The journey from Frostveil to the raid cave should have taken nearly half a day.
For most adventurers, it did.
Down one mountain face.
Across a narrow ridge.
Up another frozen ascent.
The path twisted between cliffs and snow-covered forests, with enough blind corners and icy ledges to kill the careless.
For Jax and the Vixens?
It took less than an hour.
Grim and Steed charged through the mountain roads like they owned them.
The reinforced caravan hovered inches above the terrain, gliding over snow, ice, and stone without ever slowing.
Inside, everyone enjoyed a hot breakfast.
By the time Frostveil disappeared behind them, Bunny was already asking what was for lunch.
When the caravan finally stopped, a soft chime echoed through the dimensional space.
Arrival.
Jax stood first.
"Alright, team."
The Vixens immediately got to their feet.
Armor flowed around them like living crystal.
It never stopped being strange.
Or impressive.
The Titan-forged enhancements continued to evolve.
Temperature adjusted automatically.
Weight distributed itself.
Movement felt effortless.
Even after weeks of use, it still felt like wearing clothing instead of armor.
Nyxian stretched dramatically.
"If this cave doesn't have treasure, I'm filing a complaint."
"You've filed complaints about caves before?" Zee asked.
"Several."
"To whom?"
Nyxian paused.
"...Excellent question."
Jax laughed.
Then stepped outside.
Cold mountain air greeted them immediately.
Snow drifted lazily through the air.
Ahead stood the Frostveil Raid Cave.
Unlike Crystalshire's cave, this entrance looked hostile.
Jagged ice surrounded dark stone.
Frost crawled along the walls like veins.
The entire mountain seemed to breathe.
Jax narrowed his eyes.
He didn't like that thought.
Not one bit.
The others followed him out.
For a moment nobody spoke.
The cave had presence.
A feeling.
Like it was watching.
Bunny finally broke the silence.
"Well."
"That's not creepy at all."
"Not even a little," Zee agreed.
Jax approached the entrance.
Carved into the surrounding stone were names.
Hundreds of them.
Adventuring parties.
Floor records.
Achievements.
Failures.
Memorials.
The deeper someone had gone, the more prominent their inscription became.
Llandra ran her fingers across one.
"The Argent Vanguard."
"Floor Forty-Two."
Nyxian whistled.
"They're famous."
"Very," Zee agreed.
Nearby sat another.
Stormbound Covenant.
Floor Thirty-Eight.
Obsidian Crown.
Floor Forty.
Legends.
Names known throughout the continent.
Jax studied them quietly.
Then smiled.
"Good."
The girls looked at him.
"Good?" Bunny asked.
"Now we know where the competition stopped."
The smile widened.
"Let's see where we stop."
The Vixens immediately grinned.
There was the Jax they knew.
Before entering, they gathered for a final briefing.
Snow drifted between them.
Shadows gathered nearby.
Including Warden.
The General Knight stood perfectly still.
Towering black armor.
Massive shield.
Ancient sword.
Cape fluttering in the wind.
His helmet concealed everything.
He looked less like a summon and more like a forgotten king.
Jax glanced around the group.
"We've done this before."
Everyone nodded.
"And we've won before."
More nods.
"But previous victories don't guarantee future victories."
His voice sharpened.
"Respect the dungeon."
"Respect the monsters."
"Respect each other."
The joking atmosphere faded.
Everyone listened.
"We're stronger than we were in Crystalshire."
"We're better equipped."
"We're more experienced."
"But overconfidence kills people."
Llandra nodded.
"Agreed."
Then she glanced toward Warden.
"Shouldn't Warden lead?"
Several of the girls looked toward the knight.
It was a reasonable question.
Warden was built for exactly that role.
Shield.
Defense.
Control.
Taunting.
The perfect vanguard.
Jax considered it.
Then shook his head.
"Maybe on the upper floors."
He rolled his shoulders.
"For now?"
A grin spread across his face.
"I need to get warmed up."
Nyxian immediately perked up.
"Ooh. I love it when his blood gets flowing."
She leaned forward dramatically.
"Especially when it reaches his—"
"Nyxian."
Llandra's voice was calm.
Dangerously calm.
"Stop talking and focus."
Nyxian sighed dramatically.
"You're no fun."
Bunny snorted.
"You were about three seconds away from getting us all distracted."
"Four seconds."
