Chapter 11: Baptism by Fire

The dungeon breathed like a living thing.

Twisting tunnels. Damp stone. The flicker of torches glowing blue with mana.

Somewhere deeper — distant goblin chatter. Wet footsteps. Breathing.

The hunt had begun.

---

🧊 Squad 5 – Aurora's POV

"Light ahead," Aurora whispered, raising her hand.

Her team—Miko, Juno, and Iven—crept along the corridor. The soft glow of Iven's enchanted dagger lit the walls.

"Two goblins," Iven murmured. "Maybe three."

"I count four," Aurora corrected gently. "Focus your senses. Don't trust just your ears. Trust your mana."

They paused, shared a look.

Then Aurora stepped forward, eyes glowing faintly.

The goblins charged.

"Now!"

Iven blinked and leapt, Juno met them with a quick spear jab, Miko ignited a flame wall—too wide, and nearly singed Iven.

"Watch your range!" Aurora called, tossing a pulse of light to blind one goblin.

In the chaos, she saw it:

—A goblin mage at the rear, preparing a curse.

Without hesitation, she raised her staff.

> "Purify."

A searing beam of golden mana blasted forward—cutting the spell short.

Afterward, her team was breathing hard, but grinning.

"You… really are the best healer," Miko muttered.

Aurora wiped sweat from her brow, heart pounding.

> I'm not the best… yet.

---

⚔️ Squad 2 – Levi's POV

"Four o'clock. Right hallway. Two archers behind cover," Levi muttered.

His voice was low, clear.

His swords gleamed in the dark — one behind his back, one raised diagonally.

His squad followed him—barely.

Mila charged too early.

"Back!" Levi snapped, grabbing her collar and pulling her behind cover as three goblin arrows clanged into the wall.

"Don't rush unless I say," he growled.

She grunted. "Tch… sorry."

"Calen," Levi barked. "Wind blast. Now."

The mage nodded, whispered a chant, and released a horizontal cyclone. Arrows flew off course.

Bronn roared and charged.

Levi moved like lightning, spinning low under a goblin's sword and driving his blade through its thigh.

> Clean. Fast. Keep moving.

In ten seconds, the skirmish ended.

Mila wiped blood from her cheek. "You fight like a soldier."

Levi shook his head.

> "No. Just someone who doesn't want to lose again."

---

🔥 Squad 4 – Samuel's POV

"Shield left, now!" Samuel shouted, as Rudi barely raised his buckler in time to block a goblin's axe.

Vivian chanted a stone wall just in time to save Gwen from a throwing knife.

Samuel clenched his teeth, summoning a flame ring around their group.

"Retreat, then counter," he ordered.

But Gwen panicked. "I—I can't move! Too close!"

He turned sharply, eyes glowing red from heat and rage.

"Then cast! Anything! Slow them!"

She stammered, raised her hand, and a shaky aura pushed the goblins back slightly.

Samuel took the chance.

> "Water Blade: Scatter Pulse."

A dozen thin water slashes ripped through the goblins.

Only one stood—bloodied, desperate.

Samuel stepped forward and jabbed it in the chest with a sharp burst of water pressure.

He exhaled and turned back to his team.

"We're not here to survive," he said. "We're here to win."

---

💥 Squad 3 – Valeria's POV

Valeria didn't walk—she marched.

Three goblins blocked their path.

She cracked her neck. "Niko. Cover fire. Dirk. Loop right. Lysa—drop them if they move."

They obeyed without question.

When the goblins lunged, Valeria was already there.

Her broadsword slammed down like thunder, splitting one in half.

Lysa fired three arrows in two seconds—one into a goblin's eye.

Dirk lunged and slashed another's ankle, dropping it to the ground.

> "One clean sweep," Valeria said, sheathing her sword. "That's how it should feel."

"Don't you ever panic?" Niko asked.

Valeria raised an eyebrow.

"I do. I just don't give it the mic."

---

🕶️ Squad 1 – Luther's POV

"Two goblins behind the column," Luther whispered. "Third one above the arch."

Rian, Fayla, and Hester looked surprised.

"How do you know?" Rian asked.

"I just do."

He didn't explain.

Instead, he tossed a stone across the floor. The goblins revealed themselves by instinct, jumping down.

Fayla dashed in, missed her angle—but Luther was already moving.

His sword flashed once—twice—three times.

No wasted movement. No flourish. Just death.

> Three points. Quiet ones.

Hester dropped her barrier at the wrong time, leaving Rian open.

"Raise it earlier," Luther said calmly, stepping forward and parrying the incoming goblin before it touched Rian.

Hester blinked. "Sorry—I thought you had it."

"I did. That's not the point."

He stared at her.

"If I didn't, Rian would be dead. Try again."

They looked at each other—and nodded.

---

⏳ End of the First Push

Half an hour passed.

Each squad had cleared three encounters.

Each team had minor injuries, tight teamwork, and rising confidence.

Some missteps. Some ego. But also growth.

And somewhere, watching from the control chamber, Luna and Varnel watched silently.

Luna tilted her head slightly and smiled.

> "Not bad, for children."

Varnel's eyes narrowed on Squad 1, watching Luther carve through the dark with surgical precision.

> "Interesting," he muttered.

The deeper they go…

The closer they come.