Heretic Saintess, Taboo Nun (1)

We didn't have quite enough rest time. The first day was less rest and more passing out, and the next day... well. But it didn't hinder our trip to the instance dungeon.

Now that we'd officially confirmed our relationships and proven them with intense physical intimacy, their corruption had lifted. Unlike me, who still felt a lingering ache throughout my body, they were full of energy.

"I'll skip explaining where we're headed. Kaya and I have been there twice, and Shae once."

"Yes, Captain."

"The problem is we have no idea how deep the place we entered last time was, or exactly when and where the abducted nun was taken."

I'd brought the rough map we'd used before. But we'd only uncovered about a quarter of the total size, if that. And judging this place's difficulty based solely on the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠monsters we'd met so far would be careless. Still, at Level 4, we wouldn't get wrecked as badly as before if we ran into the same foes.

"So, what's our top priority?"

"Search and rescue. Whether it's the nun or the dispatched nuns."

"Search."

"Honestly, I don't know how much combat power the dispatch has. But if the church branch sent them out in such a hurry, they should at least be able to protect themselves."

"The sisters from the head temple's combat unit... I remember they were incredibly strong. If they'd dispatched people of that caliber here, we might not have needed to step in at all."

"On the flip side, the fact they reached out to us means the dispatch's forces are weaker than the head temple's combat unit."

Sabak sabak—

We pressed forward, our feet crunching over soil tinged with a murky hue. Shae, usually the chattiest and most energetic, had been radiating a sharp, silent intensity since before entering the instance. Kaya, the quietest by nature, was already calming the rising tension in Shae by reminding her of our goal.

Whether Kaya's efforts worked or not, Shae's brisk pace slowed just a touch. I seized the moment, darting up to gently take her hand.

"The church sent their combat unit, and we got here as fast as we could. I get the impatience, so we're moving quickly too. But charging ahead blindly is dangerous."

"...Sorry."

"No need to apologize. If anything, I'm sorry for sounding too cold."

"No. You're right, Captain. You have to be like that."

Shae took several deep breaths, then resumed the lead at a steadier pace. Slower than before, but the urgency was gone.

"Thanks, Kaya."

"It's nothing, Captain."

Kaya was reliable as ever. And it seemed her closer bond with Shae was helping too.

"No abnormalities here."

"Same on this side."

We moved at a good clip back to the point we'd cleared last time. Memories of Shae collapsing into agony there flashed up, but I shook them off. Dwelling on that shit would just jinx us.

"Is it completely abandoned? No traces at all?"

"Yes. It seems the areas we passed were just the extreme outskirts. Wasn't it the same last time?"

"The heretics and the dispatch haven't touched this side at all, looks like."

"Hmm."

Maybe this instance dungeon, Heresy and Taboo Between, was even larger than I'd thought.

I compared it mentally to the map of Dungeon Zone 1. At a glance, similar structure... but.

To be sure, we need to push deeper—toward the center.

I pointed to the single long path stretching ahead.

"We're heading that way. From there on, assume heretics could pop out anytime, anywhere. Keep your guard up. Remember: search is priority one, but only if our safety comes first."

"Yes, Captain."

"Got it."

Was it my imagination? Even this relatively brighter area than the main dungeon was growing dimmer, like the dungeon itself. Fact seemed to be, it darkened the closer you got to the center.

I lit the magic torch. Last time, we hadn't bothered, but now it was too dark to watch our surroundings without it. Even though it wasn't sealed like the main dungeon, a chill air that made you instinctively shrink brushed our faces.

Heresy and Taboo Between, Heresy and Taboo Between.

I mulled the instance name. Heresy is heresy, taboo is taboo—what the hell did "between" mean? I got that this was a heretic cult worshiping terror's lair or something...

"Watch out!"

"Fall back!"

The smoke from before burst out suddenly. Blacker than exhaust from a car that'd just pulled out, it blocked the path ahead. And it was spreading toward us.

"Damn, any other ways?"

"None!"

"Captain, orders!"

It felt like it was forbidding any further approach. The previous smoke had dissipated over time, and this seemed unnatural—not going away on its own. Imbued with the power of terror.

If we retreat here? We don't even know other entrances.

