The Defier of Fate (3)
'A-A Sword Master!'
Professor Biorf's eyes widened in sheer shock.
The moment he realized his opponent's identity, he immediately tucked his tail.
No matter how fiery Biorf's temper was, even he had to watch his words and actions in front of a Sword Master—individuals universally recognized across the continent as absolute psychopaths.
One only had to look at the history of Wintersield Magic Academy to see why.
No fewer than three Chancellors had lost their heads simply for displeasing a Sword Master.
Unwilling to meet the same pathetic end, Professor Biorf hesitated, shifting his gaze nervously before cautiously asking a question.
"M-May I ask the honored guest's name...?"
"Gaon."
"..."
Gaon?
It was a name Biorf had never heard in his entire life.
But that was hardly surprising.
Sword Masters rarely showed themselves to the world. Most preferred to live in seclusion, quietly honing their swordsmanship in remote corners of the continent.
Aside from a few active wanderers like Pokryong, the public possessed scant information about them.
'If that's the case...'
Professor Biorf stole a glance at Gaon, his mind racing.
'...he must be one of those Sword Masters who chose seclusion.'
Having not yet heard the news of a thirteenth Sword Master's birth, it was the only logical conclusion he could reach.
"Then, what brings such an esteemed guest to this place...?"
"I believe I already told you. I came to slay a 'monster.'"
"A... a monster?"
Gaon let out a heavy sigh, looking thoroughly annoyed, and began his explanation.
"Professor Selena Servich and I have known each other for a very long time."
Professor Biorf stiffened, his eyes widening once more.
With a look of utter astonishment, he closely examined the Mark of the Sword Master engraved on the back of Selena's hand.
"Then, could that mark also be...?"
"It was forged decades ago."
"..."
Naturally, it was a blatant lie.
But since there was no way for Professor Biorf to verify the truth, Gaon shamelessly pressed on with his fabrication.
"A few years ago, Professor Selena detected an 'anomaly' within the magic academy."
"..."
"While gathering evidence, she discovered the existence of the underground dungeon. She also learned that the facility is as old as the academy itself."
Professor Biorf's expression grew increasingly bewildered.
Unperturbed, Gaon continued to spin his tale, adding a few creative embellishments along the way.
"After a lengthy investigation, Selena realized that a monster on par with the Five Nightmares lay slumbering beneath the academy. It has been periodically conducting rituals to slaughter innocent lives."
"S-Such a thing...!"
"Professor Selena knew she couldn't face this monster alone. That is why she reached out to me for help."
"..."
"However, fearing that the open movement of a Sword Master would throw the academy into absolute chaos, she suggested a covert investigation."
"..."
"That is why I disguised myself as an adventurer who cleared the 'Earth Dragon Subjugation' quest to enter the academy."
Selena quickly nodded in agreement, as if confirming that every word out of the Sword Master's mouth was absolute truth.
"Our true mission is to eliminate the monster hiding beneath the earth. To prevent any more innocent victims from being sacrificed."
"W-Wait a moment," Professor Biorf interrupted.
"Why didn't Professor Servich report this matter to the other faculty members?"
"That is because..."
Gaon paused briefly before answering.
"We feared there might be factions within the academy colluding with the monster. We decided it was wisest to keep this secret until we gathered sufficient evidence."
"...!"
Professor Biorf was temporarily struck speechless.
A secret dungeon as old as the academy. A monster lurking within. And a secret alliance between a Sword Master and Professor Selena to destroy it.
The puzzle pieces were falling into place. Selena's suspicious behavior, the sudden influx of outsiders—everything finally made perfect sense.
"To think you had to carry such a horrific secret all by yourself..." Biorf's voice trembled.
Turning his gaze to Selena, he bowed deeply in apology.
"I am truly sorry! I had no idea you were bearing such a heavy burden!"
'Wow, he actually bought it.'
To be honest, my lie was full of holes. Anyone with a shred of logical reasoning could have picked it apart.
Yet, Professor Biorf didn't doubt a single word.
The reason was simple.
The person standing right in front of him was none other than a 'Sword Master.'
He probably couldn't even fathom the idea of a seeker of the sword, chosen by the ancient gods, playing con artist.
It was a classic case of authority bias.
'Well, Biorf was always a gullible pushover who believed whatever he was told anyway.'
The only reason he had been so hostile toward Selena Servich in the first place was because of another professor's instigation.
Of course, the fact that Selena had stolen credit for Biorf's achievements multiple times also played a part...
But that wasn't important right now, so I decided to let it slide.
"Um, honored guest?"
Professor Biorf looked at me, his voice filled with determination.
"I-I sincerely apologize for my rudeness earlier. Is there any way I can assist you...?"
"Help us slay the monster. I sent the Divine Beast to enlist your strength in the first place."
♪ Chirp! ♪
"...Ah!"
Professor Biorf gasped, nodding vigorously.
"Yes! I will assist you with all my might! Of course, it is only right!"
