Chapter 22 – The Survival
It had been three days since they holed up inside the cave—three long, quiet days of recovery, training, and getting used to each other's company.
Outside, the world still trembled.
Now and then, faint rumbles echoed through the stone—distant sounds of beasts, or perhaps the falling ruins from the direction of Carreon City.
But deep within the cavern, they remained unseen, untouched, which was they thanked for.
During the first day, everyone simply rested.
Dannie focused on stabilizing her mana flow, syncing and understanding Althea and her hive more deeply. She also secretly asking Joren of sustenance of her insect beasts.
Joren repaired his gear and helped reinforce the entrance using stones and sealing resin.
Brent tended to Arven's lingering injuries, ensuring no trace of poison remained.
By the second day, they began cultivating in earnest.
Each had their own rhythm—
Joren surrounded by faint ripples of energy, spatial distortions flickering faintly around him;
Brent channeling his strength-based skill, fists wrapped in mana;
Arven, now fully healed, sat cross-legged with eyes closed, mana circulating steadily through his core;
and Dannie, meditating in silence, her aura distinct and calm.
She'd learned to open her mental hive at will now—an invisible space that connected her to her swarm. Acting like a shield—which marveled her.
The bond felt deeper, almost familial. When they fed on her mana to recover, she no longer resisted. It was strange… comforting, even.
She also discovered that Althea had laid several eggs after mating with multiple drones. Shock flickered across Dannie's face at first—but she quickly understood that this was simply natural behavior.
More insect beasts meant more protection, and in their situation, that was a blessing.
By the third day, they had settled into something resembling routine.
Wake up. Train. Eat. Scout the tunnels.
Repeat.
Still, an unspoken weight hung over them—the uncertainty of what awaited outside.
No one dared to suggest leaving yet.
"Hey," Brent said, wiping sweat from his brow as he finished his drills. "I never thought I'd say this, but… I kinda miss the sun inside the city."
Joren smirked. "You mean you miss sweating for a reason."
"Better than sweating for nothing," Brent shot back.
Dannie chuckled softly, shaking her head as she stirred a small pot of stew. "You two argue like brothers."
"Don't give him ideas," Joren muttered, reloading his crossbow.
Just then, Althea's voice echoed faintly in Dannie's mind.
[Mistress. The outer perimeter bees… have detected something]
Dannie stiffened. [Something?]
The others noticed her sudden change of expression.
"What is it?" Joren asked immediately, hand instinctively reaching for his weapon.
"Movement," Dannie said in a low, steady tone. "Someone's approaching the cave. Not beasts… at least, not entirely."
That was enough to send everyone into motion.
Arven gave a quick command, "Stay on guard. Brent, take the front. I'll follow behind. If something unexpected happens, I'll strike first."
Joren silently loaded his crossbow. Though he was technically their porter, he knew their current group lacked long-range fighting power—so he couldn't afford to stay idle.
Dannie closed her eyes briefly, connecting her senses to her scouting bees.
Some drones had been stationed outside, slipping through cracks to monitor the surroundings since they could easily retreat if danger approached.
Through their shared vision, she saw it—
dozens of silhouettes staggering near the entrance.
Fifty or so people.
They were removing the rocks that blocked the cave mouth, clearly intending to enter.
She immediately commanded everyone to retreat to her mental hive.
The tremors from outside grew stronger, and Dannie didn't even need to warn the others—they felt it too.
Joren looked back at the group, his expression serious. "Should we let them in or shoo them away?"
Everyone turned to Arven. He might not be the strongest, but he was their leader—and the one who usually made the final call.
Joren added, "Arven, sooner or later, they'll realize we're in here. Might as well tell them before they try forcing their way. Still… it's hard to trust anyone right now, not after what happened outside."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Arven took a deep breath, looked at Dannie first, then stepped forward and shouted, his voice echoing off the cave walls.
"People outside—please leave! We're already sheltering here and can't accommodate another group! The cave isn't big enough. Please understand!"
The noise outside paused. Then a firm male voice responded, echoing through the stone.
"Hello, kid! We're not just someone. We're with the Adventurer's Association—together with the Headmaster and other survivors! We only need temporary shelter before moving to a larger city!"
The group exchanged startled glances.
"How do we know you're really from the Association?" Joren shouted back.
Suddenly, the air grew heavy.
A crushing pressure washed over them—dense, suffocating, and powerful. The kind of aura that could only belong to a high-level cultivator.
Even Dannie staggered, her breath catching in her throat.
Then, just as suddenly, it faded—
followed by a deep, confident voice that sent chills through the cave.
"If I wanted, my aura alone could crush you all… but I'm not that kind of man."
Arven exhaled shakily, realizing that what he felt wasn't hostility—just an overwhelming presence.
"If that's really the Headmaster," he muttered, "then we're lucky we didn't push harder."
Soon after, the rocks blocking the entrance were removed.
Lots of faint light from crystals filtered in again, and for the first time in days, they saw people—real people—standing before them.
Dozens of survivors, cloaked and weary, their eyes filled with both exhaustion and disbelief.
When they entered and saw only four young adventurers inside, whispers erupted.
"You kids just stayed here while the city fell?"
"What are a bunch of rookies doing hiding in a cave?"
