Chimaera's Conquest: The Legend Of The Devourer
Chapter 111: [Weekly Bonus - 2/2] Jungle Safari (2)

Chapter 111: [Weekly Bonus Chapter 2/2] Jungle Safari (2)

Later that night...

"So let me get this straight," Clara asked the rest of the team. "That old man wants us to clear a dungeon that hasn’t been read or mapped?"

Vincent nodded. Even he knew it was a ridiculous ’request’, but they had no other choice. If they wanted to return to Nexaria, they had to have the Banur’s Chieftain head with them, or else it’d only give the Ravens more ammo to tarnish their reputation.

"But going inside a dungeon without a reading could be dangerous!" Clara retorted, not believing her teammates were foolish enough to agree to their terms.

Since Clara had acquired food poisoning earlier in the day, she didn’t accompany the rest of the team to their meeting with Skaha. Now, the heroes were getting her up to speed while they awaited the tribals who would be accompanying them to the dungeon.

As Clara complained, Vincent took a deep breath before staring into the massive bonfire before them. He knew everyone felt the same about Skaha’s request.

All of them had the right to be concerned. Uncharted dungeons were known for their unpredictable traps, vicious creatures, and treacherous terrain. It was a risk they couldn’t afford to take lightly.

Usually, an exploration squad would be sent inside to scout the map as much as possible. Then, another team would be deployed to get the dungeon’s reading and rank it based on the danger level.

Once both data were at hand, the heroes would begin planning strategies to deal with the dungeon. However, this time, the heroes would have to do it all in one go without any prior intel.

’I can smell the old man’s intention from a mile away,’ Vincent thought. ’The bastard is treating us like unpaid labourers.’

Moreover, he wasn’t a fool not to notice what the old Chieftain was planning. There was no need for them to prove anything to anyone. But the tribe was taking advantage of their situation and doing as they pleased with them.

’It’s not like we can contact the Church to sort this mess out,’ Vincent sighed, flexing his neck. ’We were told to obey their demands due to the Church’s frail relationship with the tribe, but this is too much even for us.’

"It’s not like we can decline their request," Amelia chimed in as if reading Vincent’s mind. "Our hands are tied, so we must do it and get this over with."

Everyone nodded, but it was easier said than done. They were in unknown territory with strangers all around them. The only ones they could trust were each other and no one else, and going on a quest with people one can’t trust often ended in disaster.

As such, a full-scale expedition was impossible. The heroes would have to take the risk and enter the dungeon, or ’Cave’, as the tribals called them.

While the heroes were in a bad mood, three tribals showed up, each with a giant direwolf trailing behind them. One of them was pristine white, while the other two were a shade of cerulean blue.

***

Earlier in the day...

Adrian was busy training Fenris in the enclosure when Skaha approached him along with two young riders in toe. While the two were young, they were more experienced riders than ’Milka’ and, by extension, Adrian.

"Do you have a minute to spare, boy?" Skaha asked, and Adrian nodded.

Fenris growled when the riders also stepped forward along with Skaha. But she stopped when Adrian waved his hand in a downward motion, instructing the beast to sit quietly.

"She’s grown obedient in three days, huh?" Skaha smiled, patting Fenris on the head, but she didn’t like it and shook his hand off. "Hm... she’s feisty as well."

Adrian smiled before scratching her ears. While Fenris heard his commands, even he couldn’t instruct her to allow someone other than himself in her private space. In other words, only Adrian was allowed to pet her, no one else.

Ignoring the beast, Skaha turned serious as he turned to Adrian, "I hope you’re aware of the outsiders visiting us? You know the ones who call themselves the ’heroes’?"

Adrian nodded. How could he forget about them? After all, they were a significant part of his plan to ruin the Tulkas.

"Well, they want to clear a cave in our settlement’s vicinity right about here," Skaha said, spreading a map on the ground and jabbing his finger at a spot marked with a cross.

Adrian noticed the mark was within the Tulka’s area of the Forbidden Forest. In other words, it was a dangerous place for anyone to visit, let alone clear a ’cave’.

"Since most of the riders are busy elsewhere, I want you and these two to lead the outsiders to the cave," Skaha commented, wrapping up the map and handing it to Adrian. "If possible, you could also assist them with their task. But only if you want to."

Adrian couldn’t help but chuckle at Skaha’s poor act. He knew the old man had planned something malicious, and that’s why he was acting friendly and giddy.

Then Adrian’s mind went back to all the heroes the tribe had enslaved and thought maybe that was how the tribe did things.

’Lure innocent targets, wear them out, then strike when they’re vulnerable and unable to fight back,’ Adrian thought. ’I can’t deny it might do the trick, even if one’s targets were the mighty heroes.’

Just getting to the dungeon would be challenging and roughly take a day and a half to reach, and once inside, clearing it won’t be a walk in the park either.

The Heroes would get tired as they’d do most of the heavy lifting inside the dungeon, and Adrian wondered if Skaha would set traps around the dungeon to capture the weakened heroes.

’Might as well join them and see things through,’ Adrian smiled as he accepted the map from Skaha’s hand.

***

Back in the present...

"We’re the ones assigned to help you," the girl on the left informed the heroes with a bright smile.

"A pleasure to meet you," Vincent replied, shaking hands with them.

As the group mingled with the tribals, Amelia and Sophia couldn’t help but notice a man petting a white direwolf nearby. He seemed unfamiliar, yet something about him made them feel strangely connected. Moreover, his demeanour indicated he recognised them; why else would he actively avoid their gaze?