Rosaline's body skidded, her back hitting the cavern wall with a thud—a stroke of forced luck.
The Hunter glared at the man who had struck her, her eyes flashing with cold fury. She didn't hold a grudge against Malloch's ignorance, but his volatile impulsiveness was beginning to grate on her nerves.
"That's the second time you've done that," Rosaline said, her voice low. "Starting a violent brawl in here is a terrible idea."
"You used me as bait! You filthy woman!" Malloch roared, pointing an accusing finger at her. "It's obvious, isn't it?! You're the one using a Mana Burn skill—you must have known!"
Rosaline's deep blue eyes remained icy. "I knew nothing."
"Liar! You low-rank trash!" Malloch barked. "You're trying to get back at me for earlier, aren't you!?"
'He's impossible to reason with,' Rosaline thought, wondering how to dismantle his stubborn bias. Before she could act, Charlwind stepped in.
"Grey Hood had no such intentions, I assure you," Charlwind explained, his voice calm and authoritative. "She is one of the finest Support Hunters I've ever worked with. I can vouch for her character." He then turned to Rosaline. "Distribute a couple of those orbs to him. Mana recovery is far slower than physical healing, after all."
Charlwind gestured toward the white spheres orbiting her.
"Professor..." Rosaline's brow twitched. He was casually revealing the secret function of her mana orbs.
"The mission comes first," Charlwind insisted. "This cave is sturdy, but as Ms. Amalin warned, we must avoid heavy combat. If you two want to fight, do it outside. I'll even act as the referee—the Academy training grounds are always open." He then looked back at the giant warrior.
"I don't need it," Malloch grumbled. "I'm not putting some weird glowing thing in my mouth."
"Those who cannot fight must withdraw. I say this as the leader of this containment team," Charlwind declared firmly.
"Hey! You can't do that—"
"Do you honestly think your hammer alone can defeat the De-vons in the next sector without a single skill?" Charlwind cut him off instantly.
Malloch hesitated, his face turning a sour shade of red before he finally fell silent. "Fine. What, you want me to apologize to her?"
"Grey Hood isn't interested in 'superficial' gestures," Charlwind replied. Before Malloch could explode again, he added, "The mission is paramount. You should care more about the Association's regulations and the citizens waiting for answers. This Gate appeared on a major thoroughfare. I have to write a formal report on this."
Charlwind adjusted his glasses, his narrow golden eyes fixing Malloch with a steady gaze. Malloch grit his teeth, though his prejudice remained visible in his eyes.
"Grey Hood, may I have one?" Charlwind extended a hand, beckoning slightly.
Rosaline complied, mentally guiding one of the white orbs to drift toward the Professor. He caught it between two fingers, sniffing it curiously. A faint, complex scent wafted from it. "The fragrance of flowers... and the sweetness of fruit sugar?"
Satisfied with his inspection, he popped it into his mouth. A wave of refreshment surged through him. "Hmm... this time it tastes like bananas and apples. I wonder if it's because we're in a bat cave?"
He licked his fingertip to savor the lingering taste before checking his status window. His mana had recovered by about one-fifth. It wasn't a massive amount, but... "Not bad. A bit more than last time. It seems the numbers aren't fixed; the main factor likely depends on the De-von we encounter."
"The numbers vary, yes. But for me, the quantity doesn't matter as much as the flavor. As long as it doesn't taste like something unholy, I'm satisfied," Rosaline replied. She had extensive—and often traumatic—experience with the tastes her skill produced. She preferred not to remember the worst ones.
"Your turn," Charlwind said, gesturing toward Malloch.
"You two are definitely in league with each other," Malloch muttered angrily. Nevertheless, he swallowed the two orbs Rosaline sent his way and said nothing more as the group moved into the next section.
Rosaline sighed, watching Malloch lead the line. She hoped this petty animosity wouldn't escalate further.
...
...
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Multiple gunshots rang out in unison, and more bats tumbled to the floor.
