Sid POV

  “That’s three uncommon and two common skills,” said Sid, slipping the crystals into his pockets before walking back to where they had dropped their bags earlier.

  All three Tier 1 goblins dropped uncommon skills. Sid refused to believe in such absurd luck. The alternative was far more troubling. These creatures possessed more uncommon skills than common ones. The dungeon’s difficulty had spiked, silently but decisively.

  “Are we splitting the skills now?” Varun’s voice came from behind him.

  “I think we should leave first,” Rohan said quickly. His voice carried a nervous edge as he shifted his stance. “Staying here feels risky. We might draw attention.”

  “I wouldn’t say no to more skill crystals.” Varun had already stripped the fallen goblins of their gear, even securing the shaman’s staff without being told. He was reliable, yet his flippant disregard for danger remained a liability.

  The Varun in Sid’s memories had been different. Careful. Measured. He treated every dungeon with the respect it deserved, but that wisdom came at a terrible cost. Pallavi’s life. Sid gritted his teeth. He had to curb Varun’s arrogance now, before history repeated itself.

  “Let’s put some distance between us and this spot. We can find cover, settle down, and split the skills there.” Sid turned his head, making sure he caught all three of their faces.

  Rohan nodded, a small smile of relief appearing on his face. Pallavi followed with a noncommittal nod, her expression unreadable.

  “You want to keep moving?” Varun’s lips pressed into a thin line, his brow tightening. “After the fight we just had?”

  Sid gave a short laugh. “It wasn’t easy. But it wasn’t brutal either. We wrapped it up in under five minutes.”

  The team fought well despite the rush. Varun and Pallavi both performed their roles with absolute, lethal precision. Rohan struggled without a coherent plan. He succeeded under direct orders but faltered when forced to improvise.

  “Five intense minutes of combat.” Varun’s tone rose in sharpness, impossible to ignore.

  Sid turned to face him fully, meeting his gaze without flinching. “Consider this endurance training.”

  Varun held his stare for a few seconds before exhaling. “Fine.”

  They reached their previous hiding spot. Sid knelt and transferred the skill crystals into his bag. The remaining surplus crystals, the ones with no clear owners, were already with Pallavi. Sid made a mental note to document every skill name in his diary later. Missing even one crystal would create problems, and a proper record mattered more than convenience.

  “What are you planning to do with the extra skill crystals?” Rohan’s gaze shifted between Sid and Varun. “Pallavi and I don’t have free slots. You both still have three. But we’re holding over nine unique skills.”

  Ever since Rohan had made his intention to leave the team clear, his behavior had shifted in subtle but persistent ways. Rohan no longer argued. He weighed words carefully, presenting thoughts without commitment. He did not challenge Varun, even when provoked.

  Even on the topic of skill crystals, Rohan phrased it as a polite question rather than a demand. He was checking out. To Sid, he looked exactly like an employee on notice—polite, careful, and already halfway out the door.

  Sid had expected Varun to jump at the leading question and push for an immediate split. Instead, Varun was watching Sid, as if waiting to hear his take before committing to anything.

  “If any of these work for us long-term, we’ll absorb them. If not, we can trade them for skills we actually want.” Sid shifted his gaze across the group, measuring reactions rather than seeking approval.

  Without waiting for a response, Sid slung his backpack over his shoulder and turned away from the battlefield. “We’ll talk about distribution after we find a place to camp.”

  Sid glanced toward Varun. Other than himself, Varun was the only one who could gain anything tangible by splitting the skill crystals at the moment.

  Varun shook his head once without speaking. He bundled the spare weapons together and fell into step behind Sid.

  They moved forward in their diamond formation, but the pace slowed. Sid did not want a repeat of an enemy tracking them through carelessness. He glanced back periodically, scanning the mist and disturbed ground for signs of pursuit.

  They did not have anyone capable of erasing tracks. Vigilance was the best alternative.

  “Keep an eye out for any overhangs or alcoves. They should give us enough cover to camp.” Sid’s awareness skill warned him of approaching threats, but it did not flag natural formations. He still had to search consciously for terrain that could shelter them. Though his perception outclassed the others, the risk of overlooking something valuable remained.

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  Sid was not overly concerned. He knew they were close to the cave. Familiar landmarks would start appearing soon, and that meant suitable shelter would follow.

  As if to confirm it, Rohan spoke up. “This place looks familiar. We’re near the cave.” He had a broad smile on his face, staring at a cliff face marked with mineral deposits forming a faint chevron pattern.

  “That cave might not be empty,” Varun’s voice was flat. “Could be monsters. Or worse, people.”

  “Why would people be worse?” Rohan frowned, offended by the suggestion.

  “If it’s monsters, we kill them and take over,” Varun replied, his jaw tightening and eyes narrowing. “If it’s people, we have to share. I don’t enjoy being around people I don’t trust.”

  Varun carried heavy family baggage; Sid knew that much. His parents were separated, and his extended family was a subject he never touched. Throughout four years of college, Varun never went home for more than a few days. Instead, he spent every break either on campus or crashing with Sid or Jacky. He never explained it, but the pattern was impossible to ignore.

