"Isn't it too quiet?" Lucia asked, looking over at the cave, and added as she fanned the hem of her robe under her jaw, "and too hot."
The scenery changed after they passed the resting hall. Now they were walking on floors of dried magma where lava crawled like veins against the hard rock. The ground and walls both spurted hot magma that was enough to put [Burn] status to anyone who even grazed the burning liquid fire and steam.
"Scar's group must have engaged some of the monsters that respawn." Alecia fanned herself with her hands. It was hot and humid, and the background wasn't helping either to diffuse the blistering atmosphere.
They might have already died from the fuming air alone if this was in the real world. Luckily that this was all just a fantasy set in a realistic scenery that wouldn't let them die by stepping foot in a pool of burning magma.
"Let's pick up the pace." Silvia took the front together with Ren, Ruru, and Nikolai.
While the others were busy with their thoughts and chatting, Ren was busy admiring the place.
It was like they were inside the stomach of a volcano. A live-breathing Volcano.
Ren stifled a laugh. However, Pii was restless in his neck. It kept looking behind his shoulder, making hissing and gurgling sounds, and he knew the reason. He was warning him of a potential threat.
But Ren chose to close his mouth and rubbed little Pii's chin. "Relax. Everything's going to be okay."
Unbeknownst to everyone, Ren kept an eye at the resting hall a while ago. And it didn't escape his notice about a group that came as they were going to leave.
It wouldn't be a problem since it was normal for other groups to come after them in the dungeon. There were tons of groups who wanted to try their luck in Vulcan's Cave.
However, what was not normal was that one of the group members made eye contact with Robert and his friends. They shared a slight nod with each other before they acted like they didn't know one another.
Ren was already keeping an extra eye on Robert and his friends, to begin with, and any slight movement from Roberts' side would trigger his suspicion in full gear.
Ren couldn't help it. He was geared that way.
Even if it was just a typical show of acquaintances meeting each other in the dungeon, Ren had other thoughts. He was traumatized by the number of schemes the players committed in his past life, all in the name of getting ahead from the others.
However, he kept all those thoughts in his head.
He wasn't one hundred percent sure, and it might be him just overthinking again.
"I don't like that guy," Nikolai was suddenly right beside Ren, stealing the latter's attention.
"Who?" Ruru asked.
"That Scar guy."
"Why?"
"He used to date my sister," Nikolai said grumpily.
Ruru laughed. "That's normal . . . I think. Anyone would hate the guy his beloved sister dates."
Nikolai shook his head. "No. That's not it. I'm not jealous or anything . . . It's just . . . he dumped her because we became poor."
Ruru put her palm against her mouth. "Really? That's . . . That's just mean . . ."
Ruru looked at her fidgeting hands and said consolingly at Nikolai, "But look at it on the bright side. At least your sister didn't end up with a guy like that, right?"
Nikolai nodded, but he was still feeling grumpy. "Yeah. It's just . . . he hurt my sister and all and left her when she needed him the most."
As Ren listened to Nikola and Ruru's conversation, he couldn't help but sympathize with Nikolai's older sister. He was very familiar with that feeling of being used and dumped after he had nothing left.
However . . . That was all sympathy. He didn't know her, so he couldn't be bothered too much.
"What's that?" Ruru suddenly skidded to a stop when she heard something. Her big fluffy ears wiggled, picking up sounds ahead.
"What's wrong?" Nikolai asked.
"I think theirs . . . fighting just ahead." Ruru pointed forward.
Nikolai closed his eyes and listened. The others did the same when Ruru pointed it out.
SpLaAsH . . .
There was a faint sound of like a water hitting something and echoes of indistinct growls.
"I think there are monsters up ahead!" Nikolai said in glee.
Lucia burst into a toothy grin. "Finally!"
Ren and the others hurried forward, eager for another round of grinding. And like they expected, there were indeed a Lava Ant and a Lava Hound in the area, in addition to a girl with white hair and twin silver moon eyes.
Ren was stunned in place.
Evie?
Evie was still processing all the things that were happening to her. She still couldn't believe the turn of the event. Being a spy wasn't what she signed up for and definitely not one of her forte.
Part of her just wanted to quit, while another part wanted to push with it. It was an easy task if she could just manage to enter Silvia's group. And that was an automatic spot into Black Lion that she could hardly pass by.
"Oh. There are monsters up ahead," someone in the group alerted.
Evie looked at the three Lava Ants and Two Lava Hounds. The monsters were beginning to increase in numbers. Maybe because they were already nearing the Boss's room?
"Alright, get into position," Guro announced, and like a disciplined army, everyone took their position and engaged the monsters.
There were ten members in the support group and another ten that took the main unit.
"Don't kill them all. Keep each one alive," Scar announced before he faced Evie with a smile.
"I think this is the spot where we have to drop you off," Scar said over to Evie.
Evie blinked. She opened her mouth and was about to say that she had changed her mind when a notification popped on her screen.
[Everyone kicked you out from Black Lion!]
