episode_0035

“S-save me… P-people?”

Viola stared at us in shock.

We were just as stunned.

Wasn’t Viola supposed to be part of Nation’s party? She survived that massacre?

‘There was enough blood spilled for at least five people.’

So, was it a different party?

If they were family, you’d think they’d stick together.

“H-how did you get here… Did you defeat that thing?” “That thing?” “T-the one who killed my brother…”

She knows about that thing?

My eyes sharpened.

We needed information on the one who killed Nation. If we knew what kind of monster it was, we could relay it to the other adventurers at the guild.

“Can you tell us about that thing?” “Y-you don’t know it?” “We never faced it. If we had, we’d be dead.” “…I-I don’t know much either. I only saw it faintly, from far away.” “From far away?” “Yeah. Our parties were different, so we agreed to meet halfway. I saw my brother from a distance.” “…” “T-then suddenly… his head was torn off. His limbs were ripped apart, a-and… I heard this horrible… chewing sound…”

Viola trembled violently.

She didn’t look well. Even if they weren’t close, watching your brother die like that would mess anyone up—and Nation had doted on her.

‘…Should I knock her out?’

She really didn’t look good.

I understood.

The shock must’ve been immense.

“…Take me with you.”

Just as I was debating whether to knock her out, Viola met our eyes with fierce determination.

“I want revenge, but first, I need to report what I know to the guild.”

She looked up at me as she spoke.

“Let me join your party. At the very least, I won’t be a burden. I can use elemental magic and support spells.” “She’s right.”

Glasses agreed with her.

“She was called a prodigy even before becoming a mage. Now, after three years, she’s a high-tier combatant—far beyond my level.” “If it were just about revenge, it’d be reckless. But this is different.”

Even Erme, the party leader, was in favor. I had no reason to refuse.

‘Not that I wanted to.’

Most of our party was already exhausted.

I’d been thinking how nice it’d be to have a mage who could suppress goblin squads with single-target spells instead of massive techniques like Self-Rotating Thunderstorm.

‘So bringing Viola in is the best move.’

I glanced at Erme, silently urging him to decide quickly.

Coincidentally, Erme was already looking at me.

“What do you think?” “We should take her in now.” “Right?” “But if she acts suspicious, we kick her out immediately.” “Exactly. So, will you come with us?” “…I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Viola nodded firmly.

I studied her gaze. Her eyes were beautiful, like amethysts—but burning with the will to survive.

‘And the desire for revenge.’

No matter what it took.

If she wanted revenge, she had to survive first.

And so, we accepted Viola into our group.

—

From the moment Viola joined, the burden on our party lessened significantly.

“Binding Lightning.”

Purple lightning scattered from the tip of her staff, and ten goblins ahead collapsed.

“…That’s insane.” “Of course. She’s a mage who wields lightning, the trickiest element for elementalists. She didn’t earn the title of prodigy for nothing.”

And that wasn’t all.

She used lightning to suppress enemies while simultaneously enchanting our weapons with lightning.

‘One mage makes a world of difference.’

Or rather, one high-tier mage. Glasses might reach that level someday too.

“That’d be tough for me.” “…Really?” “I’m not specialized in combat—I’m a support. Of course, as my level rises, my basics will improve. Maybe I’ll reach that point someday, but my core role is strengthening you guys.” “That’s enough.”

Viola was undeniably an asymmetrical force in our party.

If I had to compare, only Erme or I could match her.

As we exchanged brief words, goblins closed in on Viola and Glasses.

‘Their numbers have thinned, but…’

Erme, Teresa, and Rozante didn’t look great.

They’d been forcing themselves to fight this whole time, fueled by sheer willpower.

‘I’m holding up, but…’

I wasn’t in peak condition either.

All my throwing weapons were gone, and I only had about thirty arrows left. My bowstring had already snapped.

I cleaved through goblins cleanly with Whisper of the Wind and the Blood-Soaked Sword.

‘At least there’s one saving grace.’

[Item] Blood-Soaked Sword (B+) A sword that grows stronger the more blood it drinks. Fully unleashed. ◇Can use Blood Spirit Aura with absorbed blood. ◇Agility +4 ◇Shape-shifting. ◇Steals a portion of the target’s vitality upon killing them.

It had evolved at just the right time.

The more I killed, the more I stole my enemies’ stamina and vitality. That was the only reason I could still move.

Even so, I was barely operating at half my usual strength.

“Huff… Huff… Yuseong, you’ve got more hidden than I thought.”

…What was that supposed to mean?

As I swiftly dealt with the goblins and moved forward, Glasses suddenly said that.

