“How’s the footage of the golems?” The Association President questioned his bespectacled secretary while he flipped through all of the written reports on the data sets being collected.

Smiling, the woman replied. “Crystal clear! We have enough to make a documentary even!” The secretary turned on the projector and swiped to the different slides as if she were giving a presentation. “These are the pictures and videos we have taken! Our analysts are working right now to figure out the attack patterns of the golems, and we should get a full report within the hour!”

The old man took one sip of his tea before pivoting around to the remaining four individuals in the room. All of them were a little dusty, with the biggest of them all thoroughly flushed from all of the heavy liftings he had been forced to do, but ultimately, what mattered most was that they came back alive and uninjured.

“So, what are your impressions of the dungeon?” The President asked, his brows raised, and pupils dilated.

Rogue Lord Kama tapped his finger on the massive table, seemingly impatiently at times. “They’re much more powerful than we’ve anticipated. For them to incapacitate S-Rankers with just one song, those birds aren’t like anything we’ve ever faced.” His ominous tone sent shivers down the secretary’s spine. “They might have weaker constitutions, but those S-Rankers that were mesmerised or stunned were still a cut above any normal living being. Till this point, I’d never heard of any monster being able to down them with just a song.”

“Kama is right...” The Arcane Warlock Rhykius added on, frowning as well. “I’d probably been hit with the full brunt of that song since I had been flying overhead for a while. I would’ve been on that name list if not for my [Blessing of Thanatos].” He placed both his elbows on the table as well, holding up his tired head. “Not to mention, they have those gargoyles protecting them from all sorts of magical or physical attacks. We can’t even attempt to throw mental abilities at them since it’ll just be repelled.”

“The birds aren't the only problem...” Arius wiped himself with an icy-cold towel, lowering his temperature somewhat. “The land-based golems are far more problematic. Although they are the most beaten up, I’ve never seen such sturdiness in any S-Class monster in my career as a Guardian Paladin. Some of them aren’t even perfectly whole like that headless spearman or the one-eyed telekinetic golem and yet… They could push an entire S-Class vanguard back. It’s just unheard of.”

The three S-Rankers were among the top of their class. They had fought dozens of S-Class monsters in their day, and even in the Ranker’s Association, they were among the top in their class. For them to have such high praise of the S-Class Dungeon… It really was a rare feat.

“Minerva? What do you think?” The Association President couldn’t help but notice that one person had been strangely silent for the entire conversation thus far. Everyone in the chamber turned to the white-robed lady, who sat with her legs and arms crossed.

After a brief minute of contemplation, Minerva finally replied, her brown eyes glistening in intense thought. “That dungeon… Feels a little off.”

“How so?”

“Haven’t you noticed how the golems never chased us after a certain point?” Minerva walked over to the computer and swiped to the appropriate video recording. She allowed it to play on, showing the Association President precisely what she meant. Straight after the raid force retreated, the stone golems were chased them down with hot pursuit. However, after a certain distance, approximately a few hundred metres away from the entrance, they immediately halted their steps and reverted back to their original positions.

“Ah, I see what you mean.” Rhykius’ eyes brightened up, and he started to scratch his chin.

Nodding, Minerva continued. “Normal monsters, whether they were S-Class or not, don’t do this. The last time I checked, monsters in a dungeon would chase their pursuers until they were dead or if they disappear. When the S-Class Dungeon broke in Elfheim, their S-Rankers used this guerilla tactic to lure some monsters out. We tried to do the same, but it failed quite spectacularly as we all know.”

Now that she had pointed it out, the S-Rankers in the room started to pay more attention.

“They don’t behave like S-Class monsters… No, they don’t even act like normal dungeon monsters. They seem to be bound to the first floor as if they aren’t allowed to step on foot outside of their region.” Minerva stroked her chin as she pondered.

“Why do you think so?” Arius asked.

Minerva rolled her eyes and looked over at the muscular man. “Does it matter?”

“Huh?”

“Right now, our job is to conquer the S-Class dungeon. We can launch a full investigation after the fact. We have to focus on the task at hand.” Minerva replayed the video, showing everyone the moment of their retreat. The video moved in three times the speed until the lady finally paused it, right before the golems retreated. Drawing an imaginary line on the screen, Minerva said: “I estimate that they golems wouldn’t chase us if we’re four to five hundred metres away from the entrance. I say we use that to our advantage.”

Immediately, the Association President muttered under his breath. “Lure them out of their designated zone to disorient them… That’s your plan?”

“Exactly...” Minerva continued. “Although we don’t know why they’re forced to stay inside of the dungeon, if we can lure them into our territory, we can potentially force them to fight on unfamiliar ground. That way, we can confuse them while potentially, bringing our casualty count to the absolute minimum, since the entrance is just a few metres away.”

“Splendid!” Rhykius slammed his palm on the table, praising his compatriot’s quick thinking.

“Adding the review of the golems’ habits and potential weaknesses that we’re about to receive from our analysts, we could very well clear the first floor in the next attempt!” Arius was similarly excited. However, the images of the fifteen golems moving soon resurfaced in his mind. They were absolutely outclassed by the stone golems. Even if the raid force were given the advantage, it wouldn’t be an easy task. “What should we do about the birds? They’re going to prove to be our biggest obstacle in the dungeon...”

“Leave the birds to the mages.” The Arcane Warlock called out. “I have a vague idea about how we can deal with them.”

