SSS Unknown: Dark Knight's Legacy

"Meat, a little help here!" Boar shouted, his voice thick with desperation as he swung his massive axe in a wide arc. But the spiders were too quick, their movements almost impossible to track. 

They darted through the air, their long, hairy legs skittering across the cave floor with terrifying speed. Each movement was followed by a spray of webs, glistening in the dim light, trapping anything they touched.

Boar's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to regain control. His hand, heavy with the axe, was suddenly ensnared in sticky strands of webbing. 

The more he struggled, the tighter the webs became, pulling him closer to the cold, unforgiving cave wall. Panic surged through him, his breath coming in shallow gasps. If he didn't break free soon, the swarm of spiders would be upon him.

Just as his situation seemed hopeless, a blur of motion caught his eye—a streak of silver cutting through the air.

[Steel Claw]

Steel moved like a shadow, his claws gleaming with an unnatural sharpness, slashing through the spiders with swift, brutal precision. Within moments, the spiders that had been closing in on Boar were torn apart, their bodies falling in pieces to the ground. 

Steel's movements were a blur, his claws flashing like blades of pure steel.

"Are you okay?" Steel asked, his voice cool and unwavering despite the chaos surrounding them.

Boar, panting heavily, nodded, his heart still racing as he tore his hand free from the webbing. "Thanks... that was too close."

The trio regrouped quickly, their bodies battered but their determination unbroken. Steel, always at the forefront of the battle, stood ready to strike again, his stance calm and confident. 

Boar, recovering from his close call, gripped his spear and shield, preparing for the next wave. Meat, still struggling to fend off her own swarm of spiders, was less than a few paces away.

The cave was alive with the scuttling of the spiders' legs, each movement a wave of terror. Boar cursed under his breath, frustration lacing his words as he positioned himself more securely. "Come here and fight, you spiders!"

His spear, though heavy in his hands, felt like a lifeline. He thrust it forward, the weapon moving in a wide arc. But his speed was no match for the relentless spiders, their movements too quick, too erratic. 

Every time he tried to strike, his slow, methodical pace was met with a counterattack. He raised his shield, the metal groaning under the force of the spider's strikes, but it slowed his offensive, leaving him vulnerable to their swarming numbers.

Blood and sweat mixed on his skin, stinging his eyes as the spiders pressed in from all sides. His breath came in labored gasps. His body screamed for rest, but the swarm wouldn't allow it. 

Each new wave of spiders seemed to come faster, more numerous than the last, until the trio was struggling to keep them at bay. Each strike, each movement, felt heavier, and their weapons grew dull with the constant onslaught.

Fatigue began to settle into their muscles, their movements slowing, their reflexes dulled by exhaustion. But still, they fought on, desperate to survive. 

Their weapons, though battered, remained gripped tightly in their hands. Every strike, each desperate swing, was an act of sheer willpower. There was no room for doubt or hesitation; they had to push through.

And then, at last, the tide seemed to turn. One by one, the spiders began to retreat, slipping back into the shadows from which they came.

Boar, Steel, and Meat stood there for a moment, their bodies trembling from the effort, their breaths ragged.

They were bloodied, bruised, and covered in a layer of sweat, but they had survived. The storm had passed—at least, for now.

They exchanged a brief, silent glance—a shared understanding that the fight was far from over. But for this moment, they had won.

The trio stood in the middle of the dungeon, their bodies battered and their energy drained.

They had ventured far from their initial entry point, deep into the heart of the dungeon. The air here was thick with the oppressive darkness, and the labyrinthine corridors seemed to stretch on endlessly, twisting into unknown dangers. 

Their supply camp, hastily set up near the dungeon's entrance, felt like a distant memory now.

The deeper they ventured, the more perilous their journey became. Monsters grew more numerous and aggressive, their movements unpredictable and savage. 

The terrain was treacherous—bizarre, shifting landscapes that defied all logic. What seemed like solid ground one moment could become a pitfall the next, and the walls themselves seemed to breathe with a life of their own. 

Every corner held a new, unanticipated danger.

"Whew," Meat sighed, wiping sweat from his brow as he surveyed their surroundings, his grip tight on his weapon.

"Steel, how about we head back to the camp and wait for the supplies? Our mission is just to clear the path anyway."

Steel glanced over at Meat, his face impassive, but his exhaustion was clear in the droop of his shoulders. The constant fight against the dungeon's endless monstrosities had worn him down as well. "I agree," Steel said, his voice steady.

