The teleportation was instantaneous.
One moment we stood in the cool shade of the Colosseum; the next, we were before a looming dungeon entrance in the heart of a blistering desert. The sun hung at its zenith, and the heat pressed down like a physical weight, threatening to sear skin on contact.
[ MISSION: THE CRYSTAL MINE ]
[ STAGE: RESOURCE COLLECTION ]
[ PEACE PERIOD: 10 MINUTES — COMBAT PROHIBITED ]
As the other nine teams squinted against the glare, I didn't waste a second. With a sharp hand signal, my team moved as one, sprinting toward the mine in perfect synchronization.
We didn't just run. We harvested.
Fifty beasts blocked the path. Fifty beasts fell before the other teams could even draw their weapons. By the time they were halfway across the sand, we had already reached the central chamber—a vast cavern lit by clusters of glowing red and blue mana crystals embedded in the walls.
"Scout the perimeters," I ordered through the telepathic link. "Pairs of two. Find the dead ends."
While the other teams flooded the center, distracted by the abundance of exposed crystals, my Elves slipped into the side tunnels like ghosts. Minutes later, confirmation arrived—exactly as my map analysis had predicted.
"Commander, all side routes are dead ends."
"Good," I replied. "Pull back to the main entrance. Seal it."
To cover their withdrawal, I unleashed a Fire Tornado. The roaring vortex surged from floor to ceiling, filling the cavern with blinding light and searing heat. It was the perfect smokescreen. Under its cover, my team vanished toward the gate—while I alone slipped into the final, deepest path.
The tunnel narrowed as I advanced.
Goblins swarmed from the shadows—weak, disorganized creatures that had no business guarding an exit. I ignored them. My focus was fixed on the chamber ahead.
It was magnificent. Crystals spilled from the walls like veins of molten light. And at its center stood the true guardian.
A Mutant Mana Spider.
Eighteen feet tall, its chitinous armor shimmered with a sickly magical glow. The moment my eyes met its many pupils, a wave of cold paralysis washed over me. My limbs stiffened. My thoughts slowed. The world collapsed into that gaze.
Someone was watching through it.
"Commander! Every entrance is empty. The other teams have begun gathering the central crystals. We are in position."
The Elves' voice cracked through the mental fog like a thunderclap. The paralysis shattered.
I dived as a massive leg slammed down where I had stood, the impact hurling me against the stone wall.
"Are you okay, General?" the link hummed.
"Just a scratch," I muttered, coughing up a trace of blood.
Pain didn't matter.
I slid beneath the spider's abdomen, my daggers carving deep, jagged rents into the joints of its legs. Its size betrayed it—its underbelly was exposed, its movements sluggish.
The beast shrieked and staggered.
I vaulted forward, flinging my daggers with pinpoint precision. They buried themselves in its primary eyes. As it thrashed blindly, I ignited the air.
"Commander, the entrance is sealed as ordered. We are guarding the gate."
"Hold it," I replied. "If anyone tries to break through, inform me. I'll handle the rest here."
---
Eron POV
I stood near the shimmering barrier of the dungeon entrance, observing Lysandria and the other leaders. Except for the Hunters, every team had agreed to a Peaceful Pact. They believed there were enough crystals for everyone—that greed alone would decide the losers.
I nodded along to Lysandria's idealistic rhetoric, my expression calm, cooperative.
My eyes stayed on the shadows.
Eight teams—the Trolls, Evolved Goblins, Oni, Vampires, and others—were quietly searching for an exit.
"The Hunter team is blocking the paths," I said gently. "But I have a solution. One that avoids unnecessary bloodshed."
All eyes turned to me. Hope flickered across desperate faces.
"How?" someone asked.
"My teammate, Luna, is hidden beyond the dunes," I lied smoothly. "He can use summoning magic to extract you safely."
A pause.
"But," I continued, "there is a cost. Ten percent of your mined crystals. Consider it a tax—for survival."
They hesitated. Memories of the previous round surfaced—the slaughter, the name Shadow Slave whispered like a curse. One by one, the Oni, Trolls, and Goblins stepped forward, surrendering their bags.
I glanced at the sealed entrance.
I knew the Shadow Slave. He hadn't even pushed his limits yet.
Elara had told me about the morning incident—how an A-Rank soul had manifested to protect her, shackling itself to his ankle. As a Forest Spirit, she attracted such anomalies. That soul was now a hidden variable… one working in our favor.
We exited early using "summoning," our loot secured, the mission timer ticking away.
Before leaving, I looked back at the stone walls of the mine.
I hoped the five teams still inside would kill him. Removing him would make the finale far simpler.
But knowing him…
He had likely turned that mine into a tomb long before he ever stepped inside.