Chương 632: Chapter 630 – Making Trouble For Adventurers.

"I do not like this. It is too quiet. Are you sure we should be here?" The man asked, gripping a dagger in each hand.

"Your party leader accepted the quest. If you run now, the Stronghold Master will punish all of you." The older man replied. A large wolf trotted beside him. Both men, along with the rest of their companions, wore cloth tied over their mouths. At first glance, it made them look like bandits, but they were adventurers with a single task. They had to discover what had happened in this area.

"Yeah, yeah…" The man rolled his eyes and then added a further comment.

"By the way… This cloth reeks. Can we do anything about that?"

"Shut your trap!" Another man finally lost his patience and shouted. He was the armored figure leading the party. His head snapped toward the rogue in a sharp motion, and his eyes widened with irritation.

"You have been complaining since we arrived, Heister. Be quiet, and you will not inhale the solution. Do not be foolish enough to remove the cloth, or the poison will disable you."

"Aye aye, captain!" Heister offered a mocking salute to the party leader and the group continued forward. The deeper they walked into the forest, the heavier the silence became. No birds, no small critters, not even the usual carnivorous plants appeared.

"This path… just how many drachinids moved together, and why?" They followed a single trail that stretched ahead in a straight line. At first, they passed only a few bent or trampled trees. Before long, however, they realized that many smaller tracks merged into this one. It looked as if a swarm of monsters had joined together to form a much larger path while pursuing something.

"It doesn't look like they were being chased. It seems they were the ones doing the chasing?"

"But what were they after, and why is there nothing here, Mr. Jergen?" The armored man asked as the group stepped into a clearing. Wide swaths of destruction suggested a massive stampede, yet the center of the clearing contained nothing but bare, flattened earth.

"The trail ends here. The tracks stop as well. This is strange. Where did they all go?" Jergen the hunter looked around with his one good eye, then ordered his wolf to sniff the area.

"This makes no sense. Could something have devoured all those lesser dragons, or did they go somewhere else?" He muttered while the other four adventurers spread out to investigate. Every track pointed to this place, and judging by the signs, the monsters had simply vanished without retreating in any direction. The others searched the torn earth in widening circles, but Jergen kept staring at the center of the clearing as if expecting the ground itself to speak.

"Tracks leading in, no tracks leading out." The armored man crossed his arms.

"So either they flew away or they vanished. Could it have been a teleportation trap?"

"They did not fly, nor was it a trap." Volyn, the mage, tapped the butt of his staff against a half-buried root and closed his eyes.

"Someone tried to hide it, but they did not manage to erase the traces fully. Doing such a thing in a hurry must have been difficult." For a moment, the old man paused and then nodded.

"Only a true master could have done this. We need to be careful."

"Didn't erase traces of what? A true master? What are you talking about, old man?" Heister frowned in confusion, and the others looked to the mage with growing curiosity. None of them had found anything that revealed what had happened here, but if Volyn sensed something, then there had to be a reason.

"Was it magic?" Culdor asked, and Volyn nodded.

"Indeed. Powerful magic was used here."

"What kind of magic, and for what purpose?" The hunter with the eyepatch leaned toward him, eager for an answer.

"The purpose is to hide something." As soon as the words left Volyn's mouth, he stepped forward and raised his staff. Without offering any explanation, he began to chant while moving one hand in a series of intricate gestures. Mana gathered around him in a slow rising swirl, and soon the entire area began to glow orange.

"Volyn is casting an earth spell. You had better get out of there." Syl, perched on top of a tall tree, shouted to the rest of the group. The mage did not seem to care if his party members were caught in the spell or simply expected them to move aside in time.

"You had better hurry, Mr. Hunter. Old Volyn does not care if you end up buried alive." Heister's voice rang out from the distance as the rogue sprinted forward. The ground began to rumble and shift, forcing Jergen and his wolf to leap aside.

"Volyn, warn people before you start tearing up the ground. We have a guest with us." Culdor barked from afar as he saw the hunter tumble aside, his wolf whining at the trembling soil. The mage did not respond. He continued chanting with growing intensity, eyes half closed and lips moving faster and faster. Mana condensed around his staff and he drove it into the earth like a spear. The clearing fell silent for a brief moment, then the ground began to move.

"Brace yourselves." Culdor shouted, though it hardly mattered. The entire clearing shifted as glowing cracks spread outward. The earth shook and split open, slowly revealing the hidden secret the mage had sensed.

