The survivors staggered into the cave like the last embers of a dying fire, fifteen hunters in total.
They didn't speak at first. No one had the energy. Their breaths were ragged, their bodies bruised, and their minds haunted by the massacre they had just escaped. The cave's entrance loomed behind them like a crooked jaw, stone fangs forming the only barrier between them and the monstrous jungle they'd barely outrun.
For a fleeting second, there was relief.
Some collapsed on the rocky ground, gasping like drowning men dragged from the depths. Others leaned against the walls, too numb to cry, too tired to scream.
They were alive.
But then came the crushing reminder this cave was only the beginning. The true nightmare was just getting started.
This was merely the threshold of the dungeon.
Whatever lay ahead… it would be worse.
And just like that, the flicker of relief in their eyes died.
---
Devin stumbled in a moment later, his body aching and lungs burning. The girl he had saved, barely able to stand, clung to him for support. Blood still seeped from the torn flesh around her ankle, staining the mossy ground with a dark trail behind them.
"Hey!" Devin called out, waving his arm. "We need a healer!"
A tall man with green-glowing hands one of the remaining hunters rushed over. Without a word, he knelt beside the girl and began to channel his ability. Warm light spread across her wound, the shredded muscle knitting together slowly.
"Thank you…" she whispered to the healer before turning to Devin, her eyes glassy but steady. "And… thank you. For coming back."
Devin sat beside her, leaning against the cave wall, wiping sweat and grime from his face.
"What's your name?" he asked gently.
"Lolicia," she replied, her voice soft. "I'm… I'm from Sector 12. Slum District."
She paused, clearly hesitating, but then continued.
"I'm an orphan. Grew up on the streets. I used to sleep near the old foundry maybe you've heard of it. Got into trouble a lot… but I always fought back. Somehow, I made it through school. I even managed to save enough for a small tuition deposit."
Her voice faltered as she looked down at her slowly healing leg.
"I awakened two years ago. Thought it was a miracle. Thought maybe I'd finally catch a break."
She laughed bitterly.
"But I got classified as E-Rank. Useless in the eyes of the guilds. No one would take me. So I figured… maybe I could squeeze one or two dungeon runs in. Just enough to pay my fees and walk away. This was supposed to be my last job."
Her lips trembled. "Now I don't even know if I'll live through tonight."
Devin was quiet for a moment. The weight of her story pressed against him like the jungle's suffocating heat. He had no comforting words. He doubted he'd survive too.
But he looked her in the eyes and said it anyway.
"We'll make it out," he said firmly. "You and me, both."
She gave a weak smile, but her eyes searched his face, as if trying to believe it herself.
"Promise?"
He hesitated then nodded. "Promise."
Whether he believed it or not didn't matter anymore. Sometimes, people needed hope more than truth.
---
Then, from deeper within the cave, came the sound of raised voices.
Shouting.
An argument.
Devin turned toward the noise, his muscles tensing. "What now…?"
He stood up slowly and moved toward the noise, where a group of hunters had gathered in a circle. At the center of it was Daelan his arms crossed, his expression hard.
Something was about to boil over.
And the fragile alliance they had left might be at risk of shattering.
"You reckless bastard… look at what you've done!"
Daelan's voice roared through the cave, echoing off the jagged stone walls like a thunderclap. His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned pale, and with each step, the fury radiating off him intensified.
He marched toward a younger man standing near the edge of the group Erin.
But Erin… only smiled.
His arms were folded lazily across his chest, and the ever-present smug grin on his face didn't falter, not even as Daelan loomed over him like a storm ready to break.
"Oh, calm down, old man," Erin said casually, his tone soaked in mockery. "Don't act like I dragged anyone by the collar. I didn't force a single person to follow me. I simply pointed out the obvious."
Daelan's face twisted with rage. "The obvious? You call leading those rookies to their deaths obvious?"
"They weren't led," Erin replied, shrugging. "They followed. Big difference. If they died, it's because they weren't strong enough to survive. That's how the world works, Daelan. The strong feed on the weak. Always have. Always will."
His smile sharpened. "Spare me your righteousness. If it came down to it, you'd do something far worse just to stay alive. You talk about morals like they mean anything in here."
Daelan's body trembled not out of fear, but rage. He wanted to punch Erin, to wipe that insufferable smirk off his face. And yet… deep down, he knew Erin wasn't wrong.
Survival.
That was the only law that mattered here.
It was a bitter truth, one that tasted like ash on Daelan's tongue.
He knew it well most people did. But society had trained them to hide that part of themselves. To pretend. To drape masks of morality over their primal instincts. Erin had simply torn that mask off and tossed it into the fire.
And yet… Daelan couldn't accept it.
Not fully.
Not yet.
---
A heavy silence descended on the group. The remaining hunters stood still, their eyes shifting between the two men. Tension crackled in the air like dry leaves underfoot. One wrong move, one spark and the fragile alliance could burn down in seconds.
Then a voice cut through the silence.
"Enough."
Devin stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. He walked between them, planting himself squarely in the middle, eyes scanning the entire group.
"We don't need to turn on each other," he said. "We've lost enough already."
His gaze moved from Erin to Daelan and then to the rest of the hunters. "The Shadow People are still out there. We don't know how many more traps or monsters this dungeon has in store. If we start fighting amongst ourselves now, we're as good as dead."
Erin raised an eyebrow but didn't speak.
Daelan let out a low breath, stepping back. His hands finally relaxed, though his jaw remained tight.
"We'll settle this later," he muttered, then walked past Devin, heading toward the deeper parts of the cave.
Erin chuckled under his breath. "Looking forward to it."
The other hunters began moving as well, preparing their gear, checking wounds, whispering quietly among themselves. The air was thick with unspoken fears and doubts.
They all knew the truth:
This was just the beginning.
The worst was still ahead of them.
And whatever waited deeper in the cave… it would make them question not just their strength, but their very humanity.