Chapter 178 – The Plan is Changed
Chapter 178
The Plan is Changed
Date : Day 20 of Lunaeve 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Hyoren, Elise, Jackey, and Arianna continued their dive through the first floor of Akela Dungeon.
The familiar ancient ruins stretched endlessly before them. Cracked stone walls. Dust-covered flagstones. Broken wooden crates scattered along abandoned corridors.
The labyrinth twisted in every direction, its countless passages forming an intricate maze.
Not long afterward—Elise suddenly stopped. She immediately raised one hand before the next corner.
Their third encounter. By now, everyone already knew their role.
Hyoren silently moved to the front. Steel Kite Shield raised. He carefully peeked around the corner.
Six Goblins. Two Goblin Archers positioned behind them.
He withdrew behind the wall.
“Eight goblins this time.”
Jackey rested one of his axes upon his shoulder.
“Pah… Only eight. I won't even get a turn.”
Elise smiled.
“Be patient, Jackey. You'll get your chance sooner or later. Fufufu.”
Hyoren looked toward Arianna.
“Would you mind if I tested my new spell this time?”
Arianna still had tiny beads of perspiration upon her forehead from the earlier battles. Even so, her posture remained perfectly composed.
She nodded gracefully.
“Of course, Leader.”
Hyoren looked toward Elise and Jackey. Both quietly nodded.
He stepped toward the corner once more. He slowly unsheathed Dawn Breaker. The pure white mithril blade quietly reflected the pale blue light of the magic lamp on the dungeon ceiling.
Hyoren leaned around the corner.
The six Goblins stood clustered together near the center of the chamber. The two Goblin Archers remained farther behind.
Perfect…
He subtly adjusted the angle of his sword. Lining its tip toward the center of the formation. The goblins had yet to notice him.
Hyoren took one slow breath.
The image of the spell was perfectly clear. A cone-shaped wave of Dark Aethell. Originating from the tip of Dawn Breaker. Sweeping everything before it.
He formed the Runic Arrays in his mind. Dark. Conduit. Wave. Cone. Curse. Blind.
Dark Aethell flowed from his core. Traveling through his arm. Into his conduit, the Dawn Breaker.
Only then, did the goblins finally notice him. Several began turning toward the corridor. But, they were already too late.
“Shadow Bloom.”
A small sphere of condensed Dark Aethell formed at the sword's tip.
The next instant, it blossomed outward. Like a flower opening. A broad fan-shaped wave surged across the chamber.
WHOOSH!
Dark Aethell engulfed every goblin standing before Hyoren. The entire group was blasted backward. Several weapons clattered across the stone floor. Two goblins dissolved immediately upon impact.
The remaining six survived. Barely. Their eyes were clouded by the Blind curse. Their bodies were battered by the wave.
They stumbled down on the floor. Thrasing their arms and legs
“Now!”
Hyoren charged first. Elise and Jackey followed without hesitation.
The battle lasted only moments.
Hyoren's Dawn Breaker cleanly cut down one goblin.
Jackey's twin axes crushed another.
Elise didn't bother using her bow and unsheathed her short swords. The side weapons quietly claimed the two Goblin Archers before they could recover.
The remaining goblins offered almost no resistance. Within seconds. Silence returned to the chamber.
Hyoren lowered Dawn Breaker.
His breathing had become noticeably heavier. A single bead of sweat slowly rolled down his forehead.
Hyoren looked toward Arianna.
“The spell is excellent. But it definitely takes a toll on my Aethell Reserve.”
Arianna smiled softly.
“It certainly appears that way, Leader.”
She lightly rested both hands upon her Quadraflux Weaver.
“You are not a dedicated magician. And while it is classified as a second-tier spell… From my observation… It performs closer to a third… or perhaps even a fourth-tier spell.”
She nodded thoughtfully.
“So its Aethell consumption is naturally much greater than that of an ordinary second-tier spell.”
Hyoren nodded.
“I suppose I'll have to reserve it for important moments.”
Jackey rested an axe upon his shoulder.
“But it looked AWESOME, Big Bro! With whooosh! And those skulkers just disappeared into the shadows!”
Elise smiled.
“The spell is worth it. You're a frontline fighter first. The fact that you can cast something like that at all is already impressive. You don't need to use it repeatedly. Fufufu.”
Hyoren smiled.
