Ch.162162. The First Trial (4)

“Just a moment.”

Talion said this, stopping Faynol.

Ahead of them lay a dark corridor.

“We should turn back. The risk is too high to proceed this way.”

It would be a reasonable judgment.

In a dungeon, going through this kind of passage would be suicidal. Dungeons are full of threats lurking everywhere. Limited visibility means the probability of death skyrockets.

However.

Faynol Leiphec continued walking at a slow but steady pace, completely unfazed.

“…Faynol? Wait, what are you-“

Talion tried to speak with alarm in his voice.

But before he could complete his sentence.

The sound of traps, artificial magical beasts, and intricately installed magical disruption devices being triggered all at once echoed through the darkness.

This happened simply because Faynol had taken steps forward.

“…What are you doing over there?”

Faynol tilted her head when she saw Talion looking at her with a bewildered expression from behind.

Her expression seemed to ask what his problem was, lagging behind like that.

“…”

After staring blankly in her direction for a while, Talion eventually let out a defeated laugh.

He had momentarily forgotten what kind of monster she was.

How many obstacles had this woman casually swept away during their dungeon progress so far?

It had been several days since he was suddenly selected as her “attendant” to participate in the hero selection, but he still couldn’t get used to her power.

“…No. I just couldn’t see anything beyond this point.”

“I see.”

Faynol gave a bitter smile.

Whether it was fortunate or sad.

She wasn’t the type to rely on her five senses. She was more accustomed to substituting them with her almost supernatural mana manipulation.

She probably couldn’t even properly perceive things like lighting.

‘That doesn’t even make sense.’

Among the Knight Department, those who mastered body strengthening techniques to the extreme could move even with most of their bodily organs damaged, but that was a virtue forcibly acquired due to the nature of their profession, which involved frequent injuries and continuing combat in such conditions.

Doing something similar with a completely different system of abilities, like a mage’s mana, indicated just how advanced the person’s abilities were.

“…”

However.

Unlike Talion’s admiration, the one who was more perplexed was Faynol herself.

‘…It seems to be getting stronger.’

What the Red Demon took in exchange for reviving her after death was everything she could “feel.”

In other words, as her emotions began to awaken again, such control should have been weakening.

But now, even without specifically invoking the demon’s power, demonic energy was naturally infusing the mana she was manipulating.

As if the demon’s power was growing stronger.

‘…Strange.’

The only reason she could think of was because of him.

Darwood Campbell.

Ever since that man declared he would “make her happy,” she felt as if the demon inside her was “coming alive” along with her awakening emotions.

This was a completely different effect from what she had originally expected. Considering her original plan to take her own life to prevent the assembled demon from going berserk, she should immediately stop contact with that man.

But.

-I will make you happy, Faynol. And you don’t have a right to refuse.

“…”

Recalling those words, Faynol carefully touched her lips.

She felt like she might unconsciously smile.

He was clearly someone who defied common sense.

From the way he spoke, he probably knew what “deeds” she had committed in the past and why she wanted to die.

Yet he said such things.

“…”

Whatever he believed in, whatever he was preparing for, whatever he intended to do.

She felt that man could solve even this “anomaly” happening to her.

If so.

‘…Just a little longer.’

Let’s trust him.

Let’s focus more on the heartbeat she felt whenever she saw him.

If that man could truly return “happiness” to her.

Then she too would pay him a “price” worthy of that.

While thinking this, Talion, who was standing beside her, spoke to her.

“I think we might be clearing this dungeon faster than anyone else. We’ve been breaking through every obstacle we encounter.”

“Should we take a break then?”

Talion tilted his head at Faynol’s words.

“Taking a rest… I can understand that, but I’m not sure if this is the time to be leisurely. All the other hero candidates are exceptional people, aren’t they?”

“…Well, I don’t really care about that.”

Faynol answered, brushing back her hair.

“I’ve never cared who becomes the hero from the beginning.”

“…What?”

“I chose you as my attendant after meeting you just once, and I don’t care who my partner is.”

“…”

Faced with this strange topic that came out of nowhere, Talion blankly asked.

“…Then why did you participate in the selection in the first place?”

“Because I was ordered to.”

Well, she belonged to the Heresy Inquisition, and Sullivan, the minister who oversaw that organization, had strongly pushed for it.

He had said she must be “present” regardless of whether she tried hard or not.

In fact, her selection as a candidate this time was largely due to his influence.

