The purple mist still shifted slowly around them, as if breathing with life after the massive wave they had just faced. The black smoke from the exploded giant monster still drifted lazily, mixing with the thick mist and creating a second, even denser, damper, and more acrid layer of fog. The fishy smell of dark blood, sharp ozone that stung the nose, and scorched wet earth filled the air. Every breath felt heavy, bitter, and left a metallic taste on the tongue along with an irritating tickle in the throat.

Sylvia stood amid the scattered stone ruins, her breathing still ragged even though she tried to control it. The slender rapier in her right hand still dripped with thick, sticky black fluid, staining the stones below. Her tight black tank top was completely soaked with sweat and splatters of monster fluid, clinging to her athletic body like a second skin. The lines of her tense abs, the curve of her chest, and her firm shoulders were clearly visible through the increasingly heavy wet fabric. Her cropped jacket was torn in many places, shoulders, waist, and back revealing her smooth white skin covered in small scratches and minor wounds that were slowly closing thanks to her natural regeneration. Her black ponytail was messy, with several strands stuck to her neck and cheeks from cold sweat.

Beside her, Stacia leaned tiredly against a large cracked boulder. Her slender chest rose and fell rapidly, her gray jacket soaked through and clinging to her agile body. Her usually neat hair was now disheveled, with strands sticking to her forehead and temples. The dagger in her right hand still trembled slightly from accumulated muscle fatigue. Though her face was full of determination, her breathing sounded heavier than usual.

Alicia stood slightly behind them, her simple wooden staff still faintly glowing with residual mana. Her long silver hair stuck to her face, shoulders, and back, while her white-silver tank top clung tightly to her curvaceous and feminine figure. Sweat flowed down her slender neck, making the fabric slightly transparent in some areas. Her beautiful face remained calm, but faint circles of exhaustion were visible under her eyes.

The three of them fell silent for a moment. Only the sound of ragged breathing, the pulsing mist shifting like the breath of a giant creature, and faint monster roars in the distance could be heard.

"The human body... is truly weak," Sylvia muttered quietly. Her voice remained cold and controlled even though her body was screaming for rest. She felt the muscles in her arms burning intensely, her shoulders aching, her waist stiff, and her legs growing heavy as if weighed down by lead. Her zombie regeneration was working well, but the human bodies they used for disguise had far lower stamina limits than their original bodies. "Normally, I could slaughter thousands without sweating like this."

Stacia nodded weakly while wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. "I agree. Normally I could fight for hours without feeling this exhausted. Now... It feels like I just ran dozens of kilometers nonstop while carrying a heavy load. My muscles feel like they’re about to tear."

Alicia slowly lowered her staff and leaned against a rock beside her sisters. "Let’s rest first. There’s no point pushing ourselves in this condition. Monsters will keep coming, but we need to recover this human stamina so we don’t die stupidly from pure exhaustion."

The three of them found a relatively safe stone alcove, surrounded by tall ruins that could provide temporary protection from sudden attacks. Sylvia sat down leaning against the cold stone wall, stretching her long legs. Stacia sat beside her, while Alicia stood for a moment to set up small warning spells around the area before sitting down across from them.

While resting, Sylvia closed her eyes briefly and checked her status through the system connected to their souls.

Level 60.

The EXP they gained from the previous monster wave was quite significant. Even though they hadn’t used their full power and only relied on basic techniques and mid-level magic, the sheer number of monsters still gave decent results.

"I’m already at level 60," Sylvia said softly, opening her eyes. "You two must feel stronger too."

Stacia and Alicia nodded almost simultaneously. They could feel a new flow of power coursing through their bodies, even though these human forms limited their actual output.

Sylvia opened her eyes and stared into the mist ahead with a cold, piercing gaze. "I estimate... about 40% of the hunters who entered earlier have already died. Their screams are getting rarer."

The atmosphere fell silent for a moment. Distant screams of pain, desperate clashes of weapons, and faint monster roars still echoed, proving Sylvia’s grim prediction.

"Truly tragic," Stacia muttered with a sigh. "But that’s the risk they took themselves. They came for gold, artifacts, and fame, not for true power. We had already warned them indirectly."

