With the immediate threat of the Golems neutralized, Adam turned his attention to their hard-won prize. He carefully harvested the remaining glowing fruits from the shrubs by the pond, while Alice and Ignis kept a wary eye on the sealed cavern entrance.

A quick inspection through his system interface confirmed their value.

[ Gleamdew Berry (High-Tier) ]

Effect: Consume to instantly restore a significant portion of health and mana, and apply a powerful regenerative effect.

[ Stoneleaf Herb (High-Tier) ]

Effect: When consumed, temporarily fortifies the consumer's physical defense, hardening scales, skin, or hide.

"Jackpot," Adam murmured, a surge of satisfaction cutting through his fatigue. These were exceptional resources. The Gleamdew Berries were a lifesaver, far superior to anything his Blooming Vitality could provide in a pinch. The Stoneleaf Herb was a potent defensive buff.

He made a quick decision. "Alice, come here."

The Voidspalk Lynx padded over, her starry eyes curious. Adam nudged one of the sturdy, grey-green Stoneleaf Herbs toward her. "Eat this. It will make you tougher."

Alice sniffed the herb, then gave him a look. 'It smells like dirt.'

"Just eat it, you fussy void-cat," Adam chided gently.

With a resigned flick of her ears, Alice consumed the herb. Almost immediately, her void-like fur seemed to gain a subtle, almost metallic sheen, and the ambient light in the cavern glinted off her as if she were carved from obsidian. She flexed her claws, seeming pleased with the newfound resilience.

"Good. Now, let's store the rest." Adam gathered the rest of the loot: four more Gleamdew Berries and two more Stoneleaf Herbs. "Alice, if you please."

Alice hopped onto a rock, opened her maw, and a shimmering, dark portal, her Void Locker appeared before her. Adam carefully deposited the fruits and herbs into the extradimensional space, where they would be preserved perfectly until needed.

"Alright," Adam said, turning his gaze to the wall of stone that blocked their exit. The brief respite was over. "We're not trapped. We're just taking a detour."

He coiled his massive body, feeling the earth mana around him. His new skill, Earthen Armor, would be too cumbersome for the delicate work of digging, but his raw Strength and the strategic use of his other abilities would suffice.

"Stand back," he instructed his companions. "It's time to dig our way out." The image of the Arachnowyrm, waiting deep below, fueled his determination. Every obstacle overcome, every resource gathered, was another step closer to that final confrontation.

Adam focused, his Seismic Sense allowing him to feel the vibrations in the rock, mapping a potential path through the collapsed tunnel. His Acute Smell picked up the stale, mineral-heavy air of narrow passages beyond. "This way," he grunted, slamming his bulk against a weakened section of the rubble. "The rock is thinner here. We can dig through."

The work was slow and arduous. Adam used his sheer strength and coils to break apart the larger rocks, while Ignis, unable to use her fire effectively without risking a cave-in, used her claws and new-found strength to help loosen smaller fragments. Alice was invaluable, using her Void Locker to store and dispose of the smaller debris, clearing the path.

They had carved out a few meters of a narrow, cramped tunnel when the first sign of trouble came. It wasn't a sound, but a feeling a skittering, vibrating sensation through the stone that was too rapid and numerous to be settling rock.

"Something's coming," Adam hissed, coiling defensively in the confined space. "From all around us!"

Before his words fully registered, the tunnel walls seemed to erupt. Dozens of creatures, each the size of a large dog, burst from the earth itself. They were centipede-like, with segmented, chitinous bodies the color of damp clay and far too many legs. Their heads were dominated by powerful, crushing mandibles.

[ Cavern Creeper Swarm ]

The system identified them, highlighting their most dangerous trait: Tunnel Fighter.

The confines of the tunnel, which should have been a defensive choke point, became a death trap. The Creepers didn't need room to maneuver, they swarmed from the walls, ceiling, and floor simultaneously.

Ignis let out a yelp as one latched onto her flank, its mandibles scraping against her scales. She tried to burn it off with a burst of fire, but in the tight space, even a small Solar Flare was dangerous, the searing light and heat reflecting off the walls and washing back over them. It was useless.

Adam thrashed, his massive body knocking several Creepers away, but for every one he dislodged, two more took its place. His Constrict was useless against so many small, fast targets. He tried to use Earthshaker, but in the tight space, the shockwave was muffled, only stunning a few while threatening to bring the rest of the tunnel down on their heads.

This was their domain. They were perfectly adapted to it, and the party was not.

"Alice, bind them!" Adam roared, crushing one in his jaws.

Alice tried. Tendrils of void energy snagged several Creepers, but the moment she bound one group, another would burst from the earth behind her. She was forced to constantly Void Step around the tiny tunnel to avoid being overwhelmed, unable to hold a position.

'We can't fight them here!' Alice's thought was laced with rare panic. 'They are everywhere!'

Ignis cried out again as another Creeper sank its mandibles into her leg. Adam felt a Creeper's jaws scrape against his Volcanic Hide, the reflected fire doing little to deter the mindless swarm.

They were being worn down. In an open cavern, they could have obliterated this swarm. But here, in the earth's suffocating embrace, they were at a severe disadvantage.

"Fall back!" Adam commanded, his voice echoing in the small space. "Back to the Golem cavern! Now!"

It was a tactical retreat, the only smart move. They fought a desperate rearguard action, Adam using his body as a shield while Alice and Ignis scrambled back through the narrow tunnel they had dug.

Once they tumbled back into the relative openness of the glowing cavern, Adam turned and unleashed a concentrated blast of Fire Breath, not to kill the swarm, but to superheat the tunnel entrance, collapsing it and sealing the Creepers inside.

The three of them stood panting in the cavern, wounded and frustrated. Ignis had several bleeding gashes, and Adam's scales were scored with dozens of scratches. Their first attempt to escape had ended in a painful failure.

"They have the home-field advantage," Adam stated, the lesson sinking in. "We can't beat them in their own game. We need to find another way out." He looked around the cavern, his eyes scanning the glowing walls and the silent pond, searching for another option.

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