Chapter : 142

Yuno's words about putting me mainly on off-site assignments were true.

As the days went by, Senior Cecilia's expression grew darker whenever I saw her at training, but at any rate, my work became a lot easier.

Just like that, a week passed, and finally, Sunday arrived.

“So, what happened with the exploration magic?”

At the mercenary captain’s question, I immediately cast the exploration magic I had learned from my father.

Following the exploration magic that utilized space magic, I began to grasp the structure of the dungeon.

I almost frowned for a moment at the unexpectedly complex structure of the dungeon, but I managed to get a rough grasp of it.

“I think we can enter through a hidden passage.”

“What’s the way into the passage?”

“Just follow me.”

The mercenaries readily agreed with my words.

Perhaps it was because they couldn't think of any other good options besides agreeing.

In any case, it was good that I didn't have to waste my energy explaining.

As I led the way, I felt a strange sensation.

He had said that as long as the boss wasn't dead, the monsters would reappear at roughly one-week intervals.

But the snakes that had attacked so persistently last time were quiet.

As if they were afraid of something.

What on earth could be the reason?

Even as I finished off a snake that was slinking away, my anxiety continued to rise.

“Theo, are you okay?”

Senior Laurel, who was covering me from nearby, approached and asked.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Actually, I wasn't entirely fine.

I kept feeling like I was neglecting to notice something big happening.

“…Senior, could you possibly bring Ray over here?”

“If you want me to.”

Senior Laurel moved swiftly.

She blatantly grabbed Ray's coattails and approached with him dangling there.

“What is this situation?”

Seeing Ray smile as if demanding an explanation, I instinctively wanted to slap my forehead.

“Senior Laurel….”

“There’s a snake over there! I’ll go finish it off!!”

Sensing that it was time for a scolding, the senior quickly scurried away.

Right, as long as she’s aware that she’s caused trouble, maybe she can fix it someday… or not?

Right, it’s my fault. I should have told her to bring him over naturally.

“You seem to have your hands full?”

“Uh… I’m sorry about Senior Laurel.”

At the sight of me bowing my head, Ray waved his hand lightly.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s not like I don’t know that Laurel-nuna is reckless.”

Ah. True, Senior Laurel has been with the mercenaries for almost three weeks now, so I guess they’ve figured out what kind of person she is.

I glanced at Ray and hid my hands behind my back.

Alright, now I have to uncover the truth Ray is hiding.

Since he had interfered once before, I approached more cautiously.

I didn't even know if Ray's interruption back then was a coincidence or intentional.

Perhaps because it was the first time I had been interrupted while trying to use a skill, my palms were sweating.

I wiped the sweat on my trousers and slowly wrote the words.

“Hyung, how did you end up becoming a mercenary?”

「The person before me speaks the truth they have hidden」

The use of the skill, which I had done more carefully and took longer than ever before, was complete.

I even considered the possibility that the name Ray was a lie.

So, Ray. What on earth is the secret you're hiding?

“Is Ray your real name?”

As the question ended, a smile that felt bizarre appeared on Ray’s lips.

“My real name is Iris Vi—”

Just before the words could be fully formed, Ray clamped a hand over his own mouth.

However, even if he didn't finish, there was no way I wouldn't know the words that would follow.

Iris Viden, the Master of Gold.

The woman who sought to become the master of all the world’s gold had hidden her identity and was deceiving everyone.

* * *

The merchant group Ray introduced me to, I should have realized it the moment I heard that. It’s no use regretting it now.

Theo hastily tried to move away from Iris, but Iris was faster.

Grab, Theo tried to quickly pull his hand away from Iris’s grip, but Iris’s strength was incredible.

“Keuk….”

Even if I scrunched up my face and tried to shake her off, it was impossible.

At the sudden turn of events at the front, a commotion slowly began to spread among the mercenaries following Theo.

“What’s going on?”

“Why is Ray suddenly—”

Can I get help from them?

Theo's eyes wavered for a moment, then a relaxed smile crossed his lips.

A sharp alarm went off in Theo's head at the sight of Iris's face, which seemed to say she wouldn't mind getting rid of any hindrances.

If they stayed here like this, Iris Viden might kill everyone.

The woman before him was more than capable of doing so.

As soon as he made that judgment, Theo grabbed Iris’s hand instead.

Iris, still smiling leisurely, asked Theo.

“What are you thinking?”

Can I succeed? It’s meaningless to be anxious.

At Iris's question, Theo gritted his teeth and declared as if chewing his words.

“The thought of screwing you over!”

With his shout, Theo tore through space in a single breath.

Movement magic within a dungeon is unstable and cannot be used easily.

However, Theo knew exactly where he needed to go.

