Chapter 179: Change of Plan
Interrupted, the creature glanced sideways, only to find a whistling blade about to penetrate through its armor. Despite being caught by surprise, it raised its free hand and blocked the katana with its forearm, sending a shockwave through the air.
As the katana struggled to break through its durable bone armor, the creature poured an incredible amount of strength into its arm and deflected the blade aside effortlessly, forcing Mistwalker to shift her footing in order to regain control of her weapon.
Choosing the moment of her distraction, it lowered its posture and lunged forward before thrusting its claw toward her chest with terrifying speed.
Just as the attack was about to tear a hole through her chest, Mistwalker sidestepped with the grace of a dancer, barely avoiding the unexpected attack as the claw swept past her armor.
Before she could fully recover her stance, however, the creature twisted its torso unnaturally and brought the jian around from the opposite side with both arms before unleashing a horizontal slash at her chest. The blade sliced through the air so fast that it almost resembled a flash of light, threatening to cut through both armor and flesh alike.
Luckily, Mistwalker had managed to intercept the attack with her katana at the last possible moment, though only barely. Despite that, the incredible strength behind the attack was too much for her to handle or deflect, at least not from the unstable position she was currently in.
Rather than resisting it, she allowed the force to carry her away and soon found herself hurled through the air. As the wind whistled past her ears, she reoriented her body in mid-air and drove her blade into the teleportation circle below, separating one of the etched sigils from the rest.
At the same time, the creature appeared before her suspended figure in the blink of an eye, crimson flames dancing within its empty sockets with malicious fury.
Before she could react, it descended its claw from the side and sliced across her armor, leaving a deep claw mark directly over the grooves her armor had received earlier.
Using the embedded katana as a pivot, she twisted her hips in mid-air and swung herself around the blade like a pendulum before delivering a devastating kick to the creature's neck not long afterward.
Her leg had been augmented by mana, allowing the strike to unleash enough force to send the creature flying through the air before crashing into a distant wall near the opposite corner of the chamber, its body disappearing from view amid a shower of debris.
Mistwalker dropped to the ground soon afterward and landed on her feet, though she leaned against her sword for support.
Throughout the exchange, most of the adventurers had remained frozen in place, stunned expressions crossing their faces as they struggled to follow the battle. The movements of both combatants were simply too fast, leaving them able to perceive little more than the occasional clash of metal, bursts of shockwaves, and flashes of light that appeared from time to time.
Therefore, when the sound of something crashing echoed across the hall, all of them instinctively turned toward its source.
"W-what happened?"
"I-it's the monster... I think it's lying there."
"Did Mistwalker bring it down?"
"Unlikely. It's far too strong to be defeated so easily. Still, she has forced it into a corner and created an opportunity for us. Let us not squander it, fellow mages. Begin your attacks while we still have the chance."
With that, the mages who had been maintaining massive spheres of fire and javelins formed from ice and earth through combined spellcasting finally released their magic. Earlier, they had been unable to attack due to the creature's overwhelming speed, but now the opening they had been waiting for had finally appeared.
The spells tore through the air one after another and slammed into the corner where the creature had crashed. Explosions erupted in rapid succession as fire, ice, and earth collided violently, filling the area with heat and destruction while shattered stone and debris burst outward everywhere.
At that moment, Seraphina appeared beside Mistwalker, her eyes fixed on the place where the creature was supposed to be.
Above them, numerous jolts of lightning crackled beneath the ceiling, each one waiting to be launched at her command.
Seraphina briefly glanced at Mistwalker's armor, where a fresh claw mark had been carved over the previous grooves, and asked in her usual tone, "How severe is the wound?"
Mistwalker let out a quiet sigh, "There is no need for concern... the damage appears worse than it truly is. My armor is quite sturdy, so it endured the attack."
Seraphina still remained unconvinced, but she could not see even a drop of blood around the damaged area, so she reluctantly accepted the answer.
After a brief silence, Mistwalker spoke again of her own accord, "So, what are the odds?"
