After the intense fight, Team 4 made their way to a spot that seemed safe enough to rest. The goblins had been weak but relentless without any ounce of fear, leaving the group exhausted.
Most were low-rank hunters, with Joo-Hee standing out as the lone B-rank among them. As soon as they reached their rest point, everyone collapsed onto the ground, grateful for the pause.
Minsoo passed out some food and water, his own fatigue showing as he handed each person their share. "Here, guys. Recharge a bit before we move out again," he said, trying to sound upbeat.
"Thanks, Minsoo," Joo-Hee murmured, taking a water bottle with a small nod of appreciation. Da-Sol and Eun-Bi echoed her thanks, while Yoon-Ji merely nodded silently.
Meanwhile, Jae-Sung grabbed his share without a word, still bitter over Yoon-Ji's earlier scolding, even though deep down, he knew he was the one who messed up.
Jake, observing from a little distance, turned his attention to his status screen. His mana was only around 100 points higher than before, hardly a comfortable margin.
He contemplated using a mana recovery potion, debating whether to drink it. Better save it for when I really need it, he decided, tucking it back into his pouch.
Settling into a lotus position, he silently whispered, "Basic Meditation". His focus steadied, and he let himself drift, feeling the slow trickle of mana returning.
The others watched in awe, each silently thinking, As expected of a B-rank—she's calmly meditating even after that fight.
Eun-Bi, especially, whose gaze was almost reverent. As an E-rank, her mana was painfully low, and seeing Joo-Hee meditating so calmly in this eerie place inspired her.
She's so calm… Eun-Bi thought, observing every little detail, trying to memorize how Joo-Hee sat, the focus in her expression. If only... I could do that.
After about half an hour, Jake's eyes opened. "This should do for now," he muttered, checking his status.
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MP: 314/575
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Jake was pleased with how much mana he'd recovered—thanks to the dense magicules within the dungeon and enhanced mana pores, his mana recovery was quicker than expected.
Da-Sol, noticing Joo-Hee was done meditating, spoke up, "Alright, we should get moving. We still need at least fifteen more essence stones to finish."
Following Yoon-Ji's guidance, who used her enhanced senses to scout ahead, they soon spotted a cluster of four goblins wandering around.
This time, Jae-Sung stayed back, swallowing his pride after his earlier mistake that had nearly put them in danger.
Da-Sol quickly took charge. "Alright, Eun-Bi, use Wind Blade on their thighs to slow them down—if you can hit their necks, even better. Yoon-Ji, keep any that try to escape pinned down. Unnie, support us like before. Jae-Sung and I will handle the main attack."
Eun-Bi focused on chanting, having the determination to become like Joo-Hee. After a few seconds, she finished and said to Da-Sol, "I'm done." Da-Sol nodded, steadying herself as she channeled mana into her wind magic.
"Wind Blade!" Eun-Bi whispered, releasing the spell with a sharp flick of her wrist. She aimed for a goblin's neck, and to her own surprise, the blade found its target. Although it didn't fully sever the head, the attack sliced deep enough to hit an artery, causing the goblin to stagger and collapse in a pool of blood.
"Nice, Eun-Bi!" Da-Sol called out with a nod of approval. Eun-Bi, encouraged, continued her chanting as Yoon-Ji moved in swiftly, striking the goblins' legs and arms to prevent any escape.
Using the cover of the dense forest, the group decided to hunt in the shadows, catching the goblins off-guard.
With Da-Sol and Jae-Sung moving in for the finishing strikes, the team quickly dispatched the goblins before Joo-Hee could entrap some of the goblins, efficiently collecting the essence stones they needed.
Jake could see his team's improvement after their life-threatening encounter with the fourteen goblins. The battle had sharpened their strategy, and they were working more smoothly now, more coordinated.
So far, they have gathered nineteen essence stones. But before they could find more goblins, a loud explosion shattered the forest's quiet.
Flames erupted not far off, and Jake could see the forest ablaze, trees being reduced to ash. A sharp, almost painful feeling tugged at his heart at the sight of the forest burning, as though he could feel the woods' distress.
