An S Rank Dungeon Gate

As Visha's words lingered in the poisonous air, Elias, the team's quiet strategist and Mana Weaver, glanced at her with a mixture of awe and unease. Adjusting his glasses, he murmured to Kade, who stood nearby, "She really intends to keep that thing, doesn't she?"

Kade, ever the calm and composed second-in-command, crossed his arms, his gaze focused on the massive basilisk slithering obediently beside Visha. He gave a slight nod, his voice low. "Looks that way. And she's got it completely under her control." There was a note of respect in his tone, though his posture remained cautious. "I'll admit, that's… not something you see every day."

Elias shook his head, his voice thoughtful. "I wonder how long that control will last. This creature… it's bound to have its limits."

Just behind them, Talia, the quick and fearless Shadowblade, was twirling one of her daggers with a smirk. Her gaze flitted between Visha and the basilisk, a glint of mischievous admiration in her eyes. "Say what you will, but that's impressive," she murmured, grinning as she nudged Kade with her elbow. "I mean, who tames an S-rank basilisk on a whim? I'd like to see anyone else try that."

Kade shrugged, a small smirk breaking his usual stoic expression. "It's the Pestilent Sovereign. She does what she wants."

Ox, the team's towering Berserker, let out a low grunt as he watched the basilisk's every move with a wary scowl. His massive ax was resting on his shoulder, his fingers twitching as if itching to swing it. "I don't trust it," he muttered, his voice a deep rumble. "One wrong move, and that overgrown snake could crush us all."

Dabria, who had overheard Ox, turned to him with a wicked grin, her voice lilting with playful mockery. "Oh, Ox, don't be such a brute. Look at it—our dear Visha has it under complete control. Isn't that right, darling?" She cast a gleeful look at Visha, her eyes alight with admiration.

Visha responded with a faint, indulgent smile, her fingers brushing the basilisk's head as it slithered beside her, obedient and subdued. "Indeed," she replied smoothly. "There's no need for concern. This basilisk recognizes its place now." She glanced over at Ox, her pale-green eyes glinting with a hint of challenge. "Or would you rather test its loyalty, Ox?"

Ox grumbled, his fingers tightening around his ax, but he took a measured step back, giving her a reluctant nod. "I'll pass. Just keep it in check, yeah?"

Talia, amused, gave Ox a teasing look. "Scared, Ox? Thought you liked a challenge."

Ox shot her a glare, though his expression softened slightly. "I like challenges, Talia, but I don't have a death wish."

Elias chuckled quietly, the tension easing as the group fell back into their usual banter, though their eyes remained fixed on the basilisk. "You have to admit," he said, glancing around, "if we face any more threats in this forest, that creature might just turn the tide for us. That alone is worth the risk."

Ryker, watching the exchange, gave a short nod. "Let's keep it moving," he instructed, his tone a blend of caution and authority. "Everyone, stay alert. Visha's basilisk might be on our side now, but this forest holds more than one surprise."

With that, they pressed onward, Visha and her basilisk leading the way as the group ventured deeper into the miasmic heart of Crisanto Forest.

The team advanced through the twisted forest, the heavy miasma around them thickening with each step, filling the air with a dense, oppressive energy. The corrupted fog clung to the ground, swirling around their feet and brushing against their skin like grasping tendrils, leaving a faint tingling sensation wherever it touched. The once-familiar scent of Crisanto's golden blossoms was entirely overpowered by the foul odor of decay and venom, each inhalation stinging their lungs with the scent of rot and acid.

Ryker raised a hand, signaling them to halt. His gaze scanned the shadows around them, the dense fog seeming to pulse in rhythm with something deeper in the forest. "The miasma's getting stronger," he said, his voice low, eyes narrowing as he tried to locate the source. "It's like it's coming from somewhere nearby."

Elias nodded, closing his eyes briefly as he activated his mana-sensing ability, his brow furrowing as he focused. "There's… something ahead," he murmured, his voice tense. "A powerful mana signature. It's not natural. This isn't just the forest—it's… something foreign. Almost like…"

"A dungeon gate," Kade finished, his expression grim as he gripped the hilt of his sword. "It must be a high ranking one at that. It would explain the basilisk and the corruption spreading through the forest."

Talia's eyes widened, and she let out a low whistle, a mixture of excitement and unease flickering in her gaze. "Well, that explains a lot. An S-rank gate in the middle of a backwater forest like Crisanto? Looks like we've stumbled onto something big."