“Fair point.”
After collecting the magic stones and rusted weapons—Freedom Party continued deeper into the dungeon.
Over the next several encounters, they continued refining their teamwork.
Sometimes, Arianna would eliminate an entire chamber with Earth Spikes before anyone else even entered the fight. Other times, she deliberately relied upon lower-tier spells.
Fire Ball. Boulder Throw. Wind Slicer. Stone Bullet. Fire Javelin. Wind Arrow. Water Needle.
Allowing Hyoren, Elise, and Jackey to fight alongside her while they practiced coordinating their movements.
After many encounters, Hyoren quietly began noticing a pattern. Whenever Arianna relied on lower-tier magic—he barely showed any signs of fatigue. Perhaps only a tiny bead of perspiration would appear.
But every time she casted Earth Spikes, the difference became obvious. Sweat gathered across her forehead. Her breathing grew slightly heavier.
After their sixth encounter, the chamber had once again fallen silent. The last goblin dissolved into particles.
Hyoren turned toward Arianna.
This had been her fourth time use of Earth Spikes that day. Her forehead now glistened with perspiration. Her breathing had become noticeably uneven. Although she still maintained perfect posture—the fatigue could no longer be completely concealed.
Even her walking pace had slowed.
Earlier, she had easily matched the party's brisk pace. Now, Elise occasionally glanced back to make sure Arianna was still keeping up.
Hyoren walked over to her.
“Arianna. Are you alright?”
He studied her carefully.
“Can you keep up with our current pace? Or should we slow down?”
He hesitated for a moment.
“Or… Is your Aethell Reserve already running low?”
Arianna quietly removed her wide-brimmed hat.
She dabbed the perspiration from her forehead with a neatly folded handkerchief. Then produced a water bottle from her storage bag. After taking several measured drinks, she let out a slow breath.
“Haah… Haah… My apologies, Leader.”
She straightened herself once again before continuing with her usual composed elegance.
“I believe… I underestimated this dungeon's encounter frequency.”
She took another slow breath.
“During my time clearing the dungeon on the Aethellium City… The intervals between battles were considerably longer. And the floor itself was also significantly smaller.”
She smiled apologetically.
“Also… You all maintain quite a brisk pace. Unlike when I was with Lady Yuli and Lady Sera. Ohoho.”
Hyoren smiled wryly.
“Well… You did mention the dungeon beneath Aethellium City was only Copper Rank.”
He looked around the vast labyrinth.
“This one is Bronze Rank. And considering the complications… People believe it's much closer to a Silver-Rank dungeon in terms of difficulty. So your fatigue isn't surprising.”
He tapped his chin thoughtfully.
“What about your Aethell Reserve? You mentioned before that you could cast Earth Spikes around ten to fifteen times in a day.”
He reached beneath his tunic and glanced at the watch hanging around his neck.
10:13.
He tucked it back inside.
“We've only been inside for about two hours. And you've already used it four times.”
Elise nodded. She adjusted her grip on her Moonveil Bow.
“Should I slow our pace?”
She thought for a moment before shaking her head.
“Although… If we slow down too much… The monster groups we've already defeated may begin respawning before we reach the next chamber. That could leave us trapped between newly spawned groups.”
Jackey casually twirled one of his axes.
“If you're tired, Arianna… Just say so! These little skulkers are easy! I can whack them all myself! HAHA!”
Arianna quietly placed her hat back upon her head. She then gently shook it.
“I shall continue.”
Her eyes briefly fell upon the ruby ring adorning one of her fingers. The Ring of Meditation. Lady Oria's graduation gift.
A small smile appeared.
“For the remainder of this floor… I shall limit my use of high tier spell like Earth Spikes. I will primarily rely upon lower-tier spells instead.”
She lightly touched the ring.
“With Lady Oria's ring assisting my Aethell regeneration… My reserves should recover steadily between battles.”
She smiled reassuringly.
“And if necessary… I can also use Magic Potions.”
Finally, she looked toward Elise.
“And Mentor… Please don't slow down on my account. I can still keep pace. Ohoho.”
Hyoren fell silent. His brows slowly furrowed. His dark eyes remained fixed upon the corridor ahead, unmoving.
The others immediately recognized the expression. He was thinking. Deeply. Neither Elise nor Jackey interrupted him. Arianna also remained quiet.
They simply waited.
