Chapter 212 – Pioneering Once Again

Chapter 212

Pioneering Once Again

Date : Day 12 of Frostfall 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

The Freedom Party made their way through the bustling Dungeon Town with practiced ease. Soon, the wide tunnel leading into the Main Tunnel of the Old Quarry came into view.

They entered without slowing. Eventually, the tunnel opened into a vast underground chamber—the new waiting hall.

It had become a bustling staging ground before the dungeon gate.  The atmosphere was alive with anticipation.

Everywhere Hyoren looked, someone was preparing for an expedition. It was no longer merely an entrance. It was becoming an adventurer's space beneath the town. At the very end of the chamber stood the enormous stone Archway—Dungeon Entrance. Two Guild Guards stood watch before it.

Hyoren approached confidently and presented the party's Guild Card.

One of the guards accepted it and briefly checked the information recorded upon it. 

“Freedom Party. Dungeon Exploration Quest confirmed. You are cleared to proceed.”

He returned the card and stepped aside with a respectful nod.

Hyoren accepted it.

“Thank you.”

He returned the Guild Card to his storage bag before looking toward the Archway. The four members of Freedom Party walked toward it.

Hyoren reached out. His palm touched the solid surface of the Archway.

Immediately—the familiar voice echoed directly inside his mind.

The pretend heroes are back! Couldn't wait to die inside my dungeon? Enter! Enter! Xixixixi…

The oily, mocking voice dripped with malice. It wasn't merely a voice. It was a psychic sneer, a malicious presence that seemed to welcome them only so it could watch them suffer.

Hyoren's expression never changed. Within his own thoughts, he calmly answered.

Yes.

The world twisted. Reality folded around them. For only an instant, the sensation of solid ground seemed to disappear beneath their feet. Their surroundings stretched into distorted colors before everything abruptly snapped back into place.

The familiar Starting Room stretched before them.

The chamber was still overflowing with people. But Hyoren ignored them and looked toward his companions.

“Ready?”

Elise nodded calmly.

“Ready.”

Jackey grinned and rested one hand upon one of his axes.

“Always!”

Arianna adjusted the brim of her wide-brimmed hat before giving a graceful nod.

“Of course, Leader.”

The four of them then walked toward the center of the raised platform. There, standing atop a waist-high stone pedestal, floated the familiar swirling crimson orb—the teleportation orb.

Hyoren approached it without hesitation.

He placed his hand upon the swirling crimson surface. The cold sensation immediately spread through his palm. He closed his eyes.

Floor Three.

The moment the thought formed—the familiar sensation of teleportation washed over them once again. The Starting Room disappeared. The world twisted. And then—solid ground returned beneath their feet.

The scenery that greeted the Freedom Party was different. They had been teleported to the safe area of the third floor.

On one of the walls, a rippling gate could be seen. The entrance to the dungeon proper.

Hyoren slowly looked around. The room was almost empty. A strange silence lingered in the chamber. No other adventurers had reached this point. No party had yet broken through the Second Floor Guardian. Only Freedom Party stood here.

Hyoren finally turned toward his companions.

“Okay. We're on the third floor.”

His voice was calm, but there was a clear seriousness beneath it.

“We will be pioneering again. We won't have any help if something happens, so we will proceed carefully.”

Jackey immediately raised his fist.

“Do not worry, Big Bro! I will always be careful!”

Elise giggled.

“But you always take extra arrows to the body, Jackey.”

Jackey's grin froze.

Arianna covered her mouth with one hand.

“Ohohoho. Careful is apparently not in Sir Jackey's dictionary.”

Jackey scratched the back of his neck.

“Ehehe... I will try.”

Hyoren smiled.

“That's all I ask.”

He turned toward the rippling gate.

The blue light from the teleportation array reflected faintly across his dark eyes.

Another unexplored floor. Another unknown battlefield. Another step deeper into Akela Dungeon. Without another word, the Freedom Party began walking.

Step by step, they approached the rippling gate. Toward the dungeon proper.

Toward another unexplored floor. And once again—they would become pioneers.