“…”

She could roughly guess the reason.

There was only one reason why the minister would care so much about this selection.

‘…The minister, the Tristan duchess, the Grand Assassin…’

As Faynol was mentally listing the people who “desired” that man, she smiled slightly and opened her mouth.

“…Hey, Talion.”

“Yes?”

“How many pieces do you think Darwood will be torn into later?”

“…Pardon?”

“Given the number of women he’s stringing along, and how dangerous each one is…”

“…”

Talion stroked his chin.

He seemed to be seriously considering it.

“…At least not more than 20 pieces, I’d say?”

“…I was joking.”

“How am I supposed to know that when you ask such a serious-sounding question?”

“…”

That’s true.

“But knowing my brother, he’ll probably do all sorts of crazy and eccentric things whenever his life is in danger-“

“Yahooooo-!”

“…”

“…”

At the bizarre sound that was too strange to be echoing through a dungeon, both Talion and even Faynol turned with blank expressions.

There was a group rushing at an unrestrained speed far below the entrance path they had chosen.

“…Isn’t that the entrance path we turned back from because hundreds of magical beasts were pouring out?”

“…”

It was a wide-open area that, unlike other entrance paths, offered a straight shot to the deepest part, guaranteeing the fastest entry record if one could run properly.

But there were terrifying enemies pouring out in numbers that even Faynol’s output couldn’t handle, so after hearing Talion’s briefing, even she had changed direction.

Even now, the sound of magical beasts’ footsteps pouring in from all directions was enough to make anyone feel chills.

But.

“…Is that, right now…”

Talion spoke in a voice of disbelief.

“…Using a living person as bait to ‘control’ the wave of magical beasts?”

From here, they could clearly see Elia carrying someone and running ahead.

They could also see Darwood following behind, and that they were being chased by an enormous number of magical beasts.

What was incomprehensible was that whoever Elia was carrying was “tied” to a stick with a rope.

Like bait attached to catch fish.

“Teacher! At this rate, they’ll catch up!”

“…Give it to me.”

With those words, Darwood took the stick with Lana tied to it from Elia.

“Hup!”

With that exclamation, Lana’s body was swung around in all directions.

The scent of blood from her battered body made the magical beasts’ eyes gleam even more. Driven by instinct, their bodies surged toward where Lana was being swung.

“How can just waving a line make all these creatures take the bait…?”

“I used to fish a lot when I was young.”

“This doesn’t seem like a skill you’d get just from trying hard!”

“I would have starved to death if I couldn’t do at least that.”

Despite the casual conversation that didn’t match the situation, the effect was tremendous.

Like taming wild beasts in a circus, the entire wave swayed following Lana’s flailing body.

The formation of the entire horde broke down and slowed due to magical beasts trying to strike or bite Lana.

Naturally, this made it much easier for Darwood and Elia to escape.

While Lana’s body accumulated more wounds from being used as bait, instead of getting angry, the victim herself burst into cheerful laughter.

“Wahahahaha-! Campbell is really a fun person! I’ve never met anyone who thought of using me like this to get through!”

Her voice echoed loudly.

“At the Gangsan River, you used me as a raft to cross, at the crushing trap, you kept shoving me in to break the trap, and now with this massive wave of magical beasts, you’re using my entire body as bait!”

“…”

“I’m too stupid to have imagined using my body like this! You’re truly amazing!”

“…Amazing indeed.”

While Elia narrowed her eyes and muttered those words, Darwood, sweating nervously but trying to maintain a calm expression, retrieved the “human fishing rod” again.

And Talion, who had been watching this scene, blankly opened his mouth.

“…Hey, Faynol.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you think 24 pieces was too generous an estimate?”

“…”

“…”

A heavy, implicit agreement settled between the two.

●

“…Still, thanks to you, teacher, we’re making incredibly fast progress.”

Elia said this while glaring at me with narrowed eyes.

After breaking through the wave of magical beasts, we were now truly at the deepest part of the dungeon. Just beyond the massive stone door in front of us was our destination.

‘…Good.’

If we break through to there, the first trial will be successfully completed.

Although it feels quite conscience-pricking, this is still progressing quite smoothly-

< System Message >

[ Behavior with astoundingly broken morality! ]

[ Title: ‘Waste Material’ has been added! ]

[ When equipped, it increases the effect of others’ indignation when you commit evil acts! ]

“…”

Are you kidding me?

●