3. The Altar of Magic
"What do you know, Howard?" Ha Suan asked and approached him, intending to explore all the possibilities.
"I thought it was quite clear," Howard replied, turning to where the sculptures were located. "That we cannot attack that creature."
"But we're supposed to take cover from it," the wizard-clad man stepped forward, moving toward the statue on the right. "To activate the shield, we need to channel the element of fire directly into the altar."
"Just fire? Can't it be something else?" Arknar added, baffled.
Howard nodded. "Because the inscription states that Vithra will burn this area, so it is with fire that we seek salvation."
He unleashed a ball of blaze toward the black altar, slowly revealing a red-filled rune. Simultaneously, several monsters with bizarre bodies arose from the depths of the sand.
They appeared as snakes but with hands, able to stand like humans. Nagis, as written above their heads, brandished their spears and began to attack Howard, who was too late to evade.
But a shield, made from the finest silver stone, holds the strike. Ha Suan made the right choice when deciding to bring two shields, swiftly swinging his sword to cleave the Nagis' bodies in half.
However, their numbers suddenly multiplied, so each team member was busy unleashing their mastered skills to defeat the incoming onslaught. As a Healer, Howard debuffs the enemies by slowing down their movements and reducing their attack effects.
Meanwhile, Mei Li's smooth execution of Arknar's burning combination accelerated their speed in eradicating all the foes. Liu Han not only stood there in silence but also wanted to showcase his abilities as a Martial Artist class, which focused entirely on physical strength.
Liu Han leaped, using his right foot as a toehold, spinning in mid-air, and unleashed his power by strongly thrusting the same foot toward the crowd of Nagis in front of him.
The five creatures who received the attack were thrown back by the force released by Liu Han. However, it was not strong enough to kill them in a single hit, decreasing half of their HP.
Liu Han wasn't done there. He then hopped again, but this time launching his strongest kick from above, downwards. He soared toward the monsters while still airborne and struck them with tremendous strength, ending their lives at that moment.
No one paid attention except for Mei Li. Her wide eyes were impressed by a skill that might not be found in someone else. The girl then shifted her focus to the remaining diminished Nagis.
In a hurry, Howard rushed back to ignite the altar and charged the red rune that was attached. However, as he ceased to emit flames, the rune dimmed once more.
"Damn it, we have to do it together," Howard ranted, his attention now fixed on his fellow Wizard. "Arknar, it's your turn!"
Though Arknar tended to be talkative, he promptly followed the instruction and approached the statue beside Howard, beginning to unleash his magic. Meanwhile, the Nagis continued to emerge.
Mei Li, who had worked earlier with Arknar to eliminate a majority of the monsters, now found herself overwhelmed as she faced them by herself. She evaded so often to maintain distance from the foes, depleting her stamina.
Now, she was trapped, with no assistance from Ha Suan available. Unexpectedly, a swift blast of wind crashed down on the Nagis before Mei Li, followed by a decisive strike from Liu Han from above. Sand scattered much of the field of vision. Then, Liu Han stood amidst the dust, his black hair waving as he turned.
"Are you alright?" said Liu Han worriedly.
Mei Li nodded. "I'm okay."
"I will hold them back," the young man said, turning away from Mei Li. "Go to the altar!"
The girl didn't respond, visibly startled. Her sweet, rosy lips spoke, "Thank you, Liu Han."
Liu Han exerted all his abilities to draw the attention of the Nagis, allowing Mei Li to pass through without significant obstacles. She quickly pulled out a spellbook that suddenly emitted a radiant light, transforming into a ball of fire.
It was the book Howard had given her before entering the dungeon and all of the team members had those books. Although it was only a basic fire spell with the lowest tier, it was enough to ignite the rune.
At that moment, Vithra spread its wings and hovered in the air. This caused shock among everyone, especially Ha Suan and Liu Han, who were still fighting the Nagis.
The fire emanating from the Warrior's sword split through the bodies of the Nagis, burning them and affecting the other monsters. He quickly ran towards the altar in the left corner, lighting up the rune and causing the eyes of the statue to glow.
