"Easy missions are the ones that turn into trouble…" Miki said quietly.

Rayven nodded slightly. "True. But that's why we've got a strong Arcanist and two reliable escorts…"

Thyruz smiled. "Flattery won't get you anywhere… I only have a few offensive spells. The most I have were defensive ones."

Rayven actually liked that even more.

"That would be great. I'll take care of the offense, Sir Thyruz."

With that said, the group walked along a dirt trail leading deeper into Headhunt Valley.

Since the 17th Dungeon was also around this region, they passed by a few adventurers heading back toward town. They were probably assigned to clear the beasts around the dungeon, to ensure that the outpost was safe.

After all, it was normal for the Beasts to become more active around the dungeon.

Nonetheless, Rayven noticed that the adventurers looked tired and dirt-covered. One of them nodded at Rayven's group.

"Careful if you're heading north. Some of the Feral Beasts have been acting strange lately," the man said.

That was already quite well-known to everyone, but it seemed that it had gotten worse.

Rayven thanked him and continued walking.

Miki kept her hand close to her sword while Nara scanned the treeline. Thyruz trailed behind as he was in charge for a quick defense in case they encountered an ambush.

"Strange how?" Nara finally muttered

"Probably the mana distortion around the area." Rayven said. "The report mentioned some kind of disorientation effect. If it's leaking mana, even small beasts can become unstable. It's probably related to the nearby dungeon."

After another twenty minutes, they reached a small clearing where the ground looked uneven. Broken branches and disturbed soil surrounded the area.

There was also the faint smell of moss and blood in the air.

Miki crouched and inspected a patch of flattened grass. "Footprints. Feral wolves, maybe two or three."

Rayven glanced around and noticed faint scorch marks on nearby rocks. "Looks like someone already fought here. Probably the first exploration team."

Nara drew one of her short blades. "If there are Feral Beasts nearby, they'll come back to check the area."

"Then we should stay alert," Rayven replied.

They moved carefully, following the faint pulse of mana that Rayven sensed through his Detect Mana Source.

Soon, they reached a shallow slope that curved into a basic. At its center was a sinkhole about two meters wide. The soil around it was cracked, and a faint mist seeped out from below.

It might be a normal mist or the toxic fumes reported before.

"This must be it," Rayven said as he approached.

Thyruz agreed as he also crouched and placed his palm near the edge. "There's a strong mana residue here…"

He then tapped his staff lightly on the ground. "It's thin but real. The mana around here is unstable… It's not suited for practicing mana."

Miki peered into the hole. "It's not that deep. Maybe five meters down. I can see a stone surface at the bottom."

"Could be the entrance to the structure mentioned in the report," Rayven said.

Before anyone could move, a rustling sound came from the bushes. Three Feral Wolves emerged, their eyes glowing faintly with a dim blue hue. Their fur was patchy, and faint streaks of mana flickered along their bodies.

"They're indeed strange. I've seen Feral Wolves before, but not like this." Thyruz muttered. "They've absorbed too much unstable mana."

Miki stepped forward and drew her sword… "I'll take the front."

Nara grinned and pulled out her twin blades. "I'll flank left."

Rayven extended his hand as he also prepared to assist them in combat.

"I'll support. This is a good warm-up before the real deal below."

The wolves charged. Miki met the first one head-on, slashing diagonally and cutting through its shoulder.

Nara slipped to the side, and made sure to be as stealthy as possible…

Soon, her blades cut across the second beast's legs.

The third wolf leapt toward Rayven, but he quickly cast a Spell.

"Fireball…"

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

Bam!

The Fireball hit the Feral Wolf directly on its face!

"Hmm… Nice… No one needs my Minor Shell." Thyruz muttered as he was ready to release the defensive Spells to those who needed them.

Miki finished her opponent with a thrust through its neck. Nara followed up with a clean cut that silenced the second one. Rayven, on the other hand, had already neutralized the Feral Wolf, and just another stab from either Miki or Nara would end its life.

Just like that, the area fell silent again.

Nara then wiped her blades clean before she took out a different dagger to take out the Beast Cores.

Although Feral Beast Cores were small and cheap, as long as they were able to accumulate many, they could still earn a lot..

"They weren't that strong, but they moved oddly. Like they didn't feel pain." Miki muttered as she recalled the battle.

"That's what happens when the body's mana flow here is unstable," Rayven said. "It numbs instinct and heightens aggression."

Thyruz sighed. "There's no more Toxic Fumes or miasma… We should go down quickly. The longer we stay, the more beasts will gather."

Rayven nodded and approached the edge again. "We'll descend one by one. I'll go first."

He drew a small talisman from his pouch and threw it down the hole. A faint blue glow illuminated the bottom, revealing what looked like a smooth stone floor carved with faint patterns.

"Alright," he said. "There's enough space to land. Be careful, it might be slippery."

Miki followed after him, landing lightly beside him. Nara jumped next, landing with a small roll. At the same time, Thyruz used a floating charm to descend slowly.

It wasn't a Spell but an item!

It was an interesting sight…

Now that they were inside, they could see a narrow corridor stretching ahead.

There were strange symbols lining the walls, most of them worn down by time. There was also the faint smell of rust, and the residue of the toxic fumes before.

"This place feels old..." Miki said softly before she suddenly felt a chill…

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