The corridors narrowed.The walls felt closer, pressing in.The ground sloped ever so slightly, tipping their balance.A dull whisper accompanied each step, as if the dungeon itself was murmuring.
"We're being watched."
The priestess walked last, eyes downcast, whispering trembling blessings.The mage, focused, used his enchanted glasses to constantly scan the environment.
"Runes in the walls. Old ones. Interconnected. If we trigger one, everything activates."
"Then don't touch anything."
They didn't see the Rabbit approaching from the ceiling.It descended like a specter, suspended by vines, landing silently behind the rogue.A dagger was raised. An artery nearly cut.
But the warrior kicked it away just in time.
"That thing was about to kill him without making a sound…"
Then all hell broke loose.
Dozens of red-eyed Rabbits burst from the walls, leaping from hollowed-out burrows carved into the stone.
[Event Triggered: Underground Assault – Average Enemy Level: 6]
"They're trying to wear us down before the next room!"
The battle surged.The priestess was wounded in the shoulder.The archer lost her quiver.The mage cast a blast spell, only to collapse part of the ceiling.
Then one of them—Raven, the laid-back rogue—raised his hand.
"Captain. You go on without me."
"What?!"
"There's a choke point behind us. I'll block the passage. Manual traps, decoys. I'll improvise."
"That's suicide."
"Or it's victory. Make it count."
He smiled.Genuine.
Then turned without waiting for an answer.
They ran.The captain cursed, eyes shut tight, heart heavy.
Behind them… silence.Then a series of rumbles. An explosion. A scream.
Then—nothing.
[Group Member: Raven – Death Confirmed.]
In his observation chamber, Lin froze.
Something pulsed within the core of his interface.
[Intense emotional impact detected.][Mastery Point +1][Room 2 Resonance: 47%][Progress Unlocked – Secondary Branch: "Meaningful Sacrifices"]
New Ability: Embedded Memory – Allows crystallization of a significant event's memory within a room.
"Hm. Interesting."
But Lin said no more.
This was only the beginning.
The door to Room 3 opened before the survivors.Slowly.As if the dungeon itself acknowledged their loss.
They stepped through without a word.