Reinforcements En Route

The dawn sky was washed in grayish-white, and the forest remained blanketed in damp, chilly mist. The campfires had already gone out, leaving behind only scattered patches of ash that emitted a faint, scorched smell. The hunters quietly packed their gear; no one joked or laughed, and only the low thud of footsteps and the rustle of fabric could be heard.

Palm spread her notebook across her knees, her gaze focused. Yesterday's notes were already filled, and she flipped to a fresh, blank page. Though her fingers trembled slightly, she still steadily dropped the first line down: "Core antechamber confirmed, high-tier breathing sounds." Those few words were written with exceptional force, as if she were trying to press her fear right into the paper.

Morel sat in the center of the camp, smoke drifting slowly from the corners of his mouth to disperse into the air. He looked at the group, his voice low: "The existence of the core was confirmed last night, and that is already enough. Reinforcements will arrive by dusk at the latest, and we must hold out until then."

Knov pushed up his spectacles, his expression cold and hard: "My portal consumption is too high; a few more times and I'm afraid they'll lose stability. We won't go deep today—we'll only guard the perimeter and wait for backup."

Icarus nodded with a solemn expression and said: "We thoroughly scouted the routes last night. Any rash advance would simply mean throwing our lives away for nothing. Therefore, we must conserve our stamina until the reinforcements arrive."

Knuckle tightly clenched his fists, his voice deep and filled with anxiety: "Still, the pressure on the perimeter is bound to get heavier and heavier. Those bastards definitely won't stop attacking."

Linas carried heavy equipment on her back, her breathing appearing