From the moment he entered the dungeon, Ryuji could feel the dungeon''s oppressive force weighing down on him.

However, now stepping inside the boss room, it became more intense. His feet sank into the soft ground, his axe became heavier, breathing became more laboured. It felt like he wasn''t fighting against the monsters within the dungeon but against the dungeon itself.

"Alicia, we need to save those two. Do you have any idea?"

His eyes observed the monsters and felt they seemed strange, the sensation they gave almost identical to the two irregulars he had fought so far.

"I will take the small monsters, and you take the big guy?"

Her response is quite normal. However, she didn''t seem to sense their difference; each goblin didn''t act like a dungeon goblin but like the ones he met outside, where they had free will and acted in the most underhanded way.

Yet this wasn''t just a boss, but also the group of over twenty goblins here to support it.

Ryuji stepped into the dungeon room, the light adjusting to reveal its layout more clearly, wet and weathered rock walls with moss and water trickling from above. The droplets fell onto broken rocks and stones, broken tombstones or something of the sort.

He took a second step and grabbed his head, his face distorted while gritting his teeth.

''I don''t like the atmosphere of this dungeon. It''s like something is constantly.... whispering in my head...''

He spoke, trying to hold back his discomfort, before throwing the torch near a moist boulder, which lit up some torches surrounding the boss''s room, lighting things up more clearly.

"Stay close. The goblins here aren''t normal." Ryuji''s voice was stern as he looked back with a serious face. Alicia nodded, gripping her bow tight and holding several arrows in her idle hand, rolling them between her fingers, ready to shoot the moment he engaged them. Though slightly apprehensive about Ryuji''s warning.

Before rushing into the boss fight, he watched as the goblins all gazed their way with eerie eyes as if waiting. Though they seemed irregular, this basic rule applied.

''If I take one more step they will rush at us, or rather the goblins are eyeing Alicia...''

Ryuji grasped his axe, the cold metal giving him a feeling of confidence as he realised this wasn''t training. The only eyes he needed to worry about were Alicia''s, and she wouldn''t betray him. If she did, then it would just be because of his magic skill.

He took a deep breath, tasting the cold air with a foul taste of goblin and bitterness.

Without waiting, he took a third step. Immediately, Ryuji rushed ahead, stepping off the soft mud-like ground that attempted to weigh him down into the more stable stone flooring.

''I can''t underestimate this bastard''s strength to swing a bone mace that big.''

Ryuji felt its weight when he tried to deflect the attack with his axe; he felt he might even struggle to lift it himself.

However, he didn''t have the time to think as it swung a simple uppercut at him.

''Hmm?''

Ryuji''s brow curled. The goblin''s fist missed his face as he leaned back, but it turned out to be a feint because the goblin then thrust its mace headed straight for his stomach, slamming hard against Ryuji''s leather armour.

''BUGGGHAAHK!''

Vomit rose from the depth of his lungs, pouring from the corners of his lips as his feet were pushed back, slipping within the moist terrain till the hobgoblin''s knee smashed against his chin, and his vision flashed.

''AGHHH!!''

He bit his lips, tearing the soft flesh before grabbing its leg. Although Ryuji''s fist trembled, his fist tightened, clutching the hobgoblin''s rough, sandpaper skin before he lifted his left arm, flames burning in his palm before pressing it against its kneecap.

"Guuuraaaaah!?!?!"

The sound of exploding flesh and sizzling blood mixed. The goblin continued to scream like a wild beast, roaring loud enough that even the dungeon rumbled.

However, Ryuji refused to let go of its knee, the flesh melting, meat searing while its bone deformed, able to pull away only when the bone itself melted, leaving half its leg burnt to the bone.

''This is disgusting. How tough are these goblins? No wonder it could swing that stupid mace!''

Ryuji wiped the blood, saliva, and vomit dribbling over his chin before wiping his dirty hand off the goblin''s shirt.

He gained a moment of breath, able to watch as the hobgoblin ''hobbled'' back with its leg deformed; it needed to use the mace like a crutch; with a fierce roar and loud growl, it looked at Ryuji like it wanted his death.

''Now then... What will it do?''

Ryuji gave a brief look back and saw the pile of dead goblins, all with arrows stuck from their forehead; while he felt relieved, the left hand of Alicia''s hand seemed to tremble, and slight cuts or tears formed along the muscles.

"Sorry, Hobb. I have to kill you now." Ryuji muttered, lifting his axe, ready to strike again.