Extra Survival Guide to Overpowering Hero and Villain-Chapter 256: Dungeon IX
Morning came on time.
Fenric woke before the city noise started.
He checked his aura.
Still stable.
Liana was already awake.
She was tightening straps on her armor.
"Ready," she said.
"Yes," Fenric replied.
They ate a light breakfast and left the inn.
At the guild, Borin and Mira were already waiting.
Borin wore full armor.
Shield secure.
Calm stance.
Mira checked her pouches one last time.
"No changes," she said. "Same plan."
Fenric nodded.
They reviewed signals once more.
Hand signs.
Retreat calls.
Fallback points.
No one rushed.
They left Rivergate together and followed the familiar road.
The dungeon entrance looked the same.
Quiet.
Still.
Fenric raised his hand.
"Same order," he said.
Borin front.
Liana behind him.
Fenric ranged.
Mira rear.
They entered.
Upper tunnels were empty.
No movement.
No sound.
Mira placed an exit marker again.
They reached the split tunnel.
Borin slowed.
"Pressure’s steady," he said.
They took the heavy path.
The air felt heavier than before, but not dangerous.
They reached the chamber where they had stopped last time.
Fenric held up a fist.
"Pause," he said.
Mira checked the ground.
No traps triggered.
No vibrations.
"Clear," she said.
They moved forward.
The next chamber opened slowly into view.
Wider than the others.
Uneven ground.
Stone pillars.
Fenric scanned carefully.
"No immediate movement," he said.
Borin stepped in first.
Shield raised.
Liana followed.
Then Fenric.
Mira last.
The pressure increased slightly.
Not a spike.
Just constant.
Mira placed a marker near the entrance.
"Observation only," Fenric reminded.
They did not advance far.
They listened.
Watched.
Counted exits.
After a few minutes, the ground trembled faintly.
Fenric raised his hand again.
"Something deeper," he said. "Not here yet."
They waited.
The tremor stopped.
No enemies emerged.
Borin exhaled slowly.
"That’s our sign," he said.
Fenric nodded.
"We’ve seen enough."
They backed out in order.
Slow.
Controlled.
No pursuit followed.
They returned through the tunnels without incident and exited the dungeon.
Outside, everyone relaxed a little.
Mira wrote quick notes.
Borin rolled his shoulders.
Fenric looked back at the entrance.
"Next time," he said, "we prepare for what moves after the tremor."
Liana nodded.
They turned toward Rivergate.
The dungeon stayed quiet.
They walked back to Rivergate at a steady pace.
No one spoke much.
Everyone was thinking.
When the town gates came into view, Mira broke the silence.
"That tremor wasn’t random," she said. "Something large. Or coordinated."
Borin nodded. "Felt like a warning. Not an attack."
Fenric agreed. "The dungeon reacted, but held back."
They entered the city and went straight to the guild.
Fenric placed the map on the counter again.
He added the new chamber and marked the tremor point.
"Next chamber observed," he said. "No enemies present. Ground tremor from deeper area. No pursuit."
The guild staff listened closely and wrote everything down.
"This confirms a deeper threat," the clerk said. "Good choice pulling back."
After the report, the team stepped aside.
Borin removed his helmet.
"We’ll need heavier support if that thing comes up," he said.
Mira nodded. "Larger traps. Maybe delay fields."
Liana added, "And room to move. That chamber is wide but uneven."
Fenric thought for a moment.
"We don’t go in next time with just observation gear," he said. "Next run is defensive focus."
No one argued.
They agreed to rest for a day.
Then gather supplies.
Then plan again.
The group separated.
Borin went to the armory district.
Mira headed toward the supply shops.
Liana returned to training.
Fenric walked back to the inn alone.
He stored the map carefully.
Added a final note.
Deep movement confirmed. Prepare for emergence.
He closed the book.
For now, the dungeon was quiet.
But it was no longer passive.
And next time, they would be ready.
Fenric stayed at the inn for the rest of the day.
He did not train.
He did not go out.
He rested.
In the evening, Liana returned.
"Training was light," she said. "I focused on balance."
Fenric nodded. "Good. We’ll need stable footing next time."
They ate dinner quietly.
After that, Fenric reviewed their supplies.
Rations were fine.
Arrows were enough.
Rope and markers were ready.
One thing was missing.
"We need defensive tools," Fenric said. "Shock anchors. Ground pins. Maybe shields for the rear."
Liana agreed. "And signal flares. If something blocks the path."
The next morning, they met again at the guild.
Borin arrived first.
He carried a new shield.
Wider.
Heavier.
"Reinforced," he said. "Won’t break easily."
Mira arrived soon after.
She placed several items on the table.
"Delay traps," she said. "Not damage. Just slow and hold."
Fenric listened and updated the plan.
"We don’t push forward," he said. "If it emerges, we test response and fall back."
Everyone agreed.
They spent the day preparing.
Buying supplies.
Testing gear.
Rechecking signals.
No one rushed.
By evening, the plan was complete.
They would wait one more day.
Let the dungeon settle.
Then return.
Not to explore.
But to be ready if something came out.
The dungeon stayed quiet.
But the team was no longer guessing.
The next day was calm.
Fenric woke early but stayed inside.
He stretched slowly.
Checked his bow.
Did not fire.
Liana spent the morning reviewing footwork.
Small steps.
Careful turns.
They met Borin and Mira in the afternoon at the guild.
Not to plan.
Just to confirm.
"All gear ready," Borin said.
"Traps packed," Mira added. "Nothing experimental."
Fenric nodded. "Good. Tomorrow is the run."
They agreed on timing.
Early start.
No delays.
That night, Fenric slept lightly but well.
Morning came.
They met at the guild gate before sunrise.
The streets were quiet.
Everyone checked gear one last time.
"No changes," Fenric said.
They left Rivergate and walked toward the dungeon.
The road was silent.
No monsters.
No travelers.
At the dungeon entrance, Fenric stopped them.
"Same rules," he said. "If pressure spikes, we pull back." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Everyone nodded.
They entered.
Upper tunnels were empty again.
Still air.
No sound.
Mira placed the exit marker.
They moved to the heavy path.
Pressure was steady.
A little stronger than before.
They reached the wide chamber again.
Fenric raised his hand.
"Hold," he said.
They spread slightly.
Not far.
Just enough space.
Mira placed two delay traps near the entrance.
One on each side.
Borin planted his shield.
Liana stayed ready.
They waited.
The ground trembled.
Stronger this time.
Fenric felt it clearly.
"Something is moving," he said.
The tremor grew closer.
Stone dust fell from the ceiling.
Then it stopped.
Silence.
No enemy appeared.
Borin frowned. "It’s testing us."
Fenric nodded. "So are we."
They waited a little longer.
Nothing came.
"That’s enough," Fenric said.
They backed out slowly.
No panic.
No noise.
The dungeon did not react.
Outside, Mira wrote notes quickly.
"It knows we’re here," she said. "But it’s holding position."
Fenric closed the map.
"Then next time," he said, "we prepare for contact."
They turned back toward Rivergate.
The dungeon stayed silent.
