A bluish star was shining with many planets around it. It looked totally different from the sun. From the cold, silent depths of space, a particular planet slowly came into view rotating and moving along its axis circling this star.
It looked nothing like the earth. Its surface glowed faintly with a soft and emerald hue, swirls of mist covering its surface like dancing veils.
As drifted closer, a vast continent stretching across the whole horizon could be seen. Towering mountains were standing like ancient guardians. Rivers glimmered like silver threads, weaving through dense, green wilderness. Forests were dominating the terrain, pulsing with life.
As zoomed in more, a massive forest canopy spread like an ocean of green. Birds of vibrant colors were flying between branches the size of rooftops. Tree trunks rose hundreds of feet, many carving into homes.
Dozens of treehouses were linked with elegant wooden bridges and glowing lanterns. Vines and flowers wrapped naturally around the structures, as if nature herself shaped them. This was no primitive place... it was a harmonious civilization, carved into nature without ever disturbing it.
Inside the most magnificent treehouse, one that resembled a palace, a woman in her late twenties sat on an elevated throne within a vast hall.
She carried an aura of ancient power. Her beauty looked ethereal. Smooth and pale skin with a faint blush of rose, long hair flowing like moonlight, eyes as deep and vibrant as spring. Her face was the perfect blend of innocence and grace, almost painfully cute, yet impossible to look away from.
But her curved and pointed ears looked nothing like those of humans.
Her one leg rested over the other, arms draped elegantly along the throne’s arms. Despite her soft expression, her presence filled the room.
Kneeling before her was a man in his thirties. His armor was light, embroidered with leaves and symbols of wind. Like her, he too had pointed ears. His head was bowed deeply, silver hair brushing the floor.
She finally spoke with a voice like leaves rustling in a breeze. "Had the soul been finally resurrected?"
"Yes my lady, it had. But....." he paused.
"But?!" The woman pressed.
"Was it really wise to waste a soul resurrection rune on another species?! The man expressed his doubts.
"Are you questioning the will of our ancestors?!" Her voice sharpened with a trace of anger.
"No my lady, I won’t dare." The man panicked.
"Then don’t shove your nose into something you can’t even comprehend. According to our ancestors, it’s the only way to defeat the beast race and the monster race." The woman said in a flat tone.
"Yes my lady. I won’t make the same mistake twice." The man said quickly.
"Make sure our guardian residing there watches over him with caution. Leave."
"Y... yes my lady." With that the man hurriedly left.
Back in earth before a dungeon gate_____
"Let’s get going and clear it. But no one is allowed to be careless," Gideon said firmly as he stepped through the swirling blue gate first.
Everyone nodded silently.
Ronald adjusted the spear strapped to his back. Jessi followed without any extra preparation. Melissa took a deep breath and walked through without hesitation.
Luna hesitated slightly. It was her first dungeon raid. Fighting to pass a test and fighting for the survival in a life and death situation were totally different.
"You will be alright." Noticing her hesitation, Logan tried to ease her fear.
Luna looked at him and nodded.
Then, they stepped into the dungeon together.
A pulse of cold air embraced them as they crossed the boundary. Inside, the light dimmed to a pale blue. The ground beneath their feet was damp, the stone path cracked and overgrown with patches of moss and thorny roots. The trees inside this place were twisted, their branches curling unnaturally, as if they were observing.
"This place reeks of dark mana," Jessi muttered, wrinkling her nose.
"Yeah! Seems a bit different from other D-class dungeons we have raided before," Ronald added.
"Form up," Gideon ordered. "Jessi at the vanguard. Defend any surprise attack from the front with your water barrir. Aiden and Luna, stay just beside me. Ronald and Melissa, rear guard. Make sure we aren’t ambushed from the back."
They moved as a unit, their boots making soft crunches on the moss-covered stone. Only a few minutes into the dungeon and already there were movements. A faint rustling came from the left bushline.
Logan’s eyes narrowed. "Three are approaching."
"How can you tell?" Melissa asked softly.
"I can feel their presence..."
Logan’s senses were no less sharp than a hawk’s. After hundreds of battles, they had reached a terrifying level.
Before anyone could respond....
Three goblins lunged from the side.
Ronald sprinted in their direction, spinning his spear and impaling the front goblin mid way. Jessi dashed past him, slashing the second one across the throat with a ice blade in a fluid motion. The third goblin raised its dagger.....
A fireball pierced its chest with a fiery wound, fired cleanly by Luna.
"Well done," Gideon said. "But don’t relax."
More growls echoed ahead.
From behind a huge rock, five dire wolves emerged — larger than normal, their fur blackened and their eyes glowing red.
"Spread out!" Gideon shouted. "Ronald, take the left! Aiden, right flank! Jessi, water barrier on the center!"
One wolf lunged at Logan.
He punched the beast square in the jaw with an icy fist, sending it crashing into a nearby tree. The others stared.
"Remind me never to spar with you," Ronald muttered while fighting a dire wolf.
The remaining wolves circled, snarling.
"Luna!" Gideon barked.
She loosed two lightning arrows. One hit a wolf’s leg, the other one missed by an inch. Ronald speared his one. Melissa ducked under a pounce and punched it with a fiery fist.
Gideon slashed the last wolf with a wind blade.
"Clear for now," Melissa said, catching her breath.
"You good?" Gideon asked Luna. Luna wasn’t just a party member but also a responsibility.
"That was a warm-up," Gideon said. "The path ahead will keep getting difficult."
"It’s only a D-class boss. Don’t look that serious," Ronald said, rotating his shoulder.
"Get cocky and you will surely face your demise. The ranks mean nothing now a days. There are so many anomalies. So better keep your eyes open if you don’t want to turn into snacks for monsters.
At the side, Logan was standing. He could feel the spiritual energy coming from the corpses. But today he had no way to cultivate with it in front of others.