Their path was unlit, and mysterious sounds grew closer while the temperature sunk. After a ten-minute hike, the unimaginable occurred. The rugged, rocky ground became prickly grass, and once they exited the narrow entrance, they uncovered the first chamber.

What was witnessed wasn't just a simple cave but miles and miles of expansive underground terrain. It was dark, not because there was no light, but because it was nighttime. The ceiling of the massive chamber was opaque blue and purple. It looked just like a midnight sky with stars drifting and twinkling overhead.

Directly in front of them were steep stairs that led down six levels to a ground flooded with water. The main lure of the base floor was a maze of tall grass. There were three starting points, and it was impossible to see over the towering hedges.

While Artie and Sebastian gawked at the surreal environment, Mayumi informed them they would be undertaking the leftmost path before strolling down the steps.

"I've played a lot of games, but this-"

"What, or whoever designed this map is good," Artie murmured.

They descended quickly, then stepped into cold water that rose past their ankles. Aside from shady critters flying in the sky, there were no signs of monsters, so they continued.

Water swished around their feet as they trekked through the dark maze. Taking lefts and rights, they tentatively glanced at the tall grass surrounding them.

They managed five minutes before Artie identified shuffling aside from their own. Because they trekked down a single path, there was no hiding. Instead, he alerted his group, and they halted and prepped their weapons.

Heavy footsteps pushed directly through the overgrown grass. As they eyed the route ahead, the plants shook, and a gigantic, coal-colored, four-legged monster in the figure of a hippo emerged. It nonchalantly walked across their sights, flattening the greenery in its path without turning its head.

Just as soon as it appeared, it was gone, and they considered themselves lucky to have avoided a fight with the massive creature.

"Let's keep going," Mayumi carefully whispered.

At first, they only stopped occasionally when Artie sensed danger, but after a while, every corner bore a new threat. Creatures roamed excessively, unaware that the small party was intruding on their home. In addition to Artie's hearing, Mayumi's pre-knowledge of the maze allowed them to pass the first chamber without confrontation. However, their advantage became worn when they proceeded to the second chamber.

 

<>

 

After passing another narrow passage, the new area was unveiled. The land was brown, rocky, and stretched far without any shelter. It seemed like an ordinary cave at first glance, but trees grew on the cavern's ceiling. There was an entire forest that'd, through another miraculous force, had flourished upside down.

Mayumi divulged that after the rescue party recovered Phillip's squad, they attempted to go further into the dungeon but were thwarted at the second chamber. Even their strongest hunters were pushed back, and that area ultimately became restricted.

"They're up there," Mayumi pointed, glancing up toward the inverted forest.

"Flying mobs, huh. This might be tough," smirked Sebastian, drawing knives from his belt.

"A little noise should wake them up," revealed Mayumi.

"Actually," Sebastian muttered, leaning in and squinting at the forest.

He'd spotted one of the idle creatures, so he took aim, pulled his arm back, then launched a knife at least forty yards into the sky. Artie was astonished he could see that far, and not to his surprise, he'd struck and killed something.

The bloodied body of a man-sized bat monster fell from the upside-down forest and onto the ground a few yards ahead of them. Because of the swift and silent kill, no other creatures awoke, so they used the opportunity to examine the corpse. None of them knew what they were searching for, but Sebastian steeled himself and cut open the monster's throat. While rummaging around, he discovered a cone-shaped bone and withdrew it. He seemed unconvinced it'd be valuable, so he spun it around while eyeing it.

"This can't be it, righ-"

As Sebastian spoke, the sounds that emitted from his mouth traveled through the cone and amplified. It reverberated across the location and caused discomfort in Artie's ears. Not only that, but the trees shook, and thirty of the winged monsters poured downward.

"Looks like we found what we're looking for. Let's get out of here," issued Mayumi, quickly turning and making way for the exit.

Artie believed her and Sebastian's composure was infectious. And at some point, he also gained a better grip on his nervousness. More than that, his body pulsated in anticipation while running. He didn't fear the once repulsive smell of blood nor the feeling of pierced flesh. He considered them nothing more than obstacles, and he'd slaughter them with no remorse.