Inside Hyoren's mind—countless calculations unfolded one after another. He mentally reviewed every battle since entering the dungeon.
Every spell Arianna had cast. The number of monsters defeated. Her pace. Her breathing afterward.
Earth Spikes...
Without question, it was her most efficient spell for clearing groups.
Based on today's battles… One cast could comfortably eliminate even twelve goblins…
And that was with enemies spread throughout a chamber.
If they were packed together… Twenty… Perhaps even thirty...
His thoughts immediately shifted to another spell. Fire Ball.
Four to five goblins… If a larger group clustered around the point of impact… Perhaps ten or more…
Boulder Throw. Similar. Less explosive than Fire Ball. But equally dependable.
Wind Slicer...
He shook his head.
Only two to four enemies at most… Better suited for finishing survivors…
He continued organizing everything.
Ring of Flame… Sand Storm…
Arianna already said it wasn't suitable inside this small chamber.
Then remaining Basic spells were single-target.
Then his thoughts reached her branch magic spells. Earth Hammer and Earth Fissure. Not practical underground.
That left only Lava Surge.
Hyoren still hadn't witnessed it himself. But judging from Arianna's explanation. And its status as branch magic. The destructive power should be on an entirely different scale.
Perhaps… Hundreds…
His thoughts continued connecting together. Spell efficiency. Aethell consumption. Floor Guardian. Goblin Ruler and its army.
One by one, the scattered pieces slowly formed a complete picture.
Finally, Hyoren gave a small nod.
His gaze moved from one companion to the next. Elise. Jackey. Arianna.
“I think...”
He spoke calmly.
“We need to change our plan, everyone.”
Elise tilted her head.Her silver hair cascaded gently over her shoulders.
“Huh? What do you mean, Hyoren?”
Hyoren smiled.
“Our original plan was simple. We clear the First Floor Guardian today so Arianna unlocks Floor Two.”
He slowly shook his head.
“But… I don't think we should do that anymore.”
Jackey frowned.
“Why, Big Bro? I wanna whack that goblin army!”
Arianna's expression slightly clouded.
“Is it because of me…?”
She lowered her gaze for a brief moment.
“My performance... did not meet your expectations, Leader?”
Hyoren immediately smiled reassuringly.
“No, Arianna. Don't misunderstand. Your performance exceeded my expectations.”
He folded his arms.
“In fact… With you joining the party… I have no doubt we'll eventually defeat the Second Floor Guardian.”
Jackey quickly stepped in front of Arianna. He enthusiastically gestured with both hands.
“Yeah! Your magic is AWESOME!”
He mimicked an explosion with his hands.
“BOOM! Skulkers DEAD!”
He jabbed using his fingers in quick motions.
“Spikes! Spikes! SPIKES! All skulkers IMPALED!”
Arianna couldn't help smiling softly seeing his antics.
“Thank you very much, Sir Jackey.”
She then looked back toward Hyoren.
“Then… May I ask your reasoning, Leader?”
Hyoren nodded.
“It's actually because of something you told me yourself. You're still a greenhorn.”
He raised a finger.
“Not in terms of knowledge. You've already proven your ability. But… In terms of level.”
He gestured with his hand.
“You possess an incredible variety of spells. But your Aethell Reserve simply isn't large enough to support them.”
He paused briefly.
“Considering what you’ve show us already. With my calculations, you will run dry before we finish with the goblin army, even if you used Magic Potions.”
Arianna slowly nodded.
“I understand… That is indeed my greatest weakness at present. My repertoire is extensive… But prolonged combat quickly exhausts my Aethell.”
Hyoren smiled.
“Exactly. So… We're still clearing Floor Two.”
He paused deliberately.
“But… We'll do it after raising your level first.”
Understanding immediately appeared on Elise's face. She quietly nodded.
Jackey also grinned.
“Ooh! Level up first!”
Arianna tightened her grip around her Quadraflux Weaver.
“I see… With each level… My Aethell Reserve will increase. That will allow me to cast considerably more spells before becoming exhausted.”
Hyoren nodded.
“That's exactly what I'm aiming for.”
He looked around the ancient corridor.
“And fortunately… This First Floor is the perfect place to do it. The encounter rate is high. The monsters are manageable. And their respawn speed is excellent.”
A grin slowly spread across his face. The familiar expression of someone who used to spend hours optimizing efficiency.
