The old dungeon loomed before them like a mouth that had forgotten how to close.
Cracked stone pillars framed the entrance. Ancient runes, worn nearly smooth by time, clung stubbornly to the archway as if refusing to be erased.
Arelion finished the last bite of food far faster than dignity allowed, wiped his hands on his cloak, then stepped forward.
He stood before the gate.
Straightened his back.
And said clearly,
"Open sesame."
Silence.
Iris stared at him.
"…What are you doing, idiot?"
Arelion glanced back. "Hey, sometimes dungeon doors respond to keywords. You know. Ancient magic. Dramatic timing."
"That's the dumbest thing I've heard all day," Iris replied flatly.
Arelion opened his mouth to argue—
RUMMMBLE.
The dungeon gate shuddered.
Stone scraped against stone as the massive door slowly, unmistakably, opened.
"…Oh."
Iris froze.
Elayne, without a word, immediately tossed the remaining food aside and stepped in, sword already half-drawn.
"…HEY WAIT—" Arelion yelped, rushing after her. Iris clicked her tongue and followed.
The door sealed shut behind them with a heavy thud.
Inner thought:I hate it when I'm accidentally right.
The dungeon was colder inside. Damp air clung to their skin, carrying the faint scent of mold and old stone. Their footsteps echoed unnaturally, as if the walls were listening.
Iris stretched her arms lazily. "You know, old dungeons like this are usually filled with corpses."
Arelion scoffed. "Yeah, right. That's just a story people tell to scare newbies."
CLANG.
Something heavy fell deeper inside the dungeon.
Arelion squeaked.
Before his brain could react, his body moved—he grabbed Elayne and pulled her close.
"IT'S FINE," he blurted out. "I'M HERE."
Silence.
Then he felt it.
Elayne… was shaking.
Arelion blinked.
Inner thought:…Wait. She's scared?
He immediately released her, coughed once, and straightened his posture.
"Ahem. No need to fear. Everything is under control."
Iris suddenly appeared right behind them.
"BOO."
"AAAAAAAA—!"
Arelion nearly jumped out of his skin.
"That's it!" he snapped. "Do you WANT me to die from shock?!"
Iris laughed, hands on her hips. "Then don't act like a hero if you're shaking worse than Elayne."
Elayne frowned. "…I was not shaking."
"Yes you were."
"…Only slightly."
Iris smirked and walked ahead. "Relax. I'll lead."
Arelion sighed. "You know, usually the one in front is the first to get grabbed by monsters."
Right on cue—
Iris vanished.
"…Haha," Arelion said weakly. "Very funny. You can come back now."
Elayne's expression sharpened. "She didn't move."
"…What?"
"She disappeared. Instantly."
That was when the ground trembled.
A low growl echoed through the corridor.
Something stepped out of the shadows.
It wasn't large—but it was wrong.
A twisted creature, hunched and thin, with a body like cracked obsidian and veins glowing faint crimson. Multiple jointed limbs scraped against the floor, and its head—if it could be called that—split open vertically, revealing rows of teeth pulsing with mana.
Arelion swallowed.
"C-rank?" he guessed.
Elayne shook her head. "No. Variant. Adaptive predator."
The monster lunged.
Steel rang as both of them drew their swords.
Arelion barely parried the first strike—his arms rattled from the impact. The creature moved unpredictably, its limbs bending at impossible angles, striking from blind spots.
Elayne stepped in, precise and controlled.
Her presence shifted.
A faint, almost imperceptible pressure filled the corridor.
"—Kneel."
The monster's movement stuttered for a fraction of a second.
Not enough to stop it.
But enough.
Arelion drove his blade forward, exploiting the opening. Elayne followed with a clean, decisive slash.
The creature screeched—then collapsed, dissolving into motes of mana.
Arelion exhaled heavily. "Okay… not C-rank."
"…Agreed," Elayne replied.
They stood in silence for a moment.
Then—
"Aww. You killed it already?"
Iris reappeared behind them, completely unharmed.
Arelion stared. "WHERE DID YOU GO?!"
"Oh, I fell through a hidden passage," she said casually. "Found a nice shortcut. Also, this dungeon is weird."
Elayne nodded slowly. "Yes."
Arelion looked around, heart still pounding.
Inner thought:This dungeon isn't testing strength.
It's testing awareness.
And we're already being judged.
Deep within the darkness, something shifted.
Not a roar.
Not a presence.
But attention.