"Run...?!" Ethaniel asked in shock.
"...well, that's the option right?" Kon muttered out.
"If you look upfront..." Raina mumbled out. "We'll be dead meat if we get caught up in that..."
"T-Then what you waiting for?! Run!!" The first to turn around was Frey who quickly rushed through the catacombs.
"Kiikkk!!" The rats continued on rushing towards them.
"Bah..." Following up with Frey, the group turned back as they ran back.
...
Rushing through the catacombs hallway, the group hurried along the path as they made their way back over towards the open-spaced area at the entrance of the dungeon.
"Hey, Shinto!" Ethaniel called out whilst running ahead. "What do we do if these rat bastards end up chasing us till the very end?!"
"W-Well..." Shinto mumbled out as he turned around. The red eyes glaring at them as if they were prey sent chills behind the back of Shinto as he quickly turned back. "...how long more till your skills go off cooldown?"
"...for Burning wave, in ten?" Raina estimated.
"In five," Ethaniel clicked his tongue. "I don't think that's enough waiting time by the time we reach the hall."
"Tsk..." Shinto silently cursed. "If worse comes to worst, we'll take the left path as soon as we enter the hall."
"E-Eh? What if another batch of those rats appears there as well..." Frey muttered worryingly.
"There can't possibly be a rat infestation in the other path right?" Ethaniel questioned.
"...Ethan...how many times has this been jinxed already?" Raina mumbled out.
"...tch..." Ethaniel quickly kept his mouth shut.
"If so, then we'll directly take the path back to the surface. The passage would be narrow, but it's wide enough for us to cast our skills without interruption," Shinto explained. "Though... Raina's Burning Wave skill would be a double edge sword for us..." he said as his eyes quickly widen at a thought.
"I-It should be fine!" Kon said. "With how narrow that place is compared to here... the rats won't be able to overpower us in numbers!"
"Yes, the passage is long too, so we'll have some room for a breather," Shinto added. "But, before all that, I've got another plan."
"Eh...?! What is it?!" Frey cried out.
"...we'll use our skills to-" Shinto was about to explain as he was quickly interrupted.
"Ah...! Nevermind that! Explain later! Look behind! Is it just me or... are they getting faster?!" Frey said in a more worried tone than before.
"F-Faster?" Shinto's eyes opened widely as he glanced back. Seeing the distance between the rats closing in rapidly, his pace quickly fastened. "Tch... we have to pick our pace!"
"Kiikkk!!" From the frontlines of the horde of monsters, a few of the rats quickly pounced forward as they reached Raina and Frey who were behind the group.
"...ah...!" Turning back to see the rats attacking her, a swift blade protruded forward in almost an instant as it knocked the monsters back.
"Go on ahead, I've got you!" Ethaniel shouted out. "I don't have my AOE skills on me... but I still got my single targets!" Clenching onto his sword steadfastly, Ethaniel quickly enshrouded his blade into a white aura. Moments later, a shining light protruded forward as he sent it over towards one of the rats that were knocked back.
"Kiikkk...!" The rat screeched as it turned to grey ash.
[ Elite Dweller Rat has been defeated! ]
Taking a glance over towards the notification that he received, he quickly heard a shout from behind him.
"Hey, Ethan! Watch out!" Following up with the voice, a blinding white light shined down upon the rat that angrily pounced at him.
"Tch..." Shaking his head of the distraction from his notification, Ethaniel quickly turned back as he caught up with the group. "...thanks," he muttered out.
"No problem. But save your single target skills," Shinto stated. "We'll need them."
"Eeep! The rats are catching up to us!" Kon who was on the shoulders of Shinto shouted out. "I don't think we'll make it in time!"
"We can!" Shinto shouted out. "Just up ahead is the hall and then we'll go with the plan!"
"W-Wait... what plan?" Raina mumbled out. "Is it the one where we're going to the passage?"
"No," Shinto firmly said. "Wait for my orders. We'll try and test our luck."
"Eeek! Better hurry it up!" Frey cried out as her legs continued running.
"Kiikkk...!!" One by one, the rats pounced and pounced over towards the backline of the group, however, with the group running for their lives, the attacks of the monsters narrowly miss.
"...almost...!" With only the thought of reaching the hall on their mind, the group quickly placed all strength into their legs. In the next moment, the light from the torches of the hall shone down on them.
Without wasting any more time, Shinto swiftly shouted out. "Raina, Frey, Ethaniel, Kon! Use any available skills and break that statue!" he pointed over towards the left statue with its sword faced down.
"...but wouldn't that...?!" Frey hesitated.
"There's no time, do it!" he cried out.
"...bah!" Ethaniel clicked his tongue as he held onto his sword tightly, in the next moment, he connected it with multiple single target skills that he had yet used earlier. From behind him, Raina and Frey followed up with their remaining attacks.
Flames and light flashed within the room as the statue cracked. In the next moment, it crumbled down towards the entrance of the left path.
"Kiikkk...!!" The rats that were rushing out to the hall quickly looked up as the rubble crashed down towards them. In the next moment, turning the few rats that made it out into grey ash.
The remaining rats glared at the group as the red eyes disappeared one by one. The monsters were heading back towards their den.
"...i-is that...all?" Kon said in a tired voice.
"That should be it... for now," Raina said still vigilant.
"Ahh! I'm tired!" Frey let out a tired sigh as she collapsed down to the ground.
"The crisis is solved... for the time being," Shinto cautiously said.
"...so, what now?" Ethaniel questioned as he turned to look at the rubble that was once the statue. "The entrance is blocked. So the only option is through the warrior's path..."
"Yes... but before that," Shinto closed his eyes. "We need to have a serious discussion on the dungeon."