The wall behind us sealed with a grinding finality, and the certainty that we committed ourselves to something irreversible was clear. The last glimpse of the monastery vanished, leaving us entombed in the dungeon's embrace.
Hellene gave her staff a little shake, and the crystal at its tip flared to life, casting a blue-white glow that revealed a cavern-like tunnel stretching ahead of us. Water trickled down the walls, creating silvery rivulets that caught the light.
Eva dropped her backpack to the ground with a solid thud, the sound echoing through the chamber. "This will be our first point for supplies before we reach second point," she announced, adjusting her bow.
Duncan and Hellene nodded in understanding, but I found myself frowning in confusion.
"What do you mean by 'second point'?" I asked, the term unfamiliar to me despite my years of dungeon diving.
Eva arched a single eyebrow at me, her expression a mixture of surprise and barely concealed disdain. "You can't seriously be asking that," she said, crossing her arms. When my confused expression didn't change, she sighed heavily.
"The backpack with days' worth of supplies can't just be carried around because it could interfere with fighting," she explained, speaking slowly as if addressing a child. "So specific 'points' are found in the dungeon to leave the supplies. A point is basically a room where, based on lack of monster tracks and room design, appears to be a safe place to leave supplies and rest at."
She gestured to her pack against the wall. "When a second point is found, we'll come back to the backpacks and place them at the determined second point."
Duncan nodded, his red hair catching the blue light from Hellene's staff. "This concept is taught to all adventurers who dungeon dive," he said, then added with an innocence that felt just a little too deliberate, "What tactic did the Heroes Party use?"
Heat crawled up my neck as three pairs of eyes fixed on me. "We, uh... The Inventory Boxes never made carrying supplies an issue," I admitted. "And if we did spend nights in a dungeon, we just chose whatever place appeared convenient and set up watches."
Eva's face darkened into a scowl as she opened her mouth, but Hellene cut her off before she could speak.
"I'll take my backpack with me since it's magically light," the half-elf said, tapping her staff against the stone floor with a sharp crack that echoed through the chamber. "The rest of you can leave yours here."
Duncan nodded eagerly, dropping his pack beside Eva's. "Will, you should scout ahead with Eva," he suggested, clearly trying to move things along. "Hellene and I will organize the supplies here."
Eva was already pulling several vials from her backpack and stuffing them into the pouch at her waist. "Let's go," she said to me, not bothering to wait for my response as she headed down the tunnel.
I hurried after Eva, my footfalls instinctively light against the damp stone floor. Years of scouting had trained my body to move silently even when I wasn't actively trying. Eva moved with a similar grace, her steps making barely a whisper against the ground.
The blue glow from Hellene's staff grew dimmer behind us as we ventured deeper into the tunnel. Soon, we were enveloped in near-total darkness, the only illumination coming from faint phosphorescent moss clinging to the walls in patches.
"I have the Nightvision ability," Eva said before I could even ask, her voice low and matter-of-fact.
"So do I," I replied, the dungeon coming into focus as my eyes adjusted. The walls glistened with moisture, and intricate patterns of minerals traced veins through the rock like frozen lightning.
I briefly considered asking Eva to show me all her abilities in the Party System—it would be helpful to know exactly what she could do before we faced any threats. I'd show her mine in return, of course. But I quickly abandoned the idea. I didn't know her nearly as well as Duncan or Hellene, and something in my gut told me she'd refuse the request outright. Better not to start our working relationship with rejection.
Suddenly, my Wisdom-enhanced intuition tingled—a sixth sense I now trusted as much as my own eyes. I extended my arm, stopping Eva in her tracks.
"Three monsters," I whispered, "about fifty feet ahead."
Eva didn't question me or ask how I knew. She simply nodded once, her face betraying no surprise. In an instant, she seemed to fade from view, her form blurring and then disappearing almost completely. I recognized the ability immediately—it was identical to my Darken Stealth.
I activated my own stealth ability and followed her, my form similarly vanishing into the shadows. Together we crept forward, moving as silently as ghosts through the damp tunnel.
The passage widened, opening into a major intersection where five different tunnels converged like spokes on a wheel. I immediately used Scan on the hulking figures standing near the center of the junction.
