Souls Online: Mythic Ascension-Chapter 440: Path to Hell

When Luna and the group opened their eyes, they recognized the familiar rocky landscape of the Kobolds Nest Dungeon.

The only difference between now and then were the number of players in the vicinity. Back then, it had only been 6 of them with the newest additions to their party being Aria and Rachel.

Now only half of that group returned.

"Moku, how does it feel to be back home?" Lily asked with a smile but it was clear the little wolf was less than pleased. He sniffed the air before his snout wrinkled when it smelt the familiar air.

"Doesn't look like he likes it here. How bad was it? It can't be that bad if so many people are here to clear it now." Ethan asked with a tilt of his head while looking around at all the players forming parties and entering the dungeon.

Luna, Lily, Luna exchanged looks before they spoke in turn:

"I almost died" Luna remarked casually

"I deliberately got my arm cut off." Adam followed up with Lily clearly making a slightly disgusted expression as she recalled

"And I created a vine so he could tie his severed arm to the stump.... it was sooooo gross!"

Crystal had a frown on her face as she recalled something she had heard somewhere.

"If I recall correctly, before a dungeon is cleared for the first time, the difficulty is increased exponentially..."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Ethan asked, clearly not understanding what Crystal was implying.

"What I am saying is that the difference between a dungeon that has never been cleared and one that has is like the difference between a tank and a bicycle..."

Ethan's mouth shut while Morgan's brow was raised at the very interesting analogy Crystal had given.

"So does that mean we are going to be clearing this dungeon that has undergone 'bicylization' or whatever you would call it?"

Morgan was the one who shook his head and replied "No. That is unlikely. It is a greater possibiity that this 'Path to Hell' is located in the same place as this dungeon. Think of it as a door that leads to two places depending on how it's opened."

"You know what? I am just gonna leave the thinking to you guys cause I suck at that." Ethan shrugged, having given up halfway through the series of explainations. "You just tell me when it's time to hit stuff. I can be good at that."

"Yeah? As good as pulling a gun on civilians? Or me for that matter?" Crystal asked with a bit of venom in her words. She still hadn't forgiven Ethan for that incident back then. Luna, Lily and Adam had intense frowns on their faces as Ethan let out a grimace.

"Again, I am sorry. I was just following orders. My....Father instilled in us that we need to fulfill our roles in order to have purpose. Our opinions do not matter." Ethan apologized rather awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Crystal's expression softened slightly as they inched their way closer to the Dungeon Portal. "Well it seems like you are another one who seems to have a crappy father. It's almost as if we are Team Daddy Issues here..."

Luna let out a soft snort as she lookd at the others. It was true to a degree with the sole exception being Lily who was totally a Daddy's girl.

Morgan let out a small laugh at Crystal's joke about "Team Daddy Issues," and even Adam cracked a reluctant smile. The tension that had been lingering began to fade, replaced by a more relaxed mood. Ethan chuckled as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Hey, if this keeps up, we might as well get matching shirts. 'Team Daddy Issues' has a nice ring to it," he joked.

Lily giggled. "You'd wear that proudly, wouldn't you?"

"Absolutely," Ethan replied. "I'd even get it printed in gold letters."

Luna snorted. "From what I have seen, you totally would."

The small wave of laughter that followed was just enough to lighten the air around them. For the first time since they arrived, it almost felt like old times again. That was, until two figures stepped in front of them just as they neared the dungeon entrance.

"Well, well," one of the men said with a smug grin. "What do we have here? A group of mysterious beauties hiding under cloaks?"

Adam froze mid-step, already feeling irritation rising. The second man leaned to the side, trying to get a better look at Lily and Crystal. "You ladies don't have to be shy. We can show you a much better time than wasting your time in a dungeon like this."

Morgan, who stood silently beside them, turned his head slightly. His soft features and long black hair caught the light in a way that made both men's eyes widen slightly.

"Oh, and this one too," the first man added, his grin widening. "Didn't notice you there, sweetheart."

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh for the love of—" He exhaled through his teeth before speaking up. "You two might want to walk away now. Believe me when I say this isn't going to end well for you."

The first man frowned, squaring his shoulders. "Are you threatening us?"

Adam laughed lightly. "No. That was a warning. You're both swimming in waters far deeper than you can handle."

The men glanced at each other before scoffing. "You think you can scare us? We're level ten powerhouses, pal. Don't think just because you've got some pretty faces in your group that you can act tough."

Ethan's mouth twitched. He clenched his jaw to stop himself from blurting out their actual levels. The look he exchanged with Adam said everything: *these idiots have no idea what they just walked into.*

The first man stepped closer, his smirk widening as he pointed his sword at Adam's chest. "You've got three seconds to apologize before I cut you down."

Adam raised a brow but didn't move. "You sure you want to do that?"

That single question was the last thing either of the men heard before everything went wrong.

In a blur of movement, Luna's axe flashed through the air. The first man's smirk froze on his face before his body split cleanly in two, the halves sliding apart as blood sprayed across the ground.

The second man shouted in horror, but before he could swing his blade, wooden vines erupted from the earth, coiling around his limbs before tightening with a sickening crunch. A heartbeat later, sharp ice spikes condensed in the air impaling him like he was some sort of pincushion. His scream was cut short as the light in his eyes faded.

The square fell silent. Every nearby player froze in place as the two bodies hit the dirt with dull thuds. The smell of blood hung thick in the air. It was horrifying to them as no damage indicators popped up which meant just one blow from them was enough to instantly kill them.

Adam sighed, brushing invisible dust off his coat. "Told you it wasn't a threat."

Lily's expression was calm, though her eyes held a dangerous glint. "They should have listened."

Ethan let out a low whistle, muttering, "Guess level ten doesn't mean much."

All around them, the other players took several careful steps back, forming a wide circle that left the group completely unblocked. No one wanted to test their luck after witnessing that display.

The six of them continued walking, silent now except for the crunch of gravel beneath their boots. They reached the dungeon entrance without further interruption.

Then, without warning, the air began to shimmer. The dungeon's faint blue portal darkened, twisting into an inky black vortex that pulsed like a heartbeat. The light around them dimmed as the shadows deepened.

A familiar voice echoed from within.

"Took you lot long enough."

The group froze.

Luna's eyes widened slightly, and a slow grin spread across Adam's face.

"That voice…" Ethan muttered. "No way."

The black portal rippled again, and this time there was no mistaking it.

Somehow, It was Leo. But at the same time, it was not.

[Unique Dungeon has been generated]

[New Quest has been generated: Path to Hell]

[Quest Details: As a result of the unique status of the Player known as Leo, two dungeons have been created to strengthen the bonds of his companions. As you have the chosen the dark path, you must bond with the Dark Leo that resides within the depths of Leo's soul.]

[Quest Reward: Unque Bond Skill]

[Failure: Leo's Death]