The tension in the air lifted as the Wasp Queen took the food from the mother’s hands, slowly backing away, her fierce demeanor replaced by an almost serene focus on the meal.

“Is she... eating?” Lancy murmured, lowering her swords, her expression one of stunned disbelief.

The Queen, after consuming the offering, gave a soft chirp, as if satisfied. She turned, her wings buzzing faintly, and slowly began to rise into the sky, leaving the village in peace.

The small swarm of wasps, once threatening, now followed their queen, retreating with her.

For a long moment, no one moved, still processing what had just happened.

“Did... did that just happen?” Nancy whispered, her eyes wide.

John, who had been ready for a fight, let out a sigh of relief. “I guess that was one way to solve it.”

Lancy, ever vigilant, lowered her swords fully now, still in disbelief. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Miles stood frozen, still processing the events. His heart was pounding, his body drenched in sweat. “That... was unexpected.” He turned toward the mother, who was now walking back toward the group. She looked weary but relieved.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” the woman said, her voice thick with gratitude. “The Queen is... unpredictable. But the food, it calmed her.”

Miles nodded, his throat dry. “You... saved us.”

She smiled faintly, a look of relief on her face. “I didn’t want to lose any more of my people.”

John put a hand on Miles’s shoulder. “I’m glad she came through for us.”

Nancy grumbled, crossing her arms. “Next time, I’m not trusting any more wild ideas. But I’m glad it worked.”

Lancy stayed silent for a moment, then spoke, her voice soft but curious. “Miles, how did you know it would work?”

Miles was about to speak when the system’s voice cut through his thoughts.

"You have successfully defused the situation. Dungeon Progress: 60% complete. Unexpected outcome recorded."

He blinked, shaking his head. “I didn’t. I just... I guess sometimes you have to trust people when they have more faith in the situation than you do.”

Lancy stared at him, her expression unreadable, but something in her eyes softened for a brief moment. "Well, whatever it was, it worked."

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With the Queen gone, the party exhaled collectively, still processing the unexpected turn of events. The danger had passed, but the weight of the village's situation remained. The mother’s sacrifice and the Queen’s retreat didn’t change the fact that the dungeon still loomed ahead.

But for now, the party had bought the village some time. And that was a small victory they could hold on to.

______

The entrance to the main dungeon loomed ahead, an ominous, weathered arch carved from dark stone. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something else—something acrid, like burnt metal. Miles hesitated at the threshold, his mind buzzing with the tension of the situation. As always, he relied on his system to guide him.

Warning: A hostile entity is approaching the dungeon entrance. Caution is advised.

“Great,” Miles muttered under his breath. He rolled his dice—a familiar routine by now. The system voice chimed again.

Roll: 17.

Danger confirmed. Prepare for immediate encounter.

He turned to the party, his voice steady but urgent. “Something’s coming out of the entrance. Be ready.”

Lancy stepped forward immediately, her twin swords gleaming in the dim light. “Stay back,” she said firmly, sparing Miles a glance. “I’ll handle it.”

Nancy crossed her arms. “Oh, here we go again. Big, protective Lancy swooping in to save her precious Miles.”

Lancy ignored the jab, her focus sharp as the ground rumbled slightly. A low growl emanated from the shadows of the entrance, and then the creature appeared—a hulking, wolf-like beast with glowing red eyes and matted fur that bristled with electricity.

Without hesitation, Lancy launched herself at the creature, moving with practiced precision. Her swords sliced through the air, and before anyone else could react, the beast crumpled to the ground with a final, pained snarl.

The party stood in silence for a moment, the sheer ease of Lancy’s victory sinking in.

“Well,” John said, breaking the tension, “that was... efficient.”

Lancy wiped her blades clean, turning back toward Miles. “This is exactly why I told you not to take these kinds of risks. You don’t need to be here.”

Nancy scoffed, stepping forward with a glare. “Oh, come on! He’s part of this team. Stop acting like he’s some fragile kid who needs your protection.”

Lancy narrowed her eyes. “I’m looking out for him because someone has to. This isn’t a game.”

“And what are we, then? Background characters? He can handle himself, Lancy!” Nancy shot back, her voice rising.

John quickly stepped between them, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “Hey, hey, calm down, both of you. We’re on the same team, remember? Let’s not turn on each other now.”

Miles stood awkwardly to the side, feeling like the subject of a tug-of-war. He hated being the center of this kind of attention. “It’s fine,” he said, trying to defuse the situation. “Let’s just focus on the dungeon.”

Lancy gave Nancy a hard look but eventually backed down, sheathing her swords. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Nancy rolled her eyes but let it go, stepping back with a muttered, “Whatever.”

John exhaled, his shoulders relaxing. “Crisis averted. Let’s move before something else decides to show up.”

As the party regrouped and prepared to enter the dungeon, Miles felt a familiar tingling sensation in the back of his mind—a system notification.

"Warning: Another player is approaching from the opposite side of the dungeon. Roll to assess threat level."

He frowned. Another player? That was unexpected. He quickly rolled, the die clattering in his hand before the system spoke again.

Roll: 20.

High threat confirmed. Player identified as hostile.

Miles stiffened, his stomach sinking. “We’ve got a problem,” he said, turning to the others. “There’s another player heading this way. And they’re not friendly.”

Lancy’s eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on her swords. “How far are they?”

“Not far,” Miles replied. “The system says they’re a threat.”