Chrysalis Chapter 1603: 1711 - Run Down

"I don't like this," Frederick whispered. "It's too quiet."

"Just shut up and keep running," Shamus growled, while Elsi nodded in agreement as she trailed closely behind him.

"I probably shouldn't be thinking this, but I'm kind of glad those morons tried to jump the thing. We may not have had any warning otherwise," Frederick said, maintaining his steady speed.

A significant amount of time had passed since he was last forced to flee for his life through the Dungeon. Serving as a manager for the Union, he had spent the better part of the last decade confined to offices or trapped in meetings. Always more meetings. He had frequently claimed he didn't miss the life of a delver, but with his heart pounding and adrenaline surging through his veins, he had to admit it felt invigorating. Too many years behind a desk had left him rusty and his senses dull. In this moment, he felt more alive than he had in years.

But also, he was closer to death than he had been in a long time.

"This is why I hate intelligent monsters," he complained aloud, "it isn't fair that something can be that strong and be this good at concealing its presence. We didn't have a whiff of it until it started fighting not two kilometres away!"

"I told you," Shamus said, his face tense. "I warned everyone it didn't need to walk on the ground and could conceal its mana incredibly well."

"I know, damn it. No need to keep banging on about it."

There was a certain art to travelling through the Dungeon at high speeds. Moving too fast was counterproductive, as it would only draw the attention of monsters who relished the chance to hunt fleeing prey. Conversely, moving too slowly was useless, so a middle ground had to be established—covering ground quickly without provoking monsters into chasing them like excited golden retrievers.

Currently, the delvers were pushing the limits of safe speed, perhaps even exceeding them. Their numbers served to discourage some of the more aggressive monsters, but eventually, something was bound to give chase.

As long as it wasn't the ant, things would be fine.

"Oh no," Frederick groaned.

"What now?" Shamus snapped.

"I just jinxed us," Frederick replied.

"Shut up with your superstitions," Shamus hissed. "Focus on the damned tunnel."

He was particularly frustrated right now. After receiving a payday beyond their wildest dreams, he and Elsi had been pushing to return to the Green Mountain for days, only to be repeatedly delayed because other delvers in the camp kept vanishing into thin air. With their tempers near the breaking point, the two had been discussing the possibility of making the journey alone when this catastrophe struck. Despite the wealth they had gained from their initial encounter with the ant, neither was in any hurry for a second meeting.

Nobody on Pangera was more superstitious than a Dungeon delver.

The Union Manager followed the suggestion and focused. Plenty of monsters inhabited the tunnel, but the vanguard was dispatching the most aggressive ones with neat efficiency, allowing the rest of the group to maintain their pace. Constant vigilance remained a necessity, of course. At any second, a vine could snatch them up, or a beast could dive from above, seeking a quick meal.

Even though he knew he should keep his eyes forward, he couldn't resist glancing over his shoulder just to be certain.

What he witnessed turned his blood to ice.

Gliding like a silent airship was one of the largest monsters he had ever seen, simply... drifting through the air, as if mocking everyone else for being tethered to the ground.

The moment he saw it, he was certain the creature knew it had been spotted. In that instant, it began to accelerate.

"Contact!" Frederick screamed, his voice echoing through the tunnel. "On our six! Do not attempt to engage. Run! Run! Run!"

Following his own command, he bolted, propelling himself forward with every ounce of strength in his body. He had no desire to be caught by that… thing.

Proving their professionalism, the delvers sprang into action, accelerating until they reached their maximum possible speed. Though other monsters would surely give chase, it hardly mattered. If anything, those beasts would only serve as obstacles to delay the ant.

If Frederick required further reason to be terrified, he saw it in the expressions of Shamus and Elsi. The two delvers were deathly pale, and they used Dash with more desperation than anyone else, pushing their bodies to the limit to gain every inch of speed.

But… against a tier eight mythic monster, he should have known it was futile.

When he dared to look back again, he saw the ant had touched down and was now sprinting on all six legs. There was a brief hesitation, a small beat as it coiled its legs… and then…

BOOM!

It was suddenly among them, as if it had traversed the distance in the blink of an eye.

An overwhelming mind shattered Frederick's defenses and gripped him and the others as they all stumbled in shock.

[Leaving so soon?]