They moved deeper into the mining area, stopping at a small junction where three tunnels intersected.
The rock wall there bulged slightly outward, forming a natural barrier, just high enough to obscure visibility, yet low enough not to block their view entirely.
Light from the distant crystal lamps still managed to reach the area, making it an ideal spot to hold position.
Ren was the first to kneel down, examining the ground, then gave a small nod.
"This spot is good. From here, we can see the whole group of miners ahead, as well as both left and right paths. If anything unusual happens, we'll be able to react quickly."
Yuna quietly pulled out her notebook, swiftly jotting down notes about the surrounding terrain. She said nothing, but her eyes reflected agreement.
Nautilus, however, furrowed his brow slightly, gazing toward the two unexplored passages. "There's still a chance monsters could come from those narrow branches. Maybe we should scout a bit before staying put."
Ren agreed. "Yeah, at the very least, we should know the layout around us. That way we won't panic if something goes wrong."
He looked at both of them, then said softly, like giving instructions: "We'll split into two small groups, each of us checks one of the branches for a short distance, then returns here after a few minutes. Don't go out of shouting range."
After a brief silence, all three nodded.
In the stillness of the mine, where even a breath echoed, they began to move, slowly, cautiously, like shadows slipping through layers of dust and dim light.
Eventually, the silence broke, with a sound unmistakable in its warning.
The first noise was a violent fluttering of wings, echoing through the stone walls like a drumbeat heralding doom.
The heavy air stirred, bits of rock dust falling from the mine's ceiling.
From within the darkness, two glowing red eyes lit up like ghostly flames, moving low and erratic in the gloom.
A Cave Bat, far larger than anything Ren had imagined.
They said it was just a bit bigger than a house dog... Since when are house dogs that big?
Ren froze, as the bat launched itself toward the group of miners at terrifying speed, claws extended like sharpened scythes in midair.
He instantly tightened his grip on the sword's hilt, eyes turning sharp. "It's here…" he murmured, just loud enough for his teammates to hear.
There was no more time to wait or talk, the first battle in the depths of the mine had begun.
Under the pale glow of the crystals embedded in the rock, the dark blur sliced through the air like a chilling wind.
The bat's wings stretched wide, gliding just under the tunnel ceiling at alarming speed. Its shriek sliced through the ears like a blade, causing some nearby miners to instinctively back away, faces pale with fear.
Ren didn't need to signal, Nautilus and Yuna had already spread out into the formation they'd practiced.
Their steps were light yet steady against the rocky ground, and their synchronized movements proved they were no longer the inexperienced players they once were.
"Yuna, keep your distance! If it loops around, strike low! Nautilus, stay on my right, cut off its escape route!" Ren barked, his voice sharp and commanding, crashing into the moment like a whip.
He drew his sword immediately, the cold steel catching the crystal light, flashing a streak of brilliance through the dim tunnel.
The bat shrieked again, then suddenly dove. Its glowing red eyes locked onto a miner fumbling near a wooden cart.
For a heartbeat, time froze. Ren didn't think, he simply moved.
He lunged forward, weaving through the gaps between miners, lowering his body to minimize exposure.
Just a few steps, but the wind screamed past his ears like it was tearing through him.
His blade swept sideways, clashing against the bat's extended claw.
The impact was so forceful that Ren felt the jolt through his hilt, but he held his ground, pushing the creature back for a brief moment.
A swift, clean strike followed from behind, a faint whistling of air. Yuna had timed it perfectly, her sword piercing into the creature's belly where no bones shielded it.
A red damage line flared across the bat's health bar.
The monster screeched in pain, flailing in midair.
It staggered in erratic flight, the wound bursting into red pixel fragments, falling like blood-snow under the mine's faint lighting.
But it hadn't fallen. Instead, it grew more frenzied, its wide wings now crashing into the tunnel walls.
"Nautilus...!"
Ren barely had time to call out, but Nautilus had already understood. He charged forward at an angle, cutting off the creature's new trajectory.
His sword slashed along its remaining wing, not enough to finish it, but just enough to throw it off balance.
The bat faltered. In the instant it dipped lower, Ren sprang up again, his body spinning with the force of his blade.
A powerful, decisive strike, the sword slashed clean across the beast's neck, severing the last thread of its virtual life.
It let out one final gurgled cry before its massive body crashed onto the rocky floor with a heavy thud.
