Sera and Zoha slowly stepped off the carriage. Sera's foot landed first, sinking slightly into the gravel while Zoha followed. Horse-pulled wagons trailed behind them, grinding against the gravel path. The horses snorted softly, their breath forming small clouds in the crisp morning air.

Zoha started to guide the people to stand in orderly groups. "Form lines here, please. Keep close and stay calm."

The humans obeyed her directions and shuffled into place. They all looked quite exhausted, but none questioned what they were told. Sera watched intently as she silently counted each person. Sixty tributes in total, excluding the drivers of the wagons and the carriage.

Satisfied with her count, Sera turned to the coachman, who was adjusting the reins of his horses. "Thank you for your service. You are free to return now."

The coachman looked momentarily confused. He glanced at the assembled group and then back at Sera. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, thank you kindly for your work."

The coachman responded with a curt grunt. He adjusted his seat before snapping the reins against the horses' backs. The powerful animals responded immediately, hooves striking the ground all at once.

The other wagons soon followed, their drivers exchanging brief, wordless farewells with nods and quick waves. Dust settled in their wake, and the group left behind stood in the settling quiet.

Sera was about to turn to the people, but her attention was caught by Zoha's unusual behavior. The demoness twitched her fingers nervously and her eyes darted around the surroundings constantly.

She walked in front of Zoha and coughed loudly to catch the demoness's attention. "Is something the matter?"

Zoha's eyes snapped to Sera's, wide and filled with unease. . "I… feel like something dangerous has just appeared in the world, but I’m not sure what it is."

Sera tilted her head. "Are you really capable of sensing magic from farther away than I can?"

Zoha shook her head. "I doubt it, Mistress. But something is bothering me regardless."

Sera glanced at the gathered humans, who were all chattering to each other. She patted Zoha on the shoulder in an effort to reassure the demoness. "Save it for later. We have work to do."

Zoha nodded, forcing a small smile. "You're right. It's probably nothing."

Sera turned to the gathered people and raised her voice to address the crowd. "Are you ready to enter the divine realm promised by Goddess Yssara?"

Immediately, cheers and shouts of affirmation filled the air. Sera's lips curled into a knowing smile at what she saw. If only things could always be this easy.

Soon, with Zoha’s steadying presence at her side, Sera led the group toward the entrance of her dungeon. She moved with purpose, her steps confident on the worn path. Zoha's hand rested lightly on Sera's arm, a silent gesture of support and unity.

As they neared the entrance, a barrier of thick, entwined roots blocked their way. At Sera's silent command, the roots began to slither aside, the ancient wood creaking and groaning in response. The movement revealed a cavern beyond, its walls bathed in a soft, ethereal glow from the moss clinging to the stone. Each tiny patch of moss pulsed gently with a bioluminescent light, casting a serene, otherworldly ambiance.

The crowd gasped in unison. Some among them visibly trembled, their faces pale with fear.

Zoha quickly stepped forward. "There’s nothing to worry about, just follow the Prophetess."

Sera moved next to the demoness and spoke with a soothing cadence. "Fear not, these roots are the protectors of our sanctuary, a gift from Goddess Yssara herself. They respond only to my command and are here to ensure your safety."

Several murmurs rippled through the crowd. One hesitant voice broke through, "But what if something goes wrong?"

Sera turned to the speaker and managed to give a gentle smile. "The Goddess has blessed this place and given me the power to control it. You have seen the miracles already, and there is no need to fear. Trust in the Goddess and in me, as her chosen Prophetess."

Her words resonated quickly with the crowd. Their doubt-filled murmurs faded, replaced by nods and whispered affirmations. The tension eased as their fearful looks softened into expressions of cautious trust.

"Follow me," Sera instructed, turning to lead the way. The crowd moved after her more confidently now as they descended into the dark cavern with the light of the bioluminescent moss guiding their way.

Sera led them deeper into the dungeon until they reached a familiar magic circle etched into the stone floor. "Please line up and wait here. Only ten people can come with me at a time." She said, turning to face the group.

The humans obediently formed a line. Ten volunteers stepped forward first, eager to follow.

She guided them into the magic circle, and soon, they were enveloped in a shimmering light as the circle transported them to the lowermost floor of the dungeon. Sera repeated the process, returning to the upper levels to bring down more people in groups of ten. Each time, the magic circle activated with a radiant flash as the humans were transported.

Eventually, Sera guided everyone to the lowest level of the dungeon: the mystic forest. The humans stood in awe at the heart of the vibrant landscape. Each plant appeared as if they hummed with life, their colors more vivid than any they had ever seen.

