Chapter 210

“What the hell is this place? Why is there such a strange place hidden on this insignificant island?”

Slain said in disbelief, looking around.

It was a secret dungeon, clearly built with a lot of money.

The floor was marble, and the ceiling was studded with expensive luminous stones, illuminating the underground space despite the lack of natural light.

“An ominous feeling.”

Lucia muttered, her face hardening.

Was it because her senses were particularly sharp?

No, that wasn’t it.

We could all feel it.

The ominous feeling that clung to our skin.

It was a familiar sensation to me.

Camian, Annette, and Allen must have felt it too.

It was the same feeling we had experienced in the hidden dungeon beneath the desert fortress.

Which meant.

‘There’s definitely a connection.’

Last time, it was the desert of the central continent.

This time, it was an island in the south of the empire.

Secret dungeons hidden in two seemingly unrelated locations.

And the Red Rain executives appearing every time.

This couldn’t be a coincidence.

I was certain.

“Hey, womanizer senior. You know something, don’t you? You have that look on your face.”

Slain said, his snake-like eyes narrowed.

He was a sharp one, after all.

Not in terms of intelligence, but rather his instincts.

And another thing.

He was a real cocky bastard.

I chuckled.

“Like I would know? This is my first time here too. I was just making a guess.”

“What kind of guess?”

“What else? That it’s a creepy secret dungeon.”

“What, that’s it? I already know that.”

Slain clicked his tongue, disappointed.

I said to him,

“By the way, who are you calling womanizer senior? You disrespectful junior.”

“Who else would it be? You, of course. Oh, and here she is. You, this… huh?”

I swung my sword at him without mercy as he glanced at Elaine with a suggestive look and raised his pinky finger.

Slain, completely caught off guard, barely managed to dodge by throwing himself back.

I could feel everyone staring at me in surprise.

“Whoa, crazy! Why the hell did you swing your sword at me? Are you really that eager to die?”

Slain shouted, flustered and angry.

I said to him in a cold voice,

“Listen carefully. I don’t care if you insult me, but I won’t tolerate any insults towards my friends. Got it?”

I meant it.

Especially if it was a good person and a good friend like Elaine.

“Ha, acting all noble and shit. It’s so disgusting it makes me want to puke. How about I put a hole in that pretentious face of yours so you can’t act like that again? Huh?”

Clank.

Slain raised his chain scythe menacingly.

But I didn’t even blink.

“What are you talking about, you weakling who got knocked out in one hit? Want me to do it again?”

I pulled out my trump card.

The “I already beat you once, you’re weak” card.

It was definitely a trump card, since the result wouldn’t change even if the princess had backstabbed him.

It was a trigger for Slain’s seizures.

“Aaaaargh! That damn bastard is bringing that up again! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”

Lucia grabbed Slain from behind as he tried to lunge at me in a frenzy.

“Can you stop it already? You lost, just accept it and stop whining like a baby.”

“I didn’t lose! I didn’t lose! It was a dirty trick by those bastards! A trick… Mmmph!”

Lucia finally shut Slain’s mouth.

Leon also helped to calm down the rampaging Slain.

“T-Team Leader, I think you should stop too.”

Allen intervened, trying to stop me.

It was good timing.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

I chuckled and turned around.

At that moment.

I saw Elaine approaching me.

She came closer and said softly, her face slightly flushed,

“Th-Thank you.”

My sincere words had reached Elaine.

I hadn’t said it with that intention, but seeing her reaction like this made me feel a sense of accomplishment.

I smiled.

“It’s nothing.”

The atmosphere finally calmed down.

Thump, thump, thump!

Suddenly, we heard the sound of someone kicking the closed door behind us.

Everyone’s eyes turned towards the sound.

It was Camian.

“It won’t open no matter what I do. It seems we can’t get out this way.”

Oh, look at that guy.

My eyes widened in surprise at his protagonist-like behavior.

Clarifying the situation.

It was the first thing to do in a group that had been suddenly thrown together without a clear goal.

It was something I would have done if it weren’t for the sudden trouble.

But Camian had neatly taken care of it for me.

‘He’s definitely grown.’

As I was thinking that, Leon spoke up.

“It means there’s another exit.”

“What are you beating around the bush for? It means we have to move forward, right?”

Slain interjected.

He cooled down as quickly as he heated up.

But the bad thing about him was that he didn’t forget grudges.

“You said this is a dungeon, right? Then don’t we have to go all the way through?”

Lucia asked.

I nodded.

“That’s usually the case.”

“Then let’s go. No one has any objections, right?”

As expected of the protagonist’s classmates.

They were clear-cut and decisive in their actions.

It was a completely different environment from the third years, where I had to do everything myself.

…I suddenly envied the protagonist.

“Wait. I think there’s something we need to clarify first.”

