[You have reached the end of your time. Offer something to the dungeon.

Remaining time: 1 Minute.]

The notification appeared simultaneously in front of all the hunters.

Looking at the panel, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of helplessness within themselves. Item which are bought by there’s sweats and blood will go without being of any help.

They wanted to curse whoever had made this dungeon, but all they could do was to comply with it command at the moment.

’So it gives a warning... that’s good at least.’

Thinking he doesn’t have to keep track of the time anymore, Michael began looking at his arsanal.

’I have... two mana potions, two health potions. My armor, staff, and the artifact.’ Glancing at the book hanging from his waist, he looked at the timer. Twenty seconds had already gone by.

[Time remaining: 40 seconds.]

Having been thinking about it for quite some time he didn’t need to waste any more seconds and started removing his leather vest. This was the only thing he could afford to give away.

[Do you want to sacrifice the item: Orc’s leather suit]

[Yes/No]

Michael confirmed his sacrifice to which the dungeon sent a message.

[Dungeon of Greed will remember your sacrifice.]

Looking at the notification, Michael couldn’t help but feel the veins popping in his head.

’noo.. not now.’

Calming himself down, his gaze turned to look at Misha. She was removing the brass pendant from her neck.

’She sacrificed the pendant... wasn’t it bought by her mother. She doesn’t care about it? Noo... nooo sacrificing it here means that she cares about it... It’s good that she isn’t letting her emotion get the better of her... survival is what matters the most here.

Thinking, he moved and patted Misha on her shoulder. As the bracelet disappeared from her hand, Misha grimaced slightly before forcing a smile.

"I will buy you one... when we get out.."

Whispering in her ears, he looked at others.

Krishna, Nyron, and Soren followed Michael’s lead and sacrificed a piece of their armor. Adam gave away his shoes while Dirham sacrificed the extra bow he had brought along with him.

Vaidya donated the magic bracelet, which enhanced her authority, and Daniel sacrificed the dagger made out of the black serpent’s fangs. It pained her greatly, but Clayra parted with the knuckle she had.

"We have to move quickly, or we will continuously lose our items like this. Michael was right, let’s divide again and tackle these rooms."

Adam said as he looked at the last entrance.

Forming the group, they went in and moved quickly on their feet. Soon they reached a room full of the same arrows on the wall traps. Along with traps, the rooms were divided into three ways with identical openings.

"Let us talk left side... You guys can choose the middle one."

Others followed Adam’s instruction without any hitch and quickly moved into their respective entrance. Nothing changed for both of the sides as they continued moving through the dungeon with relative good speed.

"Will this be a dead end as well..."

Dirham asked, looking at Adam.

"What can I say... let’s just hope for the best."

As Adam didn’t need to spend any mana, they had gone back to talking normally among themselves. Minutes passed, but nothing changed in front of their vision until a reply came.

[We have reached a dead end.]

Suddenly, Michael’s voice rang in Adam’s head.

’They already reached their end... merit of having a scout...’ Nodding his head, he informed his group about their discovery and asked Michael back.

[What would you do... go to the third entrance?]

A second later, the reply came.

[Yes, if you reach a dead end, then backtrack your way. If there is nothing dangerous, we would continue moving forward. Will clear all the traps on the way so you can speed up your pace as well.]

[Got it.]

Saying this, Adam increased the speed, and not before after they could see the narrow path opening into something.

’So not a dead end?.. a trap room?’

His thought turned out to be correct as the path led to a trap room. Not only were there two more entrances leading further down in the dungeon.

This time, the entrance wasn’t that narrow. They were big enough to let three to four people move side by side without any problem.

"What should we do... should be split apart and continue as a group."

Looking at the choices in front of him, Dirham was the first one to voice his opinion. There was an impatience in his voice.

"No further dividing the grou-"

Before Adam could finish his words, he heard a sound coming ahead of him. Shushing others, he concentrated his focus and looked at the left tunnel.

Something seemed to be flickering inside the darkness of the tunnel as the sound of thumping could be heard here.

thump!! thump!!!

"Be ready, something is ahead... the monsters are here."

Adam instructed as the others quickly prepared their weapons. Their heartbeats quickened in sync with the approaching footsteps.

Preparing a spell of his own, Adam looked at Vaidya and asked.

"quickly seal the hole... could be dangerous during the fight."