“Time to grind.”
Jackey practically launched himself into the air.
“WOHOO! Time to whack goblins!”
Hyoren raised a hand before the Beastkin could sprint off.
“One more thing. Don't forget. There's a Monster Room on this floor. If it's still available… We can level Arianna much faster.”
He scratched his cheek.
“Well… Assuming another party hasn't cleared it during the past six days.”
He looked toward Elise.
“Elise. Don't lead us to the Guardian anymore. Take us to the hidden chamber. To the Monster Room.”
Elise closed her eyes. Within moments, the completed map reconstructed itself inside her mind. Every corridor. Every intersection. A few seconds later, she opened her emerald eyes.
She gave a confident nod.
“Understood, Hyoren.I've got the route.”
Hyoren smiled.
“Good. If the Monster Room is still available… We'll shorten our grinding considerably. And if it isn't...”
He shrugged.
“We'll simply grind the normal way.”
His smile widened.
“Our objective before stepping onto the second floor...”
He looked directly at Arianna.
“Level Fourteen.”
He paused.
“Or at the very least… Level Thirteen if the Monster Room has already been cleared.”
Jackey enthusiastically raised an axe.
Arianna smiled with quiet determination.
“Understood, Leader. I shall do my utmost.”
Hyoren nodded.
“Excellent. Let's move.”
Elise naturally resumed the lead. This time—not toward the Guardian's chamber—but toward the hidden chamber where Monster Room awaited.
***
Freedom Party continued their dungeon expedition.
With Elise guiding the way, they steadily made their way toward the hidden chamber where the Monster Room was located.
Along the journey, they cleared every group of goblins they encountered. This time, Arianna deliberately restrained herself. Rather than relying on Earth Spikes, she limited her magic to lower-tier spells.
After some time, they finally arrived before a familiar dead end.
Elise came to a stop.
“Here we are.”
She carefully surveyed the surroundings.
The ancient corridor remained silent. Dust blanketed the stone floor. Nothing appeared disturbed.
She nodded slightly.
“From the looks of it… No adventurers have been here recently.”
Arianna quietly examined the dead end as well.
She still looked somewhat tired. Yet far better than before. Limiting herself to lower-tier magic had clearly allowed her Aethell to regenerate gradually between encounters.
Jackey, meanwhile, could barely contain himself.
“Finally! I wanna whack many skulkers!”
Hyoren smiled before returning his attention to the stone wall ahead.
He sheathed Dawn Breaker.
“No obvious traces, huh… That certainly looks promising.”
He folded his arms.
“But let's confirm first.”
He looked toward Elise.
“Elise. Please.”
Elise nodded.
She silently walked toward the far corner of the dead end, her silver hair swaying gently.
The very spot where they had previously discovered the hidden pressure plate. It had been her sharp eyes that found it by chance during their first expedition.
The pressure plate blended seamlessly into the surrounding floor. From a distance, it was impossible to distinguish from the other stones.
Only upon careful inspection did the subtle differences become apparent. Its surface was smoother. It bore no cracks, unlike the surrounding stones. Even the layer of dust covering it was noticeably thinner.
Elise crouched before it.
“Found it...”
She looked back toward Hyoren. He nodded.
Elise stood and gently pressed the pressure plate.
A deep mechanical rumble echoed through the corridor. The massive stone wall before them slowly slid aside, revealing the hidden corridor beyond.
Elise suddenly raised her hand sharply.
“Careful. The traps have been reactivated.”
Jackey, who had been just about to bound into the hidden corridor, immediately froze mid-step. Even his spiraling tabby tail became completely still.
“Oh. Right… I almost forgot. HAHAHA.”
Arianna couldn't help letting out a soft laugh. Her earlier exhaustion had eased considerably.
“Ohoho. Sir Jackey truly is most amusing.”
Hyoren shook his head with a wry smile.
“Careful, Jackey. We don't know how many traps have been reset.”
Jackey scratched the back of his cheek sheepishly.
“Sorry, Big Bro.”
Hyoren then turned toward Elise.
“Please, Elise.”
Elise nodded. Her silver hair swayed gently with the movement.
“Leave it to me.”
She calmly walked into the hidden corridor before crouching beside the first trap.
The mechanism had completely reset. The thin tripwire stretched across the passage exactly where it had been during their previous visit. If triggered—it connected to a small hole carved into the wall. Inside, the pointed arrow patiently waited for its next victim.
Elise carefully drew her short sword.
Using its tip, she gently manipulated the trigger mechanism. Her movements were practiced and precise. A brief moment later the mechanism released harmlessly with a satisfying click. The tension disappeared from the wire.
The trap had been safely dismantled.
Elise stood and looked back at the party with a satisfied smile.
“Let's go.”
She turned toward the corridor ahead.
“Let me take point. The other traps should have reactivated as well.”
Unlike the passage outside. The hidden corridor remained filled with the same simple traps they had encountered during their first exploration.
The Freedom Party advanced cautiously.
Elise remained at the front.
Every so often, she would stop. Carefully inspect the floor or walls. Then patiently dismantle yet another trap before signaling everyone to continue deeper into the hidden passage.
***
The hidden corridor continued for another hundred meters.
The only sounds accompanying them were the steady rhythm of their footsteps—and the occasional click whenever Elise disarmed another restored trap.
Eventually, the corridor widened. They arrived at a familiar dead end. It was only large enough for around six to eight people to stand comfortably, yet after walking through the narrow corridor, it almost felt spacious.
The ceiling here was also slightly higher.
On the left side, another corridor continued deeper into the darkness. It was noticeably narrower than the one they had just traversed.
Even stranger, the pale blue glow emitted by the dungeon's magical lamps seemed to weaken near its entrance, leaving the passage beyond wrapped in dim shadows.
Hyoren slowly nodded.
“Good. We're here.”
His gaze swept across every member of the party.
“Considering every trap along the corridor had reactivated… I don't think any other adventurers have been here recently.”
Elise tucked a loose strand of silver hair behind her pointed ear.
“Yeah...”
She looked toward the narrow corridor.
“Let's hope the Monster Room is still available.”
Jackey casually rested one of his axes upon his shoulder.
“Please! I can't wait to whack more skulkers!”
Arianna also looked toward the hidden passage.
The fatigue that had burdened her earlier had mostly faded. Replaced with a new expression. A quiet excitement shone within her light blue eyes.
“Monster Rooms… I've read about them before.”
She smiled.
“But the Copper-Rank dungeon beneath Aethellium City possessed nothing of the sort.”
Her eyes brightened even further.
“I would very much like to study the Runic Array responsible for such a phenomenon. Ohoho.”
Hyoren couldn't help chuckling.
The graceful noble lady had only allowed the slightest crack in her composure—yet her fascination with magic remained impossible to hide.
The magic freak brat Elise had described was quietly peeking through the noble facade.
“You'll have plenty of time to study it.”
He smiled.
“But let's clear the room first, alright?”
Arianna blinked. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
She gently adjusted the brim of her wide hat.
“My apologies. I became somewhat carried away.”
She bowed gracefully.
“Understood, Leader.”
Hyoren nodded.
“Alright. Let me confirm whether the Monster Room's spawning Runic Array is still active.”
Without wasting another moment, he quietly stepped past Arianna.
His movements became noticeably more cautious. He pressed one shoulder against the cold stone wall before carefully peeking into the narrower corridor.
The familiar passage greeted him.
Just as before, it was only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The corridor stretched for roughly ten meters. Beyond it, the passage suddenly opened into a massive chamber. Roughly twenty meters by twenty meters.
The instant Hyoren saw it—a smile spread across his face.
The Monster Room is still available… Grinding Arianna's levels will be much easier than expected….
The chamber was absolutely packed. Goblins filled nearly every corner of the room. There should be roughly thirty of them present at any given time.
They did not wander. They did not patrol. Nor did they leave the chamber.They simply stood there. Some shifted restlessly. Others quietly snarled into empty air. As though patiently waiting for intruders to arrive.
Hyoren's eyes shifted toward the center of the room.
A massive Runic Array had been carved directly into the stone floor. Its intricate patterns glowed with a steady light. The very mechanism responsible for the Monster Room.
The Runic Array would continue spawning goblins. Replacing every fallen monster. Until a total of three hundred goblins had been created. Only then would it finally cease operating.
Hyoren quietly withdrew his head from the corridor. A satisfied grin had already formed across his face.
***
Hyoren turned to face Elise, Jackey, and Arianna.
“Good. The Monster Room is still active.”
