I Can Extract Game Items

Chapter 52 Working Together

As August dashed into the dimly lit entrance of the dungeon, he could hear Xyron and his lackeys clambering close behind him.

Their footsteps echoed loudly within the dungeon.

He sprinted through the initial corridor, ignoring the damp, musty air and the eerie, flickering green glow from phosphorescent fungi that clung to the stone walls.

Just as he reached an open chamber, a system notification flashed before him:

[ System Notification: Player Limit Reached - Six players detected. The Ogres' Dwelling dungeon has been sealed. ]

August glanced over his shoulder and saw Xyron and his group closing in with angry looks. He barely had a moment to catch his breath before another system notification appeared.

[ System Notification: Dungeon Objective Activated - Clear the Ogres' Dwelling. This dungeon will not reopen until either the dungeon is cleared or all players are defeated. ]

Behind Xyron and his lackeys, another figure stumbled in—a lone player from Phoenix Celestial who had managed to dash through just before the barrier sealed off the dungeon entrance.

A brief look of surprise crossed her face as she realized she was now trapped with August and Xyron's group.

Xyron smirked as his gaze locked onto August. "Running from me again? Thought you were braver than that, Aleman."

August rolled his eyes while evaluating his options. "Listen, Xyron, as much as I'd love to keep this little chase going, maybe you should focus on something else right now." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

At that moment, a low, thunderous rumble resonated through the chamber, causing everyone to freeze.

The ground trembled, dust fell from the stone ceiling, and the walls shifted, revealing hidden pathways and treacherous obstacles that stretched out before them.

The entire dungeon began to reshape itself.

Pits of bubbling lava opened along the edges and small stone bridges extended over chasms.

Columns rose from a greenish sea of corrosive liquid, and thick, toxic fumes hissed out from holes in the dungeon walls.

The oppressive heat and smell of sulfur were almost unbearable.

A new system notification appeared in their vision:

[ System Notification: Environmental Hazard Activated. Navigate the dungeon's treacherous terrain to survive. ]

From the eastern side of the chamber, the sound of heavy footsteps reverberated, causing low tremors.

A group of enormous, menacing ogres, each adorned in crude armor made of stone and metal shards, lumbered into view.

There were at least thirty of them with bodies that towered over the players as they snarled.

Saliva dripped from their tusked mouths making them look even more menacing.

Each ogre's level floated ominously above its head, ranging from Level 27 to Level 30.

August's eyes darted to Xyron and his lackeys, who were still glaring at him.

The lone Phoenix Celestial player who happened to be a mage named Aria, took a step back while gripping her staff tightly as her eyes widened in fear.

"Are you really going to keep this up, Xyron?" August called out, exasperated. "Look at them!" He pointed toward the advancing ogres.

Their guttural growls grew louder as they lumbered forward.

Clubs made from petrified wood and massive iron spikes clenched in their hands. "You want to kill me, fine—but do you really think you can survive these guys alone?"

Xyron sneered but hesitated as his gaze shifted from August to the ogres. "I don't need your help, Aleman. I've got my crew here."

One of Xyron's lackeys, a rogue named Kelvor, looked at the ogres with a glimmer of fear. "Uh, Xyron…maybe we should…consider working together. Those ogres…they're no joke."

Xyron shot him a look of irritation but didn't respond. He was too busy evaluating the massive creatures who were closing in.

August watched as the ogres spread out, forming a semi-circle that boxed the players into the chamber. The path to safety was clear—the only way forward was to fight. He tightened his grip on his custom staff, feeling the pulse of magic course through it.

He let out a sigh before casting a quick look at Xyron. "Well? What's it going to be? Fight me—or survive this together?"

Xyron's face twisted with indecision, but it was clear he couldn't deny the threat. Finally, he spat on the ground as his sneer faded into a reluctant scowl. "Fine. But only until we clear these monsters."

