My vision faded, I was clouded with darkness with nothing but light. I couldn’t feel my limbs.

Couldn’t see what was far beyond me. Quinette, why she’s—

I tried to move but couldn’t.

Yet I felt my body lurched on its own.

Light tore through the dark as colors flooded.

I peeled through the abyss, dropped into a chamber. I landed on a couch. I stared at the ground. Carpet?

The feeling beneath my bare feet was real.

This was a real carpet. Its red color was too bright, clean. My feet left dirty prints.

Something fluid boiled with bubbles. Quinette slipped through, her hand flung to her sword the moment she dropped into the room. Her eyes landed on me. A sign of relief crossed her face.

"It seems that was a portal," Quinette muttered.

I straightened up, scanning the chamber. Yes, it was.

The chilling part of the chamber was its look.

The bright colors on the walls.

Painting hooks on the walls. Empty gold frames were placed at the corner of the room. It looked too clean.

Compared to the violent howl of the wind we came from, the silence was oppressive.

How did she manage to get all of this here? I walked to the seat, tracing my hand. It felt real.

The painting — I got closer. They were real art pieces.

This was like a noble’s chamber.

Had she been here?

I looked around for an answer, landing on a reinforced door with silver hinges.

I couldn’t sense what was behind the door, but noticed from its build and the mana stones embedded in it, it was suppressing something within.

"Did she flee into here?" Quinette moved closer to the door.

"Wait." I stopped her, noticed a cup seated on the center table, with contents of wine, and a bottle beside it. I picked up the cup, swirling it. "Amiko was here."

Quinette picked up her guard, readied her blade.

I looked closer at the rim of the glass cup, traced a finger round. It was moist.

"Amiko was here. Not long ago. She must have escaped the moment she noticed us coming."

I could only imagine she had used spatial magic to get out of here.

I held the cup of wine further.

If this was a trap, it wasn’t going to work.

But imagining her drinking wine, relaxed, while I ate heated talon meat—

Really ticked me off.

I tightened my hand on the cup.

A crack spidered on the cup, from my crushing grip.

I exhaled, then loosened my hold.

Once more, I looked at the cup.

And drew it closer to take a smell.

It was still fresh, which further confirmed she was here not long ago.

Well, I wouldn’t lie — drawing it closer to my lip, I was tempted. I drew the rim to my lips.

Quinette cleared her throat.

"I don’t think you should drink that."

I paused, having already taken a sip.

I savored the sweet taste of the wine before swallowing. It was just perfect.

"Did you just drink it?"

I raised a finger, keeping Quinette on hold, waiting for my Adapt to trigger if it was harmful.

But after a full second, nothing showed up in my vision.

Which made the situation more infuriating.

"She was really sipping on a cup of wine while watching us suffer."

I said, calmly, with a vein bulging on my neck.

Gulped the rest, returning the cup to the table beside the bottle. It still had wine in its contents.

But I couldn’t afford to get drunk. I turned to the door, especially since I don’t know what’s beyond that door.

Without any need for orders from me, Quinette pushed the door open, which required much more force than expected.

The bulky door creaked open.

I moved closer to see what awaited behind those walls.

The creaking of hinges stopped as the door was fully open.

Revealing a deep corridor. Its width was massive, able to fit a Scunwolf in it with space for more.

A huge mana presence slammed into us like a gust of wind.

Torches, lined down the stone, were lit up with blue flames.

They stretched down farther than my eyes could catch. The presence of the mana buckled my knees. Something this heavy and oppressive — sweat dripped down my neck.

Its color painted the corridor in shadow, which moved on their own, like ink.

This couldn’t be Amiko, a mana level this heavy couldn’t belong to her.

This was the dungeon boss. When she tried to bait Quinette, she was leading us into the dungeon boss.

To get us killed faster...

I calmed my breath. I wasn’t turning back now, even if I could. We’re finishing this today.

Even if it’s SSS rank, my Dragonpotent is considered an anomaly, being the only one who possesses such.

That would be our leverage against it.

I firmed my grip on my dagger, my mana grew, where we stood was covered in its color.

The quicker we’re done with this, the faster we get to leave this hell.

Quinette stepped forward, walking into the corridor.

"What are we waiting for," she said with confidence.

Her mana flared around her blade, but I caught a slight trembling of her hand.

She had realized it too. What we were going up against.

Still she was brave enough not to fold. I respected that. My lips curled up.

I joined her in the corridor.

"Quinette, if it gets too tough to defeat, we’ll retreat. You heard me."

"Of course."

And we moved deeper into what awaited us. Quinette’s footsteps bounced off the walls of the corridor.

Mine was totally silent. I was barefoot, she had boots on.

We followed the torches straight down the corridor.

It was endless. I looked behind — the door grew distant.

Then Quinette halted abruptly.

I halted too, immediately.

When I looked over her shoulder to see the cause, before us was a second reinforced door. Nothing about it was noteworthy.

But before the door was—

"They’re here." Quinette raised her blade.

Five Scunwolves were stationed at the door, their bulky build shielding it.

I readied my inverted dagger in my grip. Didn’t attack yet, that would be to our disadvantage.

But instead of attacking, the Scunwolves parted, pressed themselves to the wall.

Making a path for us to follow.

"..." I stared at the scene, narrowed my eyes.

"It’s a trap."

"I know, Quinette, it is."

Amiko knew all along, and had planned it out.

If we were to fight this number of Scunwolves before fighting the dungeon boss,

We aren’t going to succeed.

Even if they don’t strike now. We walk into Dungeon boss, our chance to retreat if things get tough. Gone.

We needed to retreat, for now, then swing back stronger.

I looked at Quinette. It all led to this — I had to tell her about Dragonpotent. I was well aware of my ability, how it could turn the tables.

Giving us the greatest advantage. Once I breed with Quinette, we’ll be out of this mess immediately. I had already planted thoughts into her earlier.

Let’s see if it works out.

I released my dagger, absorbed back my mana.

I turned around, and walked away.

"Quinette. We’re retreating."

"What." She glanced at me shortly, before returning her eyes to the Scunwolves. "Turning our backs to the Scunwolves?"

I paused my steps. If they wanted to kill us, they would have. It’s obvious we can’t escape, and they have all the time. While we don’t. They can stand there all day long, because still it would remain our disadvantage.

I continued my way. "And besides, there’s something I want to tell you."