Chapter 38: Widow's Crypt—(I)

ARTHUR LEYWIN'S POV: 

The two weeks leading up to the dungeon raid were enjoyable. Jasmine had visited me frequently, and we sparred almost daily. Ellie often tagged along with her, watching our sessions with wide, curious eyes. 

I took the opportunity to teach Ellie whenever I could, noticing how quickly she picked up on things. During one of these sessions, I learned she'd been receiving archery lessons from Helen—a fact that made me both proud and a bit protective. I couldn't help but admire Ellie's determination, even as a part of me wished she didn't have to learn such skills so young.

Claire was also busy during this time, working hard to control her Beast Will. The power she had tapped into during our last sparring session was formidable, but it was clear that mastering it would take time—probably another month or so. I kept an eye on her progress, knowing that once she fully controlled it, she would be a force to be reckoned with.

Of course, I wasn't slacking off either, I had managed to finally break into the Solid Yellow stage.

Finally, the day of the dungeon raid arrived. We all gathered in front of the teleportation gate—students, Professor Glory. I could feel the tension in the air, a mix of excitement and anxiety from the students. 

Soon Jasmine also arrived followed by Mistral, her entrance drawing a noticeable shift in the atmosphere. Professor Glory's face lit up with relief and gratitude. "Ah, Miss Jasmine, I'm glad you've arrived. Thank you for accompanying us," she greeted warmly, her voice steady and composed.

Jasmine returned the greeting with a nod, her eyes meeting mine for a brief second. A silent greeting was exchanged between us.

However, not everyone shared Professor Glory's warm reception. Lucas, standing a few steps behind us, couldn't mask his disdain. "Why is she here?" he sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. His arrogance was as grating as ever, and I felt a surge of irritation rise within me. It took everything not to roll my eyes at his blatant disrespect. I knew Lucas had always struggled with anyone he perceived as a threat to his own status, and Jasmine, with her reputation as an S-class adventurer, was the perfect target for his insecurities.

Professor Glory, undeterred by Lucas's attitude, continued her introduction. "This is Miss Jasmine, an S-class adventurer renowned for her expertise and prowess. She will be accompanying us today due to recent abnormalities detected within Widow's Crypt. And beside her is her bond Mistral." Her words carried authority, leaving little room for argument.

Lucas scoffed loudly, drawing unwanted attention. "I've been through this dungeon countless times as an adventurer. It's nothing but a D-class dungeon," he retorted, his tone both dismissive and arrogant.

Professor Glory didn't hesitate to shut him down. "Yes, Lucas, I'm well aware that you were an adventurer. But if I recall correctly, your license was revoked for classified reasons, was it not?"

The smugness on Lucas's face wavered for a split second, his expression faltering at the reminder. A few students stifled their laughter, and I couldn't help but smirk. Professor Glory had effectively put him in his place without raising her voice.

Jasmine, on the other hand, didn't even acknowledge Lucas's remarks. She stood calmly, unfazed, her eyes scanning the group with quiet confidence.

Professor Glory took note of everyone's presence once more and nodded in satisfaction before turning around and leading the class of twenty students to the teleportation gate.

The guard stationed at the gate adjusted the settings as he asked our professor a few questions. After several minutes, Professor Glory signaled for us to enter through the gate one by one, stepping in herself after all of us. Again, my stomach turned from the feeling of traveling through, but luckily, the trip never lasted more than a few seconds.

"Welcome! I assume for most of you, this is the first time you guys have stepped foot in the Beast Glades, correct?" Professor Glory chimed while placing her hands on her hips.

"Right now, we're near the edge of the Grand Mountains. If we walk a few hours this way, we'll arrive at a famous pub for gatherings called Dragonspine Inn. Back when I was an adventurer, that was the place to chat and get information on various mana beasts and dungeons. We'll be going to a rather low-level dungeon so don't worry too much. I, along with Miss Jasmine will also be with you at all times but we'll refrain from helping unless it is absolutely necessary so don't look to us for answers." Professor Glory waved her right hand and from her dimension ring appeared a small pile of black cloth.

