Lio finally caught up with the rest of the Marauder party, arriving at a wrecked chamber that appeared to be a massive mine elevator once used to transport personnel, tools, and resources. The derelict station had clearly been a mining hub in its prime. Here, he rejoined not only Corrin and Lynx but also two additional B-Rank members of the party: Arlin and Zom.
Arlin was a Drexxan—a reptilian berserker species known for their immense strength and durability. Jovial and adventurous by nature, he served as the party's frontline tank and muscle.
Nushi'Zom, on the other hand, was a Xaian from the Nushi Hive, a eusocial insectoid race. Born with a predetermined purpose, he fulfilled it with precision, serving as the party's intelligent, no-nonsense pathfinder—charting safe routes even through derelict ruins.
"Finally, the Pujak is here. Thought he'd already been eaten or something," Arlin said in his deep, nonchalant voice.
"Well, it wouldn't kill you to check up on the 'Pujak' to make sure he's not 'eaten or something,'" Lynx replied.
But before he could say more, Zom interjected. "The F-Rank newbie was brought into this party for his strength to carry our gear while the Drexxan focuses purely on the party's tank and muscle. But it would be a liability—as well as inefficient—if he couldn't keep up with us."
Before Lynx could answer, Lio spoke up. "I'm very sorry. I haven't gotten enough sleep, so I got sleepy. I'll keep up. It won't happen again."
Corrin then addressed Lio. "The last thing I want is to carry another dead Marauder out of a place like this. Keep up, boy."
He gave Lio a shoulder tap, offering some reassurance.
"All right," Corrin said as the party leader. "With all of us here, what's the plan, Zom?"
"Sorry to burst your bubble— and that ugly excuse for a smile— but keep in mind, this is a pathway most Marauders and Megacorpos couldn't get through. The ravenous creatures down? Reported to have come from the mining sector. Which means we'll be facing untold swarms of these flarking bastards to kill."
"So..." He let the weight of silence hang. "Before we descend—any last words?"
Lynx, deadpan, didn't even blink. "You must be a riot at parties."
Corrin pulled out the climbing rope from the big bag Lio was carrying. As he secured it to the metal railings, he addressed the party.
"I know how dangerous this will be. Most of us have faced danger before, with steeled spirit and smoking barrels in the 'dungeons' we explored for quick riches. We all knew what we signed up for as Marauders from day one. Still, I won't blame anyone if you want to turn back now."
With that, Corrin kicked the rope over the edge.
"Are you kidding me?" Arlin grinned, his eyes shining. "My people thrive in danger and hostile beasts. I know what I'm getting into—this is what excites me!"
"I have something to prove," Lynx declared firmly. "That's why I joined the Marauders."
"I want to hone my skills as a pathfinder—and maybe even become a cartographer," Zom added, his usual seriousness in his tone.
"I came for the adventure... and the money too," Lio admitted, his enthusiasm faltering into awkwardness.
"Boooo!" Arlin jeered with a playful thumbs-down, mocking Lio's lack of bloodthirst.
Corrin chuckled softly. "All right then. We all have our reasons for being here. Now, let's descend into hell together." He smiled as he gripped the rope.
"HOORAH!" the rest of the party shouted in unison, their spirits blazing.
<<<[ @ @ @ ]>>>
It took the team some time to descend into the mining zone, but they arrived without much difficulty. Lio was the last to reach the bottom, immediately unpacking weapons, ammunition, and gadgets from his large backpack. His fellow Marauders quickly grabbed the gear, arming themselves before pressing forward. This also include Lio himself, armed with a standard-issue pickaxe rather than his energy pistol.
The place was essentially a graveyard—not just for the long-decayed corpses of the unfortunate souls who had died here long before the dungeon's discovery, but also for those who came after them. Not only fallen Marauders, but also decayed agents of the Megacorpos, raiders, and others whose identities were now lost to time. Perhaps they had been overwhelmed by the insects the team had been warned about, or betrayed by those too greedy for valuable loot—or maybe both. A tale as old as time.
As time passed, they managed to collect the fungi they had been sent to retrieve while carefully excavating precious minerals from the cave walls. The insects—dubbed "Cave Bugs" by the team—were as large as small house cats, but for now, they were manageable. The team could dispatch them before they swarmed whenever an attack occurred during their surveys. They looted whatever scraps of valuable items they could pocket or stash in their backpacks: small things like metal mugs and pendants, and larger items such as long-rusted tools or damaged computer hardware. Most of these objects had to be secured in tightly sealed biohazard bags to ensure they could be safely extracted and evaluated by the Marauder Guild.
As they pressed forward, cutting down most of the Cave Bugs in their path, they stumbled into a massive excavation zone. The cavern was littered with old excavation vehicles, tools, and the long-dead bodies of miners from an unknown era.
"Zom... buddy," Lynx said, her voice heavy with exhaustion. "Is this place secured? 'Cause I really need a breather, man. My arms and knees are killing me... and I'm starving."
Team leader Corrin nodded, weighing in. "Lynx has a point. We need rest, but I can't risk us sitting ducks with those cave bugs sneaking up from behind."
Zom focused on his Echo-Map, a faint glimmer of seriousness in his eyes. "According to the map, this hole we came through seems to be the only way in or out. I think we can rest safely if we block the entrance and sweep the area to make sure nothing's lurking." He paused. "But... what can we use to block that pathway?"
Arlin perked up, a spark of an idea in his eyes. "We could use these excavation tractors."
Lynx shot him a look. "Hey, muscle brain. Did you see the state of these things?" She gestured to the rusted, damaged excavators around them. "I highly doubt any of them can be driven."
Grinning smugly, Arlin leaned back. "Who said anything about driving them?"
<<<[ Arc 01, Ch02 - END ]>>>