However, it wasn’t much of a chase. Noah was too far ahead for them to catch up, and although Victor was faster than them, it was of no use.

Noah headed toward the dense jungle that looked to be growing into the castle wall. Sharp red thorns lined the foliage like an impenetrable wall.

Glancing over his shoulder, he witnessed victor on all fours hurtling toward him. Red hazed from his eye.

Lips curled, Noah arrived in front of his destination. This should be it. It was the right spot on the map, but who was to say that the map was correct? There was only one way to find out.

He ordered Krall to rip the bushes from the wall. The natural points of the thorns were unable to penetrate Krall’s toughened palms that were designed to scrape passed hardened rock. And even if they did, thanks to [Trollsblood], the wounds would just heal over in an instant.

Tear. Krall tore the foliage from the castle’s wall, revealing a pitch black entrance embedded within a hole in the wall. As if bricks had been removed.

It was the hidden dungeon entrance.

Without waiting for the others to catch up, he jumped in.

You have entered the hidden entrance to - Birthright Castle.

| Nine more can enter.

The castle was dark. To Noah, it looked like he had entered the dungeon’s cellars. Musty, dusty, it was stifling to breathe.

Of course, to Noah, the darkness wasn’t a curse. It was his comfort. He could feel strength well up within him from the bonuses his class provided within the shadows. He was home.

Nine more? Noah’s brows rose.

If he recalled correctly, only five entered the main entrance. Why were more allowed through this path, than the main entrance? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Noah didn’t have time to think of the reason as his heart turned wicked. Thought of murder flashed in his mind as he blended into the shadows.

The others were chasing him, and it would only be a few more minutes before they arrived. He thought that it would be a one-man entrance. He was wrong.

Now he was certain Victor was going to arrive. He would arrive to his death.

Krall snarling. Noah activated [Shadowed Presence]. Shadows wrapped around them. A thought entered his mind. A plan.

“Attack?” Thraz asked.

“Thraz–”

“You don’t have to say another word, warrior.” Thraz hefted his axe. “Tell me where to stand, and what to do. I may not be as smart, or as crafty as you humans, but I wish to learn. To counter it, to join it–if needs be.”

Noah smiled. He really was learning. The naive dragonborn was growing up thanks to the environment he spent his own flesh and blood within. It was much the same as with the others.

Noah leapt off Krall's back. Then he had him wait in front of the entrance. Noah took position to the side.

“Mount Krall, then attack…”

Thraz agreed. He climbed on top of Krall. Despite his misgivings with the creature, if they wanted to survive, he had to do things he didn’t like. From the shadows, it was difficult to make out Thraz’s figure. Just as Noah wanted.

They would first notice his monstrous beast, and the shadows would lead them to believe that the Thraz was Noah. The might of Krall was the perfect blanket of distraction.

White teeth flashing from behind the veil of darkness, he awaited his prey.

----------------------------------------

Victor sprinted ahead, but with him exerting himself in an attempt to catch up to the elf, his insides were a mess.

It was clear he wouldn’t catch up to Noah in time, neither was he confident enough to defeat him. Behind him was the other elf: the archer, along with Chloe, Declan, Cai, Frank; the healer, and some of the other strongest survivors.

Despite being tired, he had to keep running. Noah’s monsters ripped the foliage from the wall, revealing a black hole within. Victor’s eyes bulged. He was right, the human knew of another path. Somehow.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

An intense anger boiled within. The human knew too much, was always too far ahead. Even now, he was entering the dungeon before him.

I have turned weak.

Mission obtained: Kill Noah.| Reward: Legendary Skill Essence, Epic Class Weapon, Skill Upgrade Token.

Victor’s heart leaped. The reward was phenomenal, but he knew of the difficulty. He stopped in front of the dungeon entrance and took a few breaths. To succeed in this mission, he had to use everything at his disposal.

He gulped down a stamina potion, and an Uncommon health potion. It was a steep expense, but with the promise of the insane reward, it was well worth it. Next up, he purchased a Rare Scent Blocker, along with a Shadow Bomb.

The funds he was saving vanished. He grit his teeth. He hoped it was worth it.

