Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Strange Phenomenon
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“Sa... save me... a... a person?”
Viola stared at us in bewilderment.
We were just as stunned.
Wasn't Viola a member of Nation's party? She survived that massacre?
'There was enough blood for about five people.'
So maybe it was a different party.
But you'd think she'd be in her family's party unless there was some reason otherwise.
“H-how are you here... Did you defeat that thing?”
“That thing?”
“Th-the one who killed my brother...”
Did she know something about it?
My eyes lit up.
I needed info on whoever killed Nation. Knowing what kind of monster it was would let me warn the others at the Adventurer's Guild.
“Can you tell us about it?”
“Y-you don't know what it is?”
“We never crossed paths. If we had, we'd be dead.”
“...I-I don't know much either. I only caught a vague glimpse from far away.”
“From far away?”
“Yeah, our parties were different, so we were supposed to meet at the midpoint. I saw my brother from a distance.”
“...”
“S-suddenly, his head came clean off. His limbs got torn apart, and there was this... chewing sound from somewhere...”
Viola trembled violently.
She didn't look good at all. Even if they weren't close, watching family die like that right in front of you wouldn't be easy—and Nation had doted on his little sister.
'...Should I knock her out?'
She really didn't look okay.
I got it, though.
The shock must have hit her hard.
“...Take me with you.”
Just as I was debating whether to knock her out, Viola fixed us with a resolute gaze.
“I want revenge on that thing, but first, we need to get this info to the Guild.”
Viola looked up at me as she said it.
“Add me to your party. I won't be a burden at least. I can do elemental magic and support spells too.”
“That's true.”
Glasses nodded in agreement with Viola.
“She's been called a genius even before becoming a mage. Now, three years after debuting as one, she's top-tier firepower that puts me to shame.”
“Revenge might be a stretch, but things are different now.”
With even party leader Ermé on board, I had no reason to refuse.
'Not that I want to.'
Most of the party was getting worn out anyway.
I'd been hoping for a single-target spell that could block goblin squads without something huge like Self-Explosion Thunderbolt.
'Bringing Viola in is the best move.'
I shot Ermé a look that said to decide quick.
She was looking at me too.
“What do you think?”
“We should add her right now.”
“Right?”
“But if she acts weird, she's out immediately.”
“Naturally. So, will you join under those terms?”
“...Absolutely.”
Viola nodded vigorously.
I looked into her eyes—beautiful like amethyst. But burning in them was the will to live...
'And get revenge.'
No matter what it took.
If she wanted revenge, she'd have to survive first, no matter what.
And so, we welcomed Viola into the group.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Our party's burden lightened noticeably once we had Viola.
“Chains of Lightning.”
Violet lightning scattered from the tip of Viola's staff.
The ten goblins up front collapsed.
“...Impressive.”
“Of course. She's a mage wielding lightning, the trickiest element for elementalists. Not a genius for nothing.”
And that wasn't all.
She'd pin down enemies with lightning while enchanting our weapons with it too.
'One mage makes a huge difference.'
More precisely, a high-rank one. Glasses would get there eventually once his levels caught up.
“That'll be tough for me.”
“...Yeah?”
“I'm not combat-focused—I'm specialized in supporting you guys. Levels will boost my basics eventually, but at my core, I'm here to make you stronger.”
“That's good enough.”
Viola was asymmetric firepower for our party.
If I had to compare, she was on par with me or Ermé.
As we chatted idly, goblins closed in on Viola and Glasses.
'Numbers are down, but...'
Ermé, Teresa, and Rosante didn't look great.
They were forcing themselves to fight with morale boosts.
'I'm holding up best, at least.'
Not that I was unscathed.
No throwing weapons left, about thirty arrows, and my bowstring snapped already.
I neatly sliced goblins with Whisper of the Wind and the blood-soaked sword.
'The silver lining...'
🗡️ ITEM 🗡️ Blood-Soaked Sword (B+) A sword that grows stronger the more blood it drinks. It has achieved full release. ◇ Can use Blood Spirit Energy with absorbed blood.
◇ Agility +4
◇ Form Change.
◇ Gains Vampiric Drain: Steals a portion of vitality from slain foes.
It had evolved nicely at just the right time.
The more foes I killed, the more of their health and vitality I stole. That's what kept me going.
Even so, I was barely at half strength.
“Huff, huff... Yuseong, you seem to have more secrets than I thought.”
...What?