Seraphina continued staring ahead for several moments before letting out a quiet sigh, "I am afraid I cannot offer any encouraging answer. In terms of raw power, speed, agility, and even endurance, the creature is undoubtedly superior to us. In fact, the difference in our strength is simply too vast to overcome through some measly tactic or idea conceived on the spot."
She paused for a moment, as though organizing her thoughts before continuing, "When it first arrived in the hall, it gave off a terrifying presence, which we assumed was merely its natural ability. But now that we've witnessed a portion of its power... I believe this creature may possess strength comparable to an Archwitch, or perhaps something even greater. If it truly wants to, it may be able to eliminate some of us, if not all, without receiving much resistance in return. Despite that, it appears to be restraining itself to a certain degree. No matter how I look at it, I cannot determine the reason behind such behavior, though."
Mistwalker listened quietly and tilted her head slightly. Although half of her face was hidden beneath the visor, the stillness around her lips suggested that a dark expression had crossed her face. "It's only natural for it to act this way. After all, if it could, it would've kept all of us alive without even harming us, but circumstances seem to have left it with no other choice."
Seraphina shot her a surprised look, "What are you trying to say?"
Just as the flames left behind by the earlier attacks were beginning to fade, another barrage of spells descended upon the creature. The attacks were noticeably weaker than before, both in size and strength due to the short interval between castings, but still they continued relentlessly, refusing to grant the creature even a moment of respite.
The mages had likely realized that the leaders themselves had failed to penetrate its armor and doubted that their own spells would fare any better. Because of that, they appeared to have abandoned any expectation of dealing meaningful damage, choosing instead to ensure that the creature stayed under constant pressure and making certain it remained trapped beneath the bombardment.
Amidst all of that, Mistwalker shrugged her shoulders indifferently, "The creature responsible for the massacre was a different one."
Seraphina's eyes widened slightly.
Up until now, she had only suspected as much due to how differently this creature behaved compared to how a typical cannibal would act when confronted with humans, but Mistwalker's confirmation left little room for doubt.
But what did that have to do with the creature before them holding itself back?
Was she implying that both creatures shared some sort of connection?
If that was indeed the case, or perhaps even if it wasn't, there still remained a possibility that the other creature was lurking somewhere deep inside the floor.
A cold expression appeared on her face as she asked, "How did you know?"
Mistwalker remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh, "While surveying the interior, I happened to encounter it while it was feasting on one of its own kind. Surprisingly, those monsters were already wounded, some were even unconscious, but the injuries were thin and intricate, something that could only have been left behind by a sword."
She paused for a moment then added, "That led me to believe the creature before us had been gathering food on behalf of the other one. It probably came here intending to do the same. But since its pet appears to dislike gruesome sights, or perhaps simply pays them no attention, it's holding itself back and attempting to subdue us without causing excessive bloodshed."
Seraphina stared at her with a blank expression, unable to determine whether she was jesting or not... but the calmness in her voice suggested otherwise.
'How strange! I've never heard of a creature collecting food for another one in my life!'
In any case, if what Mistwalker had said was true... then why had the creature torn that man's arm off despite knowing full well that the cannibal would ignore his body and refuse to devour him?
It would make sense in the case of harming the leaders, since they would naturally prove to be the most troublesome opponents to deal with, so it might have wanted to silence them, either through swift deaths or through injuries severe enough to leave them incapable of interfering further, both while avoiding excessively gruesome wounds.
But what had that man done to deserve such treatment?
Was his condition simply meant to serve as a warning, one intended to frighten the rest of the humans in the hall?
Was that truly all there was to it?
Mistwalker, however, did not wait for her companion to respond this time. Instead, she spoke again, her voice sounding a little wistful, "Regardless of whether the creature is holding itself back or not... we are not safe. Worse still, the cannibal is probably on its way here to claim its feast. And once it arrives, the situation will only escalate from bad to worse, or perhaps into a complete disaster, one that none of us will be capable of stopping. We could barely hold our ground against this lone creature even with all of us S-Rankers working together, and ironically, even that wasn't enough to stop it. Not to mention, it has yet to reveal its true power, as well as whatever ability it possesses."
