Chapter 76: Change in plans

"Alright, team. Gather around."

It was only after they had spent nearly an hour venturing through the dungeon and cutting down more than thirty wolves that the captain finally called everyone together.

The other teammates, including Kei, gathered around him while Kai remained standing off to the side. Obviously, he had nothing to do with whatever planning they were about to discuss.

"You too. Come here."

...or so he thought.

The captain gestured for him to come closer, so Kai stepped forward and listened as he got straight to the point.

"Boss monster. It’s time we challenge it and close this dungeon."

Dungeon monsters were the creatures that anchored a dungeon to the world. Once the boss was slain, that connection would begin to collapse, causing the entire dungeon to slowly crumble. That left the hunters with only a limited amount of time to evacuate before the dungeon was destroyed completely.

"Once we assess the monster and injure it, we’ll first take the other corpses outside. After that, we’ll return and finish off the boss."

It was a fairly common strategy, although some hunters preferred to transport the monster corpses outside before confronting the boss.

The captain’s approach was somewhat different, but it was also safer. If they discovered that the boss was beyond what they could handle, they could retreat, regroup, and return with a better plan rather than risk being trapped inside a collapsing dungeon.

"You, porter."

The captain turned toward Kai.

"You’ll stay a little farther away from the group. If anything goes wrong, don’t try to help. Just run and find someone who can. Got it?"

Kai nodded.

’The captain is actually not as big an asshole as I initially thought.’

Considering everyone believed him to be the weakest person in the group, it made sense that the captain would assign him the safest role and prioritize using him to call backup.

Not long afterward, they began making their way toward the deepest part of the dungeon, where the boss monster was expected to be waiting.

Everyone knew their assigned roles. They had also taken enough time to rest and recover, leaving them rested and energized enough to carry out the plan.

"Alright. Move."

At the command, the group set off.

As usual, Kai took up position at the rear. By now, however, boredom had begun to settle in. There was only so much excitement in watching other people fight when he possessed both the experience and strength to handle the monsters himself. Restraining himself and remaining a mere spectator was proving to be a serious test of patience.

Still, he had promised Adam that he would observe until the very end.

So, despite his growing impatience, Kai decided to keep his word.

"Don’t worry, it won’t take long."

Kei suddenly approached him from the side, seemingly guessing what Kai was thinking. "This team is quite efficient at dealing considerable damage to the boss monster. Once that’s done, we can all put some effort into transporting the corpses outside before the final blow is dealt."

Kai nodded in understanding.

Well, he had experienced far worse dungeon raids in the past. A little waiting was hardly worth mentioning.

’Hmm?’

Kai frowned as he suddenly sensed it.

The mana in the air was beginning to gather.

"It’s here."

Rem was the next to notice. She abruptly stopped in her tracks and turned her head, her eyes scanning the surrounding darkness.

The others followed suit.

Without needing a command, they immediately assumed their positions. Even Kira seemed to take things seriously this time. Whatever was about to appear was a dangerous monster, and judging by the pressure building around them, it was likely on the higher end of the E-rank.

"Grr..."

A low growl echoed through the dungeon.

From behind the shadows of a large boulder, a massive wolf emerged, its sharp claws scraping against the stone floor with every step.

It was nearly two meters long, considerably larger than the other wolves they had encountered. Its coarse fur bristled along its body, while a pair of deep red eyes stared at them with unmistakable hostility.

The moment it stepped into view, a heavy presence descended upon the group, tightening the atmosphere.

Kai, however, narrowed his eyes.

The monster’s presence felt strangely familiar.

It was almost identical to the last knight he had fought on the first floor of the ruins. The strength wasn’t overwhelming, but it was enough to make him take the creature seriously. And considering this wolf was considerably larger than that knight...

Surely it would—

SQUELCH.

Kai’s eyes widened.

Everyone else flinched.

Before anyone could even register what had happened, a sharp scythe had pierced straight through the wolf’s skull.

The boss monster’s massive body convulsed once.

Its red eyes rolled upward, turning completely white before its legs gave out and it collapsed heavily onto the ground.

Standing atop the dead wolf was the creature responsible.

It stood upright on its bent hind legs, its dark green body almost blending into the dungeon’s surroundings. Two enormous, bulging eyes stared silently at the group, while a pair of curved scythes extended from its forelimbs.

It was about two meters tall and extruded even a heavier presence than the wolf, causing the sorcerers to tremble in utter fear.

For several long seconds, nobody moved.

The captain was the first to find his words as he spoke in a trembling voice,

"T-This was supposed to be an E-rank dungeon..."

His face had gone pale as he stared at the creature.

"Then why the fuck is an Iron Mantis here?!"

The foreboding sensation Kai had when he stepped through the entrance wasn’t just a feeling. Kai must have felt the unnatural wavelength of mana that shouldn’t belong to this dungeon.

’This is fucked up.’

***

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