"Shit! What is this place?" Mr. Joe muttered under his breath, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
His previous anger was replaced by a nervousness that everyone could feel.
Even Samantha, despite her usual air of confidence, seemed slightly on edge, her eyes narrowing as she observed the entrance.
The Captain, ever the practical leader, gestured toward one of the other party members, a tall man carrying a lantern. "Light it up. We need to see what's in there."
With a quick nod, the man lit the lantern, and the warm glow filled the entrance of the cave, revealing what lay beyond.
The light revealed ancient stone walls, adorned with strange, unfamiliar symbols that seemed to pulse faintly with some forgotten magic.
The cave wasn't just an empty hollow—it was part of something much older, much darker than the dungeon they had been exploring.
"What do you think this is?" Samantha asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and caution. For once, she wasn't cracking jokes or mocking anyone. Even she could feel the strange aura emanating from within.
The captain remained silent for a few moments, studying the symbols. He wasn't an expert on ancient ruins, but something about this place felt wrong, unnatural. He could sense it in his bones.
"No idea," he finally said, his voice low. "But whatever it is, it's not part of the usual dungeon structure. This place has been hidden for a reason."
Noah, standing quietly at the back, shivered as the atmosphere grew more oppressive. His instincts screamed at him to stay away from the cave, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something important was hidden inside.
He was just a porter, but even he knew that when a dungeon reveals something like this, it's never a good sign.
"Captain," Samantha said, breaking the silence again. "We should check it out. This could lead to something valuable, or maybe it's the source of the anomalies we've been detecting."
Mr. Joe scowled. "Are you out of your mind? This place is giving me the creeps. What if there's something worse in there? I'm not risking my life for some hidden cave!"
Samantha shot him a withering look. "You're always so eager to run when things get tough, Joe. Maybe you should stay behind if you're too scared."
Mr. Joe's face turned red with anger, but before he could retort, the captain raised his hand to silence them both.
"Boss, I think I know what this place is. I've only heard rumors about hidden caverns in high-rank dungeons. I never thought they were real.", said hunter Elijah Parker
After hearing this, Mr. Joe inquired, "Wait a moment, are you saying that hidden caverns are only found in high-rank dungeons? So what is one doing in a low-rank dungeon?"
Hunter Elijah Parker replied, "No, it's not a requirement for the dungeon to be high-rank.
It's just that it's difficult for low-rank hunters like us to notice the camouflages in the dungeon..."
"Also, I heard that the deputy leader of Horizon Guild found one in a low-rank dungeon, which is why he became one of the strongest hunters in the guild."
When Mr. Joe heard that, he looked at hunter Elijah Parker with suspicion and asked him, "Where did you hear such rumors?"
Elijah Parker smiled and laughed at Mr. Joe's question before answering, "Haha, from the news, of course. That's why I say you need to keep up with the high-rank hunter reports."
As they huddled together in the dimly lit cave, the flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows on the rough stone walls. The air was thick with a sense of anticipation, punctuated only by the distant drip of water echoing through the cavernous space.
Elijah's voice broke the silence, filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. "So, you're saying there are a lot of treasures hidden in this cave, Elijah?" the captain asked, his gaze fixed on the dark corners of the cave.
"Yeah, boss, that's what the whispers say," Elijah replied, shifting nervously. He glanced around, aware of the shadows that seemed to close in around them.
The captain leaned in, lowering his voice as if the cave itself were listening. "And rare artifacts too, right?"
"Exactly. There are two main types of those," Elijah said, his tone growing more serious as he leaned closer, sharing secrets meant for their ears alone.
"What do you mean? What kinds?" one of the hunters interjected, his eyes wide with curiosity as he peered into the flickering torchlight.
Elijah swallowed hard, the weight of the cave pressing down on them. "The first type just shows up out of nowhere in dungeons, no one knows why. They've got some insane effects."
"Like what?" the captain prompted, casting a wary glance over his shoulder as if expecting something to emerge from the darkness.
"Remember that Alliance Bracelet?" Elijah continued, his voice dropping to a whisper. "It appeared the night the stars fell, just when the kaiju and these dungeons showed up. People still talk about it in hushed tones."
"Right... and what about the second type?" the captain asked, feeling the unease settle deeper in his gut as he scanned the cave's depths.
"Those are crafted from the bodies of kaiju," Elijah explained, gesturing to the shadows. "We use materials from this very cave, relying mostly on blood crystals from the hearts of those monsters."
One of the hunters stepped closer, excitement mingling with the fear of the unknown. "So, you're saying if we can figure this cave out, we could hit the jackpot?"
"Pretty much," Elijah said, a hint of eagerness creeping into his voice. "But let's just hope we make it out alive first." His words hung in the air, a sobering reminder of the dangers lurking just beyond the flickering light. The echoes of their conversation faded, replaced by the ominous silence of the cave, where secrets awaited discovery and perils lay in wait.
As the hunters gathered closer, the atmosphere in the cave shifted from mere curiosity to palpable excitement.
Elijah continued, "There are significant differences between the two types of rare artifacts, but the second type is the most renowned among hunters. It has a unique feature: if a semi-artifact gets destroyed, it can be repaired or even enhanced by combining it with new materials and elements."
He paused for effect, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. "Imagine being able to increase its destructive power by dismantling it and rebuilding it with better components. That's a game changer!"
The captain nodded, intrigued, as Elijah went on, "But the biggest difference between the two types is the hefty price tag attached to them. A hunter either has to spend a fortune to acquire one or be fortunate enough to sell it for a significant profit in the market."
As hunter Elijah Parker chimed in, the hunters felt a wave of exhilaration wash over them. "I've heard that a regular artifact of rank E is worth 60-300 silver coins, while artifacts of rank D can fetch up to 700-800 silver coins!"
The team gasped, their eyes widening at the thought of such wealth. They exchanged glances filled with a mixture of disbelief and eagerness, their minds racing with possibilities.
Even if they stumbled upon a two-star dungeon, the potential bounty could be staggering. Just finding one artifact could translate to around 400-800 silver coins, a life-changing sum.
The thrill was infectious as the team swallowed hard, their smiles brightening the dim cave, their eyes sparkling with anticipation as they turned to the captain, waiting for his decision.
When the captain surveyed the eager faces of his eleven comrades, he approached the gaping hole in the wall, its edges jagged and dark. Peering into the cavernous opening, illuminated by glimmers of small stones that lined the walls, he felt a rush of exhilaration himself.
Turning back to his team, he asked, "So, what do you think, folks? Do we press on or retreat?"
A heavy silence fell as team members exchanged glances, weighing their options.