The tension was palpable as Team 0 braced for the arrival of the unknown monster. James strained his senses, trying to get more information, but the creature was too simple-minded, its mind too focused on getting to them.

Dispatching the last of the small golems took little effort, considering the unanimous decision to let go of most limitations. They'd usually keep the majority of their mana in reserve, wanting to preserve their strength for the Boss. But there were times when holding back was not an option, and if what James was feeling was correct, this was one of those.

The sand beneath their feet began to shift, a low rumble that grew steadily in intensity. James' Thakinetic Awareness was screaming now, as the presence of the biggest creature he had ever encountered came closer. He could feel its massive size, its relentless approach, a behemoth moving beneath the surface of the sand.

“Don’t hold back.” He warned, his gaze fixed on the direction it was coming from. "It's here."

Suddenly, the sand erupted like a geyser in a dramatic display of power, revealing the entity. It was colossal, worm-like, with its segmented body covered in a hard, chitinous armor. Its maw was a gaping abyss lined with rows of jagged teeth, and as it emerged, it let out a thunderous roar that shook the air.

The team was momentarily taken aback by the sheer size of the creature. It towered over them, casting a long shadow across the desert - just its visible body had to be more than a hundred feet. But they quickly recovered, their training kicking in.

Daniel was the first to react, positioning himself between the creature and the rest of the team, his shield raised high. "Behind me!" He bellowed, ready to take the brunt of the creature's assault.

James was right beside him, his fists glowing with accumulated mana. As the worm descended upon them, he moved with a speed borne of adrenaline and focus.

So large was it that it momentarily blotted out the sun. Its fanged maw was wide open, large enough to swallow both Daniel and James whole.

They had just the time to get a glimpse of the row of teeth that extended inside its throat, before the Tank activated his skills, light blooming around them and extending to protect them all.

James, meanwhile, dashed to the side. Then when the worm crashed against Daniel's skill, he jumped back toward it, delivering a powerful, mana explosive punch directly into the side of its gaping maw.

The impact of his blow was immense, a shockwave of energy that rippled through the creature's body and scattered the sand around it in a massive wave. The worm reeled back, a guttural sound of pain escaping its throat as it writhed in the air.

Lauren and Maria were quick to follow up on James' attack. Lauren darted around the creature's massive form, her daggers finding weak spots in its chitinous armor. Standing a safe distance away, Maria unleashed a torrent of fire, scorching the creature's maw and further adding to its distress.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel focused on supporting his teammates, casting buffs that allowed them to be highly mobile even on the shifting sands.

Not wanting to allow the worm the time to recover, James was on it again. Another powerful explosive punch was unleashed on the closest bit of chitinous armor he could get to, cratering it and severely injuring its insides.

The worm, thrashing in agony from James' relentless assault, flailed wildly, its massive body creating tremors in the sand. Undeterred by its size, Maria continued her offensive, hurling fireball after fireball into the creature's face. Each fiery explosion splashed against its tough armor, which saved it from the concussive blasts. However the high heat started cooking its insides, preventing the worm from coordinating any effective counterattack.

Still, in its blind rage, the worm's flailing tail whipped across the battlefield, smashing just a few feet from Ezekiel and catching him off-guard. The healer was thrown back, but Lauren, with her quick reflexes, lunged forward, managing to cushion his fall and drag him out of harm's way just in time. A quick nod of gratitude was exchanged between them before they refocused on the battle.

James, noticing the worm's weakening movements, saw an opportunity when it smashed against the sand, trying to burrow down. He positioned himself above the beast with a calculated leap, channeling over a hundred mana points into his fists. He then descended with the full force of his willpower rushing through him, his fists like meteorites crashing into the worm's head.

The impact was monumental, sending a shockwave that sent sand flying everywhere. The energy released was enough to create a crater beneath the worm, though the vast majority was released into its body, pulping its insides into a gory mess. The worm couldn't even roar, its body convulsing one last time before collapsing into a lifeless heap.

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Silence fell over the battlefield as the team caught their breath, the threat finally neutralized.

A notification dinged, making James finally relax.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have defeated [Sandwurm - Juvenile]! You have received 4312 EXP!

Juvenile??? What the fuck? I don't even know what to say to that. How fucking big is the adult?

It took a while for him to get over the mini freak-out, but when he did, James could only be glad that he was still too early in his career to take on the greater version of the Sandwurm. He then looked at the subsequent notification, which made him smile under the mask.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have leveled up! Level 66.

Nice! Well, at least something good came from this big lug. It took a lot more mana than I'd have liked, but my recent level-ups have given me enough to keep going without worrying too much.