Ox grunted, his jaw tight as he eyed the miasma with clear disdain. "Dungeon gates don't just open up in quiet places like this for no reason. If it's S-rank, then whatever's inside could be causing all of this." He gestured to the corrupted landscape, his voice a low rumble. "This whole place has been poisoned."

Dabria's face lit up with a twisted smile, her eyes gleaming with a dark excitement. "Oh, how delicious! An S-rank gate means all sorts of delightful little monstrosities just waiting for us inside." She looked to Visha, her tone laced with eager anticipation. "Shall we, darling? An opportunity like this is too good to pass up."

Visha's pale-green eyes gleamed, her lips curving into a faint smirk. "Yes, it is… tempting." She looked at the pulsating fog, following the way it seemed to ripple and drift toward a specific direction, each tendril leading them deeper into the forest's heart. "If this gate is responsible for corrupting Crisanto, it's only natural we deal with it… and claim whatever treasures lie within."

Kalum, still recovering from the sight of the tamed basilisk, shifted nervously, his gaze flicking between Visha, Dabria, and the dense fog ahead. "So… we're really going in, then? This isn't like any dungeon gate we've encountered before. An S-rank dungeon is far beyond our ability." Looking at Visha and then Dabria, he aquienssed. "Well probably not for Miss Visha and Miss Dabria. They are special class, afterall."

Elias gave him a reassuring nod, though his expression was serious. "We'll have to be cautious, but yes. An S-rank gate like this doesn't just open up anywhere. It could hold untold resources—and risks."

"Stay close," Ryker commanded, his tone firm as he gripped his weapon. "This isn't an ordinary hunt anymore. We're facing dungeon-level threats here, but if we stay focused, we can handle it. Visha, Dabria—lead the way, and keep that basilisk under control. We'll need all the firepower we can get."

The group fell into formation once more, moving carefully through the dense miasma as they followed the trail of corruption to its source. The fog grew thicker, and the ground beneath them became slick with venomous residue, each step requiring caution as the forest seemed to twist and pulse with dark energy, warped by the gate's influence. Gnarled roots, thick with acidic slime, jutted out from the earth, their twisted shapes resembling the fingers of unseen horrors grasping at the team as they passed.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of trekking through the thickened fog, they arrived at a clearing, where the miasma swirled in concentrated, dark clouds, obscuring the ground almost entirely. At the center of the clearing stood the dungeon gate—a massive, obsidian portal, its edges crackling with sickly green and violet energy that sent tremors through the earth. The gate pulsed with a slow, sinister rhythm, as if it were a living thing, each beat expelling waves of miasma into the forest around it.

The gate was adorned with twisted carvings that seemed to shift and writhe in the light, depicting monstrous figures locked in battle, their eyes hollow and haunting. Dark tendrils of energy extended from the gate, seeping into the surrounding forest, as though it were feeding off the land itself.

Talia's hand tightened on her daggers, her usual playful grin replaced with a look of focused determination. "Well, there it is. And here I thought today couldn't get any stranger."

Dabria's face lit up, her expression one of reverent delight as she took in the ominous beauty of the gate. "Oh, it's magnificent," she whispered, her eyes alight with excitement. "An S-rank gate, right in the middle of this lovely, corrupted forest… I can only imagine the creatures lurking inside."

Visha nodded, her gaze fixed on the gate with a quiet intensity, her mind already calculating the possibilities. "This dungeon is the key to Crisanto's corruption. If we close it, the forest may yet recover… and if we don't, it will only continue to spread. But we can't let this opportunity slip by."

Ox's expression was grim, his grip on his ax steady as he eyed the gate. "If we're going in, we'd better be ready for whatever's on the other side. An S-rank gate could hold anything."

Ryker's gaze hardened as he assessed the gate, his voice carrying a steely resolve. "Then we do this by the book. Everyone, stay alert and be prepared for anything. This gate is powerful, but if we stick together, we can handle it."

Visha looked over her shoulder at the basilisk, giving it a silent command with a mere flick of her fingers. The massive creature slithered forward, coiling protectively at her side, its gaze locked onto the gate, sensing the danger within but obedient under Visha's control.

"Shall we?" Visha murmured, her voice carrying a dark excitement as she cast one final look at her team. "I don't know about you, but I'd like to see what an S-rank dungeon has to offer."

The Crimson Lions exchanged one last, steadying glance before stepping forward, their silhouettes swallowed by the swirling fog as they approached the obsidian gate. The forest around them was silent, as if it, too, held its breath, waiting to see what horrors and treasures lay within.