Watching Professor Biorf eagerly accept the proposal, I smiled inwardly.
'Perfect.'
A 9th-circle mage, Selena Servich.
An 8th-circle mage, Professor Biorf.
A 7th-circle mage, Isaac Berylof.
And finally, Adelia, who had grown to level 85 in the Forest of the Heavenly Sea.
With this, the perfect party to subjugate the Defier of Fate was assembled.
Of course, if I used the Soul of the Sword Master, I could defeat the Defier of Fate in a single blow.
A 12-star Mythic-tier skill could instantly kill any opponent, no matter who they were.
'But...'
I had no intention of using that skill from the start.
If I had planned to kill the Defier of Fate with it, I wouldn't have wasted it just to threaten Selena.
'There's a time and place for cheese strategies.'
This time, I was going to take the hard road.
Only then could I reap a far greater 'reward.'
High risk, high return.
That was the playstyle I had always pursued.
I had to stick to this creed and keep snowballing my advantages.
Only then would I be able to reach the 'True Ending' that I hadn't seen even once across 200 playthroughs.
"Then let us move immediately. We have no time to lose."
Having finished my calculations, I immediately took the lead.
My four powerful allies began to follow close behind.
We descended the spiral staircase connected to the dungeon, heading toward the Abyss where the Defier of Fate lurked.
'Just wait a little longer, Strawberry Latte.'
The time to rescue him was drawing near.
"W-What on earth is this...?"
Professor Biorf looked around, his eyes filled with horror.
"...Damn it. To think something this hideous was hidden beneath the academy."
The Abyss.
A massive, bottomless underground labyrinth.
The walls and ceiling were covered in black moss and blood-red fungi, and a damp fluid seeping from somewhere soaked the floor.
The chilling roars of monsters echoed from the far reaches of the maze-like passages.
"..."
For me, this place was all too familiar.
After all, this was the starting tutorial zone for mage characters.
Players had to navigate the maze while avoiding dangerous traps and monsters, eventually confronting the Defier of Fate waiting at the end.
'And that process is by no means easy.'
On average, beginners barely cleared the tutorial after dozens of attempts.
According to the game platform's statistics, more than half of the players quit the game at this very stage.
However...
'I know the way.'
To my eyes, having played Lost Elder nearly 200 times, the path through this complex labyrinth was crystal clear.
"It's a fork in the road."
Professor Biorf, who was leading the way, suddenly came to a halt.
Five paths branched out, stretching into the endless darkness.
"Please wait a moment. I will use Pathfinding to..."
"Take the second path from the left."
"...?"
Professor Biorf, who was about to cast his magic, turned to look at me in confusion.
Selena was equally startled.
"W-What did you just say...?"
"I said, the second path from the left."
"...Ah, right, yes."
Professor Biorf moved down the path I indicated, looking slightly skeptical.
Naturally, the path was completely clear.
Not a single trap or monster was in sight.
"Huh?"
And my choices were never wrong.
"Take the leftmost path."
"Move down the center path."
"Second from the right."
Throughout our journey toward the Defier of Fate, we did not encounter a single threat.
"T-This is unbelievable..."
Selena turned to look at me, her face pale with shock. I had long since released the Absolute Command I had placed on her.
"...How do you find the correct path so quickly every single time? And without even using Pathfinding?"
Well, because there's a pattern only veterans know.
The labyrinth of the Abyss seems random, but it actually changes according to a set of rules.
Of course, since explaining all that would be too tedious, I gave Selena a vague reply.
"I have my ways."
I felt Adelia's gaze shift once again, but I ignored it as usual.
"..."
Hearing my half-hearted answer, Selena shut her mouth and silently walked on.
We continued our descent into the depths for quite some time.
Finally, our group reached the destination.
"This place is..."
We stopped.
Before us lay a massive cavern that resembled an altar.
With every step forward, the scene of a madness-fueled ritual became clearer.
A thick, crimson mist obscured our vision.
Through the haze, a river of dark blood and mountains of rotting corpses slowly came into view.
"...Oh my god."
Professor Biorf gasped in horror at the gruesome sight.
Adelia and Isaac Berylof also grimaced deeply.
The bodies of assistant mages and slaves were piled haphazardly, their limbs mutilated beyond recognition.
And then...
At the far end of the cavern, at its highest point, sat a massive throne made of bones.
An unrecognizable, dark-red figure sat upon the throne, gazing down at us quietly.
Like the other immortals, its level window was heavily glitched with static.
The eyes of the entity looking down at us were like deep abysses.
Within those bottomless pupils, a mixture of deep malice and curiosity writhed.
A chilling smile spread across the Defier of Fate's face.
As if it had been eagerly anticipating this moment for a very long time.
"You have traveled far to get here."
A low, echoing voice filled the cavern.
It was a disorienting sound, making it seem as though multiple people were speaking in unison.
"I have been waiting for your arrival..."
"Shut up! Die, you monster!"
Boom!
Professor Biorf launched an attack without hesitation.