"Kill them before they can swarm! Move!" Amalin shouted, swinging her pickaxe, which was now wreathed in a faint red flame. The low-rank Hunters followed suit, aggressively hunting down the De-vons throughout the cave.
It wasn't long before they encountered the second Key De-von. Since the dungeon was fresh, it lacked depth, making their progress rapid. This second Lord was larger than the first and shared the same mana-burning ability.
Charlwind launched mana-burning blades while Rosaline and Eugene provided cover. Mana Essence particles bled continuously from the creature's wounds. Rosaline consumed an orb to keep her mana topped up, allowing her to maintain her support skills. She could hold a maximum of seven orbs; any excess particles would fail to condense and simply dissipate into the air.
The Sand Bat reformed from its swarm only to be met by Amalin and the others, their weapons glowing with the Leeching Edge effect. The creature soon crumbled into dust.
"Second Key De-von neutralized," Charlwind announced.
Rosaline let out a breath of relief. Everything was proceeding smoothly. She felt the fatigue, but having Charlwind handle the interpersonal logistics allowed her to focus entirely on combat support and strategy.
Charlwind was one of the few who understood the intricacies of her power. He knew it was a "borrowed hand" skill—best suited for an aggressive, forward-moving team. It was an Offensive Support Skill; if the teammates lost the will to fight, the flame coating their weapons became meaningless. It relied heavily on trust.
During the battle with the Great Spider General, Rosaline had to choose between her Domain skill and Leeching Edge. Because of the Hunters' fractured morale (caused by Regen's manipulation), using Leeching Edge would have been a waste of mana. Establishing a Domain to restore their courage was far more critical. But even then, her mana had run dangerously low.
Furthermore, her Leeching Edge could not be applied to Rank S artifacts or higher, which meant she couldn't use it on Caliburn.
After the second battle, they reached a quiet chamber. Finding no immediate threats, they decided to take a short break. The atmosphere had thawed slightly after the scuffle with Malloch. Amalin began collecting samples of the reddish-brown substance for research, while Charlwind wandered the perimeter.
Seeing the Professor drifting into a deeper part of the tunnel alone, Rosaline followed. "Eugene, keep an eye on the group for a moment."
When Charlwind saw her following, he spoke up. "Nothing but bats in here, Grey Hood."
"I hope there aren't any vampires," Rosaline replied deadpan, causing the Professor to burst into laughter. "...Your bar for humor is getting lower, Professor."
"Your imagination is just too vivid! You know, I think you should write a novel about a Hunter's daily life. It would be a bestseller," Charlwind mused. "You tell the stories, and I'll ghostwrite them for you, Hermit."
"Professor, please. Who in this era wants to read about the mundane life of a Hunter?" Rosaline asked with a small smile. 'Besides, I'd have to reveal almost everything,' she added silently.
"If you change your mind, let me know. I'm eager to hear them," Charlwind said. "They must be fascinating."
Rosaline knew the Professor's current work was mostly routine—just another day at the office. For a man who thrived on excitement and new knowledge, Rosaline's experiences were a source of vitality. But she had made up her mind: once she retired, the name The Hermit would be buried forever, remaining a mere legend.
The Gate Dungeon's path was straightforward, but they had to remain vigilant as bat swarms appeared with increasing frequency as they went deeper. Finally, they found something.
"Just as I expected. It really is here." Charlwind stopped at a specific point. On the sandy wall, strange symbols were etched—grooves shaped like ancient script. If one wasn't looking for them, they would be easily missed.
Charlwind summoned a camera to record the site while Rosaline held a flashlight for him.
"Gate Dungeons always have these. These runes are deeply suspicious," Charlwind noted. "I can't read them yet... but I find them so often in Gates that I'm starting to wonder if there's a hidden puzzle within these words. The Nest had them too, though they were scattered across different floors."
"Sounds like a conspiracy theory," Rosaline said, looking at the script. "What do you think they are, Professor?"
"From an academic standpoint? I think it's the 'language' of the De-vons," Charlwind hypothesized. "That's why I love coming into these Gates. Perhaps they hold the key to the ultimate riddle."