"I've already decided on how teams will be split, so take a step forward as I call your name," Professor Glory announced, her voice carrying across the assembly of students. "Curtis, Claire, Dorothy, Owen, and Marge; you'll make up the first team." She motioned for them to pick up their shawls and step to the side.

The students moved quickly, grabbing the designated shawls that would mark them as part of Team 1. I watched as Professor Glory continued to call out names, assigning students to teams one by one. As the groups formed, a bitter feeling gnawed at me, knowing who I'd likely be paired with.

Finally, Professor Glory turned her attention back to the remaining few of us. "That leaves us with Arthur, Gawain, Roland, Lucas, and Flowin," she said, pointing to the pile of shawls left for us to grab.

I noticed Lucas mutter something under his breath, his eyes flicking towards me. But as soon as our gazes met, he quickly looked away, as if the brief connection was too much for him to handle.

"Looks like his defeat against you is still fresh in his mind," Gawain remarked from beside me, his tone light yet observant. Demitrius stood beside him.

I gave a slight nod, acknowledging Gawain's comment. The tension between Lucas and me was palpable, a lingering aftermath of our last encounter. His ego had taken a significant hit, and it was clear that the wound was still raw.

"Any questions? No? Okay, then it's settled. It shouldn't take us more than two hours to reach the dungeon entrance so let's hurry." With that, we took off, taking long strides amidst the thick trees covering most of the sunlight.

We all traveled in silence, most of the students were scared that they might attract unwanted attention from the mana beats that might be nearby. Soon, the trees cleared up as we began descending down a slope. "We're almost here. There'll be a place to stay on standby next to the dungeon so don't go inside." With that, our professor stepped to the back, doing a headcount again while each of us carefully slid down the steep slope leading to the dungeon entrance.

"Before we go in, are you sure you want to bring your bond inside the dungeon, Gawain, Claire, Arthur?" Professor Glory shot us a concerned look.

What do you say? Do you want to go hunting since we're at the Beast Glades anyway? I mentally transmitted it to Sylvie.

'Sure!' With that, my bond hopped off of my head, followed by Demitrius and Ignatius and disappeared into the woods for the wrong reason that everybody else was thinking right now.

"Good choice, it'll probably be safer if they stay out here and lay low." Professor Glory gave me a nod before climbing up onto a rock so she could see everyone.

~~

The battle against the Snarlers had been chaotic but manageable. The beasts were fast, their snapping jaws and relentless charges forcing everyone to stay on their toes. Despite the swarm, our group managed to hold the line, with Professor Glory and Jasmine stepping in only occasionally to handle any overwhelming situations. The students, myself included, were doing well—working in sync and keeping the Snarlers at bay.

But then, a loud crash echoed through the cave.

Everyone stopped fighting for a split second, eyes snapping downwards as the floor of the cave began to crack. Large icicles and stalactites broke free, followed by chunks of rock and debris tumbling toward us. We scrambled to avoid being crushed, but the real shock came when two enormous figures floated up amidst the chaos, their wings flapping ominously as they held themselves steady in the air.

Queen Snarlers and an AA-rank mana beast, are nasty creatures known for their devastating power and cunningness. Their size alone was intimidating for the students—towering over the regular Snarlers, their wings casting long shadows across the cave floor.

"Are you kidding me? What are the queen snarlers doing on this floor?" Professor Glory didn't bother holding in her rage as she took out another giant sword from her dimension ring. 

*CRASH*

Before anyone could respond, the entrance to Widow's Crypt was completely blocked by the newly fallen debris. The once-clear path was now a treacherous barrier of jagged rocks and ice. The ground beneath us trembled as more chunks of the cave's ceiling began to crumble, threatening to seal our fate within the dungeon.

Professor Glory quickly assessed the situation, her strategic mind already formulating a plan. "Jasmine, you need to clear the entrance. The rest of you, prepare to retreat and follow her. We can't afford to get trapped here." 