  Rohan shifted awkwardly beside them, clearly unsure how to respond to the unspoken weight of the topic. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, settling for an uncomfortable silence.

  Sid’s attention snapped to movement in the distance. A figure streaked past them, moving almost parallel to their path. Sid raised his fist, signaling the team to halt.

  He crouched and focused, tracking the motion through the mist. After a few seconds, the shape resolved itself. A goblin breast caller riding a boar. The sight tightened Sid’s chest. Seeing another Tier 1 goblin so soon after the shaman set his nerves on edge.

  “What is it?” Pallavi asked, scanning the canopy and the ground ahead.

  “There’s a boar rider heading that way,” Sid pointed towards the cave.

  Rohan stiffened. “Like the army?” Panic slipped into his voice despite his effort to control it. He angled his spear where Sid pointed. “That’s where the cave is.”

  “Yes,” Sid drew a slow breath. They had jinxed it. The cave was likely occupied.

  “Let’s go back,” Rohan said, stepping closer to Sid. His breathing had sped up. “We can’t face an army.”

  “We don’t know for sure,” Varun said. He placed a hand on Rohan’s shoulder. “It’s just one boar rider. Don’t be a scaredy-cat.”

  Rohan opened his mouth to argue, but Sid spoke first.

  “We’re close to the main camp,” Sid said. “It’s less than a day from here.” He glanced toward the distant camp before meeting Rohan’s eyes. “They need to know if an army is nearby.”

  Rohan swallowed, then nodded.

  The group moved toward the cave in silence. There was no banter, no forced march. Weapons stayed ready, senses alert.

  “There’s an overhang there!” Pallavi pointed to her right, her voice breaking the silence.

  Sid stopped, and the others froze with him. He studied the formation Pallavi had noticed. A massive fallen boulder rested against a slope, tree roots draped over it to form a natural lip. It would provide cover from wandering enemies.

  “That could work,” Sid said. He turned to Pallavi. “Can you cover it with the net? Better safe than sorry.”

  “Are we not going to the cave?” Varun asked, his jaw dropping in surprise.

  “Pallavi and Rohan can set this place up while we check the cave.” Sid thought he heard a faint sigh of relief behind him.

  His gut told him that was likely crawling with goblins. And not a small pack, either. It was pure instinct over logic, but he leaned into it.

  Pallavi dropped her bag and pried it open. “This won’t take long. We’ll be right behind you.”

  Varun’s tone oozed confidence. “Exactly, no point in shuttling back if we can just finish them there.”

  “I’m considering the worst-case scenario.” Sid paused deliberately, letting the weight of his words settle. “If it is the army we saw earlier, Varun and I can escape more easily than you two.”

  Pallavi’s lips pressed together. She did not like what she was hearing, and it showed in the tightening of her jaw.

  “Don’t take unnecessary risks,” Rohan’s gaze moved between Varun and Sid. The same words, spoken just a couple of weeks ago, would have earned him a different response. In a little over ten days, the dynamic between them had shifted more than Sid had expected.

  “We won’t,” Sid replied, nodding as he met Rohan’s eyes. He opened his mouth to add more, but Varun cut in first.

  “No more death flags. We’re going.” Varun grabbed Sid’s hand and tugged him forward toward the cave, as if to physically shut the conversation down.

  Sid allowed himself to be pulled for a couple of steps before freeing his hand. “I’ll take the lead,” he said. “You don’t have any perception skills.”

  “Is that what I should get next?” Varun’s flat tone failed to mask his curiosity.

  “Maybe. I don’t know,” Sid said. The sudden shift caught him off guard. “We’ll talk about it later. Focus.”

  “Alright,” Varun said, stepping back and gesturing ahead. “Lead the way.”

  They moved forward at a slower pace than before, with Sid checking their surroundings more frequently. The mist thickened and thinned in patches as they advanced.

  After roughly fifteen minutes, Sid spotted movement ahead. Two goblin scouts stood in the distance, stationary, their heads turning as they scanned their surroundings like sentries.

  Sid turned to Varun, stopping him in his tracks. “A large force is holding that cave.” He didn’t bother pointing; the distance was well beyond Varun’s sight. “They’ve posted two sentries.”

  “We can’t conclude that from two goblins,” Varun said. “They could just be stragglers. We need a closer look.”

  “It’s too risky,” Sid said. His tone lacked firmness. He wanted Varun to push back. Sid himself believed scouting was the right move, but he needed Varun’s cooperation.

  “Come on, macha,” Varun said, slipping into their old college slang. “It’s just two scouts.”

  “No,” Sid said. “You tend to go off the rails. I can’t risk that.”

  “I’ll be careful. Please.” Varun met Sid’s eyes, sincerity softening his expression.

  “There could be an army behind them,” Sid said. “We only move forward if you promise to do exactly as I say. No questions.”

  “I promise,” Varun said. He brought his fingers to his throat and tilted his head down. “No questions.”

  Sid exhaled. It was time to test the second effect of the mark. Something so overpowered it felt like bribing a referee after doping.