"Liu Han, come here!" Howard shouted anxiously. "We don't have much time!"
He was surrounded by Nagis, confused, and searching for a gap to pass through. Although his skills knocked them back, their numbers were too great to break through easily.
Moreover, all the skills he used required a lot of stamina, unlike the others. Warriors, Wizards, and Archers relied on mana, and they also needed stamina for their physical skills.
Without hesitating, Liu Han sprinted through the swarm of snakes, enduring a barrage of attacks that nearly depleted his HP and brought him to the brink of death.
He let out a resounding scream as the pain washed over him, jumping with all his might to escape the perilous situation. Meanwhile, Vithra had harnessed the power it had amassed, preparing to unleash its dominant power from above.
"Liu Han!" Ha Suan's voice carried a hint of frustration. "Hurry!"
Gasping for breath, he pressed forward toward the central altar, swiftly opening the spellbook and attempting to utilize its magic. All eyes were fixed on Liu Han, as he stood frozen, with drips of blood and dust blending on his head.
"Don't just stand there, channel the fire!" Arknar urged impatiently.
"I'm sorry," Liu Han said whispered, his trembling voice full of guilt. "I should never have accepted this invitation."
He bowed deeply, unable to meet the stare of his teammates.
"What have you done!" Ha Suan's shout resonated with wrath, followed by a torrent of attacks from Vithra above.
An immensely formidable force erupted, unleashing a devastating scale of destruction that swept away not only the immediate area but extended its explosive impact across almost the entire desert expanse. It obliterated all existence with the darkness that enveloped everything.
The notifications flashed before Liu Han's eyes:
[You are killed by the Crimson Dragon, Vithra]
[Experience rate speed has been reduced to 50% for 7 days]
[All gear durability has been reduced to 50%]
[Failed to obtain the dungeon rewards]
[Reduced the dungeon reward rate chance by 10% until cleared Floor 1. Will be stacked Max 10]
[Unable to re-enter the dungeon until 7 days]
[Returned to the Safe Zone, Baturia Town]
[Loading Completed]
Gradually, faint glimmers of brightness began to arise in the forefront, brightening the eyes that had just been engulfed in total darkness. His Hazel irises blinked several times, trying to process the surroundings filled with people bustling about.
Stone and wooden buildings stood tall around, adorned with beautiful plants and an array of flowers planted before Liu Han. However, the captivating scenery was soon replaced by a stormy turmoil, reflected in Ha Suan's fierce expression as he immediately grabbed onto Liu Han's clothes.
"You wretched scoundrel!" The mature man shouted furiously. "What is it that you want?"
Liu Han remained silent and didn't defend himself, fully understanding that he couldn't argue against the fact that all of this was his fault. Allowing Ha Suan to continue his angry tirade, "Did you intentionally make us fail on the first floor? Speak up, you traitor!"
"I... I didn't mean for it to happen," Liu Han replied, adding to the leader's anger. "I couldn't use spells or magic because I have no mana."
"You bastard!" Ha Suan harshly smacked Liu Han in public, witnessed by those who passed by. "If you had said that earlier, I wouldn't hesitate to kick you out!"
"What kind of class can't even cast the weakest spell in the lowest tier!" Ha Suan's loud voice could be heard by almost everyone there, and his team members didn't intervene as their leader berated Liu Han. "You are so weak! You should stop playing Axian!"
"No one would want to invite you to a team if they knew you were a completely useless burden! There's no place for you in this world!" Those words cut deep into Liu Han's heart, and he remained silent, looking down bitterly after receiving a smash on his left cheek. "You're better off with the name Zuiro, the weakest and most worthless person!"
Ha Suan's facial expression was chaotic at that moment, his frustration reaching its peak as he turned around and walked away, breathing heavily. "Get out of my sight!"
Howard and Arknar could only watch from a distance, their gazes were filled with disappointment, following Ha Suan's direction. Meanwhile, a girl stood not so far from Liu Han, Mei Li, observed it all with an indescribable emotion etched on her face. However, it was clear that she looked crestfallen as she left, leaving Liu Han alone with his shattered self-esteem.