‘This is a lot bigger than I expected.’

  Rusty thought to himself as he stepped into the so-called boss chamber. It looked nothing like the other spaces in this void gate, yet it still reminded him of the dungeons in his world. The structures were similar, and the traps and swarms of monsters gave him the same feeling. There were slight differences since they could not retrace their steps to find an exit. Instead, they were forced to search for an exit gate that would appear somewhere within the chamber.

  “I don’t see anything resembling an exit gate, Gwen. Are you sure we are in the right place?”

  He called out to his summoner while she looked across the large cavern. The ceiling vanished into the darkness above, and the walls were lined with many more pulsating red crystals than the other tunnels, which made the entire place glow brightly. He lacked a sense of smell, yet he could still tell from the reactions of his allies that the air was stale. The mana was thick and pooled in several places, which suggested the presence of hidden traps.

  “Are you sure, Rusty? Could there be any doors or openings?”

  “Now that you mention it, there is a large gate behind that thing.”

  “T-that thing is a… oh no…”

  Gwen hesitated to step any farther once she heard Rusty speak. Her eyes followed the line of his halberd to a lone creature. It sat in a chair with its legs spread, its pointed chin resting on its hand as it watched their movements.

  ‘That should be the boss, right? Let us see.’

  Just as the description had stated, their next opponent was a heavily armored monster. It wore a full suit of armor, yet several pieces did not match, as if the set had been salvaged during battle rather than crafted by a blacksmith to fit the creature’s strange frame. Like the other hobgoblins, its arms were unusually long, but now that this monster was taller, the proportions did not appear as mismatched as they did on the regular hobgoblins.

  “Why would it be a Hobgoblin Knight…?”

  Gwen commented while she and Astrella looked afraid. Rusty examined the monster’s description and saw that it was a regular D rank creature, one that was technically above his own rank. For these young summoners, monsters at this level were quite dangerous, but to him it was simply another chance to test his steel.

  “Do not worry, Gwen. Leave it to me.”

  “R Rusty, wait.”

  The armored creature had already begun to rise from its stone seat. The Red Hobgoblin Knight stood slowly, metal scraping against metal. Its helmet was crude and dented. It covered most of its head but left the creature’s crooked jaw exposed, which allowed them to see the monster’s unsettling grin.

  “We should not underestimate it. Let Airy give you a few buffs first.”

  As Astrella instructed Airy to raise Rusty’s stats, Syber summoned both of his tigers and watched the creature carefully. The young man swallowed hard, clearly intimidated by the dense mana that surrounded the monster. Even so, he seemed to have a plan of his own and called out to the other two girls.

  “Keep it busy. I will circle around and strike when I see an opening.”

  He stepped to the side with both of his summoned tigers trotting close behind him. The two girls nodded, since the idea sounded reasonable. One iron living armor remained behind to protect both Gwen and Astrella. Rusty advanced with long, confident strides, shield in his left hand and halberd in his right.

  His opponent did the same, and the two mirrored each other. The Red Hobgoblin Knight carried a spiked rectangular shield with dried blood staining its surface. In its right hand, it held a poleaxe that matched the length of Rusty’s weapon, though not its quality. The blade was chipped in several places and looked as if it could break during a prolonged fight.

  The battle began immediately. Rusty charged forward with his shield raised and his halberd thrusting out just as it had many times before against the other hobgoblins.

  The difference between this monster and the others became clear. Even though it wore heavy armor, its movements were far more refined. Where Rusty had previously disemboweled his opponents with ease, this time his strikes either missed or were blocked by the creature’s shield.

  Sparks flew in every direction as the two armored beings clashed. The crystals along the cavern walls trembled with each impact. Rusty drove his halberd forward once more, this time dipping low and angling for the knight’s exposed side. The Red Hobgoblin Knight twisted with uncanny dexterity. Its poleaxe swept downward and intercepted Rusty’s weapon, forcing him back a step. The shock rattled through his metallic joints as he caught himself before he could fall.

  ‘Strong, probably stronger than that adventurer…’

  The knight suddenly surged forward. Its shield slammed into Rusty with brutal force. The living armor dug his boots into the stone, carving deep grooves as he was pushed backward.

  “Rusty!”

  Gwen cried out when she saw her summoned monster being forced back, but Rusty did not seem bothered.

  “I am fine… more than fine, this is fun!”

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  He called back with a tone that sounded more amused than bothered.

  “What?”

  “What is wrong, Gwen? Is Rusty in trouble?”

  Astrella asked as she watched their strongest fighter being overwhelmed.

  “No… he is having fun…”

  “Fun?”

  The green-haired girl stared as Rusty rose again, surrounded by a faint haze of gray energy. He pushed off the ground with a rapid step. The hobgoblin knight braced for impact, and their shields crashed together, but this time the red creature was the one sent skipping back several paces.

  Now the true excitement was beginning. It was a battle between two armored beings, metal against metal. This was what Rusty had been waiting for. It was a challenge he could learn from, something to break the monotony of the Mystwood Academy dorms. Sparks were starting to fly once more, and the hobgoblin was preparing to leap at him in a fit of rage. However, an interruption appeared in the form of someone leaping into the fray.

  “Wait!”

  Rusty tried to call out to the figure approaching from the back. It was Syber, already fused with both his tigers. His claws glowed orange as he activated a skill. The knight was focused entirely on Rusty, so the surprise attack landed cleanly. Four long gashes tore through the armor and drew blood despite its heavy protection.

  “Now!”

  Syber shouted as the creature staggered and turned its attention toward him. Rusty felt some disappointment at the interruption of his duel, but if he failed to act, the young man would be in danger. The wound Syber inflicted was not deep, and the monster was already shifting its focus toward the newcomer.

  Rusty hesitated for only a heartbeat. Then his halberd shot forward and sank into the monster’s side just as it tried to turn. The blade punched through the damaged section of armor and drove in deep. A low shriek rumbled beneath the knight’s helm as its knees buckled. Syber did not wait. He lunged forward and delivered a flurry of slashes with his glowing claws.

  The Red Hobgoblin Knight staggered back, its poleaxe scraping across the floor. It dropped to one knee and its head dipped. A moment later, the helmet slid off and clattered across the stone. Silence followed within the enclosed chamber. For an instant, it appeared that the battle had ended, but just as Rusty moved in to finish the fight, a massive roar tore from the monster’s throat.

  “Ahhh…”

  Syber was closest and stumbled away as he clamped his hands over his ears. The roar struck like a spell and nearly shattered his eardrums.

  “Kya…”

  Gwen and Astrella recoiled in pain as the soundwave rolled through the chamber. Airy raised her shield to protect them, and then they all saw it happen. Cracks spread along the cavern walls, and pieces of stone fell away, revealing glowing eyes within the gaps.

  “Monsters in the walls!”

  Astrella shouted as she pointed. The clusters of mana Rusty had noticed earlier revealed themselves to be hiding places for monsters. They awakened in response to the Hobgoblin Knight’s roar. The first pair of eyes slid free of the stone like embers and was quickly followed by another. From all sides, the knight’s minions emerged, more hobgoblins like the ones they had faced inside the corridors.

  These creatures were smaller than their leader but far more numerous. They wore mismatched steel armor and carried rusted weapons. Chipped cleavers, scavenged shortswords, and even spears filled their hands.

  “There are so many of them…”

  Syber, still reeling from the roar, twisted to look at the groups surrounding them. He could not make an exact count, but it seemed there were around twenty additional enemies in the room, and all of them were ready to attack. To make matters worse, the knight was not finished.

  “Syber, watch out!”

  Astrella shouted the warning, but it came too late. Syber turned his head and saw a shield heading toward him.

  “What?”

  He covered his face, but the blow still sent him flying. The monster that had been on its knees had revived. Its wounds had healed, and its amber eyes had turned crimson with fury. Luckily, Syber was not alone. As the monster pounced, Rusty was there to save him.

