"Is this really all the manpower you could muster?" Nathan's voice carried a tinge of disappointment as he scanned the group before him.
Fifteen able-bodied villagers stood in line, an impressive number if the threat were something ordinary. But this wasn't just another errand. This was a calamity-class situation. And that alone made all the difference.
A calamity-ranked threat wasn't something to be taken lightly, it signified devastation on a city-wide scale. Something that would demand the coordinated efforts of several Awakened. And Nathan? He wasn't even fully Awakened yet. Not entirely. That very truth had forced him to reconsider his usual go-it-alone attitude. He knew he couldn't tackle this abyss by himself.
He waited patiently for Subaru, who soon arrived, visibly rattled by the gaping pit at the centre of the room. It wasn't just a crack in the floor; it was a tunnel, burrowing downward into pitch-black unknowns far deeper than anyone expected.
Subaru had immediately turned back to gather the others. Before long, Chief Tullus appeared, followed closely by Brandon, Rory, and Marvelous. They all stood around the mysterious hole, its silent presence speaking louder than words.
Now came the question: What next?
Nathan proposed descending into the depths. Surprisingly or perhaps inevitably, his bold suggestion was met with nods of agreement. It was dangerous, certainly. But it was also their only real option.
In the end, Chief Tullus pledged support, offering the finest men OakHeart could spare. These fifteen were the best the village could rally in such trying times.
And so, here they stood, Nathan and the others, side-by-side with the modest force the village could summon.
"We'll have to make do," Nathan muttered, gripping a makeshift torch in one hand. In the other, he held a crude sword, rough-hewn and unbalanced, likely worthless in serious combat, but better than nothing.
Despite his stocky frame, Nathan managed to ease himself into the narrow opening, lying on his side to slip through the passage.
He slid down the tunnel's smooth walls, landing with a dull thud on hard stone. His eyes darted forward, adjusting to the dim light. A narrow, cave-like corridor stretched ahead, swallowing the glow from his torch.
[Notice!]
[You have entered a dungeon: Den of the Whispering Wake]
The message arrived the moment his body crossed fully into the darkness.
"This is it," he murmured, equal parts awe and anxiety in his voice.
He felt exhilarated, after all the buildup, he had finally found the dungeon. But dread crept in alongside the triumph. What horrors lay ahead?
"What is it?" Subaru's voice echoed faintly from above.
Nathan looked up and called out, "Just got a system prompt saying I have entered the dungeon, Den of the Whispering Wake."
Subaru's face twisted at the name. Rory's followed suit. The poundage of those words hung in the air like fog. Could this be it? The true source of the nightmare that was the tutorial?
The fear was palpable.
Still, hesitation was a luxury they could no longer afford. If there was ever a time to act, it was now.
Rory leapt in next, landing beside Nathan with a grunt.
[Notice!]
[You have entered a dungeon: Den of the Whispering Wake]
Then came Subaru, less enthusiastic, but resolute in his choice.
[Notice!]
[You have entered a dungeon: Den of the Whispering Wake]
Rory adjusted the heavy hammer strapped to his back. The weapon suited his brawny build. Subaru equipped himself with a sword and shield, both scavenged from OakHeart's dwindling armoury. Not exactly high-grade gear, but it would have to do.
Brandon approached next, preparing to follow.
But the moment he tried to squeeze into the tunnel, a sharp notification blasted through the air:
[Error!]
[Warning! Vengeful Soul not permissible for entry into the dungeon: Den of the Whispering Wake]
"What kind of message is this?!" Rory barked, clearly baffled by the cryptic wording.
Brandon tried again, gritting his teeth, forcing his way in, but the same result followed. A gentle but undeniable force pushed him back. Unlike the others, he didn't even receive a proper prompt. It was as though the dungeon itself refused to acknowledge him.
"I'm trying," Brandon huffed, frustration lacing his voice. "I don't know why it won't let me in!"
Nathan frowned. "Let someone else try."
One of the villagers stepped forward. Then another. And another. Each attempt ended in failure. The fifth finally gave up, prompting Nathan to reach a sobering conclusion.
Only the pre-Awakened were permitted to enter. Only those like him, Rory, Subaru and possibly Marvelous.
"Vengeful soul, though?" Nathan mused quietly. The phrasing unsettled him, but he shook the thought away. There were more pressing matters.
"So what, you're telling me we're raiding this dungeon with just us three?" Rory exclaimed, his voice sharp with disbelief.
"Do we have a choice?" Nathan shot back.
They were closer than ever to unearthing the truth behind the Whispering Wake. Letting this opportunity slip away wasn't an option, not now.
"Tch," Rory clicked his tongue, clearly irritated.
He didn't like Nathan. That much was obvious. And Nathan? He was fully aware of the tension but had neither time nor energy to care.
"It's fine, Subaru," Nathan said calmly. "You handle the rear. I'll take the front line. Rory can cover the middle."
He didn't care about debates on who would carry more risk. All that mattered was finishing this. They were trapped in this nightmare together, there was no use complaining now.
Sure, Nathan had more disadvantages. He was younger, overweight, with barely any endurance or agility. But if the grown men weren't up to the task, should he just surrender too?
No. That wasn't an option.
The idea of retreating disgusted him. He couldn't let fear paralyze him, not when something needed to be done.
In truth, he surprised himself with his resolve. Back on Earth, he never would have imagined confronting such dread head-on. But peril had a way of peeling back the layers. Perhaps this had always been the real Nathan buried beneath comfort, now unearthed by necessity.
He didn't know whether to be afraid or proud of that realization.
But what he did know was that he was tired, tired of walking on eggshells, of flinching at shadows, of being prey in this merciless realm called the Origin Expanse.
Now was the time to act. Now was the moment to confront whatever horrors awaited in the depths of the Whispering Wake.
And so, with a torch in hand, Nathan took the first step forward into the unknown.