Chapter 369: The Safe Way
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 369: The Safe Way
Annie sat on Reta’s shoulder. From her vantage point directly above, she had a perfect, unobstructed view of those two bountiful swells—assets she herself did not possess.
And, of course, that extended middle finger.
The world seemed to fall silent for a heartbeat.
In that moment, Annie felt as if the only thing she could hear was the blood rushing through her brain and that single phrase... "Flat-chested board."
Flat-chested board?
Flat-chested board?!
Flat-chested board!!!
No one had ever dared to call her that to her face!
Besides, where was she a "board"? She clearly had a bit of a curve, okay?
A hillock is still a mountain!
A shallow groove is still a cleavage!
"You’re looking for death!"
Annie stood straight up on the giant's shoulder, her killing intent erupting instantly. Beneath her feet, the massive monster Reta’s muscles bulged, veins popping like black snakes slithering under his skin.
His arm, forged of cold steel, emitted a violent mechanical clanking that sounded like a mountain collapsing. His aura was terrifying.
Muen silently tightened his grip on his blade, his expression growing solemn...
"Everyone, are you certain you want to fight here?"
Suddenly, a gentle voice, like a breath of spring air, wafted over them. Though soft, it possessed a strange strength that effortlessly dispersed the chilling killing intent.
Muen caught the thick scent of flowers.
Freya, clad in a white dress, walked fearlessly between the two parties. She offered a smile that felt like a polite admonition.
"This isn't exactly the best time for a quarrel, is it?"
"..."
Annie, who had been on the verge of a total meltdown, didn't say a word. Her small face simply stiffened as her gaze instinctively swept over their surroundings.
At this moment, the participants who had survived the previous night’s anomaly were gathered here. They were watching the confrontation with great interest—some with anticipation, others with cold, calculating glints in their eyes.
They were like a pack of hyenas watching lions duel.
They were just waiting for both sides to wound each other so they could swoop in and devour the remains.
"..."
Annie shot another look at Freya, who stood between them. She gnashed her teeth so hard the veins on her forehead were forced back down by sheer willpower.
"Hmph! Consider yourself lucky!"
With a cold snort, she commanded the monster to turn around and leave.
As she walked away, she didn't forget to glare fiercely at Seviel, as if she wanted to carve the girl's chest out with her eyes alone.
"I'll tear you apart sooner or later!"
Seviel: "???"
What did I even do?
Seviel stood there looking utterly bewildered. She felt like she hadn't done a single thing, yet she had somehow gained a mortal enemy for no reason.
She wanted to cry, but no tears came.
"She actually held it in?"
Muen watched the monster’s towering back, stroking his chin as he muttered to himself in disappointment.
"She looks like a hothead, but I guess she’s not entirely brainless."
Still, it was for the best. At a time like this, he didn't really want to—
Hmm?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Muen felt another icy gaze land on him. It carried a similar level of chilling killing intent that made his scalp tingle.
Strange. Had he offended someone else?
Turning his head, Muen happened to lock eyes with another Saintess Candidate.
The Platinum Princess, Margarita.
Her defining physical trait: also flat-chested.
...He’d almost forgotten. That insult earlier was basically AOE damage.
My bad, my bad.
Muen forced his head to turn back, acting as if he hadn't felt that freezing stare at all. He nodded toward Freya.
"Hello, Miss Freya. We meet again."
"Hello, Mr. Muen."
Freya toyed with a fragrant petal between her fingers and smiled. "So, do you like my flowers now?"
It was that nonsensical question again.
"Sorry, still don't like them," Muen replied, shaking his head.
"How heartless. And after I just helped you, too."
Freya’s tone was playful, almost coquettish, yet her expression remained as holy and pure as ever. Though her beauty wasn't necessarily peerless, it was incredibly difficult to look away from her.
"By the way, would you like to join us?" she asked, shifting the topic abruptly.
"Join you?"
"An alliance."
Freya said softly, "In this peculiar situation, perhaps it would be better if we worked together."
"Why me? In the eyes of most people here, I’m just a soft persimmon—a little lamb."
Muen arched an eyebrow. "There are plenty of people here far more outstanding than I am."
"Who knows?"
Freya’s response was meaningful. "Isn't 'outstanding' a subjective definition? Regardless, I think highly of you, Mr. Muen. Before we have to draw blades against each other for that singular position, I believe there is a possibility for us to be allies."
Muen’s eyes flickered.
Although Freya was clearly extending an olive branch, that uncanny feeling of wrongness refused to dissipate.
"Sorry, I already have teammates," Muen refused outright.
"Is that so?"
Freya didn't push further. She simply let out a soft sigh. "A pity."
That sigh was melodic and sorrowful, seemingly vibrating against the softest part of Muen’s heart. For a split second, he almost felt the urge to change his mind.
But a flash of heat surged through his chest, and Muen’s consciousness instantly cleared.
"This is..."
