers curved inward, and it was there that the monsters were staying.

All of them.

"Well, shit," Alex said as the sight hit home. The monsters here must be at least twenty in number, and their boss—it was the monster they saw outside the crypt.

The larger, stronger version of the ones in this crypt. It stood atop a small rock, its eyes on them as it slowly swung its club with one hand.

Azaroth understood then why he thought this crypt was a death trap for them. The boss was in the Acolyte rank, one rank above the team, but as Azaroth saw it, it must still be at the low Acolyte rank. Still, the difference wasn’t something they could just overlook or overcome.

And although the other, smaller versions of the boss were not in the same rank, they had numbers behind them.

Stallus readied her weapon. "This is going to be difficult."

"Yes," Catena agreed.

Azaroth looked at the monsters. Twenty in all, not counting the boss. If they were monsters that would just throw themselves at the team, they might have a way to take care of them, but these ones fought with some canny intelligence that would make it difficult.

He was beginning to understand what happened here. "The boss must have called all the monsters they were supposed to meet on the way to itself. That was why we didn’t meet any other monsters on the way here except for the ones that ambushed us earlier."

"Can bosses do that?" Stallus asked.

"Maybe?" Alex replied.

Crypts are designed in a way, like a ladder. You’ll see a steady stream of monsters from the ground to the top where you will meet the boss. There shouldn’t be a concentrated number of monsters in one place.

Well, there haven’t been concentrated numbers of monsters in all the crypts they cleared so far. They were always spread out. But here, there’s a concentrated number and a powerful boss at the center.

"What are we to do then?" Stallus asked.

"Let’s ask our leader," Alex said. He always remembered that Azaroth was their leader when it got to things bigger than them or who to blame.

They all turned to look at him, and Azaroth in turn narrowed his red eyes on the monsters. They stood in the middle of their stones, looking at the team with eyes that seemed to burn with a cold, predatory look.

Azaroth studied them. How could monsters stand so still? It was unnatural. Wrong. He didn’t mind it one bit. He started planning. He had gotten a glimpse of the boss monster’s intention.

The boss wanted them to use their essence and power in defeating its henchmen before they got to it so it could finish them off.

A very solid plan, and the only way to counter it would be to hit them fast and quick while preserving their own powers.

"Stallus, you and Alex will hold a high position and attack with long-range attacks. You must use as little power as possible because the boss will be your responsibility later. Draw them out for me and Catena to fight," Azaroth said.

Catena had the highest power in close combat, with his strength and stone-moving techniques. Azaroth could do both close and long combat well. But his Fire Spray is limited to a certain distance, so close combat it is.

Actually, all of them could fight well in close combat, but Azaroth chose those who would do well at long distances because it would be needed.

Azaroth readied his sword. "Don’t forget, draw them out." Then he and Catena started to run at the monsters.

"Hit them with everything you got," Azaroth told him.

Catena activated his two skills. The one that let him draw strength from the earth and the one that let him manipulate the earth.

His chain glowed and the metal balls glowed even brighter. "This is something I have been working on." He slammed his metal balls on the ground, and the rocks molded around them.

Now, he was holding two gigantic balls of earth by the chains. He heaved them and swung, with a whoosh that displaced the air.

Azaroth almost smiled. This was it. The application of skills. The combination of skills that set some Awakeners apart from the others.

Catena had just combined his two skills together and turned them into something deadly. But the essence it cost would be massive. For now, Catena used the earth balls like a battering force.

They got to the place where the monsters were staying, and he smashed the first earth ball into one of the stones with a boom that shook the stone and sent cracks running down it.

He got ready for another swing, but the boss realized the danger and snarled. The monsters surged forward, claws and fangs gleaming with sharpness. They growled, rushing to get to Catena before he fell the pillar. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Catena planted his feet together and brought his two earth balls together on the stone.