In the midst of everything, a middle-aged man stepped forward. His worn clothes and weathered face spoke of a hard life, but his posture was upright, shoulders squared as if drawing strength from the beauty around him."Is this where we will stay from now on?"

Sera smiled warmly. "Yes, this is your new home, a sanctuary blessed by Goddess Yssara."

She then turned to Zoha and whispered. "Is everyone accounted for?"

The demoness nodded, whispering back. "Yes, Mistress, everyone is here."

Sera turned to face the crowd with a gentle expression as she took in the sight of her followers. "Thank you all for following me this far, it's been a remarkable experience."

The crowd responded fervently as they chanted in unison. "For Goddess Yssara! We swear our loyalty!"

"Your faith is strong, and such great devotion deserves an equally powerful reward."

She raised her hands high, fingers splayed, then closed her eyes for a brief moment. Her breath slowed just a bit as she channeled her magic.

In an instant, the ground beneath the humans collapsed as countless thick roots erupted. Each root surged upwards with a terrifying force, impaling the humans in a synchronized motion.

One young woman opened her mouth to scream, but a root pierced her chest, silencing her before the sound could escape. An elderly man raised his hand in a futile attempt to ward off the attack, was struck through the heart, eyes widening in shock. Everyone else was similarly impaled, faces frozen in expressions of horror.

The roots retracted as swiftly as they had emerged, slipping back into the earth as if they had never been. Sera surveyed the scene with a detached satisfaction, unblinking as she took in the results of her work; dozens of dead humans, scattered on the forest floor. Here's hoping to many more in the future.

She turned to Zoha, who stood nearby. "Bring the bodies into the Spirit Tree's chamber."

Zoha nodded. "Yes, Mistress."

***

The elder dryad positioned herself with her back against the young sapling. She took a deep breath as she prepared to synchronize with the growing tree.

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Slowly, she felt the first tender touch of roots emerging from beneath the soil. They brushed against her back with a delicate, yet insistent touch. A shiver ran down her spine as the roots explored her skin.

Then, with a sudden thrust, the roots burrowed into her flesh. Her eyes snapped open as she let out a slight gasp. That… was unexpected.

[Experience extraction complete]

Core experience updated to 5500. Rank-up requirement from Rank 2 to Rank 3: 5000 experience. Initiate rank-up sequence?

"Yes," Sera whispered, still reeling a bit from the pain.

Rank-up sequence initiated, please wait.

The Spirit Tree's silvery leaves emitted a radiant light. The sapling stretched upwards, growing with an audible creak of expanding wood and unfurling leaves until it stood just around the height of Sera's hips.

Then, as quickly as it had flared, the light dimmed as the sapling returned to its natural state. At the same time, Sera felt a powerful surge of magic coursing through her, a wave of energy that tingled from the roots intertwined with her skin to the tips of her hair.

[Rank-up sequence complete]

[Displaying dungeon status]

Core Rank: 3

Core Experience: 500

Dungeon Boss: Sera

Number of Floors: 3

Mana: 300/400 (100 currently used for monster maintenance)

Monsters: 22

New features unlocked: new terrain option, unlock E-tier monster, experience distribution

Interestingly, the system only noted down twenty-two monsters instead of twenty-three. Sera reminded herself to have Zoha connect with the Spirit Tree later.

But more importantly, the Spirit Tree finally gained the ability to distribute experience among monsters in the dungeon. Not sure if I will use the experience distribution feature anytime soon, but it is nice to have.

[Displaying experience distribution details]

The Experience Distribution Function enables the System to convert Core Experience into standard experience for other users within the dungeon. The conversion rate is presently set at 1 to 1. However, as the System's capabilities expand, a more favorable conversion rate will be available to users. Note that users who have reached level 300 cannot gain or receive experience through this method.

Just as she thought, the experience conversion rate at the moment was still quite mediocre. Unless the conversion rate between Core Experience and normal experience improves significantly in the future, I don't see myself using experience distribution anytime soon.

Instead, Sera was more curious about what new terrain option she unlocked. The first floor especially was rather barren, so it would be great if she could place a proper theme there.

[Initiating floor terrain alteration]

Please select which number floor you wish to alter.

"First floor." Sera said.

The first floor has been chosen as the target of terrain alteration, please review the available terrain options below:

1. Basic theme (Default option; unique passive: none)

2. Stone maze (Rank 2 option; unique passive: minor bonus to adventurer's fear)

3. Glowmoss cavern (Rank 3 option; unique passive: slight possibility that glimmercap mushrooms will sporadically emerge over time)

Not too shabby, Sera recalled how glimmercap mushrooms had the ability to temporarily stun or even paralyze someone who got too close to them. She wanted more of the dungeon to be able to produce these mushrooms, but the mystic forest on the third floor was still excellent. I'll just keep the mystic forest and alter floors one and two for now.

