Chapter 6: Double addition
The dense atmosphere of the swamp throbbed with tension as Viru, Pyra, and the goblin's eyes locked onto the impending clash between the Rhino Warrior, wielding a stone axe imbued with raw power, and the Korken, a towering colossus of scales and raw might.
The Korken's forearms shone like natural shields, a testament to evolutionary warfare. With the silence before the storm hanging heavy in the air, they lunged at each other, igniting the battle with a crash of might and metal.
As the warrior's axe arced down in a deadly swoop, the Korken's scaly forearm rose to defend it, sparks flying off its tough hide. The deflection was so precise, it allowed for a swift, precise counterstrike—an uppercut that rattled the warrior's skull, sending shockwaves through the swamp. The Rhino Warrior, however, was no stranger to combat's ebb and flow. It regained footing with a warrior's grace, and with a battle roar, it aimed a strategic blow towards the Korken's less-armored underbelly.
As the battle continued with weighing intensity for fifteen minutes, the monsters exchanged blows that would fell trees and shatter stone, their life forces decreasing below 20% under the onslaught. With each passing second, Viru's mind worked furiously, plotting with Albus to plan the perfect ambush. Fortune favored the bold, and Viru was the boldest of all, seeing an opportunity in the exhaustion of the two monsters.
As the monsters' vitality dropped below the critical threshold, Viru unleashed his allies. The goblin, with newfound vigor, pounced at the Korken, drawing on the last of its strength. Pyra, a specter of death in the dim light, swooped down, her talons a blur as they shredded through the warrior's flesh, painting the swamp red with its blood.
Viru, with the heart of a champion, dashed forward. His feet barely touched the wet ground as he placed the orb into the field, its power engulfing the dueling Titans. He wove a barrier of wooden fences with an artist's precision, creating an inescapable battlefield. In one fluid motion, he snapped a stake to a deadly point and sprinted toward the confused rhino warrior.
The slow-down ability of the core took action, time itself slowed down for him, as he pierced the wooden spike deep into the Rhino Warrior's heart. The warrior's final breath was faint as it stirred the swamp's murky waters, its life force spiraling into the orb's neverending hunger.
'Lifeforce has been preserved'
Albus mentioned.
'Nice!'
'one down, one more to go' Viru's excitement rose.
As the warrior's form crumpled to the earth, a silent witness to the savage laws of their world, Albus's voice was a solemn bell declaring the transfer of energy. One mighty foe lay defeated, the other hanging on the brink, and Viru stood, a master tactician amidst the massacre, ready to claim his prize and elevate his destiny.
Without a moment's glance from the rush of victory, Viru's strategic mind jumped into action.
"Pyra, now!" he cried,
his voice slicing through the post-battle stillness. The majestic Pyra took to the skies with a restored anger, her eyes shining with predatory precision. Below her, the goblin that was mildly injured gathered the rest of his stamina. His agile form danced around the Korken, which kept him alive till now. Given more time, he could've defeated the kroken by himself.
The forest was no stranger to the danger, and Viru knew too well that hesitation could turn hunter into the hunted. He watched as Pyra, the embodiment of aerial grace, swooped down upon the Korken. Her talons, sharp as the blade of death, struck the creature's eyes, rendering it blind.
In that perfect window of confusion, Viru approached like a shadow, his movements a whisper against the noise of the swamp. With a warrior's resolve, he plunged his makeshift sharp wooden spear into the Korken's soft underbelly, the monster's most vulnerable secret mentioned previously by Albus. The beast's mighty form trembled and then collapsed, its roar a fading echo.
Time was of the essence. "Albus, convert it, now!" Viru commanded, understanding the delicate balance between life and death. A dead being took much longer time to recover than an alive one. The orb's magic hummed through the air, weaving the threads of subordination with an urgency fueled by necessity. A dead creature's essence was far more elusive, slipping away like mist through fingers, but Albus's efficiency was unmatched. The Korken's wounds began to mend as the orb's aura enveloped it, knitting flesh and fortifying bone.
***Stage Level up!***, Notified the system.
Viru did not have the time to check the updates as he had to get out of this dangerous place. So he boxed his excitement to check the updates.
In mere minutes that stretched like hours, the Korken stood upright, its eyes now gleaming with a loyalty born of Viru's indomitable will. With a gesture of command, Viru directed the goblin to shoulder the weight of their new, unconscious Rhino Warrior ally.
'It can be healed later after we settle our camp away from this place' said Viru. They had won a great victory that day, but the wilds were unforgiving, and safety lay only in the sheltered area of their chosen camp.
Viru could already feel the evolved Kroken's strength coursing through him. His skin felt tougher and his strength had increased significantly.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of orange and purple, Viru, guided by Pyra, found a safe spot within the dangerous jungle. The safety was relative; low-level monsters roamed the vicinity, but nothing Viru and his team couldn't handle.
Seizing the moment of safety, Viru placed his core within a wooden box, a deceptive container for such a powerful artifact. The orb, pulsing with a newly(Third stage) amplified aura, began to work its magic, knitting together the fabric of their wounded flesh and soothing their spirit.
After some time to spend on names,
Viru finally named the Humanoid goblin Rex, the Rihno warrior Luther, and the kroken monster Zain.
In the midst of this peace, Viru turned to Albus for updates on the progress he had made. Albus, ever the font of knowledge, praised Viru for his advancement, his 'dungeon layout' skill now transformed into a 'certified dungeon layout'. With this upgrade, Viru could fortify his base of operations—a wooden hut that would now serve as the cornerstone of his domain.
The main hall of the dungeon, secure within its wooden fence, was more than just a refuge; it was a siren's call to the monsters of the forest, a lure to trap them in Viru's growing army.
The core could now attract low-level monsters into the dungeon. He could manipulate the flow of his enemies, changing the challenge to his desire. The main hall has a diameter of 25 meters now.
And a massive update waited for him. The total number of subordinates under him now could be 10.
"Reach stage 5 and have more than 20 subordinates to unlock the 'Dungeon Gate"
Albus added.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone