Chapter 58

  “Welcome to my humble abode, dearies. Would you like some cookies? They are freshly baked with my special recipe.”

  The cottage sat in the middle of the swamp with its door wide open. Warm light spilled out from inside, and the faint smell of something sweet drifted into the damp air.

  An elderly woman stood bent over a fireplace, stirring something in a pot. The room looked ordinary enough. There was a small wooden table, a rocking chair, and rugs laid across the floor.

  Marcus did not hesitate.

  He rushed forward and threw a fiery punch toward the woman.

  His fist slammed into a shimmering black barrier that appeared at the last second. The impact sent a ripple across the surface of the barrier and shook the walls.

  The woman slowly straightened her back.

  When she turned around, her face was no longer kind. Her features stretched and twisted into something unnatural. Her mouth widened too far and her eyes darkened into hollow pits.

  At the same time, the cottage shimmered. The rugs decayed. The wooden walls split and rotted. The warm light faded into a sickly green glow.

  The house was clearly abandoned and falling apart.

  “You’re no fun,” she said.

  Marcus gritted his teeth and punched the barrier again. Cracks spread across it with each strike.

  Just as it shattered, the woman shrieked and transformed into a small black cat in midair.

  The cat sprinted straight through one of the walls.

  The wall shimmered like water.

  Marcus immediately ran after her and disappeared through it.

  Mike stepped forward at a calm pace.

  “Shall we?”

  The rest followed.

  Passing through the wall felt cold and slightly resistant, like pushing through a thin curtain of water.

  On the other side was a cellar door hanging loosely on rusted hinges. It led down into an underground cave system.

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  Ben could hear the faint sound of electricity somewhere deeper inside.

  They descended the narrow steps and entered the cave.

  The air was damp and heavy. The smell changed from swamp water to something metallic and burnt.

  They soon began passing bodies along the path. The humanoid creatures lay twisted on the stone floor. Their skin looked melted in places, and faint smoke still rose from some of them.

  [Level 12 Ghoul]

  Ruth sighed when she saw the trail.

  “He is really in a mood.”

  Mike gave a small smile.

  “Do you blame him? He has had to go through this maze three times now.”

  Ben and Eve followed silently, watching how the group moved. Mike led them through winding passages, occasionally walking straight toward what looked like solid stone. When he did, his body passed through it, revealing hidden paths. The rest followed closely behind him to avoid the dead ends.

  They eventually reached a wider chamber where Marcus had stopped.

  He was surrounded by a horde of ghoulish creatures. One massive ghoul shaped like an orc stood at the center of the group. Pieces of crude armor were fused into its decaying flesh.

  Marcus kept pushing forward, punching through anything in his way.

  Mike, Ruth, Rose, and Jet joined the fight without needing to say anything. Their coordination was immediate.

  Ruth and Rose cast layered buffs over the party. Light settled over them in steady pulses. Rose reinforced protective barriers whenever they weakened.

  Ruth healed minor injuries before they became serious.

  Mike raised sections of stone from the ground, funneling the enemies together. Spikes shot upward beneath them, thinning the horde.

  Jet moved with clean, efficient swings of his axe, cutting down enemies one by one.

  Marcus reached the giant ghoul.

  It roared and raised a heavy arm.

  Marcus drove his fist into its face. Fire and lightning burst outward on impact.

  The mini-boss collapsed in a heap of burning flesh and fading sparks.

  The remaining ghouls were finished quickly after that.

  Within moments, the chamber was silent again.

  Marcus did not slow down or look at the loot. He immediately turned and ran deeper into the cave.

  The rest followed him without hesitation.

  “Wow,” Eve thought.

  Ben had not even gotten the chance to contribute. The coordination of Marcus’ group was too efficient.

  They continued clearing chambers like that for several more minutes. Very little was said between them.

  Ben watched carefully. Their ability rotations were precise, and they avoided wasting skills. It was obvious they had practiced this dungeon multiple times.

  Eventually the tunnel opened into a massive cavern.

  Marcus stood at the edge of a drop that extended down into darkness. The bottom was not visible. A cold draft rose from below.

  The rest of the group gathered behind him.

  Marcus glanced back at Ben.

  “We showed you what we can do. Now it’s your turn.”

  Then he stepped forward and jumped into the blackness.

  One by one, the others followed him.

  Eve stepped up to the edge and looked down. She hesitated.

  Ben moved beside her and took her hand.

  “Ready?”

  Eve took a moment to enjoy the intimate hold. She even dared to fully intertwine her fingers with his.

  Ben stiffed slightly, just enough for Eve to notice. She was pushing his boundaries. His hesitation lasted for only a moment, to her great relief. He finally returned the gesture.

  He was surprised by how comfortable he felt holding her hand like that.

  Eve stepped closer to signal her readiness.

  Ben looked down into the darkness again.

  He gave her hand a final, gentle squeeze before they stepped off the edge.

  The darkness swallowed them as they fell.

  Neither of them let go.