We crouched behind the shadowed edge of the corridor, our breaths held tight as we peered into the open space.

The tension was palpable, the air thick with threats and simmering aggression.

“Why the hell are we still standing around?!” a gruff voice growled from somewhere in the cluster of adventurers, frustration clear in his tone.

A tall, muscular man with a battle-worn greatsword strapped to his back stepped forward, his face twisted in irritation. His armor was dented and bloodstained.

He glanced around at the others, as if daring someone to challenge him.

“And how exactly do you suggest we do that, you idiot?" the man snapped.

A smaller man with a crossbow hanging loosely from his belt added. "Only those that landed the killing blow on the boss can access the reward area. You think we can just waltz in there? Use your brain for once.”

The taller man’s hand flexed on the hilt of his sword, but he held back, grinding his teeth. “That’s exactly the problem! We don’t know who took the boss down, and until we do, we’re just sitting ducks here, waiting for a one of those bastard to snap into a bloody mess!”

A woman in silver armor, her sword glowing faintly in the dim light, stepped into the conversation.

Her voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable authority in her tone. “We all know what’s coming. So stop acting like a pack of children and just leave. My group will gladly take care of the situation in your stead.”

Another group, standing off to the side, had been listening intently.

Their leader, a man with a jagged scar running down the side of his face, sneered as he spoke, his voice dripping with disdain.

"That’s rich, coming from you, you wench. The one who spread her legs to claw her way into the government's good graces. Now you think you can order people around? You're the last person who should be giving advice.

The woman’s eyes narrowed, but her expression remained composed, almost cold.

“Keep your vulgar mouth shut if you don’t want to lose your tongue.” she replied icily. “Or are you just bitter because your pathetic little group couldn’t manage to snag the exclusive quest that we did?”

The scarred man’s face twisted into an ugly snarl, his hand twitching towards the hilt of his axe.

“Watch your mouth, woman. We’re not afraid to get our hands dirty, especially when it comes to putting a stuck-up bitch like you in her place.”

Before the situation could spiral further out of control, a small woman, almost hidden beneath the clutter of small hand bags slung around her waist, stepped forward from the woman’s group.

Her voice was quiet but firm. “Leader, we should ignore them. We can deal with them once the fight for the reward starts.”

The woman in silver armor gave a slight nod, her gaze never leaving the scarred man.

“You’re right. We’ll let the bloodshed sort this out. It’s only a matter of time.”

The tension in the air thickened, the exchange doing nothing to calm the simmering animosity between the groups. Every adventurer in the room was on edge, waiting for the inevitable.

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it didn’t take long for me to figure out who held the real power here.

Near the massive statue were three main factions, each group positioned strategically around the sculpture.

These weren’t just any adventurers—they were veterans, likely here to claim the reward before moving on to the higher floors.

Their gear was well-maintained and luxurious looking, and powerful weapons that had clearly seen countless battles.

Their party compositions seemed balanced too.

They didn’t just look strong; it was obvious that any one of these groups could have easily taken down the boss of this floor if they’d wanted to.

And from the way they glared at each other, it was clear they weren’t here to share the spoils—my spoil.

They hated each other. That much was obvious from the hostile glances and barely restrained dialogue they exchanged.

The tension between them was almost tangible, as if one wrong word would set them off.

Scattered around the perimeter of the chamber were the other adventurers—those who were keeping their heads down, hoping to capitalize on any mistake the stronger groups might make.

They stayed quiet, their eyes darting between the main groups, likely waiting for an opportunity to snag the reward in the chaos that would inevitably follow them.

All in all, the situation wasn’t favorable for me, considering I was the one who had killed the boss.

I glanced at Lila, my mind racing as I considered our options.

The factions near the statue were strong, too strong for me to take head-on, but there was a way.

I needed her to trust me, to follow my lead without hesitation.

As I glanced at the factions and the other adventurers, I reminded myself of one crucial fact: they didn’t know who had killed the boss.

That was the key for the later stage for my plan.

“Lila,” I whispered, my voice low but urgent. “I need you to trust me.”

She turned to me confused. “What do you mean?”

Before she could say anything more, I reached down and gently scooped her up, her small, gnome-sized body fitting easily into the palm of my hand.

Without a second thought, I grabbed one of my slimes with my free hand and bolted towards the statue, my heart pounding in my chest.

“W-what are you doing?!” she squeaked, her voice filled with alarm as I raced across the open space, my feet pounding against the stone floor.

I lifted the slime and placed it over my head, the cool, squishy mass sliding down to cover my face completely.

"Have you lost your mind?” Lila’s voice was half-muffled by the slime, her tiny hands gripping my fingers for balance as I ran.

“Slime!” I commanded, my voice muffled by the creature. “Make small holes for my nose and mouth so I can breathe, and slits over my eyes so I can see.”

The slime responded instantly, shifting and molding itself until small openings appeared, allowing me to breathe and see through its translucent body.

My vision was a bit warped, but I could still make out the crucial details of our surroundings.

“Leon, why are you—?” Lila began, her confusion evident.

“I can’t let them see my face.” I interrupted, my voice firm.

“If we manage to get out of here with the reward, there’s a high chance they’ll hunt me down. If they know what I look like, they’ll follow us outside the dungeon, wait for the right moment, and kill me for the loot. I need to make sure no one knows who I am."

We were almost at the statue when an adventurer noticed us, his eyes widening in shock. “Hey! Someone’s making a run for it!”

His shout echoed through the chamber, cutting through the tension like a knife.

Heads snapped around, and the factions suddenly stopped their bickering, their eyes locking onto us.

“Stop him!” one of the faction leaders barked, his voice filled with fury.

With Lila securely in my grasp and the slime hiding my identity, I reached the statue just as they some of the adventurers closed in.

Without hesitation, I slammed my hand against the sculpture, feeling a strange energy pulse through me.

Boss Kill confirmed. Access to the Reward Room granted.

I grinned beneath the slime, throwing them a final taunt. “Sorry, but this reward is mine!”

And with that, I vanished in an instant.

The world around me dissolved into darkness. When I blinked, I found myself in a completely different place—a dark, silent area with a single light shining in the center. The sudden stillness was almost disorienting after the chaos I had just escaped.

This was the reward room—a separate space from the chaos outside, accessible only to me.

A safe zone.

"Phase One, Complete. Phase Two... begins now."