***

The Freedom Party stepped through the rippling gate.

The swirling surface swallowed them for an instant before spitting them out on the other side—the dungeon proper. Hyoren immediately slowed his pace and looked around. His dark eyes carefully swept across the familiar corridor.

“Not much different from the first and second floor, huh?”

He rolled his shoulders, loosening the muscles beneath his new armor. The movement made the newly forged Mithril-alloy Chainmail shift quietly against his body.

“The same corridors… The same stonework…”

The third floor retained the same ancient ruin atmosphere.

Cracked stone walls stretched into the distance. Uneven flagstones paved the floor beneath their boots, their surfaces worn smooth in some places and chipped in others. Dust had gathered undisturbed in corners where no footsteps had passed for years. Thin strands of cobweb clung to cracks between the stones, trembling faintly whenever their movements disturbed the stale air.

Above them, pale blue magic lamps embedded in the ceiling quietly illuminated the corridor. Their cold light washed over the ancient stone, leaving the deeper recesses of the passage in muted shadows.

The air remained cool and dry. Silent. Stale. Only the faint echoes of their own footsteps accompanied them.

Elise quietly observed the surroundings as well. She tucked a strand of silver hair behind her pointed ear.

“Yeah…”

She slowly nodded.

“The same ruins…”

Her emerald eyes wandered along the corridor before narrowing slightly.

“Though… it feels a little less claustrophobic.”

Hyoren looked around once more.

She was right. The corridor was way wider than those on the first and even second floor. The ceiling had also risen by another meter or so, making the space feel noticeably more open despite retaining the same overall design.

Jackey grinned.

“Yes, Big Bro!”

He spread his arms slightly, looking pleased with the additional space.

“I like this more!”

Arianna nodded.

“Second Floor was also wider compared to the First Floor. But this Third Floor, the difference is significant.”

Hyoren smiled before turning toward his companions.

“Yeah. It seems the corridor can easily fit us four side by side with spare space.”

He smiled.

“Anyway. Time to prepare ourselves.”

He checked his new Mithril-alloy Chainmail, the replacement for the armor that had been destroyed by the Flesh Golem. He ran his fingers over several of the clasps, checking each one before fastening them securely. Everything was in place. Borin's work was, as always, flawless.

Hyoren then reached into his storage bag and withdrew his Dawn Breaker and his Steel Kite Shield. The familiar weight of the sword settled into his hand. He secured the shield to his arm, adjusting its position until it sat comfortably.

The rest of his party began preparing as well.

Elise's Aerostag Leather Armor remained pristine. Its rich green coloring complemented her silver hair and emerald eyes, the leather fitted neatly around her figure without restricting her movements. 

She briefly touched Sylvana's Lavalier hanging from her neck. The sacred necklace rested against her chest, its presence familiar and reassuring. Her fingers then moved to the string of her silver Moonveil Bow, checking its tension before letting it settle against her body.

Meanwhile, Jackey wore his usual Agile Viper leather armor. The red and white coloring stood out vividly against his tabby fur.

He drew both axes. The red Bloody Axe in his right hand. The white Flying Kite Axe in his left. He twirled them experimentally. The blades whistled through the air before he caught them neatly in his palms.

Arianna checked her Purple Robe and wide-brimmed hat, making sure everything was properly arranged before her fingers brushed against the new addition around her neck. The purple matinee necklace rested elegantly against her chest. At its center sat the pitch-black orb of Noctynara's Lament, secured within the purple metal setting. The dark artifact seemed almost to drink in the pale blue light of the dungeon.

Arianna then gripped her staff, Quadraflux Weaver, before giving a satisfied nod.

Hyoren looked over his companions.

Everyone was ready.

“Ready to start our Third Floor dive?”

Everyone nodded.

Hyoren then looked toward Elise.

“As usual…”

He gave a small nod.

“Elise, please.”

Without another word, Elise naturally moved to the front of the formation.

She lowered her posture slightly. Her emerald eyes sharpened. Her pointed ears twitched, listening for even the faintest sound echoing through the ancient corridors.

