[Apocalypse] Chapter 49: Verdant Exploration

Choose the difficulty layer you wish to enter.

Layer I: Recommended for a party of five at Initiate Level.

Layer II: Recommended for a party of five at Peak Initiate Level.

Layer III: Recommended for a party of five at First Advancement.

Layer IV: Recommended for a party of five at Peak First Advancement.

Layer V: Recommended for a party of five at Second Advancement.

Looking at the screen in front of him, Thorian smiled. As he looked back at his comrades, it seemed that they had also got to see the same floating panel.

“What do you all think?” Thorian asked. “Which difficulty should we choose?”

“I say let’s go for the fifth Layer!” Ventus excitedly suggested. However, just as he was about to explain his reasoning, Saxum lightly punched in the head.

“You really should learn to zip it.”

“Agh! Why did you hit me!” Ventus grabbed Saxum by the shoulders. “It was the king that asked for my opinion, why do you butt in?”

Thorian and the priest shook their heads at the childish banter while Nox was laughing heartily on the side.

“It was my mistake, I shouldn't have asked,” Thorian grumbled. “We will go for the second layer. It should be a good starting point to understand the layout of this dungeon.”

“But I really wanted a challenge…”

Ignoring Ventus’s complaints, Thorian issued his order. “Since we can’t form an official party that is confirmed by the system yet, we need to hold hands before choosing the difficulty. Else we will all be teleported to different places.”

“Teleportation?” Nox asked with bright eyes, “Now that's a sight I want to see!”

“How would that work?” Saxum asked with interest.

“You will see soon enough,” Thorian said spreading his arms, “Now take each other’s hands.”

Following his command, the group took each other by the hand before Thorian chose the second layer of the dungeon. With all hands linked, Thorian turned his attention back to the screen and firmly selected 'Layer II'. The moment he did, a radiant light enveloped the group, causing them to instinctively shut their eyes.

Ventus couldn't help but give a startled yelp, his grip on Saxum's hand tightening. A sensation of weightlessness swept over them, like they were being lifted off their feet. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the sensation stopped, and the brilliant light faded.

They opened their eyes to find themselves standing in a vastly different environment than the forest they'd left behind. The enormous tree that housed the dungeon was even more towering from the inside, its inner walls glowing faintly with the bioluminescence of countless fungi and moss.

"Everyone alright?" Thorian asked, scanning his companions. The others nodded, still a bit disoriented but otherwise unharmed. "Then let's proceed with caution," he added, releasing the hands of Nox and Saxum.

Nox, being very energetic, stepped forward with a grin. "Alright! Let's see what this dungeon's got!"

"No need to rush," Thorian admonished, but there was a smile playing on his lips. He was just as eager as the rest of them to see what challenges awaited them.

As they moved from the landing area, they entered the first challenge - The Fungal Fields. The sight that greeted them was nothing short of surreal. The fungi were in various colors, shapes, and sizes, each with its own unique luminous hue. But the wonder of the sight was quickly overshadowed by the rustling noises coming from the towering mushrooms.

Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, Ventus spotted movement. "There!" he pointed. Emerging from the base of a large mushroom were several armored beetles, their exoskeletons shimmering with the reflected bioluminescent light.

Armored beetles?

Nox was already on the move, his excitement boiling over. "I got this!" he exclaimed, charging forward with a gust of wind that picked up loose leaves and small stones around him.

"Saxum, slow him down!" Thorian called out. The earth mage quickly cast his root spell, trying to ensnare Nox, but the shadowstalker was too fast.

Nox approached the armored beetles, axe in hand, but as he brought it down, it merely clanged off the beetle's exoskeleton. The beetles retaliated in unison, their sharp mandibles snapping at the black kobold.

“Nox, run!” Hearing Thorian’s commanding shout, the shadowstalker burst into action, running away with neckbreaking speed from the swarm of beetles. However, even though Nox was fast, the beetles fired a volley of spikes at the shadowstalker, covering all his escape routes.

“Gale Slash!”

Just as the volley of missile was about to skewer the black kobold, a burst of wind slashed through the spikes veering them off course.

Ventus didn't let up on his gale slashes, the gusts of wind colliding against the spikes and deflecting them away from Nox, who was darting around the beetles, trying to find an opening. Meanwhile, Thorian stepped forward, flames flickering around his fingers.

"Stand back!" he called out before thrusting his hands forward, a stream of fire spewing from his palms. The beetles screeched as their exoskeletons heated up, the creatures instinctively curling to protect themselves, exposing their vulnerable underbellies.

