Only experienced adventurers knew the truth—monsters weren’t the greatest danger in the Tower of Ascension. Other adventurers were.

  Robbing fellow adventurers offered far greater rewards with significantly less risk than hunting monsters. That was one of the reasons so few ever made it to the fourth floor. Only elite clans with large numbers dared set foot there, especially given the unique characteristics of that level.

  I suddenly remembered my last run-in with Guz and his gang during the previous expedition.

  Pushing those thoughts aside, I focused on the present. We needed to move, fast.

  As we hurried down the dimly lit passage, I kept my voice low but firm as I explained to Orin and Elena, "Someone’s trying to trap adventurers here. We need to find a safe place before things get worse."

  Now, everything clicked into place.

  No wonder we hadn’t encountered any other adventurers in days. The main road near the portal should have been bustling with people preparing to ascend to the next floor. Instead, it was disturbingly empty. Even the Royal Guards, who were normally stationed here to maintain order, were nowhere to be seen.

  How could I have been so careless? I silently cursed myself for not noticing the signs sooner.

  This wasn’t just some random ambush.

  This was the work of professionals.

  A chill ran down my spine. Whoever was behind this wasn’t just trying to pick off a few unlucky stragglers—they were orchestrating something far bigger.

  Without needing further instruction, Darwyn activated Illumne, a detection skill that would reveal any invisible presences around us. If someone was tailing us under the cover of stealth, we would know.

  We picked up our pace, moving swiftly yet cautiously. Half-running, half-sneaking, we navigated through the corridors, retracing our steps toward an old route. There was a hidden chamber we had cleared out earlier—a perfect place to take cover.

  Once inside, we wasted no time securing the area. Traps were set, entrance was blocked, and escape routes planned.

  After double-checking our defenses, we finally allowed ourselves to rest.

  "We’ll take turns keeping watch," I announced. "Two-hour shifts. Orin and Elena, you’ll take the second watch together. The rest of us will take turns alone."

  "I’ll go first," Muradin volunteered, rolling his shoulders as he positioned himself near the entrance. His expression was as solid as stone, but I could see the tension in his stance.

  The rest of us settled in, trying to catch whatever sleep we could. Yet even as I closed my eyes, my mind raced.

  Who was behind this? And more importantly… what were they planning?

  ***

  "Erynd, wake up. It's your turn now," Darwyn whispered.

  Still half-asleep, I forced myself to sit up, rubbing the drowsiness from my eyes as I got ready. "Anything unusual?" I asked, my voice barely above a murmur.

  "Nothing major," Darwyn replied, stretching his arms. "Just a few monsters passing through nearby."

  "Alright, go get some rest. I’ll take over from here," I said, settling into position.

  An hour passed in complete silence.

  The detection traps that Darwyn had set remained undisturbed—no sudden flashes, no warning signals. Still, I wasn’t taking any chances. I moved to the entrance and double-checked the barrier we had thrown together with whatever materials we found.

  "If only we had a proper wizard in the team..." I muttered under my breath. For my future clan, I needed at least one wizard specializing in utility magic. This kind of improvised defense wouldn't cut it in the long run.

  With nothing else to do, my mind wandered back to our situation.

  We had spent most of the expedition deep within the most treacherous parts of the Deepnest Tunnel—places like Damp Abyss and Gloomspire Hollow, where hardly anyone dared to go. That had likely saved us from whatever was happening outside. But it also meant we had no idea what had transpired in our absence.

  Hopefully, whatever chaos had unfolded was already over.

  We just needed to survive two more days. That was it. The odds of something terrible happening now were low.

  Or so I thought.

  Then, I heard it.

  A faint sound.

  I froze, straining my ears. Slowly, I crept toward the entrance.

  Voices.

  More than five people. My palms grew slick with sweat. Not a single detection trap had gone off, which meant one thing—these weren’t ordinary adventurers. They were strong. Strong enough to bypass Darwyn’s detection skills without triggering a single alarm.