"Those are lesser dragons." Jergen stared in shock as the ground parted to reveal the buried carcasses below. There were not one or two but at least twenty, all damaged and burned by something.

"What could kill so many?" Syl whispered as she dropped from her branch and landed without a sound. The others looked around with growing fear. They were an experienced group of tier-three adventurers, yet none of them imagined they could defeat so many creatures at once.

"I hope whoever did this is not still here." Heister muttered as he scanned the surroundings. Syl did the same, her bow already drawn with an arrow ready to fly. The only one who seemed calm was the old mage. After uncovering several drachinid bodies, he walked up to one and began to examine it. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"This was not done with a weapon. It was a spell." He studied the dead plant-like creature. Its body was torn apart and scorched by what could only have been explosive fire magic.

"More magic at work?" Jergen moved closer to inspect the remains. He could not sense mana, yet he knew the damage was not from any ordinary tool or weapon.

"Whoever did this removed all the mana stones, but they did not finish processing the bodies. Perhaps they were interrupted or noticed our approach." The hunter pointed out that many of the corpses had been partially harvested but then covered up and abandoned.

"But how would they know we were coming? A spell like this would take time."

"That is a very good question, Mr. Heister." Jergen replied and then started looking around. The adventurers swallowed hard as the realization settled in. Their eyes swept across the clearing. Whoever had done this might have known they were coming long before they entered the forest.

"There is something here. Syl, now." Volyn's eyes snapped open as he pointed upward with his staff. Syl did not hesitate. She fired her arrow into what looked like empty air. The shot was empowered by a skill and flew at tremendous speed before striking something hidden.

"What is that thing?" To everyone's surprise, the arrow struck something and sent it crashing to the ground. It turned out to be a metallic object shaped like a dodecahedron, covered in strange patterns on each face. One side held what looked like a glass orb, but before they could examine it more closely, the runes on its surface began to glow brightly.

"Watch out!" Volyn shouted the warning just moments before the object exploded. The adventurers leapt away in every direction as a thunderous blast erupted from the spot where the strange contraption had landed. The shockwave was not overwhelming, yet it was strong enough to make the branches of the surrounding trees tremble.

"Everyone, positions!" Culdor called out, and the adventurers regrouped. Only one of them ignored the order. Volyn the mage stood still for a heartbeat, then approached the small crater left by the blast.

"They used this to watch us. How intriguing." The old man looked almost disappointed as he studied the ruined device. When the others noticed that he no longer seemed tense, they realized the observers were likely gone.

"So someone was watching us the entire time... But where are they now?" Heister stared at the shattered remains and asked the question quietly. Volyn only shook his head. The group glanced around the forest, which had grown silent. Far too silent.

"We should leave this place and report to the Stronghold." Culdor ordered, his voice commanding.

"I agree." The hunter wiped sweat from his brow.

"So that is the closest range I can get without being detected." The source of the adventurers' concern rubbed his chin as he examined a large screen. It was divided into many rectangles, one of which had turned black after the floating drone golem was destroyed. Another drone hovered nearby on the display, positioned well outside the reach of the mage's ability to sense mana.

"They exceeded my expectations. It would be wise not to underestimate these adventurers." Roland sat inside the small hideout he had been using as a temporary base. The adventurers had appeared just as he was luring in the monsters, and he had kept a close watch on them from the very beginning. The moment they moved into the forest, he started cleaning up the remains of his trap. Since he had little time, he managed to erase only part of his tracks and bury the monsters underground.

"That mage might be a problem, and he probably will not be the only one." Roland muttered to himself as he tapped a finger against his thigh. The entire situation had become a test of sorts to see how the adventurers would react. He had not planned it at first, but ended up using the opportunity. It revealed that although he could deceive the hunter with his spells, any party with a capable mage could still detect faint traces of his mana. Even his hidden golems were not completely safe.

"Quite capable. He even released a stored spell without chanting to disable the golem." He had to give the old man credit. After discovering the golem, he waited only a moment before unleashing a prepared spell. Some mages could store spells that could be cast instantly, and others relied on enchanted items for the same purpose. This time, the man froze the drone with an invisible telekinetic spell, long enough for the archer to strike it.

"Awoo!"

"What is it, Agni?" As Roland considered his next move, his companion let out a complaint. The wolf sulked in the corner since the cramped hideout offered little space to move.