[Scan Results] Monster: Shark-Man Race: Aqua-creature Level: 37 Stats: Str 18, Con 14, Dex 14, Wis 10, Int 10 HP: 245/245 MP: 55/55
My heart plummeted as I took in their appearance. They had the muscular bodies of humans but with shark heads—complete with rows of razor-sharp teeth and cold, black eyes. Their pale blue skin was crisscrossed with battle scars, telling stories of countless victorious fights.
But it was their equipment that truly made my blood run cold. In a normal Two Sigil or even Three Sigil dungeon, monsters typically carried ordinary weapons and armor. These Shark-Men, however, wore chainmail that glowed with magical protection, the enchanted metal shimmering with power. Large loincloths with leather belts were worn below. Each wielded a steel trident covered in magical runes that pulsed with an ominous blue light.
Their levels alone would have made them deadly opponents, but the magic weapons and armor elevated them to a threat level I wasn't sure we could handle. One, maybe. But our party had terrible chances against three in an all out fight. Technically I was one level above them, but a lot of my class build wasn’t combat oriented. And everyone else was between level 31 to level 35.
Eva and I pressed against the damp wall, perfectly still as we watched the Shark-Men interact. For half an hour, we observed them in silence as they occasionally growled guttural sounds to each other—a language I couldn't begin to comprehend. They practiced battle moves with their tridents, demonstrating frightening precision as they lunged and parried in mock combat.
I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my spine despite the dungeon's chill. Each movement they made showed the practiced skill of experienced warriors, not mindless monsters. Their tridents glowed brighter when they struck at the air, suggesting some kind of magical activation upon impact.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of waiting, the three Shark-Men turned and headed down one of the other tunnels. I held my position until my Wisdom-enhanced intuition could no longer track them when they stepped out of range. At best guess, my range was currently fifty feet to sense something. Hopefully it would improve with using it constantly.
"Clear," I whispered, letting my Darken Stealth fade away. My body reappeared gradually, like a ghost becoming solid.
Eva nodded and deactivated her stealth as well. She reached into her pouch and pulled out a small vial filled with yellowish liquid. Uncorking it, she sprinkled most of the contents onto the muddy ground where the tunnel entrance met the junction.
I gave her a questioning look, curious about what she was doing.
"Skunk essence oil," she explained, carefully recorking what little remained in the vial. "It'll keep most creatures from coming this way."
"I don't smell anything," I said, sniffing cautiously.
"It's diluted," Eva replied, returning the vial to her pouch. "Only monsters with their heightened sense of smell can detect it. It's just strong enough to make them decide not to go down this tunnel as long as nothing else stirs their curiosity."
I frowned, considering the potential flaw in her plan. "Won't the smell itself make the monsters suspicious?"
Eva shook her head, a gesture I could only see due to Nightvision. "Most monsters aren't that smart. They'll just avoid an unpleasant smell if they have other options."
I couldn't really argue with her logic, so I simply nodded. It was a clever tactic—one I never considered using when scouting for the Heroes Party.
Eva turned away from me, reaching into one of her larger pouches. When she faced me again, she was holding something that made my breath catch. A beautiful dagger rested in her palm, its hilt wrapped in crimson silk fluttering as if alive. The sheath was equally stunning, decorated with blood-red flowers painted with such skill they almost looked real.
Without thinking, I activated Scan.
[Scan Results] [Item: Blood Thirst, Type- dagger, Legendary, Passive Power-Life Drain-50% of damage dealt is converted to HP for the wielder. Increases chances of Critical Hit by 15%]
I couldn't tear my eyes away from the legendary weapon. An actual legendary item that could drain life from enemies and heal its wielder.
Eva smirked at my expression. "Don't look so shocked. I did say before I was going to get you a new dagger."
I reached out tentatively, my fingers hovering over the weapon before finally grasping it. The hilt seemed to warm to my touch instantly.
"This is too generous," I said, still staring at the beautiful weapon in my hand. The weight of it was perfect—balanced exactly for someone with my build and fighting style.
Eva shrugged awkwardly, her eyes darting away from mine. "Think of it as a form of apology."
"Apology?" I repeated, confusion replacing my awe.
