Dungeon beasts?
The entire crowd was baffled and cold sweat drenched them.
The infamy of Dungeon and its resident beasts were known throughout the continent. The steady-growing brutal syndicate with vicious employees, a cavern with the most treacherous traps, an inconspicuous place with a semi-sentient heart!
How the hell did those beasts came near the village?
According to Grandma Mera, there are only two possible conclusions. One, a new, ungraded dungeon had popped up in the vicinity. Two, a dungeon has decided to grow in length and breadth and the village is in its locality.
Either way, the situation spelt disaster.
"Adventurers, a dungeon dive is impossible with our current strength. Thus we request your assistance in the endeavour." Durian paced to Gary and requested their support.
Tara and Theo traded gazes and glanced at Adam who nodded in agreement. Though he hasn't got a chance to enter a dungeon, he couldn't let go of this opportunity.
"It's our duty as adventurers to do so." Gary emphasised that dungeon dives aren't something commendable. As an adventurer, it was one of his fundamental duties to scout available areas and observe for beasts and potential dungeons.
The grandma went on surveying the heap of corpses and Walter raised unawareness to her identity.
"She is our village physician, grandma Mera. She's the oldest in our village and is very knowledgeable about medicines and herbs."
The adventurers nodded in realisation as she displayed her unique way of locomotion with a leisureful sway to her sides in each step. Nearing Durian and the adventurers, her soothing voice spoke, "It must be exhausting to battle these beasts. Please come by my house if you feel any sort of discomfort."
Turning to the village head, she continued, "I would like to borrow a few corpses of these beasts." Durian simply nodded without hesitation.
Shortly after, the crowd was dispersed. A couple of villagers came by to take away the grandma's share.
Gary didn't want to take ownership of the beast corpses, but Durian wouldn't accept the holding. Reiterating that the adventurers killed the beasts and saved them from disaster, the village head pronounced that it would be deep disrespect if they are to commit such a crime.
"Then how about setting up a feast with panther meat? Consider it a joint venture between us adventurers and the villagers."
Gary pursued Durian to accept the offer and the village head nodded in agreement. He left and came back soon with a couple of carts and a dozen men.
"Hey, the beast core, is it also a delicacy?" Adam whispered to Walter in doubt.
The question was out of the blue but the adventurer muttered, "Oh no no, the beast cores are inedible. But they have wide uses in alchemy, blacksmithing and medicine making. They also fetch good money in the market."
Saying this, Walter probed with a creased brow, "Why? Do you want them?"
Adam smiled humbly. "No, I was simply wondering what they're going to use them for."
"Oh, okay."
How stupid I am? Why would a wandering man need beast cores? It is only so that he doesn't know the uses of the crystals.
Considering Adam's lack of interaction with the civilised world, Walter compiled a conclusion and let the matter vanish from his mind.
The carts were filled with corpses. Durian had already warned the men not to take the liberty of their kindness. Thus they only took thoroughly mutilated corpses. Such remnants wouldn't fetch any money in the market if the adventurers were to sell them.
But Gary saw through their intentions. Before they departed, he conveyed that the best meat makes the best meal. He insisted that the men take the best and plumpest corpses among the heap.
Witnessing the unwavering resolve of the adventurers, the village head could only agree with their words.
A cloud of gratitude loomed over the village head and he quickly led them to his home. The two-storeyed dwelling had spare rooms for them to rest and alleviate the fatigue.
Tara, Theo, Walter, Gary and Adam followed Durian's lead. They soon neared a vacant yet clean cabin. Though single-storeyed, it was as good as the village head's home.
"Merchants arrive twice a month and they travel hours without rest to reach here. So it's only natural that we construct a cabin for them to rest." Durian spoke as he opened the door and welcomed them inside.
A beautiful living room was disclosed to the adventurers. The couch, the table and the miscellaneous furniture in the room were uncluttered and organised. The doors to two bedrooms also came into their visibility. The brilliance of the lanterns automatically illuminated the interior of the room as soon as they stepped inside.
"Please make yourselves home. I'll come back as soon as the feast is ready." Durian smiled and silently closed the door as he stepped out of the cabin.
For a brief second, the adventurers and Adam stood frozen in the room. They traded gazes and asked non-verbally, 'What to do?'
It was Tara who quickly walked to one of the two rooms and closed the door behind her. "I'm going to take a shower. Don't peep or barge in and that explicitly goes for you, Walter!"
The feminine threat emerged from behind the door and heads turned to the accused.
"Don't mind the words of an overgrown toddler." Walter waved his hand nonchalantly and plopped on the couch. Following his lead, the men took seats on the couch.
There were a few minutes of silence in the room. This quietness was disrupted by Gary's voice, "Adam, why did you say so?"
Adam, who was counting the numbers of beast cores remaining in his ring, raised his eyes and saw Gary leaned forward. His query wasn't unexpected and Adam wore the ring back on his finger.
Walter and Theo had the same incertitude hovering above their heads.
"As the elder said, I am a low level. No one would believe if you told them that I took down the panther pack leader. They would only laugh and consider it a joke.
But if it's anyone of you, the magnitude of trust elevates to a new level. As seasoned adventurers, that excuse will gain an undoubted conviction."
Adam took a pause and continued, "The fact that merchants arrive this village twice every month means that this news will not remain dormant. The village head possibly cannot stop boasting about a bunch of capable adventurers who took down the beasts."
Adam put a halt to his words and glanced at the men's faces. They nodded with comprehension. If they weren't aware of the danger lying behind fame and attention, they can only be called dunces.
"I underst..." Theo's solemn voice couldn't complete the sentence as Durian came walking in with a bright smile. "The feast is ready!"
Gary's brows knitted for a second before springing up, "Village head, it was Adam who defeated the Crowned Silverline Panther." Pointing at the 26-years-old, he stated.
The heck!
Walter face warped as soon as he heard his companions spitting the truth. It was too abrupt that neither Theo nor Walter couldn't stop him. They could only glance at Adam in apology.
"Hahahaha...
Adventurer Gary, your humour sense is otherworldly...HAHAHAHA...!"
Durian couldn't contain the laughter and the old man bellowed. Wiping his tears, he slowly turned around and left the room. he was still chuckling and snickering at Gary's words.
A silence enveloped the four men as Walter and Theo traded gazes with Adam.
"Looks like Adam was right." Patting Gary's shoulder, Theo walked past him and disappeared out of the door. Gary rubbed his chin in agreement as he scanned the rookie from head to toe.
Walter struggled to contain his laughter and chuckled silently. Knocking on the door of the room into which Tara disappeared, he conveyed the words of the elder before turning around and walking out of the cabin.
Without speaking a word, Adam followed his suit.
"How did you deduce that the elder wouldn't believe it?" Gary tagged along behind the earthling with curiosity.
"Well...exposure to unbelievable facts creates two possible results; either an outburst of laughter or an episode of amazement."
Adam's response was candid and precise. It was as if he had constructed this sentence and waited his whole life for this very moment.
Hearing these words, Gary fell into contemplation. Rubbing his chin, his pace slowed down as he admired the stranger's insight.
Shortly after, Tara walked past him and joined the feast. Gary took a seat and enjoyed the luxurious dinner along with his fellow adventurers and the villagers. The alluring scent of cooked tender meat poked their noses and the entire buffet was emptied in almost half an hour.
***
Meanwhile, not too far away from the village.
[Oh sentient heart, the panther pack hasn't returned yet.]
A beast came dashing into an underground chamber. There were a couple of dungeon guardians lying peacefully in a corner of the space.
[Is that so? Then we have an enemy in the vicinity.
Ready a pack of Scout Foxes.]