Chapter 21: Exploring the Cavern
"Boss, we barely made it out of this damn place—do we really have to go back in?"
Klu, the bow-wielding Warrior, stared at the dark, yawning Mine Shaft ahead, still shaken by the memories of their last descent.
Hart, clad in Leather Armor, meticulously rubbed oil onto his longsword. "Lord Baron gave the order. If we don’t dig up Gold, we’re all dead."
The barbarian Scar, wrapped in a bear pelt, snorted in disgust. "Lord Baron? That spoiled brat? Who the hell does he think he is, sending us to die? I’d have quit ages ago if it weren’t for the Gold."
Klu nodded in agreement. "Yeah. If I’d known back then, I’d have taken the Gold and run."
Hart finished polishing his blade, stood up, and spoke with grim seriousness. "He’s not just some brat. Cross Northwind Eagle, and no one survives in this land. You think you can outrun the Eagle Guard?"
Scar’s face twisted with fury. "I don’t care if it’s an Eagle or a Dragon—none of them can use us as cannon fodder!"
Hart sighed. "Save your breath. This job’s always been a death sentence. We finally got legitimacy, a powerful patron—don’t throw it away over pride."
He paused, then added, "That accident was just a fluke. Even if there are Monsters, after eating so much, they should be hibernating by now."
Then his tone shifted.
"And besides—"
He glanced back at the line of ragged, emaciated humans trudging in from behind, each carrying a woven basket. They were peasants—officially, “Loyal and Honest Peasants,” as the Kingdom called them—recruited by Hart from the Lord Baron’s own stock. Their pay? A single word: Meals. Enough to keep them alive, nothing more.
But what awaited them wasn’t even a chance at survival. It was the abyssal Mine Shaft, and the unknown horrors lurking within.
"Take your Spear," Hart called out. "Lord Baron personally gifted these to you for defense."
"If you meet a Monster, don’t hesitate. Just throw. Retreat? That’s death."
"If anyone falls, don’t mourn. Lord Baron will remember their sacrifice—taxes for their family will be waived, and they’ll receive grain rations."
"Oh, and grab your Pickaxe too."
These peasants were no soldiers—just cannon fodder Hart had specifically recruited. He wouldn’t risk his men first, nor would he lead the charge. His years of wilderness experience had taught him one truth: to bring down a large Monster, overwhelming numbers with spears were the key. Even a massive, shaggy mammoth could be felled by enough thrown spears.
And if things went wrong? Let the peasants feed the Monster. Once it was full, it wouldn’t bother chasing.
"Move in! Now! Don’t dawdle!"
The forced laborers, armed with crude weapons, shuffled into the cavern in disarray. Even if some realized the danger, the lash of the Whip from the overseers silenced any thought of escape.
Yet why did dozens of armed men, facing only a few guards, not resist?
Perhaps it was a deep-rooted instinct—something etched into their bones.
With trembling hands, the first man at the front raised a Torch, his body shaking under the threat of Whips and blades. He forced his way forward into the unknown.
Behind the line of peasants, Scar shook his head, amused. "The nobles really are masters of trafficking. No need to import slaves—just trick the poor into selling themselves."
"Enough talk. Let’s go," Hart muttered.
Soon, the entire group vanished into the Mine Shaft, leaving only a few sentries at the entrance.
But they didn’t notice… something else had followed them in.
Nor did they know of the Invisibility Spell—a spell that could render a being utterly unseen by ordinary eyes.
"Boss," Klu murmured, his senses tingling. "Something feels… off."
He scanned the darkness, but saw nothing.
"Stop being paranoid," Scar scoffed. "We haven’t even gone deep. The path’s long yet."
Hart, silent, stepped forward with quiet precision. "Keep your voices down. Watch the front."
They descended along the crude Signpost, the path worn by years of forced labor. The deeper they went, the more the cavern opened into a vast, echoing chamber—the very heart of the goblinoid mining operation.
Scattered across the floor were broken Pickaxes, derelict Mine Carts, and scattered ore. A lone "miner" dared to pocket a chunk of Gold Ore, slipping it into the folds of his ragged tunic.
Scar saw it instantly.
With a snarl, he strode forward, seized the man by the scruff, and shook him hard. The gold tumbled out, glinting in the Torchlight.
"Filthy Goblinoid scum," Scar spat, then slammed the man into the ground. Without hesitation, he crushed the man’s arm with a single brutal step. The scream that followed was raw and desperate.
"Remember this," Scar growled, standing over the writhing figure. "Everything here belongs to Lord Baron. You’re not here to steal—you’re here to dig. Anyone who breaks that rule…"
He grinned, sharp and cruel. "...won’t be leaving this Mine Shaft. Ever."
At the rear, Hart wasn’t watching the peasants.
He was studying the damage.
The wooden door, splintered and torn open. The Furnace, crushed and deformed. Human limbs, mangled beyond recognition. Corpses strewn like trash. The Fence—ripped apart by monstrous strength.
Cold sweat dripped from his brow.
This was no ordinary Monster.
Its Strength… rivals that of a Frost Giant.
For Hart, that was high praise. Frost Giants were among the most feared foes in the Northern Kingdom.
Hearing Scar’s gloating nearby, Hart’s fury boiled over. He stepped forward, voice low and urgent.
"That Monster is still here."
"If you want to die, say so. But don’t drag me down with you."
"But, Boss… our Gold—" The barbarian, impulsive and violent, started to protest.
Then—silence.
A sound echoed through the cavern.
Thud… thud… thud…
Heavy, deliberate footsteps, reverberating through the stone walls. Each beat sent a jolt through the hearts of the men.
Hart froze. It’s coming from the Rock Wall.
He scanned the darkness. Nothing.
"Front!" Klu suddenly called.
"Left!"
"No—above!"
The sound twisted, shifted, echoed from every direction. It wasn’t one voice—it was everywhere, closing in.
Panic surged through the group. Someone screamed. Another begged to return to the surface.
Even the overseers, hardened by cruelty, now trembled.
"Stay calm!" Hart shouted, his back slick with sweat. He’d never faced one of those creatures up close. The chaos before him was worse than anything he’d imagined.
"Raise your Torches! Don’t be afraid!"
But his mind raced.
This isn’t just a Monster. It’s a Hunter.
It’s playing with us. Creating fear. Trying to scatter us… to devour us one by one.
(End of Chapter)
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