The lone Phoenix Celestial mage, Aria, breathed a sigh of relief. "For the record, I'm all for not dying in here. I don't intend to lose a level and drop some of my precious items."

August nodded, barely keeping a smirk from his face. "Glad we're all on the same page."

The ogres charged forward with a deafening roar.

Their heavy footsteps shook the entire chamber as they approached.

August quickly raised his custom staff and shouted to the group, "Stick together! We take them one at a time if we can!"

The first ogre swung its massive club down with the force of a wrecking ball. August dodged to the side, feeling the air ripple from the impact as the club crashed into the ground, leaving a crater. He immediately retaliated, casting Lightning Bolt at the creature.

[ System Notification: Lightning Bolt Cast. Gravitational Effect Applied. ]

A crackling bolt of lightning shot from his staff, striking the ogre directly in the chest. A gravitational force rippled outward, anchoring the ogre's movements, making it sluggish as it struggled against the oppressive pull.

Xyron's Greatsword cleaved through the air with a powerful arc, crashing into the weakened ogre's side, splitting its flesh and causing it to stumble.

One of Xyron's lackeys, a mage named Soren, raised his staff and sent a blast of freezing ice toward another ogre, coating its legs in frost and slowing it down.

"Focus on the ones slowed down!" August shouted while darting around the battlefield as he aimed a Fireball at an ogre that was lumbering toward Aria.

[ - 900HP ]

The explosion of flame engulfed the ogre, but the impact sent Aria stumbling back.

"Thanks," she voiced in appreciation while panting and casting a Healing Aura that began to slowly regenerate everyone's health in the immediate vicinity.

Kelvor darted in and out, striking with poisoned daggers and leaving greenish trails of venom that seeped into the ogres' skin. "This is insane! There's too many of them!"

The ogres were relentless. For every one they managed to bring down, it felt as though two more took their place. Their attacks were heavy and brutal—one swing could knock a player's HP down by a third if not outright kill them.

Seeing the oncoming surge, August took a step back, gripping his custom staff. It was time for the big guns.

He raised his staff high, feeling the pulse of energy surge through him, and called out, "Ethereal Storm!"

[ System Notification: Ethereal Storm Activated. Area of Effect - 20 Meter Radius. Special Effect: Random Elemental Strikes. ]

A swirling vortex of energy erupted above the battlefield, crackling with raw, shifting elemental power. Suddenly, a bolt of raw energy shot down from the vortex, crashing into the ogres and sending several of them sprawling backward, charred from the attack.

[ -1800HP ]

[ -1700 HP ]

[ -2000HP]

The storm shifted, and violent hurricane-like winds tore through the chamber, hurling rocks and debris into the creatures.

Several ogres stumbled, momentarily disoriented as they fought against the intense gusts. One ogre, hit directly by a bolt from the storm, collapsed as its HP dropped to zero.

"Nice one!" Aria shouted in amazement.

Xyron, temporarily awed despite himself, muttered, "Who is this guy?"

The ogres regrouped, roaring in defiance as they pushed forward. But the players were beginning to find their rhythm.

August activated a Shadow Dance maneuver, weaving between the creatures and creating shadowy afterimages that disoriented the ogres, who swung wildly, missing him by inches.

Kelvor used the distraction to leap onto the back of one ogre, stabbing it repeatedly before dropping off and vanishing into the shadows. "These things are tough as nails!" he hissed while wiping sweat from his brow.

MP and EP were reducing at an insane level but One by one, they managed to bring the ogres down, though not without taking their own hits.

August panted profusely. He was already low on HP but before he could use a health potion, the last of the ogres fell to Xyron's final swing.

[ System Notification: Congratulations! You have cleared the first wave of Ogres' Dwelling. ]

[ System Notification: Pathways Unsealed ]

The moment this notification appeared in their line of sight, a loud weeping sound rang out.

This took them all by surprise as their heads snapped towards the west. The weeping sounded feminine, drawing their attention but the silhouette they spotted in the distance contrasted deeply with the sound.