"Stress," Isla said simply. "Dungeons aren't only about fighting enemies. They test your patience and teamwork.
"Think about it, haven't we been thinking like this…
"How long do we need to walk? How many more monsters before we reach the boss? What if we're in the wrong corridor?
"What if monsters attack from behind while we're lost? All those questions wear you down. That's how they test you."
She paused, then glanced toward Isaac.
"We were lucky. Lord Isaac handled every monster without trouble. Because of that, we never really felt that stress."
Isaac didn't respond immediately, but he nodded once.
He understood what she meant.
The dungeon was meant to grind down both strength and mind, yet for them, the fights had been more like a walk.
They rested briefly before moving closer to the door.
The surface shimmered faintly when they approached, like ripples on water.
Isaac turned to the group. "You all stay outside the room and watch from there."