Seeing the scene, Jake's team pushed it aside, assuming it was just another team hunting nearby. They refocused on their own task—they only needed eleven more stones to complete their quota.
Nearly two hours later, with tired but determined spirits, they were down to just two stones. The porter spoke up cheerfully, "Only two more to go!" His words sparked a round of relieved smiles, even a few grins, as the team realized how close they were to finishing.
Da-Sol nodded, clapping his hands together. "Alright, let's get this done!" he said, his voice firm but laced with excitement.
Yoon-Ji, usually so cool and composed, was eager to finish. She darted ahead, gliding from one tree to another with breathtaking agility, and Jake marveled at her speed.
The rest of the team followed, careful to stay close as their scout led the way. It was hard not to feel a surge of excitement seeing how close they were to completing their mission.
Within minutes, they spotted three goblins by a riverbed. Yoon-Ji's hand was already on her bow as she whispered, "There!".
Driven by the excitement of completing their hunt, she fired five arrows in rapid succession. Three of her arrows hit true, taking down one goblin, but her last two missed the mark.
Before the goblins could react, a fireball blazed through the air, engulfing them. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as the remaining goblins crumpled, charred beyond recognition.
Yoon-Ji immediately stepped back, her excitement evaporating into shock as she realized she'd let her eagerness cloud her judgment. She clenched her jaw, muttering a curse under her breath as she recognized her mistake mirrored Jae-Sung's blunder from earlier.
Just then, the rest of the team caught up, and they instantly recognized the fire mage in front of them—the same one who'd been harassing their healer outside the dungeon.
Seeing him, Jake's jaw tightened as he bit the inside of his cheek. There you are, you pesky jerk, he thought, irritation flaring up again at the memory of the mage's earlier taunts.
Back then, Jake had held back for the sake of his team's safety, knowing a fight outside the dungeon would only disqualify them. But here, in the depths of the dungeon, the balance had shifted.
The fire mage stepped forward, a smug smirk on his face as he pointed directly at Jake. He was clearly sizing him up, taunting him without even saying much.\
Jake's fists clenched, his mind racing with ideas of payback. He'd just love to hit him with Verdant Growth and squeeze that smugness right out. But quickly realized his creations would just be burned blatantly.
Jake exhaled loudly, letting go of the urge. "Let's go," he said to his team, forcing himself to focus. "Let's just search the other places."
Some members of Team 4 exchanged worried glances, concerned that Joo-Hee might be hurting inside from the fire mage's insults.
Little did they know, Jake hid an inner smirk. If I can't openly bind you… I'll just do it discreetly, he thought.
As they walked away, he muttered "Verdant Growth" under his breath, letting his magic slip beneath the ground to the roots of the nearby grasses, aiming it at his fire mage "friend."
Yoon-Ji, meanwhile, apologized for not scouting the area first as she said. "Sorry... I should've checked that there was another team nearby." Jae-Sung hid a smirk, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he thought, How does it feel to taste your own medicine?
Given that no one was hurt, they all accepted her apology and moved on.
The fire mage, looking at the disappearing silhouette of Joo-Hee, shook his head, muttering while smirking, "Haha, coward… to think I was jealous of that healer."
Before he could say more, he suddenly screeched in pain.
Thin, sharp roots had sprouted from beneath him, piercing through his boots, snaking into his calves like barbed wires. The mage yelped, struggling to move, but the roots only broke off, remaining lodged in his skin like stubborn splinters.
Blood pooled in his boots, and his face twisted in pain and shock, leaving his team stunned by the sudden turn of events.
A few meters away, Jake let out a small, satisfied giggle. It seems practicing Verdant Growth is now paying off.
Da-Sol worriedly noticed, glancing over with concern. "Unnie... I'm really sorry for stopping you earlier—"
Jake raised a hand, gently smiling. "Ah! It's alright, don't worry. I'm actually glad y'all stopped me," he thought maliciously, if not, I wouldn't have gotten such an opportunity.
Immediately, they spotted another group of goblins up ahead, ready to be ambushed. Perfect timing, they all thought.