Locci hesitated. On one hand, he desperately needed the necklace. On the other hand, he doubted Andre's honesty.

Sensing Locci's hesitation, Andre reassured him, "I understand your doubts, but I assure you, I'm not lying. There are no traps. If there were, I'd be within your striking distance."

Locci nodded, choosing to trust Andre. Even if something went awry, he believed Andre wouldn't endanger someone as valuable as himself.

Offering his neck, Locci allowed Andre to put on the necklace for him.

After assisting Locci, Andre grinned and exclaimed, "Necklace activated!"

Locci's eyes widened, ready to attack Andre. However, a feminine voice emanating from the necklace stopped him in his tracks.

"Anti-peeking Necklace installed. Please input the master's voice," the necklace announced.

Realizing there was indeed no trap, Locci had misunderstood Andre. Andre smiled and gestured for Locci to input his voice.

Locci nodded and declared, "I am Locci Snowstar. I am your new master."

"Voice scanning complete. Success. Brainwave scanning complete. Success. Would you like to activate the Anti-Peeking system immediately?" the necklace inquired.

"Yes," Locci affirmed.

"The Anti-Peeking system is now activated. The master's system information is no longer visible to anyone. Please don't hesitate to call upon me if you require further assistance," the necklace informed.

"Wow, I can't see your information anymore, Mr. Snowstar. Now, please say something," Andre remarked.

For the first time, Locci examined Andre closely. He wanted to remember the face of the person who had made his life easier. Andre had brown hair and blue eyes. Whether it was his original appearance or that of someone from this world, Locci knew he would never forget it.

"Just call me Locci."

"Come to think of it, I never properly introduced myself. My name is Andre Strewnheart. Please, just call me Andre as well. So, I assume you've accepted my proposal," Andre stated.

"If I hadn't accepted it after receiving this necklace, I'd be shameless," Locci replied.

"Great. Then, let's split our profits 50/50. How does that sound?" Andre proposed.

"I have no issues. When are we leaving?" Locci inquired.

"Don't be surprised. It's today. That's why I was in a rush to tame a Nix. However, I don't need to do that anymore because you're with me," Andre explained.

"Do we have to leave immediately then?" Locci asked.

"No, we still have a few hours. Is there anywhere you'd like to go first?" Andre asked.

Locci pointed at the giant spider's body behind Andre. "Would your Nix like to eat that?"

Andre permitted Locci to eat the giant spider with his Vizernix. Before they began, Andre administered a supplement to Vizernix, enhancing its appetite and metabolism.

During the meal, Locci recognized another benefit of being an extra grade. His metabolism could adjust according to the circumstances. If he needed to advance quickly, his metabolism would escalate, allowing him to consume multiple bodies without pause.

As they feasted, Vizernix eventually ceased eating, leaving the remainder for Locci to consume.

[Your resistance has increased!]

After finishing his meal, Locci felt satisfied knowing that his stats had increased.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Locci speculated that consuming a giant Nix would be beneficial for his growth. He considered testing his theory by hunting one later, but for now, he trailed behind Andre as they headed towards the dungeon.

They reached the entrance of a cave where five individuals awaited Andre's arrival.

Feeling apprehensive about encountering other humans, Locci rendered himself invisible.

Before approaching them, Locci observed the group from a distance.

Among them, he noticed a couple playing with a hamster-like Nix that stood on its hind legs and reached up to their ankles.

In addition to the couple, there was a sturdy man with a serene expression, a red-haired woman, and another woman with a bob-cut.

The woman with a bob-cut, Riza, fixed an angry glare on Andre. "You're late. If Mr. Sergio hadn't insisted on bringing you along, I would've left you behind."

Scratching his head, Andre chuckled. "My apologies, Riza. It seems the group is assembled."

Stepping forward, the serene-looking man addressed Andre. "So, you're Andre Strewnheart, the new rising star in our Wolfland. I'm looking forward to working with you."

"You're too kind, Sir Goran. My talent pales in comparison to Serena's," Andre replied, glancing at the red-haired girl.

After exchanging nods with Serena, Andre turned his attention to the couple at the back. "And who might these be...?"

Riza introduced them, "They're foreign Nix Masters. I've hired them because they have an extraordinary Nix."