Then her skills activated one after another. Silent Step muffled every footstep she made, reducing even the faint scrape of her boots against the stone. Tracking searched the corridor ahead for traces left behind by monsters—scratches, disturbed dust, footprints, blood, and any other sign that something had passed through recently. Trap Dismantling carefully examined the path ahead for hidden mechanisms.

Meanwhile, inside her mind, Mapping steadily recorded every path they explored.

Elise took one step forward. Then stopped.

Hyoren, standing behind her, furrowed his eyebrows.

“Elise? What happened?”

Elise slowly stood and turned. Her emerald eyes were filled with concern.

“When I activated Mapping, I got a general idea about the size of the dungeon floor. There is no mapped path yet, but I could guess the size based on the covered map.”

She glanced down the corridor.

“The first floor and second floor are arguably similar in size.”

She paused.

“But this one… is roughly double… or even triple the size of the first two floors.”

Hyoren's expression became more serious.

“So… the area we need to traverse will be significantly larger?”

Arianna tightened her grip on her staff.

“We might require more time to fully map and clear this third floor, then…”

The thought settled over the group. A larger floor meant more corridors. More territory to explore. More monsters to encounter. And more opportunities for something unexpected to be waiting beyond the next corner.

The three's somber mood, however, did not affect Jackey. He casually placed his Bloody Axe over his shoulder.

“But there is no change to what we should do, right, Big Bro?”

He grinned.

“Keep whacking the goblins! WOHOO!”

Everyone chuckled.

Jackey then added, with surprising certainty,

“And it's pretty normal for dungeon floors to be bigger than previous floors. Though, the opposite sometimes is true too.”

He shrugged.

“Dungeon is weird in the end. Ahahaha.”

Everyone laughed again.

Hyoren shook his head with a faint smile.

“Well, Jackey is right. There is no use thinking too much about it.”

He looked toward Elise.

“Let's go, Elise.”

Elise nodded.

She crouched again, returning to her scouting posture. She took one careful step forward. Then another.

“Let's go.”

She spoke softly without looking back.

“Follow me.”

Hyoren immediately moved into the center of the formation, shield ready at his side. Arianna took position beside him, her staff held ready should she need to cast a spell. Jackey naturally took the rear. He swept his eyes over the corridor behind them, making sure nothing had followed them through the gate, before lazily resting one axe across his shoulder again.

The four continued deeper into the ancient ruins. Without another word, the Freedom Party began exploring the third floor of Akela Dungeon.

***

They walked through the familiar but wider corridors of the dungeon.

Their footsteps echoed softly against the ancient stone as Elise led the way. The corridor stretched ahead beneath the pale blue glow of the magic lamps, its cracked walls and uneven flagstones almost identical to those they had already crossed on the first and second floors.

Only the greater width made the difference noticeable.

They had only walked for a few minutes when the corridor finally opened into their first intersection. A corridor branched to the left. Another branched to the right. Behind them, they could still see the faintly shimmering portal leading back to the Safe Room. They had not traveled far enough for it to disappear from sight.

Elise suddenly raised her hand. Everyone stopped immediately.

The silver-haired elf leaned forward slightly and carefully peeked into the left corridor. Her emerald eyes moved slowly from one side to the other. Then she shifted her position and looked toward the right. She remained there for a moment.

When she finally turned back toward the others, disbelief was written plainly across her face.

“Everyone…”

She swallowed.

“It was… absurd…”

Hyoren furrowed his eyebrows.

Beside him, Arianna and Jackey exchanged a brief glance.

Hyoren stepped closer.

“What’s wrong, Elise?”

Elise didn't answer immediately. Instead, she gestured toward the two branching corridors with her thumb.

“See it… yourself…”

Hyoren's expression became cautious.

He moved forward, keeping his steps quiet as he approached the intersection. Once he reached the corner, he stopped. He carefully leaned forward and peeked into the left corridor. His breath hitched. There was something there. A lot of something.

Hyoren slowly pulled his head back before turning toward the other side. He carefully peeked into the right corridor. His eyes widened. He gasped softly.