  With a shoulder tackle, Rusty sent the enraged red hobgoblin tumbling aside and engaged it in battle. The creature had used some kind of ability to restore itself, yet the drawbacks were clear. Its expression was twisted with pure rage, and there was no intelligence left in its eyes. It hurled itself at the first thing it saw without any sense or strategy.

  “Gwen, stop spacing out! Protect yourselves like we discussed earlier!”

  “A-alright!”

  Rusty shouted to his summoner as he pushed the boss monster away. The creature had gained more power through its transformation, but now it lacked coordination. It was slightly harder to handle, yet still manageable. The real danger came from the minions that had begun to swarm in. Before Rusty could land another blow on the knight, two smaller monsters rushed him and forced him back.

  Gwen finally nodded and turned to her friend. Before they entered this place, they had talked through a few possible scenarios, and this was one of them.

  “Astrella, we need a shield.”

  “On it!”

  Airy was summoned to protect the two weakest members of the group. Syber leaped back toward the girls and positioned himself as their main line of defense. The monsters closed in and swung their weapons at him, but they were still only E-rank creatures, and he could handle them.

  A clash between the two groups erupted. Steel rang against stone. Claws scraped across armor, and the once silent chamber dissolved into chaos. Rusty blocked a spear thrust with his shield, then drove his halberd into the creature’s neck to finish it. As he tried to pull the weapon free, two hobgoblins grabbed the shaft and held it in place.

  “This is annoying.”

  The knight swung his poleaxe in a wide arc, forcing Rusty to abandon his main weapon. He reached into his smaller stash, pulled out the mace he had stored there, and crushed another monster’s skull with a single blow. The number of enemies was slowly decreasing, but the magic reserves of his companions were shrinking just as quickly.

  ‘Syber is capable, but he will not last more than a few minutes, and neither will Airy. I need to do something.’

  Rusty leapt back as the defeated creature fell, and the enraged hobgoblin knight rushed in to replace it. It chased him relentlessly and even managed to strike him a few times, carving deep gashes into his armored frame. As he jumped away again, something caught his his attention, something that could help.

  The monsters that had been turning into red mana particles were reacting differently. Their bodies still dissolved, yet something remained this time. Bits of armor and discarded weapons littered the floor.

  ‘Is it because this is a boss' chamber?’

  Rusty did not know the cause, but the chamber was now filled with usable equipment. He realized he could take advantage of it. His mana bar was separate from Gwen’s. While she could no longer summon more helpers, he still had the potential to call upon another of his own. As soon as he created enough distance, he stretched out his hand toward the scattered armor pieces and activated his Puppet Armor skill.

  The effect was immediate. Pauldrons, breastplates, and stray fragments of metal scraped across the stone as the skill pulled them together. They assembled into a crude suit of living armor. It staggered at first due to poor balance, but it was still strong enough to fight or at least hold back the remaining hobgoblins while Rusty faced the main boss.

  “Are you doing that, Gwen?”

  Astrella asked as she took a sip from the only mana bottle she carried. Two hobgoblins were pounding on her shield, forcing her to spend more mana than she wanted.

  “No, that is not me.”

  Gwen replied. As she spoke, she saw a suit of armor take shape from three pieces of discarded hobgoblin gear. It turned toward them and began to move. At first, it lumbered slowly in their direction, but with each step, it seemed to grow faster and stronger. Within moments, it was charging, a spear in its hand, and it drove the weapon deep into the neck of one of the hobgoblins attacking their shield.

  “Ack!”

  Gwen recoiled in fright as hobgoblin blood sprayed across the blue barrier. Even so, she forced herself to keep watching. The fight was far from over, but the momentum was shifting. Each hobgoblin that fell seemed to empower their forces. She knew Rusty was responsible. For every three monsters slain, a new puppet armor appeared, and soon the tide began to turn in their favor.

  From the twenty combatants who had entered the chamber, only five remained, including the knight hobgoblin. Three more living armors now stood among them, fighting, stabbing, and firing arrows at the E-rank monsters. Their leader looked grim, the red light in its eyes fading as a mace came down on its jaw, quickly bringing this battle to an end…

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