Chapter 54: Trapped

“Ocean’s Shelter!”

Buffed, Stone Fang felt her strength surge.

She swung her Crab Pincer Shield, crushing the turtle’s ahem in one go.

“Wow, Great Teacher Meng’s buffs are insane!”

Before Kelly could act, Stone had already downed the monster.

Such an easy win felt unreal.

Meng Linna just smiled at the praise.

“Not really. You just timed it right. That turtle’s shell is tough. Crushing its ahem is the simplest, most effective kill.”

They processed the materials and moved on.

At the next junction, footsteps echoed from the left path.

Na Naya stopped just before colliding.

Before Stone could speak, Na Naya turned and left.

Watching her fade, Stone muttered.

“That’s the fourth time we’ve seen her today. Feels like she’s stalking us.”

“Agreed.”

Kelly, usually quiet, nodded.

“Maybe just a coincidence. The deeper we go in the labyrinth, the smaller the area gets.”

Meng Linna’s defense was more to convince herself.

Na Naya stalking her?

Unthinkable.

Was she planning something?

No, her teammates were here.

Just a coincidence, right?

“Your relationship seems weird.”

Stone, sensing Meng Linna’s unease, grinned gossip-hungry.

“Spill it, Great Teacher. Did you charm that girl on your trip? Why’s she tailing you?”

“Haha, no way!”

Meng Linna wiped sweat.

“With our history, I’m lucky if she’s not out for revenge.”

“Really?”

Stone wasn’t convinced.

***

“Didn’t I tell you, stalking like this makes you look like a creep?”

“Shut up.”

Na Naya slapped the spot where the evil god’s totem sat.

The fire god didn’t listen.

“I told you to start as teammates. Stalking won’t fix things. Your logic’s the problem.”

“You’re meddling too much.”

Na Naya rejected the god’s words.

But she reflected.

Was she half-asleep this morning?

Opposing the god led to this pointless action.

How could this work?

She felt annoyed.

Maybe head back.

It was just a simple question.

Why make it this complicated?

A “click” came from her feet.

Lost in thought, Na Naya looked down.

The god shouted.

“Run!”

Too late.

The ground split open.

Unprepared, Na Naya fell into the pit.

***

“Did you hear that? Screams from behind.”

At the team’s rear, Meng Linna heard clearly.

Judging by direction, it could be Na Naya.

Was she in trouble?

Meng Linna pondered.

“It’s that nun tailing us.”

“She sounds in trouble.”

Stone heard it too, turning to Meng Linna.

“Great Teacher, your call?”

Meng Linna hesitated.

“Honestly, I’m a bit worried.”

She’d thought Na Naya’s system made her invincible, a protagonist.

But her Water Spirit failure showed the system wasn’t that strong.

Stone nodded.

“Let’s check?”

Meng Linna shook her head, embarrassed.

“No need to delay you two for me. I’ll look and come back.”

“No way. We’re a team.”

Stone shot down her plan.

“If it’s dangerous, you alone won’t cut it. But it’ll delay today’s mission…”

“If we miss it, make her pay our losses.”

Stone was firm.

“We’re saving her. Charging her isn’t too much, right?”

So, the trio headed toward Na Naya.

Past the junction, they saw a massive pit in the ground.

Na Naya was at the bottom, swinging her Flame Giant Whip.

She fended off swarming jellyfish.

But it was endless, like Sisyphus’s task.

At the pit’s center, a tentacle monster spawned endless jellyfish.

No matter how many Na Naya killed, it made more.

It matched her attack speed, as if toying with her struggle.

“That’s a B-rank leader, Deep Sea Tai Sui.”

Meng Linna identified it instantly.

“Low combat strength but great at summoning lesser jellyfish.”

Stone raised her shield.

“So, kill the Tai Sui, right? You guys hold it off I’ll attack.”

With the plan set, they jumped into the pit.

“Ocean’s Shelter!”

The trio descended with Meng Linna’s buff.

Na Naya felt lighter, her whip swings stronger.

“You…”

Na Naya started, but jellyfish swarmed again.

“Let’s do this!”

Stone Fang and Kelly flanked her.

Their help cut down the jellyfish she faced.

Meng Linna stood behind.

“Hold those jellyfish off.”

“I’ll take out the leader.”