Jennifer stood in front of the dungeon entrance, wearing her master’s armor. The plaza was filled with adventurers as normal while various civilians made their way across the area into the market places just across from her. Jennifer looked around, a vague sense of deja vu filling her as she waited for Livian to arrive.

I really should’ve learned by now, not to arrive so early. Not after I’ve already gone delving before.

A slightly melancholic feeling filled Jennifer as she thought of their adventuring from the last reset. It would’ve been a lot more enjoyable had she been going on this delve with Rumina and Gavril.

But I’m not here to have fun, am I? No, I need to find Xar, and then help Livian with his quest. As master said, the dungeon is no place to take a stroll.

On that thought, Jennifer quietly listed her gear. The lack of a storage ring limited what she could carry, and she lamented not making proper use of the ring the last time around. Even without the ring though — something she normally wouldn’t have anyways — Jennifer had a few regular health and mana potions on hand. She'd also acquired a divining spell to help her locate Xar. The rugged scroll had depleted all her savings.

It’s fine, I just need to get used to going back in time. I know the invasion won’t be stopped by the guild, and I can't stop it this time around. The money will come back when I reset.

“Hey!” a shout came from across the plaza, as the blonde haired boy ran towards her carrying a large bag on his back that rattled with each step.

“Sorry... for... being… late,” Livian panted, his breath heavy. Jennifer eyed the ridiculously large bag on his back and then looked at Livian.

“What are you carrying in there? Will you even be able to walk inside the dungeon, or fight, carrying so much junk?”

“Oh, well…” Livian said, his eyes shifting. “It’s just some stuff for tracking and catching the spirit. And some potions. And food and spare armor and a few weapons. Plus a message scroll and a few bandages for injuries. Oh and also-”

“Wait, stop for a second. Why are you bringing so many things into the dungeon? You do realise a bag that big will drag you down while making you a target for the monsters? It'll also drain you. It has to weigh a ton. I’m surprised you can even stand upright with all of that.”

“Oh I actually used a [Reduce Weight] Enchantment on the bag so that it… is…” Livian’s voice died down at Jennifer’s piercing gaze.

“We need to get rid of most of that stuff. Only carry the bare minimum. This isn't a long delve. We go in quick, then come out even quicker. We're not staying longer than I… we strictly need to.” Jennifer said while Livian shuffled his feet.

“Well, I don’t know where to put all this stuff now and returning home is… not an option. Should we just cancel the delve for today?” Livian asked with a quiet smile.

Jennifer looked at the older boy, her eyes noticing his tense posture as she finally realised what was going on. “Are you… scared?” She asked, a note of surprise in her voice.

Livian laughed, but the cracking of his voice betrayed him.

“No, I’m not… scared. I just don’t think putting the bag away will allow us to go in early enough. Besides, I’m sure you're busy with Academy work,” he replied, shifting the bag.

Jennifer just returned a flat stare at him.

With a sigh, she walked up to Livian and then patted his shoulder. “You know, there's something my master did whenever I was too scared to work near his forge as he hammered away at blazing temperature. A very simple trick.” Livian tried to reply but Jennifer didn’t let him, quickly moving next to him. She poured some mana into her arms, tensing them as she shifted her weight onto her right side. And then, with a powerful swing, she struck his upper back and Livian stumbled ahead.

“Ouch, what was that for?!” he shouted in protest.

Jennifer smiled at him.

“That was the trick. Now let’s put your mess in my area of Master's shop, and go on our delve. We shouldn’t be wasting any more time,” she said and walked back inside. Livian muttered something behind her but the boy followed along soon after.

“It’ll be fine, Livian. I’ve been into the dungeon’s upper layer before. We just have to stay vigilant and things will go just fine,” Jennifer reassured the boy as she folded her arms in front of her, hiding the red stinging palm in front of her.

I miss the training from the last reset. I’m so much weaker physically.

