About an hour prior, shortly after Rosalin had spoken with Liese...
The special task force, led by Regen Humour, was moving at high velocity toward Floor 120. They were under direct orders from the Hunter Association, following intelligence reports that a Spider General was indeed attempting to breach the upper levels.
'Have Rosalin and those kids made it out yet?' Liese wondered, her heart heavy with worry. 'The tremors are getting worse... Is this place going to collapse?'
Liese wasn't the only one; everyone in the expedition was on edge. While their primary concern was the enemies they were about to face, the intermittent earthquakes were an ill omen.
Worst of all, the Association had appointed Regen as the leader for this raid on 'The Nest.' Everyone knew his reputation, yet none could refuse the mission or abandon their duty.
Regen came to a dead halt as he saw what lay ahead.
"What... what is that?" Liese murmured, her breath hitching at the sight of the gargantuan spider looming before them. Dozens of massive eyes glowed with a brilliant crimson light against its dark purple body, which was reinforced by jagged purple crystals. Its towering form nearly brushed the ceiling of the dungeon.
[Grand General Spider: Agus Chevalier Lv.150]
[Adult Spider: Agus Soldier Lv.103]
Behind The Grand General stood hundreds of adult soldiers, their red eyes flashing like malevolent stars in the darkness.
"It's not just The Grand General Spider like the report said! R-Retreat!" one hunter screamed. But the moment he turned to run, a frost-covered chain whipped out and ensnared his leg.
With a violent yank, the hunter was hurled directly into the swarm. He was left to struggle desperately as the spiders converged on him.
"We came here to subjugate it," Regen said, his voice as cold as the grave. He jerked the chain back, wrapping it around his left arm, which was already scarred by frostbite. "The Association was very clear. They authorized me to execute anyone who dares to desert... on the spot."
As they watched the thrown hunter being torn apart and consumed, the group froze. The Grand General Spider remained motionless, watching. Liese covered her mouth in horror. She had heard Hermit's warnings about Regen, but she had always thought her friend was just being overly pessimistic.
Now she realized... Hermit hadn't been nearly descriptive enough.
"You're... you're insane..." The words escaped Liese's lips. Instantly, Regen's massive greatsword was at her throat.
"Cast it," Regen commanded, his eyes as frigid as permafrost. "Now."
Staring at the nightmare behind him, Liese's eyes trembled with terror.
"E...Endurance… G... Guard..." she stammered. "[Buff Skill: Reinforcement]... [Buff Skill: Agility]."
"Keep your Heal for me and me alone, The Light," Regen ordered, using Liese's hunter codename. He turned his chilling gaze toward the others. "The rest of you... charge."
"Y-You... how are we supposed to survive without a healer?!" one hunter yelled. He went silent the moment he saw Regen's hand twitch.
The other team members could only offer pitying looks.
"Survival is not a requirement. The Association only demands success," Regen stated flatly. "Choose now: die here, or die outside. But if these De-vons break through, you know exactly what happens to the city."
Trapped between a monster and a madman, the hunters had no choice. If the De-vons breached 'The Nest,' it would be a catastrophe. Even if they survived this room, the Association would be waiting for them at the exit.
Seeing the internal strife among the humans, the Grand General Spider screeched an order. The sound of scuttling legs and insectoid cries thundered through the cavern like a war horn. With a desperate roar, the hunters drew their weapons and charged, with Liese and the other supporters providing what cover they could.
"[Protection Skill: Shield!]" Liese cast the spell on everyone. Unable to defy Regen, she looked for any way to help her comrades instead.
"Pointless," Regen muttered before leaping toward the Grand General Spider. The battle turned into a chaotic bloodbath. The hunters fought like cornered animals, unable to flee.
Yet, despite being the leader, Regen held back, waiting.
"Aren't you going to help them?" Liese asked. She wanted to join the fray, but as a support with no combat skills, she would only be a burden.
Regen didn't answer. As the battle raged, Liese noticed a blue aura swirling around his obsidian blade—a darkness deeper than the shadows of the cave. Suddenly, he swung the sword forward.
"[Attack Skill: Frozen Break!]"
A horizontal crescent of ice energy tore through the air, hurtling toward the Grand General Spider and the swarm, obliterating everything in its path.
"Regen, what are you doing?! No! Everyone!" Liese cried out, pushing her shield skill to the limit. White-orange-pink spheres of light enveloped the hunters like glowing bubbles, protecting them from the freezing shockwave.
Ice encased the spiders instantly, spreading rapidly across their carapaces. Unlike the spiders, the hunters inside Liese's wards remained untouched as a freezing gale howled through the cavern.
"[Skill: Heal!]" Liese ignored his previous orders. She couldn't stand by and watch his selfishness.
