S-rank Dungeon

After browsing for a while, Liya and Mia each picked out an exquisite mage robe, while Fira chose a pair of beautiful tall boots.

Zoldat and Bruce watched from start to finish without buying anything. The weapons in this shop were good, but the prices were far too high.

By the end of it, the purse of Asura Gold Coins Roxy and Cain carried had grown considerably lighter.

"Cain, you can't spend money so recklessly. If you were buying something for yourself, that would be one thing, but please don't buy me anything else. I mean it. This ring... is already more than enough for me..."

As Roxy spoke, she pressed her lips together. Her face inexplicably reddened, and her voice grew softer and softer.

Why was Teacher Roxy embarrassed again? It was a tool to save her life, not an engagement ring. She couldn't have gotten the wrong idea, could she?

Cain scratched his head helplessly and smiled at Roxy, then reached down to her from the carriage.

Roxy took a moment to steady herself and patted her chest. She took Cain's outstretched hand firmly, and he pulled her up into the carriage.

Zoldat's Thunder Adventurer Party was sizable, with personnel dedicated to supplies, transport, and mining.

That meant they always had plenty of people for an expedition. They could haul loot and mine magic crystal ore quickly, then move on to another dungeon commission or some other job soon afterward. Their efficiency was several times that of other adventurer parties.

Of course, the combatants were the core of an adventurer party. Everyone else could be replaced.

"Onward to the dungeon!"

"Yeah!!!"

At Captain Zoldat's command from the lead carriage, three large domesticated lizard beasts pulled three heavy carriages toward the A-rank dungeon, the Red Dragon's Grave.

Cain had never been an adventurer, but even he was surprised by how orderly the adventurers ahead of and behind him were.

"Are all adventurer parties like this?"

Roxy, beside him, looked a little surprised too. But when she saw the curiosity on Cain's face, a faint smile touched her lips, and she felt a small swell of pride.

Seeing him like this, she felt she had regained a little of her dignity as his teacher and senior.

"Not all adventurer groups are like this, Cain."

"Really?"

"Mm. Zoldat's Thunder Adventurer Group has clearly defined roles, so they can handle magic crystals and other spoils very efficiently. Even in the past, I rarely saw an adventurer group this organized."

Roxy spoke with her head held high and a faint blush on her cheeks. It made her feel, just a little, like a teacher passing her experience on to her student again.

Cain nodded slightly. As expected of Teacher Roxy. She knows so much.

Along the road, sunlit groves of lush green trees streaked with white gradually gave way to a thin mist. The path grew narrower as the convoy entered the depths of the forest. Somewhere nearby, a small monster let out an eerie shriek before flying away.

Roxy pressed her lips together. Fear showed in her eyes as she unconsciously edged closer to Cain, tightening her grip on her staff.

Cain frowned as he surveyed their surroundings. There had to be a reason no one had taken the commission for the A-rank dungeon, the Red Dragon's Grave, in so long. Clearly, no one had been through this area for ages.

Before long, the convoy reached the entrance to the A-rank dungeon.

Moss covered the rocks around the entrance, and hanging vines had nearly sealed the entire opening. It was obvious no adventurers had explored it in a long time.

The three carriages stopped outside, and the group quickly cleared a space. Zoldat led some people in cutting away the vines, revealing a pitch-black cave entrance three meters high. Beside it stood a rusted sign warning people to keep out.

"Cain, don't use Fire Magic inside the dungeon unless you absolutely have to."

"Cain, we're tackling this dungeon as a group. Don't go off alone."

"Cain..."

Roxy stood before Cain with a solemn expression, drilling him on the basics of dungeon exploration one point at a time. She knew her student was strong, but in an enclosed dungeon, his lack of experience could make oxygen, traps, and all sorts of other things a problem. Better to be safe.

After making their preparations, they began exploring the dungeon. Zoldat and Cain took the lead, while Brook and another swordsman serving as a reserve brought up the rear, mainly to protect the mages.

Roxy stood among the mages as their main source of offensive power. After all, she could hit even a fast-moving Red Dragon. Neither Fira nor Nina could match her spellcasting skill or experience.

Unlike the forest outside, the Red Dragon's Grave lay deep among the trees, where little sunlight reached. Conditions inside the dungeon were worse still.

Roxy's skin felt uncomfortable. The cave was full of a damp, moldy smell, and the clammy air made her feel as though her clothes had been soaked through.

"Cain, I'm counting on you..."

Roxy tightened her grip on her staff as she watched Cain's back and murmured under her breath. No one in the tense party responded.

Cain kept his eyes fixed on the black passage ahead. As if sensing something, he turned slightly and gave Roxy a smile, then immediately looked forward again and advanced cautiously with Zoldat.

They made slow progress through the dungeon, taking each step carefully. With ample supplies and extensive logistical support behind them, they could always withdraw and regroup if anything went wrong.

Besides, a Red Dragon's lair classified as an A-rank dungeon had to have at least twenty floors. Rushing or growing careless would only invite needless danger.

Cain's composure surprised Zoldat and the others.

A swordsman of the Sword God Style was supposed to be impatient, not this patient.

"Enemy! Straight ahead!"

Cain's shout snapped Zoldat out of his thoughts. Gripping his sword, he stared into the darkness ahead.

"What kind of enemy is it, Cain?"

But before Zoldat had finished speaking, Cain had already unleashed a lightning-fast slash. His lethal Ranged Blade of Light became an invisible edge that cut an unknown monster dozens of meters away in two.

"I don't know what it was. Felt like I cut through bone."

Zoldat's mouth twitched as he looked at Cain.

"Next time, could you tell us before you strike?"

For a moment, Zoldat had felt as though Cain might cut him down too, standing right beside him. So this was the pressure a Sword God exerted.

"Sorry."

"I'm not blaming you, Cain. It's just that I couldn't even see you move..."

Zoldat scratched his head and sighed. This was no time to worry about saving face. He truly hadn't been able to see Cain strike.

Was this the gap between a Sword God and a Sword Saint...?

Zoldat pressed his lips together and fell back. Unless a swordsman was on Cain's level, he would only get in Cain's way.

He had been foolish, too. In a dangerous place like this, who had time to identify a monster for everyone else before attacking?

"Forget it. I'll take a flexible role, filling gaps and watching for traps. I'll leave the scouting to you, Cain. You lead the way." Zoldat gave Cain an apologetic smile.

Cain nodded gravely. After adjusting their formation, the group continued into the dark dungeon in an equilateral triangle.

When they passed the thing Cain had cut down, they saw that it was a C-rank Tomb-Raiding Skeleton Soldier. A rusted short sword still hung from its left hand.

"Looks like it used to be an adventurer... It's been dead a long time." Zoldat frowned, and the party fell silent for a few seconds.

"Looks like no one's been here for years. The Adventurers' Guild may have stopped assessing this dungeon's Magic Power long ago."

Zoldat knew what that meant. This dungeon was bound to be much harder than an ordinary adventurer dungeon. It might even have grown into an S-rank Dungeon by now.