26. Sign of something bigger

The minotaur collapsed with a final, ragged breath. Its massive body hit the stone floor, sending dust and blood splattering across the Dungeon walls. Orcbolg exhaled slowly, sheathing his sword. Around him, the other adventurers caught their breath.

"That thing was stronger than usual," Bete muttered, flexing his fingers as if shaking off the impact of his last punch.

Ais, ever silent, had already turned her attention away from the minotaur's corpse. Her golden eyes focused on something else.

A narrow, jagged passage at the far end of the chamber.

Orcbolg followed her gaze. The Dungeon walls weren't supposed to have openings like this.

"This wasn't made by monsters," he muttered.

Lefiya hesitated. "Then… what caused it?"

Silence.

Ais took a step forward. "We should check."

Bete scowled. "Tch. You're just gonna walk into some sketchy hole?"

Tiona grinned. "C'mon, Bete, don't be scared~"

"I ain't scared, you damn monkey."

Orcbolg, however, wasn't concerned with their banter. He knelt down, examining the edges of the passage. The stone was rough and uneven, as if it had been forcibly broken apart.

Then, he saw them.

Footprints.

Not monster tracks. Boot prints.

People had been here. Recently.

He stood. "We go in."

Ais nodded. "Agreed."

Bete clicked his tongue but followed. "Fine, whatever. If something jumps at us, I'm smashing it."

The Hidden Hideout

The passage was unnaturally straight, as if someone had carved through the dungeon stone on purpose.

The deeper they went, the staler the air became.

Then—light.

Orcbolg raised a hand. Everyone stopped.

Through the narrow opening, they saw it—a hidden chamber.

Inside, figures in dark cloaks moved between crates and tables. Their voices were low, hurried. They were preparing something.

Evilus.

Ais narrowed her eyes. Bete's fists clenched.

Tiona's playful expression disappeared. "So this is what they've been hiding…"

Lefiya swallowed. "What do we do?"

Orcbolg studied the room. This wasn't a random hideout.

It was a base.

Weapons, supplies, documents—this was an operation, not just a temporary camp.

His gaze locked onto a table covered in papers.

"That's what we need," he whispered.

Ais nodded. "We move carefully."

Orcbolg didn't hesitate. Swift. Silent.

They slipped inside.

Orcbolg reached the table first. His hands moved quickly, scanning the documents. Maps, coded messages, supply logs…

Then, his eyes stopped.

A symbol.

A twisting, familiar mark.

His breath hitched. He had seen this before.

Then—

A voice shouted.

"Who's there?!"

Chaos Unleashed

In an instant, the hideout erupted into motion.

Bete was the first to react, lunging forward with a kick that sent an Evilus member flying into the crates.

Ais was right behind him, her sword flashing in the dim light.

Tiona and Tione moved together, cutting through enemies like a synchronized force.

Lefiya raised her staff. "Arcs Ray!"

A blinding beam of light shot from her hands, obliterating a section of the hideout's defenses.

But Orcbolg didn't stay to fight.

This wasn't a battle to win—it was an ambush they weren't prepared for.

They were outnumbered.

The longer they stayed, the more likely reinforcements would arrive.

And worse—if Evilus had a plan in motion, this fight would alert them.

"We leave," Orcbolg ordered.

Bete growled, "Tch! Running already?!"

"We have what we need." Orcbolg lifted the stolen papers. "Staying risks everything."

Ais hesitated but nodded. "He's right."

Tiona sighed. "Fine, fine. Let's move!"

The Escape

The group pulled back, cutting down any pursuers in their way.

Ais covered their flank, her strikes swift and lethal.

Lefiya's magic burned bright, blinding their enemies long enough for them to retreat.

Orcbolg didn't look back. The mission wasn't to wipe out Evilus today.

It was to find them.

And now, they had.

Back on the surface, the group wasted no time. After parting ways at the entrance of Babel, Ais and her teammates headed straight for the Twilight Manor, while Orcbolg made his way toward the Guild.

Twilight Manor

Loki was lounging on the couch, a bottle in hand, when Ais and the others entered the room. Seeing their serious expressions, she sat up, her playful smirk fading.

Bete clicked his tongue and crossed his arms. "We found something underground. Could be Evilus."

Loki's eyes sharpened. "Evilus, huh? Thought we wiped most of those bastards out."

Ais nodded. "A hidden hideout, deep in the Dungeon."

Tiona stepped forward. "It was weird. The whole area felt… unnatural."

Lefiya shuddered. "There was also… a symbol. Orcbolg recognized it, but we didn't have time to ask him about it."

Loki leaned back, tapping a finger against her lips. "Hoh? Sounds like we need to move fast."

She turned toward the door. "I'll call Finn and Riveria. We'll need a proper hunt. Good work, kiddos."

The Guild

Orcbolg stepped inside the Guild hall, his armor still dusted with the grime of the Dungeon. He ignored the stares from adventurers as he walked up to the counter.

Eina Tulle blinked in surprise. "You're back earlier than usual."

"I have a report," he said.

She straightened. "What happened?"

Orcbolg relayed the events—the strange behavior of the monsters, the hideout, and the symbol. When he finished, Eina's expression had darkened.

"This is serious." She stood up. "Wait here, I need to call Royman."

A few minutes later, Royman, a senior guild official, arrived. He listened intently to Orcbolg's words, then nodded. "This aligns with other reports we've been receiving. If Evilus is truly reforming in the Dungeon, we need to act."

Royman turned to Eina. "Send word to all high-level Familias. We may need a full-scale expedition."

Orcbolg listened silently. This wasn't his fight. Not directly. And yet, his instincts told him otherwise.

He clenched his fists. "I'm going."

Royman raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? This isn't just some normal fight, you know."

"I know," Orcbolg said.

Royman studied him for a moment before nodding. "Very well. Just don't get yourself killed."

As Orcbolg left the Guild, his grip tightened around his sword.

A hunt was about to begin.