The flying monsters caught up to them in no time and immediately began their onslaught on the group. Artie ran in the center since his hearing was less effective around multiple noisy enemies. Sebastian took a position at the rear and acted as their eyes while Mayumi punched through the front.

They found themselves covered by attackers. Above, behind, and at their sides. It would have been a struggle alone, but they had each other's support.

"Mayumi, six o clock!" Shouted Sebastian, simultaneously alerting her while also stabbing a foe that'd crept up on his side.

In one motion, Mayumi hopped, rotated her body, slammed her fist into the monster's head, then twirled back to her origin point before continuing to run. The monster's skull cracked, and its corpse landed in front of Artie, who effortlessly jumped over it.

After avoiding the body, he held his polearm horizontally, arched far forward, then dashed. While sprinting, Artie mercilessly impaled monsters that flew near the ground.

Body after body was skewered onto his glaive, and after the fifth kill, his weapon looked like a bat-shish-kabob. Two of the batch had survived the impalement, so he discharged bolts of lightning from his horns that electrified and fried the creatures on his weapon.

The weight he carried slowed his pace considerably, so he swiped his polearm in an attempt to dislodge the bodies. As he did so, he heard Sebastian muttering to himself a few feet behind.

"Two can play at that game."

The man abandoned his position at the rear and raced past Artie so he could see him flex. Sebastian rapidly grabbed and threw six knives from his belt into the air. Then, he snapped into a handstand before springboarding off the ground. He launched up to where he'd thrown the knives in advance, then grabbed one before hurling it at a monster's chest. Then, he grabbed another and threw it like a frisbee into the eye of another creature. One after another, he threw his knives in various manners, killing everything he marked before landing on the floor.

Six bodies dropped, and Sebastian turned toward Artie and smirked.

Artie had only caught a portion of the man's antics because he was occupied with clearing the fried corpse off his weapon. Still, he knew Sebastian was impressive.

As the number of enemies reduced, the monsters began to shift their formation. They started to hum and unleash bursts of sound directly at Artie's party. While they were avoidable, the sound triggered even more idle monsters, and they fluttered from their trees.

Even then, it would have been a manageable endeavor; however, a more sinister threat was also awakened.

Hundreds of smaller bats scattered through the larger species at twice the speed. At the pace they traveled, it only took seconds before they convened around the slowest member of their group, Artie.

Like a black whirlwind, they encircled him and cut off his view of the others. Upon realizing he'd become entrapped, the rest of the party returned to help. Mayumi punched, and Sebastian stabbed at the army of bats. At the same time, Artie slashed away at the interior wall of creatures but to no avail.

After his continuous attacks, Artie became fatigued, and his arms threatened to give out. Even after their combined effort, the shroud of bats only tightened the prison they built around him.

Exhausted, Artie dropped to one knee and caught his breath. He lowered his head and then dug his nails into his forearm. He bled, but the pain let him stay sensible in an unfavorable situation.

"Am I scared?" He questioned, sweating and breathing laboriously.

He answered his own question with "yes." And that fear and frailty reminded him of his old self. A man that was stepped on by others, that cried and constantly wallowed in despair.

His recollections infuriated him, and Artie stabbed his weapon into the ground before using it to hoist himself up.

"I'm sure you're getting a kick out of watching me struggle," he said, looking at the empty space above him.

Artie released his weapon and then flung his right arm back as if to throw a ball. His fingers cracked as he stiffened his claws. Radiant sparks of lightning disgorged from his nails and accumulated until a mass of energy built up.

He'd wanted to be mindful of the repercussions of overusing his ability. Still, at the moment, he'd lost to his own bitterness.

Artie violently slashed his claw across the air and launched an arch of electricity outward toward the prison of bats. The whiplash of lightning electrified and burned the creatures before they died or disengaged.

Sebastian and Mayumi had sheltered their eyes from the light but noticed a clearing once the brightness faded.

"There's an opening, run throug-"

Sebastian began to call out, but a wave of sound blasted him and Mayumi forward several feet. Their bodies were flung across the earth, where they crashed near Artie.

"Dammit," Sebastian groaned before rising to his knees and clenching his ears.

