The Failing e

  Data's fingers flew across the keyboard as he struggled to reestablish unication with the adverapped on Floor 20. The signal was weak, unstable—current e: 25%.

  "Damn it," he muttered, his brows furrowing as he typed furiously. Red warning messages flickered on his s: SIGNAL INTERRUPTED. E LOST. ERROR 503. The flickering glow of the monitors reflected in his gsses, his heartbeat drumming in his ears.

  "I 't reach past the other floors either. The signal is barely passing through… What the hell is causing this?"

  He attempted to tact adventurers on different floors, but the interference was overwhelming, dist every transmission into static-filled was like trying to send a signal through a storm.

  Then, Teo's voice crackled through the s, barely audible. "Data! The Dungeon Gate is still surrounded by that Electric Surge Field! That's why the signal is so slow!"

  Data ched his fists, his jaw tightening. "So that's it… If this keeps up, we'll lose all access to the lower floors. Current e: 30%..."

  He exhaled sharply. "I have to focus on stabilizing at least Floor 20. If I do that, I might be able to extract them before it's too te."

  The Elemental Mirreneral's Trick

  Ba the dungeon, Ford's party was locked in battle against the Elemental Mirreneral. Its polished surface shimmered ominously, shifting like liquid metal as it studied its oppos. The air crackled with are energy.

  Then, without warning, its form twisted, morphing into a mage-like figure. Its voice rang out, cold and meical.

  "Burning Will."

  A massive surge of fmes ignited, swirling inting inferno that hurtled toward Jazz.

  Ford's eyes widened. "Prius! Now!"

  Prius didn't hesitate. "Buff Exge: Will!"

  A golden ulsed outward, engulfing the party. In an instant, Ford's life force verted into fatigue, his health draining rapidly. His vision blurred, his limbs trembling from the sudden exhaustion.

  "Now heal me!" Ford ahrough gritted teeth.

  Prius swiftly cast a healing spell, golden light washing over Ford and reversing the effect, rest his vitality. Without wasting a sed, Ford activated another skill. "Defense Switch!"

  In a fsh, Jazz and Ford sed positions. The moment the spell took effect, the fmes that had been rag toward Jazz collided with Ford's shield instead. The impact sent a fiery shockwave rippling outward, but Ford stood firm, his arms brag against the force. The heat licked at his skin, but his armor held.

  Jazz gasped for breath. "That was way too close."

  Without hesitation, she pulled out a fatigue potion and dow in one gulp. A cool energy rushed through her, revitalizing her exhausted body.

  The Warchief's Presence

  While Ford's party battled the Mirreneral, Hanzo and the others turheir focus toward a different, looming threat—the Chieftain Warchief.

  Hanzo rolled his shoulders, his sharp eyes locked onto the t beast. Its sheer size alone was intimidating, but its aura was suffog.

  "This thing won't wait for us to finish ht. We o hold it back," Hanzo said, his tone edged with urgency.

  Patty, despite his injury, ched his teeth. "We don't have much of a choice. Let's stall it as long as we ."

  From his perch above the battlefield, Raven watched with cold amusement. A smirk pyed on his lips as he idly tapped his fingers against the sto on.

  "If any of you try to run or pull a stunt like that mage," his voice cut through the chaos like a bde, "I will slice your remaining body into pieces."

  A suffog silence fell over the battlefield. The adventurers had no choice but to fight.

  Then—

  BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

  The ground trembled as the Warchief charged forward, its four massive feet pounding the earth like war drums. Shockwaves rippled outward. The air vibrated with its sheer force, and Hanzo felt the tremors crawl up his legs.

  "Ining!" he shouted.

  The Priest reacted instantly, raising his staff. A golden glow enveloped the party.

  **Guardian Spell—**a powerful defensive entment that could e oack for 30 seds. However, casting it drained nearly half of the Priest's stamina.

  The Knight stepped forward, smming his shield into the ground. "Over here, monster!" Activating Taunt, he locked the Warchief's attention onto himself while reinf his defenses.

  The beast let out a guttural roar and smmed into the first Knight with terrifying force.

  CRACK!

  The impact sent the armored warrior skidding across the battlefield, his health bar dropping to nearly half.

  Without hesitation, the Warchief activated Undying Strength. Its HP slowly verted into raw damage until it reached 50%. Veins bulged beh its thick hide, glowing with unnatural energy.

  Then, with deadly precision, the Warchief charged at the sed Knight, both axes raised high.

  SLASH!

  A devastating double strike tore through his armor. **His HP dropped to 1—**the only reason he survived was the Guardian Spell abs the killing blow.

  Hanzo gritted his teeth. "We 't hold this thing for long!"

  With a sharp breath, he formed a series of hand signs. Frost gathered at his fiips. "Ice Shuriken!"

  A spinning bde of ice shot toward the Warchief, exploding into a thick yer of frost.

  For normal monsters, this spell would freeze them for five seds. Against a floor boss, it sted only two.

  Hanzo barely had time to exhale before—

  "ARRRGH!"

  The Warchief let out a furious roar, its sheer brute strength shattering the istantly.

  Hanzo's heart pounded. "You've gotta be kidding me..."

  The Mirreneral's Final Trick

  Prius quickly buffed Ford with Elemental Fire. Fmes surged around Ford's on as he activated his move.

  "Berserk!" Ford roared, his muscles swelling with raw power.

  Spinning his sword at high speed, he unched himself at the Mirreneral. "Whirlwind Slice!"

  Like a fiery tornado, Ford sshed through the Mirreneral's form, sending shards of reflective energy scattering through the air. The boss screeched, its surface crag uhe assault.

  Then, just as it seemed about to fall, the Mirreneral's body pulsed with ominous energy.

  "Double Mirror—Switch!"

  A blinding light engulfed the chamber.

  Suddenly—the Chieftain Warchief vanished from its spot—only to reappear in the Mirreneral's pce.

  At the same time, a sed Warchief emerged from the shadows. The Mirreneral had fully transformed into another Warchief.

  Ford and Hanzo exged stunned gnces.

  "…This is bad."

  Data's current e: 50%.