"Apply the glowmoss cavern for the second floor as well please." Sera said.

Request confirmed. Terrain modification on the second floor will proceed accordingly.

[Glowmoss cavern selected]

[Initiating terrain alteration]

Sera felt a slight tremor beneath her feet, a subtle vibration traveling through the soil and into the roots of the Spirit Tree's sapling. The tremble grew in intensity but never reached the point of discomfort this time.

[Terrain alteration complete]

With that confirmation, Sera closed her eyes to sense the changes. The energy coursing through the dungeon was noticeably different now, pulsing with more vigor.

Satisfied, Sera decided to check her monster creation options again. Hopefully I get something useful.

[Displaying Monster Unlock Options]

1. Unlock 1 random F-tier monster (Cost, 100 Core Experience)

2. Unlock 1 random E-tier monster (Cost, 500 Core Experience)

She had exactly 500 experience left, just enough for an E-rank monster. She selected the option, curious to see what monster she would get this time.

[Unlock 1 random E-tier monster selected]

[Processing request]

New Monster Unlocked: Myconid Guardian

Level Range: 45-55

Maintenance Cost: 50 mana

Respawn Time: 1 hour

Description: The Myconid Guardian is a large creature composed of intertwined fungal strands and thick, mushroom-like plates. Its body is covered with patches of bioluminescent fungi that glow in the dark.

With the dungeon only having 300 mana left for Sera to spend, she figured it wouldn't be the worst idea to spread the Myconid Guardians evenly. A set for the first floor and then another set for the second floor.

Where do you wish to spawn in the Myconid Guardians?

"The first and second floor please." Sera said.

How many do you wish to spawn?

"Six total, three on the first floor, and then another three on the second floor."

Initiating Guardian Myconid spawn sequence. Spawning will occur at random locations within the designated floors.

Last but not least, it was time to check her profile.

Name: Sera

Species: Elder Dryad

Access Privilege: Administrator

Level: 300

Magic: 300 (Rating, S)

Magic Resistance: 300 (Rating, S)

Physical Defense: 100 (Rating, C)

Strength: 50 (Rating, E)

Speed: 150 (Rating, B)

Vitality: 300 (Rating, S)

Overall Challenge Rating: S

Alert: Level 2 Winter path progression ability available.

[Processing Level 2 Winter path progression reward]

New winter path ability unlocked: Frost Walk.

Description: The user can create a trail of ice that follows them as they move, freezing any solid or liquid surface they walk upon. This ability can also allow the user to traverse water by freezing patches beneath their feet, effectively creating a path of ice as they move.

Restriction: The user's feet must maintain direct contact with a solid or liquid surface for the Frost Path to activate. The ice trail ceases to form if the user is lifted off the ground or becomes airborne.

Out of curiosity, Sera glanced down at the smooth limestone beneath her feet, focusing her energy to activate her newly unlocked ability. A chill pulsed through the air, and in seconds, a thin sheet of ice formed where she stood. She also noted that despite the visible frost, her feet didn't feel particularly cold at all.

After walking around for a bit, Sera found that wherever she went, as long as she put her thought into it, a trail of ice would then follow her path. The ice didn't feel slippery to her, allowing Sera to walk on the crystalline surface as she would normal ground. Good to know that I won't make a fool out of myself when using this ability.

Afterwards, Sera returned to her original position and willed the ice she conjured to rapidly sublimate and vanish. With that finished, it was time to check on the rest of the dungeon.

She gently disentangled herself from the roots that had burrowed into her back. The tendrils retracted reluctantly, leaving faint gashes on her skin that rapidly healed. She took a moment to steady herself before she began to walk toward the exit.

But as she walked, a sudden, searing pain shot through her head, as if an invisible force had pierced her skull. The intense headache forced her to stagger and then stumble as she reached out towards a nearby wall for support.

Her vision blurred, but through the haze, words formed right in front of her eyes:

Alert: Unknown zone unlocked. Location: Current floor. Administrator access only.

Sera slowly pushed herself upright, leaning heavily against the wall to regain her balance. She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the discomfort while her thoughts raced. The fact she received words didn't make any sense, that shouldn't even be possible considering how she wasn't directly connected to the Spirit Tree anymore.

Her grip tightened on the rough stone as she took a deep breath. She glanced back toward the Spirit Tree's sapling. Everything appeared normal, with no sign of any disruption or intrusion.

Yet, the warning from the system lingered in her mind like a persistent echo. Though part of her warned against investigating the unknown zone, something even deeper within her mind commanded her to investigate.