Muen’s brow furrowed. When he looked up again, he only saw Freya’s retreating back.
She didn't linger for him. However, from within her shadow, another cold gaze shot toward him.
Followed by a bone-chilling sneer.
Muen thought for a moment, then raised his middle finger at the shadow again.
"What are you looking at, you simp?"
"..."
...
...
When nearly half of the eight hours of daylight had passed, someone finally lost their patience and took the lead into the passage.
Now that someone had acted as the vanguard, the rest no longer had reservations. Despite having lingered for so long, unwilling to be the one to test the waters, they now seemed impatient to get moving.
After the events of the previous night, most people’s mindsets had shifted. They likely didn't want to waste another moment in this ruin that turned into a foul-smelling nightmare once the sun went down.
Those terrifying monsters had left a lasting impression on everyone.
"Let's go too."
Seeing that more than half the people had entered, Muen’s group suppressed their auras and followed the crowd at a low profile.
The passage was spacious; even with a hundred people entering at once, it didn't feel crowded. However, it was pitch black, devoid of any light source.
Someone cast an Illumination Spell, revealing a massive man-made cavern. In the very center was a deep pit leading further down. At the edge of the pit, rusted metal formed a massive elevator platform.
Muen glanced over the edge. It was a long drop; jumping down directly probably wasn't an option.
"Do we need to fly?"
Vicky said, "I can use Summoning Magic."
Muen looked around. Some people were already impatiently casting flight spells or summoning flying magical beasts to descend into the pit.
"No need."
He shook his head and pointed to the elevator nearby. "We’re taking this."
"Will that even work?"
Senior Sister Fanny asked in surprise. "It looks like it's falling apart."
Muen’s group was now near the back of the pack, but no one had touched the elevator. The rust covering it spoke of its ancient history, looking as if it might collapse at any moment.
"It should be fine. Mana-driven machinery isn't that fragile."
Muen walked over to the control panel next to the elevator and pulled the lever. No reaction. He thought for a second, then delivered a sharp kick to the console. Threads of mana finally began to crawl across the surface, and the elevator roared with the thunderous sound of mechanical gears turning.
Muen turned around and shrugged at the dumbfounded girls. "See? I told you it still works."
...
On the elevator, watching the scenery slowly crawl upward as they descended, Seviel let out a bored yawn.
"Honestly, if we used magic, we’d be down there by now. Was this really necessary?"
"In my experience, this is safer."
"Safer?"
Seviel pointed at the heavily rusted metal that seemed to be screaming under the mechanical strain. "Are you sure about that?"
"Probably."
Muen nodded, looking out from the edge of the elevator at the people who had already landed below and were peacefully beginning to explore the perimeter.
"Caution is paramount."
"..."
Seviel curled her lip, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
She didn't see what there was to be cautious about. Everyone had just entered this strange new area; surely no one would be looking to start a fight this early?
Thinking this, Seviel looked enviously at the people in the air, circling on powerful vultures. If Muen had taken her on a Griffin like that, soaring through the sky... if he held her waist from behind and whispered in her ear...
Darling, hold on tight...
Ahhh, no, he’s too handsome! Just thinking about it is going to give me a nosebleed!
But...
Seviel felt a bit of regret.
Even someone as handsome as him could make mistakes in judgment. In her eyes, this over-cautious behavior was just slowing them down—
Snap.
A crisp sound shattered the companionable silence and brought Seviel’s daydream to an abrupt end.
Startled, she looked down.
"Bastard! Who the hell touched my ass?!"
Following that exasperated roar, a powerful spell was suddenly unleashed.
The magic illuminated the darkness, though it was unclear where it was aimed.
Then, several more roars followed.
"Who?! Who ambushed me?!"
"Holy crap! Who’s touching my chest? I’m a man!"
"Despicable! You bastards have no honor! We agreed on a temporary peace!"
Whether it was a pre-planned ambush or just a chain reaction of petty revenge, more magic and martial techniques began to bloom like fireworks in the night.
It quickly spiraled into a massive riot.
The battle had begun.
Almost everyone was frantically stacking buffs on themselves and, under the cover of their companions, launching indiscriminate attacks on everyone around them.
There was no need to worry about hitting innocents; in this chaotic brawl, everyone who wasn't a teammate was an enemy.
And in the middle of the chaos, the most obvious targets were naturally those who were showily flying around on magical beasts—especially those disgusting couples flaunting their affection.
Damn it, don't they know half the people here are single?!
To Seviel’s utter shock, the vulture she had been envying just moments ago was quickly blasted into a plucked roasted chicken by the collective fury of the crowd. The riders didn't even have time to scream before they were eliminated.
At that exact moment, the elevator came to a steady halt at the bottom.
With no excess mana fluctuations, it was completely inconspicuous amidst the chaos and darkness.
Muen was the first to step off the elevator. He straightened his collar against the backdrop of exploding spells and turned back with a smile.
"See? I told you this was safer."
"..."