"This place is too dangerous. We should return and regroup. We've done enough for now."

Boar, however, stood taller than the two, his breathing heavier but his eyes bright with a fervor that neither of his companions shared. He shook his head.

"You guys want to retreat?" He growled, the defiance clear in his voice. 

"We're alive, aren't we? The monsters haven't killed us. If we go deeper, we might find something important. Something that could turn the tide of this entire mission."

Meat and Steel exchanged a long look, the weight of the decision weighing heavily on them. Their bodies ached from the battles they had fought, and their minds were starting to fray under the strain of the dungeon's oppressive atmosphere. 

Boar's words had struck a chord with them. They both knew the value of pushing forward, but they also knew their limits.

"Boar," Steel said, his tone low but firm, "You're barely holding on. You're not invincible."

"So what?" Boar's voice was rough, but there was an edge to it. "The truth is, we haven't died yet. If we stop now, we'll miss our chance. There might be something deeper in this place—something we're not seeing."

Meat's brow furrowed, his eyes flicking between Boar and Steel, feeling the tension rise. He shook his head, his frustration obvious.

"Fine," he said at last. "If you want to go deeper, that's your choice. But you're right about one thing—we should at least fortify ourselves before we do."

Steel gave a reluctant nod, agreeing with Meat's pragmatism. "We'll need a stronghold, something secure. If we're going to go deeper, we'll need a safe place to fall back to."

Boar's shoulders slumped at their words. He had hoped to press on, to explore more, but he knew when to compromise.

Reluctantly, he agreed. "Alright, I'll go gather some bushes and materials for a shelter while you two get ready. I'll make sure we have a base."

With a final glance at his two companions, Boar set off toward the nearby brush, his movements swift but deliberate.

They stood in silence, watching Boar retreat into the darkness, his large frame disappearing from view as he went to gather the materials for their shelter. 

The weight of the decision hung heavily in the air between Steel and Meat. Neither of them wanted to confront the problem of Boar's impulsiveness, but it was becoming unavoidable.

"Steel, I think we should remove Boar from this mission," Meat finally spoke, breaking the tense silence.

Steel's gaze lingered on the shadows where Boar had disappeared before he answered, his voice low but filled with conviction. "I agree. Boar doesn't have the strength to keep up, but he's the most hasty and ambitious of all of us. It's dangerous."

It wasn't a decision Steel took lightly. His face remained stoic, but the burden of experience weighed on him. He had seen too many soldiers, driven by anger and desperation, rush headlong into disaster.

The fire in Boar's eyes reminded him too much of those young soldiers who had sought glory but only met their end on the battlefield.

"We are an exploration and logistics team, not an adventure team," Steel continued, his tone firm but regretful.

"Venturing deeper is unnecessary. Our mission is to clear the path and gather information. We don't need to go further unless absolutely required."

Meat nodded, though the decision sat uneasily with him. He respected Steel's leadership, but the thought of abandoning their teammate didn't sit well. Still, he knew the risks—they couldn't afford to let Boar's recklessness put them all in danger.

Steel's mind was heavy with memories of past battles—of soldiers who had fought with the same blind fervor as Boar, only to be lost to the harsh reality of war. 

He didn't hate them; he pitied them. But that pity never made the deaths any easier to bear. And so, he had walked away from such soldiers in the past, unable to watch them throw their lives away. He had left before to save himself and others from the same fate.

As they continued their work, setting up a small resting area, a scream suddenly shattered the air. It was unmistakable. "Boar?!"

Steel and Meat exchanged a glance, both recognizing the fear and urgency in that cry. Without a word, they both grabbed their weapons, their training kicking in as they rushed toward the source of the scream.

When they arrived, their eyes fell upon a scene that froze them in their tracks. Boar, kneeling on the cold stone floor, was pleading before a towering figure—a monstrous warrior cloaked in heavy, dark armor.

It was drenched in blood. 

The figure radiated a dark, magical aura, its eyes glowing a fierce red. Black hair with strange lighter patches framed a face that was barely visible under the shadow. In its hand, it wielded a black sword, its edge shimmering with an unnatural light.

"...A Death Knight? No... is that a human?" Meat whispered in disbelief, his voice tense.

The Death Knight—or whatever it was—stood motionless, observing them with cautious, calculating eyes. It didn't move toward them with the usual aggression. Instead, it remained stationary, holding its sword in a relaxed yet defensive posture. 

