Chapter 106: Hope in Silence (1)

After a long, grueling battle, the hunters managed to survive for yet another day.

But it was only a single clash… in an endless war.

For ever since they reached the deeper regions of Old Ashvarn,

they had been thrown into battle after battle without pause.

They had held their ground …

somehow emerging victorious from dozens of deadly encounters,

thanks to the strength of the First Squad

and the aid of the strongest survivors from the scattered units.

Yet despite their continuous victories,

the morale within the hunters’ camp was far from stable.

They were beginning to understand …

at last—the true nature of the legacy dungeon

they had stepped into.

From the corners of the streets…

from the depths of the buildings…

the deeper they went,

the stronger the monsters became.

And so, doubt began to take root—

had they misjudged the danger of Old Ashvarn?

Were their current forces truly enough

to cleanse a place like this?

Deep within the city,

the surviving hunters established their camp

inside a heavily fortified building.

And naturally …

the First Squad took command.

As the strongest among them,

they truly lived up to their title.

Their leader, Gustave Heart,

was a seasoned knight who had reached the Elite stage.

He relied on sheer brute force ..

wielding a massive greatsword

so heavy that none but him could even lift it.

Beyond Gustave,

there were two other knights.

One was a sharp-featured young man

with a lean, assassin-like build …

his name was Andrew Heart.

A knight who relied on speed,

fighting with a light blade …

striking from blind spots

and eliminating enemies with precision.

Andrew was in charge of surveillance within the camp,

his sharp instincts and quick reflexes making him perfect for the role.

The other knight stood in stark contrast—

a towering man nearly as large as Raiden,

clad in heavy armor and wielding a greatsword similar to Gustave’s.

He was known as Henry the Big …

thick-headed, perhaps,

but utterly reliable in battle.

He rarely strayed far from Gustave’s side.

The First Squad also included mages

and highly skilled archers.

Two of them were women …

Esther Heart, a mage,

and Asha, a sniper.

Both had reached the Advanced stage.

Alongside them stood another mage—

a dull-faced, pessimistic man

whose demeanor resembled Alicia’s.

Graham Heart …

nicknamed the cowardly mage.

These six formed the core of the First Squad…

the ones who had led every battle so far.

They were later joined by Moon Heart,

the wielder of the Phoenix Blessing from the Third Squad,

as well as her younger sister, Luna Heart …

a temporary member of the same unit.

In addition, several hunters from other squads—

the Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh …

had also gathered under their banner.

They were strong …

but exhaustion was beginning to show.

After an entire month of fighting and advancing,

they were nearing their limits.

Especially after many had disappeared …

abducted by the monsters

that carried those cursed sacks.

Hunters were vanishing.

And death…

was no longer the worst possible outcome.

The psychological strain this created …

on top of their physical fatigue …

only made their situation worse.

Inside the worn-down camp

that had become their refuge …

Moon Heart rested with her back against a wall,

her eyes closed,

her beloved sword held close to her chest.

Her once radiant armor

was now marred with cracks and scratches…

evidence of prolonged combat at the frontlines.

Though her body bore no wounds—

thanks to the healing power of the Phoenix—

she too was drained.

She wasn’t truly asleep …

but in a half-conscious state she had forced herself to learn,

so she could remain alert

to any danger…

or anyone approaching her.

And that caution proved effective.

The moment someone entered the room .

her fiery eyes snapped open.

Before her stood one of the few hunters with black hair …

her younger sister, Luna.

The moment their eyes met,

Luna quickly apologized.

“Sorry… did I wake you?”

Moon shook her head gently.

“No… I was just resting my eyes.”

She rose slowly,

then sat beside her sister at the center of the room.

“Let’s eat together.”

“I brought some food.”

Luna carried two plates …

each holding pieces of meat she had done her best to cook

and prepare to resemble something edible.

But monster flesh was difficult to disguise …

especially that lingering, heavy scent

that never truly faded.

After a full month trapped in the city,

their supplies had nearly run out.

They now survived on the meat of mutated beasts—

avoiding, as much as possible,

the flesh of transformed humans.

Moon ate without hesitation …

without complaint.

The meat was tough, difficult to chew …

and yet…

she found herself surprised by its taste.

“What is it?

Does it taste bad?” Luna asked, tilting her head,

immediately noticing her reaction.

Moon shook her head at once,

lifting a spoonful of the hardened meat.

“Quite the opposite…”

“I’m surprised you managed to make it taste like this.”

“It almost feels like real food.”

“Really?…” Luna blinked.

“All I did was use the few spices I brought…

and some herbs I found along the way.”

Watching her list the ingredients,

Moon smiled softly as she continued eating.

“Looks like magic isn’t your only talent.”

“You’re exaggerating…”

Luna let out a quiet laugh,

then began eating as well.

The two spent their meal in silence—

a silence that stretched for several minutes,

as each became lost in her own thoughts.

Their tired eyes

rested on the tiled floor beneath them.

And soon—

the younger sister broke the silence.

“…Do you think they’re alright?”

“The others… the ones who were taken?”

“They’re strong… they won’t die so easily.”

Moon replied, clinging to hope …

even though every sign pointed to the opposite.

They were her comrades…

her precious squad members.

Raiden, Chai… and Alicia.

And then there was the fourth ..

the one she hadn’t heard a single word about

since they entered the old city.

She didn’t know whether he was alive …

or if he had died somewhere far away,

unknown to anyone…

just like so many others.

“I need to speak with the First Squad’s leader.”

Moon said firmly.

“Because I don’t believe we can clear this dungeon

with our current forces.”

Luna nodded, agreeing completely.

“We entered this city assuming

the final boss would be King-level at worst…”

“If it were a King, defeating it would require

Elite Knight Gustave …

and at least fifteen Advanced-stage fighters beside him.”

Even with those numbers,

victory would be hard-earned …

and likely paid for

with many lives.

But the deeper they went,

the more the challenges escalated …

and Moon and Luna had come to believe

that the final enemy

might be far stronger than they had anticipated.

The monsters in the depths …

many had already surpassed the Advanced stage,

reaching the Elite level …

forcing three hunters to cooperate

just to bring one down.

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