After three hours of carriage travel, they finally arrived at the location of the Rank 6 Dungeon.

Inside the carriage, nothing extreme happened. They didn't go far—just quiet closeness, soft kisses, and Melina occasionally feeding him by hand like he was a spoiled child. That was the limit they reached, just like last time. Even so, Melina was once again overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensations, forcing Mike to stop—though this time, he admittedly enjoyed it a little longer before pulling back.

Once they settled down, Melina began explaining the dungeon they were about to enter.

"It's called a Clover Leaf Dungeon," she said while sitting beside him. "The monsters inside are mostly plant-type beings—but don't mistake them for gentle nature spirits."

She continued calmly, "They're filled with predatory carnivorous plants. Their jagged teeth are even more dangerous-looking than some predator-type beasts."

The dungeon itself was massive. Over the years, many explorers had discovered four-leaf clovers inside it—rare items with powerful luck-related effects.

"These clovers can temporarily increase luck," Melina explained. "Some even grant a skill called Lucky Day."

Mike raised an eyebrow. "Sounds too good to be true."

"It is," she replied with a small smile. "For 24 hours, your luck skyrockets. But after that, for an entire week, you'll suffer extreme bad luck."

She leaned back slightly. "A double-edged sword, you could say."

Mike nodded thoughtfully.

Luck powerful enough to bend fate—balanced by a harsh price.

"So in a way, it concentrates the luck of seven days into a single day," Melina said as they stepped out of the carriage.

Mike nodded in understanding.

"By the way," Melina added, turning slightly, "this is Linda, my aide."

The spectacled woman who had been driving the carriage stepped down gracefully. She was beautiful in a quiet, professional way. She nodded toward Mike.

"It's my pleasure to meet you, Sir Mike," Linda said politely.

Mike returned the nod.

As they walked forward, Mike finally got a clear look at the dungeon gate.

A massive stone slab stood before them, greenish in color, covered in faint vine-like patterns. Just like other high-rank dungeons, it was guarded by Rank 6 guards, all standing silently at attention, their presence heavy and disciplined.

"Let's go," Melina said as she walked ahead.

Linda stepped aside smoothly, giving Mike and Melina space as they passed without anyone stopping them.

"The Devone Empire controls most of this continent," Linda said calmly. "So don't be surprised by the security."

Mike nodded as the dungeon gate activated, light forming in the center of a forest clearing.

They stepped through.

On the other side was a vast, ancient forest. Towering trees stretched endlessly in every direction, their canopies blocking most of the light. The air was thick with mana and the smell of damp earth.

"Sir Mike, look over there," Linda said suddenly.

Mike followed her gaze.

At first, it looked like a simple tree—thin, twisted, and unremarkable.

Then he stepped closer.

The moment his foot crossed an invisible boundary, the ground shifted.

The tree's bark cracked open like splitting skin. A distorted, terrifying face formed in the trunk, its expression twisted with malice. Roots burst from the ground, reshaping into four massive legs, while two branch-like arms emerged, ending in razor-sharp wooden claws.

Dark mist seeped from its body.

"That's a Dread Root," Linda said calmly. "A powerful illusion-type enemy. It forces its prey to see their worst nightmares… then slowly devours them."

The creature shrieked as illusionary pressure surged outward—

—but Linda moved.

Two clean, precise slashes.

Her blade flashed.

The Dread Root, a Level 609 monster, split apart before it could even finish forming its illusion. The massive body collapsed into dead wood, dissolving into particles of mana.

Mike blinked.

"…That was fast."

Linda calmly cleaned her blade. "Illusion types are fragile once exposed."

"Linda is Rank 9" Melina said as Mike looked stunned.

Mike paused mid-step and looked at Linda again.

"…Rank 9?" he repeated.

Linda adjusted her glasses slightly, her expression calm. "Yes."

Mike swallowed. A Rank 9 expert casually acting as a driver and escort—no wonder that Dread Root hadn't even lasted a second.

"Don't look so shocked," Melina said lightly. "Linda is here for safety. I am a Saintess Candidate after all"

Mike nodded slowly. "That explains a lot."

Linda glanced around the forest. "This area is only the outer layer. Monsters here rely mostly on illusions and ambush tactics. Their real danger isn't strength—it's confusion."

As if to prove her point, the forest shifted subtly.

The air rippled. Shapes moved at the edge of Mike's vision. For a brief moment, he thought he saw shadows of people standing between the trees—then they vanished.

Mike frowned. "Illusions?"

"Yes," Linda replied. "If you hesitate or panic, they strike."

Melina looked at Mike. "Stay close to us. Don't chase anything that looks familiar."

"I figured," Mike said. "That's usually how people die."

They moved deeper into the forest.

Vines slowly crawled along the ground as they passed. Some plants recoiled when Linda's presence brushed against them, as if instinctively afraid.

A sudden screech echoed from the left.

A massive flower burst open, revealing rows of jagged teeth. It lunged—

Linda flicked her wrist.

A thin arc of light flashed.

The plant was cleanly cut in half, collapsing before it could even reach them.

"Level 580, Life-Devouring Bloom," Linda said calmly after a brief glance. "Its poison is a powerful alchemy ingredient. It's used to make antidotes for death-related curses and poisons."

As she spoke, she crouched down and efficiently extracted a dark-green poison sac from the remains of the plant.

Melina glanced at Mike. "She's an alchemist. Her class is Potionist of Wonders—an SS-rank class."

Mike looked at Linda with new interest. "You're an alchemist?"

Linda nodded. "Yes."

Mike didn't hesitate. He took out the Abyssal Mist Crystal—the same condensed crystal formed from the Abyssal Mist Fly's domain—and handed it to her.

"Then can you make an affinity potion from this?" he asked.

Linda examined the crystal carefully, her expression remained calm as she looked at Mike.

"This is an Abyssal Mist Crystal," she said. "You're aiming to gain Ice and Darkness affinity, correct?"

Mike nodded.

"As for Abyssal Frost affinity," Linda continued, "even if I craft the highest-grade potion possible, the success rate is only about 10%."

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