  But there was one small relief. Judging from their casual conversation, they hadn’t noticed us yet.

  My mind raced. What were our options? Should we escape? Hide? Fight?

  Then I heard it.

  One word.

  A word that didn’t belong in this world.

  A chill ran down my spine as my heart pounded in my chest.

  "NPC."

  I must have misheard. There was no way. But the more I replayed the sound in my head, the more certain I became.

  I hadn't imagined it.

  They had said NPC.

  And that changed everything.

  ***

  Ever since I arrived in this world, I had always assumed I was the only player trapped in Dreadspire.

  It made sense—this game had long since faded into obscurity, and as far as I knew, I was the only person who had ever reached the final boss chamber—which triggered my arrival here.

  But I had been na?ve. Apparently I wasn’t the only one.

  Stolen story; please report.

  There were other players out there—people with the same knowledge and abilities as me. Some might even be stronger. And if those kinds of people were behind whatever was happening here… if they found us…

  Our chances of survival would be close to zero.

  I forced myself to calm down.

  Maybe—just maybe—the word NPC didn’t mean what I thought it did. There was still a chance I was misinterpreting things. Besides, if they were wandering around the first floor, then their power level probably wasn’t too far from ours.

  But in Dreadspire, raw strength wasn’t everything.

  A person could fill all their slots with high-tier Soul Fragments, but if they lacked synergy—if their abilities didn’t complement each other—it would all be meaningless.

  Even if someone is incredibly strong with a well-synergized skill set, they still won’t stand a chance against a solid strong team. Dreadspire emphasizes teamwork over solo play.

  That was why I had never focused solely on my own strength. I made sure my team was strong. That we worked together like a well-oiled machine.

  And that's why I had chosen this hiding spot. There are several reasons though.

  First, its location—it was well-hidden, unknown even to most experienced adventurers.

  Second, the layout—this was a long, narrow tunnel, the perfect place to fight off a larger or stronger force. The uneven dirt floor, unlike solid stone, could also be used to our advantage. Overall, this place has great synergy with our abilities.

  And lastly—the most important reason.

  The deepest wall of this chamber was connected to another room. That was why Muradin had spent so much effort digging through it. Unfortunately, he hadn’t quite finished.

  I shook those thoughts away and moved quickly. There was no time to hesitate.

  I woke the others. "Get ready. Now."

  Darwyn began setting Sticky Bombs at the marked spots, while Orin prepped the items. Elena and I packed up our gear—glancing at each other nervously.

  "They’re getting closer," Elena whispered, her tone tense. "I can feel them."

  Darwyn gave a curt nod. "Yeah. Won’t be long now."

  Darn it. They must have found the entrance.

  The room fell into silence. We exchanged brief glances, tension thick in the air.

  Then, without a word, we all moved.

  Muradin slipped into the half-dug tunnel first, followed by me. The others rushed toward the opposite direction—the entrance, about 200 meters away.

  Then—

  BOOM.

  A deafening explosion echoed through the cavern.

  Screams. Curses. The unmistakable sound of people writhing in pain.

  That was our cue.

  I activated Galestride and Inner Beast, unleashing a surge of speed and strength. At the same time, Muradin roared as he swung his warhammer with brutal force, sending shockwaves through the tunnel.

  I didn’t stick around to watch the aftermath.

  I sprinted forward, racing toward the others.

  "At least five enemies heading our way," Darwyn reported, his voice clipped. "They’re moving cautiously."

  Cautious, huh?

  Good. That meant they weren’t sure what they were up against.

  And that was something we could use.

  Orin and I quickly pulled out the items we had prepared beforehand.

  "Wait for my signal," I muttered to her. She gave me a sharp nod—she already knew the plan.

  Our decoy stood exactly on the marked position, motionless in the dim tunnel. Meanwhile, we remained hidden, crouched in the shadows, keeping a safe distance.

