POV of all seeing eyes (your eyes)-
{Canon Timeline: 1 month and 13 days since the start of canon}
{Location: 24th floor_ Great Tree Labyrinth}
Its been five days since the expedition group has left their camps, making their way toward the surface in a rapid pace, crossing floors after floor.
However, exhaustion was finally catching up, pulling down their bodies...
Thou they rested on couple of safe spots where monster's spawning is always very low but in the end, the continuous struggle of life and death in this hell hole can wear down even the toughest of the souls.
And that's when dungeon take it's chance to take you down... After all dungeon alive, believe is or not...
...
AAAAAAAA....
"Was that a... scream?"
"Someone most be in trouble!"
Expedition group was in the lower floors when they heard the scream of a fellow member.
The group was moving in a long line with top member spread equally in the back, middle and front of the line, with Gareth being the rear tank, Shades being the front tank and Finn leading it. Keeping the group safe and coordinated.
"Finn! Hasten the march!"
Another shout came from the back of group, this time it belong to the old dwarven warrior who has taken the role of rear guard, Gareth.
"We got Poison Vermis at our hands here!" Gareth shout again, identifying the enemy this time.
At the same time they saw the companions from the rear end rushing toward them, with a swarm of maggot like monsters following them, Poison Vermis.
Of all poison based monster, Poison Vermis were the most poisonous monsters out there. Their poison could even affect the higher level adventurer, if their abnormal resistance. To make it even worse, they usually stay in groups.
But here the monster itself wasn't a problem but their number. There were so many of them that even the higher and more experienced members of group like Finn and Riveria, could hardly believe their eyes.
"S-so many! Is it a mass spawn?"
"We need to run! Run!"
"Finn, we will try to slowdown the swarm. You handle the group formation." Riveria said. Leading the higher level members to face off against the swarm.
"Everyone stop running wildly and get back in formation 6. Riveria and other higher level members well slow them down." Finn shouted, trying to get back the control of the situation.
...
On the back end while Finn was taking back the control of the group.....
Swoooossssshhhhh.... BOOM!
"There are too many of there bugs!" Tiona complained, while releasing another one of those flame waves from her enchanted Urga at the swarm.
"Its like there is not end to these shits..." Bete also joined Tiona, with his Airiel-infused Frosvirt. Crushing a couple of monster while complaining about life in dungeon. "Tch.. Looks like, I also need a enchantment in my Frosvirt."
"STOP COMPLAINING! WE GOT MORE INCOMEING!" Gareth shouted, while covering others from the poison spray with his big tower shield. Allowing Tione along with other second class members to drag their poisoned companions along with the group.
EXCALIBUR! BOOM!
A 2% charged EXP attack from Shades but it still clear a chunk of swarm, as he had hardly used his EXP attack on the return journey, saving a fortune of EXP. And each attack killed enough bugs to refund the amount of EXP spend.
BUZZZZZ.....
But atlas, no matter how many they killed, more just fill the gaps in the swarm. It looks like a endless army of bugs, covering the whole floor.
BUZZZZZ..... BOOM!
SLASH SLASH!
Swooshhh....
BOOOMMMM!
"Th-there's no end to them!" Lefiya said with a pale face, already nearing mind-zero from all those AOE spells she was casting.
It was a floor wide, mass monster spawn, spawning in the hundreds if not thousands every minute. And the worst part, all the monsters that were spawning were Poison Vermis.
The adventurers of exploration group had already exhausted their strength and supplies, during the expedition. This unfortunate encounter was to much for them to bear.
As their last magic swords start to crumble and the mana potions consumed, they know they were fucked up and start a full on retreat.
Swooshhhh... BOOM!
"Captain we are losing the battle!"
"There are too many members poisoned already! Should we head back to previous safe zone!"
Tiona and Tione respectively said while releasing another flame wave and carrying some poisoned members.....
"We don't know the scope of is irregular event. The safe zones might also be spawning Poison Vermis now and if lower floors also have the same situation, we will be trapped here." Finn shouted while fighting some of the monsters in front of them. "We also don't have any antidote or enough supply to heal them all of them. Even if we ask for rescue by sending someone with Shades, it will be to late for some of the members by the time rescue come tearing through this swarm."
"Shades! Can you get rid of the that swarm in front! But don't collapse the tunnel!" Finn quickly shifted his attention to the front, where a huge cluster of bugs were blocking the path to upper floor.
EXCALIBURRR!
Nodding, Shades used a 3% charge EXP attack toward the tunnel entrance but in a more controlled manner releasing a beam of crimson energy unlike the usual wide torrent, cleaning the tunnel free of bugs.
"We'll head to the 18th floor! Everyone double your efforts. Carry those who can't walk if you have to!" everyone complied to their captain's order without a second thought. Grabbing hands and legs or putting the poisoned member on their backs and running with all they got.
"Shades! You are our heaviest hitter and defender. I will be leaving rear to you!" Shades just nodded without a sound and turn toward the swarm following them, ready to face anything like always.
It was a known fact to the whole exploration group after fighting together all these days that, thou Shades might not be that strong himself but hardly anything can put a single scratch on his armor, forgot about truly damaging it. As for any toxic substance like this poison, it gets burned the moment it makes contact with the black mist coming out of the armor. Making him the toughest guy among their ranks.
But that's not all. Blood, the more he baths in the blood of his enemies, the more black bloody mist comes out of his armor for next few minutes which restore his stamina and making him stronger, temporary. Making him a force to reckon with, perfect for situation like these.
EXCALIBUR!
BOOM....
While Shades was handling the rear, other top members were handling the mid and front. With most other heavy hitters like Ais and Bete in the front to spear head through the swarm.
...
But when they come out of the tunnel in the upper floor, they found that the situation here was no better. Maggots, everywhere they turn their eyes maggots were the only thing they could see.
But with lingering on a spot not being a option for them, they had to made a run for it as fast as possible.
Buzzzzzzzzz....
Pitter patter.....
Aaaaaaaa.....
"Its raining..."
"There are too many of them here!"
"Walk under the cover!"
Alas... Their initial judgment was wrong...
It was much worse here. With a couple thousand of these maggots like monster filling the roof and walls of floor already and more spawning, it was a literal poison hell here.
Roar and shouts of pre-spawned monster and adventurers alike filled the floor under the heavy rain of poison like some sudden cloud burst. Adventurers still had some protection under their armor and shields but pre-spawned monsters of other species were the one who had it worse, withering under the poison induced agony.
.....
After two harsh hours full of struggle and pain, they finally reach the 18th floor. where there suffering come to an end. Well... except the poisoned ones that is.....