8 Dungeon Raid (2)

After considerable time had passed, Anderson and Elise finally returned.

"Why the heck you took so long?" Gil inquired, a hint of irritation evident in his expression.

"Sorry, there were some problems when we tried to clear the area. My bad." Anderson admitted.

"Is there still some monster near there? I was told by the village chief that the dungeon was abandoned already." Lack chimed in, his confusion apparent.

'Huh? What?' Gil was taken aback by this new piece of information, which contradicted from the game. 'It should still be an active dungeon. How can it be abandoned?'

To uncover the truth, Gil asked to enter the dungeon immediately. The early level of the dungeon was filled with some undead skeletons, something that wasn't hard to defeat. Progressing several floors downward was equally uneventful. However, the earlier concerns were soon validated.

'Nothing here. Damn it,' Gil's frustration was palpable. His realization centered around the fact that the dungeon held no remaining treasure chests. Instead, they encountered a multitude of open chests left in their wake.

Anderson's skepticism mirrored Gil's thoughts. "Are you certain your prize awaits here? It appears this place has already been looted clean."

Stammering, Gil tried to explain, albeit fabricated, "Uhh... I-i think so. My informant said it was left behind by the people who found it." His words were laced with deception as he struggled to find a plausible answer for Anderson. He had never anticipated this turn of events.

In the game, this dungeon remained an ordinary and active one. Sid and the others were slated to explore it after receiving permission to venture outside. The notion that it could be an abandoned dungeon had never crossed Gil's mind.

"I think that guy said it was on the tenth floor," Gil added, his voice tense.

If it was still according to the game, then the gun would be in the extra chest near the chest of the boss reward. However, if that was not the case, two possibilities emerged: either the item didn't exist in this world, or someone had already acquired it. 'Damn it, I really hope it's here,' Gil thought, his anxiety growing.

"All right, let's see if your informant's word is reliable or not," Anderson asserted, prompting the group to proceed.

Then they proceed to dwell more on the lower floor. It was when they arrived at the sixth floor the enemies were different. A creature stood before them, emitting a menacing bark. Its gnashing teeth and ominous glare heightened the tension in the air.

"Feral Wolf!" Lack's voice rang out, his body tense as he positioned his shield defensively.

Gil's own tension escalated; he was well aware of the danger posed by the feral wolf because it surpassed his current level.

Meanwhile, Anderson maintained his composure. "Calm down, everyone. It's just a wild wolf. Do what I say so we can beat it easily."

With unanimous nods, the group affirmed their trust in Anderson's leadership, a choice based on his experience.

"The plan is simple. I think that wolf isn't alone, obviously, so we need to group them as one. Elise prepares an AOE spell. Fire is preferable. Kid, you shot your wand from a distance. Make sure not any wolf gets closer to Elise. Meanwhile, me and Lack will hold them together. Any question?"

The other remained silent, an indication of their collective agreement with the strategy.

"All right, let's do it."

Everyone then assumed their designated position without hesitation. Lack upheld his shield, Anderson readied his twin daggers, and Elise began her incantation for a spell. Meanwhile, Gil crouched low, his gun aimed steadfastly ahead.

As Anderson had predicted, the first feral wolf's howl summoned many of its kin. Without delay, more feral wolves surged forward, converging upon the party.

Lack swiftly initiated taunts, diverting the wolves' attention onto himself. Although most feral wolves directed their attacks at Lack, a few managed to bypass him and lunged for the members at the rear. Anderson, anticipating this, intercepted their assault with skillful slashes from the side.

Yet, due to the overwhelming number of enemies, totaling more than ten, not every wolf could be effectively held at bay by Lack and Anderson. Regrettably, three wolves managed to slip past their defenses.

In the last line, Gil's focus was honed in on the three oncoming wolves. His grip tightened, finger pressing the trigger of his gun.

*Bang*

Swiftly, bullets were unleashed, hurtling toward the wolves with lethal speed. One of the feral wolves succumbed to the impact and fell. Yet, the other rounds veered astray, missing their targets. Unfazed, Gil's determination prevailed, and he rapidly squeezed the trigger again. This time, the next wolf was squarely hit, dropping to the ground.

Simultaneously, Elise completed her spell incantation.

"Hellfire!"

From the intricate pattern of her magic circle, an inferno of flames erupted, expanding voraciously and engulfing the space before her. As Elise's powerful voice resonated, the rest of the group instinctively retreated, distancing themselves from the impending blaze.

The feral wolves, driven solely by their primal instincts as monsters, were ill-equipped to comprehend the impending danger. The wave of fire surged forth, engulfing them in an all-encompassing inferno. Their forms were reduced to ash in the blink of an eye, erasing them from existence.

Everyone sighed in relief as they didn't find the remaining feral wolf's pack. It meant no other threats remained.

A collective sigh of relief swept through the group, reassured by the absence of any remaining feral wolves. It signified the absence of further imminent threats.

"Great work, Elise," Anderson commended, punctuating his words with a thumbs-up.

Lack chimed in with appreciation, adding, "As expected from Ms. Elise."

Elise responded modestly, deflecting the praise, "It's nothing. It's because everyone protects me. I can chant my spell. Especially, you Lack that hold those many wolves together."

Lack was smiling in embarrassment after getting praised by Elise. Anderson, on the other hand, was showing a bit of irk hearing that but quickly changed his expression back to normal.

Gil remained silent, recognizing that everyone had simply executed their roles as needed, with no extraordinary feat to be commended.

Continuing their descent, they adhered to their established tactics, successfully dispatching various monsters along the way. Eventually, their journey led them to the conclusion of the ninth floor. This time, Anderson issued a call to halt, signaling a pause in their advance.

"Let's have some rest here before going further," Anderson suggested, his intuition hinting that the upcoming challenge might involve a tougher adversary. "My gut tells me the next one might just be a low-level boss monster."

Gil found himself slightly taken aback, not so much by the prospect of facing a boss monster next but more by Anderson's ability to predict such developments.

'I suppose that's what it meant to be a seasoned adventurer,' he mused to himself.

According to the game, the tenth floor was indeed meant to house a low-level boss monster – a formidable Minotaur.

Following Anderson's lead, the group split their tasks. Lack and Gil prepared the sleeping arrangements, spreading out sleeping bags, while Anderson and Elise kindled a bonfire.

As Gil assisted Lack, his gaze happened upon Anderson and Elise, who were exchanging smiles over something. An inkling of suspicion pricked Gil, though he disregarded it.

With preparations complete, Anderson initiated the rotation for keeping watch.

"Lack, you should rest first; you seem exhausted. Kid, take some rest too. We'll take turns for the next shifts, and you both can cover watch duty."

Perplexed, Gil questioned, "Huh? But I'm not tired. Why not you or Ms. Elise rest first?"

"Follow my instructions. You getting rest now will ensure we all get a longer period of rest," Anderson explained, his reasoning not entirely clear to Gil. Despite his confusion, Gil complied with Anderson's instruction.

However, sleep eluded Gil, and he awoke after a short while. Upon rousing, he discovered that Anderson and Elise had vanished, to his surprise.