Broken and Toberry stepped out of the city gate and trudged through the desert, feeling tiny gusts of wind blowing bits of sand into their faces. The sun was just starting to rise, painting the horizon with beautiful red-orange hues that warmed their skin.
“The cave’s not too far from here,” Toberry said. “Danko, that rat boy, must really love working in caves. He even chooses to sleep there instead of coming back to the town. I wonder if it’s because he’s a rat beastkin or if he just really loves his job.”
Broken gave a slight nod. “Maybe they’re just different from humans?”
Toberry chuckled. “All the Beastkin I know live pretty much like regular humans, just with different forms. Sure, they have some unique talents and physiques, but their lives are pretty normal.”
“Okay, this is new for me.”
Toberry continued, “There are plenty of caves in this area that might contain lots of resources we can mine. We could even sell what we collect to other cities or kingdoms. That would be a good way to make more money.”
Broken nodded. “We will do that, but we need to fully explore any cave we come across. We’ll need to find out what’s inside each one.”
Broken recalled his previous encounter in a cave filled with demons, and the memory stirred a flicker of anxiety. What if something similar awaited him here, in these nearby caves?
“Some caves conceal profound mysteries,” he mused aloud. “I don’t think it’s wise to let the miners venture into them alone.”
Toberry agreed. “I think I need to set up an exploration team focused on checking out these caves. It will be an exciting mission, though exploring caves really takes time and preparation.”
“Agree,” Broken replied.
Toberry continued. “Some caves aren’t very human-friendly. There are water-filled tunnels, monsters, and sometimes even monster dungeons inside.”
“I’d be happy to join the exploration, Toberry,” Broken offered. But he knew he had other tasks to complete, especially crafting new armor and weapons.
“No, Broken, let me handle this. I know you’re already quite busy,” Toberry replied kindly.
As they approached the massive sand dune from a distance, they moved closer, noticing how lofty and intimidating it seemed from afar. However, upon getting nearer, they saw that the entrance to the cave was much lower, descending into the ground. The cave’s borders were rugged and rocky, draped in a thin layer of sand.
“That’s the Lord,” a voice echoed from within the cave. Emerging from the darkness, a young man with rat ears appeared.
“Hey, My Lord,” Danko exclaimed as he raced out of the cave’s mouth.
“I heard you found something interesting in this cave?” Broken asked.
Danko nodded energetically. “Yes, something extraordinary, and I’m sure it’s very valuable,” he said excitedly. “I found a Trial Domain!”
“Trial Domain?” Broken’s interest piqued immediately. The allure of the Trial Domain always roused his greed and desire to conquer it.
“But, My Lord,” Danko cautioned, “getting there is no easy task. It will take about two hours. The cave passage is steep and dark, and there are sections where we need to swim through water tunnels to proceed.”
Toberry was taken aback by Danko’s words. “You actually went all the way into the cave, Danko? You sure love challenges, don’t you?”
“Kha ha ha,” Danko burst into a loud laugh, his eyes closed and mouth wide open. “I just follow my instincts. When I feel like going, I go.”
“But you managed to survive the water tunnels and stay underwater for so long?” Toberry continued.
“That was because of the potion you provided, Lord Toberry. It helped me stay underwater longer,” Danko answered enthusiastically.
“But I don’t have any spares right now. Do we need to wait until I make a new potion for Broken too?”
“No, Lord Toberry, I still have enough for two people,” Danko reassured.
“For two people on a one-way trip? How are you planning to get back?”
Broken listened intently to Danko and Toberry’s conversation, concerned about how they would reach the Trial Domain through the water tunnels. While two people could make the trip with the existing potions, they needed to figure out a way to return once they reached the end of the tunnel.
“Let me go with Danko,” Broken said. “I just want to see what’s inside the cave, find any potential resources we can mine, and check the situation near the Trial Domain. If possible, I’ll explore it myself.”
“But are you sure, Broken?”
“No worries, I won’t put anyone in danger.”
“Okay, then,” Toberry agreed.
Broken continued, “Alright, take me to that place, Danko.”
“Alright, My Lord, I’m so happy to explore the cave with you,” Danko responded
enthusiastically with a hearty chuckle, “Kha ha ha.”
He then started walking further into the cave, whose entrance inclined slightly inward.
“You coming, Toberry?” Broken turned to him inquiringly.
“Um, two hours might be too long,” Toberry replied. “A round trip would take four hours, and I have other things to take care of. But please let me know if you need help, and I can come
later with the others.”
“Okay,” Broken responded casually.
Following that, Broken and Danko took a few more steps into the cave. The surface was made of stone, smoothed out by the dry sand covering it. Inside, the sounds of people chatting and hammering away with their pickaxes echoed, indicating that several miners were present.
Danko grabbed a crystal lamp. He held it up, and it immediately emitted a warm light, brightening the atmosphere in the cave.
“Let’s go, my Lord,” Danko said.
The two ventured deeper into the cave, passing by other miners who were hard at work.
“That’s the Baron,” they whispered.
“Good morning, My Lord,” they greeted.
“We are so grateful to be working here.”
“Thank you for providing us with a steady salary,”
“My Lord, are you going to the place that rat boy mentioned? It’s too dangerous and far away.
I don’t recommend following him.”
“Yes, My Lord, there’s no point in venturing further into the cave. It’s truly dangerous and full
of risks.”
Broken gave the miners a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t go too far, so nothing bad
will happen to me.”
He continued to follow Danko as they ventured deeper into the cave.
“Danko,” Broken said once they were out of earshot of the miners.
“Yes, My Lord?”
“Did you find anything else besides the Trial Domain? Maybe monsters or something
unusual?”
“Not yet, My Lord,” Danko replied enthusiastically.
“What do you mean by ‘not yet’?”
“There are many tunnels in the cave, and I’ve only explored a few. But I plan to explore more
later, and I’ll inform you if I find any monsters.”
Broken chuckled at his words. “Are you sure you could escape if you came across any
monsters? Especially if they’re stronger than you?”
“Kha ha ha… I can run pretty fast, My Lord.”
Broken then pulled out The Iron Solemn Pickaxe from his inventory to activate the passive
skill of [Treasure Sense (Conditional Passive Skill)]. This way, he could also keep an eye out for anything interesting that Danko hadn’t found yet.
“My Lord, are you a miner too?” Danko asked excitedly. “But you said you wanted to see the
Trial Domain. Are you planning to mine as well?”
“No, I do want to see the Trial Domain. Don’t question why I’m holding this pickaxe while
exploring the cave, okay?” Broken asserted.
“But, My Lord, you need a sword to fight monsters, right?”
Broken felt a bit annoyed by the continuous questions.
“I just really love this pickaxe and want to hold onto it,” he replied, giving a rather suspicious
answer.