"Tch," the man cloaked in shadows spat as he sliced at another shadow clone in the form of a wolfkin maid watching them move through the labyrinth. "This bitch is annoying. It's the 3rd sentry I've taken down already, but she still keeps lurking in the shadows."
"Calm down, Rakas," the boss said. "Have your group spread out and cover a wider area. They can help take some of the pressure off you."
"You want us to get slaughtered, then?" Rakas shot back. "That bitch's Stealth Arts are better than my group's Scouting Arts, so I'm the only one among us who can actually spot her before she gets close. That means I can't go too far ahead to scout without risking my party or the entire group."
There were four parties in total, each consisting of six members. Every party was built around a single Rank 3 leader supported by five Rank 2 members, with each assigned a specific role within the group.
The first was led by Thalen, the burly boss who specialized in heavy armor and served as the group's primary tank. He was accompanied by five Rank 2 warriors who formed the backbone of their frontline.
The second was led by Rakas, a scout who specialized in reconnaissance, infiltration, and information gathering. His party focused on scouting ahead, detecting enemies, setting and disarming traps, bypassing obstacles, sabotaging defenses, and carrying out assassinations against high-priority targets. They were also responsible for preventing ambushes and identifying threats before they could reach the group.
The third was led by Alison, a mage responsible for long-range magical bombardment. Her party provided the group's primary offensive firepower, specializing in destroying enemies, suppressing large groups, breaking defenses, and clearing obstacles from a distance.
The final party was led by Jorin, a flamboyant bard who specialized in healing and support. His party kept the others fighting through healing, buffs, cleansing, stamina recovery, and defensive magic, while also providing emergency support when needed.
Together, their group was known for breaking through any wave of monsters the labyrinth threw at them. They were a shining example of the kind of adventuring party the Dungeon of the Four Gods was built for. Unfortunately, they'd also taken on side jobs that promised to improve their finances far beyond simply thriving in the dungeon, perhaps even allowing them to establish their own kingdoms someday.
That side job was hunting weaker groups on the 3rd floor. They'd then sell the stolen inventory through a crafting group within the dungeon that could disguise the varied spoils. This made the items nearly impossible to link back to the victims when they were eventually brought out.
"The fact that there are so many sentries along our path means our prey hasn't left yet. That's a good sign, Rakas, so calm down. Focus on making sure we reach the Burning Wastes in one piece," Thalen said calmly.
"Fine, whatever," Rakas said. "At this pace, we'll be at the entrance in a few minutes."
He continued scouting the area, paying particular attention to shadows that seemed out of place or darker than they should be. Detecting entities made of dark magic while they were hiding among ordinary shadows was no easy feat. It required keen mana sense, exceptional sensitivity to light, a near-perfect memory, and centuries of experience, among other abilities, to distinguish what belonged in the environment from what didn't.
Worse, in Rakas's opinion, was the fact that he and his party was required to stay with the group. It prevented them from scouting ahead and locating their enemies, forcing him to focus instead on detecting and preventing potential ambushes. Given that their enemies had guns and the labyrinth was filled with long corridors, this was a less-than-ideal situation. The longer they remained exposed, the more frustrated Rakas became, especially since the bitch responsible for the shadow clones was nearly impossible to counter despite his rank advantage.
With a flick of Rakas's wrist, a metallic clang rang out as a pitch-black, handleless dagger shot through the air and embedded itself in the labyrinth wall. He'd mistaken a patch of black moss for another sentry.
Another flick of his wrist pulled a nearly invisible metallic wire taut, yanking the dagger free and back into the sheath hidden inside his sleeve.
"Tch, fucking annoying bitch," he spat as he continued scanning the surroundings with suspicion.
Eventually, they reached a turn in the corridor that should lead directly to the entrance of the Burning Wastes. Rakas raised a hand and gave a series of silent signals, ordering everyone to take up defensive positions. The group spread out, with the close-combatants taking positions near the open space and shadows while the mages and bards remained in the center, protected from surprise attacks. Strong lights were also deployed throughout the corridor, eliminating the shadows that could be used by enemy assassins to launch an ambush.
Only after the formation was secured did Rakas motion for an archer from his party to scout the corner.