Leon said, looking at me.

“Please explain the situation, Senior Max. Especially about those two mysterious people who weren’t the dark mages from earlier.”

Right, that was the priority.

I opened my mouth, as if I had been waiting for it.

“I was just about to do that. I’ll tell you what I know.”

* * *

“…So there are other enemies besides the villains who are terrorizing the island.”

Leon said, his eyes narrowed in thought.

“Heh heh, who cares who they are? They’re enemies, right? We just have to kill them. It’s simple, isn’t it?”

Slain chuckled, his bloodlust rising.

I envy his simple mind.

Life would be so much easier if I had a brain like his.

“Didn’t you hear? They’re dangerous enemies. Don’t talk so carelessly with that relaxed expression.”

Lucia scolded him.

I guess Lucia’s presence was a major factor in Slain’s survival so far, despite his personality.

And it would continue to be so.

“Hmph, I don’t trust that senior’s judgment. What would a weakling like him know?”

This was the best way to deal with a disrespectful junior who was mocking me.

“Thank you for the one-hit K.O. in the mock battle.”

“Aaaaargh! Stop bringing that up! You damn… Mmmph!”

Successfully shut him down.

I sneered at him and then ignored him, turning my gaze away.

“Is everyone ready?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, senior.”

“Of course, Team Leader.”

“No need to ask.”

My classmates and juniors, the pro-Max faction(?), each gave their answers.

(TLN: yes i did it on purpose)

And Leon joined in.

“There’s no other choice. I’ll do what I can for everyone.”

It was a reliable group, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Even Slain, who was currently rampaging over there, would be incredibly helpful when we needed his strength.

“Then let’s go. I think we need to hurry up a bit.”

This dungeon was created by the Saint.

Therefore, it was fair to everyone.

Gulshan and Natasha, who had entered first, would also be encountering the dungeon’s guardians and progressing.

Of course, considering their skills, it wouldn’t be much of an obstacle for them.

‘But we can still reap the benefits.’

We, who were following behind, could easily pass through the already defeated guardians.

They would naturally know that too.

But the reason they rushed in first was probably because they didn’t want to be held back by us before even entering the dungeon.

The unexpected reinforcements had turned the situation in our favor.

To maintain that favorable flow, we had to catch up to them.

Before they achieved their goal.

“Let’s move.”

I raised my voice and started moving first.

* * *

“Did those two do all this…?”

Lucia muttered, her face filled with disbelief.

Destroyed guardians, one after another.

And broken traps.

Anyone would have the same expression as her, seeing this surreal sight.

“…They’re monsters.”

Camian said with a grim expression.

Everyone looked serious.

The danger of the enemies they had to face, which had been vague until now, was now clear and palpable.

But one person.

“Heh heh heh, who cares? The stronger they are, the better, right? It’s been a while since I’ve had a good, heated battle.”

Only Slain seemed to be enjoying himself, his blood boiling.

His personality wasn’t bad in times like this.

He was an ally who, instead of being intimidated by strong enemies, could unleash his fighting spirit.

Leon added,

“As humans, their strength and stamina will inevitably be depleted. It’s an advantageous situation for us.”

“Yes, that’s definitely true.”

I nodded.

“I heard that the strongest guardian is at the end of the dungeon. A boss, they call it.”

“That’s right.”

“If we can catch them right after they finish fighting the boss…”

Leon said calmly.

He didn’t finish his sentence, but everyone understood.

That it would be the perfect timing.

“That’s exactly what I’m aiming for.”

I smirked.

And so, we continued forward at a rapid pace.

* * *

“I think those bastards are following us.”

Gulshan said, kicking a piece of rubble from a destroyed guardian.

“Probably.”

Natasha replied indifferently.

“It’s so annoying. Why are we clearing the way for them?”

Gulshan grumbled.

Natasha, who had been holding back, finally exploded.

“What? Annoying? You’re the annoying one, you idiot! This whole mess is because of your reckless actions! If you hadn’t stirred things up, those humans wouldn’t have followed us here! I swear, I could kill you!”

“…”

“Ugh, seriously, should I just kill you and then kill myself? I suddenly don’t want to live anymore.”

“…”

Gulshan’s expression softened.

He realized that Natasha was on the verge of losing it.

She was one step away from abandoning the mission and everything.

“Ahem, ahem. Wh-What was I saying? We have to go, we have to go. It’s best to keep moving forward.”

Gulshan pretended to be enthusiastic about the mission for the first time.

That seemed to annoy Natasha even more.

“Get lost! Get lost forever!”

“Hey, even if you’re angry, that’s too much…”

“I said get lost!”

“Alright, alright! I understand! I’m going! I’ll go diligently!”

Gulshan had no choice but to be truly enthusiastic.

“