Chapter 33: 33. I Will Escape No Matter What

Her dantian was slow to recover from its severe internal injuries; the Right Protector’s voice rang inside her head; and her mind was hazy from lack of sleep.

She had slept for a mere two days after meeting Ryu-o.

But that brief taste of sweetness drove Cheon Hwayeong even madder.

Forgetting even the inner demon she had acquired in the labyrinth, she trudged in a single direction.

Even as she walked, the image of that bastard’s brightly smiling face flickered before her eyes, drawing a hollow laugh from her.

"Heh heh heh heh... Pwahahaha!"

-Eek! Th-the Heavenly Demon!

-She’s... she’s laughing? Get inside, quickly! Before something happens!

-Please just pass by... please...

No matter how much the vermin chattered, the Demon of the Heavens had no time to spare them a thought.

The master who now filled her mind had changed.

"Jang Ryu-o..."

That insolent bastard who called her big sister kept coming to mind and tormenting her.

Though calling it torment would be strange. She could no longer sleep without him...

What should she do once she found him...?

Should she snap both his legs and make him a cripple?

She could gouge out both his eyes and make him live hearing only her voice.

Or perhaps cutting off his limbs and keeping him cradled in her arms would not be so bad?

"Haha..."

Her brain, slowly being consumed by demonic energy, produced a sticky, oppressive aura.

Looking like the Grim Reaper herself, Cheon Hwayeong headed for the labyrinth while indulging in pleasant fantasies.

Then a bitch appeared, committing the grave sin of daring to block her path...

Thud!

"I came after receiving a report... You ought to be in the east. You look like hell, Cheon Hwayeong."

A female knight with red hair tied high and green eyes stood in her way.

It was a familiar face to Cheon Hwayeong. She replied.

"Is Jang Ryu-o inside?"

At the abrupt question, the red-haired knight frowned and called to the knights standing behind her.

"Knights of the duke’s house, I require your cooperation. Who exactly is Jang Ryu-o?"

Then a knight bearing the duke’s crest lowered his head and whispered into her ear.

"Hmm? Is that so?"

The female knight nodded, then curled her lips into a smile, her eyes firm with resolve.

"Doesn’t matter!"

The next step was obvious.

KWAANG!!

**

They had not triggered the dungeon break right at the start, but on the sixth floor.

The monsters had already gone berserk once.

And no one here was particularly experienced.

Every circumstance pointed to the worst possible outcome.

To get out alive, I would have to use every option available.

It did not seem as though everyone here would agree to close their eyes for me.

There was no point hiding my abilities only to get myself killed, so I swiftly slammed my head into the ground.

Thunk!

"Aaaah! Jang Ryu-o! Wh-what are you doing?!"

"D-did he kill himself? He’s insane! We’re finished!"

"...Pathetic male."

Pop!

When I pulled my head out, my companions screamed as though they had seen a ghost.

"Eeeek!"

"Huh??"

"...What?"

Even the knights were utterly shocked.

I had not meant to confuse them, but somehow I had only made things more confusing.

Explanations could wait. For now, we had to run.

"Everyone, explanations later! We’re heading to the tenth floor! Just follow me!"

"O-okay!"

"W-what? You all trust him? What the..."

"Shut up and run, male!"

I could leave them behind, but that was for the absolute worst-case scenario.

My goal was for every one of us to make it out alive.

As I ran at a reasonable pace, my companions and the trainee knights awkwardly followed after me.

"Kerrrrk!"

There were hop goblins here and there, their eyes turned red, and...

Clatter! Clatter!

Skeleton soldiers clad in thin armor came into view as well.

There were even red slimes and giant spiders...

Seeing that we were not their kind, the monsters swarmed toward us.

"Break through!"

Magna, the young lady, and the knights who had been following behind me spread out to either side and collided with the monsters.

Weapons clashed in the melee, while spider legs occasionally darted for my throat.

Clang! Rattle!

Then Zenin, who was behind us, shouted.

"Aaargh! S-slimes! Someone hit these things!"

Glancing back, I saw slimes stubbornly clinging to Zenin’s legs.

He seemed too afraid to cast magic toward his own legs.

A mage was an important companion, so I headed over to save Zenin...

Sliiide...

"?"

"I-I’m saved! How did you..."

The slimes saw me and fled far away.

‘Slime Body? Am I some kind of slime boss or something?’

I immediately slammed my head into the ground when I saw the slimes.

Thunk!

I recalculated our route. Toward the path with the most slimes.

Pop!

"Everyone, turn around! The other way!"

The young lady, who had been battering monsters with her shield, shouted.

"Hey!!! Everyone, do what he says!"

Thanks, my lady.

At the sudden change in direction, Magna let out a tremendous roar.

"Uoooooooh!"

Flash!

A magic circle-like thing appeared under her feet in a flash.

Magna stuck her fingers into the magic circle...

"Hyaaaaaah!!!!"

Then she flung the magic circle at the monsters as if flipping over a dining table.

Krrrack! Crack!

"Kreeegh!!!"

...? What was that... No, she did very well.

Leaving the crushed and shoved-back monsters behind, we ran in the opposite direction.

Thudthudthudthud!

As we ran, the trainee knights diligently held the monsters at bay.

Whoosh! Crunch! Crack!

Before long, we reached an area full of slimes...

"Don’t attack them, just run!"

"Huff! Huff! You’re crazy! We’ll melt!!!"

"I said shut up and do as he says! Jang Ryu-o! I believe in youuu!"