A woman in light leather armor stepped forward, bow in hand and an arrow already nocked. She approached the corner, then leaned out for only a fraction of a second before immediately pulling back. The movement was so fast that only those with high Dexterity or exceptionally keen eyesight at Rank 3 could even tell she had moved.
"I didn't see any obstructions or traps along the corridor, but it's quite long. Even you, sir, would need an entire second to cross it at full speed. At the end, there's an open area with signs of both magical and mechanical traps. I also spotted a 3-foot-tall long mound of earth in the distance with golems armed with guns positioned behind it. There are roughly a dozen of them," she reported.
"Can you take them down from this distance?" Rakas asked.
"In theory, but given how far they are, they could simply shoot my arrows out of the air."
"How sure are you that the corridor has no traps?" Thalen asked.
"I'm familiar with the dimensions of the labyrinth, so at the very least, there are no obstructions. I also didn't notice any breaks in the pattern that would indicate a trap had been placed. I can't, however, guarantee there aren't hidden traps beneath the floor, walls, or ceiling with my life on the line."
"Alicia, we'll do a stampede. Start with the rats and bats to clear out the corridor, then send in the gorillas to trigger and clear the traps at the entrance. I want an open space for us to fight," Thalen instructed. "That'll give you a clear path to close the distance."
"You heard the boss," Alicia said to her party. "Get to it!"
More space was given to the mages as they began drawing summoning circles. These circles were specifically designed to take advantage of the summoning contracts held by three of the mages in the party. Once the circles were completed, the appropriate mana-infused objects were placed within them as both ritual symbols and payment. One after another, the circles were activated.
The first two rituals spewed forth swarms of Rank 1 rats and bats numbering in the thousands. The rats were roughly the size of dogs, while the bats had wingspans comparable to eagles, both relatively small for their rank. They immediately flooded the long corridor, rushing toward the entrance of the Burning Wastes at speeds reaching early Rank 2.
Gunfire erupted from the distance as the dozen gunners opened fire on the approaching swarm. Bullets tore through the rats and bats, with those that missed shattering against the labyrinth walls. The creatures died by the dozens, their bodies slowly dissipating like ordinary dungeon monsters. However, there were simply too many of them. The gunners couldn't wipe out the swarm before it reached the entrance.
The moment the rats and bats entered the Burning Wastes, their numbers began dropping rapidly. Many collapsed from the extreme heat, while others caught fire and combusted before hitting the ground as charred corpses. They couldn't even reach the magical traps before the heat killed them. Their charred bodies collapsed onto the ground and slowly dissipated.
"The corridor is clear," the archer reported after taking another lightning-fast peek.
The third and final summoning circle was activated as the first two closed. The remaining swarm of rats and bats quickly died out, replaced by the hulking forms of Rank 1 gorillas standing over 3 meters tall, their bodies gleaming like metal.
The gorillas charged forward in a furious roar to fulfill their end of the contract, only to be met with a barrage of gunfire. Bullets slammed into their metallic bodies, throwing off showers of sparks with every impact. Unlike the rats and bats, these beasts could withstand far more punishment, taking more than a few dozen bullets before finally collapsing. They even used the dissipating corpses of their comrades as cover, buying themselves precious time to advance.
Eventually, they broke through the corridor and spilled into the open space. Like the swarm before them, they began suffering from the intense heat, but their durability allowed them to cover far more ground before succumbing.
That was when the magical traps activated.
Explosions of ice and fire erupted throughout the area. Sections of the ground gave way, dropping gorillas onto rows of sharpened spikes that impaled them in place. Their numbers were rapidly culled before they could even reach the golems.
"Now!" Thalen shouted as he charged forward, shield raised.
His party surged after him, using the remaining gorillas as moving cover while they advanced through the corridor. The beasts absorbed the worst of the incoming fire, allowing the group to conserve their own defenses until they reached the open space. The rest of the group followed close behind, trusting Thalen to break through the killing zone.
They were only moments from reaching the entrance to the Burning Wastes when the battlefield changed.
A towering 15-meter-tall wall erupted from the ground behind the golems, its curved structure forming a concave arc toward the entrance. It was divided into three firing levels, with gunports positioned at ground level, halfway up the wall, and along its battlements.
Roughly 150 guns were trained on the entrance, their barrels aimed directly at the clustered group.
Then, they opened fire, bathing the entrance in a storm of metal.
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