[You have defeated Scaldrill for the first time! Received 50 Tamer Coins! Defeating the same monster next time will give no reward.]

"Nice! Now let’s go to the deeper floor."

After that, Oliver had no difficulty fighting Scaldrills. In this dungeon, he learned how to read the trajectory of enemy attacks from Husk. With the help of Triple Instinct, it became easier for him to evade and counter attacks.

"He looks so focused. Besides, his movements and attacks are getting better with each fight. Looks like he is in the zone. If this continues, maybe one day... he can help me take my revenge and reclaim my power." Husk watched over Oliver.

He then recalled the past, when he and his siblings, the twelve Ancient Guardians, lived in harmony with nature in their peaceful world.

Everything changed the day a woman arrived and took everything from them. He could only vaguely remember her face. He and all his siblings had their powers sealed and were thrown into dungeons across this unfamiliar world, where he forced to watchover all the dungeons in this region.

"I hope one day I can see them all again," Husk thought.

"Oii, Husk! What are you thinking about?" Oliver called out.

"Nothing. It seems you have defeated all the monsters here, leaving only the boss. Not bad. It seems you have improved a little compared to yesterday."

"Jeez! Can you praise me more sincerely? You know praise is one of the best factors for someone to grow faster."

"Hmph! If I am being honest, you do not even deserve any praise."

"What?!"

They kept bickering with each other until they arrived at the boss room door. Oliver immediately pushed it open without waiting.

"That is why I said - wait!" Suddenly, Husk stopped. His eyes sharpened, and he growled at what was in front of them.

"What happened, Husk? Is there something?" Oliver immediately took a battle stance, startled by Husk’s sudden change.

Suddenly, a figure appeared. It was a Scaldrill, but its size was that of an adult human. It rushed out from the boss room and charged at Oliver, its two swords already swinging toward him.

Thump!

Husk lunged forward and pushed Oliver out of the way, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Crimson Slash!"

Husk countered the boss’s attack, releasing a shockwave that rippled through the area.

Husk and the boss both jumped back several meters. Oliver quickly stood up and ran to Husk’s side.

"Thanks, Husk, for saving me. But how the hell did the boss come out of its room? I thought the barrier would prevent it from escaping?" Oliver asked.

"This is not a normal boss. The real boss only wields one sword and is not as aggressive as this. Use your eye, kid!"

Oliver activated his left eye and scanned the boss. Its name and HP bar appeared. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

[Scallord (Mutated)]

<Scallord (Mutated)>

"Mutated?"

"As I thought. This dungeon has been left alone for too long, causing the boss to mutate, plus my absence in watching over it."

"So this all happened because you are no longer monitoring the dungeons?"

"Yes. All the excess mana from the dungeons in this region used to be absorbed by me. But since I am gone, it is being absorbed by the bosses instead."

The boss moved again. It took a wide detour before spinning its body and charging straight toward Oliver.

"Why does it only target me!?" Oliver shouted as he raised his dagger.

’This boss is far beyond what the kid can handle. But it might be the best lesson for him to understand the danger and unpredictability of dungeons. Still, fighting it in an open space like this is fatal.’

Husk intercepted Scallord’s charge, and a fierce exchange followed. Every attack from Scallord was deflected by Husk’s claws.

"Come on, Husk! You can do it!" Oliver shouted in support.

The boss stood no chance in a one-on-one fight against Husk. Its attacks were blocked, and it was steadily being pushed back.

"Kid! I will push this boss back into the boss room. Once it enters, you close the door from the inside!"

"Ehhh!? Why from the inside? Why don’t I close it from outside while you finish it?" Oliver had no intention of fighting this mutated boss.

"It is me or you who is weak right now?"

"Fine! I will do it!"

Oliver stayed on standby. He crouched near the wall, ready to act at any moment.

Scallord swung its swords toward Husk’s head, but the attack missed. Husk stepped forward and faced the boss directly before unleashing a roar.

"Roooooar!"

The roar was so powerful that even Oliver had to cover his ears. It was the skill Howl of the Blood Moon. The boss was weakened instantly, and Husk followed up with a powerful kick, sending it flying into the boss room.

"Come in, kid! Close it now!" Husk shouted as he leapt inside.

Screech!

Oliver pushed the massive door with all his strength. As he turned, he caught a glimpse of the boss room’s interior. Broken mining tools like carriages and pickaxes were scattered everywhere. Mineral crystals glowed faintly along the walls and ceiling.

The boss recovered from its weakened state and slowly stood up, shaking its head.

"Krobbo! Krobbo!"

It shrieked in irritation after being interrupted from killing the human.

Oliver checked the boss’s HP, trying to see how much was left, and he was shocked.

"The boss still has full HP! What are you doing, Husk? Why did you not hurt it?" Oliver said angrily. He just wanted to leave this dungeon as quickly as possible. He did not feel comfortable dealing with this mutated variant.

"This will be your next lesson, kid. This boss fights like an professional swordsman. In the future, you will not only deal with monsters but also humans. And there are many types of them, each with different abilities. This is your first step in getting used to that."

Oliver listened to Husk’s words before gripping his dagger tightly.

"Husk is right. I will surely face many enemies in the future, just like those illegal hunters before. I should learn as much as possible."

Oliver’s expression turned serious.