Now, only 93 members of the dungeon conquest team remained.
Ready led the surviving Hunters into the area as the black dome expanded rapidly, swallowing trees in its path. This was the volatile nature of "The Darkness"—a Rift-type dungeon known for having the highest expansion rate among the four categories.
"Brace yourselves," Ready commanded. The 92 Hunters behind him marched straight into the expanding dome. Their faces were masks of courage, hiding a whirlwind of emotions that words could never fully capture.
"For humanity!" someone roared.
"For humanity!" Nearly everyone echoed in unison. "For our children!"
"For a world free from Dungeons and De-vons!" another Hunter shouted.
"To the end!"
Rosaline shouted along with them, moving forward against a tide of birds fleeing their vanishing habitats. Wild animals—tigers, monkeys, even giant anacondas—slithered and sprinted past them, too consumed by the terror of death to attack the humans in their way.
They watched as ancient trees disappeared into the dome's edge.
Mom… Leslie… Rosaline conjured their faces in her mind as she saw Commander Ready vanish into the expanding blackness first. One by one, the others were swallowed whole until the dome finally touched her.
In the second the young Hunter was consumed, the warmth of the sun vanished, replaced by a void so absolute it felt like nonexistence. The sudden shift triggered her instincts, pushing her to the brink of a panic attack.
"Can anyone hear me? Everyone!" Rosaline screamed, but no sound came out.
She wasn't mute, but the density of the darkness acted as a "field" that absorbed air vibrations, rendering sound waves motionless. Yet, paradoxically, she could hear her own heartbeat thumping softly in her ears, and the rush of blood pumping through her veins felt deafening.
Thump!
The internal noise scrambled her senses. She finally understood the true meaning of the phrase: 'Silence can drive a person mad.'
I… I need light… She tried to summon an item from her storage, but the crushing pressure of the darkness made it difficult to focus. It took several agonizing minutes before she could finally pull out a flashlight.
It was a light powered by light crystals, but even then, it couldn't pierce the gloom. It only illuminated a tiny radius around her.
"In that case… Lost Alexandria!"
She thrust her amber-headed wooden staff upward. A marble lighthouse materialized amidst a phantom sea, its beacon erupting in a brilliant flash. The oppressive darkness thinned, revealing the other Hunters who had entered at the same time.
"Ah, this is…" a hunter stammered, turning toward the light.
"That support… The Hermit," said the female Hunter who had served breakfast that morning. They all began running toward Rosaline.
"The rookie's got talent," Ready remarked, turning back to join them.
But then… pure horror struck without warning.
"Commander Ready!" a Hunter shrieked, pointing at two massive red eyes looming directly behind their leader.
CRACK!
Ready tried to turn, but a colossal black hand swiped him away like a fly, sending him tumbling through the air.
"What is that?" a Hunter asked, their voice trembling with raw fear. "Is that the Boss?"
The red eyes rose higher, as if the creature had simply been crouching. The figure was humanoid but as tall as a ten-story building. Its pitch-black body was covered in jagged thorns of the same hue, devoid of any gender or defining features.
The crimson eyes looked down. Its lips moved, uttering words in a tongue not of this world.
{Krrh… shaa--thrrn…}
The group froze. This was beyond their worst nightmares. Can it speak?
Rosaline watched in shock as the light from Alexandria revealed its face—human-like but with dull black skin and unkempt hair and beard. Thorns sprouted from its neck and cheeks.
"A humanoid Boss… P-prepare for battle!" someone finally managed to shout.
Rosaline snapped back to reality, gripping her staff tight. "Field Skill: Tower of Guidance!"
The amber glowed intensely, synchronizing with the lighthouse's beam.
[Effect applied: 'Fear' status reduced by 30%]
A blue status window flickered before her. Her skill could suppress supernatural dread, but it couldn't erase the primal "fear" in people's hearts. It could only dampen it. And right now, they were truly terrified.
[You have encountered a Titan-class De-von: Aeternum, The One Being Perfected. Status: Fully Awakened.]
…
…
Blue eyes slowly flickered open. Rosaline found herself lying on the dining table where she had sat last night, draped in a thin blanket.
The ramen bowl was still beside her, the noodles bloated and cold. It wasn't an issue for her; a quick trip to the microwave would make it edible again.
"Better finish that report. I have to go with Lyse later, and I still need to buy a mask," Rosaline muttered to herself, folding the blanket. "And tomorrow I have to teach the Beethovens… Busy as soon as I get back."
While waiting for the microwave, she spotted the bag of yellow birds and thought of Adrian.
Actually, the arcade was pretty fun, she thought. Next time, I want to try that Whack-a-Mole game.
She pulled out a plushie. It looked adorable—its eyes were just three little lines, making it look like a startled bird trying its best to fly away.
I think I heard somewhere that there's such a thing as plushie therapy?
She held the yellow bird in one hand.
Thwack!
She landed a few solid punches on the poor bird's face. A small smile tugged at her lips. It felt surprisingly good to punch a plushie (or perhaps, a certain someone's face?).
But in the middle of her "intense training session," a voice came from behind.
"Morning, Rose." Leslie stood there in a white shirt and slacks, his backpack stuffed with engineering gear.
"Eek!" Rosaline jumped, accidentally hugging the plushie to her chest. She turned around, trying to regain her composure.
"Pfft. Sis, I didn't see anything," Leslie said, heading to the kettle. "Want a cup of cocoa?"
"Yeah, I'll take one." She noticed his bag looked unusually heavy. "Do you have a practical exam today?"
"No, it's an on-site lesson. I have to bring my hard hat and safety boots. It's a construction site near the university, don't worry," Leslie explained.
Her brother was a fourth-year civil engineering student. He was currently prepping for exams and doing site visits. His grades were excellent; even without first-class honors, he made up for it with outstanding extracurriculars and being the university's star basketball player. Because of that, he was constantly showered with chocolates and gifts on Valentine's or White Day, which Rosaline usually ended up helping him eat.
"I see. Just stay safe," she said warmly.
"Anyway… claw machines usually attract a lot of people. Including the guys who like to show off to girls," Leslie remarked while pouring hot water into two mugs.
"And…?" Rosaline asked, confused by the sudden change in topic.
"What's he like? Is he nice? Is he handsome? The guy who's chasing you."
"Huh?"
Seeing her confusion, Leslie continued, "The perfume on those plushies is a famous brand. Casanovas love that scent… so I figured I'd ask."
Rosaline froze for a second, processing his words. "Wait, you've got it wrong. I really just went out with a colleague last night."
"Oh? After being a Hunter for twenty years, I thought you were finally getting a boyfriend. I honestly thought you'd settle for that Knight of Light guy," Leslie said, looking genuinely surprised his guess was off.
"Work was just really stressful yesterday, so we hit the arcade after the late shift," Rosaline replied, having completely forgotten that while her brother lacked Hunter skills, his sense of smell was incredibly sharp.
Leslie stirred the cocoa and placed a mug in front of her. "Get some rest, Rose. You've worked hard. I'll be back late today. Your food is in the fridge."
He hurried out to catch the train, pedaling his bicycle away at high speed.
Rosaline opened the fridge to find chicken breast, boiled eggs, a large plate of grilled beef, and various other items, all neatly wrapped. It was the high-nutrition diet she had asked him to prepare for her current condition.
However, there was one dish she hadn't ordered: a large bowl of salad.
Taped to it was a small note written in red ink:
DON'T FORGET TO EAT YOUR VEGGIES.
Rosaline rolled her eyes and made a face at the greens she absolutely detested eating.