The old truck rumbled along the highway as they left Oberdrauburg behind. Inside, Zayzal's grip on the steering wheel gradually relaxed as the adrenaline dwindled away.

As the landscape outside transitioned from an urban environment to the open road, the mood in the truck slowly shifted. The Austrian countryside unfurled before them, with rolling hills and quaint little villages passing by, but the people in the vehicle were too preoccupied with their thoughts that they weren’t able to take in the scenery.

Several hours passed before they approached the Austrian-Hungary border in the vicinity of Őrség National Park. The park was known for its serene beauty and rich cultural heritage and seemed like a different world compared to the icy mountains and violence they had just come from.

As they neared the park, Zayzal's attention was drawn to the Dungeon Compass that had been sitting silently in his pocket. Without warning, it began to spin wildly, its needle oscillating frantically.

"What's going on with that thing?" Sera asked, noticing Zayzal's sudden focus on the compass.

"It's acting up, pointing towards Őrség National Park," Zayzal replied, a hint of curiosity in his tone. "There might be a dungeon nearby."

Marcus leaned forward, his interest piqued. "A dungeon? Here?" He had heard Zayzal and Sera mention a dungeon before but figured they might be rare, considering they hadn’t seen one yet, but now he grew curious.

‘Is that how they got so strong? From those dungeons? They also have a few things that I’ve never seen before. Did they get those from dungeons?’ He thought, glancing at Fenrir, wondering if it was safe to take him in such a place.

Zayzal nodded, his gaze fixed on the park ahead. "Yeah, dungeons have been popping up since the mana apocalypse started. They're dangerous, but they hold treasures and opportunities to grow stronger."

Sera chimed in, "Not to mention, they can be a source of some unique items and techniques."

The truck slowed as they approached the entrance to Őrség National Park. The area was peaceful, almost idyllic, a stark contrast to the chaos they had encountered so far. Birds chirped in the distance, and the foliage was lush and vibrant.

"Should we check it out?" Zayzal asked, glancing at Marcus.

Marcus looked hesitant but nodded. "Might as well. We need every advantage we can get." He was saying that more for himself than anyone else, as he realized from back in the cave that he was behind Zayzal and Sera in both strength and knowledge.

“Then, let’s go check it out!” Zayzal said with a smile. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t at least a little interested in Hungary’s dungeon.

Zayzal steered the truck off the main road, following the compass's direction through the scenic landscapes of the park. The road wound through lush forests and past ancient villages that still looked to be in good quality even today. The park's atmosphere was very tranquil, with tall trees casting long shadows across their path and the distant sound of wildlife echoing softly.

As they drove deeper into the park, the road became less defined, eventually turning into little more than a dirt path. They passed by old, traditional farmhouses with thatched roofs and unique architecture that spoke of a much simpler time. Wildflowers dotted the roadside, and occasionally, a deer or a fox would dart across their path, looking at them with wary eyes.

The further they traveled, the more intense the compass's reactions became. It was as if they were being pulled towards something hidden deep within the heart of the park.

Eventually, the path became too narrow and rugged for the truck to continue. Zayzal pulled over, and they gathered their gear, preparing to proceed on foot.

As they stepped out of the car and prepared to leave, Zayzal turned to Marcus and Fenrir. “Before we go looking for this dungeon, I’m going to have to ask what your talents are.”

“...” Marcus wasn’t expecting that question, so he just stood there, silent.

Zayzal continued while Sera walked up to him, fully equipped, “I know that you might not want to share such information with two strangers, but dungeons aren’t a joke. One wrong move, and we could all lose our lives. As a sign of trust, I’ll share mine first. My two talents are [Adaptability] and [Pathfinding].”

“Mine are [Enhanced Strength] and [Barrier Constructor].” Sera chimed in.

Marcus was silent for a moment, taking multiple glances at Fenrir before he sighed and spoke. “Haaa… I also have two talents. [Beast Tamer] and [Telepathy]. All I know about the [Beast Tamer] one is that I’m more likable to animals, while [Telepathy] is self-explanatory. However, it does allow me to talk to Fenrir on a deeper level.”

“Hmmm~!” Zayzal smiled and hummed as his mind whirled with scenarios. ‘Although those two talents don’t seem all that useful at first, I don’t think they’re that simple. [Telepathy] could be useful by itself, but it can ultimately be substituted. However, I think those two talents could be linked to one another, where instead of just him speaking to his pet, he can also hear his tamed pet’s thoughts. If that were the case, he’d be invaluable as a scout.’

“Can you hear Fenrir’s thoughts?” Zayzal asked, but Marcus shook his head thoughtfully.

“No? Not really.” Marcus said, but continued, “However, I can, sort of, feel the meaning he’s trying to convey.”

‘So it’s like I thought.’ Zayzal nodded his head. “Good. Is there anything else?”

“...The range on my [Telepathy] seems to be around ten meters.”

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‘So, not very far, huh? But that’s more than enough inside dungeons.’ Zayzal thought as his smile widened. ‘The only problem now is that, while Marcus is experienced in the mountains, he’s not all that strong nor skilled with a knife. And that’s where a dungeon comes into play…’

That was part of the reason why Zayzal decided to trust Marcus. The man was weak and untrained.

He had Fenrir, but with him and Sera combined, there was nothing to worry about. Unlike Kaldrik, who was a mystery until the very end, they had fought with Marcus before and learned that while he’s a bit stand-off-ish, he’s not a bad person.

‘If I want to bring him in as part of my team, he’ll have to be able to do more than just sit at the back and rely on his dog.’ With that in mind, he unstrapped the dagger he obtained from his first dungeon and handed it to Marcus.

