She paused, then added, "It’s a relatively small area compared to some larger Rifts, but the mountain itself seems like a massive cluster. If we go deeper, the stronger monsters will likely be concentrated there."
Leon nodded again, digesting the information. "Alright. It seems manageable for now. Let’s clear the area around the Rift first before we decide whether to explore it further," he said decisively.
Roselia nodded, gripping her dark blade. "Understood. Let’s move."
"Let’s go in, but first, let me claim ownership of this Rift," Leon said, pulling out his Ascender card. He pointed it at the Rift, activating the card to scan it. The card emitted a faint hum as it began the process.
Leon waited patiently, observing the Rift as the scan completed. Moments later, a series of notifications flashed across his card.
{ Congratulations, Ascender! You have gained ownership of Rift A209. }
{ The Rift’s maximum level is Level 350. }
{ Challenge is assessed as extreme. Exercise caution. }
{ Rift A209 now belongs to Ascender Fang. You can now close the Rift and transport it to any location after clearing the level where the Rift entrance is. }
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
{ Good luck, Ascender Fang! }
Leon smirked as he lowered the card. "Looks like it’s ours now," he said confidently. "Let’s clean up this level and then decide what to do with it."
Roselia nodded, gripping her weapon tightly. "Understood. Let’s get to work."
With the Rift now under Leon’s ownership, the duo prepared to enter and face whatever challenges awaited them inside.
As they stepped into the Rift, Leon and Roselia found themselves in a dark, enclosed cave. The visibility was nonexistent, but thankfully, Leon’s Sage Eyes remained unaffected, and Roselia’s Demon Eyes allowed her to see clearly as well. Both scanned the surroundings cautiously, their senses heightened.
"It appears we’ve landed at a dead end," Roselia remarked, her voice low and steady. "At least we won’t have to worry about an ambush from behind."
Leon nodded, but his expression remained serious. "True, but since this is a cave system within the mountains, we can’t rule out surprises ahead. Stay alert."
"Agreed," Roselia replied, gripping her weapon firmly.
Leon sighed lightly and adjusted his staff. "Well, let’s clear this level and seal off the Rift. The sooner we’re done, the better."
With that, they began to move. Roselia took point, her steps silent as a shadow, while Leon cast a minor spell to muffle their movements. The echo of their footsteps, which would have otherwise resounded through the cave, was reduced to an almost imperceptible whisper.
The air was damp and heavy, and each step felt like walking into the unknown. The oppressive silence of the cave weighed on them, yet neither faltered, their focus unwavering.
"Let’s move cautiously," Leon murmured. "We don’t know what’s waiting deeper inside."
Roselia nodded, her Demon Eyes scanning for any hidden traps or lurking creatures as they advanced further into the depths of the mountain cave.
As they ventured deeper into the cave, faint sounds began to echo through the tunnels—a distant dripping of water, the occasional shuffle of stones, and, faintly, growls resonating from unknown creatures. The air grew colder, and the damp walls glistened with moisture.
Leon raised a hand, signaling Roselia to stop. His Sage Eyes flickered faintly as he activated his Enhanced Perception, allowing him to detect the faintest of energy traces.
"There are lifeforms ahead," Leon whispered. "A group of them. They’re moving… patrolling, perhaps."
Roselia narrowed her Demon Eyes in the direction Leon indicated. "They’re not wolves this time," she said. "I sense something larger… and angrier."
Leon nodded, gripping his staff tightly. "Let’s set up an ambush. If we can take them by surprise, we’ll save energy and avoid unnecessary injuries."
Roselia agreed, positioning herself behind a jagged outcropping of rock. Leon, meanwhile, began weaving a silent incantation. A faint glow surrounded his staff as he prepared a Paralyzing mine Trap, a spell that would immobilize enemies stepping into the area.
Moments later, the creatures came into view—Cave Beasts, towering quadrupedal monsters with jagged claws and glowing red eyes. Their rocky hides seemed almost impenetrable, and their breaths released a sulfuric mist, adding to their menacing aura.
The pack moved cautiously, their senses sharp, but Leon’s Mana Trap remained undetectable. The lead beast stepped into the spell’s radius, and with a sudden flash of blue light, the trap activated. Chains of pure mana erupted from the ground, binding the beast in place.
"Now!" Leon shouted.
