Chapter 54: Becoming a prey

The descent into the lower layers of the forest dungeon was a nightmare carved out of solid wood and ancient rot.

The upper canopy was vast, but the middle layers and the path leading into the Abyss were entirely dominated by colossal tree roots.

These roots were not simple plants. They were as thick as mountain ranges, stretching horizontally and vertically through a dense, green mist that swallowed all-natural sunlight.

To travel deeper, one had to walk along these treacherous wooden bridges, stepping over thick patches of glowing moss and slippery blue fungi.

The vertical cliffs formed by intersecting roots dropped thousands of meters down into a roaring canyon below, where corrupted red water cut through the absolute darkness.

A single misstep on the mossy bark meant falling into the endless abyss, where high-level aquatic monsters waited to devour anything that landed in their domain.

Along one of these massive root highways, a group of human awakeners moved with cautious steps.

They were a mixed team of fifteen survivors who had managed to cross paths and form a temporary alliance to stay alive inside the dungeon.

Their clothes were torn, covered in dried mud and black monster blood, and their faces carried the deep exhaustion of people who had been fighting non-stop for days.

However, despite the heavy atmosphere surrounding the group, their movements were surprisingly organized. At the center of their formation walked a young girl with brilliant blonde hair and striking features.

It was Ophiliya.

She walked with an aura of cold grace, her delicate white hands resting on the hilt of an ornate rapier hanging at her waist.

Right now, she was angry. Very angry.

As the proud heir of the Seven Palaces, when was the last time she had experienced such a bitter grievance? No, had she ever experienced such humiliation in her entire life?

To suffer such a defeat, and from a mere zombie of this lower world, made her blood boil with pure hatred.

The sole reason Ophiliya had descended to this world, despite her low level normally disqualifying her from such assignments, was the sudden discovery of this special dungeon.

She still could not comprehend how such a special dungeon could manifest in a lower world where global integration had only just begun.

Not that the exact cause mattered to her anymore. Its unexpected appearance was an immense stroke of luck, as none of the competing heirs from the other Palaces knew about its existence yet.

’A rare fusion of corruption and mana...’ Ophiliya thought, her eyes narrowing as she stared into the thick fog ahead.

The rewards granted upon conquering such a dungeon would be unimaginable, enough to cement her standing among the elites back home.

Yet, she could not erase the memory of how that ruby-eyed zombie girl had outmaneuvered them, luring them straight into a deadly monster ambush that nearly ended her life.

Ophiliya didn’t know Summer wasn’t intentionally luring them into the ambush. She merely didn’t consider that it would be dangerous for them to run into the ambush, as for Summer, that ambush was a cakewalk.

Anyway, this simple misunderstanding would cause heavy losses to Ophiliya in the coming days, which she would regret a lot later.

Now, returning to Ophiliya.

It would have been an absolute disgrace if the news of a Seven Palaces heir dying in a backwater lower world reached the ears of her rivals.

"Young Miss, please watch your step," the tall woman walking beside her spoke in a low, respectful tone.

This was Vespera, her personal guardian and a powerful combatant assigned strictly to ensure Ophiliya’s absolute safety. Vespera moved with fluid, silent grace, her sharp eyes scanning the shadowy wooden cliffs above for any potential threats.

Every time a stray beast or mutated vine emerged from the green mist, the surrounding male awakeners immediately rushed forward to clear the path.

These men did not look at Ophiliya with simple admiration. To them, she was an untouchable noble figure, a beacon of overwhelming strength and authority in this apocalyptic nightmare.

They fought fiercely to earn her approval, eager to secure a place in her good graces.

Ophiliya accepted their service as nothing more than her natural due. Her cold gaze shifted slightly to the side, landing on a young woman walking near the center of the squad.

It was Maya.

Before the system integration, Maya had been the universally admired school belle, a girl used to holding the full attention of everyone around her. But in this brutal dungeon, her status meant nothing.

The primary reason Ophiliya had bothered saving Maya from the monster horde earlier was not out of pity or kindness. It was because of Maya’s newly awakened talent: High-Grade Healing.

In a closed, high-risk environment like this dungeon, having a dedicated healer was an invaluable asset. Ophiliya was secretly thrilled to have secured such a useful tool, as Maya’s recovery spells had already proven essential in keeping the front-line fighters standing through continuous battles.

Maya felt Ophiliya’s brief glance and quickly bowed her head, maintaining a quiet, submissive posture.

While Maya was deeply grateful for being rescued, she remained intensely observant.

She noticed how Vespera addressed Ophiliya as ’Young Miss’ with genuine reverence, and how the surrounding warriors treated the blonde girl like absolute royalty.

’Young Miss...’ Maya thought quietly, her fingers tightening around her wooden staff. ’She really belongs to some absurdly high-ranking faction. Staying close to her and Vespera is my best chance at survival.’

However, Maya was far from a selfless follower. Beneath her obedient demeanor lay a cold, calculating ambition.

As she overheard the men discussing the ruby-eyed zombie girl who wielded heavy iron gauntlets, Maya’s heart began to beat with dark excitement.

She did not care about Ophiliya’s personal grudge or ruined pride. Maya cared about concrete power, stats, and system rewards.

’A unique zombie mutant with human intelligence...’ Maya analyzed silently, her eyes flashing with greed.

In this system-governed world, normal monsters dropped basic experience and common items. But an Elite evolution mutant of that caliber was a walking gold mine.

’If I can find a way to land the final strike on that zombie girl,’ Maya thought, her mouth growing dry at the prospect, ’what kind of insane talent will the system bestow upon me?’

The thought of acquiring an advanced talent or a rare physical reinforcement capability made her blood run hot. With a talent like that, she would no longer need to depend on anyone else for protection.

She leaned closer to a heavily armored warrior walking beside her, flashing a subtle, practiced smile.

"Have you heard the rumors about the red-eyed zombie girl roaming the middle root bridges?" Maya asked smoothly, her tone soft and inviting.

The warrior turned toward her, his stern expression softening at her beautiful features. "Yeah, I heard. Supposedly she wiped out an entire hunting party higher up without taking a single scratch. What about her?"

"Look at our current team," Maya whispered, planting the seed with practiced ease. "We have fifteen high-level awakeners, plus Lady Ophiliya and Vespera. If we locate that zombie monster, we don’t have to avoid her. We can coordinate an attack and crush her together. Think about the incredible skill books, cores, and talent drops an Elite mutant like that will yield."

The warrior paused, his eyes gleaming with sudden greed as he considered the proposition. He glanced toward Ophiliya and Vespera, feeling a wave of confidence wash over him.

"You make a good point," the man muttered, nodding heavily. "With our current strength, a single zombie stands no chance. I’ll inform the rest of the squad."

The suggestion spread rapidly through the group like a spark in dry grass. What had been a cautious survival team quickly reshaped itself into a focused, bloodthirsty hunting party.

Up at the front of the line, Ophiliya caught the hushed whispers echoing behind her. A cold, cruel smile touched her pale lips as she realized the entire squad was now aligned with her desire.

"So she is descending toward the Abyss Boundary as well..." Ophiliya murmured under her breath, her eyes flashing with sharp killing intent.

"Young Miss?" Vespera inquired softly, noticing her shifting aura. "Should we set our primary focus on hunting down this creature?"

"Yes," Ophiliya commanded firmly, her clear voice echoing through the misty woods. "We will search every root bridge in this zone. That vile monster will not leave this dungeon alive."