"We're here…"

Marak said as he looked at his team. He noticed that everyone was tense as they held their weapons tightly.

​​

It was normal… They don't know what kind of creature would welcome them. The human-sized arachnoid beast that was supposedly living here had its traces vanished and this lair may have a different owner already.

However, they were still hoping that the Crypt Crawlers were still alive somewhere underground.

Marak looked at Polo and without saying any words, the latter moved forward…

Polo surveyed the surroundings of the cave's mouth and noticed that no visible traces of someone going in and out of this lair…

Everyone remained vigilant as he investigates the place.

"It's clear… No other signs of beast or humans in this place… Here, look at these covered scratches."

Polo pointed to one of the rocks outside the cave…

"It's already being covered by moss… Based on the thickness, there was no movement in this cave for about three or four months already…"

"Tsk… That's why those pests had populated so much…" Marak grumbled after remembering their team's previous mission regarding the poison frogs and forest rats.

"So, how should we enter the place? We only have 5 torches with us…" Polo asked everyone.

"Of course, you guys will hold them… I will go in front, I have three vision inducement tonic, I will take one… Sir Orga, Miss Stella… you can also have one…"

Marak said as he handed the tonics to the two.

"Alright…"

"Thank you…"

Reiji remembered that the vision inducement tonic was the specialty of this village and wondered what kind of effect it would give to Stella…

After Stella used the tonic, Reiji asked about the changes in her sight…

"Bleh… It doesn't taste good…" Stella reacted after drinking it.

'Ahh… Master… It's just starting to take effect…' Stella explained as she waited for the changes to happen.

Soon, the previous dark cave has become vivid. It was still unilluminated but she could now see the edges of the cave wall… She looked around the forest behind her and it doesn't seem to have affected her vision… The sunlight wasn't blinding her eyes!

'Amazing… Master Reiji, it seems that it only has effects when I'm looking at a certain level of darkness… Maybe this is why this tonic is the village's main trade…'

Stella explained to her master.

It was her first time using this and in fact, she had similarly prepared one for today. However, she still accepted the one given by Marak as this tonic cost 80 silver! The Null Flower Potion she used before was only 15 silver coins!

Anyway, the effects of this tonic would last for about three hours so they still have plenty of time.

Soon, the others lit up their torches as they started moving inside the eerie cave…

There were webs and dust everywhere as expected of an arachnoid's nest. The passage they're using can fit at least 10 people walking side by side so it was surprising that no other beasts would be interested in going here…

Especially to those Evil Beasts that like to enshroud themselves in darkness…

'I wonder… Are they afraid of someone living here? Or perhaps something stops them from entering this cave?'

Stella mused after she similarly noticed that the path they've taken had no signs of being used for quite some time.

"Mhmm… There are three passages… What should we do?"

Marak's words interrupted her thoughts as she noticed that there were indeed three smaller passages in front.

"Let me see…"

Before anyone could make a suggestion, Orga stepped forward and used his cane to tap at the rocks in the entrance of each passage…

Everyone watched silently and waited for his decision.

Marak actually has some method to use at this moment but decided to ask the others first…

After a few moments, Orga selected the passage at the center…

"I sensed something in this path… while the other two seem to be empty."

"Good… We'll follow your choice. I don't want to have us split anyway…"

Everyone agreed with his words. In this dark and unknown cave, it was better to stick together rather than split up into smaller groups.

As soon as they entered the central passage, the temperature suddenly drops as it started to become chilly.

"Boss… Should we sip some vigor potions?"

"If you can't endure the cold, go ahead… I'm fine…" Marak answered before she looked at Stella and Orga.

The two then indicated that they do not mind the cold temperature.

Orga has magic equipment that protects him from the cold while Stella has a piece of enhanced weapon that warms her body.

It was her Fair Silver Knife made of silver and summer egret's core. It is one of the four pieces of equipment that she got from her uncle's crate before.

Marak also didn't want to drink that vigor potion as it had some side effects if more than what was needed was consumed…

So they have to be careful when taking a sip or it would become a huge problem with Stella around.

"There it is… We found one… No, there are tons of them…"

Finally, they found a lot of Crypt Crawlers after another minute of walking…

They held their weapons tightly as they expected to be attacked at any moment now.

However, there was a problem…

"Are they all dead?" Jared asked after seeing that all of the arachnoid beasts were lying on the ground and not moving…

"Is it because of the cold?" Polo, who only relies on the torch's light guessed but it was denied by everyone.

The Crypt Crawlers have an Arcane Magic called Ice Breath that freezes their prey. It means that they shouldn't be weak with the ice element.

Stella observed the place and found nothing unusual aside from the lying bodies of about twenty crypt crawlers.

This part of the cave seems to be a gathering place for the crawlers as it has a huge space that could probably fit a hundred of them.

Further ahead was another narrow passage that gives off a different aura…

Stella gulped after sensing the danger inside that hole…

"It's weird… None of them have signs of wounds or anything… It's like they just suddenly lose their life… I can't see any signs of battle around the place either…"

The young girl heard Polo's report and approached the lying human-size arachnoid beast…

"So this is a Crypt Crawler… It looks scary…" Stella muttered after seeing its large black body, with many eyes, and hairy legs…

These crawlers were known for their debilitating arcane magic, necrotic energy, and ice… Their known weakness was a certain sound frequency that could momentarily shock them…

"If there are no visible wounds… Perhaps, they're just sleeping?"

"I don't think so… My weapon here reacts to Soul Energy… However, even after I focused it on these bodies, there are no reactions whatsoever…" Orga answered for Stella as he similarly glanced at the sword she's holding.

"I see…"

"If all of them are like this… We can at least bring one—No, two of them, so the Association can properly investigate their cause of death." Marak said to everyone. Based on the tone of his voice, he seems to be disappointed in this result of their mission.

"Miss Stella, Sir Orga… Should we go further inside that passage? It's a bit colder in there as I can feel…"

"Since the other five don't have the proper equipment in cold places, I think they should just stay here and gather beast cores and other beast parts for money… Just leave a few complete bodies for the association…" Orga said after thinking for a moment.

"That's a good idea…" Marak looked at his teammates before they moved in unison. They quickly gathered the bodies of the Crypt Crawlers and selected a couple of them to be brought outside…

The three no longer idle around as they entered the narrow passage emitting a colder temperature.

As soon as the three walked inside, they noticed that there were no longer any webs hanging everywhere… It was unlike the previous paths they were in…

However, before they can walk further to investigate, they were suddenly assaulted by enormous pressure!

It wasn't the cold wind as it has a suffocating aura…

"Found it…"

As Stella was trying to circulate her Spiritual Energy to defend against the pressure, she heard Orga mutter something as he ran further inside this cave!

He left the two behind!

'Follow him…'

'Ahh… Yes, Master… But it's a bit difficult to move…'

'Is that so?'

Reiji then quickly checked Stella's status and noticed her status ailment.

[ Affected by Spiritual Pressure ]

[ Spiritual Pressure: Weakens anyone that has lower Spiritual Energy ]

'Tsk… Guide, is there any way I can do to help her move?'

[ Sword's Will ]

[ Provides high-level resistance against fear and power pressure. Increases the Spiritual Energy of the wielder for 60 seconds. The higher the level, the higher the Energy increase. ]

[ Requirements: Sense Link – Level 10, Take Over – Level 10 ]

[ Price: 100 SP ]

'Expensive! The duration will not even increase… Only the energy level…'

Although Reiji complained about the price, he was still planning to take it…

However, his Take Over was only level 8!

It was such a waste to refresh the cooldown of that skill without being used!