Approaching Andre, the man with pink hair greeted, "Hello, I'm Joe, and this is my wife, Jane."

"Pleased to meet you. So, Mr. Joe, could you tell me more about your Nix?" Andre inquired.

Jane affectionately patted the hamster-like Nix and said, "This is our Komucha. He's not your average Komucha. Why don't you introduce yourself, Cha?"

Clearing his throat, Komucha surprised everyone by speaking in a human language. "Good day to you all. My name is Komucha."

It was evident that the couple took great pride in their well-mannered Nix, but none of the others seemed particularly interested. Andre feigned interest in Komucha's polite demeanor, though the real fascination lay in the fact that he could speak. Questions about how the couple had trained their Nix to talk filled the air, but Riza swiftly silenced them.

"Enough chatter, everyone. Let's focus on the task at hand. If you're so keen on bonding, you can do it after we've all survived," Riza snapped rudely, shooting a glare at Andre. "And you, didn't you claim you'd tame a new Nix? If you haven't succeeded, I'll have to kick you out."

Andre grinned sheepishly. "As you can see, my new Nix is right here," he replied, gesturing to an empty space beside him. However, when he turned to his side, he realized that Locci was still in invisible mode.

"Um, Locci, could you please reveal yourself?" Andre requested.

Locci took a deep breath before appearing. Everyone was intrigued by his presence, but Serena's eyes widened in astonishment when she saw him.

"No way. Is that a Snowoo?" Serena blurted out.

Curious gazes turned towards Serena, but she remained tight-lipped about her comment.

Clearing his throat, Andre intervened. "I've named him Locci. He's a Wanderclaw variant."

"You're lying! That's clearly a Snowoo! Remove that necklace so I can see his information!" Serena demanded.

Jane, the blue-haired woman, interjected, "That's going too far, Miss Serena. Mutations do occur among Nixes. My Komucha is a perfect example."

"You need to quiet down, Serena," Riza retorted. "You're new here. If it weren't for the city mayor insisting I bring you along, you wouldn't even be here. So watch your attitude."

Goran stepped forward to diffuse the tension. "Come on, guys. We're a team. We'll be facing dangers together. It'd be best if we could all get along."

"I agree with Sir Goran," Joe chimed in. "Let's focus on the exploration ahead. First, Miss Riza, could you explain our plan?"

Riza harrumphed and shot a disdainful glance at Andre and Serena. It was evident she harbored a dislike for those from other worlds. "I'll be reporting back if you cause any trouble."

She then unfolded a map on the snow. It depicted a labyrinth leading to numerous rooms, with a clear endpoint being the final room.

"I'll reiterate the explanation since Mr. and Mrs. Groundlayer have just joined us. This cave in front of us is the dungeon found in Wolfland. We're allowed to enter it once every five years. According to the records, there are numerous traps inside. That's when I'll leave you in charge of handling them. Sir Goran's Nix is sturdy and will take the frontline. My Nix is a potent damage dealer. As for Andre and Serena, don't become burdens to us," Riza explained.

Serena appeared offended by Riza's words. "You keep treating me like I'm insignificant, even as we're about to enter! You're the one being unprofessional here."

"You're just dense!" Riza retorted. "The fact that you can't grasp my words proves you're still a newbie!"

"So, essentially, Miss Riza wants Andre and Miss Serena to adapt to the situation, is that correct?" Locci intervened, capturing everyone's attention.

"Oh, Andre. Your Nix is smarter than both of you, I'll give you that," Riza admitted.

Locci quickly fell silent, realizing he had spoken impulsively. The chaos of the situation had prompted his reflexive response, but he immediately regretted it. Fortunately, everyone else was too preoccupied to take notice of him, except for Serena, who regarded Locci with suspicion.

"Well, the Wanderclaw is correct. I don't know your credibility or capability, so you two need to prove yourselves," Riza asserted.

Andre remained unfazed by her words and met her gaze with determination. "Of course, Miss Riza. With the opportunity to explore alongside experts, I'll demonstrate my worth. I won't let anyone down."

Riza nodded indifferently. "As long as you understand. Let's proceed inside. I'll provide further explanations as we enter the first room of the dungeon. We're safe until we reach that point."