Arlo went to bed at the same time as the other two, but sleep eluded him. The burning rage inside him consumed his thoughts, making it difficult to find any semblance of peace. He couldn't fathom how, even if they were monsters, they would prey upon innocent children, let alone babies. Though he would have fought to survive, he would never derive pleasure from it. That much he was certain of.

As his mind wrestled with hate, he eventually succumbed to slumber. His dreams took on a peculiar quality, as if he were peering into another world through a flickering screen.

In his dream, a myriad of images passed before his eyes. He felt a deep familiarity with each one, even though it seemed there wasn't enough time to fully register them. Suddenly, he recognized a particular image.

"It's the coffee shop! Before it became ruined!"

The scene depicted a young man in his late twenties, sipping his coffee with a bittersweet half-smile. There was nothing particularly remarkable about him, yet he held a certain sadness in his eyes, fixated solely on his drink.

Abruptly, a loud noise startled the young man, causing him to spill his drink. His gaze shifted toward a specific direction, filled with apprehension. Just outside the coffee shop, a bolt of fire rapidly advanced, cutting off any means of escape. He was soon beset by all sides by the screams of the people around him.

"Hey!"

The image vanished as if someone had unplugged a TV, and Arlo felt himself being jolted awake. Klein's voice reverberated through his shack.

"Hey! Kid! Wake up!"

"You'll help me hunt another Deathwalker Wolf. Even if you can't do much, you'll at least be the bait."

Klein's raspy voice echoed in the small space, while the young goblin stood behind him, holding his dagger and wearing a smile on his face as he called out to Arlo.

"Come on, Remmy! Let's go!"

Contrary to Arlo's expectations, the Deathwalker Wolves weren't too far from their dwelling. Although they had traversed the labyrinthine corridors and hidden from other monsters along the way, it hadn't taken long to close in on their destination, when all things considered.

"That there is an Undead Mage," Klein explained, pointing to a creature wearing tattered mage robes. "They don't actively hunt us for food, but they will kill you if you reveal yourself too openly. They are twisted creatures with only hatred in their hearts."

The Undead Mage appeared like a pale human at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one could see that half of its face had been gnawed off by other creatures. Despite its macabre appearance, it seemed unaffected by its injuries, with some bones exposed where flesh should have been.

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Klein cautioned them to avoid the Undead Mage, stating that when human mages die, they sometimes turn into these terrifying beings, wandering the dungeon and attacking everything in sight. Each one may possess different spells depending on what they knew in life, making them particularly dangerous.

As they continued their journey, a faint blue light reminiscent of moonlight emerged at the end of a corridor. Stepping into an expansive area, bathed in ethereal blue illumination, the three goblins found themselves in a place that appeared to be outside.

"Are we... outside?!" Arlo exclaimed in disbelief. He knew that Remmy, the goblin he was impersonating had never left the dungeon, so this revelation surprised him.

While patches of grass dotted the surroundings, the landscape resembled a desert stretching as far as their eyes could see. In the distance, numerous buildings gave the impression of perhaps a town, but definitely did not look to be as large as a city.

"No," Klein clarified, clicking his tongue. "This is one of the Crystal Rooms."

"Crystal Rooms?" the young goblin enquired, his curiosity piqued. "What are they?"

Klein pointed upward, indicating the crystals lining the top of the room. "The rooms with crystals overhead have an inner light and are incredibly expansive. There's another Crystal Room with a huge forest inside."

"In this realm, even Deathwalker Wolves are merely prey to others," he continued. "Even I have to be extremely cautious."

Finally reaching the mouth of a cave, Klein raised his hand, signalling the group to halt. He quickly pulled them behind a rock for cover.

Not long after, dozens of Deathwalker Wolves came rushing out of the cave, each one twice the size of the one Klein had previously hunted. The young goblin nearly let out a screech of fear, but Arlo swiftly silenced him, covering his mouth.

There was no chance of hunting even one of these massive beasts, let alone picking off a member from the pack. And to their astonishment, the stream of wolves seemed unending.

"We got lucky!" Klein snickered, observing the scene before them. "They're about to begin their trial."

"What trial?" Arlo asked, intrigued by the term.

Klein leaned in, his voice tinged with excitement. "Before going on a hunt, the Alpha Deathwalker Wolf subjects the young cubs to a trial. If they pass, they're allowed to join the next hunt."

"And what if they fail?" Arlo inquired further.

"That's what we're hoping for," Klein replied with a sly smile, his eyes fixed on the unfolding spectacle.

After around a hundred Deathwalker Wolves poured out of the cave, the Alpha Deathwalker Wolf made its imposing presence known. Towering over the others, it possessed a size that alone was cause for concern. But its size was the least of their worries.

Deathwalker Wolves boasted powerful bodies, resembling regular wolves but with a grey lion's mane starting from their heads and spreading across their bodies, providing protection for their vital organs. According to Klein, daggers would break before piercing their mane.

However, the Alpha Deathwalker Wolf stood out from the pack. It sported three horns protruding from its head, emanating a sinister glow that signified unmatched danger. Its muscles seemed more developed than the others, rendering it a fearsome adversary in its own league.

Following the Alpha, the cubs, barely half the size of the adult wolves, trembled with fear as they timidly followed. They anticipated the daunting ordeal awaiting them.

With a thunderous roar, the Alpha initiated the trial, causing some of the adult wolves to take a step back.