She sighed, crossing her arms. "I thought the reason you never contacted the Thieves Guild was because you thought you were too good for us." Her jaw tightened. "That's the lie Jesse spread around the guild, anyway. I should have done my own research instead of trusting what she said."
The revelation hit me harder than I expected. All this time, the Thieves Guild had thought I was some arrogant Hero who considered them beneath my notice, when in reality, Andy had forbidden me from making contact with them. Another way he'd isolated me, kept me dependent on the Heroes Party alone.
"There's no need for an apology," I assured her, still holding the dagger with reverence. "If the guild wants it back after the Five Sigil Dungeon run, I'll return it."
Eva shook her head firmly, her expression brooking no argument. "It's yours now."
She turned away, facing back toward our tunnel. "By the way, did you notice the mistake you made walking here?"
I tilted my head, puzzled by the sudden change in topic. Eva pointed at the floor, and I followed her gaze. That's when I saw it. While the floor was covered in mud and stone, Eva had gone out of her way to leave as few footprints as possible, carefully placing her feet on the drier, rockier patches. Meanwhile, I had left obvious human footprints through the mud, clear as day to anyone—or anything—that might follow our trail.
It wasn't that she had used some special ability; she had simply been more careful about where she stepped.
"If those Shark-Men decide to patrol this way despite the skunk essence," Eva explained, "they'll know immediately that humans passed through here. They might even be able to count exactly how many of us there are from the tracks."
I felt a flush of embarrassment creep up my cheeks. What she said was common sense—something I should have known after years of dungeon diving.
"Did you ever get a teacher to properly teach you scouting methods in a dungeon?" Eva asked, her tone more curious than mocking. I quickly shook my head as old memories came to the forefront.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"Andy insisted we didn’t have time to do anything but hunt for dungeons," I admitted. "I wanted to get a more formal education on being a scout, but he never gave me the time to get it. So what I learned is mostly by trial and error."
The only one allowed to get training was Ellane who found Hellene. It was purely selfish reasons though why it was allowed- being taught to craft by an expert meant better equipment for the Heroes Party.
Eva nodded as if this confirmed something she'd suspected. "When you move through mud, always step on stones or roots when possible," she explained, demonstrating by placing her foot carefully on a small rock. "If you must step in mud, keep your weight on the ball of your foot and avoid sliding. Less pressure, smaller print."
I watched her movements, memorizing the technique. It was strange having someone actually teach me scouting skills rather than expecting me to know them already.
"Like this?" I asked, mimicking her careful step.
Eva nodded. "Better. Also, always check for hanging vines or moss. Brushing against them is like putting up a sign saying 'someone came through here.'"
I watched with rapt attention as Eva continued to demonstrate the proper way to navigate through the dungeon terrain. The way she pointed out small details I'd never considered—how to step on uneven surfaces, where to place my hands when climbing, even how to breathe more quietly when stationary—was like opening a book I should have read years ago.
"When tracking monsters, look for more than just footprints," she explained, gesturing to the wall. "Many dungeon creatures mark territory with claw marks or secretions. Knowing these signs can help you avoid ambushes."
A slight smile formed on my lips as I listened. All these years, I'd been fumbling through the basics of scouting, relying on my natural abilities and whatever I could figure out on my own. The Heroes Party had never bothered to let me get outside help to learn properly—they'd just expected results. I was finally getting a glimpse of the education I could have received years ago.
"You're good at this," I said quietly. "Teaching, I mean."
Eva paused, looking momentarily caught off guard by the compliment. "I had a good teacher myself," she replied after a brief hesitation. Something in her tone suggested she didn't want to elaborate further.
We made our way back to the entrance chamber where Duncan and Hellene waited. The blue glow from Hellene's staff illuminated their faces as they looked up expectantly.
"What did you find?" Duncan asked, standing from where he'd been organizing supplies.
"Shark-Men, just as we expected," I replied, leaning against the damp wall. "Three of them patrolling together at an intersection about a hundred feet feet ahead. Level 37 warriors with enchanted weapons and armor."
Hellene's eyebrows shot up. "That's significantly higher than most dungeon monsters."
“And that’s why Four Sigil Dungeons give such great awards. Big risks for big gains,” Duncan said grimly.
"They're coordinated too," I added. "Moving and fighting as a unit. At best, we could only deal with them one at a time given their strength."