[You have defeated Cave Bat.]
[+22 EXP]
[+30 Cor]
The notifications appeared almost instantly...but none of the three relaxed.
Ren spun his sword, the blade carving a circle through the air before being sheathed with a soft click. He swept his eyes across the room, checking each miner, every shadowed corner.
"Everyone alright?"
Yuna gave a faint nod, panting heavily. Nautilus wiped sweat from his brow, his hand still gripping the hilt of his sword. No one answered immediately, but the silence spoke louder than a hundred words.
"This is just the beginning. The monsters in here are stronger than I thought," Ren said, his voice deeper than usual. "But we took it down without getting hurt… proof that we're not the same as before."
No one smiled. But in their eyes, something had begun to grow. Not just skill. But trust. Survival. And the smoldering flame of resolve.
The mine sank back into silence, but no one mistook it for peace anymore.
The sound of pickaxes now felt distant, scattered, like echoes from another world, one untouched by the encroaching darkness.
Ren placed his hand on the hilt of his sword again, his gaze quietly sweeping over the ceiling of the mine, the cracks, the inky black patches.
The air had thickened, as if each breath had to squeeze through an invisible membrane, heavy, suffocating.
The darkness had not withdrawn.
It had only pulled back behind the curtain, making way for another overture of danger. And this time, it would not return alone.
Ren remained where he was, watching the miners hastily load their day's haul onto the carts.
They reacted fast, very fast, like ordinary people when their lives were on the line.
All that was left now was to escort them out safely.
Then, a sign appeared...
The sound of wings, frantic and loud, echoed off the stone walls, spreading like waves crashing ashore. No one spoke. A cold chill ripped down their spines as they realized: this time, the sound wasn't coming from just one direction.
Two of them.
Cave Bats, waiting silently in the ceiling's dark pockets for prey.
Two shadows burst from holes above, eyes glowing like burning coals in the dark. Claws flashed under the crystal lights, razor-sharp and bloodthirsty.
Ren moved instantly, signaling with a sharp motion. "Split up! Nautilus left! Yuna right! Keep them apart, don't let them coordinate!"
Bodies moved in sync, like bowstrings snapping.
They didn't need to think. This wasn't preparation anymore, it was pure survival instinct, sharpened through every battle they'd faced.
One bat shrieked and dove at Yuna like a crazed arrow. She leaned to the side, her short sword whipping upward in a clean arc. The blade sliced through the air, slipping past the monster's claws and landing a clean hit, red pixel fragments burst from the wound.
On the other side, Nautilus met the second bat head-on, his sword glowing faintly as he stood ready.
But this one wasn't as predictable, it spun midair, shifting its flight path as if it had adapted to human tactics.
Ren couldn't stay out of it. He rushed forward, each step solid and focused, eyes locked on the beast facing Nautilus.
"Hold it there! I'll circle around!"
No response was needed, Nautilus understood. His sword flared with a strike that intercepted the creature's charge just in time.
It screamed, colliding with his blade as if trying to tear through his guard, but Ren had already reached its blind side.
His sword carved across its back, a sweeping slash that sent more crimson pixels flying. The bat screeched in pain.
It tried to pull away...tried to take flight, but Yuna was already above it, her weapon tearing through one wing like scissors through cloth, sending it tumbling.
The fight wasn't over. The other bat shrieked and lunged at Ren, but Nautilus stepped in, his blade thrusting straight into its chest.
No time to breathe. No room for hesitation.
Two monsters. Two attack fronts. Three defenders.
Every slash, every dodge felt like dancing on the edge of life and death, between the fragile glow of the crystals and the eternal dark that threatened to consume them.
The miners stayed silent. Not a word. They held their breath as they watched the battle. Some had retreated behind the carts, ready to act if things spiraled out of control.
Ren gritted his teeth, ducking beneath a savage claw. His eyes gleamed cold.
"We're not falling here. Not today."
He sprang upward, his sword tracing an arc that slashed across the diving bat's throat.
It didn't have time to scream, just a choked sound before it disintegrated into a cloud of brilliant red pixels.
Only one remained, gasping beneath Nautilus's sword.
And Yuna, once again, ended it with a decisive thrust.
The mine fell silent once more. But this time, the silence pulsed with pounding heartbeats, ragged breaths, and sharp gazes.
Two were down. But the darkness… was still waiting.