When we picked up the pace, the slimes pressed themselves against the walls like Moses parting the sea.

Even monsters caught by the moving slimes had their ankles tangled up and were swept aside to either side.

"...A saint? The Demon King?"

As she ran, Magna made the sign of the cross at me.

I could explain as much as they wanted later. First, let’s survive.

"W-we can do this! At this rate!"

"Just as expected, Jang Ryu-o! From now on, you’re my companion! My comrade-in-arms! Hehehe!!"

With the path considerably easier now, a new light entered everyone’s eyes.

"When we’re almost there, I’ll spread oil everywhere, so cast Fireball!"

Unbothered by my informal speech, Zenin nodded.

"O-okay! I will!"

The trainee knights in sturdy military boots kicked the heads of the falling monsters.

Crack!

While we were running along smoothly, a group of monsters appeared when we turned a corner.

"Aaargh!"

I lowered my stance, planted my hands on the floor, and lifted it straight up.

Whirrrrr!

"Keregh!?"

The dagger of the leading goblin was sucked in, crushed, then burst apart.

The exploding dagger fragments punched holes all over the monsters’ bodies.

Splaaash!

Blood sprayed into my mouth, bringing a horrible smell and taste, but I did not care.

"Ptooey!"

‘My HP is...’

HP: 770/790

I had plenty to spare. Losing twenty HP to an attack like that was a bargain.

I would get out alive no matter what.

I had to see my master.

**

We had reached the eighth floor before I knew it.

The moment we took the portal, an immense scream rang through my head.

Click! Crunch!

"Aaaaaaaaaagh!"

"W-what is it? Zenin?"

Looking toward the sound, I saw Zenin collapsed on the ground, tears streaming down his face.

A hunting trap had sunk its teeth into his ankle, spitting blood.

"Aaaagh! Aaaagh!"

Psssh! Psssh!

The trainee knights swiftly approached, released the trap, and sprayed him with a potion.

Sizzle!

"Ghhhk!"

If he kept screaming like this...

Thudthudthudthudthud!

Sure enough, monsters came pouring in after hearing the noise.

It was an unlucky accident. Of all places, he had stepped right onto a trap.

Well, it was partly Zenin’s fault for coming into a dungeon dressed like that...

Thanks to the slimes, all the traps on the seventh floor had been swept away, and we had grown careless.

I shouted at Zenin.

"If you’re healed, get up! We’re breaking through again!"

Zenin heard me and flopped down pathetically, bawling his eyes out.

"Waaah! I... I can’t... Waaah!"

The moment I thought, ‘...Should we leave him behind?’ Magna hoisted Zenin up.

"Hup!"

"Aah! Ugh... uuuugh!"

Zenin flailed around in terror.

I could not bear to watch anymore.

I slapped Zenin across the cheek as he dangled there.

Smack!

"Gah!"

Zenin clutched his cheek and stared at me with a stupid expression.

But he stopped flailing, and focus returned to his eyes.

"If you don’t want to die, hang on and at least cast some magic."

"Mm! A rational male!"

"Uuugh... Y-yes! Understood!"

The trainee knights held back the monster horde...

Magna grabbed Zenin by the chin and waist, held him like a bazooka, and charged forward.

"Aaaah!"

"Magic!!"

"Eek! W-Wind Cutter!"

...Not bad? It made up for Zenin’s pathetic mobility...

"Hey! Jang Ryu-o! They’re holding them back! Find us a path already!"

"Yes!"

Thanks again, my lady.

And just like that, we cleared the eighth floor too.

**

[Level Up!]

The ninth floor opened into the edge of a forest, leaving the dank caves behind.

You arrived at a random point along the perimeter of the round forest.

There was no need to find a route. We only had to follow the blue dot.

That did not mean we could let our guard down.

From here on, hop goblins and orcs appeared regularly.

And right now, a dungeon break was underway, and the monsters were berserk.

Which meant...

"KuoOOOOOOH!!!"

Boom boom boom!

We had not even properly entered the forest yet, but a group of orcs was charging at us from far away.

There were clearly more than ten of them.

Looking around, I saw that my companions were already exhausted.

Despair settled over their faces, their jaws hanging slack.

It was understandable. We had forced ourselves through one grueling march after another.

But the monsters would not understand.

"Just run!!! We’ll break through the middle and head for the portal!"

If this were a one-sided fight, I would kill all the orcs, but more were probably spawning somewhere.

There was no answer if we tried to advance while fighting. We had only been forced to do that in the cave because the paths were narrow.

Now, the people who trusted my words completely answered with spirit.

"Yes!"

‘American football in a forest...’

I charged forward.

I could hear the footsteps of those following behind me.

A simple thought came to me.

‘I want everyone to live.’

Was I being too much of a sucker? If I had just run alone, I might have escaped faster.

But... I no longer wanted to do that.

My body grew lighter and lighter.

An orc saw me fluttering through the air and panicked.

I plunged my sword into the neck of the orc, which had lost the chance to swing its massive axe.

Thrust!

"Krrrrgh!! Kuargh!"

Its neck muscles were so tough that the sword would not come out easily.

An orc who saw its comrade impaled by my sword swung its axe at me.

I twisted my wrist and pulled the sword free...

Whirrr! Splurt!

The hulking orc, its neck shredded above the shoulders, toppled forward.

Thud!

"Jang Ryu-oooo!"

I spoke to those who arrived a step behind me.

"We’re getting out alive no matter what!"

Everyone’s eyes changed. Instead of shouting, they nodded with resolute determination.

And so, we pressed onward.

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