A place where there wouldn't be a big problem even if the arrival coordinates were a little off! A giant cavity!

In an instant, the world turned upside down.

Theo's calculation was a success.

He almost got his arm stuck in the wall, but he narrowly missed it as he and Iris began to fall endlessly downward.

“Keuk!“

In the dizzying fall, the hands that held each other were naturally released, and they began to fall separately.

Don’t panic, no panicking!

Theo took a deep breath and immediately tried to fly using the circle of wind.

“I’d be sad if you were up there all by yourself.”

However, the flow of mana was instantly disturbed. It was Iris’s doing.

Theo shuddered at her appearance, which felt thick with malice, as if she wouldn't die alone. If this continued, he would eventually fall to his death.

I have to get out of this somehow. But how?

Theo gritted his teeth and began to pour out all of his mana.

As a torrent of mana began to fall from top to bottom like a waterfall, a crack began to form for the first time on Iris’s arrogant smile.

‘This is….’

As Iris remembered, not even Evan Lisitoel was this skilled during his first year at the Academy.

This is dangerous. Not right now, but if left alone, he will one day twist numerous ‘futures’.

The world, the future, the hero's destiny, which should rightly head towards destruction, will be distorted.

“I can't let that happen.”

Usefulness is a problem for later. I have to kill him now.

As Iris's eyes flashed, Theo felt a perfect killing intent for the first time.

Can I survive against Iris, who is genuinely trying to kill me? While falling, Theo clutched his necklace.

A falling speed that made it difficult to even open his eyes.

Barely forcing his eyes open, Theo looked straight at Iris’s magic.

The magic Iris was using was one Theo had seen before.

The water magic that Barka had used at the Flowering Festival.

But its power was on a different level.

Fierce arrows of water flew to tear Theo apart.

“Keuk!!!”

It couldn't be blocked with basic elemental magic.

Theo reached out his hand and tore through space.

The water arrows were sucked into the ruptured crack, then burst as they were lodged inside.

“You know, you’re quite resourceful with your magic.”

“So what about it!“

Theo used his exploration magic to gauge the falling space.

The cavity was endlessly large, but the speed of their descent was gradually increasing.

It was fine for now, but he would inevitably hit the bottom at some point. Besides—

‘There’s something below.’

A monster that couldn't be gauged even with exploration magic seemed to be lurking down there.

He couldn't just keep falling in such a state.

At that moment, he blocked Iris's subsequent attack once more, but an ice arrow grazed his arm.

Bright red blood splattered and stained Iris's cheek.

Iris licked the blood with the tip of her tongue and smiled.

Her blood-red eyes momentarily turned snake-like, but Theo, wincing in pain, didn't notice.

Theo tried to use magic once more to stop his fall.

The woman reached out her hand to disrupt the flow of mana again, but he had no intention of allowing a trick that had already been used on him twice!

“Ppiiiit!”

《How dare you!》

With Albedo's shout, who appeared riding Lou, the mana that had been distorted by Iris’s will was stabilized in an instant.

And, according to the will of the mage, Theo, a powerful wind blew.

In the raging wind, Iris’s falling speed accelerated, but Theo's gradually slowed.

“If you’re going to fall, fall alone!”

An unexpected variable. However, variables were a part of everything, and Iris was a veteran at handling such things.

Iris reached out her hand to grab Theo, but Theo's movement was a little faster.

A torrent of ice arrows created by Theo rained down on Iris's head as a fierce wind raged.

“To think you could stop me with such a paltry attack, I must have looked quite amusing to you.”

Iris whispered mockingly.

I have to interfere with her magic. Acting on instinct, Theo called for Lou.

“Lou!”

Pyaaaat!!!

Though exhausted from carrying Albedo, Lou mustered his strength and flapped his wings.

As a bright light burst from his golden feathers, Iris’s body froze as if it could no longer move.

In that gap, Theo delicately controlled the circle of wind and stuck to the wall.

He slid on the wall for a moment, and blood trickled from his fingertips, but he tried his best to ignore the pain and looked down.

…Will Iris Viden fall to her death like this?

His heart stirred with an unknown anxiety.

I should move right away, rejoin the party, and then—

《Theo, go up!》

Theo, who was organizing his thoughts, instinctively moved his body at Albedo's shout.

「The body ascends in mid-air」

As the quickly scribbled sentence was completed, his body soon began to ascend rapidly.

Having ascended to a space that felt safe, Theo finally understood what Albedo meant.

“What is that….”

In the space where Theo had been just a moment ago, a giant snake with its mouth wide open rushed in.

The name of that fear-inducing creature was Basilisk.

The very being called the King of Snakes.