Chapter 133: An Enchanted Staff

Chapter 133: Chapter 133: An Enchanted Staff

Despite the danger, the group had managed to maintain their composure. They were tired, but none of them had panicked or abandoned their positions.

He occasionally glanced toward the deeper parts of the cemetery, where more skeletons had been gathering. There were still several hidden pockets of undead, but the adventurers were slowly clearing them one by one.

Ragnar could have ended the battle much earlier. However, he had no intention of revealing his true abilities. He continued fighting at a level appropriate for an ordinary Level 15 adventurer, making sure not to stand out too much.

Eventually, the number of skeletons began to decrease.

The last few Skeleton Warriors attempted to push through Brom’s defenses, but Darian and Seraphina quickly dealt with them. Liora used the remaining mana she could spare to destroy several ordinary skeletons, while Venn finished off another that had approached from the side.

Finally, the cemetery fell silent.

The only sounds remaining were the adventurers’ heavy breathing and the occasional clatter of bones settling against the ground.

Darian lowered his sword and stared at the piles of bones scattered throughout the passage.

"Wow, that took longer than expected."

He wiped the sweat from his forehead before looking toward the deeper section of the cemetery.

"I thought we would finish this place much faster. Those Skeleton Warriors were a lot stronger than the reports made them sound."

Venn lowered her staff and took a deep breath.

"This place is even more dangerous than what I heard. The reports mentioned ordinary skeletons, but nobody told me there would be so many Skeleton Warriors gathering in the same area."

"Whatever the reason, I’m exhausted," Liora said, leaning against her staff. "I’ve used almost all the mana I have. I don’t think I can cast another powerful spell."

Brom removed his helmet and wiped the sweat from his face.

"My arms are aching. Blocking those Skeleton Warriors for an entire hour wasn’t easy."

Darian glanced at him.

"You’re the Guardian. Isn’t taking hits your job?"

"Do you want to try holding that shield for an hour?"

"No, thank you. I’ll leave that to you."

Everyone laughed.

Ragnar stood a short distance away, looking at the destroyed skeletons. Although he had deliberately restrained himself, he had to admit that fighting alongside ordinary adventurers was a rather interesting experience.

He had always viewed battles from the perspective of a Dungeon Master. He knew exactly how many monsters were present, how strong they were, and how difficult an encounter would be for a particular group.

But watching these people struggle through the battle had given him a better understanding of how adventurers experienced his dungeon.

Even monsters that seemed relatively weak to him could become a serious threat when encountered in large numbers.

"All right, we’ve earned a break," Darian said, sheathing his sword. "Let’s start looking for treasures. I’m so exhausted that I want to return immediately, but I didn’t come all this way just to leave empty-handed."

"You’re right," Brom agreed. "We should at least check the area. There might be some treasure hidden among these graves."

Venn nodded.

"Let’s search together. Don’t wander too far from the group, and be careful around the coffins. Some of them might contain traps."

"Understood," Seraphina replied.

The party split into pairs and began searching the surrounding area.

Darian and Brom checked the larger tombstones and broken coffins, while Seraphina inspected the spaces between the graves. Venn and Liora searched the deeper section of the cemetery, occasionally using small spells to detect magical energy.

Ragnar also joined the search.

He wasn’t particularly interested in finding treasure, since he already knew where most of the dungeon’s rewards were hidden. However, he couldn’t simply stand around while everyone else was searching.

After searching for several minutes, Darian suddenly called out.

"Hey! Everyone, come over here!"

His voice carried through the cemetery.

Venn immediately turned toward him.

"Did you find something?"

"Come and see for yourselves!"

The others gathered around Darian, who was standing beside a large stone tomb partially covered by dead vines. He had pushed aside several broken pieces of stone, revealing a small chamber beneath the tomb.

Inside was a silver-colored chest.

Unlike the ordinary wooden containers found in some of the earlier areas, this chest was beautifully crafted. Intricate patterns had been engraved along its surface, and a faint magical glow surrounded its edges.

Liora’s eyes widened.

"That’s a treasure chest!"

Brom leaned closer, examining its surface.

"Looks like it might contain something valuable. Be careful, though. There could be a trap."

"Let me check," Venn said.

She approached the chest and carefully examined its magical markings. After a few moments, she placed her hand against its surface and released a small amount of mana.

The engraved patterns glowed briefly before fading.

"It doesn’t seem to have any dangerous magic attached to it," she said. "But we should still be careful when opening it."

Darian grinned.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s see what’s inside!"

He reached for the lid, but Brom immediately caught his arm.

"Don’t just open it recklessly. What if there’s a trap?"

"Didn’t Venn just check it?"

"That doesn’t mean you should stop being careful!"

"All right, all right. You can open it, then."

Brom sighed before slowly lifting the lid.

A faint magical light emerged from within.

Everyone leaned forward.

Inside the silver chest was a beautifully crafted staff. Its body was made from a dark, polished material, with delicate silver engravings running along its length. A blue gemstone was embedded near its upper end, surrounded by several small metallic branches that resembled the shape of a blooming flower.

Liora immediately recognized its value.

"A staff!"

She carefully lifted it from the chest, examining its surface with excitement.

"Look at these engravings. This isn’t an ordinary weapon. It’s enchanted!"

Venn stepped closer.

"Let me see."

Liora handed the staff to her, and Venn carefully examined the magical patterns.

After circulating a little mana through it, her expression changed.

"This is definitely a magical staff. I can feel the mana flowing through the gemstone. It should help its wielder control spells more efficiently."

"How much do you think it’s worth?" Darian asked.

"That depends on the enchantments, but judging from its craftsmanship alone, it should be worth quite a bit," Venn replied. "A proper appraisal is necessary before we can determine its exact value."