I'd just cut down some goblins and pushed forward when Glasses suddenly said that.
“Enviable stamina for a thief. Still not tired.”
“...I've trained.”
“Once I get back to the Magic Tower... I'll have to train again. Been slacking lately with all these labyrinth runs.”
Glasses looked ahead as he spoke.
“...Assuming we survive this place, of course.”
“...”
We'd probably make it.
But it wasn't a sure thing.
Our current force could punch through these goblins no problem.
'But we can't avoid everything.'
Whatever wiped out Nation's party without breaking a sweat.
Luckily, it had missed us so far.
“Hey, Yuseong.”
“What?”
“If I die here...”
“Don't talk like that.”
Why jinx it all of a sudden?
Glasses really seemed worn down. I couldn't blame him.
Long hours in the damp darkness, endless fights.
We ran like that for a bit.
A familiar path came into view.
“...Almost there.”
The passage from the first floor to the outside appeared.
The portal out of the labyrinth shimmered at the edge of our vision.
“...Just in case, everyone keep formation while we run.”
We all ran in good order at Ermé's command.
I wasn't coming back here for a good while once we got out.
We had plenty of saved cash. No more of this hellhole anytime soon.
'We got lucky.'
We hadn't run into whatever mystery monster killed Nation.
Lucky.
Through all those battles, we never saw it.
'...Something.'
Someone was watching us.
Not a good feeling.
The most ominous one yet.
'Danger.'
Time slowed to a crawl.
Like a life-flashing montage.
“Run!!”
I screamed at the top of my lungs and tried to turn.
Something.
Some insanely ominous thing right behind me—that was all I sensed.
-Run away, please!
Rishiel's horrified voice. Ermé looked desperate as she shouted something at me.
But my body moved first.
I maxed out Blood Spirit Energy and amped up Whisper of the Wind.
Purple light flashed over my blade.
And at the same instant.
Something hand-like swung toward my sword.
Boom-!!
“Guh... ack...!”
My guts twisted. Shock like all my organs were shattering.
I forced my eyes wide.
To see what wrecked me.
Deer antlers. Below them, a skeletal white frame.
Under that, a bizarre figure in a black coat grinned at me.
As if it embodied death itself.
The thing's mouth split in a tearing grin as it eyed me.
'That's what annihilated Nation's party.'
The deadliest thing here.
No idea why it was here now. But it was right in front of us, gunning for our party.
'The good news...'
We're near the exit portal.
Thankfully, the others were escaping outside.
'One more time.'
Block one more attack, and I could flee too.
Viola was out, Teresa and Rosante too.
Only Ermé stared back with resolute eyes.
Life-or-death crisis?
My mind raced.
Thinking back on that first attack, staring it down.
'One more...'
Could I block it?
I blocked by sheer luck. No guarantee twice.
What I could do. What I couldn't.
Even adding it all up...
'Can't.'
No, not can't.
Had to, to survive.
I focused, scanning it.
'My best shot right now.'
Fighting Spirit.
All the power I had left.
I drew it up.
The thing flinched once, then eyed me like I was amusing.
Slowly.
It raised a hand. Ominous feeling swelled endlessly. And then...
'Huh...?'
Something thread-like tugged at me.
Was Ermé pulling me...?
“If I die, pick up my belongings from the Magic Tower.”
Glasses' voice.
Why?
'...No, before that.'
I reached out. No clue if it'd work. But to save Glasses now, I had to try.
'Please.'
Plunder.
My hand vanished into somewhere.
And.
I was out.
The blue portal spat something out.
“...”
It was Glasses' shattered frames, snapped in half.
I stared blankly at the broken glasses.
“Wh-where's Marcel?”
Teresa's voice shook.
I couldn't speak.
“...He's alive.”
The portal spat out another person.
Marcel, one arm gone.
Thankfully, holy power could heal it. He'd need recovery time, though.
“...Thanks.”
Marcel bowed deeply to me.
He reached out and handed me a half-ruined golden orb.
“That's...”
“Amulet of Protection.”
The talisman I'd plundered from Viola.
Not stealing Marcel's stuff with Plunder—I'd swapped it for the golden orb.
'Had to think fast since I couldn't just steal.'
Somehow resolved, but...
My feelings were a mess.
Because when I gave Marcel the orb, I'd taken one thing.
“...”
I fiddled with my pocket.
Ever since killing that mage Hanul.
The item I'd gotten nearby.
An endlessly ominous nail sat in my pocket.