Warlock of Oceans: My Poseidon System

Cyrus chuckled dryly, though there was no humor behind it. "Great, because the dungeon wasn't dangerous enough already."

Athena cracked a small smile, but it didn't last long. "Whether it's tied to the dungeon or not, we need to be sure. There's no telling what else might come out of that place."

They both fell into silence, the weight of the conversation settling over them. The hum of the café was a stark contrast to the chaos of the dungeon, a strange reminder of how close they had come to not making it out.

Athena broke the silence first, her voice soft but determined. "We'll need to be ready next time. Whatever's down there, it's not done with us yet."

Cyrus met her gaze, a steady resolve growing in his chest. "Agreed. We'll go back. And we'll figure it out."

After finishing their breakfast, Cyrus and Athena made their way toward the dungeon, the anticipation of their next dive weighing on their minds. As they approached the main entrance, however, something was clearly amiss. The usual flow of adventurers, eager to test their mettle within the depths, had been replaced by a chaotic scene. Dozens of adventurers clustered near the entrance, their faces anxious as they murmured amongst themselves. The air was filled with concern, and Cyrus could see more than a few adventurers hurriedly packing up their gear as if abandoning their plans altogether.

Knights from the church had formed a solid line before the dungeon's entrance, blocking anyone from entering. Their polished armor gleamed in the daylight, and their serious expressions made it clear they weren't letting anyone through. Cyrus immediately sensed that something had gone horribly wrong.

"Looks like we're not getting in anytime soon," Athena muttered, her sharp gaze scanning the scene.

Cyrus nodded. "Something's up. We should split up and see what we can find out."

"Agreed. Meet back here in a bit," she replied before heading off toward the left, weaving through the crowd with purpose.

Cyrus, meanwhile, headed in the opposite direction, carefully navigating through the mass of adventurers, hoping to overhear or learn anything about the situation. It didn't take long before he started asking around, stopping adventurers and locals alike.

"What's going on?" he asked one adventurer, a man with a look of defeat etched on his face.

"They've closed off the dungeon. Something's happened on the second floor," the man replied, his voice uneasy.

Cyrus raised an eyebrow. "The second floor? But that's supposed to be one of the easier ones."

"Not anymore," the adventurer said, shaking his head. "The creatures—those Autumn Toads—they've changed. Mutated into something far worse."

A chill ran down Cyrus' spine, but he pressed for more. "Mutated? How?"

The adventurer looked around nervously before continuing. "They're bigger now. Grotesque things—more powerful than anything you'd expect to find on that floor. Stronger than the monsters on the fourth or even fifth floors of the dungeon."

"That's impossible," Cyrus murmured, though he knew better. His mind flashed back to the shattered blue crystal in the depths of the dungeon, the miasma that had been released, and the monstrous power they had faced.

"It's not," the adventurer insisted, his eyes wide with fear. "They're saying it happened all of a sudden. Every adventurer who went into that floor—" He hesitated, as if the words themselves were too heavy. "Most didn't make it back. The few who did… well, they barely survived. They ran straight to the church and told them everything. Now the knights are investigating."

Cyrus frowned, the puzzle pieces starting to fit together. "The second floor has become as dangerous as the fourth and fifth floors… overnight?"

The man nodded gravely. "Whatever's going on in there, it's bad. The knights aren't letting anyone in until they figure it out."

Cyrus sighed, glancing back toward the dungeon entrance. "Thanks for the information."

With the adventurer's words lingering in his mind, Cyrus wove through the crowd, his thoughts racing. The mutations, the sudden surge in danger—it had to be tied to the crystal. Whatever had been unleashed down there was spreading, and now the entire dungeon was at risk.

He found Athena near the entrance, standing a few paces away from the line of knights. She had the same grim expression he felt mirrored in his own.

"Found anything?" she asked without turning to look at him.

"Yeah," Cyrus replied, his voice low. "The second floor's crawling with mutated monsters. Stronger than the ones on the fourth or fifth floor, apparently. A bunch of adventurers died, and now the church is locking it down until they figure out what's happening."

Athena's eyes darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line. "It has to be connected to that crystal, doesn't it?"

Cyrus nodded. "No doubt. We need to get back down there. But it looks like we'll have to wait until the church gives the all-clear."

Athena crossed her arms, glancing at the blocked-off entrance. "I don't like waiting, but you're right. Until then, we'd better prepare. Something tells me we're just scratching the surface of this thing."

