The two others stepped out from behind the first woman, both clad in worn, scarred leather armor that looked like it had seen countless battles and been patched up numerous times.The man was tall and broad with a small shield strapped to one arm and a sword sheathed at his hip. He had a grizzled rugged look, clearly the type who'd seen his fair share of danger. And survive.The blonde woman beside him had long, golden hair cascading down her shoulders and a small bird with striking golden feathers perched there, eyeing John curiously.The woman who'd spoken earlier had sleek black hair tied back in a ponytail, her face soft and almost cute — a striking contrast to her lean, athletic frame. She also have a sword strapped on her hip.They eyed John and his companion, the black hound, with a mix of caution and curiosity."Have you been here long?" the dark-haired woman asked, nodding toward the hound. "Is that... your tamed beast?""Yes," John replied, deciding not to complicate things. He could tell by their expressions that they hadn't expected anyone else in the Dungeon. "Just me and him."The blonde woman tilted her head, curious. "You came here alone?""Yeah," he said simply, not wanting to reveal too much. He sensed they might be adventurers exploring the Dungeon. "Listen, though... there are other Beasts in here, a lot more, and they're already on high alert. You might want to leave while you still can."The group exchanged glances, the man with the shield frowning."We just got here. So-" he grumbled, but his words were cut off by a sudden, deep, rumbling growl that echoed through the cave walls, filling the tunnel with its ominous sound.The three adventurers paled, their expressions going rigid with fear."That... sounded big," the man muttered, tightening his grip on his shield."Probably best to take the advice," the dark-haired woman said, her eyes darting back toward the exit. The tall man nodded, clearly reluctant, but he knew better than to ignore the warning."Alright," he said, gesturing for them to follow. "Let's get out of here."They hurried through the winding tunnel, with John and the hound bringing up the rear.Relief washed over John when they finally emerged into the open air, leaving the dark, stifling confines of the Dungeon behind.He took in a deep breath and savoring the fresh air as they stepped out into the world beyond.His eyes adjusted to the brilliant sunlight streaming through a dense and high forest. Tall pine trees stretched skyward around them, swaying slightly in the breeze.He looked out from the forested hill they stood upon, taking in a sprawling view: far in the distance, mountain peaks rose like giants against the sky, their jagged edges dusted with snow and reaching into low-lying clouds.The vast landscape felt both breathtaking and lonely, with only the calls of distant birds breaking the silence.But John's awe was interrupted as he noticed the three adventurers exchanging disappointed looks.The blonde-haired girl cast him a suspicious glare. "Thanks to you, we missed our chance. The beasts are all on alert now," she accused, crossing her arms.John blinked, surprised by her sudden accusation. Irritation flared within him. It wasn't entirely his fault; he'd only just entered this world when truns out he was inside a Dungeon and the beasts that will swarmed him if he don't escape in time. He didn't know anything."Look, that's not fair," he replied. "I just got there myself, and every beast in the place was practically piled up in one spot. There's no way anyone could sneak past that."The black-haired woman raised an eyebrow, seemingly know more than him. "So... you made it all the way to the core?""Yeah," John replied, the memory making him grimace, "and barely got out alive."The blonde girl's expression softened slightly, though she didn't apologize outright.The black-haired woman sighed and shrugged. "Well, that's that. Looks like our trip's over for now. We'd best head back to town."John considered his options for a moment before speaking up. "Mind if I tag along? I'd rather not head back alone." He thought: "Cause I don't even know the way."The woman shrugged. "Sure."They began the descent down the hill, walking in silence through the thick forest paths. As they made their way back toward the town, the trio glanced curiously at John, finally breaking the quiet with questions about how he'd ended up in the Dungeon alone."How are you there alone?" the black haired woman asked.He pondered for a moment, thinking of a story to explain his strange presence there. He couldn't exactly tell these adventurers he'd somehow come from another world, right? He needed something believable, something that wouldn't prompt too many questions.Clearing his throat, he decided on a reasonable story."Actually," he started, "I was originally with another party. We want to explore that Dungeon, but things didn't go as planned." He paused, glancing at their faces to gauge their reactions. The black-haired woman's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't interrupt, so he continued."There was this really nasty encounter right at the entrance. Those beasts there ugh... they really strong and there's many of them," he said, frowning as if remembering something unpleasant. "Half my group got separated in the chaos. I tried to find the others but the Dungeon was packed with beasts, and I barely made it out alive."He let out a dramatic sigh, hoping it sounded convincing enough. "Guess I got a bit too curious and a little unlucky."The blonde girl nodded, sympathy softening her expression. "Makes sense. Dungeons can be unpredictable," she muttered, her initial suspicion fading.Encouraged, John added, "Right? So I figured I'd get out and regroup. But seeing as you're all heading back to town too, I'd rather not make the trip alone. I just met my party so I'm not really close to them. After this, I will separate myself from them."John glanced down, catching the black hound's gaze, and couldn't help but smile. The hound's expression seemed to hold a mischievous glint, as if amused by the story he'd just cook on the spot. It was almost as if the hound were saying, Nice one. Keep it up.The hound's apparent approval was both comforting and strangely funny to John, who found himself feeling even more confident in his tale.The black-haired woman looked at him thoughtfully before speaking up. "You know, if you're on your own, you could join our team. We're headed to the next Dungeon tomorrow. If you're interested, we could use another skilled adventurer."John's eyebrows raised, pleasantly surprised by the invitation."Really?" he replied, giving her a small nod. "That would be great."She gave a slight smile, and the others nodded in agreement. They stopped on the path and one by one introduced themselves.The black-haired woman extended a hand."I'm Irene," she said, her tone cool but friendly. "That's Marik," she nodded at the tall man with the shield, who gave a gruff nod, "and Amel," she finished, gesturing to the blonde-haired woman, who give him a quick nod."John." John returned their greetings, feeling a genuine sense of relief that he will not be alone.---