Jasmine nodded, her expression serious as she assessed the situation. She understood immediately that the student's safety was the top priority. Without wasting another moment, she rushed toward the blocked entrance, her eyes narrowing as she analyzed the large chunks of debris that sealed it off. While Professor Glory engages in battle against one of the Queen's snarlers, Mistral takes on the other one. 

Jasmine had just finished clearing the last of the debris, her breaths coming in short gasps as she waved the students through. They moved quickly, Lucas being the first to scramble followed by Clive and others. 

"Arthur, come on!" Gawain called out, his voice tinged with worry. He glanced back at me, his expression urging me to move. Claire and Curtis also waited for me to follow, while Tessia looked at me in worry. 

But before I could join them, Mistral's voice rang in my mind, clear and insistent. [Arthur, Jasmine! We need to go down. I can feel a large mana fluctuation from below.]

Jasmine, who had just returned from the entrance, turned her gaze to me, having heard the same telepathic message. Her brow furrowed in concern as she tried to gauge the situation. The students were almost all out now, with only a few stragglers left. Professor Glory was holding off one of the Queen Snarlers, her mana flaring as she fought to keep the beast at bay.

"Arthur, did you hear that?" Jasmine asked, her voice low but urgent.

I nodded, my mind racing. "Yes, it sounds serious. We need to check it out."

Turning to Gawain and the others, I quickly assessed the situation. Their safety was paramount, but the unknown threat below couldn't be ignored.

"You guys go with the others," I instructed my tone firm but reassuring. "Jasmine and I will —"

*THUD*

Before I could finish my sentence, a deafening THUD echoed through the cavern as the Queen Snarler Mistral had been battling was sent crashing into the wall nearby. The impact sent a shower of debris cascading to the ground.

[We need to go now!!] Mistral's voice rang out again, this time filled with urgency. There was no time to waste.

Without hesitation, I reached for the seal on my wrist, tearing it off. Instantly, I felt the surge of mana flood my body as I summoned fire mana, coating Dawn's Ballad in flames. Without missing a beat, I launched myself towards the remaining Queen Snarler, my movements swift and precise. With one clean strike, I slashed through the creature's neck, severing its head from its body.

But something was wrong.

The bodies of both Queen Snarlers began to pulsate violently. Large, grotesque tumors erupted from their skin, spreading rapidly over their bodies and faces. The scene was grotesque, and a sense of foreboding settled over the cavern.

"Get back!" Jasmine shouted, sensing the danger. In a split second, she moved, pulling Professor Glory out of harm's way while I leaped back, narrowly avoiding the pulsating mass of flesh that exploded after a second.

Once we were at a safe distance, I turned to Professor Glory, who was still trying to process what had just happened. "Professor, you need to get the students out of here and report what's going on to the Director. This isn't normal, and it's only going to get worse."

Professor Glory looked at me, her expression a mixture of concern and defiance. "And what about you? What are you going to do?"

"I need to investigate," I replied firmly. "There's a large mana fluctuation coming from below, and we can't leave it unchecked."

"No, Arthur," she said, her voice firm. "It's too dangerous. You're just a student—"

I knew there was no time for a lengthy debate. Seeing no other choice, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small, white card. With a flick of my wrist, I revealed my identity as the S-class adventurer, Note.

Professor Glory's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the card, the realization of who I truly was dawning on her. "You… you're Note?" she stammered, disbelief coloring her voice.

I nodded, keeping my expression serious. "Yes, and I need you to trust me on this. I've faced worse than this before, and I can handle it. But you need to get the students to safety."

For a moment, Professor Glory was silent, her mind racing to reconcile the legendary swordsman she had heard of with the student standing in front of her. Finally, she nodded, though the worry in her eyes remained. "Alright… I'll take the students and report back to the Director. But please, be careful."

"I will," I assured her. "Now go, before it's too late."

With a final nod, Professor Glory turned and began ushering the students toward the exit, her voice commanding them to move quickly. As they retreated, Jasmine and I prepared to descend further into the dungeon, where the true source of the disturbance awaited us.

~~

A/N: I will try to give the next chapter tomorrow, but no promises, anyway do you like the chapter, if yes then make sure to vote for it.