“Here we are!”

  Layla dropped her heavy backpack to the ground with a relieved sigh. Kneeling, she rummaged through its contents before pulling out a thick, folded piece of paper. She unfurled it once, twice, thrice—until it nearly reached the ground.

  “A map of the caverns,” she explained, glancing at the others. “Or at least, the parts that have been explored so far.”

  Jin seemed curious, as he had not seen that in ages. “A paper map? Wouldn’t a portable hologram be more useful?”

  Before Layla could answer, Edda spoke up, her voice sharp with conviction.

  “Holographic devices are expensive,” she said, adjusting her glasses. “More importantly, they emit too much light. And in these caves, light attracts dangerous, hungry creatures”

  Her expression tensed as she trailed off. Her fingers twitched at her sides. Then, suddenly, she lifted her hands and waved them frantically in front of her face, her eyes darting to something unseen.

  There was nothing there.

  The shift in her demeanor was quick—almost practiced, like she was fighting an invisible presence only she could perceive. For a brief moment, her breathing grew uneven. Then, just as abruptly, she lowered her hands and looked back at the group, as if nothing had happened.

  A beat of silence followed.

  “…Hungry creatures, huh?” William muttered, swallowing hard. He really didn’t like the idea of being trapped underground with things lurking in the dark.

  Dovak clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder, nearly knocking him forward. “Relax, man! I’ll watch your back.”

  William winced, rolling his shoulder to make sure it was still intact. “Great. That’s very reassuring.”

  Meanwhile, Layla spread the map across the ground, pressing down the edges.

  “We need to be careful,” Layla said, tracing her finger along the map. “Once we descend the first two hundred meters, we’ll reach a small cavern that branches into several tunnels.”

  James pointed to a specific section near the cavern. “We should avoid this area.”

  “Why?” Nyx asked.

  “That’s where the Darkrawlers nest is.” James adjusted his glasses, his expression serious. “They were once human—until the sinister energy below twisted them beyond recognition.”

  “They look grotesque,” Lawan added with a slight grimace. “Their faces are stretched and distorted, and their arms… mutated into hideous blades.”

  “Like crab claws, ” Lars chimed in, his accent thick. “But thinner. Sharpa’.”

  A beat of silence passed as everyone absorbed the information.

  Layla exhaled, straightening up. “Alright, you know what to avoid. Let’s move.”

  The group started their descent, carefully navigating the rocky path downward. But as they moved, Layla hung back.

  “Nigel.”

  He stopped, turning toward her. “What is it?”

  “I need to ask you a favor.”

  Nigel’s eyes narrowed slightly. “…What kind of favor?”

  Layla hesitated, her gaze flickering toward Edda, who was walking a few paces ahead, her fingers twitching restlessly at her sides.

  “Stay close to Edda.”

  Nigel frowned. “Edda? Why?”

  Layla exhaled, lowering her voice. “She’s sick. We don’t know exactly what it is, but sometimes… sometimes she becomes paranoid. She talks about monsters hunting her, sees things we don’t. I need someone to watch her.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Nigel studied her carefully. “And you’re asking me? Why?”

  Layla’s eyes met his. “Because I can see it,” she said simply. “You’re the right person for this.”

  “…You think I’m the strongest,” he muttered, not entirely convinced.

  Layla shook her head. “This isn’t just about strength.”

  Nigel was silent for a moment. His first instinct was to refuse.

  But deep down, in the quiet part of himself he rarely listened to—he wanted to help.

  “…Fine,” he said reluctantly. “I’ll do it.”

  Layla’s lips curved into a small, genuine smile. “Thank you.”

  Without another word, Nigel picked up his pace, closing the distance between him and Edda. She didn’t notice—her gaze was unfocused, staring at something far beyond what anyone else could see.

  Soon, they reached the entrance of the cave, and just as expected, dozens of raven corpses littered the ground. Some were fresh, others decayed, their flesh rotting away, while the oldest were reduced to nothing but brittle bones.

  “Well, it definitely lives up to its name,” Sam muttered.

  Without another word, the group stepped into the cavern.

  At first, the tunnel was spacious, the ceiling high above them. But as they progressed, the walls began to close in, forcing them to walk in a single-file line. Layla led the way, while Nigel and Edda took up the rear.

  Out of nowhere, Edda turned to Nigel with a mischievous glint in her eye.

