Starting with the more subtle changes the dungeon had experienced over the last few days. Like the trap that had initially been deemed to be a solely psychological one, with its purpose being to put pressure on less experienced groups. It was usually the hallmark of a young and still relatively weak dungeon that didn’t yet have either the sense or the ability to opt for more deadly alternatives.


    Fast-forward to the third group’s attempt to conquer and scout the dungeon, and those ideas had been proven wrong once and for all. The whole corridor was now littered with a wide variety of lethal traps.


    Now, however, a collective murmur of disbelief went through their ranks.


    subtle changes? People weren’t buying it and were quick to accuse Magda of embellishing and exaggerating her story to garner sympathy.


    Or in this case, the ones pertaining to the enemies themselves.


    Initially, that had been the skeleton warrior, the, at the time, presumed boss and singular enemy of the dungeon and whose skill-set had then further changed between dungeon dives.


    That was how, after defeating said skeleton warrior, the third group was not met with the exit portal but with four deadly, eight-legged foes instead.


    The present adventurers, even Jasmine’s usually so disciplined guards, were in total disbelief.


    The loudmouths who had been so vocal early on had long been silenced. But even those interested in an actual challenge, those whose lust for battle and adventure had intensified with every one of Magda’s words, suddenly had lost all interest.


    This revelation momentarily reignited many people’s fighting spirit.


    Class-orbs always had a great draw on people and this, of course, also included adventurers who didn’t have a practical use for them, simply because every single one represented large amounts of money. Large enough for people to risk their lives.


    And so, despite some greedily flickering eyes here and there, Magda’s revelation did little to change the minds of the people who had already given up on taking even a single step inside this dangerous dungeon.


    And then some people remembered.


    While everything pointed towards this dungeon being a dangerous aberration which evolved at an unprecedented speed, Magda, early on, had pointed to a different possibility.


    “


    She understood this was the hardest part.


    She was confident in her theory.


    She knew she was right.


    But this would be of little consequence if she couldn’t convince other people of this as well. People who would have to actually risk life and limb to verifying the theory in her stead.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    So far, procedures had demanded that each subsequent scouting party had to be stronger than the last one; after all, the danger level had risen and people had been lost.


    But the only way to be certain was to break with these procedures. In case Magda’s hunch was incorrect, the consequences would be most dire.


    Though not nearly as derisive as before, people still let her know, in no uncertain words, what they thought of her plan.


    ““Yeah, we’re not your guinea pigs.”


    “At least some proof would be nice, you know?”


    “Not even the Society could pay us enough for a trip like this!”


    “


    “


    ‘She hesitated for an instant, but quickly shook off her doubts, all while maintaining her smile.


    “Her words elicited another round of objections from the many curious bystanders.


    ““Right. Why wouldn’t you start with this? Let us make our own impressions.”


    “For real. What is she thinking?!”


    “Just show it already.”


    Magda, however, deliberately ignored these complaints and maintained steady eye contact with the woman who had accepted the challenge; at this moment, hers was the only opinion that mattered


    “Magda, in a questioning gesture, cocked her brow.


    “Either your assumption is right, in which case any preconceived notion of what might await us in there would only lull us into a false sense of security and will ultimately come to bite us.


    Or you are wrong, and we are jumping headfirst into a rapidly evolving deathpit that even the Hanvian exploration forces couldn’t handle. In that case, we are doomed no matter what. No?”


    These antics quickly snapped Magda out of her thoughts.


    “I don’t,” she agreed with a smile on her face that had lost most of its previous tension.


    “Magda didn’t immediately catch on. She didn’t believe anyone could be so reckless; even if they declined to check the recordings, surely there were other preparations that needed to be done first.


    Her unspoken questions were apparently written all over her face.


    “A good adventurer is always prepared.


    That’s what your organization keeps preaching, isn’t it? Now don’t be surprised someone is actually listening and let''s get on with it.”


    Without waiting for a reply, the woman turned around and headed towards the dungeon’s crypt-like entrance. As if this matter wasn’t one of life and death, her men followed her without a hint of hesitation, almost as if they were headed for dinner and not into a potentially lethal anomaly of a dungeon.


    “Magda turned her head, as did the group of four.


    What they saw was a young boy, previously concealed by the crowd, standing behind a small wooden stall near the entrance of the crypt.


    “I understand you are heading inside? On behalf of the Emporium, let me offer you a five percent discount on your next purchase. All you have to do in exchange is to take this [Transmitter Crystal] and let us be part of your adventure. What say you?”