Even though Arlo lacked the instincts of beasts, he could sense the air growing heavier as he moved forward. Trouble was brewing, that much he knew.

As he proceeded, a masculine voice shouted, "Something passed through the barrier! Get ready!"

"I thought you said no monsters would come near here!" another voice responded, worry evident in her tone.

"We just need to hold them off until the boss returns!" a different voice, seemingly belonging to an old man, yelled back.

Frantic footsteps of multiple people echoed in Arlo's ears as he leapt back, taking cover behind a dilapidated wall to conceal his presence. If necessary, he would fight them, but he was overjoyed to have finally found some humans in this wretched place!

He conjured an image in his mind, trying to recall what he used to look like. If he appeared as he did now, they would likely attack him as a monster.

The stinger vanished from Arlo's back, along with the Deathwalker Wolf features that acted as his armour and weapons. He adjusted his skin's hue from blue to a more human colour.

He touched his face and body all over, ensuring there were no abnormalities.

'Hold on a second,' Arlo thought to himself. 'Why am I assuming these people aren't savages who would try to rob and kill me?'

As Arlo formed negative assumptions about people he hadn't met yet, he noticed the old man, who had spoken earlier, carrying a cane with an unusual gem at the top. He wore loose-fitting robes and positioned himself behind the man and woman from before.

The male-female duo appeared to be warriors, the man had rough features and a scarred face while wearing studded armour, carrying a shield and a sword while the female warrior had a lithe physique unlike what you would expect someone of her position to be as such. She had a beautiful face complementing her attractive features.

And there was also another individual with a bow taking a vantage point to survey the area.

'That old man must be a mage!' Arlo speculated.

Whether they intended to rob him or not, he decided to observe their next actions.

"Where's the monster, old man?" the warrior asked, gripping his sword tightly, ready for any potential attack.

The mage gestured in the air, and a sigil materialized in front of him, emitting a pulse of energy.

"Hmm," the mage muttered to himself. "The monster has already disappeared."

The ranger lowered his bow with an annoyed expression and clicked his tongue, preparing to descend from his vantage point.

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The mage wore a smug grin as he pointed his cane towards Arlo's location, proclaiming with arrogance, "But there is someone peeping on us over there!"

The two warriors and the ranger turned their attention to the dilapidated wall behind which Arlo was hiding.

"Come out!" the female warrior shouted. "Unless you want to be executed here and now!"

Arlo remained silent, hesitant to make any sudden moves. These humans seemed capable, and he wasn't sure of their true power. It was best to adopt a cautious attitude for now.

"Hey, friend, what are you doing here?" Arlo heard a voice very close to him and leapt back in fright.

The ranger had abandoned his vantage point and stood in front of the dilapidated wall, peering down at Arlo with a questioning gaze as he added, "Furthermore, why are you naked in the dungeon?"

Arlo looked down and noticed his exposed privates.

"Right," Arlo responded. "There's a very good reason for that."

The ranger, with his slicked-back yellow hair and a handsome face, snickered upon seeing Arlo's predicament and proceeded to explain it to the group.

The group concluded that since Arlo was already naked, he couldn't conceal any weapons, but they remained extremely cautious of him due to how unusual the situation was.

Arlo explained that he had suffered a head injury and eventually found himself in a goblin hideout, which he cleared out, but the injury caused him to lose his memory, and he had been trying to survive in the Crystal Room ever since.

While omitting many details, he mentioned finding a wolf cub that had been ousted from its pack, and he owed his survival to it. It turned out that the mage had cast a barrier that detects creatures and deters monsters, which explained why Buddy didn't want to enter. They were also alerted when Arlo approached their group for this reason.

The female warrior and the ranger were moved by Arlo's tale of adventure, while the mage appeared understanding, and the male warrior seemed rather indifferent.

They explained that they were here to clear this dungeon and acquire its treasures. Supposedly, if you managed to slay the guardians of the Crystal Rooms and reached the heart of the dungeon, unlimited riches awaited.

Their paladin leader and cleric wife leading their group had gone ahead to investigate the whereabouts of one of the guardians in this Crystal Room while they held their position. This was a precaution to ensure they had a safe place to retreat to in case things didn't go as planned or any mishaps occurred.

The mage, a wizened and bald old man with a grey beard starting from his sideburns and tapering to a point under his chin, patted Arlo on the back and tossed him a spare robe.

"You've been through a lot, my friend. But wear this. It's not appropriate to expose yourself to a princess, you know!" he said as he pointed towards the female warrior with his eyes.

The female warrior blushed and hushed the old man, saying, "Dicky, what are you saying to this stranger?"

Dicky, the old man, quickly added with a chuckle, "I believe you already know this young man far more intimately than any of us!"

The female warrior turned her reddened face away while the ranger continued teasing her with names like "Princess Apple" or "Inexperienced Rich Girl."

Arlo felt a peculiar sensation witnessing their cheerful interactions. A strange warmth filled his stomach, and he longed for such camaraderie.

He had been fighting for his life ever since arriving in this world. Wouldn't it be nice to be part of such a group?

"What on earth are you all doing?!" the male warrior raised his voice, abruptly ending everyone's fun. "This man claims he has tamed a Deathwalker Wolf. Have you ever seen one successfully tamed? Why are you all so quick to believe him?!"

He was visibly irritated, giving Arlo a menacing glare.

"Show us your tamed wolf, then. If we go outside and don't see your tamed pet, I'll separate your head from your shoulders to protect this group!"

Arlo's stomach churned with a mixture of anxiety and hunger. There was clear hostility towards him from this man for no apparent reason.

"Sure," he replied to the group. "Please follow me."