Mayumi, who'd been right next to him, had fallen entirely unconscious. Artie bore his fangs at the bats that started forming another cage, then cursed. He moved to generate another attack, but his claws only activated for a second before he became incredibly faint.

In addition, there were high-pitched squeaks among the creatures. Artie believed they were communicating, then watched as they started to react and fly sporadically.

Instead of engulfing them all, the hoard changed formation, compressed, and flocked around Sebastian and Mayumi exclusively.

Ignoring his light-headed affliction, Artie used his glaive to slash away at the attackers. It proved fruitless, and in a frightening instant, the creatures bit down on, then snatched Sebastian away. He grunted aloud as he leaked blood and was hauled deeper into the dungeon.

"Sebastian!" Screamed Artie, helplessly watching the man get carried off.

The thought of losing him, a friend, terrified Artie more than death. His hands shook with fright, and he shivered. But only for a moment.

"Hey!"

"I know you're there!"

He'd screamed angrily toward the entrance of the second chamber. His initial confidence in their ability to clear the dungeon came from an external element aside from himself. And when he called on it, it appeared.

A grand ray of light exploded through the darkness and rocketed past Artie. After the streak of lightning, a heavy boom echoed and shook the entire cave.

"As much as I hate you-"

Artie snarled, then adverted his gaze from the light and focused on protecting Mayumi. He hadn't given up on Sebastian, but with his present strength, all he could do was pray for his safety.

The trail of bats had managed to carry Sebastian a great distance before being discovered. And, out of the light landed the godly, horned beast.

It caught up instantly but could not recklessly attack because Sebastian was held captive. A low growl was cast from the beast's mouth, and its horns and nails flared up as it prepared to charge. Not at a flock of bats, something else entirely.

Artie had no clue, but the situation they'd been in was much direr than he knew.

A hair-raising humanoid figure had held Sebastian by his head. It was as large as the beast but had the face of a bat and gray skin. It stood on two legs and covered itself with pointed wings.

The gray monster wailed angrily at the black beast that interfered. Then, it hurriedly opened its sharp jaws and bit down Sebastian's neck. The man screamed and thrashed his legs about, but the terror held him still and began to drain his blood.

The wolf seemed to understand Artie's wishes. It dipped, then launched forward with outstretched jaws. But, before it could reach its opposition, the radiant light from its body blinded the winged creature and forced it back. It screeched, covered its face with wings, then dissolved into hundreds of smaller bats before relocating to the tip of an inverted tree.

It was undoubtedly a God-type, but this one wasn't summoned. Nor was it eager to fight an opponent with a power greater than its own. It remained at a safe distance while glaring at the best with wine-red eyes.

The powerful wolf-like monster that'd killed many humans and even clashed with other God-types did something unprecedented. It backed down from a fight.

The beast leaned down, then used its fangs to grasp Sebastian's shirt before lifting him. The man had managed to stay conscious and used his drenched hands to apply pressure to his bleeding neck.

After one more glance at the winged nightmare, the beast carried him away from the scene. Artie saw that Sebastian had been rescued, so he grabbed Mayumi and fled. They ran out of the upside-down forest, then the grass maze, blinding any of the night creatures that neared.

 

<>

 

After exiting the dungeon, the beast roamed off into the forest. And Artie was left to tend to his injured party. He used what he could to wrap Sebastian's wound, but Mayumi didn't awaken until half an hour later.

They were all surprised to see the setting sun. Everyone assumed it would be night, but what felt like several hours inside had been less than three. Perplexed, they sat and recounted the events that took place. Sebastian laid on his back and weakly explained that a God-type, disguised as regular bats, had taken him.

The general consensus was that powerful monsters were allowed to wander inside dungeons without any conditions.

"If it wasn't for your stalker, I'd be a goner," Sebastian mumbled.

"You mean the first God-type was there?" Mayumi questioned, turning to Artie.

"I called it..." Brooded Artie, covering his face with his palm.

"You weren't wrong to do so... It's my fault for leaving you alone," Apologized Mayumi, lowering her sights to the ground.

Even though they'd accomplished their objective, the mood was grim. Since night would befall them soon, they held onto their discontent and traveled to the nearby town where the rest of their group awaited them.