## **"Uneasy"**
Arthur gently leads Karaku a little to the side and places a bottle of water in his hand.
Karaku drinks silently, not saying a word.
His breathing is still fast—like he's struggling to keep himself under control.
Arthur speaks softly,
"I understand how you're feeling… but this isn't the right time."
Joseph comes over and sits beside them.
"Yeah," he says. "Arthur's right. You've waited for this for years—what's a little more?"
Karaku stays quiet for a few moments.
Then, slowly, he steadies himself.
"Sorry… guys."
There was nothing to apologize for.
"We understand your pain," Arthur says.
Karaku lets out a tired breath.
"Ahh… man."
For a while, the three of them sit there in silence.
Then Durk's voice echoes through the hall—
not loud like before, but **serious**.
"Alright, everyone. Get ready for the raid."
The moment those words are spoken, the adventurers begin checking their gear, weapons, and supplies.
The jokes and casual chatter stop instantly.
The air grows tense.
A few moments later, Durk speaks again.
"Everyone ready?"
"Yes!"
The response comes in unison.
Durk steps forward, opens the dungeon gate,
and without hesitation, takes the first step inside.
Arthur's party enters last.
The moment Arthur steps in, one thing becomes clear—
the dungeon is far larger on the inside than it looked from outside.
And along with that realization comes…
a strange **uneasy feeling**.
Arthur carefully scans his surroundings.
Human skulls lie scattered around,
broken swords rest against the ground,
and dried blood stains cling to the walls.
As they move further in, a strange smell begins to spread through the air.
No one knows where it's coming from.
Arthur feels like he's experiencing this smell for the first time in his life.
He steadies himself and looks toward Karaku and Joseph.
From the outside, Karaku appears calm—
but Arthur knows what's going on inside him.
Some adventurers walking ahead are chatting casually,
completely carefree—
as if this were a sightseeing tour, not a dungeon.
"Hey, got any plans after we clear this dungeon?"
"I heard you proposed."
"Yeah… already bought the ring."
"Ahh man, you're—"
"By the way… have you noticed?"
"Not a single monster so far."
"Yeah," another replies.
"Maybe the previous raid cleared a few floors.
Looks like we'll have to go deeper."
After walking like this for almost **two hours**,
the group reaches a massive open area.
Arthur notices the same things again—
broken weapons,
skulls and bones scattered everywhere.
"We'll rest here for a bit," Durk says.
"But stay alert."
Arthur notices something else—
Durk isn't talking much.
The strange smell has faded slightly,
but it hasn't completely disappeared.
Arthur, Joseph, and Karaku move a little away from the others and sit down.
"How are you feeling now?" Arthur asks.
"I'm fine," Karaku replies.
"Did you notice… the two women with him?"
"They're slaves."
"Really?" Joseph says, surprised.
"How do you know?"
"The one on the left slipped while walking," Arthur explains.
"Others helped him, and for a moment his back was exposed.
I didn't see the full mark…
but what I did see was enough to guess."
From the outside, they looked just like party members.
As they continue talking, a voice calls out—
"Alright guys, let's move forward."
Arthur notices that the priests seem rather carefree,
but Durk is still alert.
Maybe he's feeling the same unease.
"Oh man," someone complains,
"at this rate, I'll collapse from all this walking."
"We've been moving for five hours straight…"
With casual chatter like this,
the group finally reaches a massive door.
Durk stops.
"Stay ready," he says.
"There's a chance enemies are waiting on the other side."
Excitement spreads.
"Finally, some action!"
"Yeah, I was getting bored just walking."
Everyone draws their weapons.
Arthur, Joseph, and Karaku tighten their grips as well.
Without saying another word,
Durk pushes the door open and steps inside.
The rest follow him in.
Inside the room…
it's empty.
"That's it…?" someone mutters.
"Yeah… maybe we arrived too late," another says.
"Or maybe the dungeon decided—*not today*."
"Shut up," someone snaps immediately.
"This place doesn't feel like a joke."
Arthur carefully observes the room.
A broken sword in one corner,
skulls and bones scattered across the floor,
and dried blood staining the walls.
There's no smell anymore—
as if death passed through this place long ago.
After a while, people slowly lower their weapons.
"We'll rest here for a bit," Durk says.
Arthur, Joseph, and Karaku sit down in a corner.
"When do you think the enemies will show up?"
Joseph asks quietly.
"I don't like this," Karaku says.
"I don't know why… but this dungeon isn't normal."
Arthur looks at the adventurers ahead.
Some are loosening their armor.
Some look irritated—
because there hasn't been a single fight yet.
A heavy feeling settles in Arthur's chest.
After some time, Durk signals to move again.
He steps forward first…
And suddenly stops.
The entire group freezes with him.
Arthur looks ahead—
In the darkness…
not one, not two—
**many shadows shift ever so slightly.**
No one even makes a sound reaching for their weapon.
The dungeon feels like it's holding its breath.
For the first time, Durk's voice sounds heavy—
**"…Stay ready."**