As Mistwalker's words settled in her mind, Seraphina finally gained a vague understanding of what she was trying to say.
'Life is truly strange sometimes...'
Whether she liked it or not, every companion who had followed her here despite the tragic wounds they had suffered on the first floor, every person who had ignored their own pain for the sake of their family, their town, and to support her, was only alive because the creature wished it so.
All of them were at its mercy now.
If it suddenly decided to kill them, she doubted she would be able to save many. Perhaps she would not be able to save anyone at all.
That was the harsh truth of the situation.
Unlike before, however, she had no control over the battlefield whatsoever. Those foolish adventurers probably still carried hope within their hearts after witnessing the previous battle, waiting for their leader to do something... anything, that could turn the tide in their favor.
But she could not.
It was the first time in her life that she had stood before such overwhelming strength, the first time she had faced an opponent against whom victory simply did not exist.
No matter which path she considered, no matter how many possibilities she examined, she could not find even the slightest chance of success.
She felt utterly powerless.
'Ah... bitter.'
However, that was not to say that all hope had been lost. Yes, it was true that this was a battle they could not win regardless of how much effort they poured into it, but that did not mean all of those adventurers had to die pathetic deaths and end up as food for a cannibal.
She was not going to let it happen.
Since the creature wasn't harming the others and solely focused on subduing the leaders, all they had to do was draw its attention away from the rest and onto themselves, then create an opening that would allow everyone else to escape this place. Perhaps that would be the best course of action to take right now.
A soft sigh escaped her lips.
'Victory is always not an option, after all.'
Those were the exact words Mistwalker had tried to convey beneath her warnings, wanting Seraphina to make a clear decision before it became too late to do anything.
...Ahead of her, the mages remained prepared to unleash their spells at a moment's notice, while the warriors stood with their weapons drawn, maintaining their battle stances as though the creature might charge at them at any second.
By then, the raging fire had begun to lose its strength while the dense smoke gradually thinned away, revealing the shattered floor and broken walls hidden beneath it. Debris lay scattered throughout the corner, some pieces still burning while others remained encased in ice.
Amidst that ruined corner, a vague silhouette could be seen rising swiftly through the fading flames and smoke.
A few adventurers found themselves frozen in shock while others stared in terror.
"W-what?"
"I-it survived all of that?"
"W-what are we supposed to do now?"
Just as some of them looked ready to act, however, Seraphina stepped forward and spoke in a cold tone, "Cease all attacks immediately. There has been a change of plan. Due to some unconventional reason, this expedition shall proceed no further. All A-rank adventurers, aside from the one-handed man, are to withdraw and retreat to the first floor. Once you escape, report everything that occurred here to both the Adventurer's Guild and the Knight Orders."
The sound of her footsteps echoed softly across the hall as she continued walking forward.
The adventurers stared at her with expressions filled with disbelief. Some were visibly stunned, some remained silent while trying to process her words, and others immediately voiced their objections.
"W-what are you talking about, Captain?"
"You can't simply make such an important decision out of thin air."
"We came here to fight, remember... so no matter the result, we will do just that."
"We will never abandon all of you here."
"Yeah... we are not going anywhere."
Seraphina eventually came to a halt before them. Her gaze swept across their faces one after another, studying their expressions in silence.
When she spoke again, incandescent blue flames began dancing behind the visor of her helm, "It's an order. Nevertheless, I am pleased to see that your resolve remains firm despite the circumstances before us. However, all of you understand just as well as I do that... this is not a battle where your determination alone can make a difference. In fact, if you remain here any longer, you will only hinder me or become an obstacle in my path. Therefore, if you truly wish to assist me, then retreat. Retreat as far away from this accursed dungeon as possible. That is all I ask of you."
