"This is the Feral Dungeon… it has this dreadful feeling," Tipa muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the eerie surroundings.
They stood at the first floor of the Feral Dungeon—The Burrow.
"According to the intel I got, this floor's more like a tunnel. So we need to stick together and watch for traps," Kenny spoke up, her tone sharp with authority. "Tipa and White Emperor will take point. Slicer and I will form the vanguard. The two Elementalists will guard Big Nurse, and Young Star and him will cover the rear."
She pointed at Malik.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Even Malik found the arrangement reasonable. He and Young Star were the lowest-leveled in the party; it made sense for them to stay at the back. With roles assigned, the party began moving cautiously into the tunnel—burrowing deeper and deeper. The deeper they went, the more unnatural the silence became.
"What's happening? Why's it so quiet?" Taiwo whispered. Her voice bounced off the damp walls like a ghostly echo.
The team halted. Her words seemed to dampen everyone's resolve.
Malik felt it too—the stillness. But to him, it wasn't just quiet. It was wrong. The air pressed against his skin, thick and cold. His instincts—sharpened through countless brushes with death—were screaming.
"We shouldn't stop," Malik warned, his voice low, firm.
"What do you mean we shouldn't stop? We've been walking for ages and there hasn't been a single monster!" Big Nurse snapped.
"That's exactly why we shouldn't stop," Malik replied sharply. "This is a tunnel. The enclosed space, the silence… it's setting us up. I've got a dreadful feeling about this."
"A dreadful feeling, huh?" Slicer scoffed. "Just admit you're scared. You're only level 4. Don't start infecting the rest of us with your cowardice."
The three guys from Kenny's team had made it clear—they didn't like Malik.
Kenny turned toward Taiwo, her expression conflicted. She was caught in a dilemma. Her team was tired and clearly wanted to rest. But if she agreed, Malik's team might break away to keep moving. And if she backed Malik, her own teammates would feel betrayed.
'Geez… why do they have to put me in a tight spot like this?' she bit her lip, about to speak—
"Tankers, be alert. Vanguards, ready yourselves!" Malik's voice suddenly sliced through the tension.
White Emperor instantly raised his shield.
Kenny's grip tightened around her greatsword.
But Slicer and Tipa laughed mockingly.
"You again? Still playing the hero?" Slicer chuckled.
"There's no monster, idiot. Stop pretending to command," Tipa said, turning around to glare at Malik.
But the second he turned—it hit.
A beast lunged from the darkness and sank its fangs into Tipa's shoulder. His scream rang out—raw and pained.
Another beast charged at White Emperor, but the latter had already braced for impact. His shield took the full blow, steel clanging with force, but no damage slipped through.
Kenny dashed forward to help Tipa—but before she reached him, another beast clamped onto his other shoulder and dragged him screaming into the shadows.
"TIPA!" Taiwo cried, rushing after him, but Malik grabbed her wrist.
"Are you crazy?!" she shouted, trying to yank away.
"It's a trap!" Malik said firmly. "Don't go."
"To hell with you and your trap!" Slicer growled. "You've been scaring everyone since we entered—"
He sprinted past White Emperor into the darkness.
Taiwo followed him.
Big Nurse too.
Kenny turned to Malik. "You coming?"
"You're the team leader. You shouldn't be asking politely," Malik replied coldly, stepping into stride.
When they arrived, they were greeted by Slicer's corpse, mangled and bloodied. Tipa was gone—completely.
Two players gone. Both from Kenny's team.
Taiwo's eyes burned with blame as she glared at Malik. Big Nurse mirrored her anger.
She raised her staff toward him—but White Emperor stepped between them.
"Brother Man like Malik didn't do anything wrong," he said. "He saved me—and he saved you too, or you'd be the one lying there now."
"Taiwo, that's enough," Kenny intervened. "From now on, we stick together. No more fighting amongst ourselves. We're teammates."
"Then tell him to stop acting like he's our leader," Taiwo snapped.
"Yeah. Like he's the reason we're all here," Big Nurse muttered.
Malik simply shrugged. "Alright. I'll stay quiet. I'll just support from the back."
Kenny nodded. "White Emperor, you're our front now."
White Emperor took point, shield raised. Kenny and Young Star flanked him. The Elementalists kept Big Nurse in formation, leaving Malik in the rear, watching.
They pressed forward again—no pauses.
And just like Malik predicted, the monsters didn't come. These beasts weren't stationed to patrol. They were ambushers, designed to strike when the party hesitated. They wanted blood—but only when it was offered.
After what felt like an eternity, they emerged from the tunnel, only to be greeted by three new tunnels ahead.
Malik's senses stretched. His gut screamed which one held the least danger… but he stayed silent. Kenny was the leader. He had already caused enough division.
Even White Emperor and Young Star were starting to waver. Only Angel Michael still held full trust in Malik.
Kenny studied the three tunnels and finally pointed to the one in the middle. "This one," she said.
They entered.
And then—they saw them.
---
[Feral Gnarl-Rat] – Level 8
Common Beast
HP: 1000/1000
[Feral Gnarl-Rat] – Level 10
Common Beast
HP: 1200/1200
---
A dozen of them—rats the size of wolves, with ragged fur and glowing green eyes—watched them hungrily.
Their claws scraped the ground. Their tails whipped like whips behind them. The air became tight with killing intent.
"MT, brace yourself. Elementalists, get your spells ready. Healer, stay sharp!" Kenny barked orders like a general at war.
She turned to Young Star, who stood frozen, hands shaking.
"Let's do this," she said.
He nodded, forcing courage into his limbs.
"Charge!"
White Emperor surged forward, shield raised. He intercepted two rats mid-pounce. Their attacks slammed against his shield, and the damage marker floated above him: -200.
White Emperor's total HP: 1000.
Just one strike took 20% of his health.
Kenny moved like lightning, swinging her greatsword with practiced precision. Her blade crashed into a Gnarl-Rat's back, and the damage counter flickered: -50.
She staggered.
"These monsters… they've got ridiculous defense," she gasped.
Her hands trembled.
Her sword weighed heavy.
"We're as good as dead..."