Prestige Grinding : I Can Reset My Level

As the group stepped into the dungeon, the atmosphere immediately shifted. The air was thick and cold, the light dim, casting long shadows along the walls.

The entire dungeon felt otherworldly—a chunk of a different realm, cut from its origin and pasted into Earth. A barrier, white and tangible, enclosed the area. No one could cross it, nor could anyone see what lay beyond.

The only ways to leave a dungeon were retracing your steps to the entrance or defeating the dungeon's boss and exiting through the designated path after beating the boss.

Kara turned to the group, her tone confident but focused. "Just like usual, everyone. We know this place. Let's push through to the boss."

Her companions nodded, assured in their routine. They had beaten this dungeon several times to train, and today was no different, except for the presence of Sora. Kara glanced at him.

"Usually, we recruit someone in the guild to fill the group. Today we'll handle the mobs and the boss on our own. You can step in if things get really bad or for the hidden section, if you don't mind" she said.

Sora simply nodded. He was here for the hidden part of the dungeon, the section where a legendary scepter waited—an item that could greatly enhance a Kara's abilities. His mission was clear. The rest of the dungeon was just an exercise in patience.

As they moved deeper into the dungeon,the first group of enemies appeared, emerging from the shadows. These creatures were massive bear-like beasts, standing well over seven feet tall with leathery skin and bulging muscles. Their faces were twisted into grotesque snarls, and their claws scraped the stone floor as they approached.

Kara immediately took charge. "Céline, up front! Thierry, get into position! Amélie, find your angle and keep shooting from their back!"

Céline, the tank, moved forward, her large shield raised in front of her. She braced herself as the first monster lunged at her, its claws crashing against her shield with a deafening clang. Céline grunted under the force but held firm. Thierry darted to the side, his sword flashing as he aimed for the beast's legs. Amélie, the archer, nimbly positioned herself, loosing arrows that found their marks in the monster's face and eyes.

Sora watched quietly from behind, observing the group's dynamic. They were competent, working in unison to take down the monsters. But it was clear they were trying to impress him. Thierry's swordplay was flashy, almost exaggerated, and Amélie was rushing her shots. Céline was putting on a brave face, but she was clearly struggling to keep the monster's blows from overwhelming her.

Sora wasn't impressed. Their teamwork was solid, but their individual skills were average. They took far too long to deal with these low-level mobs, which hovered around level 57. At this pace, they'd burn out before they even reached the boss.

What truly held the team together was Kara. She was their core, the one making sure no one faltered. Her command of the battle was good. She knew exactly when to buff, when to heal, and when to direct her teammates. Kara's presence elevated their performance to a decent level, but it was evident that without her, they'd struggle much more.

The fight dragged on longer than it should have, but eventually, the beasts fell. Céline let out a heavy sigh, lowering her shield.

"Not bad, right?" Thierry grinned, wiping sweat from his brow.

Amélie nodded in agreement. "We handled that well."

Sora said nothing, but he could see their confidence. They were barely keeping up with these mobs, yet they acted as if they were invincible. The truth was, they were leaning too hard on Kara's healing abilities and leadership without even realizing it. They were taking too much damage.

They pressed on, clearing wave after wave of monsters, slowly but steadily making their way to the boss room. It was the same story every time: Kara's leadership kept them coordinated, but the others struggled to maintain their concentration and were often distracted.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Sora, they reached the boss chamber. The room was vast, filled with crumbling pillars and ancient runes glowing faintly on the walls. In the center of the room stood the dungeon boss—a towering, armored beast with glowing red eyes. Its name appeared above its head: