Chapter 28: Expedition Team

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Expedition Team

Veyra’s smile became slightly more confident.

"I was stronger than every other demon in my clan. Whenever there was a dispute, I settled it through strength. Whenever another clan tried to challenge us, I was the one who fought them."

She raised one hand and slowly curled her fingers into a fist.

"I didn’t inherit my position."

"I took it."

Ragnar’s eyes became more interested.

"So you became the clan leader because you were the strongest?"

"Exactly."

Veyra leaned closer.

"And because nobody wanted to challenge me."

"That sounds rather tyrannical."

Veyra laughed softly.

"Perhaps."

"But you don’t seem particularly cruel."

"I wasn’t cruel to my own people."

Her expression softened.

"I protected them."

Ragnar became quiet.

Veyra continued speaking.

"My clan was small. We weren’t powerful enough to compete with the great demon clans, and we didn’t have enough territory to expand very far. Other clans occasionally tried to take our land."

"What did you do?"

"I defeated them."

Ragnar couldn’t help but smile.

"That’s good."

"Yes."

Veyra’s eyes gleamed.

"If someone came to take what belonged to my people, I made certain they regretted coming."

She paused before adding,

"Sometimes I had to defeat entire groups by myself."

Ragnar looked at her in surprise.

"By yourself?"

Veyra nodded.

"I was born with an unusually strong affinity toward flames. My body was also stronger than that of ordinary demons of my race. As I grew, the difference became greater."

She lightly tapped a finger against Ragnar’s chest.

"Eventually, nobody in my clan could even stand against me for long."

Ragnar looked at her hand before returning his gaze to her face.

"So that’s why you’re a Battle Commander."

"Yes."

Veyra smiled.

"I wasn’t merely a clan leader. I personally led every major battle."

"And you enjoyed it?"

"I enjoyed winning."

Ragnar laughed.

Veyra’s smile became mischievous.

"Although..."

She leaned slightly closer.

"There is something I enjoy more now."

Ragnar already knew where this was going.

"What?"

"Being beside my Lord."

Ragnar closed his eyes for a moment.

"There it is again."

Veyra giggled.

Ragnar sighed.

"Do whatever you want."

Veyra’s smile widened.

"Yes, My Lord."

She settled comfortably against him again.

Ragnar stared toward the throne room’s entrance, wondering how his life as a Dungeon Master had somehow reached this point.

----

Back in Hetin Town, the situation surrounding the newly discovered dungeon had already changed considerably.

After hearing Kyle’s report, Mayor Cedric Valmont had no intention of allowing ordinary hunters to approach the dungeon again without proper preparation.

Six people had already lost their lives because of the dungeon’s unknown dangers, and sending another unprepared group into the same place would have been nothing more than throwing more lives away.

The mayor had therefore summoned Hetin Town’s strongest adventurer group, Ironfang, and tasked them with an important mission.

They were to enter the dungeon, investigate its first several sections, determine its approximate danger level, and assist the official assessment team in identifying its tier.

Of course, Darian and his companions weren’t going alone.

Fifteen additional adventurers had been selected from several experienced groups registered with the Adventurer’s Guild. Some were veteran hunters who had spent years exploring dangerous forests, while others specialized in dungeon exploration and monster subjugation.

They weren’t all as strong as Ironfang, but each had proven themselves capable enough to survive against dangerous monsters.

Altogether, twenty-two adventurers were now making their way toward the mysterious dungeon.

The journey had already taken several hours.

A long line of adventurers moved along the forest road, their footsteps crushing dry leaves beneath their boots. The afternoon sun filtered through the branches overhead, casting moving patches of light across the ground.

Birds occasionally flew from the trees whenever the group approached, while the distant cries of wild beasts reminded everyone that they were gradually moving farther away from the safety of Hetin Town.

Darian walked near the front of the group.

His hand occasionally rested against the hilt of his sword, while his gray eyes continuously examined the surrounding forest.

Behind him, the other members of Ironfang maintained a disciplined formation.

The fifteen additional adventurers followed closely behind.

Although the atmosphere wasn’t particularly tense yet, nobody was behaving carelessly.

Everyone knew why they had been summoned.

This wasn’t an ordinary hunting expedition.

They weren’t going into the forest to collect monster materials or hunt a few beasts for money.

They were heading toward an unexplored dungeon that had already claimed six lives.

One of the younger adventurers looked toward the front.

"Darian."

Darian turned his head slightly.

"What is it?"

"How much longer?"

Darian glanced toward the forest ahead.

"Not much."

The young adventurer nodded.

"I heard the dungeon is somewhere beyond the old hunting grounds."

"That’s what the mayor’s information says."

Another adventurer walking nearby joined the conversation.

"Did anyone actually confirm the location?"

Darian nodded.

"The hunter named Kyle led the town’s scouts to the entrance this morning. The location has been confirmed."

"And the dungeon’s tier?"

"Unknown."

The response immediately caused several adventurers to exchange glances.

One of them frowned.

"Unknown?"

Darian nodded.

"That’s why we’re going."

The adventurer scratched his cheek.

"I thought the guild would send an assessment team first."

"They are."

Darian pointed toward several people farther behind them.

"Those adventurers are part of the assessment team. We’re here to provide protection and additional manpower."

The man looked back.

"So we’re basically the guards?"

Darian smiled faintly.

"Think of it however you want."

The man laughed.

"Fair enough."

Another adventurer spoke from behind them.

"I heard the first hunter who entered the dungeon encountered goblins."

Darian’s expression became slightly more serious.

"That’s correct."

"How many?"

"At least five, but the problem is the different monsters inside the dungeon."

"That’s not too bad."

One of the veteran adventurers shook his head.

"Don’t say that."

The younger man looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because the same hunter came back a second time with six other people."

The veteran’s expression became grim.

"Only he survived."

The surrounding conversations immediately became quieter.

The younger adventurer swallowed.

"I heard about that."

"Everyone has."