She didn’t let her thoughts show as both of them made their way to the back area where she left a note for her master before they headed into the shadowy depths of the dungeon.

❖❖❖

The illuminated walls of the dungeon shone with their typical blue-ish glow, pouring out mana that spread through the cavernous first layer of the dungeon. Jennifer kept a dagger in her hand, feeling suitably less afraid on her third delve.

Doesn't mean I can be careless. This is still the dungeon.

Livian walked behind Jennifer, the [Prismatic Mage], his class name as he'd informed her while nervously leaving his bag behind. A good bit lighter, now he carried only what was necessary for catching his spirit pet.

A little further along, Jennifer finally found an exit into the sewers. A few slimes clung to the walls, like the previous time Jennifer had visited the area alongside Rumina, but their numbers were far less.

“Keep an eye out, there might be a monster nearby,” Jennifer said, as she sent a pulse of mana through the area, to check where the infestation was. Rather than the bright mana source from the many slimes she expected, all she got was a small gathering of slimes up ahead.

Jennifer checked her memories for the path she'd taken. The dungeon was known to shift around, but the shift was slow in all but certain events like the Dungeon Break.

Which hasn’t happened yet.

A moment of consideration later, Jennifer stepped into the opening leading out to the sewers. She formed a wind bubble around Livian and her, keeping the stench at bay as they entered the filthy, muck-covered, narrow pathways of the sewers.

“What can you possibly need from here of all places?” Livian said, and Jennifer turned back to see him grimacing as he tried to shake a slime sticking to his leg off.

“There’s... something I want to find. Just bear with me for a while, it’s not like you didn’t know we were going to come,” Jennifer said, and started making her way ahead. The two mages swiftly walked through the sewers, dispatching the odd rat that attacked them.

Upon reaching the location that had led toward the slime pit, Jennifer dug out a light crystal from her pocket, letting it shine to show the path ahead. Unlike last time, the walls hadn't collapsed. Which meant the way into the dungeon itself was sealed by a smooth stone wall, only a few slimes sticking to the wall. Though they were trying their best, they weren't making much of a dent.

“[Prismatic Rays]” Livian shouted as an array of light beams shot in front of Jennifer. Jennifer jumped, directing her mage light up front where she saw a dozen feet scratching the dungeon floor, their eyes shining red as they stared at the two of them.

“Dire rats. A lot of dire rats,” Jennifer said, taking a step back. A dozen rats the size of a small dog screeched as they ran ahead all at once. Jennifer formed a few mana bolts, shooting them at the rat swarm. Light beams accompanied her attacks, disorienting the rats and leaving small burn marks on their fur.

“Buy me a few seconds, I’ll take care of them,” Jennifer shouted, as she took a long step back with Agile Wind. Livian nodded as his metallic cube appeared in front of him. An assortment of rainbow coloured beams flashed through the dungeon as bright light flashed everywhere.

Jennifer circulated her glass mana, focusing on her Glass core. With a few breaths she studied her breathing, bringing her heart to a steady rhythm. Her core pulsed as mana gushed forth like a fountain. Jennifer weaved the mana together, the threads turning to an assortment of glass shards in her mind. The spell jumbled together as it finished, a singular matrix forming in her mind.

Jennifer put both her hands forwards pouring her mana through them as the spell manifested. A wave of glass affinity poured forth a thin layer of glass covering the filthy ground as tens of spikes shot through the ground. The Rats screeched and screamed as the reinforced glass pierced their skin.

The spell spread forward at a rapid rate, soon covering the entire corridor. Jennifer looked at the devastation in front of her. The twitching half dead rats skewered on her spikes of glass dripped with blood, mixing with the stench of filth all around her. She held back a gag, but paused as she noticed Livian leaning onto the dungeon walls, breathing heavily, his mouth dripping with liquid.

The sight of the unsettled boy calmed her enough to get a hold of herself. “Are you alright?” she asked Livian.

