Essence Reborn

Chapter 10

The scene was rowdy, with murmurs and whispers rippling through the crowd. The civilians could no longer contain the boiling anger and grudges within them; they were ready to speak up, even if they lacked the courage to truly oppose the young-looking woman.

It was supposed to be the day they had all imagined—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for business and success. They had been waiting for the party members to emerge from the gate with retrieved crystals and essence so they could strike profitable deals among themselves.

But the reality was the opposite. They never expected to see a lady act so recklessly against commoners, her reputation for greed appearing more true than ever, as they thought.

"Yeah, get her! Dammit, look at that thing!"

"Kick her out! She's greedy—she cleared everyone out just to keep all the loot for herself, or for those useless chicks she likes!"

The chattering grew louder until a figure with a striking, curved silhouette appeared just in time, catching Lyhan's hands mid-air to prevent further chaos.

Lyhan's eyes widened in shock. She sensed who it was even before she turned her head. It was Genz. Major had informed her a little while ago that she was nearby, but Lyhan hadn't expected her to arrive so perfectly on time.

With a quiet smile, Genz whispered a cold remark that only Lyhan and the two men standing beside her could hear. "You went back to have fun with some stubborn rats? They'd be dead by now if you'd just given them a slap, Lyhan."

The two men stiffened, trembling. They couldn't understand what she meant exactly or who she was, but judging by her presence, she seemed even more formidable than a Queen Boss.

"Now, you wouldn't mind sparing these escaped rats for today, would you?" Genz asked.

Lyhan shook her head slightly, admitting she had been caught red-handed. She slowly took a step forward, following Genz as they approached the cave entrance.

The crowd fell into a stunned silence. They had expected the woman—Genz to be a member of the Association coming to support their protest against the greed they perceived. Meanwhile, the two men nearby went numb, their eyes wide and feet trembling. They couldn't even look up as the two charming yet devastating women walked past.

Then, in a voice that was calm and warm yet utterly terrifying, Genz spoke: "Oh, I forgot... you should make sure to clean your pants before heading home. The ground is wet where you stand."

As they reached the cave entrance, Genz felt a sudden surge of energy. Her instincts told her the rumors were true: the monster that had appeared moments ago was a B-rank anomaly. It was a rare sight among portals, leading to only one conclusion—this was the main district where the "dual gates" had been mentioned in the past. This was the exact point where it all started.

After a few steps into the entrance, Genz moved toward the side wall. She pressed her palm lightly against the cold stone and immediately felt something strange.

Based on the evidence, if a monster of that caliber had appeared from a dungeon break within this cave, every member, including the high-ranking Commander sent to guide the mission—should be dead by now.

But something felt off. She sensed a soul, still flickering deep within the cave.

"Was there another high-ranking member aside from you and Luhang guiding the team?" Genz asked Lyhan calmly.

Lyhan looked startled. She hadn't expected a question like that. In this scenario, everyone should have been wiped out; she would have died too if she had stayed. "No," Lyhan replied after a moment of thought.

"Only Luhang and I were the high ranks. The rest were low-class D-ranks and some E-ranks... except for one boy."

She imagined how painful his death must have been, being the weakest among them. Lyhan sighed. "An F-class member. He was just a navigator leading with the map."

Genz studied Lyhan for a moment, her thoughts and suspicions clarifying. She folded her arms across her chest and continued walking slowly into the darkness. "Hmm. Then how is it that there is still a living soul beneath this cave?"

***

Time had went by with only a few minutes remained. Kenji had managed to bring down two wolves with his spear, but he was now slumped in the corner against a large wall, paralyzed by exhaustion.

His system interface hovered at eye level, counting down the seconds.

«05 Mins, 28 Secs... Remaining»

< Health - 15>

(One critical hit from orc monster)

< Health - 15>

(One critical hit from orc monster)

< Health -20>

(Multiple bites & lacerations from Wolves)

The system panel flickered continuously with notifications, but Kenji couldn't lift a hand. The hits from the two Orcs had left his arms in searing pain; he was on the verge of dying for the second time.

He had tried to open his recovery bottle to take a sip, but his health remained unchanged. The promised regeneration hadn't kicked in. It was confusing—the text right in front of him insisted his regenerative ability was active, yet nothing was working.

«Chrum.»