"Three."
"Four."
"Three."
Jax ignored them.
Mostly because Bunny had started counting on her fingers.
He turned toward Warden.
"Formation?"
The knight immediately answered.
His voice echoed from within the helmet.
Deep.
Formal.
Controlled.
"Standard Sierra Formation is recommended, my liege."
The Vixens froze.
It was still strange hearing him talk.
Jax sighed.
"You don't have to call me that."
"Understood, my liege."
Silence.
Nyxian immediately turned away.
Her shoulders started shaking.
Bunny outright laughed.
Even Zee covered her mouth.
Jax pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Of course."
Warden remained perfectly serious.
"Formation Sierra remains recommended, my liege."
Jax sighed again.
"Fine."
The formation shifted immediately.
Jax at point.
Grim and Steed on either side.
Bunny directly behind him.
Zee and Nyxian in support positions.
Llandra guarding the rear.
Warden moving between groups as needed.
The survivors from the Titan incident had taught them something valuable.
Protecting weaker allies mattered.
Formation Sierra existed specifically for that purpose.
They entered.
The world shifted instantly.
Temperature dropped.
Mana density increased.
Air pressure changed.
Dungeon.
Jax smiled.
Then summoned his army.
Darkness erupted across the cavern floor.
Knight shadows.
Mage shadows.
Beast shadows.
Dozens.
Then hundreds.
The cave suddenly felt crowded.
Bunny cracked her hammer against her shoulder.
"Now we're talking."
The first monsters appeared less than thirty seconds later.
Ice wolves.
Crystal spiders.
Frost-bound lizards.
The shadows annihilated them.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
No resistance.
The dungeon's first ten floors disappeared beneath an avalanche of shadow soldiers.
Jax walked casually behind them.
Like a king inspecting roads.
The Vixens barely had time to fight.
By Floor Twelve, Bunny complained.
"I think the shadows are stealing my kills."
"Stealing?" Nyxian asked.
"They're definitely stealing."
Floor Fifteen introduced traps.
Runes.
Spears.
Explosions.
Jax simply pointed.
"Send in the disposable employees."
The shadows charged forward.
The entire hallway exploded.
Nobody cared.
Five seconds later the shadows reformed and kept walking.
Warden observed calmly.
"An effective strategy, my liege."
"There it is again."
"There is what, my liege?"
Bunny almost fell over laughing.
The deeper they went, the stronger the monsters became.
Floor Twenty.
Ice Yetis.
Floor Twenty-Five.
Crystal Serpents.
Floor Thirty.
Frost Behemoths.
Finally the Vixens joined the battle.
Bunny crushed skulls.
Nyxian's whip danced through the air.
Zee's magic filled entire tunnels with radiant light.
Llandra's arrows never missed.
Warden became a wall.
Nothing passed him.
Nothing.
When one Frost Behemoth attempted to charge Zee, Warden simply stepped forward.
Shield raised.
The impact shook the cavern.
The Behemoth stopped.
The knight did not move an inch.
Then his sword flashed.
The monster died instantly.
Zee blinked.
"Thank you."
"Protecting allies is my purpose."
Simple.
Direct.
Regal.
Very Warden.
Then the System appeared.
SYSTEM NOTICE
Shadow Summon Skill Level Up
All active shadows increased by one rank tier.
Combat Adaptation Increased.
Durability Increased.
Mana Efficiency Increased.
Jax paused.
Then checked the nearest shadow.
B-Rank.
Now A-Rank.
Another.
A-Rank.
Now S-Rank.
His eyes widened slightly.
That was significant.
Very significant.
Even Warden seemed to notice.
The knight slowly looked toward Jax.
"Your power grows rapidly, my liege."
"There it is again."
"Again what, my liege?"
Nyxian collapsed against a wall laughing.
By the time they reached Floor Thirty-Five, the dungeon finally pushed back.
The monsters grew stronger.
The mana became heavier.
The air felt wrong.
Jax slowed.
Just slightly.
Then stopped.
Everyone immediately noticed.
The shadows noticed too.
"What is it?" Llandra asked.
Jax didn't answer immediately.
His perception was screaming.
Not danger.
Not exactly.
Awareness.
Attention.
Something had changed.
He closed his eyes.
Listened.
Felt.
The dungeon wasn't just reacting anymore.
It was watching.