We could bail, report the unidentified smoke blocking entry, and the church couldn't complain. We hadn't taken the reward first or anything.

But.

"Everyone, holy water! We're pushing through!"

"Yes!"

It didn't look like an insurmountable obstacle.

"Hup!"

Confirming the messages about boosted status resistance, I covered nose and mouth with one hand and plunged into the smoke.

Once inside, it was less smoke and more like wet cotton stuffed in your lungs. Breath caught in my throat; even a healthy person would feel crushing darkness phobia or claustrophobia.

"Shae! Kaya!"

My comrades' voices, right in front of me, echoed from afar like a distant cave.

Was my judgment wrong?

The suffocation worsened. No monsters or traps, but I couldn't tell if I was even moving forward.

No. It wasn't wrong.

More like, anyone else would've broken immediately. This was... cute compared to the main dungeon.

No body to thrash in agony, vivid nightmares too horrific to describe. This was just dark and stuffy.

These women endured worse. They can hold. And escape.

My judgment held. Chanting to myself that we'd bust through this shitty smog, my vision suddenly cleared.

"Captain!"

"Captain!"

"Oof!"

A gray cat and golden pup body-slammed me full-force from both sides, confirming the party's safety. If they'd remembered their heavy armor...

"I... have no face, Captain."

"Sorry..."

"Nah. Felt like I was gonna get crushed, but I didn't actually."

"Sorry!!!"

"Kidding."

Not really. But Shae looked ready to cry, so it had to be a joke. Whatever, a little pain was fine.

"How about you two?"

"Couldn't see, couldn't breathe, felt suffocating. Wanted to give up and collapse. But I trusted Shae pushing ahead and you covering from behind, so I kept going."

"Faces of those vicious bastards who tortured us with kneeling flashed up. No way I was kneeling again. No capture. So I kicked, ran, thrashed—and suddenly we were out."

"Good job. Damn good."

The combat log updated in a rush. Rolls fired off in batches, everyone resisting Submission. It captured what they'd described.

Yeah, risky but manageable.

That ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠murky shit was a mentality-draining trap, and we'd bulldozed it head-on, our hardened minds proving it. Instead of eroded mentality, our morale soared. The unnaturally darkening surroundings lightened a bit, and we breezed past minor obstacles and traps.

Then we hit the first fork. A stabbing pain hit my head like lightning, dropping me to one knee.

"Captain! What..."

"Shh!"

I waved off my approaching comrades.

Two sudden messages popped, and the minimap fog along our path cone-spread into clarity.

Fuck, feels like my eyes are gonna pop out!!!

Long Terror heroes scouting endlessly suffered this every time? I'd ragged on them for half-assing it, clueless. Sorry, assholes?

Pain like my brain frying piled on with each revealed map bit; I nearly blacked out but held for my fidgeting comrades.

"Huuu..."

"Captain!"

Shae scooped up my slumped form; Kaya fetched the water skin. I explained while wetting my throat, and they sighed in relief.

"Never seen you like that. Panicked me."

"Me too."

"Same here. Disorienting and painful. If you suddenly get killer headache and eye pain but know what's here better, that's scouting triggered."

To divert their lingering worry, I stood, pulling out the rough map. Penned the new areas boldly.

"Still amazing every time."

"Whoa... so left from here?"

"Based on revealed areas, yeah."

"Then?"

"Could be dead end, but best use what we have. Left it is."

"Captain, you okay...?"

"Fine. Really."

Light kisses to their cheeks eased their concern. I was recovering, and scouted areas meant no blind traps or ambushes.

I took point temporarily, reaching the revealed end quick. Reformed ranks.

"Ahead ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠feels seriously ominous."

"Yeah. At least on par with that fake-knight heretic trash—or worse."

Conveniently, scouting cut off right before the door. But no regrets. We all figured an elite at minimum awaited.

Wouldn't make sense for trash mobs in a spot this fortified.

"Everyone ready?"

Nods.

"Open it."

Kkiiieeeik—

The grating sound echoed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as the door creaked inward.

"More faithless intruders? How tiresome."

Waiting inside the door wasn't a black knight, soldier, or monster... but a frail woman in jet-black robes.