Chapter 48

Irene thought there weren’t any monsters on the third floor which could threaten her. She was right in this case. But unlike other dungeons where monsters stayed on their own floors, the monsters of this dungeon climbed floors.

This made the knights and the mages hesitant to leave her like this. Then again, this was the command of their leader. They all knew one moment of hesitation could cost their lives.

Irene must have made this decision after thinking through everything. The other adventurers also knew they were only hindering her.

Cutting through the horde of small spiders, 3 knights protected the porters and the priestesses. The mages cast earth magic to keep the wolves at bay, but it hardly worked. They hadn’t studied or practiced it properly, deeming it inferior in combat. Now they were suffering.

Still, the rangers and the rogues had cleared up most of the wolves and those who remained were running to the lower floors.

”They took Juan, William, and Margaret!” someone reported.

”Tch, that’s why I hate these newbies… Told them not to come!” a masked rogue grumbled as he pushed the dead body of a kobold. He then followed those who went towards the other tunnels.

When Irene found herself with just two D-Rank adventurers, she hit the ground with her staff. Glancing at the remaining wine snakes, demon spiders, and kobolds, she called her teammates, ”You two, come behind me.”

”We’ll keep them busy while you chant!” The two men brandished their swords at the monsters.

”Who said I’m going to cast a spell?” Irene chuckled and took out a pack of explosive test tubes.

However, the monsters ran away at this moment, as if they knew the coming danger. This really irritated Irene. It was not how monsters normally acted. She amplified her voice again and told all adventurers fighting in various tunnels to gather.

But intense sounds of battle replied her instead. Irene and the two beside her didn’t know trolls and orcs had intercepted the scattered adventurers in the tunnels.

On the 6th floor.

”Master, it worked! Now that mage isn’t with the knights.” Lena sat on Jake’s shoulders as she excitedly said.

Jake stretched his left hand and ordered, ”Go and pulverize these intruders.”

The minotaur and the Hell Knight simultaneously got up and walked towards the upper floors with heavy steps. The nekismis python and the mutated slime were already there.

”Erin and Perry, come with me. Diana, Yunna, and Vin. You three stay here and deal with the injured adventurers who might reach this place.”

After that, Jake and the two girls sat on his three-eyed hound. He directed his pet to go by a different route, one which wouldn’t cross with the adventurers fighting in the tunnels.

He wanted to reach the third floor and take down Irene before others noticed.

…

”Holy Barrier!”

”Divine Light Upon Sword!”

The cleric sisters did their job efficiently despite being new. They both were in their mid-twenties, but had become D-Rank Priestesses already.

After killing the wolves, spiders, kobolds, and goblins and now having to deal with trolls and muscular orcs…even though they were of the 2nd Circle, the adventurers felt fatigued.

They should have had time to rest after clearing this floor, then make plans based on their estimation of this dungeon’s danger level. But now, even they didn’t know what was happening. Why were monsters coming out in hordes as if they were brothers-in-arms?

”There must be some kind of leader here. It has to be!”

”A dragon?”

”Do you think a dragon will stay in a tier one dungeon? I think it’s an Orc Shaman or a Lizardman Warrior.”

The lads were making wild guesses while fighting. Alex wanted to say that it was a freaking demon. But he knew he would die if he said it. The more he fought, the more he felt his hope dwindle.

After the mana of this dungeon increased, all monsters had undergone a change and become much more powerful than they were previously. Otherwise, how could orcs and trolls hold back D-Rank fighters?

”I found her!” A female knight dashed forward and grabbed Amelia who was injured fighting the trolls. Honestly, she would have been fine if she wasn’t so stubborn and headstrong.

”You should rest.” Priestess Mary crouched down and healed the beastkin girl’s legs.

“Nnngghh…” Amelia bit her lips, feeling the pain when her torn flesh started patching up.

”R-Run!” someone shouted at this moment.

The knights, who had been fighting, paused and looked in the direction from which that voice came. A fighter was holding a torch and crawling backward. The dim yellow light illuminated the large club of a tall monster.

Smash!

The man’s head burst like a watermelon and all adventurers froze.

”It’s a minotaur! Everyone, get into formation!”

”I-I’m out… Aaaaaa!”

The young man who had been fighting earlier ran away.

”No, don’t-”

Smash!

The minotaur killed another fighter. This made all adventurers run for their lives. The D-Rankers looked frustrated. They shouldn’t scatter, but try to take it down with superior numbers… or not. They suddenly changed their minds when they saw Keirth.

”W-What is that thing…?” A ranger backed away.

Clang! A buff knight blocked the sword of an orc and pulled her.

”Go, leave!” He said and stood bravely between her and the coming monsters.

”B-but…”

”Run. I’ll buy some time.” The 2nd Circle knight dashed forward and battled with the minotaur, pushing the ranger to the other chamber.

…

”Flame Spears!”

Magical lights flashed on the third floor’s largest area. Irene cast one spell after another, trying to take down the nekismis python. She temporarily couldn’t kill the mutated slime. She had destroyed its core but it still lived.

Hiss… The python came closer.

Irene cast [Retreat] on herself and her body glided backwards. The D-Rank Knight called Robert clashed with the python while Irene quickly chanted her magic spell.

However, just when she was about to cast it, she found her spell broken.

”Who’s there?” Irene sharply turned around and pointed her staff at the dark silhouette coming out of the tunnel.

”This spellbreaker ring is quite useful…”