Chapter 162: The Beam of Light Is the Exit of the SS-Rank Dungeon

Almost an hour had passed since Liam’s squad had reached the center of the forest.

The enormous crystal flower in front of them was glowing with increasing intensity. Its transparent petals reflected the sunlight in every direction, while the small crystals growing among the bushes had also begun to emit a faint glow.

Liam raised his phone and checked the timer.

A little over two minutes remained.

According to Pix, this should be when the flower released the beam of light that functioned as a portal.

During the last few minutes, none of them had felt like doing much.

They were all lying on the grass, enjoying those final moments of peace before leaving the dungeon.

Chuck still couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

A few meters away, Jordan was sitting on the ground while the small orange-furred sub-boss played with him.

The monster moved back and forth, jumping and running circles around Jordan while he petted its head.

It was exactly like a dog playing with its owner.

Chuck watched the scene for a few seconds before shaking his head.

"I can’t believe you actually tamed a sub-boss."

Jordan let out a small laugh.

"I told you it wasn’t dangerous."

"That’s what someone who got adopted by a monster would say."

Jordan ignored the comment and continued petting the little sub-boss.

Liam, meanwhile, slowly stretched.

"Ugh..."

He yawned and finally stood up.

"Come on, everyone. Get ready. According to the timer, the portal should open soon."

One by one, the others began getting up.

Emily stretched her arms.

Carol rolled her shoulders and then turned her neck.

Lena let out a long sigh as she got up from the grass.

"Finally..."

Chuck also stood up and stretched his back.

"I never thought I’d say this, but I want to go back to the guild."

Lena looked at him.

"Tired, old man?"

"I’m not an old man!"

"Of course you are."

"I have a perfectly normal age!"

Emily laughed.

Meanwhile, Jordan approached the little sub-boss.

"Well, buddy. Looks like we have to go."

The monster raised its head.

Jordan crouched down and began petting it behind the ears.

"Thanks for helping us."

The little sub-boss wagged its tail enthusiastically.

Then it began jumping around Jordan.

"What is it? You want to come with us?"

The monster responded with a small sound that sounded almost like a bark.

Chuck crossed his arms.

"Are you seriously saying goodbye to that thing like it’s your pet?"

Jordan smiled.

"He’s my new friend."

Carol looked at Chuck.

"You should watch who you’re making fun of."

"Why?"

Carol pointed at the little monster.

"If I’m seeing this right, it thinks you’re its bathroom."

Chuck frowned.

"What?"

The sub-boss lifted one of its legs right beside Chuck and began peeing directly onto his boots.

Then Emily started laughing.

Lena did too.

Carol covered her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter.

Jordan practically doubled over laughing.

"HAHAHAHA!"

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

Chuck quickly stepped back.

"You damn animal!"

The little sub-boss stared at him and let out a growl.

"Grrrr..."

Chuck froze and raised both hands.

"Okay, okay. I’m not going to do anything to you."

Lena wiped away a tear from laughing so hard.

"Are you scared now?"

"I’m not scared!"

Chuck pointed at the monster.

"I just... don’t like hitting animals."

Jordan laughed again.

"Sure."

"It’s true!"

◇◆◇

While everyone continued making fun of Chuck, Liam finished putting away some of the crystals he had collected from the bushes.

He had kept them because he thought they might be worth something once they returned.

However, when he looked up, he noticed something strange.

All the crystals were glowing much more intensely than before.

Liam stopped moving and looked at the bushes.

Then at the small crystal flowers.

Finally, he turned toward the center of the clearing.

The enormous crystal flower seemed to be moving.

Its petals trembled slightly, as if the structure itself were alive.

The glow began concentrating in the center.

Liam narrowed his eyes.

"It’s starting."

At that moment, a message appeared in front of his eyes.

[Pix: Liam, this is your chance to leave the dungeon.]

[Pix: I don’t know how long it will take the flower to accumulate enough energy to open another portal.]

Liam nodded.

"Understood. Thanks, Pix."

He turned toward the others.

"Everyone, hurry! We don’t know how long it’ll stay open!"

Lydia was the first to approach.

However, she stopped to look at the crystals surrounding them.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"They’re beautiful..."

Liam smiled.

Even after everything they had been through, Lydia could still be amazed by such simple things.

"We can come back another day."

Lydia looked at him.

"Do you think we can?"

"Probably."

Although Liam wasn’t sure whether that would actually be possible, he didn’t want to crush her hopes.

Then...

[Danger]

Liam’s eyes widened.

The message appeared in front of him.

"What...?"

The little sub-boss raised its head.

Its ears twitched.

Then it began making sounds that resembled barks and growls.

"What’s wrong?"

Emily looked around.

"Do you hear that?"

Everyone fell silent.

Buzzing.

At first, it was faint.

But with every passing second, it grew louder.

Liam looked toward the trees.

"Great..."

More insects.

After everything they had been through, it seemed the dungeon had no intention of letting them leave peacefully.

Lena looked at the enormous crystal flower.

"I don’t want to fight anymore..."

She approached it and raised both hands.

"Hey, flower! Hurry up!"

Everyone looked at her.

"Fire your beam of light and let us out!"

Emily burst out laughing.

"Lena, the flower can’t understand you."

"I don’t care!"

Lena pointed at the flower.

"Do your job!"

The buzzing grew louder, and movement could be heard among the trees.

Something was approaching.

Liam readied his pistol.

But before he could say anything, the little sub-boss took off running.

"Huh?!"

Jordan looked at it in surprise.

The little monster ran toward the source of the buzzing.

Faster and faster.

Jordan stood there watching it.

For some reason, he understood what it was doing.

The monster was running toward the insects, trying to buy them time.

"Buddy..."

Jordan reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his crackers.

He stared at it for a few seconds.

Then he brought it to his mouth, and a small tear rolled down his cheek.

"I-It looks like it’s starting to rain."

Chuck looked up at the completely clear sky.

"It’s not raining, idiot. There are barely any clouds in the sky."

Jordan smiled.

"See you around, little buddy."

The buzzing grew rapidly louder.

But then...

The flower began to glow.

Everyone turned around.

The center of the flower suddenly lit up.

An instant later, an enormous column of light shot into the sky.

It looked like a gigantic beam of sunlight.

The light covered the entire clearing, and a circular structure appeared within it.

A portal.

Liam’s eyes widened.

"It’s the portal!"

Everyone began running.

"Let’s go! We have to get home!"

Liam was the first to reach it.

The light was so intense that he had to shield his eyes with one arm.

Emily jumped.

Carol followed her.

Lena disappeared into the beam.

Chuck took one last look toward the forest.

"I guess this is goodbye, shitty dungeon."

And he jumped.

Jordan was next.

Before entering, he took one last look in the direction where his little friend had disappeared.

"Thanks."

Then he jumped in as well.

Lydia took Liam’s hand.

"Ready?"

Liam looked at her and smiled.

"More than ever, honey."

The two of them ran forward together.

The glow was so intense that they could barely keep their eyes open.

Liam tightly squeezed Lydia’s hand.

She did the same.

And, holding hands, they both jumped into the beam of light.

The last thing Liam saw was the enormous crystal flower glowing behind them.

Then everything turned white.