The adventurers had wiped out the first wave of monsters, but the city was far from safe. A tense silence hung in the air as they gathered, waiting for the next wave to arrive. While most were resting, others were on high alert, ready to defend the city at a moment's notice.
Sofia sat against a sturdy wall, her eyes slightly closed in exhaustion. The previous battle had taken its toll, but she wasn't about to rest for long. She had a job to do.
"Sofia, are you okay?" Draven asked, his voice casual, but his concerned gaze settled on her.
"I'm fine, sir," she replied, offering him a small smile, though her body ached from the earlier fight.
A few moments passed in quiet, the only sound being the distant roars of monsters outside the city. Then, suddenly, the gates at the far side of their camp creaked open. Gerald, the guild master, stepped out from behind them, his stern expression catching the attention of the nearby adventurers.
"Everyone listen up!" Gerald's voice rang out, cutting through the air. He was standing at the edge of the camp now, facing the group of adventurers who had been recovering from the last battle. "We need to assemble a team to raid a dungeon and stop the dungeon break from escalating. Only a handful of A-rank and S-rank adventurers will be selected for this mission!"
A murmur ran through the crowd as adventurers glanced at each other, wondering who would be chosen.
"The dungeon is located to the west, deep within the Eldoria Forest." Gerald continued, his eyes scanning the gathered adventurers. "I will announce who will join the raid. The rest of you will stay behind and help defend the city!"
Sofia turned to Draven, her brow furrowing. "Is this how we stop the dungeon break, sir?"
"Yes," Draven replied, his voice steady but tinged with the weight of experience. He had faced dungeon breaks before, and he knew this would not be an easy task. "Why do you ask?"
"Nothing, sir. It's just... I've only been an adventurer for five months, and I've never encountered a dungeon break before," Sofia admitted, looking down at her hands.
Draven nodded thoughtfully. "It's a rare occurrence, but it's exactly why we need to handle it carefully."
Before they could talk further, Gerald called out.
"Sofia Valtor, Draven Vorstheim—both of you, come forward!"
Sofia's eyes widened in surprise. "Looks like we got called up."
"Of course," Draven said with a grin. "Seeing how strong you were in the first wave, they must have known what you're capable of."
"Let's go." Sofia nodded as they both moved toward the front of the group.
When they reached Gerald, he didn't waste any time. "I need you both for this raid. Draven, your knowledge of the dungeons is invaluable. Sofia, your magic will be essential."
"Understood, sir." Sofia's reply was quick, her tone excited but serious.
Draven, on the other hand, had a more somber expression. "I know the Eldoria Forest well. It's not far from my village. But it's been years since I last entered that dungeon, so I'm not sure if things have changed."
Gerald nodded, his face serious. "That's why you're the one I'm making the team leader."
Draven blinked in surprise. "Me? But I'm not—"
Gerald cut him off, his tone firm. "You've raided that dungeon before, though you didn't finish it. Your experience will be key in leading the team. I trust you know the layout, and we need that knowledge now more than ever."
Draven hesitated but then nodded, the weight of leadership settling on his shoulders. "Understood, sir."
Gerald continued selecting the adventurers who would join the raid. There was some grumbling in the crowd as others voiced their desire to be part of the mission, but Gerald wasn't having it.
"I want to go too!" Several voices rose in protest.
"I cannot allow all of you to join," Gerald said, raising his hand to silence them. "We need a strong defense here. The city cannot afford to lose any more adventurers. That's the most important task for the rest of you—protect the city while we're gone."
There was a tense silence as the adventurers processed Gerald's words. Most reluctantly accepted their roles. Gerald's authority was unquestioned.
Out of the three S-rank adventurers in the city, only one would go with them. Gerald chose the man with blonde hair and a flaming sword, his expression as fierce as the blade he wielded. The other two S-rank adventurers were left behind to fortify the city's defenses.
The raid team was now set. One Active
S-rank adventurers and six A-rank adventurers, including Sofia, would head into the dungeon to prevent the impending dungeon break. Draven was selected as the team leader due to his prior experience with the dungeon.
As they gathered their gear and prepared to leave, the ground trembled beneath their feet. The second wave of monsters had arrived.
"The second wave is here." Draven muttered, gripping his sword tightly. He turned to the group. "Get ready. We need to move out quickly."
Sofia tightened her grip on her staff, her eyes scanning the horizon. From the forest came the ominous sounds of chaos and destruction. But this time, it wasn't just monsters—the rumbling of something much larger loomed in the distance.
"Something bigger is leading them." Sofia's voice trembled with unease.
Draven's eyes narrowed. The ground continued to shake, and the horizon darkened as the second wave charged forward, a force greater than before.