“Here. Use this. It should fare better against monsters and beasts than the one you’re using.”

“...Thanks,” Marcus muttered, unsure of how to feel about that.

“Alright, enough chit-chat. Let’s go!” Sera exclaimed and marched forward, forcing the others to follow.

With Fenrir and Sera leading the way, the group trekked through the dense forest. The underbrush was thick, and the canopy above filtered the sunlight into a dotted pattern on the forest floor.

The sound of their footsteps was muffled by the soft earth, and the only other sounds were the occasional bird calls and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

The compass guided them unerringly, its needle now pointing steadily in one direction. As they walked, Zayzal couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation mixed with apprehension. What would they find at the end of this journey? What secrets did this dungeon hold?

After an hour of hiking, the forest began to change. The trees grew closer together, their branches weaving together to create a dense, wooden roof above their heads. A mist started to form around them, growing thicker with each step they took. It wasn't long before the mist enveloped them completely, obscuring their vision and permeating the air with a sweet yet forgetful scent that made one crave more.

Zayzal stepped forward and led the way, using his [Pathfinder] talent to guide them through the disorienting fog. Sera kept close, her axe at the ready, while Marcus followed Fenrir, who stayed behind the other two.

The forest path under their feet was barely visible, and the mist seemed to play tricks on their senses. Sounds were muffled, and the light was dim, creating an eerie atmosphere.

"Keep your eyes open," Zayzal whispered, scanning the surroundings. "We don't know what's waiting for us in here."

Marcus nodded, gripping the dagger Zayzal had given him as Fenrir’s ears perked up.

The ground was uneven, covered in a thick carpet of fallen leaves and moss. While they were walking, suddenly, Zayzal’s foot collapsed underneath him.

‘Shit!’ He thought as he jabbed his spear forward, hitting the ground on the other side of the hole, stopping his fall. He quickly reorientated himself and backed away from the hole. Looking down, he noticed a small yet deep pitfall below him and couldn’t help but thank his fast reflexes for most likely saving his life.

"Watch your step," he warned, looking back at the others.

Sera nodded, her eyes scanning the ground. "This place is like a trap itself."

Marcus, not as experienced in navigating such terrain, stumbled occasionally, cursing under his breath each time. Fenrir, on the other hand, seemed to move with ease. He ended up having to help his ‘owner’ from falling into a pit.

As they progressed, they encountered roots that snaked across the path like natural tripwires. Zayzal nearly tripped over one, catching himself just in time. He turned back to warn the others while pointing to them with his spear, "Careful, these roots are everywhere."

Their journey was slowed by these obstacles, but they pushed on, determined to find the dungeon.

Suddenly, Fenrir stopped and started growling as all the hair on its back stood straight up. The air around them grew colder, and a sense of dread washed over them.

Ethereal, ghostly wraiths soon emerged from the mist, their intangible humanoid forms shifting wildly. They blended in with the misty environment perfectly, moving between the seen and unseen.

"Get ready!" Zayzal shouted, positioning himself to face the wraiths.

Sera raised her axe, ready for the attack, but the wraiths were unlike any enemy they had faced before. Her axe swung through them as if they were made of air.

Marcus tried to keep his distance, but one of the wraiths lunged at him. He instinctively thrust his dagger forward, but it passed through the wraith without effect.

"Physical attacks aren't working!" Sera exclaimed, dodging another wraith. That’s when she felt a pain in her hip, only to turn around and find a wraith disappearing into the mist with a sinister chuckle.

Zayzal gritted his teeth, trying to think of a way to fight these spectral enemies. He kept his distance, trying to gather as much information about this new enemy as possible. That’s when Fenrir turned and growled, his eyes fixed on the wall of mist in front of them as if he could see something they couldn't.

"Wait, Fenrir can see them!" Marcus realized and shouted. "He's tracking their movements!"

"That's it!" Zayzal exclaimed. "Marcus, guide us. Sera, trap them. I'll try something different."

Sera quickly conjured a barrier around a wraith that Fenrir was tracking. The golden light of her barrier materialized, trapping the wraith inside. It writhed and screeched, trying to escape, but the barrier held.

"Now, Zayzal!" Sera shouted.

Zayzal focused, channeling his mana into his spear. The tip of the spear began to glow with a faint light. With a swift lunge, he thrust the spear into the trapped wraith just as Sera let down the barrier. The wraith let out a piercing scream before dissipating into thin air.

"It worked!" Sera exclaimed, relief evident in her voice. Then, her expression changed as she glared at the mist like a predator hunting its prey. “Let’s finish off the rest of these ghosts!”

They repeated the process, Fenrir locating the wraiths, Sera trapping them, and Zayzal delivering the final blow. It used up a decent amount of energy and was time-consuming, but it worked.

After clearing the area of wraiths, they continued their journey, now even more cautious of their surroundings.

As they moved forward, Zayzal spotted something unusual. Scattered across the forest floor were rocks with glowing runes etched into them. He picked one up, examining it closely.

"Are these runes? What’re they doing here? They look oddly similar," he mused.

"Do you think they mean something?" Sera asked, picking up another rune-covered rock.

"Maybe. They could be markers or some sort of guidance. Hell, they could open a pathway for us if we gather enough of them." Zayzal speculated.

They collected a few of the rocks, hoping they might prove useful later.

The forest eventually opened up into a clearing, and at its center stood an ancient stone structure covered in moss and vines. It was an archway, standing alone, with no walls or doors attached.

"This has to be it," Zayzal said, stepping towards the archway. "The entrance to the dungeon."