Chapter 232

“This brings back memories, leader.”

“Memories?”

“Remember when the three of us conquered the 60th floor? It was tough, but so rewarding.”

Allen said with a wistful gaze, lost in reminiscence.

Stab! Stab! Stab!

The sight of him spearing undead monsters with his spear, their bodies riddled with holes, while wearing that sentimental expression was a horror show in itself.

This guy had become quite the badass.

Anyway,

It had been long enough for it to be considered “old times.”

Time flew by.

“Back then, we were nothing…”

Allen fully immersed himself in nostalgia, overwhelmed with sentimentality.

We were nothing, indeed.

I was a good-for-nothing delinquent, constantly ridiculed and scorned. Riviera was a non-entity, practically invisible. And Allen was, well, the ultimate loner.

Our current status was a complete reversal of our past.

But.

“Why are you getting sentimental when we haven’t achieved anything yet?”

I said, baffled by his sudden nostalgia.

An extra, not even a supporting character, indulging in reminiscence?

It was a death flag.

Why tempt fate?

“Ugh… C-Can’t we reminisce for a bit?”

It was even more bizarre that he was thinking about such things in a place where undead monsters were running rampant.

“Grrrr!”

Slice!

I cut down the snarling undead in front of me.

“Let’s just go, let’s go. We have a long way to go.”

“R-Right. But still…”

“What now?”

“With so many comrades by our side, we can go anywhere. No, we will go anywhere.”

Allen’s eyes were filled with emotion again.

I understood why.

He had spent nearly two years of his school life as a loner.

It must have been lonely.

And then I, a miracle, had entered his life.

For the first time, he had something he could call a “human connection.”

It started with me, then Riviera, Elaine, Camian, Annette…

His circle of friends had gradually expanded.

And today,

He was experiencing something he had never even imagined before.

His first year, climbing the tower alone because he had no friends.

His second year, finally climbing with two friends, experiencing the joy and excitement of a group adventure.

And now, facing the worst enemy that had ever stained the academy with blood and undead, climbing the tower with a large group of comrades.

From Allen’s perspective, it must have felt like a miraculous transformation.

“Yeah, yeah. Of course. So do your part.”

“Of course, leader. But…”

“Ugh, what now? What is it?”

“…It’s just a shame that Riviera isn’t here.”

Riviera.

She had unintentionally become Allen’s almost only female friend.

It was quite comical, considering her true identity as the terrifying Blood Witch.

She had even received a confession from that insignificant extra at the ball.

It was the ultimate humiliation, but she didn’t seem to mind, perhaps due to her eccentric personality.

She had seemed genuinely angry when she had been treated as a rival, though.

She was a strange one.

…Wasn’t being confessed to usually more damaging than being treated as a rival?

Anyway,

I was also curious about Riviera’s movements.

Because I had no information.

If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t have been noticeable in the first place.

She would have remained a non-entity.

It was because of me that she had gained a presence in school life.

So Riviera’s actions were always an unknown factor whenever an incident occurred.

It was even more difficult to predict her actions, considering her position as an executive of the evil organization.

During the attack on the Iron City of Schwarzfelz, she had implicitly warned me in advance, allowing me to prepare and respond appropriately.

On Diotes Island, she had played a crucial role in defending the third-year students.

So far, she had been helpful in many ways.

It was a benefit brought about by the first human connection I had made.

What about this time?

Honestly, anything she did would make sense.

Even if she was taking a nap on the rooftop amidst all this chaos, it would be perfectly in character for Riviera.

So I would be satisfied as long as she played a positive role.

The mad necromancer had nothing to do with the Red Rain organization, so she wouldn’t be in a complicated position.

I decided to stop worrying about her.

“Don’t expect someone you want to be by your side all the time.”

“Ugh, l-leader’s words of wisdom…”

“Especially if that someone is Riviera.”

“Th-That’s so true, I-I have nothing to say…”

Allen clutched his chest dramatically.

No, stop clutching your chest and swing your spear!

“I’ve cleared a path, so everyone this way!”

Leon shouted.

His talented younger brother was so reliable.

“Let’s go.”

“Y-Yeah.”

We ran towards the stairs leading to the 58th floor.

* * *

“How high have we climbed?”

– 81st floor, 81st floor!

“Ahaha, this is interesting. That thing appeared on the 81st floor?”

Mesker chuckled.

Because a high-ranking monster, rarely seen outside, had appeared.

Its strength and danger level were incomparable to even high-ranking monsters like ogres and trolls.

Its mere presence was a disaster for the area.

A group of Hydras was coiled before him.

A “group,” but there were only five of them.

But if each one was stronger than dozens of high-ranking monsters combined, it was a different story.

It was like hell on earth.

But Mesker remained calm.

“Well, it might take some time, but it should be enough here.”

– Hehe, more than enough!

“Ahaha, of course. This is exciting. I wonder how powerful they’ll be as undead.”

Hydras, with nine massive heads, each thicker than a human torso and longer than a tree trunk.

They had no blind spots, as they could monitor and attack in all directions simultaneously.

And they possessed deadly poisonous stingers that could melt flesh and bone.

They were the epitome of lethal monsters, born to kill.

If such monsters gained the tenacious vitality of the undead, it was obvious how much more dangerous they would become.

– I’m going to kill them! I’m going to kill so many of them!

The fairy flapped her wings excitedly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“Ahahaha, yes, yes. It’ll be quite a sight when they’re unleashed. The whole place will be a bloodbath.”

Hiss!

The Hydras hissed menacingly, approaching Mesker.

Mesker grinned, his expression twisted.

“Alright, let’s kill them first.”

He raised his hand.

* * *

We were making rapid progress.

It was incomparable to the time when we had Riviera’s flight.