I felt a familiar frustration building in my chest as I considered our limited options. The information we had about this dungeon was lacking. The Silver Sword adventurer who had become a monk at Sunveil Monastery only shared some limited details about the dungeon- how to use the altar to open the dungeon, that there were Shark-Men inside, and that one of his companions had drowned during their expedition.
No details about the layout, the number of monsters, or potential traps—just vague warnings and the story about a gold fish being eaten.
"I have an idea of how to lure one Shark-Man away from the others," Eva said suddenly. With that, she went to her backpack and began rummaging through it, eventually pulling out several slabs of meat wrapped in cloth.
***
I crouched beside Eva at the tunnel intersection, my body tense with anticipation. The faint sound of guttural growls echoed from one of the passages, growing steadily louder. I made a quick hand gesture to Eva—three fingers raised, then pointed toward the approaching sounds. She nodded, understanding immediately.
[Skill activated: Darken Stealth]
The world around me shifted slightly as my form melted into the shadows. Beside me, Eva activated her own stealth ability, disappearing from view. Even with my enhanced vision, I could barely detect the slight distortion in the air where she stood.
The growls grew louder, accompanied by the rhythmic clank of metal against stone. Then they appeared—three massive Shark-Men lumbering into the intersection, their tridents gleaming with magical energy. They moved with surprising grace for creatures of their size, their muscular blue bodies flexing with each step.
Suddenly, all three stopped in their tracks. Their shark heads tilted upward in perfect unison, nostrils flaring as they sampled the air. A series of excited growls passed between them, their black eyes gleaming with hunger. Without hesitation, they turned as one and charged down the passage where we'd hung the meat.
I followed silently, Eva's barely visible form gliding ahead of me. The tunnel curved slightly, making it easy to spy from behind cover. Thirty feet in, just as we'd planned, two large slabs of bloody meat hung suspended from the cavern ceiling, dangling from ropes tied to stalactites.
The Shark-Men lunged forward, the first two reaching the meat simultaneously. They snatched the dripping slabs with startling speed, immediately tearing into them with their razor-sharp teeth. The third Shark-Man, left without a prize, let out a furious growl that echoed through the tunnel, its frustration palpable as it watched its companions feast.
My heart pounded as I accessed my Inventory Box with a thought, materializing another slab of bloody meat in my hand. Still hidden by my stealth ability, I waved it in the air, letting the scent waft toward the hungry Shark-Man.
Its head snapped toward me, nostrils flaring wildly. I passed the meat to Eva, who took it and moved like liquid shadow down the tunnel where Duncan and Hellene waited in ambush. The Shark-Man's gaze followed the scent, its hunger overriding caution.
I slipped sideways into another passage as the creature charged past, its focus entirely on the bloody meal and not the human who had held it. The moment it disappeared from sight, I pulled yet another slab of meat from my Inventory Box and hurled it down a different tunnel—insurance against the other two joining the hunt.
With practiced speed, I drew Blood Thirst from its sheath, the blade not even making a whisper as it was pulled out. The dagger felt reassuring in my hand as I followed the Shark-Man's trail, leaving no tracks as Eva had taught me earlier.
I raced down the passage, following the sound of growls and combat. Rounding the corner, I reached the others just as Duncan launched into action. His body blurred as he activated Vanguard Thrust, charging forward with impossible speed. His sword gleamed in the dim light as he aimed precisely for the Shark-Man's unprotected thigh, avoiding the magical chainmail entirely.
The blade sank deep into blue flesh. Dark blood sprayed from the wound as the Shark-Man let out a deafening roar that reverberated through the tunnel. Its massive form pivoted with surprising agility, the enchanted trident already swinging downward toward Duncan's head.
I saw a faint shimmer in the air as the trident connected—Hellene's Force Mantle spell providing that critical extra layer of protection around Duncan. My heart hammered against my ribs as cracks spiderwebbed through the invisible barrier. The sound of shattering glass filled the chamber as the magical shield collapsed completely, destroyed by a single blow from that runed weapon.
From the shadows, I spotted Eva nocking arrows in rapid succession, each shot aimed at the Shark-Man's head. Most bounced harmlessly off its thick hide, but she kept firing with mechanical precision.
