The blood-red sky above the Forbidden Forest Dungeon did not merely radiate light; it dripped miasma. A thick, deep-red fog reeking of sulfur and scorched flesh crept across the forest floor, burning flower petals and reducing moss to ash. Deep in the western sector, the howls of wolves, normally wild yet coordinated, suddenly turned into ear-splitting screams of agony.A pack of Forest Wolves, C-rank mid-tier monsters known for their speed and hunting intelligence, was undergoing a forced mutation. The Calamity Grade miasma forced its way through their pores and lungs. Their bones snapped and popped horrifically, lengthening and bursting through their skin. Their gray fur sloughed off, replaced by black scales radiating intense internal heat. Most horrifying of all were their skulls. The flesh around their necks split open, cartilage rapidly replicated, and from those gaping wounds, two additional heads sprouted with eyes burning like hellfire embers.Within seconds, the wolf pack ha

While Darius and Kaelen were busy dragging the half-ton alpha Thorn-Stalker carcass, Seraphina stepped forward, her face pale yet full of determination. As a genius student of the Ice Faction and the team's unofficial navigator, she knew that staying in place was synonymous with waiting for death. The blood-red sky continued pumping miasma into the forest, and the distant roars of monsters grew steadily denser. They needed to find an escape route toward the dungeon's emergency exit immediately.With slightly trembling hands, Seraphina pulled a Crystal Mana Compass from inside her robe. This was a high-tier navigation artifact engraved with royal tracking runes, capable of mapping underground mana currents and pointing toward the exit with millimeter precision. She poured her ice mana into the crystal, hoping its cold temperature could neutralize the interference of the red miasma in the air.However, the Mana Compass had only spun twice when its needle suddenly vibrated wildly. Calami

Inside the cave illuminated by pale green phosphorescent light, Toby was busy scraping healing crystal residue from the bottom of the copper pot using a wooden spoon. In a corner of the cave, Seraphina sat hugging her knees, her eyes staring blankly at the stone wall while continuously muttering a traumatized mantra: "Coordinate point 44... Slumber Moss... 45 silver... don't step on the roots..." The mental strain from the Broken Wooden Ruler's Holographic Map had clearly left a permanent mark on the ice genius's soul.Meanwhile, at the wide mouth of the cave, Aster Vale was performing a task he deemed far more sacred than prayer: auditing his handcart. The wooden cart, with a left wheel that was slightly warped, was now heavily loaded. Three large burlap sacks stitched by Kaelen were stuffed full of Blood Grass, Ghost Orchids, and jars of Star Mushroom paste. Aster was busy tying securing hemp ropes so the sacks would not shift, preparing to move toward the next rare plant zone as so

Far beneath the damp forest floor, hidden behind layers of granite stone and high-tier illusion magic, the dungeon core control room hummed with an unstable low rumble. In the middle of the dimly lit room, Professor Vane stood stiffly before the main monitoring console. His face, usually masked by the friendly demeanor of a timid botany instructor, had completely collapsed, exposing the true face of a Valerius Empire intelligence agent gripped by pure terror.Before him, a large monitoring crystal projected a view from the mouth of the cave in the Core Zone. The image displayed a vast pool of red blood, a handcart with a warped left wheel, and the figure of Aster Vale squatting down while cursing out the puddle for potentially causing rust on his cart axle.Vane swallowed hard. Cold sweat the size of corn kernels poured down his temples, dripping down to soak the collar of his moss-green robe. His dragon-hide gloved hands gripped the edge of the console table so tightly that his knuck

The journey toward the core room of the Forbidden Forest Dungeon felt like walking across a mass grave reeking of sulfur and burnt flesh. The warped left wheel of Aster's handcart kept squeaking with a rhythmic clack-thunk, clack-thunk, shattering the suffocating silence among the scattered carcasses of Corruptor Wyverns. Darius Vorn and Kaelen walked ahead, shoving aside giant melted wings so The Observer's logistics route stayed clear of acid puddles.At the end of the long obsidian hallway stood a pair of giant stone doors twenty meters tall. Their surface was carved with ancient sealing runes that should have radiated a calming golden light. Right now, however, those runes were cracked, bleeding purple miasma, and emanating heat that made breathing feel like inhaling glass dust. This was the gateway to the Boss Room, the place where the legendary Dragon Heart plant was said to grow."Prepare yourselves," Darius whispered, his left hand gripping his steel sword until his knuckles t