The Association President beamed out with great joy. They may have lost the first battle, but the war was far from over. “Alright, once the intelligence reports come in, we’ll formulate another plan. Tell the S-Rankers outside to be on standby! We’re going to conquer this first floor no matter what the cost!!!”

❖❖❖

Two hours later.

Aria stood right outside of the S-Class dungeon, alongside Yvette and the other Group D supports. Everything had been set up for the second shot. The command had already developed a game plan to defeat the first floor. The vanguard would charge in to draw the fifteen golems out into the designated range where the rest of the raid force would lie in waiting, executing the perfect trap. To minimise the risk of the supports being taken out, Group D was to stay as far away as possible. Once the golems were in position, the White Sorceress Minerva would lead the charge into the dungeon.

It really was a perfect plan, particularly for Aria. It meant that she didn’t have to risk herself against those S-Class monsters, all while collecting valuable research for her eventual paper.

“Do you think that they’re okay?” Yvette asked, as her sharp nails hung a few centimetres in her mouth.

“You don’t have to worry,” replied Aria with her chest puffed out. “The vanguard is tougher than you think! They’re only going to lure the golems out anyway, not battle them. If they can’t manage that, I doubt they would have the face to call themselves S-Class anymore.”

“You sure are nonchalant...” The elf puffed out her cheeks. Aria thought that her friend looked like a squirrel right there and then. “Finn and Luke are right there in the vanguard, I’d thought that you’ll feel a little more worried for them.”

“It’s not that I’m not worried...” Aria cocked her head sideways as she looked at the blonde elf in thought. “It’s just that I’ve faith in their abilities. We have journeyed together for quite some time after all.” The Archmagus recollected the hundreds of times where Finn and Luke would bust her free from any pickle. Aria honestly thought that the duo was unkillable. Perhaps, even if they did fall in battle, they would claw their way out of the underworld just to bother her one more time.

“Ah, I see...” Yvette opened her eyes in wonder before muttering under her breath: “I wish I had as much faith as you.”

“Hoho...” Aria recognised that face any time of the day. It was an expression of a maiden in distress. Sensing blood, the Archmagus questioned: “Hey, do you like one of them?”

Yvette faltered for a bit, before regaining herself. “O-Of course not! It’s in my nature to worry about them, after all!”

“Oh my god! You really like one of them?!” Aria was appalled. She knew Finn and Luke very well due to their travels together. One might say that their relationship was that of siblings. Naturally, Aria knew of what kind of women the two liked or have dated in the past. Aria also knew Yvette from her stay with her as roommates. So, she definitely knew that Yvette was the perfect maiden for either of those two gentlemen.

“Which one is it? Is it Luke? Eh, that can’t be. He hits on you all the time, but you never reciprocate. Or were you playing hard to get? If not, is it Finn? But he’s such a meathead, I don’t see what’s the charm that he has. I’d also never seen you two talking together for long… Hey, do you really like one of them?”

“J-Just drop it okay? We’re in the middle of an operation!” The blonde elf harrumphed and turned her blushing face away from Aria. She had saved herself by hiding under the cover of the dungeon raid. For the moment, at least. Aria giggled and turned back to face the massive gate. As much as she would love to gossip, Yvette was right. The vanguard was about to arrive with the golems in tow. She could take her time questioning the elf later in the night.

“Everyone! They’re coming! Proceed as planned!” As if on cue, Minerva tapped on her intercom and ordered the auxiliary group to get to their positions. Spreading out her five fingers, the Sorceress summoned out an enormous white bubble. It fits in her hand like a basketball. However, it wasn’t going to for long...

“Expand!”

Almost instantaneously, the entirety of Group D was engulfed in a massive white energy barrier. White flower petals rained down from the top of the barrier, making the inside of the dungeon look like a joyous day in spring to go flower watching.

“What’s this?” Yvette asked. She was one of the few foreigners in the Yudonia dungeon raid force, so it wasn’t strange for her to be unfamiliar with the signature move of White Sorceress Minerva.

“Sorceresses are born with their own unique source magic, one that they never need to learn or study. They can execute their source magic instantly, without chants or any other mana spikes.” Aria explained. “Minerva’s source magic is Barrier Magic. It’s almost impregnable, and it also consists of one more detail.” Aria allowed one of the petals to fall onto her palms. It very quickly disintegrated into the flesh of the young woman, as if it was an actual raindrop.

“Minerva’s Barrier Magic is so powerful, that it creates flower petals which restores anyone’s mana within its compounds. It can also act as a healing well or a boosting spell if Minerva so wishes to. Though, since it would consume too much of her mana, Minerva wouldn’t go to that extent...”

‘And healing and boosting is your job anyway,’ Aria hid the last part of her sentence and allowed herself to enjoy Yvette’s stunned face.

“That’s… So broken...”

Aria beamed with the pride of a Yudonia citizen. “That’s right! In Yudonia, Minerva’s Barrier Magic is the only one that has reached the SS-Class. No one else has ever come close!” Watching the gorgeous flower petals, Aria was reminded of the time where she accompanied the White Sorceress in one of her research topics. It was a tale long passed, but Aria could still remember it like it was yesterday.

‘Minerva really is Yudonia’s secret weapon...’ The Archmagus sighed. Each passing second, she could feel the tension mounting up, with the vanguard slowly closing in from a distance. Aria could see the vague silhouettes of the golems that guarded the first floor. Aria took a deep breath in and turned her neck around in a clockwise direction, releasing some of the tension that she had been building up.

‘Maybe I should just play around a little bit…’