Hum—
As the echo of the portal faded, Lily Winters stepped into the second floor of the dungeon without saying a word to the group of five standing behind.
The newest recruit blinked in confusion and turned toward their leader.
"Boss, why did we lie to her?" he asked, puzzled.
The question seemed to be on everyone's mind—including Ava, who crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, you better explain," she said, her voice sharp with suspicion.
Surprisingly, the Boss just chuckled. "You're still young," he said casually. "Let me teach you something."
He gestured for everyone to listen closely.
"Remember yesterday? That girl entered the dungeon before us, right?"
Everyone nodded.
"That means she's been here for over a day—all by herself."
He paused dramatically.
"Now think about it—if she can survive alone in this dungeon for that long, how weak do you think she really is?"
No one answered, but understanding started to dawn.
"So I lied and said we killed the boss. Why? Because I didn't want her to think we were weak."
"If she believes we're strong, I can trick her into joining our team. She might be cautious, but if she thinks we're just as capable as her, she may say yes next time."
---
Ava, however, didn't look convinced.
Her eyes narrowed even more dangerously.
The Boss quickly shifted gears, clapping the newest member on the shoulder. "Besides, I wasn't just thinking about the team. I was thinking about you too, little brother."
"Huh?" the recruit looked up, surprised.
"What do you think of her?" the Boss asked with a sly grin.
The younger boy's face lit up. "She's beautiful… three years of blood earning, five years of no loss!"
Snap!
The Boss clicked his fingers. "Exactly! I'm just trying to secure your happiness, kid."
"Look, I've already got your sister-in-law right here," he said, gesturing toward Ava with a grin. "If she joins us, maybe you'll have a shot."
---
At this point, everything made sense to the recruit.
He looked at the Boss with admiration in his eyes. "Boss… you're really looking out for me."
He felt truly touched. He'd only joined the team yesterday, and already the Boss was helping him find a future wife!
"I'll follow you for life, Boss!"
The Boss smiled, feeling proud of his manipulation.
"Don't be so formal," he said. "Just stick with me. If I have a mouthful of food, you'll get the soup."
"Thank you, Boss!"
He felt like a king—until Ava, still fuming, crossed her arms and glared at him.
The Boss quickly turned toward her, his posture stiffening.
"Honey… I'm sorry, I was just trying to help the new guy."
Ava stared at him in silence for a second.
Then, finally, she looked away and muttered, "Hmph. Don't mess it up again."
The Boss let out a deep breath.
Crisis averted.
In truth, he'd only blurted out that they killed the boss to impress Lily. With her looks and strength, any guy would want to show off.
But she didn't believe a word of it.
Thankfully, he was quick on his feet and turned the lie into a teaching moment for the newbie.
In the end, it worked out.
Their team of four was now officially a team of five.
---
Meanwhile, Ethan was already exploring the second floor.
He knew something important: the monsters here were different.
They didn't actively attack unless you entered their territory. So instead of rushing ahead himself, he let Anti-Bone Boy lead the way.
As they moved cautiously through the leafy maze, Ethan noticed something strange.
Where were the monsters?
Before he could finish the thought—
> Swoosh! Swoosh!
Dozens of vines shot out from the bushes, wrapping around Bone Boy instantly like a trap.
In the blink of an eye, the skeletal ant was tied up like a giant green dumpling.
But the vines had underestimated their prey.
CHHH-CLACK!
With a loud snap, Anti-Bone Boy's powerful mandibles shredded the vines like paper.
Green sap splashed everywhere, but none of it did any real damage.
A few minutes later, the ground was littered with torn branches and broken roots.
Yet, surprisingly, Bone Boy wasn't attacking.
He just stood there, twitching his antennae like he was confused.
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
He noticed that only a few vines were still active—and those were slowly retreating, as if trying to escape.
And then—something clicked.
Bone Boy suddenly pounced, biting onto a fleeing vine and yanking hard.
There was a deep crack from beneath the bushes as something massive was pulled from the earth.
A root.
But not just any root. It had a faint face carved into it—one that immediately froze and played dead upon seeing Bone Boy.
Ethan watched with fascination as the other vines stopped moving too, like their connection had been severed.
But Bone Boy wasn't fooled this time.
After learning from past mistakes—like with the desert earthworm boss—he tore everything to shreds, including the main root.
> System Notification: LV20 Silver-Grade Vine Treant defeated.
Loot Obtained: Silver Material – Vine Essence.
---
From a combat perspective, this regular monster was actually tougher than the previous floor's boss.
Not in terms of power, but in sheer durability.
Its health pool was massive, and its behavior annoying.
Ethan decided to intervene.
He pointed at the shredded root. "That's the weakness. You see it?"
Bone Boy looked, then nodded happily and started chomping more debris, clearly proud of himself.
But Ethan facepalmed.
He still didn't get it.
The reason Bone Boy had pulled out the root was simply instinct—he didn't want the prey to escape.
It wasn't strategy… yet.
Still, after defeating two more Vine Treants, something clicked.
Bone Boy began targeting roots directly, dragging enemies out of hiding and eliminating them quickly.
Efficiency skyrocketed.
---
Meanwhile, Lily Winters was having a much harder time.
Her class wasn't suited for heavy control-type enemies. The vines' entangling skills were especially dangerous for her.
She could still fight, but had to constantly move, retreat, and strike from a distance.
But even so, her face remained calm.
As she fought, she began to understand why her family had sent her here.
This dungeon wasn't just about strength—it was a trial of adaptability, tactics, and endurance.
---
Back with the group of five, however…
They were completely overwhelmed.
Despite working as a team, their coordination was sloppy. The vines were too numerous, and the narrow maze left little room to maneuver.
Compared to Ethan and Lily, they were completely outclassed.
---
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