You promised to wreak havoc on the dungeon, but instead you've got Dragon Slime!

"Lilith Cedric, the most outstanding lord of the underworld..."

His authoritative gaze swept over Lilith, then settled on Ron:

"...and its creator, the genius designer Ron Wayne."

"...witness to your glory."

The voice of Lagos, the Balrog, possessed a profound depth that sent shivers down the spine, like the pulse of lava deep underground:

"By this name and the sacred flame, I, Lagos the Fire Demon, the Great Lord of the Underworld, today bestow upon you unparalleled glory..."

As he finished speaking, two radiant medals, emanating powerful magical energy, slowly rose from the golden lava of the platform and hovered above his hands, which were flowing with liquid gold.

"...You are hereby appointed as knights of the 'Holy Flame' Knights! By contract, by the will of lava! Glory forever!"

Lilith had already humbly knelt on one knee.

Without the slightest hesitation, Ron immediately knelt on one knee on the scorching golden ground, just like Lilith.

He could feel the scorching heat coming from his feet; it felt burning even through his boots.

The fire demon Lagos slightly raised his hand.

The two medals, as if held up by an invisible hand, landed steadily, covered with faint golden stardust, on the raised palms of Lilith and Ron.

Ron held his breath and carefully cradled the knight's medal, which represented the starting point of his aristocratic status in the underworld.

The medal is made of an unidentified dark gold metal with sharp, knife-like edges.

Its core is inlaid with a pigeon blood ruby.

The surrounding area is inlaid with countless tiny diamonds using incredibly fine craftsmanship, forming an intricate crown of thorns pattern that symbolizes sacred flame.

Although the medal is small, it is extremely heavy, exuding a terrifying majesty and power!

He finally... gained control of this world, the starting point of power.

……

The E-rank dungeon, Black Whisper Caves, has finally made a name for itself.

The adventurers who had previously suffered a crushing defeat fled back in disarray, spreading the story of their disastrous failure in the tavern with exaggerated details.

As Silver Blade's leader, Viser, listened to these fragmented pieces of information, he was much calmer than when they first set off.

The arrogance was extinguished, replaced by the prudence of a strategist.

A second attempt must be organized as soon as possible!

This thought weighed heavily on his mind.

The intelligence won't be kept secret for long, and the competition has already become fierce—the second-ranked "Holy Lance" and the third-ranked "Golden Wind" have been making frequent moves, clearly also making every effort to recruit people to form new groups, keeping an eye on this tough nut to crack.

Viser didn't take the other small-time adventurer groups seriously at all.

These two old rivals are the only ones whose Silver Blades must get ahead of the pack!

Compared to the haste and rashness of the first recruitment, Viser's conditions this time were almost harsh.

The assistant was stationed in a temporarily rented room, while a long line formed outside the door.

The interview process was as fast as sifting sand. Groups of LV10 adventurers came in full of hope, but often they were asked to leave by the assistant with a blank expression before they could even finish a complete sentence.

Strength, experience, past performance, mental fortitude... the selection process is extremely rigorous, with layers of criteria.

After a full week of selection, a brand-new five-person elite team has finally been formed.

Viser personally examined them and confirmed that all five faces exuded "steadiness".

Almost simultaneously, his trusted confidant in charge of logistics also rushed back, bringing several heavy boxes.

Upon opening the box, a complete set of carefully selected, top-tier LV10 equipment, shimmering with magical aura, was neatly arranged inside.

From plate armor and light chainmail enchanted with adamantite to poisoned steel daggers and mithril staves, every piece of equipment is backed by a massive amount of gold.

The equipment was solemnly distributed to each team member.

The final step is to digest the intelligence.

Viser ordered his men to distribute the strategy notes left by the first expedition members, which were stained with regret and fear.

Every team member needs to study it carefully.

Chapter 53: Another Challenge to the Black Language Cave

A bizarre combination of fire elements, elusive fel bats, and that deadly damage transfer...

Last time, our team was defeated by these few monsters that worked together so cleverly!

The only sounds in the room were the rustling of pages turning and Viser's deep, forceful admonition:

"I don't need you guys racing against time to break records!"

