Free Web NovelChapter 466: Chapter 463 – Morning at the Edge of the Crater and Searching for a New Path
The next day, the faint light from the remaining crystal walls of the dungeon slipped gently into the tent, illuminating the space with soft, peaceful bluish light. The rays danced slowly across the tent fabric, creating calming patterns of light after yesterday’s chaotic battle. Sylvia slowly opened her dark red eyes, her eyelids feeling heavy but her body already much more refreshed. Her undead body felt warm and comfortable, leaning against something soft, plush, and full of enveloping warmth like a living blanket. She turned her head slowly and smiled faintly when she realized she was still on Sol’s back, who had remained faithfully in his giant golden lion form throughout the night. The thick, soft golden fur felt like a luxurious mattress protecting her from the cold dungeon floor, and Sol’s slow, steady breathing was soothing like distant ocean waves, rising and falling in a stable rhythm full of affection.
Sylvia gently stroked Sol’s neck fur, her fingers feeling the smoothness and warmth that soothed the soul. "Thank you for watching over me all night, Sol," she whispered softly, her voice still somewhat hoarse from lingering exhaustion. The golden lion meowed softly with a low, deep, and gentle rumble, his golden eyes opening slowly and gazing at his master with unwavering affection and loyalty. His long tail swayed slowly once, as if answering that he would gladly do it again and again.
She glanced toward her two sisters’ sleeping area. Empty. Neither Stacia nor Alicia was inside the tent anymore. Sylvia frowned slightly, her eyebrows raised in surprise. It was truly rare, especially for Stacia who usually slept until noon or even later if no one forcefully woke her. "They woke up first?" she murmured in surprise while slowly standing up, her muscles stretching comfortably.
Her body felt light and full of vitality. Her extraordinary undead regeneration had worked perfectly overnight, repairing every damaged cell from the brutal battle and mana exhaustion. The heavy fatigue that had pressed down on her like a mountain yesterday had almost completely disappeared, replaced by stable new strength. She did some light stretching, rolling her neck until it made a small sound, moving her shoulders, stretching her arms, and twisting her waist. Her undead muscles and bones felt prime again, even stronger and more responsive after reaching Level 100. The new stable flow of energy coursed through her body like a powerful river, making every movement feel sharper, faster, and full of hidden power. Her aura of death also felt more controlled and sharper, as if Level 100 had opened a new door for her strength.
Sylvia stepped out of the tent with steadier and more confident steps. Outside, in the partially cleaned Goblin King area, her two sisters were busy around a small, warmly burning bonfire. The rich aroma of spiced soup and toasted bread immediately greeted her, making her stomach rumble and nearly causing her mouth to water.
"Morning, Sylvia," Alicia greeted with a gentle, affectionate smile. She was stirring the soup in the pot while channeling a bit of spirit energy to keep it warm and nutritious. The faint white light from her hand made the soup’s steam look even more appetizing. "We thought you still needed more rest after what happened yesterday, but the breakfast is ready. Come sit."
Stacia, who was flipping bread over the fire, smiled broadly, though her eyes were still a bit puffy from lack of sleep. Her silver hair was slightly messy, but her spirit had returned. "It’s rare for me to wake up this early, but after yesterday’s explosion that shook the entire dungeon, I was restless and couldn’t sleep well. Let’s eat first. We need to continue our journey today with full stomachs."
Sylvia sat near the warm bonfire, accepting the bowl of soup from Alicia with steadier hands. The rich, warm spiced flavor spread through her body, calming her stomach and giving her fresh energy. The three of them ate in a calm and intimate atmosphere, occasionally chatting lightly about yesterday’s massive explosion, the giant crater that formed, and the level surge they felt through their soul bond. Sol, who had returned to his small golden kitten form, sat neatly on Sylvia’s lap, eagerly eating small pieces of meat given by his master, his tail wagging happily.
After breakfast was finished and the utensils were neatly packed back into the inventory, they immediately set off. The tent was quickly and efficiently dismantled, Stacia’s spatial barrier was released with faintly flickering runes, and they walked leisurely through the corridors toward the next area. Sol returned to his agile small golden kitten form, hopping between the three of them, occasionally running ahead to check the path before returning to Sylvia’s shoulder.
