"Good morning, Mr. Friedrich."
It was already 7:30 in the morning. The long, silent night had passed, and as planned, everyone gathered outside the chief's house. Everyone except one person: Julius Marcellus.
He wasn't here.
Friedrich crossed his arms, his breath steaming in the cold air.
"Morning, Chief. I suppose the one who was supposed to lead this party hasn't shown up. Looks like he ran off in fear."
He said it in a tone designed to provoke Zhou Rui.
But Zhou Rui stepped forward, voice calm and sure.
"Airu isn't the kind of man who runs away because he's afraid. So don't worry. Besides, the deadline is 8 o'clock. We still have half an hour left."
Yu Zhen stood nearby, his hands tucked neatly into his long sleeves, his eyes closed as always. He just listened quietly, that faint smile never leaving his face.
Heinrich and Anna were yawning, clearly still half-asleep. Only Friedrich looked fully alert, standing rigid with his wounded pride.
Twenty-five minutes crawled by in silence. Frost collected along the fence posts. A thin wind blew across the snow-covered path.
Friedrich finally growled,
"Does he even understand the position he's in? How are we supposed to leave without our leader?"
Just then, they heard a voice calling from down the street.
"OIIII!!!!"
Everyone turned to look. Julius was strolling toward them, waving lazily, a huge yawn stretching his face.
Zhou Rui walked up to meet him.
"Where have you been all this time?"
Julius rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Oh, I just... went to collect a few spells from the villagers."
Yu Zhen tilted his head.
"And what interesting spells did you manage to find?"
Julius hesitated, avoiding everyone's eyes.
"Umm... you see... only one. A spell that can warm any area within a fifty-centimeter radius."
Yu Zhen's eyes stayed closed, but he sounded genuinely surprised.
"Wait, that's the same spell the farmers here use. It's the most basic fire spell there is."
Julius laughed nervously.
"Yes... that one."
Friedrich looked like he might explode.
"You wasted all this time—for that pathetic spell!?"
Yu Zhen calmly raised his voice to intervene.
"I don't believe our time was wasted. Even if Mr. Airu had arrived earlier, we wouldn't have left until eight. The only difference is we'd have discussed our positions and tactics here rather than on the way to the dungeon."
Friedrich muttered, still seething.
"Whatever. Can we leave now?"
Yu Zhen nodded, smiling serenely.
"Yes, of course."
Even though it was technically morning, the snowy landscape looked closer to twilight. Gray light washed over the roofs of the dark-wood houses. The temperature hovered around 4°C, and at night it would plunge well below freezing.
They walked quietly in single file, boots crunching through old snow. Soon the village shrank behind them, and they passed the last line of frost-laden fences.
After about a hundred meters, Julius spoke up.
"Chief, tell me something. Why do we even need to clear this dungeon? I mean, if the Magma Tyrant is staying inside, what threat is it to you or your village?"
Yu Zhen's eyes were closed as always, his breath fogging gently in the cold.
"That's a very good question."
Zhou Rui leaned over and whispered,
"Airu... did you or any of the others ever program him to say that?"
Julius whispered back,
"Nope."
Yu Zhen continued in his soft, measured tone.
"We must clear the dungeon because the boss is asleep right now. But any moment, it could wake—and when it does, it will be hungry. Not just any hunger, but a craving for violence and death. To satisfy it, it will leave the dungeon. And the nearest living settlement is our village."
Zhou Rui tilted his head.
"But isn't there a chance it could go somewhere else instead?"
Yu Zhen slowly shook his head.
"Dungeon bosses can smell the closest concentration of life. When it wakes, it will come here."
Heinrich asked with a frown,
"How long will it take us to reach the dungeon?"
Yu Zhen lifted his face slightly toward the gray sky.
"If conditions stay as they are now—calm and clear—four hours at most. If we encounter a blizzard or some other obstacle, eight hours."
Friedrich stepped forward, his silver sword tapping against his leg.
"I think we should stop wasting time and discuss our tactics."
Yu Zhen clapped his hands once, the sound crisp in the frozen air. He tucked them back inside his sleeves.
"Absolutely right. Then, who wants which position?"
Friedrich didn't hesitate.
"I believe Mr. Zhou Rui and I should take the front. We have the highest attack power. Heinrich and Mr. Airu can provide support behind us. Anna will stay at the rear in the safest position to heal. Now, Chief, you'll need to tell us about your powers so we can decide where you belong."
Yu Zhen kept smiling, as though it were the most casual confession in the world.
"Unfortunately, I am powerless. I cannot use magic, and I have no skills with weapons."
Everyone froze. Julius, Zhou Rui, Friedrich, Heinrich, and Anna all turned to stare at him.
Yu Zhen tilted his head in confusion.
"What is it?"
Julius raised a hand slowly.
"If you have no powers at all... why are you even coming with us?"
Yu Zhen answered with perfect composure.
"To show you the way."
Friedrich spoke up, exasperated.
"You could have given us a map for that."
Yu Zhen shrugged lightly.
"I prefer to see with my own eyes that you have truly slain the Magma Tyrant."
Julius whispered under his breath,
"For that, you'd actually have to open your eyes once in a while. I wonder how he even sees anything..."
Yu Zhen turned slightly toward him.
"Did you say something, Mr. Airu?"
Julius flinched.
"No, nothing at all!"
Yu Zhen nodded serenely.
"Then let's go. We must reach the dungeon as soon as possible."
Julius let out a long sigh, stepping back into line.
"Yes, sir!"