  Then—footsteps.

  The sound was faint at first, but it grew louder as the enemy closed in.

  Slaaash!

  A swift figure lunged forward, plunging his sword straight into Elena—our decoy.

  We all froze. No one had time to react.

  The attack had come so fast, it was barely visible—just a blur of movement before the strike landed.

  Orin clamped a hand over her mouth, her breath hitching as she fought to stay silent.

  My heart pounded in my chest, a dull, frantic rhythm against my ribs. I tightened my grip into a fist, forcing myself to stay steady.

  There was no denying it now.

  This enemy was leagues beyond us. A bead of sweat rolled down my temple. I swallowed hard.

  "Die, you little shit!" he sneered, his voice cold and laced with cruelty.

  Then—

  "What the—?" His triumph turned into confusion as he realized something was off. Instead of feeling flesh and bone beneath his blade—

  "Aaaargh!"

  The body he had stabbed dissolved into a mass of sticky webbing, wrapping around him like a living cocoon. He thrashed violently, but the more he struggled, the tighter it held him in place.

  "You idiot! I told you to be careful," a deep voice growled. A tall figure stepped forward, his long sword gleaming in the dim light. "Get him out of there."

  Another enemy moved swiftly, chanting under his breath. A faint glow pulsed around his hands—then the webs began to melt, dissolving in an instant.

  Darn it. I clenched my jaw. They have a priest. This just got a whole lot worse.

  [Overcharged Brew used. Next spell special effect will be activated]

  [Wind Cutter cast]

  No time to hesitate. I launched my signature attack. Instead of Wind Cutter, something else appeared—Tornado Slash.

  A violent whirlwind erupted in the tunnel, howling like a storm as it engulfed our enemies. Overcharged Brew was one of our supposedly trump cards against the Gravelurker.

  [Enhanced Aqua Bomb used]

  Orin followed up immediately, hurling her explosive toward the raging winds. The moment it detonated, a torrent of water flooded the tunnel, merging with my storm.

  A vortex formed—a swirling hurricane of wind and water.

  We called it Maelstrom.

  Darwyn wasn’t about to be left out.

  From above, a series of Sticky Bombs detonated with an ear-shattering BLAAM.

  Chunks of stone rained down, the tunnel shaking violently as massive boulders collapsed onto our enemies. Their feet, already trapped in the waterlogged ground, left them unable to escape the crushing weight.

  "You motherf—!" Their curses turned into screams of agony.

  But we didn’t stick around to watch.

  "Go, go!" I shouted, sprinting toward the escape tunnel Muradin was still digging.

  Darwyn set off another chain of explosions behind us, ensuring our pursuers had no clear path to follow.

  "How much longer, Mister Bromir?" Orin called out, breathless with urgency.

  "Shut up and let me work!" Muradin snapped, his hammer striking hard against the rock.

  With each powerful swing, the makeshift passage widened.

  Elena and Darwyn positioned themselves, arrows nocked, while I stayed alert, ready to cast defensive spells if needed.

  "Almost there—just a little more!"

  Then—

  "IT’S DONE! MOVE!" Muradin bellowed.

  One by one, we scrambled through the narrow passage. I was the last to enter.

  I risked a glance back—and my blood ran cold.

  Four figures.

  Four survivors.

  They were approaching us.

  “What a monster,” I cursed under my breath and dashed through, activating Inner Beast just as Muradin switched weapons.

  With a battle cry, he raised his massive axe and slammed it into the ground—

  Thunderstrike Slam.

  A shockwave rippled through the tunnel, shaking the very earth beneath us. In an instant, the escape passage collapsed, sealing us off completely. Not even a sliver of space remained.

  "Move. Now," Darwyn ordered, his voice low but firm. "We’re heading back to Gloomspire Hollow."

  No arguments. No hesitation.

  We ran.

  really don’t like that place.