The commotion inside the Guild Master's tent could not be hidden. Sounds of shouting, the dull thuds of blunt impacts, and groans of pain sparked panic outside.
In a matter of seconds, the tent flaps were torn open roughly. Dozens of fully armed soldiers and senior guild staff stormed in with tense faces, weapons ready to be drawn against any threat.
However, the sight that greeted them was not an attack by monsters or intruders, but a pile of humans trying to untangle themselves from the wreckage of a folding cot.
"Wait! Don't attack!" Keyzier shouted, raising a hand. "It's us!"
The soldiers slowly lowered their weapons, their eyes widening. They saw Party Noiver, Shadow, Swansea, and Zeff standing there, whole and without a single missing member. The four parties reckless enough to enter that "hellhole" had returned safely.
"You... you're alive?" one of the guild staff muttered in disbelief.
After the chaos subsided and the Guild Master received emergency treatment from Evaliza for his nearly broken waist, the atmosphere in the tent shifted into a serious debriefing session.
Zeff, with pride yet maintaining respect, stepped forward to the makeshift table. He placed the longsword they had just obtained upon it. The blade vibrated softly, radiating an aura of red and green that intertwined.
"What sword is this?" the Guild Master asked, his eyes narrowing sharply as he examined the weapon. The pain in his back seemed to vanish instantly upon seeing the quality of mana radiating from it.
"It's a sword that can unleash both fire and wind magic simultaneously, Guild Master." Zeff explained enthusiastically. "You could say it's a dual-type Magic Sword!"
The room buzzed with whispers of awe. A weapon with a single element was already expensive, let alone two elements that synergized.
"Incredible..." the Guild Master murmured. He picked up the sword, testing its balance. "I will take this temporarily to be appraised by the artifact expert team in the city. Don't worry, this is the absolute property of Party Zeff. Once the value is determined, this sword will be returned to you immediately along with its certificate."
Zeff nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Guild Master."
After the matter of the treasure was settled, Keyzier took over the conversation to provide a technical report. His face was serious, with no traces of his usual joking demeanor.
"Based on our observations..." he began firmly. "The monsters on the first floor possess coordination and physical strength above the average. A Rank A party should bring at least 4 to 5 combined parties to be safe. As for Rank B, it would take 6 to 10 parties working together."
Keyzier looked at the Guild Master. "That's just the first floor. I don't know how insane the difficulty level will be on the second floor."
The Guild Master noted every word carefully. "Report accepted. This is very valuable information. I will announce these new safety standards at the guild after the conquest of the second floor is complete."
He then looked at the weary faces before him.
"By the way, good work. You were all amazing!" the Guild Master said with a heavy tone. "It's been almost two days since you went inside. It's fortunate that you are all safe..."
"T-Two... days?"
Billy from Party Shadow dropped his jaw. Viona went pale. They felt they had only spent about two or three hours inside.
"Almost two full days!" the Guild Master emphasized. "Out here, the sun has risen once and set twice. You truly were inside a terrifying time distortion."
The reality hit them hard. The Treeze Forest Dungeon was deadly not just because of its monsters, but because of the time it stole.
In the midst of that silence, the tent flaps opened again. A figure of a sturdy man in elegant yet practical noble attire stepped in.
It was Duke Hectorize.
"Apologies for interrupting your meeting." the Duke said in an authoritative baritone voice. "I heard the commotion earlier and wanted to ensure everything was proceeding smoothly."
The Guild Master nodded respectfully to the Duke, then looked back at Keyzier.
"Oh right, since the Duke is here. There is a slight change of plans for the fourth run." the Guild Master said casually. "Duke Hectorize and I will be joining Party Noiver to the second floor. Do you have any objections?"
Keyzier frowned, looking doubtful. "I don't mind. But just so you know, protecting VIPs is a hassle. The important thing is that you follow our instructions absolutely. Because it's very difficult for us to fight seriously while protecting someone else's life."
Donovan nodded in agreement from the back, arms crossed. "Correct! Don't make us choose between slashing a monster or saving a noble."
Hearing their hesitation, Duke Hectorize laughed heartily. His laughter boomed, full of confidence.
"Hahaha! Relax, Young Man." the Duke said, patting the Guild Master's shoulder. "We will definitely remember your instructions. After all..."
The Duke looked at Keyzier with eyes that suddenly sharpened, the gaze of a predator that had been sleeping for a long time.
"...The Guild Master and I were former Rank S adventurers in our youth. So, we can watch our own necks."
Silence...
Zeff's jaw dropped. Billy and Viona stared in disbelief. Even Keyzier raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise.
"Rank S...?" Keyzier hissed. "No wonder his aura felt different this whole time."
Everyone in the tent was shocked. They knew the Guild Master was strong, but former Rank S was top-tier. No one expected that Duke Hectorize, the noble who usually sat in a cushioned chair, was a Rank S adventurer.
After a short rest and filling their stomachs, the four parties stood once again in front of the cave entrance.
"Alright, second run!" Keyzier said while stretching his neck. "This time we're changing the strategy. We want to save time because the time difference inside is very disadvantageous."
Keyzier looked at Shadow, Swansea, and Zeff. "You just follow us from behind. Don't attack unless a monster gets past us. Understood?"
"Understood!" they answered in unison, though a bit confused.
They entered again. The heavy atmosphere of the cave greeted them once more. And as before, dozens of pairs of red eyes belonging to Black Wolves glowed in the darkness.
"Here they come!" Viona shouted reflexively.
However, before Party Swansea could even raise their shields, Keyzier and Donovan had already vanished from their positions.
Zrash!
The wind whistled sharply. Keyzier moved like lightning, his sword dancing in movements difficult for the naked eye to follow. Every swing of his sword cleaved through air and flesh alike.
On the other side, Donovan moved like a ghost. He didn't appear to run, but rather seemed to teleport between the shadows. Every time he reappeared, a wolf's head was separated from its body.
"Crazy..." Billy hissed. "So fast!"
Evaliza, positioned at the rear line, drew her bow. Three magic arrows shot out simultaneously, curving through the air with terrifying accuracy, piercing the eyes of three wolves attempting to attack Keyzier from his blind spot.
Boom!
An explosion from the magic arrows occurred, leaving the three Black Wolves charred dead.
Meanwhile, Novalia raised her staff casually. "Area Buff: Haste, Strength."
Golden light enveloped Keyzier and Donovan. Their speed, which was already unreasonable, now became twice as terrifying.
In less than three minutes, the cave fell silent. Dozens of Black Wolves, which previously took 30 minutes and the hard work of three parties to defeat, had now become piles of corpses without ever touching the hem of Party Noiver's Clothes.
Keyzier lowered his sword calmly. "Let's move. Don't waste time."
The members of Party Shadow, Swansea, and Zeff stood frozen. Cold sweat trickled down their backs.
"Is... Is this the strength of the strongest Rank S in our city?" Zeff muttered, his voice trembling with awe. "I'm so amazed... no, I'm shivering seeing the four of them!"
Viona swallowed hard. "Their formation is perfect. Frontline attackers that dominate, an archer covering gaps, and a buffer multiplying the team's potential."
In the minds of the party leaders, a new plan formed. They realized that relying on brute strength alone was not enough.
"We have to overhaul our party!" Billy whispered to his members. "After this, we must recruit a buff mage and a skilled archer like Miss Novalia and Miss Evaliza. If not, we will never be able to chase their backs."
Today, in the darkness of the Treeze Forest cave, Party Noiver not only showed the way to treasure but also taught the true definition of strength to the adventurers of Verna.