Its presence was menacing, but the behavior was strange, as if it was... waiting for something.

Steel's instincts flared. This wasn't a simple monster. This was something more. It could be a potential ally—or a trap.

"…Go."

The words came from the creature's mouth, surprisingly ordinary despite the terrifying figure it presented. Its voice was calm, without the malice they had expected. 

The creature didn't attack. Instead, it began to retreat slowly, its eyes still fixed on the two of them.

"It's not attacking?" Steel muttered, confusion settling in his mind as the Death Knight moved away without a word.

Meat and Steel exchanged another glance, both equally puzzled by the creature's actions. They had no choice but to approach Boar, who still knelt on the floor, visibly shaken but with no signs of serious injury.

"Boar, are you okay? What happened?" Steel asked, his voice softening with concern.

"That bastard," Boar muttered, still shaking with anger and fear. "He attacked me when I wasn't paying attention. If I'd been ready, I could have fought back." His hands clenched, fists trembling with a mix of frustration and adrenaline.

Meat scanned the area around them, trying to spot the figure in the black armor, but it had already disappeared into the shadows, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. The darkness of the cave had swallowed it whole.

Steel stepped forward, giving a firm nod. "Let's retreat. It's not worth going deeper. We've already risked enough."

He helped Boar to his feet, glancing over his teammate's minor bruises. It was clear that, physically, Boar would recover quickly. But mentally, this encounter had shaken him.

"No, Steel," Boar protested, though weakly. "I think we don't need to retreat just yet."

Steel raised an eyebrow, his concern growing. "Boar, you're in no condition to argue. We need to get back to the stronghold and wait for reinforcements. You're not seriously wounded, but you're exhausted."

"Wait, Steel!" Boar's voice became more insistent. 

Boar opened his mouth to protest further, but Meat cut him off. "We'll head back to the initial stronghold and wait for reinforcements. That's an order, Boar."

Despite the stubbornness in Boar's eyes, the reality of the situation couldn't be denied. Steel was the leader, and his experience outweighed Boar's impulsiveness.

 Reluctantly, Boar nodded, though it was clear he was unsatisfied with the decision.

The trio made their way back, the uncertainty of the dungeon still hanging heavy in the air. Whatever had just happened—whatever they had encountered—wasn't over. But for now, retreating was the only option.

***

***

"They look like monsters, but they can talk," Unknown muttered under his breath, his voice barely a whisper as he retreated further into the shadows of the cave. 

His mind churned with the complexities of the situation. The trio he had encountered—monstrous in appearance, yet capable of speech—offered a potential lead in unraveling the mystery of this dungeon and his current predicament.

On one hand, engaging with them, and learning from them, might provide valuable insights into the nature of the dungeon, the monsters that inhabited it, and perhaps even the world beyond. 

He could gain knowledge of his environment, the creatures that dwelled here, and maybe even how to navigate this strange, shifting place. 

The idea of companionship, of having others to rely on, also tugged at something deep inside him. It had been a long time since he had felt any semblance of connection to anyone or anything.

On the other hand, the risk was undeniable. The last thing he needed right now was to stir conflict. These creatures might appear monstrous, but that didn't mean they were hostile by nature. 

There was always a chance that making himself known would lead to a confrontation—a situation he wasn't ready for, especially with the uncertainty of his own strength in this world.

He sighed, his eyes narrowing as he weighed the possibilities.

At least he wasn't completely alone anymore, he thought. The presence of others, even if they were likely just as much of a mystery as he was to them, gave him a small sliver of hope.

But that hope was fragile, easily shattered by the harsh realities of the dungeon.

His thoughts circled back to the reality that he didn't know how he would appear to them. They looked like monsters to him, so surely, he would be perceived the same way in return. 

He wasn't sure whether that would make him a target or an ally in their eyes. Still, the uncertainty gnawed at him.

"Let's just stalk them," Unknown muttered, a bitter resolve settling over him. He wasn't about to charge in recklessly—no, he'd play the shadows for now, observe, and gather information from afar. 

He focused his magical senses, drawing on his magic vision to track the faint, lingering traces of their magical signatures. Their auras flickered in the distance, a series of pulses in the otherwise still air. The magic that clung to them was different, marking them as not quite human, but still—alive.

With a steady hand, he began to trace their movements, silently slipping through the darkness. The sounds of the dungeon were muffled by his focus, each step measured and careful as he followed their trail from a safe distance. 

"If they feel like humans, then maybe cooperate is viable."