As Locci and the others defeated Shartula, Goran and Riza had also finished their task. Only Serena remained, waiting for them to regroup.

Concerned, they hurried toward the scene. Serena was locked in combat with the Giant Cyrophod behind a mound, obscuring their view of what was happening to her.

Upon their arrival, they were stunned to find Serena seated gracefully on the body of the Giant Cyrophod.

Serena grinned and remarked, "Took you long enough."

Riza was irked by the provocation. "You, young lady. If you had finished your task, you should have informed us," she retorted.

Serena shrugged. "What matters most is that I completed my task successfully."

"Wait, is the boss dead?" Riza inquired.

"Of course," Serena affirmed.

" 'Of course,' my foot! Did you forget that capturing Boss Nixes is one of our objectives here? This is why rookies aren't reliable," Riza snapped back.

"Did Andre manage to capture Shartula?" Serena asked, attempting to divert the focus.

"He did. It's you who's incompetent!" Riza exclaimed, her frustration evident.

"Then there's no problem. We couldn't have known there would be two bosses. Just report that Shartula was the only boss, and we'll be fine," Serena suggested, trying to resolve the situation.

"Oh, the others will be fine. You won't be. I'll report that you neglected our duty," Riza threatened, her tone stern.

"Sure. It's not like I'll get into trouble," Serena replied nonchalantly.

Riza gritted her teeth. "You cheeky brat..."

While the girls were arguing, Joe had finished analyzing the path ahead. He informed the group, "There's a forked path up ahead. Should we split into three teams?"

"I believe everyone here is capable of defeating mid-bosses, so dividing into three teams sounds like a wise plan," Goran agreed.

Upon hearing this, Serena approached Andre and said, "I'll team up with Andre."

"You two? Newbies teaming up?" Riza questioned skeptically.

Locci whispered to Andre, "Please decline. Say you'd rather be with Goran. He's the safest choice for my peace of mind."

Andre nodded and replied, "Okay." However, before he could suggest his idea, Goran accepted Serena's proposal.

"I see no reason why not. Serena and Riza don't mesh well together. I'm certain Mr. Joe and Mrs. Jane would prefer to team up, so I'll partner with Riza, and Serena will pair up with Andre," Goran stated.

"Wait, I want to be with Andre!" Riza interjected.

"Andre might not voice it, but I suspect he'll feel uneasy with you. You'll partner with me," Goran replied.

"But they're beginners!" Riza protested.

"They're no longer beginners. Both are skilled Nix Masters capable of defeating formidable Nixes. I have faith in them," Goran assured. He then clapped his hands. "That settles the team arrangements. Now, let's head to our respective paths. Remember, if you complete your tasks at the final destination, move on to another path in case other teams encounter difficulties. Discussion's over. Let's get moving."

"So, that's settled then. I'm counting on you, Locci," Serena said with a smile.

Locci simply nodded, accepting that they would explore together as a team.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" Andre asked.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not interested in you," Serena replied bluntly.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Andre's expression fell, her words seeming to pierce his heart. He forced a smile and followed her lead, feeling a bit awkward.

As they walked, Serena initiated a conversation with Locci. "Hey, Locci, for a Nix, you're remarkably intelligent. Have you had any training in communicating with humans before meeting Andre?"

"I've always been this way," Locci replied simply.

"I see. So, would you like to be my Nix?" Serena inquired.

Locci felt frustrated by Serena's pushiness. Fortunately, Andre was there to address the issue. "Serena, could you refrain from trying to take someone's Nix in front of their owner? I've been trying to show you respect. I only ask that you do the same."

Serena raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, my bad. Talking with Riza put me on edge."

"Thank you," Andre said.

"I won't try to recruit him with words. I'll demonstrate my abilities through action," Serena declared.

As they entered the next room, Serena wasted no time in proving herself. The room was filled with charging Wanderclaws. Locci prepared to slow their movements with [Cold Wave], but Serena dashed towards them without hesitation.

"What are you doing?" Locci shouted. He couldn't use his [Cold Wave] ability if Serena was in his way, as it would also affect her.

Serena only smirked at him and replied, "Let me handle these small fry."

Several Wanderclaws pounced on her, attempting to claw or bite her. However, every Nix that came at her passed through her body.

