They stepped into the ruin and looking at the sight of the crumbling stone hallways that filled with cracks spreading across ancient walls and vines snaking their way up through the fractures. Leaves clustered in patches where sunlight leaked through gaps above and an earthy smell filled the air.Just ahead, they spotted the open doorway, radiating the same faint magical aura that Gervas's team had passed through moments earlier.Marik took the lead and keeping his shield ready while his turtle companion remained tucked away in its own dimension, a skill John couldn't yet use with Inky. For now, that didn't matter.They moved forward and descending at a cautious pace, with Marik up front, Irene just behind him, and John bringing up the rear, guarding Amel.The tunnel stretched before them, illuminated by clusters of glowing fungi growing along the walls and ceiling, casting a soft light in their way. The subtle glow allowed them to see clearly without the need for torches or lanterns, their shadows flickering against the uneven stone.As they moved deeper, Amel's yellow bird fluttered up then perching on top of Inky's head. John watched the two Beasts with a small smile; the way Inky tolerated the little bird's presence was endearing. Despite Inky's usually reserved nature he seemed happy to have a companion. He blinking up at the yellow bird with a gentle, toothy grin. They looked like an unlikely but adorable pair.The path eventually split, revealing a fork with two tunnels diverging into the dark. The one to the right held fresh footprints, likely left by Gervas's team. John paused, glancing down at the tracks."Looks like they went right," he murmured.Irene nodded. "Then we take the left path. Less chance we'll run into them, and who knows? Maybe we'll find something they missed."With quiet agreement, they headed down the left tunnel. The silence of the Dungeon pressed in, broken only by the occasional drip of water or faint rustle from the creatures hidden in the shadows.Few minutes later they stepped into a chamber that clearly had been constructed, not formed by nature. The walls here though old and crumbling like everything else in the Dungeon showed signs of an ancient architecture.Stone pillars were now cracked and stained, and faded carvings lined parts of the walls, depicting scenes of a long-lost civilization. A faint chill hung in the air.As they took in their surroundings, Irene pulled a hefty book from her pack and opened it, revealing page after page of neatly written notes, sketches, and symbols."What's that?" John asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity."This is everything I've managed to gather about this Dungeon," Irene replied, flipping to a particular section.John's admiration was evident. "Wow. You're meticulous."Irene only smiled, keeping her eyes on the pages."She's always like that," Marik said with a sigh. "I told her it was a hassle, but she insisted on gathering every scrap of information she could before we set foot in every Dungeon. Even if half of it turns out useless, she still enjoys doing it."Amel nodded in agreement, casting the same look at Irene. John could see that both Marik and Amel weren't the type to prepare everything in advance but he respected Irene's dedication. Her commitment to research is definitely useful for her team and their survival."I'm with Irene on this one. The more we know, the better our chances," John said.Irene looked up from her notes, her eyes lighting up. "Finally, someone who understands!"John chuckled, pleased to see her enthusiasm.She turned back to the book, tracing her fingers over a map sketched onto one of the pages."This Dungeon used to be a palace for an ancient kingdom," she explained. "This place was filled with magic and after they gone, a Core developed here, transforming it into the Dungeon we see now."The group absorbed her words, glancing around at the remnants of magic and craftsmanship in the chamber, feeling the weight of history all around them.Irene continued, flipping through the pages."There's a prison area further in, supposedly used to hold prisoners from ancient wars," she explained. "From what I gathered, that part of the Dungeon is particularly dangerous. It's likely full of traps and possibly more rewards."John nodded, then looking around, he frowned. "No Beasts so far, though. Why is that?""In the upper areas there's no Beast roaming. But if we go deeper we'll start running into them. It's how these Dungeons are structured, they seem almost layered in danger."With that warning, they drew their weapons. Each one knew that venturing further meant leaving behind the relative safety of these quie halls. They moved carefully and descended into a lower level.The silence didn't last long. A chorus of scurrying filled the air, and moments later, they spotted them. Beasts in the form of large, mangy rats, eyes gleaming red in the dim light. There were dozens of them that swarming forward in waves, filling the narrow tunnel with scratching claws and gnashing teeth."Here they come!" Marik called, positioning himself at the front. His shield was ready and he braced himself as the first of the rats slammed into it. His sturdy defense held them back, buying Irene and John room to attack.With quick attck, Irene and John hacked at the approaching rats, their blades slicing through fur and flesh.Marik summoned his turtle, the creature emerging in a flash of light and charging into the fray with move quicker than John had ever know a turtle can go, adding its weight to the defense.Inky sprang forward, his dark form darting around the tunnel like a shadow among the chaos, his sharp teeth sinking into any rat that came too close.Despite their numbers the narrow tunnel worked to their advantage, preventing them from being completely surrounded. The rats fell one by one until the tunnel floor was littered with their bodies, and silence fell once more.Irene, Marik, and Amel suddenly began gathering the dead rats, sliding the carcasses into their packs with practiced hands. John watched, his face twisted in a mixture of confusion and disbelief."Why...why are you keeping those?" he asked, gesturing to the dead rats.Marik glanced over. "What? You don't know? This meat sells pretty well. Some folks even make food out of it.""But...they're rats," John protested, still put off by the idea."No. Not just any rats. These are Dungeon Beasts in rat form. They're created by the Dungeon, so their properties are unique. Besides, their meat is considered a decent source of energy in the field and has a pretty decent resale value. They may look similar to regular animals, but they're different," Amel said.Understanding began to dawn on John. "So, these Beasts...they may look like regular animals, but their origin in the Dungeon makes them different."Realizing the financial potential, John began adding some of the rats to his own pack, grimacing a little but knowing he could use the money.They continued down the tunnel, the light from the glowing fungi illuminating their path. Suddenly, a low rumble echoed around them and the ground trembled beneath their feet. John's head shot up, glancing around in alarm."What was that?" he asked, gripping his sword tightly.The walls around them vibrated. Then, to their left, a section of the stone wall crumbled, revealing a narrow passage that hadn't been there before.Marik tightened his grip on his shield, stepping forward cautiously. "This place is shifting—Dungeons sometimes do that. Opens new paths, usually not by accident.""It could be dangerous," Irene said, her eyes scanning the newly revealed passage."But," Amel added with a faint smile, "it might lead us to something amazing."They then decide to move toward the mysterious new path.---