"Now, Nox!" Thorian shouted.

With a grunt of acknowledgment, the shadowstalker dashed forward, his swift movements barely visible. His blade whistled through the air as he danced among the beetles, slashing at their exposed underbellies. Each stroke of his axe was precise and deadly, leaving fatal wounds in the soft flesh of the beetles.

However, even with their impeccable teamwork, a stray spike managed to graze Thorian. A sharp yelp escaped him, his movements faltering for a moment. But before the beetles could seize this chance, Saxum stepped forward, his hands glowing a soft green.

"Earthen Grasp," he whispered, slamming his hands into the ground. Immediately, the ground softened and molded before twinning around the beetles and trapping those standing on the ground in place. With the beetles immobilized, Nox could move more freely, slicing through the monsters with ease.

Still, the wound he'd received needed to be tended to. The priest, standing a safe distance away, raised his hand, a soft, silvery light emanating from it.

With a small intonation, the moonlight stretched out and enveloped Thorian. The flame kobold's grimace of pain eased as the healing magic stitched his wound together.

With their combined efforts, the party swiftly dealt with the beetle threat, leaving them panting but exhilarated. There were smiles all around, an atmosphere of camaraderie filling the air.

Level up!

Seeing the familiar pop up, Thorian let out a smile. I forgot I was close to leveling up again. Display Panel.

Level: 12/30 (exp: 14/1350)

After checking his level, Thorian immediately closed his stat screen. His eyes then shifted toward the shadowstalker.

“Nox, you shouldn’t get too excited. Understood?” Thorian said, his voice stern but not unkind.

With a grin, Nox rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish look on his face. "Sorry about that, guys," he admitted, glancing over at Thorian. "I got a bit carried away there. Won't happen again."

Thorian nodded, his stern expression softening. "That's all we ask, Nox. This isn't the same as just killing anything that moves when guarding the wall. We need to work as a team, to keep each other safe."

The rest of the group shared a look, the smiles on their faces betraying their relief. While the battle had been an unexpected challenge, their victory was a testament to their strength as a team. No one was seriously injured, and they'd even leveled up.

"Alright, let's take a moment here," Thorian suggested, sitting down on a nearby mushroom. "We need to discuss our tactics. Nox, you need to remember to let Saxum and Ventus control the battlefield first. You're our ace, our finisher. We can't afford you going berserk from the start."

Ventus, sitting opposite of Thorian, chuckled. "Yeah, listen to the king. You nearly gave us a heart attack."

Surprisingly, even Saxum agreed. “I usually never agree with what this bonehead says, but you almost got yourself killed. I don’t know from where this idiot got the reflexes to save you.”

“Hey! Who are you calling an idiot?!”

Ignoring their banter, Thorian turned to the priest. "You did well with the healing. However, remember to also support with your other skills when necessary. Ventus, Saxum, your control over the battlefield was excellent. Let's keep that up. And Nox, you need to be patient. Wait for the right moment to strike."

After ensuring that everyone understood their roles, Thorian stood, the rest of the group following suit. They made their way out of the Fungal Fields, Ventus and Saxum leading the way, their senses alert to any potential danger.

As they crossed the fungal field, the path they were led to by the dungeon showed a clear distinction of areas. As they stepped into the Thorned Thicket, they felt a significant change in the atmosphere. The dense vegetation and the twisting ivy gave the place a claustrophobic feeling, and the quiet rustle of the leaves was a constant reminder of the lurking dangers.

They moved cautiously, Ventus's Wind Gust violently pushing aside the poisonous ivy, while Saxum kept an eye out for any movement in the dense thicket. Nox remained at the back, his gaze shifting from one side to the other, his hand never leaving the grip of his axe.

Suddenly, Saxum raised his hand, bringing the group to a halt. His eyes narrowed at a particular patch of ivy, while he conjured a Rock Bullet with his finger. The moment his magic came into contact with the vegetation, a Voracious Vine shot out, its fangs gleaming under the dim glow of the bioluminescent fungi.

Ventus was quick to react, a gust of wind sending the vine flying back. Nox stepped forward, his blade slashing through the air, and with a single, swift movement, cut the vine into two. The vine fell to the ground, writhing and hissing until it eventually stopped moving.

A quiet sigh of relief went through the group. They were in the thick of it now, their every step leading them deeper into the challenges of the Verdant Labyrinth.

"Let's keep moving," Thorian said, his voice low but filled with resolve. "Stay vigilant, and we'll make it through."