He nodded toward the hidden chamber beyond the narrow corridor.
“We're going to defeat all three hundred goblins.”
He reached beneath his tunic and pulled out the watch hanging around his neck. His eyes briefly fell upon the clock face.
13:42.
There was still plenty of time before nightfall. He tucked the watch back inside his shirt.
Then looked toward Arianna.
“You can go all out here, Arianna. Once we're finished with the Monster Room, we'll camp here.”
Arianna gave a graceful nod.
Hyoren continued.
“This Monster Room will spawn a total of three hundred goblins.”
A grin slowly spread across his face.
“Think of this as both training and a warm-up.”
He rested a hand upon Dawn Breaker's hilt.
“Before we challenge the Goblin Ruler and its army of thousands.”
He gestured toward the hidden chamber.
“If we can clear this room without much difficulty now that you've joined us. Then I'm confident we'll be able to overcome the Goblin Ruler's army as well.”
His eyes met Arianna's.
“Especially after you've gained a few more levels.”
Arianna tightened her grip around Quadraflux Weaver.
“Understood, Leader.”
She glanced toward the narrow corridor leading into the Monster Room.
“My Aethell Reserve has mostly recovered after limiting myself to lower-tier spells.”
She thought for a brief moment before continuing.
“For this battle… I intend to use my higher-tier magic once more. Earth Spikes… And perhaps Ring of Fire as well.”
She smiled softly.
“This Monster Room chamber is considerably larger than the ordinary chamber. My Ring of Fire has a diameter of roughly ten meters. So it should fit comfortably within.”
Hyoren slowly nodded.
However, something else had been bothering him for quite some time. He tapped his chin thoughtfully.
“Arianna. I have a question.”
She tilted her head slightly. The bend tip of her wide-brimmed hat shifted gently with the movement.
“What is it, Leader?”
Hyoren gestured toward the surrounding stone walls. Then toward the floor beneath their feet.
“Your spells are incredibly destructive.”
He paused.
“But… The dungeon always seems completely intact afterward.”
He looked back toward the hidden chamber.
“You've used Earth Spikes. Fire Ball. Even Boulder Throw. But I've never seen any new cracks appear on the walls or floor.”
He looked into the narrow corridor.
“Actually… I've begun wondering whether there's any danger of causing a cave-in. Especially with more powerful spells.”
Arianna blinked once. Then smiled with mild surprise.
“Oh? You were unaware, Leader?”
She glanced briefly toward Elise.
“Mentor… And Lady Ina never mentioned it?”
Elise's emerald eyes shifted slightly. She slowly shook her head.
“That… Is actually new information to me as well.”
She folded her arms.
“Ina might know… But we've never really thought about it. I simply assumed dungeon walls were... exceptionally sturdy.”
Hyoren then looked toward Jackey.
“What about you? Did you know?”
Jackey grinned broadly. His tabby cat tail spiraled wildly.
“NOPE! I've never partied with a magician as AWESOME as Miss Purple!”
He laughed loudly.
“And who cares if the floor breaks or not? What matters is more skulkers to whack! HAHAHA!”
Hyoren smiled wryly. That answer was exactly what he had expected from Jackey.
Though, he almost winced at the cat-clan beastkin's casual nickname for Arianna.
Miss Purple though… It was unexpectedly fitting…
From her robes. Her hat. Her dresses. Even the curtains and carpet in her room at Wyvern Street Manor. Everything about Arianna seemed to revolve around shades of purple.
Hyoren couldn't even deny the nickname suited her.
He instinctively glanced toward Arianna, wondering whether the noble lady would be offended. Instead—she simply covered her mouth with the back of her hand and laughed softly.
“Ohoho. Sir Jackey always has the most amusing ideas.”
She smiled gracefully.
“I rather like 'Miss Purple.' I am honored.”
Jackey's cat ears perked up happily.
“Really? Then Miss Purple it is! HAHA!”
Hyoren couldn't help smiling at the exchange.
It had only been a few days since Arianna joined the Freedom Party. Yet—she and Jackey were already getting along surprisingly well.
“So...”
He looked back at Arianna.
“The dungeon really is indestructible?”
Arianna gently adjusted her hat. Her expression shifted from amusement to be more serious.
“Yes, Leader. The dungeon's structure itself cannot be destroyed. Even my Earth Fissure can only split the surface temporarily. It cannot actually damage the dungeon.
