“Until you die.” 

There were sharp intakes of breath at his words.

He shook his head, stopping the panicked questions that were sure to follow. "It was the only ritual within my price range that could break your contracts. The other rituals had effects that were worse. Would you have liked to lose both arms instead?”

Marcus's answer was quick. "N-no."

Alice, unlike the others, seemed unfazed by the revelation. “Will it follow us back to Earth?”

Adam shrugged. “I don’t know. The effect should disappear once you die. Unlike others, you don’t need to worry about dying. You will come back to life thanks to the Immortal trait.”

“I hope no one picked a sense that you will need for the fights ahead?” Adam continued. 

Seeing the chorus of head shakes. "Good. We’ll take a mission now and get everyone some experience.”

Adam was grateful for the work the Barolans had done, getting these recruits battle-ready. He considered it a stroke of luck that they were at least somewhat prepared for the battles to come.

He turned to the hive swarm speaker, ready to move things along. "Do you have a suitable mission for us?"

“Yes, Prince. I have a suitable mission for you and your cult members.”

A grin split Adam's face. “Perfect. It’s time to power level people. Get ready.” 

---

The group stood outside the entrance to the cave, a yawning black mouth that swallowed up the daylight. 

The cave was not particularly inviting; dampness oozed from its walls and a chill breeze wafted out, carrying with it the smell of decay and wet stone.

Adam turned to his recruits. His face was serious as he began to brief them on the mission.

"Inside this cave, there are tier 0 beasts that we need to clear out. Be careful, something has massacred the drones sent here," he began, his voice echoing off the trees and back towards them. 

His eyes scanned the group, making sure he had their full attention.

"I'll handle any tier 1 beasts that appear. But I will leave most of the fighting for you to handle. This is your chance to gain some actual combat experience against opponents of your tier."

A nervous murmur ran through the group, but none voiced any objections. 

Adam watched as they nodded their understanding, their faces set in grim determination. He was happy with how the recruits were adapting so far.

Without further ado, he gestured for them to proceed. "Let's move." 

The group filed into the cave, their weapons at the ready, their faces pale in the dim, flickering light.

Adam took up the rear, his eyes vigilant as he watched his new recruits disappear into the cave one by one. He kept the immortal dream blade on hand, ready to spring into action if necessary. 

As the last recruit disappeared into the darkness, Adam took one final glance back at the world outside before stepping into the cave himself. 

The darkness of the cave was oppressive, but the green luminescence from the various fungi gave it a haunting glow. 

The nine recruits moved deeper into the cave, their eyes alert for movement.

From the back, Adam watched as they faced their first encounter, a group of tier 0 beasts. 

These were nothing more than wild animals, with no intelligence or special abilities. But, for new recruits, they were a challenging enough opponent.

"Marcus, flank to the left. Alice, distract it from the front!" Adam ordered, his eyes darting to assess the situation as it unfolded. 

Despite his natural combat instincts, Adam was still learning how to lead such a large group. He hadn’t led anyone, not since Lancer’s death. 

This was a learning experience for the recruits and for him. The feeling was thrilling, a rush of excitement he hadn't felt in a long time.

Watching the recruits maneuver and adjust according to his instructions, Adam couldn't help but anticipate what they could accomplish once they reached tier 1. 

He looked forward to the day where he had an organization as big as the hive, where a single order from him would affect the lives of many.

As they continued to clear the cave, Adam saw no signs of any tier 1 beasts. His recruits were struggling, their movements still uncoordinated and uncertain, but they were improving. 

His orders were like a guiding light in their combat, their safety net.

One by one, they started to level up. Adam took it upon himself to explain what each attribute did, helping them make informed choices. 

He noticed them growing stronger, faster, their actions more confident.

The most fascinating part was how they naturally started to assume roles within the group. Some stood in the front, taking the brunt of the attacks, while others attacked from a distance. 

Some provided support, aiding their teammates with healing and buffs. A hierarchy of sorts began to form an organic evolution of their group dynamics.

Adam felt a strange sense of pride watching his recruits adapt and grow. It was their first real test, a baptism of fire that they seemed to be passing. 

For the first time, he had a glimpse of what they could become, what his cult could become. And it was exhilarating.

Among all his new recruits, one person in particular stood out to Adam. 

Alice. There was something about her that was different from the others. 

It wasn’t her fighting skills; it was her demeanor, her quiet determination that made her stand out.

Alice was stoic, unflinching, a rock amidst the chaotic battles. Marcus had shared her story with Adam. 

She had a newborn at home, a family waiting for her. Every hour she survived in the Dreamverse was another hour closer to seeing them again.

It was clear in every fight that Alice did not take her situation lightly. Every battle was a matter of life or death, regardless of the opponent.

Whether it was a level 1 rat or a level 7 cave bat. It didn't matter; they were all enemies standing between her and her family. And she wouldn't let them stop her.

When she took damage, Alice would show no reaction and continue fighting. There was no wincing, no complaints, no pleas for help. 

She was silent, but her silence spoke louder than any war cry.

Adam had never seen anyone more suitable for life in the Dreamverse than Alice. 

He saw a potential officer in her, someone who would execute any mission, no matter how difficult, with unwavering commitment. 

