"Hey bro, I thought ants weren't a native of this dungeon since it's highly difficult for them to survive"
"Hmm, that's not exactly true; if you read the dungeon handbook, it says only monsters are found inside a dungeon, and multiple monsters or creatures can be found in one."
"You're not saying the ants are dangerous are you?" He said as he took a step back.
"Nah, bro, I don't think they possess any abilities that might pose a threat to us; they're probably eco-friendly and foraging."
"Is that so huh? They make me uncomfortable" He said and immediately smashed it dead to the wall
Removing his palm, the ant juices clung to his palm, and he cleaned it clean, but there was a spot still purple on his palm.
He shrugged it off to be the annt blood pigmentation or something.
...
Soon enough, the argument between the supervisors of the raid was over, and it ended up with both parties choosing to split.
It was an unusual solution they thought of but only applicable because the dungeon had already been cleared, and this was the last leg.
When the situation was announced, it was done amicably.
"So due to some emergency circumstances and our limited, we will be splitting up with a group going back to report to the Hunter association, and the others who feel the need to see this to the end would follow me ahead," Mr Dede said, trying to pitch a hint of reward into his words.
Cyril made him announce this to take responsibility for anything that happens afterward
To both their surprise, everyone accepted the solution offered.
Their insecurity was already at an all-time high, and very soon, another split had happened with a few people moving over to Mr Cyril, who now leaned on the wall, and the others on the opposite side.
One had to know this tunnel was at least ten to fifteen meters wide now.
The deeper they went in, the more it expanded.
Shockingly the people who had voted to finish for the day with Mr Cyril had decreased by one.
He counted again and found that it was that two of them had moved over to Mr Dede, and there was a familiar face among them now, Timothy.
He had moved to Mr. Cyril's team due to the sheer trust in the man; besides, he was contented with his current earnings of the day.
Eight people were now with Mr Cyril and 16 with Mr Dede.
Timothy looked around and counted in his mind.
Of the eight there were four females.
Meanwhile, the remaining seven females in the group had gone over to Mr Dede.
Timothy could practically imagine him smirking.
Since this was settled they decided to venture their ways.
Mr Dede was quick to move ahead.
Mr Cyril sighed and just started walking ahead back the way they came with the crew
Not after twenty steps, a kid came up to him and whispered lightly...
"Mr. Cyril I don't feel so good."
Mr Cyril turned to look at him and found out it was Matthew.
A rather cool-looking kid, though fair-skinned in complexion, almost like an albino, he had this confident aura around him.
"What's the problem, Matthew?" Mr Cyril asked while continuing to walk
"I ... Don't know," he said, breathing labored.
This time Mr Cyril and everyone else stopped, a boy, Matthew age came up to both of them
"is it serious?"
"I ... Don't know," Matthew said again.
They had to lean him on the wall as he sat down and then Mr Cyril acted the Psychiatrist.
"What happened Matthew?" He asked
"I ... Don't know"
"How do you feel?"
"Losing strength..." He said, hyperventilating even more
Everyone was now gathered to watch.
"Give him some air please!" Mr Cyril said as he took off his coat and handed it to his friend to blow him some air.
He then started physically examining him, starting from his neck, with no visible marks or reddishness; his eyes, and his body temperature were lower than normal.
There were many dungeon illnesses for newbies and veterans but they differed depending on the situation
And soon enough he tried checking the pulse on his wrist only to find a green vein stretching from his palm.
Instinctively he yelled!
"Where's the healer?"
Someone immediately answered
"With the other team!!"
His eyes widened at the realization he was someone going to die before them.
This was poison, but there was no cut on his palm or anything.
Should he carry him to find the healer, or should he take them outside?
Outside was farther.
But could the healer treat this poison?
The answer came immediately; of course, she could; if it were lethal, he'd already be dead.
She should be able to.
He immediately ordered everyone to take a step back from him as he attempted to lift Matthew onto his back.
He didn't care if the poison was contagious or not.
As he did so, his friend got a good look at the spot and said out loud in realization, that's the place he used to kill the ant.
"Huh? Ant?"
Timothy asked.
"We'll talk as we move on, " Mr Cyril said and bolted in the direction of the other team, deeper into the tunnel.
You can't underestimate a C rank awakened strength levels and speed.
Plus, Mr Cyril was a wind mage, so it is easy to throw over a 70kg human on his body and still be sprinting.
Meanwhile, on the outside, a commotion was now happening as the gate had been closed with people inside it.
The hunter association, which had been discussed, had already arrived.
A lot of the men were in black suits, corporate and government agencies, phones ringing nonstop and black cars parking around the site like a feast.
Technological tools were layered everywhere on the ground and machines were operated.
But none of them knew what had happened or could offer any valid thesis.
"Madam, the gate abnormality was sudden; it did not change color to show a sign or gate cleared and just collapsed on itself, and suddenly it was no more."
A man in the suit also came into a black vehicle and explained what the miners around saw.
The lady remained silent as well as the man.
...
"Yes, an ant," He said
"While we were still waiting for the conclusion of the raid..." He began to explain what had taken place.
Instinctively, everyone turned to look at the walls, and indeed, there were ants.
"I'll go on ahead, make sure to follow directly behind me" Mr Cyril suddenly said and picked up the pace.
The kids behind him were only D rank at best and Timothy being E Rank, he was already lagging behind but still pushed himself.
Soon, they all caught up to the other team, which seemed to have encountered a slight problem in front.
However, that was not what mattered.
Mr Cyril had gotten here some minutes before them, and he looked calm, so it was probably no issue.
Timothy then walked up to him.
"How is Matthew doing?"
"He isn't in any serious trouble, It was just a paralysis toxin. She can cure him," He replied, pointing at the girl who knelt beside Matthew with water floating mildly above his body.
That was the healer.
He had seen many healers, though not rare ones as those were strictly monopolized.
But in his two years of dungeon raiding water affinity healers were a handful.
It didn't surprise him though.
He then walked up front to see the reason for the commotion, and it was that there was a fork ahead of them.
No one cared about Matthew, hell Mr Dede was currently trying to send in scouts.
The tunnel wasn't dark by any means because of the occasional discovery of Mana crystals on the wall, and it was normal in dungeons, but Timothy felt this was getting out of hand.
So he approached Matthew's friend who had been with them.
"The name Tim, you?" Timothy said imitating magnificent.
"Noah"
"You probably don't live around here, do you Noah?"
Noah only sent him a state and didn't answer.
"Sorry for being straightforward forward, but everyone seems to not have native names," Timothy continued, trying to stir up a conversation.
"I'm an indigen if that's what you want to know," Noah said annoyed
"Don't peg me as racist; I don't care about your color; I'm only trying to start talking; since that was successful, I have to ask, what's your plan? We're going along to clear the boss raid, and you didn't seem optimal to continue the journey, plus your friend is injured, so ..."
"I'm not forming a team with you," Noah cut him off straightforwardly.
Timothy clenched his fist and let out a sigh; with many words, wanting to insult this fool before him and ask why, he kept silent, knowing it was because he was weak.
People usually form teams when raiding dungeons, though officially, everyone here is a team, but personally, everyone was selfish to the core.
Timothy and Noah continued standing there, acting like nothing had happened.