Suddenly, a black-gloved hand clamped around Liese's throat, cutting off her chant. She gasped, struggling against his grip.
"Don't do anything unnecessary," Regen said, watching her struggle. "Your only job is to assist me."
'This man... isn't normal...' Liese clawed at his wrist. 'I'm sorry, Rosalin... I should have listened to you.'
As the protective wards vanished, Regen released his grip, letting Liese collapse to the floor. He lunged forward, striking the frozen Grand General Spider.
SCREECH!
Suddenly, the ice shattered—not from Regen's blow, but from within. The Grand General's cry echoed, a low-frequency pulse that shattered the ice holding its minions. The spiders, now free and enraged, swarmed the hunters, tearing into their flesh.
[You have received a debuff: Fear. Your body is temporarily paralyzed.]
Status screens blinked red as screams filled the air. "Help! N-No! AGH!"
"H... Heal..." Liese tried to cast a spell on her own bruised throat so she could speak, but her coughing made it impossible to concentrate.
Strangely, Regen seemed unaffected by the Fear debuff. His black sword surged with blue energy, denser than before. He prepared for another strike.
Then, a voice like a purifying bell echoed through the cavern.
"[Domain Skill: Lost Alexandria!]"
As the words fell, Liese felt a gentle breeze, the scent of salt water... and the smell of old books. The damp, jagged dungeon floor transformed into shimmering water and cobblestone. A towering marble lighthouse rose into the air, surrounded by a circular wall, while an endless sea stretched toward the horizon.
Behind this majestic landscape stood a woman in a grey hoodie and dark jeans—a stark contrast to the awe-inspiring power she had just unleashed.
Rosalin spun her staff once and slammed the tip into the ground.
"[Sub-Domain Skill: Tower of Guidance!]"
The lighthouse erupted in a brilliant glow, serving as a beacon for the lost. Ancient sea waves crashed against the shores of the sunken city.
"A... A Domain Skill," one hunter stammered as the black mist of Fear dissipated from his body. The spiders began to retreat.
"Hermit..." Liese whispered, tears of relief pricking her eyes. "It really is you!"
Rosalin stepped forward. Her staff, crafted from gnarled vines, held a crescent-shaped head where an amber orb spun at high speed, flickering with light.
[Tower of Guidance: Activate: 'Fear' debuff has been cleansed.]
Seeing this, Regen unleashed his skill with even more reckless power. A freezing wind encased the spiders again, only for them to be shattered by the Grand General's roar.
[Enemy 'Fear' skill neutralized.]
"Why are you here?" Regen asked, his voice devoid of warmth.
"I came for The Light, not for you," Rosalin countered. "A man like you—who throws his allies to the De-vons just to hog the glory—can survive on his own. You and that talking sword of yours."
["Hmph... I told you we should have killed her back then,"] a raspy, deep male voice emanated from the black greatsword.
"It's been three years since our last mission, and that's all the greeting I get... Calibarn?" Rosalin said. "Still indulging in 'Chaos' as usual, I see."
["What energy source is more potent than despair?"] Calibarn, the obsidian blade in Regen's hand, droned.
The hunters who had just met Regen were struck with terror at the sight of the sentient blade. Only Rosalin remained unfazed.
"...Seeing this De-von, it's no wonder the Association sent you and Calibarn," Rosalin noted, maintaining her Domain. "Sending only two High-Rank Hunters for something of this caliber... they must be putting a lot of faith in Calibarn's power."
Regen remained silent. Liese, piecing the clues together, felt a new surge of dread. "...Is it... a Cursed Blade?"
Neither Regen nor Rosalin answered. They locked eyes in a tense standoff until Rosalin broke the silence. "Let's finish the mess you started first. All of you... get inside my Domain!"
The surviving hunters scrambled to safety behind Rosalin. The spider soldiers retreated, sensing the boundary of her power. Their instincts warned them of the consequences of crossing it. However, under the piercing gaze of their Grand General, they were forced to advance.
"[Sub-Domain Skill: The Fools!]"
The skill affected any enemy with an Intelligence (INT) stat lower than the user, forcing them into an undeniable submission and retreat. Those who resisted would fall into a state of 'Folly' and crippling mental terror.
Seeing its minions failing, the Grand General itself stepped into the Domain.
[Grand General Spider l's Intelligence is higher than the Domain user.]
"This damn spider..." Rosalin cursed.
"Truly a useless support," Regen remarked, raising his blade.
"[Debuff Skill: In Horror!]" Rosalin raised her hand, casting the spell. A black spirit with red eyes appeared above the enemy before vanishing.
[Skill Level is too low. Skill failed.]
"Dammit!" Rosalin hissed. "Then how the hell are we supposed to take this thing down?!"