Lucien’s inner soul screamed,

Ahhh! Get away! Get away!

But outside, he just dug his ears and snorted.

"All barks, no bites."

The hunters...all felt those cries, the dungeon shaking...

It was like a welcoming gesture to a certain humanoid monster.

Shiver.

The hunters hugged their own arms tightly, eyes tearing up.

Mom!! Take us home!

Thump. Thump.

The ground shook and everyone’s bodies swayed.

The humming sound rang in the ears as the ground slowly softened, something was moving beneath.

Lucien’s eyes adjusted to the dark and he finally saw the scene in front of him—

It was vast, vast barren land with nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

No trees, no rocks, no cave walls—

There weren’t any intricate designs like the spider dungeon’s giant web.

There were only giant worms slamming against the dry ground, lunging towards the dungeon entrance.

Thump. Thump.

Three, five, ten...

Not including the diggers hiding underground.

It was a display of pure brute power.

Whoosh.

The dry, humid air blew and Lucien, who was used to the slime and spider dungeon’s cold nature couldn’t help but sweat.

His face slightly flushed, his throat itchy.

"Cough." Lucien cleared his throat and suppressed the itchiness as he spoke to the expedition team, one hand in his pocket.

"You guys can start. I’ll just watch from behind."

Yes, suckers— ah, no, dear expedition team.

Get to work!

Lucien silently stood behind an expedition team member and the "chosen one" almost fainted on the spot.

"Y-y-y-yes!" The hunter, the first one to speak, shouted shakily, his voice echoing far and wide.

The next second— he bravely bolted towards a thumper.

"Lightning Spear!"

Boom!

Lightning struck the nearest thumper, charring its tough shell in an instant.

The lightning struck the tender flesh inside and the thumper shrieked weakly, its body slowly fell down

"Hisss..."

One thumper down

Lucien nodded and flashed an encouraging smile at the lightning guy.

"Thank you for the trouble. I’ll treat you to breakfast later."

Instead of feeling moved, the lightning hunter felt his stomach churning.

I-is that monster threatening him?

He’s the breakfast?

The other hunters who had not moved immediately bolted towards the thumpers, gone all their fear towards this monstrous figure.

In their heart, the image of Lucien’s humanoid form appeared, distorted, like a devil from hell.

No. Even the devil would cry!!

Fueled by a greater fear, the hunters unleashed their skills one after another, vowing:

They absolutely can’t look the most useless!!

"Wind Storm!"

"Fire Bomb!"

"Sand Collapse!"

The offensive hunters worked like a bull, quickly killing the surrounding thumpers.

Even the captain, who knew that the team struggled to fight thumpers properly before, couldn’t help but drop his jaw.

W-what’s going on with you guys?

How did you guys suddenly become so strong??

Lucien at the back nodded, his heart trembling with fear.

As expected of the expedition team members.

Look, they only need one or two people to kill one thumper!

It took him five evolved slimes to barely kill one....

Lucien wiped his tears when he heard the humming noise amidst the sound of blasting and the thumpers’ cries.

Hummmmm.

Lucien’s hair stood up, a sense of dread washed over.

Fck! It’s the digger!!

His first nightmare!

Lucien crept closer to a hunter and whispered behind her ears, his voice eerie.

"The sneaky stray is here."

"Uwah!" The woman screamed and almost fainted on the spot but she quickly looked back, her face pale.

"Y-y-yessss??"

"...I said, the stray— nevermind. It’s a digger for you guys."

Lucien shook his head and calmly entered the hunter’s inner circle— away from the digger.

"The digger is here."

"T-t-the digger is here???"

The woman rolled her eyes and almost fainted for real but her partner slapped her on the cheek, shouting in the voice channel.

"Digger alert! Digger alert! Earth element hunters and similar ones, please gather here!"

The hunters immediately responded, three hunters went to Lucien’s side, their eyes wide, staring at the ground.

The ground several meters away sank.

Hummmm.

The humming noise was right next to one’s ear.

The captain immediately shouted,

"Earth!"

An earth hunter raised his palms and shouted,

"Earth, rise!"

Boom!

The ground was lifted into the air, soil splattering everywhere.

Splat! Splat! Splat!

At the same time, the digger’s body that was hidden underground was thrown into the air, revealed to everyone’s sight.

"There! Quick, attack— "

But the digger’s slender body suddenly twisted midair and the next second—

It lunged at the earth hunter, its teeth rotated like a drill.

Swish!

The earth guy was stunned.

He was about to erect an earth wall, but...

Too late.

The worm’s mouth was already right above its head.

"Gummaaa— "

Splat.

Blood spurt out, dyeing the earth hunter’s body red.

The worm’s head covered the man’s head...replacing it.

Crack. Crack.

The sound of bones shattering echoed.

Bones and flesh flew everywhere, raining down the expedition team.

Lucien, who was close to the guy, felt a warm sensation drowning his face and his eyes darkened, his inner soul fainting.

Blerg!!

But outside, Lucien casually wiped the blood on his face and looked at the other hunters.

"Aren’t you going to do something?"

Amidst the noise of chewing, Lucien’s voice and that bloodied face sent a chill down everyone’s spine.

He’s angry.

That humanoid monster is angry!!

The hunters immediately scrambled to throw their skills onto the digger.

"Blood-sucking sand!"

A sand hunter wrapped the digger with sand, and soon, blood seeped into the sand and the digger wriggled, its grip on the earth guy’s head loosened.

"Hisss!"

"Guys! Now!"

As the sand guy broke into a cold sweat and his skill ended in just a few seconds, the other hunters landed their blows.

Boom! Boom!

Several offensive skills hit the digger and the digger’s shell cracked, its flesh bursting.

"Hisssss!!"

It cried sharply before slowly falling down with a loud noise.

Thud!

Dust rose.

The looming thumpers in the background scrambled, feasting on the digger’s corpse.

Chew. Chew. Chew.

The hunters held their breaths, scratches and wounds appeared on their bodies.

A healer in the team stepped forward, about to use the healing skill when Lucien suddenly spoke, his tone full of appreciation.

"Good job. Here’s a little reward."

He nudged Mumu and Mumu’s eyes flew open, his head tilted.

"Muuu?"

"Hush, Mumu. It’s time for you to shine!"

The stronger he looked— the more the expedition team would do anything for him!

Lucien brought Mumu to a hunter whose arm’s flesh was torn, revealing the bones.

The wounded hunter flinched and was about to flee when he felt a strange, wet sensation on his arms.

"Muuuu!"

Mumu gnawed on the person’s wound and his saliva poured over the wound.

Shineeee.

A bright, golden light enveloped Mumu and the person’s arm.

"Ah! What’s that— "

The hunters subconsciously shut their eyes and when they opened their eyes again...

Everyone was dumbfounded.

The hunter’s wounds that looked like the arm had to be amputated—

Was gone.

The wound stopped bleeding, flesh grew and the skin scabbed.

On the hunter’s arm, a little blue slime with a golden belly parched quietly before pouncing at Lucien.

"Good boy." Lucien patted Mumu as Mumu grumbled, his voice weak.

"M-muuu!"

Mumu is dying!!

To heal such a gruesome wound, Mumu used almost all of his energy and now, he just wants to sleep!

But from the outside, it looked like Lucien’s pet he carried around like a mascot suddenly healed someone’s wound and then slept in Lucien’s arms without a care.

Ba-thump.

The hunters collectively felt a chill down their spines.

T-that monster’s pet...

Is a healer?

And...

Why did he...help us???