His sharp gaze swept across every face:

"The only requirement is to proceed cautiously and safely! If anyone makes the same idiotic mistakes as last time due to arrogance or recklessness, resulting in a total wipeout..."

He paused for a moment, his voice carrying a metallic, cold hardness:

"...I will use every means to make you disappear from this industry completely! Do you understand?"

The five team members raised their heads in unison, their eyes calm and composed, showing no sign of excitement or frivolity.

Viser felt somewhat relieved—this was precisely why he had chosen them:

Maintain emotional stability, obey orders without question, and never take unnecessary risks.

This quality is essential to avoid repeating past mistakes and prevent the five fools from underestimating the enemy and attempting to gather monsters together for an area-of-effect attack.

"set off!"

Viser gave the order in a deep voice. This time, he chose to oversee things personally, while his assistant stayed on the periphery to coordinate.

The group once again arrived at the familiar, unpleasant entrance to the Black Whisper Caves in the Dark Hills.

Just as he was summarizing the key points and analyzing the potential threats for the last time, two equally powerful auras approached from different directions—

The "ice queen" Belin of the Holy Lance leads her newly recruited five-person team; the leader of the Golden Wind, "Golden Lion" Hans, is also followed by a group of members exuding a strong aura.

The three top adventurer groups have unexpectedly met at the entrance of this small E-level dungeon!

The air seemed to freeze instantly, and the silent sparks of competition crackled and popped.

Clearly, they were both keeping a close eye on each other's movements, neither wanting to fall behind even a step on the pioneering path.

Viser's sharp eyes swept over his competitors, and without further delay, he waved for his team to enter the dark entrance.

Almost simultaneously, his assistant beside him frowned sharply and said in a low, urgent voice:

"Commander! That Beryl... handed 'that thing' over to their people!"

Viser stiffened slightly, his gaze shooting like lightning towards the icy-cold, silver-haired "older sister" Belin not far away.

He certainly understood what the "thing" that helped his fingers was: a legendary treasure from the underworld, a trinket that transcended level restrictions and possessed unfathomable power—

The Warning of Traitors!

This thing has such a great reputation!

A nameless anger rose in Viser's heart, and he could no longer restrain himself, so he took a few steps over.

He stopped in front of Belle, his face striving to maintain a cold, businesslike demeanor.

"Ms. Belin, using the 'Ring of the Traitor' on a mere E-rank dungeon... isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill and using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?"

Belin glanced at him indifferently with her icy blue eyes, devoid of any extra emotion.

"I've read through the rulebook of the reclamation order so many times that I can't find any clauses that prohibit its use."

Her tone was calm and completely still.

"If it works, then of course you can use it. Nobody's in your way."

Having said that, she completely ignored Viser, turning her gaze to the deep entrance of the cave as if he were merely a stone in her way.

Viser's facial muscles twitched almost imperceptibly, and a hint of suppressed anger flashed in his eyes.

Of course, his silver blade also conceals similar hidden treasures!

However, these legendary equipment items that have no level requirements and can be used without restrictions are extremely rare and carry enormous risks!

If the wearer dies during an adventure and the equipment is lost deep in an unknown dungeon... no one can afford that kind of loss!

Therefore, the usual strategy is to cautiously use these tools to break records and improve efficiency only after successfully pioneering and understanding all the risks.

"Humph!"

Viser let out a heavy snort, his resentment almost overflowing from his chest.

The team is already inside; it's too late to say anything now.

"If I had known... I really should have used the 'permafrost core'!"

He thought with regret.

With the power-up of the Traitor's Ring, Viser believed that the Holy Lance's team could practically walk out of the Black Whisper Caves with their eyes closed, let alone fail in their adventure!

This means... ten points are definitely in the Holy Lance's pocket!

They got a head start right from the beginning!

……

"So this is the real 'benefit' of becoming a knight..."

After returning from the awe-inspiring Flame Temple in Lagos, Ron spent a full week figuring out the hidden power behind the "Holy Flame Knight Medal" through various channels.

The improvement in status and position is only the most superficial glory.

The true core power lies in—

The right to elect members of the Noble Council!

The top lord of the underworld is not someone who can reach the top simply by virtue of rank or wealth.

Every change of great lord is a grand election that affects the entire underground world!