“Yeah, I’m just... Ugh. Yeah, the smell just got to me. Give me a few seconds,” the boy said and Jennifer let him be as she diverted her attention to the dying rats.

I wonder if it’s worth harvesting whatever parts they have. Probably not.

Jennifer walked around the side paths, avoiding the glass spikes jutting out. She kept feeding mana to the spell to keep them manifested for a little while longer to ensure none of the rats survived. She briefly inspected the wall blocking her way to the chamber she knew lay beyond. A small pulse of mana showed the group of slimes who, while substantially less than before, were still present.

She found no signs of Xar.

Jennifer dug out the carefully rolled up divination scroll from her leather pouch. She carefully unfurled the spell scroll, and then sent a pulse of mana into it.

Lesser Divination

Tier: 3

A Spell meant to track or divine the location of, or proximity to, the chosen entity

The system prompt presented itself in front of her. Xardhviladrothic. Jennifer said, presenting the name to the scroll. It had taken her a good hour of painfully going through all the events in her mind to finally remember what Xar’s full name had been.

You better be here Xar, or all this effort will be for nothing.

The scroll flashed brightly with golden light as the runes of the inscribed spell shone with mana. She felt a vague sense of connection establish itself, a loud buzzing noise interfering with her balance. With a sudden pop she felt Xar’s presence for a brief moment, at a distance from above and behind. Then the spell collapsed, the spell matrix breaking apart as the scroll started to burn.

“What?” Jennifer exclaimed as she turned around, dropping the burning scroll into the filthy water. She stared in the direction she'd felt Xar’s presence. “But that's... outside the dungeon.” A foreboding sensation filled Jennifer as she remembered hearing his voice a few days ago. If he was outside the dungeon, then something had to have changed from the last reset.

Not to mention the backlash. Something is suppressing divination spells.

Jennifer looked in the direction she’d sensed Xar in, an uneasy feeling filling her. She'd have to try and find him outside somehow. There weren't many places he could be.

“Everything alright?” Livian asked, walking towards her. His complexion had noticeably improved, and the boy seemed to be dealing with things better now.

“Yes. I’m fine. Let’s go find your light spirit,” Jennifer replied as she walked ahead.

What if he’s lost? But why would he be under an anti-divination ward then? Trapped then? Where and how? Why would he even go outside on his own? Is it because I did something? I haven’t even interacted with him at all, Xar should be in the dungeon. Then… I don’t understand.

The message.

He must’ve sensed the bond. It’s broken but it’s still there.

Jennifer focused on her bond once more. The threads connecting their marks were thin, fading into oblivion the further she tried to reach into them. But still there.

Jennifer sent, she waited for a while but no response came back. Frowning, she focused for a moment, trying to convert a concept as best as she could back to Xar. she sent and sighed.

“If you don’t want to delve today then that’s fine,” Livian said in a small voice as he walked behind her. Jennifer looked at the boy, feeling slightly guilty about repeatedly showing her frustration at her own mistakes in front of him.

“No, I plan to keep my promise. We’ll get your spirit today, I’m just annoyed because I couldn’t find what I came for.”

“Well, in that case, let’s go on, shall we? I think I’m getting a handle on this delv-Aahh!” Livian screamed, a beam of light shooting from his fingers.

Jennifer turned around in a hurry, summoning her mana bolts when she saw the quivering black lizard sticking to the wall up above. A completely harmless non-dungeon animal. A chuckle escaped her mouth as she let her spells fade. A glance at Livian’s bright red face turning that into outright laughter. The boy soon joined in her mirth as both of them laughed for a while.

Eventually as their laughter settled down, Jennifer looked towards Livian, wiping her eyes. “Let’s go.”

The boy nodded in reply as they made their way further into the depths of the dungeon, Jenn glancing back at the wall then out toward wherever Xar had been before refocusing on their task with a grimace.

Onto yet another adventure. For light spirits and what not.