Chapter 18: The Unsettling Alliance

Arthur's mind raced as his team left the cavern, pushing forward through the dark, web-covered tunnels. His thoughts were drawn back to the grotesque monster lurking in the depths, but there was no time to dwell on it yet. He needed to regroup with the other teams and ensure their safety before they could deal with the boss monster.

"We need to find the others," Arthur commanded, his voice low but firm. "Then we'll figure out how to handle this."

His teammates nodded, although the fear and tension were evident in their faces. Elara kept close to him, her eyes darting around the shadowy passages, while Leora and Leo kept watch from the rear, ensuring no spiders would ambush them. Only Arthur appeared unfazed, though inside, his mind was racing with questions about the grotesque creature they had seen. *A descendant of an Elder God, here? And why is it so weak?*

Arthur could have used his powers to find the answers, but he resisted the temptation. *I need to know who brought it here and why it's in this state,* he thought, though he kept his expression calm. For now, he would pretend that the monster was just another mutated creature, as telling the others the truth might cause more panic than it was worth.

As they continued through the tunnels, the sounds of battle suddenly broke through the eerie silence. The clash of steel and the screeches of spiders echoed off the stone walls, growing louder with each step.

"Sounds like someone's in trouble," Leora muttered.

Arthur quickened his pace, his focus sharpening. They soon rounded a corner and found Seraphine's team locked in a brutal battle. Two massive mutated spiders and a swarm of normal ones had pinned them down. One of Seraphine's teammates was clutching a bleeding arm, while the others looked exhausted, their faces drawn and pale.

"Move in and help them," Arthur ordered, his voice cutting through the tension.

His team sprang into action. Leo sent out gusts of wind to scatter the smaller spiders, while Elara unleashed a barrage of icy shards, slowing the mutated spiders' movements. Arthur, with unmatched precision, sliced through the remaining creatures with deadly efficiency. His movements were quick, fluid—far beyond what anyone had expected from him.

Seraphine glanced up, surprise flashing across her face as Arthur's team joined the fray. She was usually composed, but relief softened her features for just a moment before she refocused on the fight. Within minutes, the remaining spiders were dispatched, and the area fell quiet.

"Thanks," Seraphine said, wiping sweat from her forehead. "We were starting to run out of steam."

Arthur gave her a brief nod. "One of your team is hurt."

Seraphine looked to her injured teammate, who was still clutching their arm. Blood seeped through the hastily tied bandage.

"Leora, can you help them?" Arthur asked.

Leora stepped forward, her hands glowing softly as she healed the wound. The injured student let out a sigh of relief as the bleeding stopped, and color returned to their face.

Seraphine's eyes flicked to Arthur, a strange look of gratitude mixed with curiosity in her gaze. "What's the situation on your end?"

Arthur glanced around the darkened tunnel. "We found the boss. It's... different. Grotesque, mutated. It's far stronger than any of the creatures we've faced so far, and it's guarding something. We need all the help we can get if we want to take it down."

Seraphine frowned. "A mutated boss? In a dungeon like this? That shouldn't be possible."

Arthur didn't respond immediately. He couldn't tell her the truth—not yet. "We don't have much choice. We either destroy the core it's protecting or defeat the boss itself. Either way, it won't be easy."

Seraphine's team, though tired, straightened at his words. "Let's find the others," she said. "We can't face this thing alone."

Arthur agreed, and they moved quickly, retracing their steps through the dungeon to find the remaining teams. It didn't take long before they stumbled upon Adam's group, who looked equally worn out from their own battle. Several of Adam's teammates were injured, and their clothes were torn from the fight.

Adam, sporting a deep cut across his arm, met Arthur's gaze with his usual arrogance, though even he couldn't hide the exhaustion in his eyes.

Leora immediately began healing the injured members of Adam's team, while Arthur explained the situation.

"There's a mutated boss in the main cavern," he said. "It's guarding something, likely the dungeon core. We either destroy that or take down the boss. But we need a proper strategy."

Adam scoffed, though the grim expressions on his team members told a different story. They were exhausted, and even Adam seemed to realize that rushing into a fight unprepared would be foolish.

Volt was the first to speak. "We should scout the area first, figure out the monster's patterns and its weaknesses. We can't go in blind."

Seraphine nodded. "We need to hit it when it's vulnerable. A distraction or a way to weaken it would be ideal."

Arthur's mind was elsewhere as they spoke, his gaze distant. *Why is it so weak? Even the weakest of the Elder Gods' lineage could destroy a planet, yet this one...* He had a theory but chose to keep it to himself. Revealing too much would only raise more questions.

"I'll go with Seraphine and Volt to scout the lair," Arthur finally said, breaking his silence. "Adam, you stay here and recover. If things go south, we'll need you at full strength."

Adam clenched his fists, clearly irritated at being left behind, but he didn't argue. His injuries were bad enough that he knew he wouldn't be much help if a fight broke out.

With the plan set, Arthur, Seraphine, and Volt left the group and made their way back to the main cavern. The others stayed behind, recovering their strength and preparing for what would undoubtedly be the toughest battle they'd ever faced.

As they reached the edge of the cavern, Arthur's eyes locked on the grotesque spider once more. The mutated creature was surrounded by its minions, its massive form barely illuminated by the dim light. Arthur's thoughts swirled with questions. *Why is this creature so weak? And why is it here?*

He could use his omniscient power to find out, but something told him not to. Not yet. Instead, he'd let the mystery unfold naturally. Still, he couldn't help but feel a growing excitement beneath his calm exterior. The thrill of uncovering the truth, of facing something so otherworldly—it was exhilarating.

"We'll figure this out," Arthur said quietly, more to himself than to Seraphine and Volt.

Seraphine glanced at him, her brow furrowed. "You seem almost... excited."

Arthur gave her a slight smile. "Maybe I am."

Volt, however, was focused entirely on the task at hand. "Let's just make sure we don't get killed in the process."

As they crouched at the edge of the cavern, observing the monster's movements, Arthur's mind raced. *Who brought this creature here, and why?* He had a feeling the answer was far more dangerous than anyone could guess.

But for now, he'd play along. If his team was in danger, he could crush the creature with little effort. But for now, he was content to see how things played out.

---

**To be continued.**

---

Support my Other Novel:

Rise of the Strongest Harem King