Both corridors were nearly identical. Each was roughly five to six meters wide, with a tall ceiling several meters above them. Cracked stone walls stretched into the distance, illuminated by the same pale blue magic lamps.

But the corridors themselves were anything but empty. Goblins. Dozens of them.

Approximately fifty meters beyond the intersection, each corridor widened slightly into a narrow chamber. And those chambers were packed. Absolutely packed. Goblins filled the spaces shoulder to shoulder, their small bodies crowding against one another. Some stood inside the chambers while others had overflowed into the corridors themselves.

There had to be dozens in each direction. Perhaps more.

They weren't fighting. They weren't even patrolling. Most of them simply stood around, shifting their weight occasionally or scratching themselves. A few rested crude weapons against their shoulders. Others quietly muttered to one another. Yet the sheer number of them made the sight unsettling. Low snarls and guttural murmurs drifted through the corridors.

The smell reached Hyoren a moment later. Sweat. Dirt. Old blood. The sour stench of creatures living together in cramped conditions.

Hyoren narrowed his eyes.

These weren't powerful monsters. Their equipment alone made that obvious. Crude short swords, their edges rusted and uneven. Small daggers. Wooden clubs. Simple sticks sharpened into crude weapons.

Nothing particularly threatening individually. But there were far too many of them.

Hyoren activated Magic Eyes: Diagnostic Sight, the skill that evolved after he met the prerequisites of having four skills—Simple Appraisal, Aethell Sense, Anatomical Knowledge, and Clinical Insight.

Combined and evolved into a single skill, those abilities allowed Hyoren to see far more than an ordinary appraisal could reveal.

His gaze passed over the goblins.

Goblin — Level 14

Weak Point: Brain (Head). Heart (Left Chest).

State: Healthy.

Hyoren's eyes shifted to another.

The result was identical.

Goblin — Level 14

Weak Point: Brain (Head), Heart (Left Chest)

State: Healthy

Another. The same. Another. Again. Every goblin he examined produced the exact same result.

Hyoren slowly turned his gaze toward the other corridor. He activated Magic Eyes again. The same. And another. Again.

His expression gradually became more serious.

The monsters themselves weren't unusual. The number was. Hyoren finally pulled his head back from the intersection. He didn't want to risk being noticed.

He stepped backward and gestured toward the others.

“Let's retreat a little.”

Elise immediately understood. Arianna nodded. Jackey quietly followed.

The four of them moved back down the corridor, putting enough distance between themselves and the goblin-filled intersection that their voices wouldn't carry toward the horde.

Only after they were safely away from the intersection did Hyoren stop.

He glanced at each of his companions. The four stood together beneath the cold blue light of the dungeon.

Jackey raised his Bloody Axe onto his shoulder, his eyes fixed on Hyoren with obvious curiosity.

“So, what did you see, Big Bro? Are they big skulkers?”

Hyoren shook his head.

“Actually… what we saw was just normal goblins. They were level 14. Higher level than the ones on Floor 2, which were only Level 12. And they weren’t Elite Variants like Goblin Sabers, Goblin Shielders, Goblin Assassins, or Goblin Lancers…”

He gripped his Steel Kite Shield.

“But the quantity is the problem. It was almost like the entire corridor was filled with goblins.”

Arianna furrowed her eyebrows and adjusted her purple robe slightly.

“So, it’s like Floor 1? The spawn rate is high, but the monsters themselves are weak?”

Hyoren nodded.

“Yes. This Akela Dungeon is weird. Floor 1 had a high monster spawn rate. Floor 2 had fewer monsters, but they were Elite Variants that could coordinate as a group. And now this floor is back to having a high spawn rate…”

He looked at Jackey.

“Is that normal, Jackey?”

The Cat-clan Beastkin, who already had some experience with dungeons before he joined Freedom Party, shook his head.

“Nope! Other dungeons usually keep the same monster type for 5 or even 10 floors. If Floor 1 is full of skulkers, then the next 5 floors will probably be full of skulkers too! Haha!”

