They stepped into the dungeon in formation, weapons drawn and senses sharp.
The shift in atmosphere was imdiate. The air inside felt heavier, damp, almost watching them. The faint echo of their footsteps stretched too far, and even breathing sounded louder than it should. Arthur tightened his grip on his weapon without thinking.
Then they saw them.
Three ogres.
Arthur finally understood why the captain had insisted on checking everything before entry. Why the formation mattered. Why the relaxed mood outside had vanished the mont they crossed the threshold.
In a dungeon, nothing waited politely.
Two of the ogres were massive, their bodies thick with muscle and rough gray skin that looked closer to stone than flesh. They stood in front, positioning themselves carefully. Behind them stood another ogre, slightly smaller, its posture straighter, its movents calr.
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
Second class.
The way the two bulky ones shifted to guard it made everything clear. The formation alone confird every word from the captain’s briefing.
"So that’s how it looks in real life..." Arthur murmured under his breath.
He expected the monsters to charge like the ones he had seen before. Instead, they waited. Watching. asuring.
That alone made his chest tighten.
The silver captain reacted instantly.
"Front line, hold them. Left flank distract. Casters, prepare. Arthur.. stay back and observe first."
His voice was steady, controlled. Not loud, yet everyone moved the mont he spoke.
Arthur obeyed without protest. He was honestly more interested in seeing how they fought. Bronze squads often rushed forward with tension written all over their faces, but this was different. There was no panic here, only movent with purpose.
The formation shifted smoothly.
Two mbers stepped forward to draw attention, circling wide, striking and retreating with precise timing. Their attacks were not ant to wound deeply but to provoke. The bulky ogres responded imdiately, swinging heavy arms that cut through the air with frightening force.
The ground trembled each ti they moved.
Arthur watched closely. Even their distraction was calculated. They never overcommitted, never lingered longer than needed.
At the sa ti, another group moved in from the side. Their skills activated in controlled bursts, targeting the ogres’ weak points exactly as the captain had described.
One attacker slid low, blade cutting behind an ogre’s knee before retreating. Another followed with a focused strike to the neck while the monster staggered. Their coordination was seamless.
Arthur let out a quiet breath.
"So this is silver rank..."
The difference from bronze squads was painful to compare. There was no wasted motion, no hesitation. Every action supported another.
Even their defenses were sharp. When an ogre’s fist crashed downward, a shield user intercepted the blow at an angle, redirecting the force rather than resisting it directly. The impact still shook the ground, but the formation held.
anwhile the second class ogre raised its arms.
"Pulse incoming!" soone shouted.
Arthur felt the intent before it happened.
A violent shockwave burst outward. The air itself seed to shatter, sending dust and loose stones flying. The squad’s formation scattered slightly, spells flickering out mid-cast.
So this was the seismic pulse.
Yet instead of confusion, the team adapted imdiately. They retreated just enough, regathered, and resud their positions as if they had rehearsed it countless tis.
The captain had been right. They expected it.
Arthur found himself leaning forward unconsciously, drawn into the rhythm of the fight.
The squad pressed harder this ti, exploiting the gap after the pulse. Their attacks beca more aggressive, focusing on separating the bulky guards from the second class ogre.
Watching them deal with the ogres’ formation was almost... entertaining. Each movent was a response, each response forcing the monsters to adjust. The battle looked less like chaos and more like a conversation written in steel and intent.
And then there was Ryn.
Arthur noticed him moving through the battlefield naturally, slipping into openings before they even ford. He supported attacks, blocked sudden threats, and redirected enemy attention with frightening efficiency.
It really did look like he had fought with them for years.
That was how well he read the battle.
But even that was overshadowed by the captain.
The man stepped forward at the center of the fight, wielding the massive battle axe he had drawn earlier from storage. The weapon was enormous, yet he handled it with effortless control. Each swing carried overwhelming force but never broke formation.
Arthur’s eyes followed him carefully.
The captain did not simply attack. He controlled the flow. When the front line faltered, he reinforced it. When an opening appeared, he expanded it. When danger rose, he crushed it before it spread.
One clean strike split through an ogre’s guard, forcing the creature backward. The sheer impact sent a shock through the dungeon floor.
Arthur felt sothing stir in his chest.
This is strength....
He had rarely seen fighting at this level since his awakening.
"Arthur," the captain called suddenly.
Arthur snapped out of his thoughts.
"Your turn. Support the right side. Follow their rhythm."
Arthur moved without hesitation. This was what he had been waiting for.
Stepping into the formation felt strange at first. Unlike fighting alone, he had to adjust his timing, reading the flow of his teammates rather than forcing his own pace.
He waited. Watched.
Then he moved when the mont opened.
His attack landed alongside another squad mber’s strike, pushing an ogre further off balance. The experience was different from solo combat. Their formation amplified his actions, and his actions supported theirs in return.
Arthur quickly understood the appeal of party fighting.
Their formation and skills layered over each other, reducing risk and increasing pressure on the enemy. Where a single fighter might struggle, a coordinated group overwheld.
Still, the ogres were far from easy opponents.
Their tough skin absorbed weaker strikes, forcing precise targeting. Their blows carried crushing weight, and even near misses shook the body. The second class ogre repeatedly disrupted the battlefield with its seismic pulses, forcing constant changes to their tactics.
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