“A thief who still hasn’t run out of stamina… I envy you.” “…I trained for this.” “Once we get back to the Magic Tower… I should start training again. I’ve been slacking off too much lately, focusing on dungeon exploration.”

Glasses muttered while staring ahead.

“…Assuming we survive this place, that is.” “…”

We probably would.

But I couldn’t be sure.

Our current strength was enough to break through the remaining goblin horde without issue, but…

‘That doesn’t mean we’re safe.’

The thing that wiped out Nation’s party without breaking a sweat.

We were lucky we hadn’t crossed paths with it yet.

“Hey, Yuseong.” “What?” “If I die here…” “Don’t say that.”

Why was he suddenly being ominous?

Glasses really did seem exhausted. Not that I could blame him.

We’d been stuck in this damp, dark place for too long, fighting nonstop.

After running for a while, a familiar path came into view.

“…We’re almost there.”

The exit to the first floor was visible.

A portal leading out of the labyrinth appeared at the edge of our vision.

“…Just in case, let’s keep formation while running.”

At Erme’s words, everyone began moving in an orderly manner.

Once we got out, we shouldn’t come back here for a while.

We’d saved up enough money. No reason to return to this hellhole anytime soon.

‘We got lucky.’

We hadn’t encountered the unknown monster that killed Nation.

Really lucky.

After all those battles, we still hadn’t seen it.

‘…Something’s off.’

I felt like we were being watched.

Not a good feeling.

It was the most ominous sensation I’d ever had.

‘Danger.’

Time slowed to a crawl.

Like my life was flashing before my eyes.

“RUN!!”

I screamed with everything I had, twisting my head to look back.

Something.

Something terrifying was behind me—I could feel it.

—Dodge, now!

Risiel’s horrified voice. Erme’s panicked expression as he shouted something at me.

But my body moved faster.

I pushed Blood Spirit Aura to its limit, amplifying the wind from Whisper of the Wind.

A violet glow flashed, coating my sword.

And at the same time—

Something like a hand reached for my blade.

THUD—!!

“Guh—Hhk…!”

My insides twisted. The impact felt like it would shatter every organ in my body.

I forced my eyes open.

I had to see the thing that just wrecked me.

Antlers. Beneath them, a skull-like white skeleton.

A grotesque figure in a black coat grinned at me.

As if it was death itself.

Its mouth stretched unnaturally wide as it laughed.

‘That’s the thing that wiped out Nation’s party.’

The most dangerous entity in this place.

Why it was here, I didn’t know. But it was right in front of us, and it was trying to kill us.

‘The only saving grace…’

We were near the exit portal.

The others had already made it out.

‘Just one more time.’

If I could block its attack once more, I could escape too.

Viola was out. Teresa and Rozante were out.

Only Erme remained, staring at me with grim resolve.

Maybe it was the near-death experience.

My mind raced.

Watching its movements, analyzing its last attack.

‘One more time…’

Could I block it?

I’d barely managed by sheer luck. No guarantee I could do it again.

Everything I could do, everything I couldn’t—

Adding it all up…

‘I can’t.’

No—can’t wasn’t the right word.

If I wanted to live, I had to.

I focused, studying the creature.

‘The best I can do right now…’

Battle aura.

The only strength I had left.

I channeled it.

The creature flinched slightly, then looked at me with amusement.

Slowly.

It raised its hand. An overwhelming sense of dread. And then—

‘Huh…?’

Something like threads yanked at me.

Wait, was Erme pulling me—?

“If I die, retrieve my belongings from the Magic Tower.”

Glasses’ voice.

Why?

‘…No, more importantly—’

I reached out.

No idea if it’d work. But if I wanted to save Glasses, I had to try.

‘Please.’

Absolute Theft.

A sensation of my hand vanishing into nothingness—

And then.

I was outside.

The blue portal spat something out.

“…”

It was Glasses’ shattered spectacles.

I stared blankly at the broken frames.

“W-where’s Marcel?”

Teresa’s voice trembled.

I couldn’t answer.

“…He’s alive.”

The portal spat out one more person.

Marcel, missing an arm.

He’d recover with holy magic, but he’d need time to recuperate.

“…Thank you.”

Marcel bowed deeply to me.

Then he handed me a half-shattered golden orb.

“That’s…” “The Amulet of Protection.”

The one we’d taken from Viola.

I hadn’t stolen Marcel’s item with Absolute Theft—I’d swapped the orb for it.

‘I had to steal something, so it was the first thing that came to mind.’

It seemed to have worked out, but…

I felt complicated.

Because when I took the orb from Marcel, I’d also stolen one other thing.

“…”

I fiddled with my pocket.

Back when I killed that mage, Hanul…

I’d picked up something nearby.

An infinitely ominous nail now sat in my pocket.