I didn't have time to watch her next shot. This was my moment. I sprinted forward, Blood Thirst ready in my hand as I positioned myself behind the distracted monster. With my hook hand, I grabbed the bottom edge of its chainmail and yanked upward, exposing vulnerable flesh beneath.
As Opportunity Killer Initial Strike Bonus took effect, I could see the edge of the dagger become sharper as I drove Blood Thirst deep into the creature's back. The blade slid in with surprising ease, as if I was cutting jello. Immediately, I felt a strange warmth flow up my arm—the weapon's life-draining power at work.
The Shark-Man's reaction wasn't the typical roar I'd expected. Instead, it let out a high-pitched scream that sounded almost human, the sound so jarring it sent shivers down my spine. It whirled partially around, its free arm sweeping backward in a powerful arc meant to crush me.
I ducked and dived away, the movement practiced from countless similar encounters. The massive arm whooshed overhead, disturbing the air where I'd stood a moment before.
Duncan's voice boomed through the chamber, unnaturally deep and resonant as he activated Daring Challenge. "FACE ME, CREATURE OF THE DEEP!" The bellow echoed off the walls, sounding more like a demon than a human.
I couldn’t help but wince, praying the sound didn’t echo far out enough down the tunnel so the other Shark-Men could hear.
The Shark-Man's head snapped toward Duncan, its black eyes fixing on him with singular focus—exactly as the ability was designed to work. It was now magically compelled to prioritize Duncan over any other target.
At the same time, Hellene raised her staff, its crystal tip flaring brightly as she chanted with soft words of a language I couldn’t understand. Brilliant blue light erupted from her hand, coalescing into glowing chains that shot toward the Shark-Man, wrapping around its arms and legs in a complex web of magical bindings.
For a heartbeat, the creature stood immobilized, its massive frame straining against the ethereal restraints. I allowed myself a moment of hope—perhaps we could end this quickly after all.
That hope died instantly when the Shark-Man gave a single, casual shake of its body. The blue mana chains shattered like glass, falling away in glittering fragments that dissipated before touching the ground. It was as if the monster had merely shrugged off dust from its shoulders rather than a binding spell.
"By the System," I heard Hellene mutter in disbelief.
A whistling sound cut through the air as Eva loosed another arrow from the shadows. Unlike her previous shots which had bounced harmlessly off the creature's hide and armor, this one found a vulnerable spot—embedding itself deep in the Shark-Man's throat. Dark blood pulsed around the shaft, and a gurgling growl escaped the monster's jaws.
Duncan seized the opportunity, raising his sword for a powerful downward slash that would have struck the Shark-Man right at his triangular face—but the creature moved with a speed that belied its massive frame.
With a deft twist of its wrist, the Shark-Man thrust its trident upward, catching Duncan's blade between its prongs. Before any of us could react, it executed a brutal twisting motion. The sickening screech of metal against metal filled the chamber as Duncan's sword was wrenched from his grip, flying through the air to clatter against the far wall.
I didn't hesitate. While the monster was occupied with disarming Duncan, I darted forward, once again using my hook to lift the chainmail. This time I didn't have the element of surprise, but my Opportunity Killer ability activated anyway, the blade of Blood Thirst gleaming with deadly purpose as I drove it deep into the exposed flesh.
The Shark-Man made a new sound this time—half cough, half roar—as blood sprayed from its mouth in a dark fountain. The metallic scent filled my nostrils as warm vitality flowed up my arm from the dagger, healing minor scrapes I hadn't even noticed.
I was so focused on the success of my strike that I failed to anticipate the creature's counter. Instead of swinging at me as it had before, the Shark-Man simply drove its elbow backward with brutal force.
The blow caught me directly in my temple. Pain exploded through my skull as my vision blurred instantly, the edges darkening. I staggered backward, my legs suddenly unsteady beneath me.
[HP: 126/166]
Through my swimming vision, I saw Duncan diving for his sword. The Shark-Man lunged for him, trident raised, but my attack had wounded it badly enough to slow its movements. Duncan's fingers closed around his weapon's hilt and in one fluid motion, he rose and swung.