For a moment, none of the adventurers spoke, but they understood exactly what her words meant. Even so, no one moved from where they stood.
Perhaps it was guilt that held them in place, or perhaps it was their unwillingness to leave their leaders behind.
Then, amidst the silence, a woman stepped forward before breaking into a sprint.
It was none other than Serow.
Perhaps encouraged by her actions, the others gradually began moving as well.
One after another, the adventurers broke into a run and rushed past Seraphina as quickly as they could without looking back even once. Among them, the sole survivor of the massacre, Luce, was being carried over a man's shoulder as they hurried toward the circle.
...Pushing Aerisyl aside, Kael stared at the scene with a heart filled with contempt. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
'Wait... wait... wait... why am I the only weak one staying behind, huh? I am the injured guy here, darling. You should be prioritizing my well-being first... not theirs! Or are you keeping me here because you suspect me as your husband... well, that I am. But still, I had no intention of dying with you here! I am not a suicidal maniac like you, after all.'
Pointing the tip of her sword behind her, Seraphina walked straight ahead, her cloak swaying swiftly behind her, "As for those of us who are staying behind... our task is to occupy the creature and stall for enough time. No matter what happens... the teleportation process must not be interrupted. Our companions will leave this place safely... and we shall ensure that they do."
When the people standing inside the circle had already chosen the floor they wished to travel to and the etched sigils began glowing with light, anyone entering the circle after that moment would be unable to teleport alongside them. Instead, they would be forced to wait several seconds until the glow faded away.
Normally, a few seconds would not have mattered much. Against this creature, however, those few seconds were more than enough to decide life and death.
Furthermore, if it noticed adventurers disappearing one after another into thin air, then it would undoubtedly realize what they were attempting to do.
They could not allow that to happen either.
That was why everyone had decided to leave together instead of risking anyone being left behind.
As for the injured man, there was a particular reason Seraphina had chosen to keep him here with them. It was because he was someone the creature had been targeting repeatedly for unknown reasons.
The behavior had become so obvious that even Seraphina had noticed it.
Aerisyl had managed to heal both her and Mistwalker without being interrupted even once, perhaps because doing so benefited the monster in a way, but the moment she attempted to heal that man, the creature immediately tried to kill her.
Which meant moving someone like him would only attract even more attention. Rather than reducing the danger, it would only make the situation far worse.
Seraphina had no intention of gambling away their only opportunity to let the others escape. Instead, she intended to use it to her own advantage.
'He will be our best chance of distracting it.'
Taking a deep breath, Seraphina let out a wistful sigh before giving her next command, "Let's launch a coordinated assault."
"Understood."
"Count me in."
"A wise choice, indeed."
Not long afterward, the silhouette hidden within the flames and smoke began to shift.
Then something strange happened...
The flames and smoke surrounding the creature suddenly parted in two unnatural directions, creating a straight pathway through the middle as though an invisible force had pushed everything aside.
Slowly, the creature's figure emerged from within the opening.
Meanwhile, both Seraphina and Mistwalker stood side by side. Valentina remained some distance away on the right, while Valric walked toward the creature from the left, where both Aerisyl and the man lay, surrounding the creature on all sides.
---
Deep inside the floor, where the landscape was like a vast cave carved from stone, scattered corpses of monsters could be seen strewn across the ground. Unnaturally curved bones, black and green blood, torn bodies, and gruesome flesh lay everywhere in sight.
Amidst all of that, the vague silhouette of a massive wolf-like creature could be seen...
Its whole body was encased in darkness, granting it an unusual appearance. When looking at it from a distance, one could even mistake it for nothing more than a patch of emptiness where no light existed at all.
It kept chewing on the huge body of a gruesome creature. The sound of flesh tearing and bones cracking echoed through the cavernous surroundings.
Then, however, the creature stopped abruptly and raised its head upward.
It remained motionless for a moment, then turned its head toward the direction where the hall was situated.
---
(Chapter Ended)
To be continued...