Locci opened his mouth in shock as he witnessed the Wanderclaws' attacks passing through Serena's body. It was as if she didn't exist in the physical realm; she was just a hologram.

"What's going on?" Locci blurted out, his confusion evident.

"That could be the special ability that the system granted her. This is the first time I've seen it too. I always wondered what the fuss was about her talents. I thought people were exaggerating, but witnessing it firsthand, her ability is truly unfair," Andre remarked.

"Andre, can you see her information through your system?" Locci inquired.

Andre shook his head. "I can see information about Nixes, but not about other Nix Masters."

Just as they pondered her abilities, Serena demonstrated them once again.

Serena's shadow stretched and took the form of a lizard head with golden eyes. This was her contracted Nix, named Lurkezard. Lurkezard had the unique ability to lurk within its contractor's shadow and could be called into battle without the need for a summoning circle.

Lurkezard shifted its form into a mass of twisting branches, each wriggling like flexible rubber. Some branches slashed at the incoming Wanderclaws while others impaled them.

As the defeated Wanderclaws fell into Lurkezard's grasp, the remaining ones redirected their attacks towards it and Serena. Despite their efforts, they couldn't land a single blow on either of them.

"It's time to end this," Serena said, yawning. "Lurkezard, [Fire Blossom]!"

After receiving her command, Lurkezard's body turned red, and the surrounding temperature soared. Then, with a burst of energy, Lurkezard released an exploding flame, shaping it into a blossoming flower that swiftly defeated the remaining Wanderclaws.

"Such power," Locci exclaimed in amazement. Despite his ability to defeat multiple Wanderclaws, he couldn't do it as effortlessly as Serena.

Sensing his astonishment, Andre patted Locci's shoulder and said, "You don't have to be envious of her. We all have different starting points. Lurkezard is a rare-grade Nix, which is why it can achieve such feats."

Locci smiled. "I know. Witnessing Lurkezard only fuels my motivation to grow stronger."

After dealing with the smaller Wanderclaws, a Giant Wanderclaw suddenly descended from above, looming menacingly before Serena.

Remaining calm, Serena stood her ground as the Giant Wanderclaw attempted to slash at her, but its attacks simply passed through her body.

Despite being impervious to harm from the boss monster, Serena refrained from attacking. Instead, she leaped back and landed at Andre's side. "Your turn."

Andre nodded and turned to Locci. "Can you please assist me in defeating it?"

"Strange," Serena interjected. "I would have thought being a member of the infamous underworld organization Apollon would afford you some rare-grade Nixes, like what the City Major has provided for me."

Locci listened attentively, surprised to learn about Andre's organization for the first time.

"I do have them. However, all my Nixes are bird types, so I'm at a disadvantage here," Andre explained.

"I see. So, 'all' of your Nixes are bird types. Interesting," Serena said, casting a suspicious glance at Locci.

Locci gulped and replied, "Let me handle the boss, Master Andre," before rushing towards the Giant Wanderclaw, which had been eyeing them warily.

With his current strength, Locci could defeat a boss monster of the Giant Wanderclaw's caliber, but as expected, it wasn't as effortless as Serena's display. It took him a considerable amount of time to overcome it.

After the battle concluded, Andre captured the defeated boss monster. He then approached a staircase leading upwards.

"The boss came from above. If the room upstairs is what I think it is, then it's good news for us," Andre remarked.

Andre and Serena exchanged nods before ascending the stairs. Locci, naturally, walked ahead of them, prepared in case any opponents appeared.

Fortunately, the room upstairs turned out to be empty, except for what used to be the Giant Wanderclaw's nest. As they walked further, they stumbled upon four essences.

Andre's grin widened. "Perfect. This confirms my suspicion that it's a reward room. This is exactly why I love exploring dungeons."

Serena nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. With four essences, let's split them evenly."

"I'm fine with that. Since my Nix took down the boss, I'll take the first pick," Andre suggested.

"Sounds fair," Serena replied with a smile.

Andre selected two essences first. Then, he turned to Locci with a smile. "As I promised to split our rewards evenly, I'll honor that. You can choose one of these essences. The one in my left hand contains a new ability, while the one in my right hand allows you to upgrade your existing ability. Which would you prefer?"