  “Check this out,” she said, her voice low, almost conspiratorial.

  She lifted her hand. Sitting in her palm was a whip spider—its spindly legs twitching, its long, whip-like feelers shifting in the dim light.

  Nigel eyed it, unimpressed. “Where did you even find that?”

  “No idea,” Edda admitted, grinning. “But watch this.”

  Without hesitation, she extended her arm and carefully placed the spider on Jin’s shoulder. Then, as if nothing had happened, she called out to him.

  The moment Jin turned his head, his gaze landed on the creature—its angular body, its long, creeping limbs—and he froze. Completely.

  Nigel saw the exact moment the terror took hold. Jin didn’t scream. Didn’t move. Just locked up, his face a rigid mask of horror.

  Edda burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.

  Nigel, despite himself, felt the corner of his lips twitch. He wasn’t the type to laugh easily, but watching the usually composed Jin petrified in sheer fear was… amusing.

  He hadn’t expected this from Edda. At first, she had seemed like the quiet, analytical type. But now? She was anything but reserved.

  Layla’s voice suddenly echoed through the tunnel.

  “You three, hurry up!”

  Only then did Edda, still chuckling, reach over and pluck the spider off Jin’s shoulder. Jin blinked—as if waking from a trance—and, without a word, kept walking as though nothing had happened.

  Edda watched him for a moment, then tilted her head. “Weird reaction,” she muttered before turning back to Nigel. A smirk played at her lips.

  “Come on, you found that funny.”

  Nigel exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. “A little.”

  Satisfied, Edda grinned before they continued forward.

  Eventually, they reached a small, oval-shaped chamber, where Layla signaled for a break.

  The group scattered, taking the opportunity to drink water and chat amongst themselves.

  Nigel, however, quickly noticed something off.

  James stood slightly apart from the others, gripping his backpack with white-knuckled tension. Every few seconds, his gaze flickered toward the group, then away, his shoulders unnaturally stiff.

  Something wasn’t right.

  Nigel narrowed his eyes, watching him closely. He approached slowly, his steps deliberate.

  “Something wrong?”

  James flinched at the sound of his voice. He hadn’t noticed Nigel closing in—that alone made his nerves spike. His grip on his backpack tightened.

  “No, no… everything’s fine,” he said quickly. Too quickly.

  The response wasn’t convincing. Not to Nigel.

  “How about we head back to the group?” Nigel offered, keeping his tone casual.

  James’ eyes darted toward the others, then back to Nigel. “Uh… no, that won’t be necessary.” His voice was uneven, a forced steadiness barely holding back whatever was eating at him.

  Nigel remained still, unreadable. “Then I’ll stay here and keep you company.”

  James swallowed. His fingers twitched around the straps of his backpack.

  Nigel had seen this kind of behavior before. He didn’t need to read minds to know something was coming. His instincts screamed at him—James was on edge, too tense, too fidgety. He was waiting for something. Or planning something.

  A long, shaky exhale left James’ lips. His grip loosened slightly.

  “…You know,” he muttered, his voice lower now, almost thoughtful. “Right beneath us, there’s a network of tunnels. I’ve spent months studying the maps. One of those tunnels is the one most likely to lead to where the ship is.”

  Nigel’s eyes narrowed. “Then why aren’t we heading there?”

  James let out a short, bitter laugh.

  “I’ve been stuck here for years,” he muttered. “No progress. No real progress. We haven’t claimed a single Treasure. We’re going nowhere.” His breath quickened, his frustration spilling out like water through cracked glass. “And this guild… it has no future.”

  He looked up at Nigel now, his gaze shifting—no longer nervous, but resolute.

  “The ship… this treasure… it’s too valuable to be shared.”

  The shift happened in an instant.

  James’ fingers released the backpack, letting it drop. A sudden flash erupted from within—a burst of blinding light that stole the sight of everyone in the chamber.

  Nigel barely had time to react.

  Then—boom.

  The shockwave tore through the cavern, hurling him backward. A sharp impact slammed into his ribs, and before the world faded to black, he felt himself collide with someone.

  A deep, thunderous crack echoed all around them.

  The ground collapsed.

  Rocks split apart, the floor beneath them vanishing into a hungry void. The cavern gave way, swallowing them in a roaring cascade of stone and dust.

  Nigel plunged into the darkness, falling for what felt like an eternity—until, suddenly, his descent came to a crashing halt.