"Damn, while we were out there fighting, these ones were playing hide and seek!"
The words hit like stones.
Dannie clenched her fists, forcing herself to stay calm. "We were ambushed by beasts! We're low-ranked cultivators—what else could we have done?"
"You've got nerve, talking like—"
"Enough, Paul."
The sharp tone came from a hooded figure at the back. "Everyone's exhausted. This isn't the time."
Then, from among the group, a familiar voice broke through.
"Is that you… Dannie?"
Dannie blinked, startled. The hooded figure stepped forward and pulled back her cloak.
It was Lira.
"Lira!" Dannie gasped, rushing to her.
Lira smiled weakly, relief washing over her face. "You're safe…"
They embraced, and for the first time since the fall of Carreon City, Dannie felt something she hadn't felt in days—
warmth.
Hope.
Behind Lira, Marcus grinned slightly, and even Evan's shoulders eased.
"Marcus! Evan!" Dannie called out, turning to two familiar figures behind Lira. "You guys are safe too!"
The cave filled with murmurs of relief and disbelief as survivors reunited, faces once thought lost appearing from the shadows.
And as Dannie clung to her friend, she couldn't help but whisper, voice trembling between joy and worry—
"What really happened out there, Lira?"
Lira's eyes darkened "We… need to talk."
The moment Lira's words fell, Dannie led her roommates toward their small shelter while Joren and the others helped distribute supplies to the newcomers.
Lira's expression was grim.
Her cloak was torn and dust-stained, her face pale from exhaustion, yet her eyes still carried that same calm determination Dannie remembered. Marcus and Evan followed close behind, equally worn but alive.
At the entrance, several veteran adventurers were already tending to the wounded. Jessica was among them, her sleeves rolled up as she worked tirelessly, mana threads weaving over injuries.
And then, Dannie saw him.
A tall man stood at the center of it all, his dark gray robes faintly glowing with mana runes, silver streaks in his hair catching the firelight. His aura alone commanded silence.
The Headmaster.
Even without an introduction, everyone knew. The weight of his presence spoke louder than words.
Arven instinctively lowered his head in respect, and even Joren straightened, his usual smirk fading into composure.
"You guys have done well to survive this long," the Headmaster said at last. His voice carried deep authority—steady, calm, yet filled with quiet power.
When his gaze landed on Dannie, she stiffened.
"Thank you, Headmaster," she said quickly. "W-With your arrival, we'll finally be safe."
He didn't answer immediately—only nodded once, as if acknowledging her resolve.
Nearby, she noticed Jace—the scout who had saved her on her first day in the Shadow World—reporting to the Headmaster. He caught her eye and gave a brief nod of recognition before turning back to his duties.
Dannie exhaled softly, then helped Lira and the others settle near their shelter.
Lira spoke first, her voice trembling despite her composure.
"Carreon City has fallen. Not completely… but it's close."
Those words hit harder than any beast's roar.
Dannie felt her knees weaken. She had already suspected it after what they'd seen—but hearing it confirmed made it painfully real.
"The attack wasn't random," Marcus added grimly. "It was a coordinated strike. Thousands of beasts—mutated ones—appeared all at once. The city's barrier collapsed within an hour. Something… or someone… made them go berserk."
Dannie's lips parted. "Mutated beasts? Compromised barriers? How is that even possible?"
Marcus exchanged a knowing glance with Lira. "There's suspicion of betrayal. From inside the city."
The words made Dannie's stomach twist.
The mention of betrayal and chaos clawed at buried memories—of her hometown burning under the siege of an unexpected war. The screams, the smoke, the helplessness—she could almost smell it again.
Her hands trembled slightly.
She had lived through a fall before.
And now, it was happening all over again.
Lira's voice softened. "They believe a rogue guild was involved. Some people turned against the Association… or humanity itself. They call themselves the Vessel Cult. They appeared right before the collapse."
Before Dannie could respond, Evan stepped forward, tone hardened with conviction.
"We've lost the city—but not our people. Those bastards couldn't wipe us all out. The Association's main headquarters in Eldura still stands. That's where we're heading next."
He paused to let the words sink in.
"However… we can't move yet. The outer regions are still overrun with beasts. We'll regroup here for two days before setting out. Other survivor groups are scattered across the region—we need to reunite them."
Dannie nodded faintly. "That makes sense… but what about the other guilds? Like the Silver Fang Guild?"
Lira sighed, shaking her head. "We've already sent scouts. Some fled in other directions… others didn't make it. We'll honor them once we reach safety."
The silence that followed was heavy and cold.
When the Headmaster finally walked the perimeter, inspecting their condition, his calm presence alone seemed to ease the tension. People began setting up bedrolls, sharing food, whispering quietly.
Dannie sat down, exhaustion settling into her bones. "The Headmaster himself… I never thought I'd meet him in person."
But as she glanced at Lira, Marcus, and Evan, something uneasy gnawed at the back of her mind.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You three seem to know an awful lot about what's happening… even more than some veterans. How?"
Her tone wasn't accusing—just wary.
But her instincts told her this wasn't just coincidence. She didn't want to be suspicious of them, but she can't help it, there really is something else.
Lira and others looked at each other, as if talking to each other.
Dannie can't help but to feel… disappointed.