Alicia nodded slowly, her silver hair swaying gently. "Humans are often blinded by greed. We don’t need to feel guilty. We just need to focus on our own goal of finding the core of this dimensional rift and any artifacts that might be hidden inside."

The three of them sat quietly for nearly half an hour. Sylvia closed her eyes, regulating the energy flow in this human body to make it more efficient and recovering her tense muscles. Stacia checked her hidden small grimoire, noting down rune patterns she had glimpsed earlier. Alicia sensed the dimensional energy flow around them, trying to understand the structure of this misty labyrinth.

The cold, damp air occasionally made their bodies shiver, but it actually helped lower their overheated temperature after the intense battle. Sweat slowly dried on their skin, leaving an uncomfortable sticky feeling.

After feeling sufficiently rested, Sylvia stood up first. Her muscles were still sore, but her stamina had recovered about 70%. "Let’s continue. This body has recovered enough. We can’t stay idle too long."

They resumed exploring the area. This dimensional rift turned out to be extremely vast and deceptive. Winding purple stone corridors, scattered ancient ruins that looked like giant bones, and constantly thick mist made navigation incredibly difficult. They felt like they had walked quite far, but several times they returned to the same spot, a circular stone ruin with faint runes in the center that were now beginning to glow slowly.

"We’ve passed this place twice already," Stacia said as she carefully observed the runes on the stone. She touched its cold surface. "I remember the crack pattern. This place is like a living dimensional labyrinth. It changes its own paths."

Sylvia nodded, her eyes narrowing. "This place really is a dimensional maze. It’s hard to find the way to the deeper areas. The mist also interferes with our mana sense."

Alicia floated up briefly to get a higher view, but the mist was too thick and oppressive. She descended again with a slightly annoyed expression. "There might be certain conditions to proceed to deeper areas. Like a seal, specific energy requirements, or clearing certain areas of monsters."

Stacia thought for a moment while touching the rune. "I think so too. Maybe we need to clear this area of monsters first, or activate something by killing enough of them."

Sylvia smiled faintly, her red eyes glowing with cold enthusiasm. "In that case... let’s slaughter all the monsters in this area first. The EXP I’m getting is also quite good for leveling up faster."

She opened her status once more. Level 60. The increase was quite significant even though they hadn’t used full power. The potential to rise even higher was very promising.

Stacia and Alicia nodded in unison, their spirits reignited.

"Alright," Stacia said, drawing both her daggers with a sharp metallic sound. "Let’s clear this area."

They continued their journey with renewed energy. The purple mist was still thick, but this time they no longer avoided combat. Every time shadow monsters emerged from the mist, the three of them immediately attacked in perfect coordination without hesitation.

SCHLAAAKKK!

Sylvia’s rapier slashed with increasingly sharp movements after the rest. Every cut was now more efficient, piercing vital points with lethal precision. Stacia supported with her daggers and small support spells that increased speed and sensory sharpness. Alicia provided continuous long-range attacks Fireballs, Wind Blades, and Ice Spears flying like a storm.

They moved like a perfectly trained killing team, clearing wave after wave of monsters while searching for a way out of this labyrinth.

BOOOOMMM! 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Alicia’s explosion cleared a large group ahead. Black smoke burst everywhere, mixing with the purple mist. Sylvia’s level rose again to 61, then 62. Stacia and Alicia also felt their strength increasing through their soul link.

The more they slaughtered, the clearer the pattern in the ruins became. Ancient runes began to glow slowly in several places, faint purple light responding to every monster’s death. The energy in the air started to change, and the mist thinned slightly in some corridors.

"Looks like this is the way," Stacia said, pointing at a rune that was growing brighter. The purple light now shone stronger, forming a complex pattern. "We need to completely clear this area."

Sylvia nodded, her rapier gleaming despite being coated in black fluid. "Continue. Don’t give them time to breathe."

The battle continued with high intensity. Their human bodies were indeed weak and tired quickly, but their spirit and coordination overcame all fatigue. Sweat flowed heavily again, their tank tops and jackets became soaked once more, muscles burned but their levels kept rising and the runes grew brighter.