James then quickly assigned the two points he had gotten to MIND (24) and SENSE (41) after deciding that every little bit would help in such a treacherous environment. The explosive power of his punches made it so that almost no creature within the G-rank could stand up to him, meaning he could pass on enhancing STR this time.

After a moment of gathering themselves, the team approached the massive corpse. "Now, the fun part." James remarked dryly "We need to find the mana stone in this thing."

Lauren grimaced, looking at the daunting size of their fallen foe. "Great, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. A very big, very gross haystack."

Maria chuckled despite the exhaustion. "Let's just hope it's not in the guts. Why do I think it's in the guts? It's definitely in the guts."

Their lighthearted banter eased the tension as they began the arduous task of cutting through the worm's thick armor. It took them the better part of half an hour of concerted effort before they finally found it.

Despite its massive owner, the gem was just slightly bigger than an average G-rank one. Still, it glowed with a deep purple hue and had no impurities, meaning it would fetch quite a price on the market.

With the prize secured, Team 0 continued their exploration of the dungeon. The landscape had become more unrecognizable as the sandstorm's influence increased, making it harder to orient themselves.

Luckily, James' Awareness worked just as well, meaning they never got ambushed, even during the worst of it.

They encountered another massive Stone Golem, which they dispatched with practiced ease now that they knew its mobility was so low. The team's synergy had strengthened with each dungeon, making even formidable opponents seem manageable.

What had once been an impossible foe to face during the G-rank exam was now barely worth mentioning, and even alone, James knew he could have easily taken care of it.

With its vast stretches of sand and sporadic rock formations, the dungeon felt eerily silent, save for the constant hum of the sandstorm and occasional shifting under their feet. The team moved cautiously, alert to any signs of danger or anomalies.

The further they progressed, the more they started picking up on disturbing irregularities. Small at first, like subtle but unnatural disturbances in the sand, but gradually growing more pronounced. It was Lauren who first spotted the remnants of a recent battle, her keen eyes catching the glint of something beneath the sand.

"Hey, look at this." She called out, crouching to brush away the sand. Revealed beneath was a segment of a lizard, its chitinous exterior bearing the marks of a violent end.

James and the others gathered around, examining the scene with growing unease. The carcass was fresh, its wounds covered in a dark ichor that had dried not too long ago. It was clear that whatever had killed it had done so recently.

"This wasn't us." Daniel stated, his tone grave. "And it's not just this one. Look around."

As they scanned the area, more remnants became apparent. Half-buried limbs, shattered carapaces, and other vestiges of monsters littered the sand, each telling a tale of a brutal encounter.

"The Guild team shouldn't have passed through here. They were adamant they'd take the north." Ezekiel murmured, the realization dawning on him. "There must be someone else here with us."

"I wouldn't exclude that they lied to us." James said, working his jaw as he remembered the Emerald Guard team's standoffish behavior.

"Do you think they might have told us they'd take the north and then still hunted in our half of the dungeon?" Maria asked, poking one of the carcasses to find it had been cut in half, its mana stone removed.

"It could be that." James agreed. "Or it could be that something is going on there that they don't want us to know about."

"And a sandstorm is a perfect place to hide something like a poaching ring. All evidence is swept away, buried under without any effort." Daniel concluded. "Unless you are very unlucky and people chance upon the remains of your operation before the sand can swallow it all."

Maria's expression turned into a scowl. "Poaching in a dungeon assigned to the AA is a serious violation. We could arrest them all."

Her words brought about a familiar sense of frustration. Considering how the last dungeon run had gone - what with them having witnessed a murder and then being forced to let the perpetrators go unpunished because of the difference in power - James felt they needed to take some precautions. "We could, but let's make sure we got it right before we do anything."

Lauren's fists clenched, her anger palpable. "They knew something was up. That's why they were so eager to take the north. They're hiding something where the sandstorm is the strongest."

The team shared a collective look of determination. "We can't just ignore this." James said firmly. "We need to investigate. If they are hiding a poaching operation, we must catch them in the act."

Daniel nodded in agreement. "We should head towards where the Emerald Guard team is likely to be. If we let them have too much time, they might be able to hide."

The scene of carnage around them served as a grim reminder of the potential dangers that lay ahead. The monsters they had encountered thus far in the dungeon were formidable, but the real threat might just be their fellow Awakeners.

Especially if they aren't G-ranks like us. Well, it's unlikely that anyone powerful would waste their time here when they could be making a lot more money with higher-ranked dungeons, but you never know. There might be no one stronger than us, and then we'd be able to arrest them all, even if it takes a little effort. Or there might be someone powerful enough that we won’t be able to do anything.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Team 0 set off towards the northern part of the dungeon. Each step took them further into the heart of the desert, the sand shifting ominously beneath their feet, its secrets not as hidden as some would have liked.