His blade slashed across the Shark-Man's already damaged throat, opening it wide. More blood erupted in a horrifying spray, covering Duncan's steel armor in dark spatters. The Shark-Man made a gurgling sound as it toppled to its knees, its massive body swaying for a moment before toppling over like a collapsing building.
Duncan kept his sword pointed toward the fallen Shark-Man, giving the corpse several cautious pokes before finally lowering his blade. A victorious grin spread across his face, blood dripping from his chin and cheeks in rivulets that caught the dim light. To anyone else, he would have looked unhinged—a blood-soaked warrior smiling over a fresh kill. But I recognized that expression. It wasn't madness; it was the pure, undiluted high that comes after surviving a fight that could have easily ended differently.
We all gathered around the massive body, staring down at our first real victory in the Reflecting Water Dungeon. The smell of copper hung heavy in the air, mixing with the dungeon's natural dampness.
"Eva your idea was awesome," I said, breaking the silence. "Using the raw meat to separate them worked perfectly."
Eva shrugged, seemingly uncomfortable with the praise. "The dungeon technically keeps all the monsters alive via magic, but they always appear to be hungry based on my past experience. It's a reliable weakness to exploit."
I noticed Hellene was the only one not sharing in our moment of triumph. She stood slightly apart from us, hands holding her staff tightly against her chest, teeth worrying at her bottom lip. Her eyes were fixed on the fallen Shark-Man with an expression that looked more like disappointment than relief.
Eva reached over and gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Using the Mana Chains spell was a long shot considering it was Third Tier, but it was worth trying once just to see if it would work."
"Even my Force Mantle got easily destroyed," Hellene responded sullenly, her fingers clenching around her staff. "One hit. That's all it took."
"I'd probably be impaled right now if it didn't stop that one blow," Duncan shot back, wiping blood from his face with the back of his hand. "That extra time it gave me made all the difference."
Eva turned to me, her dark eyes uncharacteristically warm. "You're owed the most thanks, Will."
I blinked in surprise. "Me? Why?"
"You were the one who did the most damage," she said matter-of-factly. "If you hadn't gotten in those two stabs with Blood Thirst, we'd all be dead. That second hit especially—it was bleeding out from that wound."
I felt heat creep up my neck at the unexpected praise. I wasn't used to getting credit in a fight, not after years with the Heroes Party. I awkwardly pulled a Superior Heal Potion from my Inventory Box, uncorking it and downing the bitter liquid in one long swallow. The familiar warmth spread through my body, soothing away the pounding in my head and restoring my health to full.
[HP: 166/166]
Duncan scratched his chin, his brow furrowing as he looked at me. "I need to apologize, Will. Even though my Daring Challenge should make a monster focus on me, it doesn't completely stop them from attacking others who've wounded them." He sighed, wiping more blood from his armor. "I've even heard rumors that Daring Challenge fails entirely if the monster considers another person to be a significantly greater threat than the person using the ability."
I waved my hand dismissively, sheathing Blood Thirst at my side. "No apology needed. The important thing is that we all learn and strategize based on what happened in this fight. We need to—"
A laugh interrupted my tactical assessment. I turned to see Hellene staring at something only she could see, her violet eyes wide with delight.
"Well, would you look at that," she said, a rare smile breaking across her weathered face. "I've leveled up!"
Duncan's eyebrows shot up. He made a quick gesture with his hand, and a translucent System window appeared before him. "By the Light, so have I!"
Eva followed suit, summoning her own window with a flick of her wrist. "Same here," she said, surprise evident in her voice. "Didn't expect that from just one kill."
I didn't receive any notification, which wasn't surprising. Being the highest-leveled member of our party at Level 38, it would take more than a single Shark-Man to push me to the next level.
But as I watched their excited faces, I couldn't help thinking about the Squire's Tattoo on my back. The magical mark Perth had given us would grant a 35% experience bonus when killing monsters. With that kind of advantage, our party would grow stronger much faster than normal adventurers—or even the Heroes Party.
I felt it again, the surge of hope that we could actually do this. It was rare but at times like this- what we were trying to do didn’t seem so impossible.
"Before you allocate those skill points," I said with a smile, "let's talk strategy. We need to coordinate our builds to maximize our effectiveness as a team."
If we did this right, we could actually beat both a Four Sigil Dungeon AND a Five Sigil Dungeon.

