"Oh no, we're really lost!" Claire cried out in fear.
They had been wandering aimlessly for ten minutes, seeing nothing but the spine-chilling darkness of the cave.
To make matters worse, they had forgotten the way back. The cave was filled with many interconnected passages.
They were completely disoriented and didn't know where to go next.
Claire turned to Raven and asked nervously, "What should we do?"
Raven didn't panic. He licked the tip of his index finger and held it up.
The wind was coming from the north. That meant the exit was in that direction.
"We're heading north," he said calmly.
Claire and Rose exchanged glances. Raven had used the same method to determine direction before—and it had only gotten them more lost.
Still, they had no choice but to nod slightly.
After all, Raven was the leader of their small group.
And as it happened, they didn't know where else to go except to follow his lead.
The three of them headed north. As they passed through the four-meter-high passage, they were immediately greeted by something unexpected.
It was a beautiful light-blue lake. The lake wasn't particularly large, but the water looked incredibly clear and captivating.
"Wow! A lake inside a cave? This is the first time I've seen something like this," Claire exclaimed in awe.
Raven and Rose were just as amazed as Claire. The three of them approached and stopped right at the edge.
Rose was about to dip her hand into the water, but Raven quickly pulled her back.
Rose's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she asked, "What's wrong?"
Raven didn't answer right away. He stared at the calm surface of the lake and asked, "Do you know the old saying: 'Don't approach still waters'?"
Rose was startled. She quickly understood what Raven meant and stepped back.
Raven picked up a small stone and tossed it into the lake.
Plop!
As the stone hit the surface and created faint ripples, a large black shadow suddenly surged upward.
It was a three-meter-long fish. Its scales were dark green, and its massive head made up most of its body.
Two glowing lights floated above its head, shining brightly.
Its rows of teeth were razor-sharp, like a chainsaw ready to tear through anything in its path.
Boom!
The fish crashed down, splashing water over Raven, Rose, and Claire.
Gulp...
Rose swallowed hard and turned stiffly toward Raven, whose expression remained calm.
If he hadn't warned her, she might have died just now.
Raven ignored her gaze. He took a deep breath and whispered, "Open the fish's status panel."
[STATUS!]
Name: Deep-water Green-scaled fish
Type: Green-scaled Fish
Age: 1,000 years
Level: 4
Abilities: Deep-sea vision (D), deadly poison spit (A), hard scales (B), …
Description: A fish that has existed since ancient times. However, it became separated from its pod and was trapped in a lake that has existed for two thousand years.
Important Note: Having been trapped for eight hundred years, the fish has weakened significantly. It can be defeated easily.
After Raven read the description, he stroked his chin and thought, 'If we kill a level-four monster, does that automatically mean we've completed the mission?'
The second mission required them to kill one level-three monster, ten level-two monsters, and thirty level-one monsters.
At first glance, it seemed very easy. However, if it could be completed so easily, why go to the trouble of hunting them all down?
"System, tell me—can we complete it by killing one level-four monster?"
A few seconds passed before a message from the system finally appeared.
Ding!
Raven opened it and read.
"[Yes, host. One level-four monster is equivalent to three level-three monsters. One level-three monster is equivalent to seven level-two monsters. One level-two monster is equivalent to ten level-one monsters.]"
As Raven read the message, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
'If we kill it, we can say we've completed the second mission, right? What incredible luck,' Raven muttered with a small chuckle.
He glanced at Claire and Rose with a playful gaze. He suspected this luck might be linked to the two of them.
After all, they were the ones specifically chosen by the system.
"You two, I have an idea. Please listen."
Raven's voice snapped them out of their surprise. They immediately turned toward him and waited quietly.
"That monster is level four. If we kill it, we can complete the second mission right now," Raven explained briefly, but it was enough to shock both of them.
"Are you serious?" Rose asked in a low voice.
She knew how difficult this second mission was. Forget level-three monsters—even level-two monsters were already quite a challenge, as they were extremely ferocious and dangerous.
That was why she was somewhat skeptical that the three of them could complete it so easily.
"That's right." Raven nodded slightly and added, "By the way, that fish monster is currently weakened due to unsuitable living conditions. I'm sure you two understand what I mean."
A playful smile crossed his lips.
Rose and Claire were startled and exchanged meaningful glances. A level-four monster was indeed powerful, but if it was in a weakened state, that clearly worked in their favor.
"Alright, don't overthink it. We'll devise a strategy," Raven said, raising his sword. "I'll be the bait, and the two of you will finish it off. Got it?"
Both nodded in unison. "Got it!"
Raven gave a faint smile. "Let's get started!"
He walked toward the edge of the lake. Unlike the red-scaled fish they had encountered earlier, the monster in this lake had a far more aggressive nature.
So Raven didn't need to dive in and use his own body as bait.
He knelt down and plunged his hand into the water. Seconds passed, but the fish still hadn't appeared.
Raven remained patient. He waited calmly, occasionally swirling his hand to disturb the lake's surface.
A few minutes later, he felt a faint, rapid vibration beneath the water and smiled slightly.
"It's finally coming…"