Chapter 57: Another Soul Points Coming (part 2)

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Another Soul Points Coming (part 2)

"Three groups," one of the leaders said. "Ten people each. We search different routes and meet back here if we don’t find anything important. If anyone encounters a monster stronger than they can handle, retreat immediately and inform the others."

After that, the two groups finally go.

The last group was left behind, suddenly one of the adventurers noticed a faint sound coming from the corridor on the left.

"Did you hear that?"

Everyone became silent, something was moving beyond the darkness.

The adventurers immediately drew their weapons.

"Get ready!"

The warning came too late.

A pack of wolves burst from the darkness with terrifying speed, their claws scraping against the stone floor as they charged directly toward the nearest adventurers. Their bodies were larger than ordinary wolves, their muscles clearly visible beneath their thick fur, and their eyes glowed with a savage hunger.

The first wolf leaped over the head of a shield bearer and slammed into the adventurer standing behind him, knocking him to the ground before anyone could react.

"Get them off him!"

The adventurers immediately drew their weapons and rushed forward. Swords flashed through the darkness as several wolves attacked at once, forcing the group to fight without any time to establish a proper formation.

The shield bearer slammed his shield into one wolf’s skull, sending it staggering backward, while a swordsman stepped forward and cut deeply into another’s shoulder.

"Don’t let them surround us!"

An arrow flew through the air and struck a wolf in the chest.

The beast howled, but instead of falling, it continued forward.

"What the hell?!"

The archer’s face paled.

That single moment of hesitation cost another adventurer his life.

A wolf sprang from the side and sank its fangs into the man’s throat. His scream was cut short as the beast violently shook its head, tearing him away from the formation. Blood sprayed across the floor while the adventurer desperately tried to strike the wolf with his sword.

"Kill it!"

Three adventurers rushed toward the creature.

The wolf released the dying man and immediately retreated, avoiding the incoming attacks with surprising intelligence.

Another wolf attacked from behind.

"Watch out!"

Too late.

Its claws ripped across the back of a mage, tearing through her robes and flesh. She fell forward with a scream, and before her companions could reach her, another wolf pounced onto her back.

The adventurers finally realized that these weren’t ordinary dungeon beasts.

They were hunting them.

"Get close!"

The leader shouted.

But the dungeon had already begun separating them.

A section of the floor suddenly dropped beneath several adventurers.

"What’s happening?!"

Stone collapsed with a deafening roar, sending three people plunging into a lower passage. The others desperately reached for them, but they were too late.

"Help!"

The cries disappeared into darkness, then the stone floor slammed back into place.

The remaining adventurers stared in disbelief.

"They’re gone..."

"No!"

The wolves attacked again, the group had no time to mourn.

They fought desperately, killing several wolves, but the damage had already been done. Their formation was broken, their numbers reduced, and the dungeon had separated them from the rest of the expedition.

---

Far away, another group had encountered something completely different.

They had followed a narrow corridor for several minutes before reaching a large chamber.

The moment they stepped inside, they realized they had entered a graveyard.

Old tombstones covered the ground. Broken coffins were scattered between them.

The air was unnaturally cold.

One adventurer swallowed.

"I don’t like this."

A mage raised her staff.

"Neither do I."

Something moved beneath the dirt. The ground began to crack.

"Skeletons!"

Bones pushed their way out of the earth, one after another. Skeleton warriors emerged from the graves carrying rusted swords, spears, and shields. Within moments, the entire graveyard was crawling with undead.

"Form up!"

The adventurers raised their weapons.

The first skeleton charged.

A swordsman cut it apart with a single strike, sending bones scattering across the ground.

"Easy!"

He laughed.

"They’re weak!"

The laughter lasted only a few seconds. More skeletons climbed from the graves.

Then even more.

"What?"

The adventurers slowly realized that the skeletons weren’t stopping.

Every time they destroyed one, another crawled from the earth.

"There’s too many!"

The mage unleashed a fire spell, burning several skeletons at once, but the flames only created a brief opening. More undead immediately filled the space.

"Retreat!"

They turned around, but the entrance was gone.

Instead, they found another wall of stone.

"What happened to the entrance?!"

Nobody answered. The skeletons advanced.

The adventurers fought desperately, but exhaustion quickly took over. One man had his leg pierced by a spear and fell to the ground. Another tried to pull him away, only for three skeletons to surround him.

"Leave me!"

"We can’t!"

"Just go!"

The man raised his sword and charged into the undead alone.

His companions hesitated for only a moment before running.

Behind them, the sound of bones striking metal gradually disappeared beneath the screams.

Another group had even worse luck.

They were walking through a narrow corridor when they suddenly heard a strange fluttering sound above them.

One adventurer looked upward.

"What is that?"

A shadow moved across the ceiling.

Then dozens of red eyes opened in the darkness.

"Giant bats!"

The creatures descended like a living storm.

The adventurers raised their arms to protect their faces as the bats swarmed around them. Their wings struck against armor while their claws tore at exposed skin. One adventurer swung his sword wildly, striking nothing but air.

"Get them off me!"

A bat latched onto his shoulder and sank its fangs into his neck.

He screamed and stumbled backward.

The healer tried to reach him, but another bat struck her from behind and knocked her to the ground.

"Protect the healer!"

Several adventurers rushed forward, the bats immediately scattered, then attacked from another direction.

It was impossible to defend against them.

One adventurer lost his balance near the edge of a narrow bridge.

He reached for the wall.

His fingers slipped.

"Wait!"

He fell into the darkness below, and the others heard a distant impact.

Then silence.

The surviving adventurers looked at each other.

Nobody needed to say anything. They were beginning to understand.

The dungeon wasn’t simply filled with monsters.

It was designed to make them lose their way.

Every corridor looked almost identical.

Some paths looped back toward places they had already passed.