Absolute Cheater

After returning to the inn, Asher, Serena, and Ronan sat down to rest.

Asher had sealed the Guardian inside his Shadow Grave skill, keeping it hidden for now.

"I think we should act like rabbits for a while," Ronan said.
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"You mean we should lay low for a few days?" Asher asked.

Ronan nodded. "After our last stunt, the Blood Cross will have changed their territories, hiding spots, and secret bases. This will give me some time to track them down again. Once I locate them, we can start eradicating them properly."

"Or maybe they've already set a trap," Serena added.

"Maybe," Ronan agreed. "That's why we should focus first. If their forces have relocated, we won't attack immediately—it could mean it's a setup. But if I can find them without triggering anything, I'll call you guys, and we'll wipe them out."

Asher smirked. "Sounds good to me."

With that, Ronan stood up, stretching. "Alright, I'll get started. You two get some rest."

He headed to his room, leaving Asher and Serena alone in the dimly lit inn.

"Let's go rest too," Serena said with a small yawn.

Asher nodded, and the two went to their beds. As soon as they lay down, exhaustion took over, and they quickly fell asleep.

The Next Day

The morning sun peeked through the wooden shutters of their inn room. Asher and Serena woke up early, washed up, and headed downstairs for breakfast.

After a simple meal, they made their way to the Guild Hall, looking for a quest to keep them occupied while Ronan scouted the Blood Cross.

As they entered, the guild was already bustling with adventurers discussing missions, bounties, and recent events.

Serena glanced at the request board. "Anything interesting?"

Asher scanned through the papers, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Let's see… monster subjugation, escort missions, material collection… Nothing too crazy."

"But we need something that keeps us busy without attracting too much attention," Serena reminded him.

Asher smirked. "Then let's pick something useful but not too flashy."

Serena nodded, and the two began searching for the perfect quest.

Asher's gaze settled on a fresh request pinned to the board. The paper looked newer than the others, as if it had only just been posted.

[Urgent Request]

A new dungeon has suddenly appeared near the borders of Earl Leo's territory. Initial scouting parties have gone missing. The Guild is offering rewards for investigation and subjugation of threats within. Caution is advised.

Serena read over his shoulder. "A new dungeon, huh? That's unusual."

Asher nodded. "Dungeons don't just pop up randomly… at least, not without something or someone influencing it."

Serena tapped the paper. "You think it could be connected to the Blood Cross?"

"Possible," Asher muttered. "Even if it's not, newly formed dungeons usually have unstable mana. That means rare resources… and strong monsters."

Serena smirked. "Sounds like a good way to stay busy while Ronan gathers intel."

Asher tore the request from the board and walked over to the reception desk. The receptionist, a young elf woman with light blue eyes, looked up and smiled.

"Are you here for the dungeon request?" she asked, taking the paper from him.

"Yeah," Asher said. "What else can you tell us about it?"

The receptionist sighed. "The dungeon was discovered three days ago, right on the outskirts of Earl Leo's land. At first, it was ignored, but when a local group of mercenaries went to investigate, they never came back. Since then, three more scouting teams have gone missing. The Earl has requested the Guild's assistance."

Serena crossed her arms. "So, no survivors, no reports on what's inside?"

The elf nodded. "None so far. However, based on the mana readings, it seems to be a C-rank dungeon at minimum. But…"

Asher raised an eyebrow. "But?"

The receptionist hesitated before continuing. "There are strange fluctuations. Some readings spike up to A-rank levels for short periods. That's why we're advising caution. Something unusual is happening in there."

Asher and Serena exchanged glances. If the dungeon truly had unstable mana readings, it might be more than just a simple subjugation mission.

"Fine by me," Asher said. "We'll take it."

The receptionist handed them a guild seal to confirm their participation. "Please be careful. If the situation worsens, retreat immediately."

Serena grinned. "No promises."

With that, Asher and Serena left the guild, heading toward the mysterious new dungeon.

Asher and Serena arrived near the dungeon's entrance after a few hours of travel. The land around it was warped—twisted trees, distorted air, and an eerie silence that made the world feel… wrong. The entrance itself was a swirling vortex of dark mist, shifting unpredictably like a mirage.

Serena shivered slightly. "I don't like this place. It feels... unnatural."

Asher narrowed his eyes. "That's because it is. If this dungeon only formed a few days ago, then it hasn't fully stabilized yet. Unstable dungeons are dangerous—not just because of the monsters, but because reality itself can change inside them."

Serena sighed. "So, what? We step in, and suddenly up is down, left is right, and we don't know what's real?"

"Something like that," Asher muttered. "Dungeons can take on different types, and from what I can sense… this one is messing with perception."

Serena frowned. "An illusion-type dungeon?"

"Most likely."

That made things more complicated. Dungeons usually followed elemental or monster-based themes—fire dungeons had lava creatures, undead dungeons had skeletons and ghosts. But illusion-based dungeons? They were unpredictable. Even veteran adventurers feared them.

"Well, no use standing here," Serena said, tightening her grip on her daggers. "Let's go."

Asher nodded, and they stepped into the dungeon.

For others, it might be difficult, but for him, who literally has an Absolute Appraisal skill, no illusion is powerful against him.

The moment they entered, the world shifted.

Instead of the dark cave-like interior they expected, they found themselves standing in a vast, open field filled with glowing blue flowers. A soft wind blew, carrying whispers of voices neither of them recognized. The sky above was deep purple, speckled with silver stars, but something about it felt fake—as if it were a painted ceiling rather than an actual sky.