Understanding, she began channeling her mana when the creature revealed itself. They were green, hideous monsters.

Crying out in harsh, broken war cries, the goblins surged forward. Their voices were loud and jagged, damping even the sound of their feet. Their sharp, uneven teeth showed as their mouths stretched wide, faces twisted into something even more ugly and feral.

’What are thesee...’ For some reason, Adam couldn’t recognize the monster he was looking at. Not letting the unfamiliarity get to him he inspected them in a single glance.

’There are about ten of them... swordsman-type monsters..’

Looking at the monsters that towered above him, Adam cried.

"Vaidya a wall.."

"On it..."

Letting go of her initial spell, Vaidya channeled mana into her hand and touched the ground. While her mana shaped the ground to her liking, Dirham hurled a rain of arrows at them.

Their tough hide stopped the arrows from turning fatal, but that didn’t stop them from slowing down. Arrows to their knee made a few of the goblins slow down as the rest collided, breaking the momentum.

Vaidya mana had taken form as a two-meter stonewall that stood between the monsters and the hunters. Knowing it wasn’t enough to stop the monsters, she took a deep breath and whispered.

"Weight of Dominion"

She let the mana slide into the chains binding her arms. Thorns appeared over them briefly before disappearing altogether.

At the same time, right behind the stonewalls, black ethereal chains erupted from the ground. These chains bind the monster in all its limbs and its head. Suddenly, their movement turned sluggish.

If that wasn’t enough, Adam’s spell was ready to cast as well.

’Thought Lull’

A slight sliver of mana spread in front of him as the monster became even more lethargic. They had almost come to a halt, losing all motivation to continue the fight.

"It’s time..."

"On it."

Now it was Danial and Dirham’s time to shine, and they didn’t miss the opportunity.

Daniel jumped directly into the fray as his blade cut through the goblins with ease. In front of his sword, the rough hide poses no threat whatsoever.

The monster tried to attack, but its swings were delayed and weak. The monster would lift its sword, but before reaching anywhere, its head would already be separated from its body.

Showering in green blood, Daniel moved past them, striking each of the monsters cleanly, one after another. He wasn’t the only one either, as arrows rained down from behind him, piercing the last of the goblins and dropping them to the ground.

The ground, barren, stone cold a minute ago, turned warm and green. The hunters looked around with a smirk on their faces. The warmth was a sign of their victory.

"What are their names..."

Adam asked as he looked at Daniel. He was the last to hit the monsters, granting him the kill.

Still standing in the midst of dead monsters, Daniel turned to look at the group and scratched his head.

"They are goblins? First time hearing about them..."

"Ohh... let me ask th-"

Before he could finish his words, the sound of thumping could be heard again.

"More of them... get ready."

He instructed as Daniel looked towards the tunnel and began moving backward toward the group. Getting into formation, everyone began their preparation.

Adam started spell weaving, Vaidya channeled mana in her hand, and Dirham knocked an arrow. They were ready for the monster when the ground shook with the familiar weight of dozens of feet.

But something else registered at the edge of Adam’s mind.

’Wait...’

He could feel it... It was faint. Barely there, as if a candle flickering in the wind. Suddenly, he felt it. Presence... not one, not two, but multiples of them.

And they weren’t coming from the front.

"Behind us—"

Slashh!

The sound was barely audible, softer than even a whisper.

"Wh--"

The bow slipped from Dirham’s fingers while Adam turned to look behind. He could see fluctuation in the air as monsters shed their invisibility. Appearing out of thin air.

They were smaller than the goblin swordsman, much smaller in fact. But while the others were loud and blunt like hammers, these ones moved like a fish in water.

Dropping the bow, he was about to unsheathe the dagger from his hip... but it was too late.

Crossing the distance in an instant, the monsters reached him before he could move his hand.

The dagger reached him, and a thin red line appeared across his throat... so clean it almost appeared natural. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"DIRHAM—"

Crying, Daniel jumped, trying to close the distance. But the goblin swordsman was faster than any of them. Following the path as if it had been waiting, it moved its sword in a single, low, decisive movement.

The blade slices cleanly through his head, splitting it apart as thick red blood sprays violently in all directions.

Dirham’s head hit the stone floor before his body did.

Looking at it, Daniel froze for half a second. Just half but in a dungeon, half a second was a lifetime. The goblin swordsman didn’t waste the opportunity as it pivoted. Locking his eyes with Adams’.