Roselia darted from her hiding spot, her blade gleaming with dark energy as she struck at the immobilized creature’s vulnerable joints. Her speed was unmatched, and within seconds, the lead beast let out a deafening roar before collapsing.
The rest of the pack charged toward them, but Leon was ready. With a flick of his staff, he unleashed Bursting Fireballs, each one targeting a different beast. The explosions lit up the cave, illuminating the chaos as Roselia continued her deadly dance, cutting down any beast that came within range.
Despite their size and ferocity, the Cave Beasts fell one by one. The combination of Leon’s precise magic and Roselia’s swift attacks proved overwhelming.
As the last beast let out a guttural snarl before falling lifeless, silence returned to the cave.
Leon leaned against his staff, catching his breath. "Not bad," he said with a grin. "Teamwork really does make the dream work."
Roselia smirked, wiping her blade clean. "Save the jokes, Leon. We’re just getting started."
Leon chuckled, adjusting his grip on his staff. "Fair enough. Let’s keep moving. The Rift’s core won’t close itself."
The two continued deeper into the cave, carefully sealing off this section of the path. Leon, using his magic, raised a sturdy stone wall to block the passage from where the cave beasts had emerged. It was an intersection where multiple paths converged, so they closed off one route and chose to proceed down another, ensuring no creatures could follow them.
They moved to another side of the cave, their steps silent and deliberate. As they progressed, they came upon another intersection. Leon quietly assessed the paths ahead, deciding to seal one side with another stone wall before proceeding down the other route.
Since this was a cave system, they knew the layout would be unpredictable, filled with branching tunnels and potential ambush points. Every step was taken with caution as they ventured further into the unknown.
As they ventured further, the atmosphere grew heavier, and the faint sound of dripping water echoed through the cave. Leon’s eyes scanned the path ahead, his Sage Eyes piercing through the darkness, while Roselia’s Demon Eyes glowed faintly, detecting subtle shifts in energy.
"This place reeks of danger," Roselia murmured, her hand resting on the hilt of her weapon.
Leon nodded. "The monsters we’ve encountered so far are just the tip of the iceberg. The stronger ones are likely deeper in."
"But since it’s only first level, maybe it’s just around Level 50 or such" he said as Roselia nodded.
They moved cautiously, avoiding unnecessary noise. Suddenly, Roselia halted, her eyes narrowing. "There’s movement ahead," she whispered.
Leon activated a spell, summoning a small, glowing orb of light that hovered silently at his side, illuminating the path just enough for them to see without drawing too much attention.
A low growl echoed from the shadows. Emerging from the darkness were three massive Dire Wolves, their eyes glowing with an unnatural red light. These wolves were unlike the ones they had encountered outside the rift—they were larger, their fur matted and bristling with dark energy.
"Corrupted Dire Wolves," Leon muttered. "They must’ve absorbed energy from the Mountains."
Roselia smirked, drawing her blade. "They don’t seem too happy to see us."
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The wolves didn’t wait for an invitation, lunging forward with a ferocity that shook the cave floor. Leon raised his staff, casting a barrier that deflected the first wolf’s claws, while Roselia sidestepped another and retaliated with a swift slash that sent sparks flying.
"Keep them off me for a moment," Leon called out as he began chanting a spell.
Roselia nodded, her movements fluid as she engaged the wolves. Her blade danced through the air, leaving trails of demonic energy that burned into the wolves’ thick hides. One wolf howled in pain, but it was relentless, pressing its attack with savage determination.
Leon’s chant reached its peak. "Bursting Flame Cascade!" he shouted, releasing a wave of fiery projectiles that arced through the air and struck the wolves with explosive force. The cave lit up briefly with the fiery bursts, and when the smoke cleared, the wolves lay motionless on the ground.
"That was close," Roselia said, brushing dirt off her armor.
Leon lowered his staff, inspecting the area. "This rift’s energy is amplifying the monsters. We’ll need to be careful moving forward."
Roselia nodded. "Let’s finish exploring this cave and clear this level."
"Yeah, I’m already exhausted. Let’s clear this and go," Leon said with a tired nod as they continued onward.
For another three hours, they fought their way through hordes of Dire Wolves, bats, and other lesser monsters. As Leon had suspected, this was only the lower level of the rift, so they didn’t encounter any particularly powerful monsters.