She shook her head.
“That is precisely why such magic is rather ineffective inside dungeons.”
She then gestured toward one of the broken wooden crates resting against the wall.
“Objects like these… The barrels. The crates. Other decorations. They can certainly be destroyed. They'll simply restore themselves after several hours.”
She then walked over to the nearby stone wall. Extending one hand, she lightly traced one of the countless cracks running across its surface.
“These cracks… Are part of the dungeon's original design. They are not signs of age. Nor were they created by previous battles.”
She looked back toward Hyoren.
“So if you were concerned about causing a cave-in… There is no need to worry.”
She smiled reassuringly.
“From what I learned… Demon God Gidol designed every dungeon exactly according to his intended blueprint. There are no shortcuts.”
She gestured on the walls again.
“One cannot simply destroy a wall to bypass a dead end. Nor collapse a passage to create a new route.”
Hyoren quietly fell into thought.
As expected… The dungeon really is… Like a game…
The more he learned about its rules—the stronger his suspicion became. Demon God Gidol might truly have been someone who understood games from Earth.
***
Hyoren slowly unsheathed Dawn Breaker.
“Alright. Let's do this.”
He pointed toward the Monster Room beyond the narrow corridor.
“As before… I'll take points and hold the horde.”
His gaze shifted toward Arianna.
“Arianna. You're our artillery. Kill as many goblins as you can before they reach us.”
Arianna gave a graceful nod.
“Understood, Leader.”
Hyoren then looked toward the remaining two members.
“Jackey. Elise. You'll deal with any stragglers. Or cover for Arianna while she's recovering between spells.”
Both quietly nodded.
Hyoren walked into the narrow corridor. He stopped just before the chamber opened up.
“Let's begin.”
He raised both sword and shield.
“Magic Blade.”
“Enchant Maledict.”
He didn't need either skill against ordinary goblins. But every opportunity to use them was another opportunity to improve their proficiency.
Hyoren fixed his attention on the chamber roughly ten meters ahead.
He waited.
Behind him, Arianna had already begun preparing her spell. Her elegant composure remained intact. Only the slight furrowing of her brows revealed the concentration required.
She raised Quadraflux Weaver.
The staff pointed directly toward the Monster Room. Aethell steadily gathered around her.
The four colors within the orb slowly accelerated. Faster. Faster. Until they almost blended into white. The orb flashed.
“Ring of Fire.”
Hyoren watched closely.
A small crimson orb suddenly materialized in the very center of the Monster Room. It rapidly expanded outward. A blazing ring raced across the chamber floor.
When it reached its maximum radius—the expanding ring stabilized. Transforming into a towering circular wall of fire. Any goblin caught by the expanding flames—instantly dissolved. Those standing where the fiery wall formed met exactly the same fate.
More than half of the chamber emptied within moments.
The surviving goblins snarled in alarm.
Hyoren immediately tightened his grip on his shield.
“Provoke.”
Every remaining goblin snapped its head toward him.
They surged forward. Yet the narrow corridor worked entirely in their favor. Only two goblins could advance side by side.
Hyoren's eyes remained fixed on the Monster Room.
The wall of fire continued burning brightly. Meanwhile,the glowing Runic Array on the chamber floor kept flashing. With each glow, a fresh goblin materialized to replace those that had fallen.
But many of them spawned directly upon the fiery wall. The instant they appeared—they were consumed by flames. Then dissolved.
The Runic Array flashed. More goblins appeared. More were immediately burned away. It became a continuous cycle.
For roughly fifteen to twenty seconds, the Monster Room became a relentless furnace. Only after that, did the circular wall of fire gradually fade away.
Hyoren briefly glanced behind him.
Arianna's breathing had grown slightly ragged. Tiny beads of perspiration rested upon her forehead once more.
Even so—with a single spell—she had likely eliminated well over thirty goblins. Perhaps even forty.
Incredible...
Hyoren turned his attention back to the corridor just as the first surviving goblins reached him.
He raised his shield.
CLANG!
A rusted sword struck the steel surface.
Hyoren immediately counterattacked. Dawn Breaker swept forward.
SQUELCH.
The goblin dissolved.
Beyond it, with the wall of fire now gone, the newly spawned goblins were no longer being incinerated. They poured into the narrow corridor like a relentless tide.