We were probably catching up quickly.

Even the mad necromancer would have to spend a considerable amount of time dealing with the high-ranking monsters on the higher floors.

We would catch him.

We had to catch him before he reached the top floor.

Because we knew what kind of hellish situation would unfold if all the dangerous monsters on the top floor were turned into undead.

“We’re on the 81st floor!”

Leon announced, his expression serious.

“Everyone, be careful! The danger level of the monsters increases significantly from here!”

Each floor marked a new zone.

And with each new zone, the strength of the monsters increased exponentially.

Everyone knew that.

But Leon, as the strongest member of our group, had reached the 80th floor when he was a second-year.

He had climbed the highest among us.

That’s why he knew.

How dangerous the monsters on the 81st floor and above were.

“Ugh, hearing that from our handsome junior makes me even more worried.”

Amy said.

No, saying that while holding a half-eaten baguette doesn’t make it sound convincing at all.

…And what was with “handsome junior”?

That was too superficial.

“Hmph, those who are too scared can just use the magic circle and leave. Don’t be a burden.”

Alfred said harshly.

After being humiliated by me, he had been desperately trying to regain his lost pride, acting uncharacteristically serious.

He must have been even more agitated after seeing his rival, the princess, make such a big contribution.

Well, it didn’t matter to me.

He might have a twisted personality, but his skills were undeniable.

“Whoa, Junior Mask, you’re being too harsh.”

Diana said, taking out her notepad and scribbling something down.

“Who’s Junior Mask?! Who?! I’m Alfred! Alfred! And what are you writing?!”

Alfred snapped.

It seemed like another one of my nicknames had been born, following “Baguette Senior.”

This nickname thing was fun.

“Information.”

“What kind of information in this situation?!”

“Junior Mask uses informal language with a senior when he’s flustered.”

“Aaaaaargh!”

Alfred was having a truly humiliating day.

It was delightful to watch.

I chuckled.

It was then.

“We’re here! Everyone, be on your gu…”

Leon’s warning was cut short as his eyes widened in confusion.

Everyone else had the same expression.

Including me.

Because there was nothing on the 81st floor, where dangerous undead should have appeared.

It didn’t make sense.

“Th-There’s nothing here?”

“Wh-What’s going on?”

The group voiced their confusion, their faces bewildered.

It was only natural to be puzzled by the absence of something that should have been there.

My expression also turned serious.

But.

I noticed something.

Shredded flesh and pools of blood on the floor.

It was the trace of monsters.

Monsters had definitely been here.

But they had been reduced to puddles of blood, not even a single bone fragment remaining.

The mad necromancer’s doing?

No way.

These traces didn’t match his abilities, and he wouldn’t destroy his own creations.

I recognized these traces.

I knew someone who was capable of this.

– Go.

I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw the small message written on the floor.

She was truly unpredictable.

But I had to be grateful.

She had done us a huge favor.

My gaze instinctively shifted to Allen.

He looked clueless.

As usual.

I grinned and said,

“Don’t worry about it and let’s move on. There won’t be any undead appearing here.”

“A-Are you sure? Is it a trap?”

Amy asked, her eyes filled with anxiety.

“It’s not a trap. My friend took care of it.”

“Huh? Friend?”

Yes, friend.

Regardless of her true identity, she and I were definitely friends now.

And…

Quite close friends.

“Let’s go.”

I quickened my pace.

* * *

“Haaam.”

A pale, sickly-looking girl with black hair yawned.

Before her stood a Manticore, its presence radiating a menacing aura.

A flying monster with the body of a lion, the wings of a Wyvern, and the tail of a scorpion.

It was a high-ranking monster capable of slaughtering dozens of soldiers in an instant.

But the girl remained unfazed, her demeanor nonchalant.

And she had every reason to be.

Because she was the Blood Witch.

If the Manticore posed a threat level of 1, she was at least a 100.

“I guess I just need to take care of you guys.”

Riviera muttered.

She hated troublesome tasks.

But she had to act this time.

Because Armin might try something in this unexpected chaos.

She knew what Max had done to provoke the organization.

But if they wanted to kill him, they should do it fairly.

She wouldn’t tolerate assassination.

It was cowardly.

So she had been following Max, observing the situation.

Fortunately, there were no signs of Armin making a move.

So she could have just continued watching, but she felt a sense of unease.

An ominous feeling, as if Max was cursed with bad luck.

Perhaps the princess had been referring to this when she had mentioned a bad feeling.

So she had decided to act.

She was clearing the path of any potential obstacles.

“Hmm, but anything more than this…”

Riviera knew.

The moment she interfered too strongly with someone’s ill fate, it would only become more twisted.

An ill fate had to be overcome by the person themselves.

And the source of that ill fate was probably…

“That madman?”

Roar!

A horde of undead Manticores lunged at Riviera.

They were ferocious and savage.

Riviera raised her hand, her fingers tracing a blood-red star in the air.

As she completed the gesture, a wave of crimson energy erupted, engulfing the Manticores.

Blood Star.

A forbidden high-ranking blood magic spell.

Its terrifying power obliterated the Manticores, their bodies exploding like fireworks.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Bones shattered.

Flesh exploded.

Everything was destroyed.

Not even a recognizable shape remained.

The Manticores, which had been flying so menacingly just moments ago, were reduced to puddles of blood, staining the ground crimson.

“Haaam, that should be enough.”

The Blood Witch, who had created that unimaginable scene, yawned again.

If you only looked at her appearance, she was just an ordinary, somewhat airheaded schoolgirl.

“Now it’s time to switch to cheering mode.”

Riviera vanished, her figure dissolving into thin air.

She was gone.

But Max would probably know.

That one of his female friends was cheering for him.

…Because she had left a message for him, just in case.