The vast subterranean cavern stretched deep into the subterranean darkness, its ceiling supported by massive dwarven arches covered in pale, luminescent moss.Arthur led the way through a narrow, stone-cut aqueduct, his twin curved daggers held loose and low in his hands. He moved with the practiced grace of a seasoned rogue, his boots making almost no sound against the wet flagstones. Behind him, Kage walked with his crimson dagger drawn, his eyes constantly scanning the shifting shadows above.“The upper tier is mostly scattered Iron-Hide Goblins and cave lurkers,” Arthur whispered over his shoulder, his voice barely audible over the distant trickling of water. “Small packs. Easy silver if you’re harvesting cores. But if you want real EXP and high-grade loot, we need to head down toward the secondary mining shafts.”Kage didn't answer right away. He was listening.[PING!]The pale blue System window flickered silently before his eyes.[TEMPORARY ANCHOR STATUS][CURRENT TIME REMAININ

Kage didn't take the key for the second room.Instead, he grabbed a single iron key, snatched two heavy loaves of rye bread and a flask of water from Vane's counter, and jerked his head toward the stairs. Arthur followed without a word, his hand resting casually on the pommel of his left dagger as his hazel eyes swept the tavern floor one last time.The room at the end of the top-floor hall was small, cold, and smelled faintly of old pine resin and tallow candles. The single window was reinforced with thick iron bars overlooking the gloomy, rain-slicked rooftops of the lower mining district.Kage didn't even drop his pack before inspecting the space. He checked the wooden doorframe, verified the heavy iron deadbolt, and tested the window latch. Only when he was satisfied that there were no blind spots did he bolt the door shut, slide a heavy oak chair beneath the handle, and throw his travel pack onto the corner table.Arthur threw himself face-first onto the far edge of the narrow do

The silence in the small mountain cave was so absolute that the light hiss of the morning wind against the stone mouth sounded like a drawn blade.Arthur’s face drained of color, his jaw slacking as he stared at Kage’s outstretched arm, then back to the distant, loomingly vast dwarven battlements of the Imperial Stronghold. Beside him, Queen froze mid-breath. Her sharp, killer-cold demeanor shattered for a rare fraction of a second, her dark eyes widening as she looked at the hooded kid standing before her as if he had suddenly sprouted horns.“They all went pale.”“Kage...” Arthur finally managed to choke out, his voice cracking slightly as he took a slow step backward, waving his hands violently in the air. “Kage, what in the absolute hell are you thinking?! You can’t do that! That’s two hundred men! Hardened cutthroats, deserters, and a rogue mercenary commander who crushes steel with his bare hands! You can’t just... take a stronghold!”Kage slowly lowered his gloved hand, turning