At Hyoren's side, Jackey was already doing his part. As the goblins finally began flooding into the narrow corridor—the Beastkin no longer had to stand around waiting.
His golden eyes lit up.
“WOHOO! Finally!”
He swung Bloody Axe.
SCREEECK!
One goblin's head flew cleanly from its shoulders before the monster dissolved into particles.
Without missing a beat, his other hand moved. Flying Kite Axe swept across in a wide arc.
SCREEECK!
The axe slammed directly into another goblin's skull. Its skull caved inward. A moment later, the goblin dissolved into Aethell.
Jackey laughed loudly.
“HAHA! More! Come here, skulkers!”
Behind the frontline—beside Arianna—Elise calmly fulfilled her own role.
She smoothly drew her Moonveil Bow. The bowstring stretched taut. Then she released.
SWOOSH.
An arrow pierced straight through a goblin's eye.
Before its body had even begun dissolving—her fingers had already nocked another arrow.
SWOOSH.
The second shaft struck another goblin squarely in the forehead. The monster collapsed before disappearing into shimmering particles.
Meanwhile, Arianna had already raised Quadraflux Weaver once again. Rather than repeatedly exhausting herself with high-tier spells—she had decided to alternate between powerful magic and lower-tier spells to conserve her Aethell Reserve.
The swirling colors within the orb accelerated. Then the orb flashed.
“Boulder Throw.”
A massive boulder—nearly the size of a goblin itself—materialized before the tip of her staff. The next instant, it curved forward with tremendous force.
BOOM!
The heavy stone crashed into the tightly packed goblins flooding through the corridor. The first goblin shattered instantly beneath the impact. But the boulder's momentum did not stop there. It continued rolling relentlessly forward.
Crushing everything in its path. One goblin. Then another. Then another. Bodies were smashed as the boulder forced its way through the packed horde.
By the time it finally lost its momentum, roughly seven or eight goblins had already dissolved into particles.
Hyoren raised his shield once more.
CLANG!
Another goblin's rusted blade struck against it. He immediately answered with a swift counterattack.
SQUELCH.
The goblin dissolved into particles.
His eyes briefly drifted toward Arianna. He smiled wryly.
“No matter how many times I see it… It still feels... unbelievable.”
He blocked another incoming strike and counter-attacked before continuing.
“A boulder that size… And you just throw it so easily.”
Jackey laughed as he swung Bloody Axe.
SCREEECK!
Another goblin lost its head.
“Yes, Big Bro! Miss Purple's magic is AWESOME! HAHAHA!”
Meanwhile, Elise quietly watched the battlefield with a faint smile.
Her Moonveil Bow remained drawn. An arrow rested upon its string. Her emerald eyes calmly tracked every movement across the corridor.
Beside her—Arianna took several measured breaths between casts. She allowed her Aethell to settle before preparing the next spell.
They continued their relentless assault on the Monster Room.
The massive Runic Array flashed. Fresh goblins materialized throughout the chamber.
Arianna answered with another spell.
When large numbers gathered—she unleashed Ring of Fire or Earth Spikes. Each cast erased well over thirty goblins from the battlefield.
Afterward, she deliberately switched back to lower-tier magic. Fire Ball. Boulder Throw. Wind Slicer. Preserving her Aethell while waiting for another opportunity to unleash her stronger spells.
Whenever Arianna shifted to less destructive magic, the burden naturally fell upon the other three.
Hyoren remained the immovable wall at the front.
Every goblin attempting to force its way through the narrow corridor met his shield first. None slipped past him. None reached Arianna or Elise.
Beside him, Jackey's twin axes became a relentless whirlwind.
One goblin's skull shattered. Then another. And another. The cat-clan beastkin laughed loudly as his axes continued rising and falling.
Behind them, Elise never wasted a single arrow.
She calmly chose the most dangerous target each time. The goblin whose strike nearly disrupted Hyoren's balance. The goblin preparing to attack Jackey while he was still recovering from a swing. Or—the goblins farther back—reducing the relentless flow before it could overwhelm the front line.
The four of them had begun moving almost instinctively alongside one another. Hyoren held the line. Jackey broke through anything that reached it. Elise eliminated every dangerous opening. And Arianna rained destruction upon the horde.
Freedom Party had become a well-oiled machine of relentless grinding.