After the death of two hunters, the group had decided to go together, so it took them quite some time to reach the end of the tunnels. As if hope itself had reached out, the hunters saw sunlight reaching out from the end of the tunnel.

Going ahead, Soren blended with the shadow and instructed everyone, "It is clear at the moment. I can’t see any monster."

"We still can’t be sure. Adam, do a full scan," Michael suggested, not wanting to leave any room for error.

After getting a taste of their abilities and the shenanigans the demon had performed. He wasn’t to be extra cautious, as not to enter an early grave.

Looking ahead with a hint of fear, Adam weaved mana for a few seconds before casting it ahead of himself.

For a few seconds, he waited for any feedback. Even after a minute when he couldn’t get anything, he instructed that it was safe to enter the area.

"No thoughts I can hear..."

"Let’s go then..."

After the death of two of their teammates, everyone understands that Adam wasn’t in his right mind to lead the group. It was Michael who had to step up for the position.

’A jungle’

Exiting the cave, he inspected the area by searching for any mana signature around them. Fortunately, he didn’t find any.

Now was the time to plan the next course of action.

If they were to follow the rule by the book, then the first course of action would be to start marking the dungeon with the help of their map-making skill.

Normally, the monsters were to be distributed all around the dungeon, so killing them would achieve two things at once. But as their luck would have it. Neither was this dungeon normal... nor did they have much time on their hand.

So, they have to find a way on their own without using the perfect method of trial and error.

After moving for a while, Michael slowed his step small enough for his teammates to notice, but not to the unknown eyes

Crossing his fingers, he moved toward Adam.

Understanding what he meant, Adam created a mind bridge between them and asked.

[What is it?]

[Something is lurking in the trees.]

Michael replied, stealthily pointing toward the northeast direction. There was a cluster of trees around there with nothing suspicious in sight. Instead of looking there, Adam tried sensing the disturbance in the mana. In just a few seconds, he found the culprit as well.

[I see... There are quite a big number of them...]

Remembering something, he closed his eyes for a second before replying.

[...I can’t sense that small demon. Should we attack]

[I think ignoring them for now is a better idea. From their previous action, we know that someone is giving them a command. Someone intelligent. So, if it is watching from the shadows, there might be something it is trying to achieve...]

Taking a deep breath, he peeked between the trees before continuing.

[...If we let it be, there is a slight chance that it can lead us to the center of the dungeon. The percentage of it happening isn’t good, but it is at least there.]

[But won’t it lead us right into the trap as well?] Misha asked, not convinced by his statement.

[That is true... but the trap is the only way to get to the demon quickly...]

Michael muttered as everyone couldn’t find fault with his words. They didn’t have much time, and if the only way to get to the guardian or master is a trap, then they have to take that route.

There are no other options.

Silently, everyone gave their approval as the group began moving. Weaving mana while having their skill ready, this time, they were determined not to get caught off guard.

Time passed, and they continued to find monsters peeping at them. But, never once did they try to do anything; they just calmly waited in the shadow of the trees.

’It’s can’t go like this...’

With the time getting closer to the two-hour mark, Michael’s patience had begun to run out. If they continue to follow these goblins in a circle, then they will be dried completely before doing anything.

’To hell with it...’

Raising his hands slightly, he instructed everyone about what was about to come and channel all the weaved mana into a single shape. Gritting his teeth, Michael condensed all of it in a single point.

Staring directly at the tree, he lifted his hand and unleashed the spell. A small ball of fire moved slowly at first before reaching the tree in an instant. The moment it touched the tree, flames burst outward in a roaring wave.

Boooomm!!

A deafening roar sounded as the explosion tore through the jungle, swallowing multiple trees, burning them to ashes. Swiftly, heat rushed in every direction, clearing the space around him in seconds.

The monsters had no time to escape. Most of them burned in an instant, while others collapsed where they stood, their forms swallowed by fire.

Instead of letting it go rogue, Michael began manipulating the fire, killing whatever was left of the goblins.

[Keep one alive... I will try to look into their memories.] Amidst the chaos, a sound reached his ears.

Nodding his head, he tightened his control before the flames faded out. When it was done, only a single goblin was in sight. Barely standing, its body shaking in pain.

[Do it quickly...]

Everyone created a defensive formation as Adam stepped forward, while trying to calm himself in the process.

Mind reading, it was a tier III spell he had poured night and days learning. This was the exact spell that had increased his ranking enough to place him between the best of the academy.

Letting a heavy breath out, Adam moved and placed his hand on the monster. Soon, a mind bridge formed between them, as he began pulling its memories to the surface.

The goblin’s mind was small but filthy like every other monster. And why wouldn’t that be the case when they were beings who were tainted by decay?

Adam was only able to peer into its mind because the monster was of a lower tier than his own. If it were on his own tier, or god forbid, a tier above... then the chances of him going insane are so high that the mere act of connecting a mind bridge would be enough to make him insane.

"Monsters are closing in... hurry up."

Michael voiced reached out to him as he began skipping the unnecessary part and tried looking for anything of value.

He moved through the filth carefully, pushing past images of jungle and other goblins. Soon, he finds the sequence where the demon was training the monsters. It gives them instructions, telling them their purposes.

Along with the demon, there was a silhouette of something.

A humanoid figure.

’Let me see it..’

Injecting more mana into the goblin, Adam looked at the master. Suddenly, the hand that had pressed to the goblin’s skull trembled. A chill ran down his spine, hair stood on end.

Looking at the hunters, he tried opening his mouth, but fear had gripped it. His body wasn’t listening to him as the history of the world flashed before his eyes.

With a body full of sweat and a mind that didn’t know what to do, Adam turned to face the group. It took all the courage in the world to mutter these few words.

"The dungeon master..."

"...It’s a human."

Instantly, their collective gaze landed upon him, asking if he knew the weight of the words he had just spoken.

"I swore... It’s a human!!"

Hearing this, Krishna exhaled through his nose. The grip around his sword tightened without him realizing.

Calyra turned to look at the charred trees as if the answer to something might be written in the bark. Misha brought her hands together in front of her chest and held them there.

She whispers, "May the light guide us all."

Soon, a long, uncomfortable silence appeared as it pressed down on all eight of them. The forest breathed around them, and the ash from the earlier fire drifted through the air.

’fuck... fuck... this is only getting worse...’ Clinching his staff, Michael broke the silence first.

"Does it change anything?"

"It changes everything," Misha blurted out instinctively.

Shaking his head, Krishna lifted his head, "Not right now, it doesn’t."

"Right... we have to kill them anyway... and this is the time it would be at its weakest," Michael said, lifting his staffs.

The chirping of the birds had intensified, as they began flying in circles above their head.

"They’re coming," Adam muttered, sensing the numerous mana closing on them.

He was right. The sound was subtle at first, barely whispering in their ears. But then it intensified, and soon the forest exhaled as the first of the monsters crashed through it.