Cyrus and Athena waited half the day, lounging in the crowded square outside the dungeon, completing meaningless tasks to kill time. They talked to a few adventurers, hoping for more information, but nothing new came to light. With the entrance still sealed and no signs of progress from the church knights, Cyrus grew impatient.

"We're getting nowhere," Athena muttered, glancing at the barricade.

Cyrus agreed. "Let's stop waiting."

With a shared nod, they made their move. Pushing through the crowd wasn't difficult for the two. Cyrus, towering above seven feet, and Athena, nearly scratching that same height, cut imposing figures. Adventurers who dared to glance their way quickly backed off when faced with a malicious glare from either of them. It was as if the crowd parted for them, none willing to challenge their approach.

Finally, they reached the entrance, where two knights from the church stood in full armor. Their suits were made of a deep, obsidian-like metal that shimmered slightly with an ethereal glow, intricately etched with holy symbols and protective wards. Each knight clutched a sword infused with aether, the energy pulsing faintly through the blade's length. Cyrus could sense the magic within the weapons—a dull hum of power designed to cut through mana.

The knights were both stout, standing at around 5'10", but next to Cyrus and Athena, they appeared almost small. The two knights craned their necks up, their hands tightening on their sword hilts as the pair approached, their intimidating aura rolling over the guards like a tide.

Despite the clear difference in stature, the knights didn't back down. Instead, they held their ground firmly, their gazes unwavering, though the tension between them was palpable.

"Can we pass?" Cyrus asked in a calm, steady tone, though his intent was clear.

One knight stepped forward slightly, clenching his sword tighter. "No one is allowed to pass. Orders from the church."

Cyrus and Athena exchanged a glance. Then, without missing a beat, Cyrus spoke again, his voice dripping with authority. "Tell your boss that Cyrus wanted to pass."

The knights blinked, clearly confused by the odd phrasing. Past tense? But before they could react, they noticed something strange—Cyrus and Athena were no longer in front of them.

A shimmer of light trailed behind where the two had been standing, and when the knights whipped around, they saw Cyrus and Athena already behind them, walking toward the dungeon entrance.

Athena had teleported them a short distance past the knights with a subtle, yet potent burst of magic. The knight on the right immediately moved to chase after them, but his partner grabbed his arm.

"No," he said, his voice low and steady, though there was a clear hint of resignation. "We wouldn't stand a chance against them. Not in our current state."

The knight hesitated, looking between his partner and the two imposing figures disappearing into the dungeon, then finally nodded in reluctant agreement.

They quickly called over a nearby messenger, a young church squire, and sent him off with a message for their captain: Cyrus has entered the dungeon.

The knights remained at their post, but they both knew the church would have to act fast now.

As soon as Cyrus and Athena slipped past the knights and into the dungeon, a ripple of shock and outrage spread through the crowd of adventurers gathered around the entrance. Whispers turned into shouts as several furious adventurers rushed toward the knights, demanding answers.

"Why did they get to pass?!" one adventurer yelled, his face flushed with indignation.

"You can't just let them waltz in like that while we wait all day!" another shouted, shaking his fist as others joined in, their voices rising into a chaotic clamor.

The knights, already on edge from their brief encounter with Cyrus and Athena, were in no mood to deal with the lesser adventurers' complaints. With swift, decisive action, they pushed forward, shoving the angry crowd back with little effort. Their movements were sharp, efficient, and authoritative, each shove backed by their years of training and physical superiority.

"Back off!" one of the knights barked, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade.

Another knight swung his arm in a wide arc, pushing a few adventurers stumbling backward as he glared at the crowd. "You're not them, and you sure as hell aren't getting through here!"

The sheer force and discipline with which the knights moved caused the crowd to hesitate. It quickly became clear that while Cyrus and Athena might have been able to slip by with their power and presence, the average adventurer stood no chance against the church's well-trained soldiers.

Seeing the cold resolve in the knights' eyes, the crowd began to quiet, murmurs of frustration replacing the earlier shouting. No one dared step forward again. The knights had made their point clear—Cyrus and Athena were a different league entirely, and there would be no more exceptions.

Without even needing to explain themselves, the knights restored order, standing tall and motionless as if nothing had happened. They held their ground, guarding the entrance with renewed vigilance, while the adventurers, now cowed and subdued, begrudgingly returned to their previous places, still muttering amongst themselves but no longer daring to challenge the church's authority.