The entrance hasn’t closed. Victor scowled. He was happy to have the chance of entering, but it meant Noah was also aware that others could enter behind him.

Instead of entering, he waited for the others. Victor was well aware of Noah’s personality. He killed Jake because he had attacked him, but Victor had done the same.

Most likely, the human was prepared to attack him the moment he stepped foot into the dungeon. He couldn’t head in on himself. He had to take a gamble that the entrance allowed more than just two people.

Quickly, the others arrived. Panting, they gazed at the dungeon entrance with fervour. They still had the chance of entering.

“Someone should enter first,” Victor said.

The others looked at him with suspicion. Declan looked at him as if he understood what was going on, only for Victor to raise his lips.

Surprisingly, Chloe took the lead, only for Cai to step in front.

Declan had no choice but to take control of the situation. “Alright, we’ll enter in formation. Keep your guard up, and prepare defensive countermeasures. We don’t know what to expect there, and judging by the reward granted–it won’t be easy.”

“Try not to get injured. We only have so many healing potions.” Lorena added as the others nodded in agreement. Obviously it was a lot easier said than done.

It just meant they had to be extra careful. Victor understood it well. He had no way to heal, and in the previous fights, he was reliant on the healing powers of Maera. Frank, their new healer, was half the mage the elf was.

And so, they entered. Victor was in the middle of the group, protected on all sides. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but if he wanted a chance at survival, this was how he would accomplish it.

Gnawing down his pride, the black of the dungeon entrance transformed into a sharp grey. The misty smell broke apart within his senses as something else smashed to the forefront. A beast.

Thud. Noah’s monster stepped forward with the rider on his back. It roared a monstrous roar. His ears vibrated with a rattling ring. The small room they were within didn’t help at all.

Everyone was ready to attack, until some of them stopped.

Chloe was horrified to see that Declan, and the others under him, didn’t attack. The same was for Lorena, the dark elf, and one of her team members.

Chloe, and Victor attacked. But with everyone else stopping their attacks, they stood out like a sore thumb.

That was when a sensation Victor had never experienced grabbed hold of his neck. Fear. He should have never been subject to the same feeling. He was the ruler of fear, but here he was, hairs raised, fingers twitching.

He was under attack.

----------------------------------------

Noah activated all of his skills to attack, and although the halted attacks surprised him, he could guess why. They had made a choice. It was a smart one.

His spear shot out like a phantom ghost at Victor’s heart. Power transmitted from his legs, to his back, from his arms, into his hands. He was on target.

At the last second, red blotted the darkness, but Noah’s attack was too fast. Too sudden. He felt a thud of resistance, then the splattering of liquid dripped against the hard cobbled floor underfoot.

Victor had survived. But not for long.

He could see the humanoid wolf, and was about to [Charge] straight for him, but he pinched a black ball within his fingers, then crushed it. Instantly a surge of darkness spread throughout the room.

Noah thought he would be able to see through the veil thanks to the bonus dark vision from his class, but it was like the dungeon entrance. Impenetrable.

Victor’s footsteps were originally quiet, but Noah didn’t rely on his hearing. He activated his Monster Shard, and the tapping of his steps vibrated against his heightened senses. Krall detected him.

Krall and Thraz moved, and just as they were about to chase the humanoid, the entire floor rumbled. Then cracked. Noah wasn’t sure if it was Victor’s doing, but his heart tightened. It was unknown what the hell was underneath them, and he couldn’t detect it either.

Noah bolted forward, but it was too late, just like it was for all the others. The only one who made it out was Victor as he was already in the process of escaping, and with him, was Chloe.

He was about to fling his spear through the darkness in hopes of hitting them, but if he missed, he’d be lucky if he ever found his weapon again.

The ground shifted. Noah imagined himself to free fall through the air, but that didn’t happen. The floor wasn’t collapsing, something was emerging from underneath.

From the centre of the room, two boney hands broke out from the land under, then came its head. Two spikes, following it were two flickering embers behind its eye sockets.

It looked at them, gazing at their figures with blinding hatred. It screamed a metallic screech. Noah tightened the grasp around his spear.

He couldn’t worry about wherever Victor and Chloe had gone; for he had a bigger prize in front of him. With sponsors watching, he attacked.