The initial journey felt calm and peaceful. They walked without haste, occasionally stopping to examine cracked dungeon walls or listen to faint distant sounds. However, the further they walked, the atmosphere began to feel strange and unusual. The corridor that should have led to the next area suddenly ended abruptly at the edge of the giant crater they had created yesterday.
They stood at the edge of the steep and vast crater cliff, cold wind blowing up from the depths. The crater stretched far in all directions, its diameter and depth truly extraordinary, like the impact site of a giant meteor in the middle of the dungeon. The melted and cracked crater walls towered high, their surfaces gleaming like black glass from the extreme heat of Sylvia’s combined flame explosion. Thin smoke still rose slowly from the pitch-black bottom, carrying the smell of scorched earth, burned minerals, and a faint remaining acidic scent from the ant nest. The edges of the crater looked dark and gaping, as if connecting to bottomless abysses full of mystery. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
"We... forgot," Sylvia murmured while staring at the destroyed scenery before her with a mix of awe and slight regret. "The ant area has been completely wiped out. Even the next area... might have been destroyed along with the nest. That explosion was stronger than I expected."
Stacia carefully approached the cliff edge, her eight jet-black wings slightly spread to maintain balance. "This is a very large crater. From here, it’s hard to see if there’s an exit or a new area down there. Only Alicia and I can fly. We’ll have to explore manually."
Alicia nodded in agreement, her magic staff glowing softly. "The two of us will split up and explore. You wait here with Sol, Sylvia. We’ll look for a path or entrance to the next area. Don’t worry, we’ll return quickly."
Sylvia sat on a relatively flat part of the crater’s edge, her legs dangling over the dark gaping abyss. "Be careful, both of you. If there’s danger or suspicious monster auras, return immediately. Don’t push yourselves."
Stacia and Alicia immediately flew in different directions. Stacia soared to the left with her eight jet-black wings spread wide, accompanied by dark winds. Meanwhile, Alicia floated to the right with her graceful and light spirit body like mist. They disappeared into the crater’s darkness, leaving Sylvia and Sol at the quiet cliff edge.
Sylvia gently stroked Sol’s fur as he sat comfortably on her lap. The golden fur felt warm under her touch, contrasting with the cold dungeon air. "You were tired yesterday too, weren’t you, Sol?" she asked softly, her voice gentle. Sol meowed quietly, his head resting against Sylvia’s chest, his tail curling comfortably around her waist as if wanting to protect his master from loneliness.
Time passed slowly at the crater’s edge. Sylvia enjoyed the silence while thinking deeply. Reaching Level 100 gave her a new sense of strength flowing through her body like a river of pure energy, making her feel sharper, stronger, and more aware of her surroundings. But she also realized that great power often brought great consequences like this giant crater that had erased an entire area at once, drastically changing the dungeon’s map. "We need to be more careful with our combined strength next time," she murmured to herself.
Occasionally, cold wind blew up from inside the crater, carrying the smell of scorched earth and strange minerals, along with the faint sound of distant water droplets in the depths. Sylvia continued stroking Sol, her eyes gazing into the mysterious darkness, patiently waiting for her two sisters’ return while enjoying this rare moment of calm in the middle of their dangerous adventure.
She didn’t know how much time had passed, perhaps half an hour or more, when Stacia’s wings finally appeared from afar, followed by Alicia’s soft white light from the opposite direction. They landed near Sylvia with mixed expressions of joy and concern.
"There’s a new tunnel on the eastern side," Stacia reported while catching her breath, her wings slightly folded. "But it’s quite far and quite steep. There are some large claw marks on the walls, so it seems some monsters survived or new ones have arrived."
Alicia added in a calm voice, "On the western side, there’s a fissure that might connect to a deeper area, but there’s a strong and dark monster aura there. It seems something more dangerous is waiting."
Sylvia stood up steadily, her body fully recovered. Her dark red eyes glowed with determination. "Alright. We’ll choose one and continue. This adventure is still long, and Greywood isn’t willing to give up its secrets so easily."
With Sol back on Sylvia’s shoulder, the three sisters prepared to continue their journey in the Greywood dungeon, which had now changed drastically because of their own power.
