Nikito was finishing skinning the wolves when he raised his hand, bloodied, holding a pretty green stone the size of a tennis ball: "Inheritance stone!"
Rin, who was resting under the nearby tree, jumped up at Nikito's call. He approached quickly and examined the inheritance stone with curiosity: "How much is this worth?"
Alliong, coming from behind, commented with a smirk: "If it has a complete inheritance, we've made a big profit."
Rin looked at Alliong with a perplexed expression: "Complete? I don't see any cracks on it."
"AHAHA! No, complete in terms of inheritance transmission. But to find out, we'll need to consult an expert from the inner bastion," Alliong mocked before returning to the lounge.
Intrigued, Rin activated his Mana Sense to detect any wolf cubs nearby. Thanks to his level increase, his range now extended to 40 meters. He scrutinized the surroundings and made an astonishing discovery 25 meters from his position. Behind a tree, he spotted a vortex where all the surrounding mana seemed to converge. When his exploratory sense analyzed it, his system responded.
Ding! [Mana sense detected an emerging dungeon!]
Ding! [Level 5 Dungeon: Sylvan Wolf]
Rin remained motionless, turning his head towards the group. In a serious tone, he announced: "Dungeon... There's a dungeon ahead of us."
Shin, looking at him in surprise, asked: "How do you know? I don't sense any particular mana fluctuations."
The other group members also fixed their gaze on Rin, intrigued by his words.
Rin pointed to his eyes, a clear blue like two enchanting skies: "My stigmata reveals to me that it's an emerging level 5 dungeon, called Sylvan Wolf."
Shin and Alliong stood up abruptly, sharing an incredulous look. "Rich!" they exclaimed in unison.
"Rin, you'd better not reveal this ability to everyone. Being able to privatize a dungeon before its eruption is an invaluable asset," Alliong advised seriously.
"Privatize?" Rin asked, perplexed.
Impatiently, Hayashi intervened: "To enter a dungeon, two criteria must be met: one of the group members must spot the dungeon, and everyone must be at the same level or below the level displayed by the dungeon."
Rin's face reflected his astonishment: "Spot it? That's a strange rule, isn't it?"
"Some dungeons are located in poisoned tides, magical mists, or even at the bottom of rivers. Moreover, we've discovered that dungeons possess a form of intelligence. Thus, as long as one person can enter, their entire team can follow," explained Shin.
"Okay, okay, so let's rest before entering," Rin decided, aware of the importance of this revelation.
After a twenty-minute break and a few wolves killed attracted by the scent of blood, the nightingale team made a final point.
"I've heard about three types of dungeons from my family's elders," Shin began, usually reserved but now capturing everyone's attention, including Hayashi, eager to learn about the dungeon's financial potential.
Shin raised a finger to illustrate his point: "Checkpoint-type dungeons. They consist of several floors, each increasingly difficult to traverse. Some levels have checkpoints where adventurers can rest and heal. A boss awaits them on each final floor and before each checkpoint. Reaching a checkpoint also allows you to exit the dungeon and return later without losing progress."
Then he lowered a second finger: "The worst, in my opinion, are Boss-type dungeons. There's only one room, and you can't leave until the boss is defeated."
Finally, he lowered the last finger: "Finally, there are Trial-type dungeons. They generally involve completing a series of imposed challenges."
"So, if I understand correctly, it's a one-in-three chance of being in trouble," Rin concluded, scrutinizing Shin.
Shin nodded, and the other group members stood up, heading determinedly toward the dungeon.
"Is everyone ready?" Rin observed the vortex, reaching out to touch it.
Ding! [Level 5 Dungeon: Sylvan Wolf]
Ding! [Do you want to enter the Dungeon? Current members: 5]
"Yes," Rin replied, and as he uttered the word, he felt his vision blur.
***
Rin and the others found themselves in a closed circular room with only one enormous door.
Before they could even analyze their surroundings, their expressions turned grim.
Ding! [Welcome to Boss-type Dungeon: Sylvan Wolf Lair]
Ding! [Please defeat the Boss to exit the dungeon]
"The worst has happened..." Rin looked helplessly at the massive door adorned with floral decorations.
Shin gazed at the door with seriousness, "We'll have to take it down, and quite quickly. A 3-level difference is quite rough..."
Rin observed his team; Shin seemed lost in thought, while Alliong was performing dubious stretches. Hayashi, usually lively, was calm but had apprehension in his gaze. Nikito's legs were trembling.
"It won't be easy," Rin tightened his grip on his bow.
Shin raised his head, a wild look crossing his eyes, "I have a plan! I need to know more about your stigmata."
Several minutes later, everyone stood before the door, and Rin, needing reassurance, asked the question, "Does everyone remember their role?"
"Yes," they all replied simultaneously.
Ding! [Initiate boss battle?]
"Yes."
The door began to open, and the four individuals entered the room, only to be engulfed in a burst of light. Sunbeams filtered through the sparse branches of tall trees surrounding the circular room, casting patterns of shadow and light on the packed earth floor.
At the center of this sunlit clearing, on a mound of earth covered in moss, stood the Sylvan Wolf. Towering and majestic, it dominated the scene at 2 meters tall, its green and silver fur capturing the sunlight's reflections. Its piercing gaze, of an intense green, watched with suspicion the intruders who dared enter its territory.
Ding! [Sylvan Wolf lvl.5]