"You will have to bear it for now. The golems are digging as fast as they can." Several golems were expanding the chamber and securing metal slabs to prevent the walls from caving in. Agni looked uncomfortable as he curled himself into a tight ball, doing his best not to move. Any careless motion could undo hours of work, and he feared that if he messed something up, Roland would shove him back through the teleportation gate.

'This should keep the adventurers occupied for a while and give me enough time to test the other location.' Roland glanced at his status screen to check his progress. His levels were steadily rising, and he intended to keep this pace for as long as necessary.

Name Roland Arden L 234 Classes: T3 Runesmith Overlord L59 [Primary] T2 Runesmith Lord L50 [Tertiary] T2 Runic Engineer L50 [Secondary] T1 Mage L25 [X] T1 Runic Mana Scribe L 25 [X] T1 Runic Blacksmith L 25 [X] The same could be said for Agni, whose levels were rising quite fast. With his wolf at a reasonable enough level now, he could safely delve into the deeper parts of this dungeon and discover its secrets.

Name: Sunlight Wolf [Ruby Form] L 217 Type: Fire/Earth/Divine Beast"Well, Agni, it's time to do some exploring, but let's just wait for those guys to leave first." The wolf let out another low, rumbling whine. It was less from impatience and more from feeling cramped in this space. Roland reached over and scratched behind his ear.

"Be patient. I know you're eager, but if we move too early, they could sense us." Roland was sure that other adventurers would soon appear to snoop around, but he planned to be long gone by then. The area where he hid was still filled with spores, poison, and neurotoxins. It would likely be the last place anyone investigated, and the heavy concentration of mana in the dungeon would keep his underground base hidden even from high-level mages.

'They will probably just poke around, and if they get too close, I will lure them away.' He had revealed the identity of one of his floating drones, but it had exploded and left no trace of its runes or any way to identify his mana pattern. If things became difficult, he would use the remaining drones to distract the adventurers while he and Agni escaped. He did not intend to harm anyone since he would eventually reveal himself.

It was better to avoid being treated as a criminal at this stage, as he doubted he could handle the combined strength of the adventurer stronghold. At least not until he leveled up and perhaps changed his class again.

'I wonder if I can manage it in a year.' The competition between the magical schools was one year away, and he had to participate. If not for that, he might not have pushed himself so hard. Now his sister was returning, and another family gathering was possible. His father would probably not come, but his stepmother or some of the other Arden siblings might appear to watch their sister compete against other mages.

'I never really checked what Reyner and Edwin were doing, and Robert only had superficial information." As he stood to help the golems expand the space around them, he thought about his two other brothers. He knew them even less than Robert since they treated him as if he were a ghost haunting the mansion library. Then there were the two older sisters, Sophia and Dianna, who were just as distant.

"Well, I will deal with that when the time comes. For now, let us go fishing."

"Woof!" Eventually, the space around him widened enough for Agni to stretch his legs and stand. It was not much, but it was enough that he no longer felt cramped while he inspected the console nearby. The hidden golems within the trees showed him that the area was clear, so it was finally time to climb out and leave.

"I think I need to do something about your size…" Even though the underground chamber had grown larger, it did not make getting Agni outside any easier. The single entrance remained narrow, and Roland was forced to push from the other side to help his wolf squeeze through. For a moment, he wondered if he should try one of the shrinking spells he had read about, although they carried potential side effects. Once the two of them emerged outside, it was time to move through the dungeon without being discovered.

"Now, Agni, remember not to attack anything unless I tell you to. If everything goes well, no one will bother us."

"Worf!" Roland adjusted Agni's harness, and the runes shifted into a new pattern. A moment later, a dark haze spread outward. The ruby-encrusted body of his wolf became wrapped in shadow and blended perfectly into the surroundings until it seemed as if nothing was there at all.

"Looks good. Even I can hardly tell you are there, Agni." Night had fallen inside this underground dungeon, a place that, despite its depth, still contained a false sky. With the arrival of night, new monsters began to leave their lairs, creatures considered far more dangerous than those seen during the day. To avoid trouble, Roland covered himself and Agni in darkness and moved toward the lakes without being noticed.

Even if monsters appeared, they would not be able to see them, and adventurers would not be able to either. Soon, the two slipped into the silent forest, heading for the lakes and the hidden leviathans that lived within.