Chapter 58: Crimson Bat Hollow [1]

We continued to walk in silence. A few minutes passed, but Alice still hadn’t found any more snow rabbits.

“That’s strange,” she muttered, crouching beside a patch of snow that looked faintly disturbed. “There were plenty of signs earlier, but now it’s like they just… disappeared.”

I knelt beside her, squinting as if I could see what she did. To me, it looked like nothing more than snow and maybe a dent or two. But Alice? She clearly saw something—or rather, the lack of it.

“Could something have scared them off?” I asked, casting a glance around the forest.

“Maybe,” she replied, though her tone suggested she wasn’t convinced. “But I don’t hear anything. No predators. No birds, no rustling branches. It’s too quiet.”

She rose to her feet, scanning the treeline with sharp eyes.

Too quiet.

She was right. Even the wind had stilled. No birds chirped, no insects buzzed. Just the soft crunch of our boots against the snow and the faint sound of our breathing.

“You sure this is safe?” she asked, her eyes narrowing as they flicked in my direction.

I gave her a calm smile. “Pretty sure, yeah.”

She didn’t look impressed.

“What—”

“My lady, look! There’s a cave over there.”

I cut her off, pointing toward a snow-covered mound partially hidden behind a line of fir trees.

She frowned, probably annoyed I interrupted her, but turned toward where I was pointing.

A small cave entrance, half-buried in snow and shaded by overgrowth, sat nestled between two boulders.

That was it—the dungeon.

I recognized it immediately.

There had been a post about it in the forums. Something like, ’If you’re headed north, don’t skip this hidden gem.’

I quickened my pace. This was our real destination.

As Alice approached, I brushed away some snow to reveal more of the entrance.

“A cave?” she asked.

“Not sure,” I replied, feigning a hint of curiosity. “But maybe this explains why there aren’t any snow rabbits around.”

“Possibly. Reminds me of that monster nest last time.”

She gave me a side glance, suspicion flickering in her eyes.

“You’re surprisingly good at finding places like this. First the Snow Lion Cave, now this?”

“I’m from the west,” I said, shrugging. “Places like this—old hideouts, buried mines, abandoned tunnels—they’re all over the region. I got used to spotting them.”

“Do they really send kids to explore stuff like that?” she asked, brow raised.

“Uh… not exactly. I just liked tagging along,” I muttered.

’Sorry, Dad. That probably made the west sound like a place that sends children into criminal dens.’

She let the suspicion go—at least for now.

“Alright,” she said. “Let’s check it out.”

Her curiosity was starting to override her doubt.

A secret cave, monsters to hunt—it was the kind of thing that got her blood pumping.

Her stance shifted slightly. More alert. Tense, but eager.

“Do we have torches?” she asked.

“Of course,” I said, pulling a couple from my pack. “Wouldn’t come out here without them.”

“Good. Looks pitch black in there, so let’s keep the light steady.”

I almost felt bad for getting her excited.

This dungeon wasn’t particularly difficult.

Despite the game’s reputation for brutal difficulty spikes, this place was more like a calm spot between storms. A breather.

Of course, it still had its dangers—but nothing Alice couldn’t handle.

As we stepped inside, a gentle pulse ran through the air. My interface flickered briefly, and a message appeared at the top of my vision:

[You’ve entered the Crimson Bat Hollow.]

[This icy underground cave has become home to monsters perfectly adapted to the northern climate. Hunt them down, and uncover the hidden rewards buried within.]

The system prompt faded, leaving behind a slight hum in my ears.

Yep. This was the place.

A hidden dungeon tucked beneath the snow, famous for its cozy difficulty and decent loot.

The vampire bats inside weren’t exactly pushovers, but they were far from a real threat—especially when you had someone like Alice by your side.

The moment we stepped inside, the temperature dropped even further.

Cold air clung to my skin, and the torch in my hand flickered slightly as the flame adjusted to the still, damp air of the cave.

The walls were rough stone, some parts slick with frost, others covered in thin layers of moss.

Alice walked a step ahead, her hand resting near the hilt of her sword.

Her eyes scanned every crevice, every shadow. The soft glow of the torch painted her face in warm hues, contrasting with the coldness surrounding us.

“Looks deeper than I expected,” she said, her voice low but calm.

“Yeah. And the ground’s sloped,” I replied, pointing at the slight incline beneath our feet. “Watch your step.”

As we descended deeper into the cave, faint sounds began to echo from further inside. A distant flutter—wings.

Alice came to a stop and raised a hand.

“You hear that?” she whispered.

I nodded. “Yeah. That’s them.”

The vampire bats.

Not your average bloodsuckers.

These were mana-infused cave dwellers with sharp instincts and faster-than-normal flight patterns. Not particularly deadly—unless you were careless.

The tunnel eventually opened into a wide chamber, its ceiling high enough that the torchlight didn’t reach it.

Stalactites hung from above like jagged fangs, dripping water that echoed with every drop.

And then we saw them.

Dozens of glowing red eyes blinked open in the dark.

Skrrrrrreeeech—!!!!

A sudden screech pierced the silence, followed by a wave of fluttering wings as the bats stirred.

“Here they come!” Alice shouted, already drawing her blade.

She didn’t hesitate. With a sharp swing, she slashed through the first group that swooped down at us.

I stepped back, torch in one hand, dagger in the other—not because I planned on fighting much, but just in case. My role here wasn’t combat. It was to observe, guide, and if needed, support.

Alice was already in motion—graceful, precise.

Each swing of her sword was controlled, practiced. She didn’t waste a single movement. The bats came at her in waves, but she cut through them like a whirlwind.

One bat managed to slip past her guard and dive toward me.

I flinched and swung my dagger, catching it just enough to knock it off course.

It hissed, veering into the wall before crashing to the floor.

“Nice reflex,” Alice called without looking, too focused on her next target.

“Thanks. Just don’t let them all come to me, okay?” I muttered, shifting closer to her.

It didn’t take long. Within minutes, the chamber quieted. The screeching stopped, and the last few bats retreated into the deeper shadows.

Alice exhaled, rolling her shoulders.

“Not bad,” she said. “They’re faster than I thought.”

I nodded. “Still, you handled it well.”

She glanced around. “Think that’s all of them?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. This is just the first chamber. There are more ahead.”

Alice grinned. “Good. I was hoping it wouldn’t end that quickly.”

Of course she was.

For her, this was fun.

—

Thank you for reading the Chapter. I hope you continue to do read more in future.

It’s my second novel so if there’s any kind of mistakes you find in the novel related to grammar please tell me and I’ll edit it as soon as possible.

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