Yet, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of uncertainty.

‘Would she still be this determined once she returned to Earth? Would she be willing to leave her family again to return to this harsh world?’ Adam knew he couldn't predict the future. 

For now, all he could do was admire Alice's resolve and hope that she would stay this way, that the Dreamverse wouldn't break her spirit.

Among his new recruits, Marcus was beginning to grate on Adam's nerves. 

He couldn't understand why the man, who described himself as an introvert, was so incessantly talkative. Despite this, Marcus was beloved among the other recruits. 

He'd been their savior, his actions leading to their discovery by Adam.

After a particularly difficult fight against some beasts, Adam called for a break. They all slumped down, tired and battered, but alive. 

Alice remained on her feet, keeping a vigilant watch over the group. 

Adam watched her quietly from where he was sitting. He thought, ‘Did she really do what I think she did? If she did...’

Marcus plopped down next to Adam and asked, "So, boss. Why did you save us? I mean, I'm grateful, but those tier 1 soldiers were stronger than us."

Adam stretched, laying out on the ground, "They would have stabbed me in the back as soon as they got the opportunity. Plus, you're Earthlings."

The response was met with a barrage of confused looks, not just from Marcus, but from the rest of the recruits as well. 

Even Alice was listening in now.

“Sorry, boss. But I'm not sure I understand. Also, that kind of sounds racist? Can I use that word here? Xenophobic?” Marcus joked. 

Adam rolled his eyes at his bad joke. He thought, ‘I should ask Marcus if he is a dad.’

Adam needed to establish a title for himself soon, something his cult members could address him by instead of letting them make their own. Hearing ‘boss’ was starting to annoy him.

Adam sat up and looked at each of them in turn. 

"You won't stab me in the back for two reasons. One, you're Earthlings, which means you weren't raised here in the Dreamverse. You are a product of your environment. And two," Adam grinned at them, "you wouldn't backstab a fellow Earthling, would you?"

The looks of shock on their faces were priceless. 

He had been waiting for the right moment to drop this piece of information, and the satisfaction he felt now confirmed that his timing was perfect. 

He watched them grapple with this new revelation, their faces a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

Marcus broke the silence first. "Wait, so you're from Earth too? That explains...a lot actually."

This change of perspective had shifted everything in their minds.

Adam knew he had to maintain control over this narrative. He didn't want anyone digging up the truth about his origin as a dream child, at least not yet. 

This was his chance to cement his 'official' story, to shape their perceptions to his advantage. Hopefully, they would spread this story before Alexia gave him away.

"Yes," Adam confirmed, seeing the intrigue in their eyes. "Just like you, I was also brought here against my will. I appeared here on the first day everyone started going into comas. But I was lucky."

He caught each of their gazes. "I appeared in the middle of the hive and was brought before the hive empress. At first, it was terrifying, but she gave me a chance, saying that fate had brought me to her."

"The hive helped me level up to tier 1. The empress saw the potential of my talent and the immortal trait before adopting me."

This was the story he came up with. He would need to let his family know about the change, so they were on the same page. 

The story depicted him as a survivor, someone who'd been fortunate enough to be taken under the wing of the empress. Someone who now had the power to guide and protect his fellow Earthlings.

"Adopted?" Marcus looked skeptical. "So you're saying that the hive empress. That scary woman all the Barolan soldiers talked about is your... mother?"

"In a sense, yes," Adam said, keeping his voice steady and casual, as if they were discussing the weather rather than the ruler of the hive. 

"I guess you could say she’s my second mother."

The group exchanged glances, uncertainty clear in their eyes. Even Alice, who had been standing guard, wore a perplexed expression. 

Adam's story was outrageous, but the conviction in his voice was enough to sow seeds of belief.

"And thanks to her, I've learned a lot about this place and how to survive in it. That's what I aim to pass on to all of you, as members of my cult," Adam continued, shifting the attention back to them, a sly smile playing on his lips. "We're Earthlings. We stick together, right?"

Marcus and a few others nodded hesitantly, glancing at each other for reassurance. 

Adam could see they were slowly starting to trust him, or at least accept his leadership.

"Let's rest up a bit longer. There are still plenty of beasts waiting for us deeper in the cave—" 

Without warning, a recruit was hurled against a cave wall with brutal force.

His body collapsed to the ground in a heap, unmoving. 

The shock froze everyone for a moment. 

Menacing growls shattered the eerie silence.

"We're surrounded. Stay near me." Adam's voice cut through the panic as he jumped to his feet, pulling out his Immortal Dream Blade. 

The cave filled with terrifying beasts, their feline grace and reptilian features a horrifying combination. Black fur glinted in the dim light, and their claws glistened with deadly intent.

‘How the hell did they get this close?’ Adam thought. 

He used [Inspect] on them.

[Shadeclaw, Level 19 (Tier 1)] x2

[Shadeclaw, Level 15 (Tier 1)] x3

[Shadeclaw, Level 12 (Tier 1)] x5

Adam wanted to curse, but he suppressed his irritation. 

His recruits looked terrified, their eyes wide with fear as they felt the aura of danger radiating from the beasts.

"Stay behind me." Adam commanded.