He slowly rotated his axe on his shoulder.

“This dungeon is definitely weird! HAHA!”

Hyoren tapped his chin.

Then, his expression suddenly changed.

“Wait a minute. I think I can see the pattern now.”

Everyone looked at him.

Elise tucked a strand of silver hair behind her pointed ear.

“What pattern, Hyoren?”

Hyoren went silent for a moment. His brain was already working. He went over everything they had encountered so far, comparing the monster spawn rates and the way each floor challenged them.

“This dungeon might be cycling between high-spawn floors and elite floors.”

He raised a finger as he explained.

“My theory is that the odd-numbered floors have high-spawn monsters. They’re weak and don’t really coordinate with each other. But there are so many of them that we’ll be outnumbered.”

He paused.

“The floor would be perfect for grinding EXP and money. As we’ll also get a lot of magic stones.”

He continued.

“And on even-numbered floors, there will be Elite monsters that test an adventurer’s skill and coordination. We’ll be able to raise our skill levels faster on those floors…”

A small smile appeared on his face.

“Even the Guardians seem to alternate. Remember? The Floor One Guardian was a Goblin Berserker. It prepared us for the Elite Variants on Floor Two.”

He continued explaining.

“Then the Floor Two Guardian was a Goblin Ruler with an army of 1,500 weak goblins. That prepared us for these sprawling goblins.”

He looked at his party members.

Their mouths had slowly fallen open as they listened. They were only now realizing the pattern after Hyoren had laid it out for them.

Hyoren grinned. The face of the hardcore grinder had returned.

“We can test my theory when we face this floor’s Guardian. If the Guardian is a single powerful enemy, then that should confirm it.”

Arianna recovered first. She smiled excitedly, and some of her bratty side peeked through her noble composure.

“Our leader really does think differently. I probably would never have noticed the pattern… if you hadn’t pointed it out first. Ohoho.”

She tapped her Quadraflux against the floor.

“And now I can’t wait to see if your theory is correct, Leader. Let’s find out quickly!”

Elise smiled softly.

“Be patient, Arianna. We still have Floor Three to conquer. And with all those goblins and the enormous floor ahead of us, it might take some time to clear everything.”

Jackey was already grinning. His tabby cat tail spiraled excitedly behind him.

“Big Bro is smart! We get to whack all those sprawling goblins! WOHOO!”

Elise briefly looked back toward the intersection before turning around again. Her silver hair swayed with the movement.

“So, Hyoren. What’s the plan?”

Hyoren tapped his chin.

“Just the usual. We’ll do something similar to when we fought the Floor Two Guardian. The difference is that there’s no choke point, so we’ll have to keep moving.”

He smiled.

“But Arianna still has the most important role here. We need her AOE attacks to clear the hordes without wasting too much time.”

He looked at Jackey and Elise.

“I’ll tank in front. You two kill the stragglers and protect Arianna from any pincer attacks.”

Jackey grinned and put his bloody axe back onto his shoulder.

“Leave it to me, Big Bro! I’ll protect Miss Purple!”

Elise gripped her Moonveil Bow.

“Just like usual, then. Fufu.”

Hyoren nodded.

“Then let’s go.”

He started walking back toward the intersection, his shield ready and his sword in hand. At the intersection, he briefly considered which path to take.

Left or right…

There didn't seem to be any difference, so he chose the left path. His grip tightened around his shield. He was ready to assault the dozens of goblins waiting in the chamber.

***

Hyoren charged at the front with his shield raised. His steps were steady despite the sheer number of goblins in front of him.

Jackey was slightly behind him, ready to strike anything that managed to get past Hyoren. Elise stayed beside Arianna, protecting her from the side while keeping her Moonveil Bow ready.

Hyoren looked at the sprawling goblin horde ahead.

There were simply too many of them. But that didn't mean he needed to use everything he had. Against a horde like this, debuffs weren't necessary. Most of the goblins were weak enough that they would die quickly from their normal attacks.

So he opted not to use his Enchant Maledict Spell or Magic Blade skill. No need to waste Aethell on them.

He raised his Steel Kite Shield.

“Provoke.”

A wave of Aethell washed over the sprawling goblins in front of him. The effect was immediate. The goblins snarled and turned toward Hyoren. Then they charged. Dozens of footsteps thundered through the chamber as the goblins rushed toward him from the front.

Hyoren tightened his grip on his shield.

As he prepared himself for the attack, he suddenly felt Aethell gathering behind him. He didn't need to look to know that Arianna was preparing her spell.

Arianna raised her Quadraflux Weaver. The orb on top of her staff kept shifting color—red, brown, green, and white. The color shift quickened until it turned white. The orb flashed.

“Boulder Throw!”

A massive boulder formed in front of her. Then it was launched in an arc towards the horde.

BOOM!

The massive boulder crashed into the leading goblins. The impact crushed several of them instantly.

But the attack didn't stop there. The boulder continued rolling forward. It plowed through the goblins behind the first group, crushing more of them beneath its weight before finally dissolving into Aethell.

Hyoren smiled.

That's more than 15 goblins dead with a single spell…

Arianna truly was efficient. Very efficient.

But his smile soon faltered. The moment the boulder was gone, the goblins in the back continued charging. The gap created by the attack was already being filled.

More goblins pushed forward, replacing the ones that had died.

There's still a lot of them…

Arianna would need a few moments before she could cast another spell.

Even with her new accessory—Noctynara's Lament—she couldn't continuously fire her strongest spells without a pause or she risked depleting her Aethell.

Hyoren looked at the approaching goblins. And grinned.

Then it's time for us to work…

He lowered his shield slightly and prepared himself to tank the horde. Three goblins reached him first.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Their rusted weapons struck his shield in quick succession. The impacts traveled through his arm.

Hyoren planted his leg firmly against the ground. He couldn't allow the sheer number of goblins to push him backward.

Another goblin attacked.

CLANG!

Then another.

CLANG!

The horde was already beginning to surround the area in front of him.

I need to do something…

Hyoren pushed forward with his shield. He activated his skill.

“Shield Bash.”

With a quick motion—assisted by the skill—his shield thrust forward.

BANG!

The shield slammed into the goblins in front of him. The force staggered four goblins at once. They stumbled backward, crashing into one another like bowling pins.

Hyoren didn't waste the opening. He immediately followed with a counterattack.

He activated his sword skill, which could deal with multiple opponents at the same time.

“Sweeping Slash.”

His sword swept across the staggered goblins.

SQUELCH.

Four goblins died. Their bodies instantly dissolved. But the space they left behind was quickly filled by more goblins.

Hyoren's expression remained calm. There was no point worrying about their numbers. They simply had to keep killing them.

Beside him, Jackey was already working as well.

His Bloody Axe in his right hand swung toward an approaching goblin.

SCREEECK!

The axe tore through its neck. The goblin's head was sent away from its body.

At almost the same time, his Flying Kite Axe in his left hand swung toward another.

SCREEECK!

Another goblin's head split open.

Jackey grinned as he continued fighting. The moment the dead goblins hit the ground, their bodies instantly dissolved. There was barely any time to think. Kill one. Another took its place. And then another.

Behind them, Elise had already drawn her Moonveil Bow. An arrow was nocked and ready.

But she wasn't aiming at the goblins directly in front of Hyoren and Jackey. Her eyes kept scanning the battlefield. She was looking for any stray goblin that might slip past the two frontliners and reach Arianna. She was their main source of AOE damage. Protecting her was important.

Then Elise's pointed ears suddenly twitched.

She turned around. Her emerald eyes widened. More goblins were coming from the other corridor. They snarled as they began charging toward them.

Elise's expression became serious.

They had thought the sounds of battle wouldn't trigger the goblins in the other corridor. But apparently, the monsters could sense that a battle was happening. The fighting had alerted them. And now they were moving toward the sound.

Elise tightened her grip on her Moonveil Bow.

The goblins from the other corridor were approaching from behind their formation. They weren't simply joining the battle. They were preparing to pincer attack.