Chapter 37: Humiliation and Unforeseen Encounters

“I’ll go first.”

Aesop spoke, leaning casually against the stone wall. His physique was lean and muscular, black leather armor clinging to his body to highlight his well-defined yet agile muscles.

The armor itself, while seemingly simple, was edged with fine, dark silver chain patterns. Every joint was meticulously crafted and practical, devoid of any superfluous ornamentation.

His eyes blazed with the fires of determination. He took a deep breath and declared, “Because I have a very important partner waiting for me on the 100th floor, and I must rescue them before those barbarians in the expedition team ruin it!”

Alicia and Samuel exchanged a look, their expressions a mix of confusion and odd amusement.

Theodore, however, in his ‘innocence,’ paid no mind. Though unsure how Aesop’s partner had ended up on the 100th floor, he deeply felt the fervent desire to save them.

“Are your partner’s enemies in the expedition team?”

Aesop sighed heavily. “Ah, not enemies, per se. Just a bunch of savages who sold their conscience for a bounty.”

He completely failed to notice that Alicia’s radiant smile grew even brighter upon hearing the word ‘savages.’

“Bounty hunters?” Theodore mused thoughtfully.

Aesop continued to elaborate, “You could say that. Also, besides being able to fight, I’m also a chef. I can skillfully use materials from the labyrinth to create delicious food.”

Theodore nodded. For long-term labyrinth expeditions, dry rations alone were insufficient. Adventurers and mercenaries, unlike soldiers, craved material comforts. A good chef could often boost morale and alleviate the constant pressure of battling monsters.

“One last question,” Theodore pressed. “Why didn’t you just follow the expedition team directly?”

“Uh.” Aesop paused, then replied, “I got entangled with some individuals whose philosophies clashed with mine, causing me to miss the opportunity to join the expedition team.”

Theodore didn’t delve into why he was entangled, but it was clear Aesop was determined to reach the 100th floor before the expedition team.

Despite Aesop’s seemingly frivolous demeanor, his stance was remarkably steady and natural. He merely leaned there, without any exaggerated movements, yet his entire being exuded the coiled danger of a sharpened blade. From his attire to his weaponry and his very aura, he projected a message of refined peril.

Qualified.

Subsequently, Theodore turned his gaze to Alicia.

Alicia’s long blue hair cascaded like flowing water, each strand seemingly gilded with a soft sheen by the sunlight. Her hair was intricately styled, with the upper layers subtly swept up and secured by a few silver pins adorned with small amethyst gems. Her large, violet eyes, bright and profound, appeared gentle and harmless, yet a closer look revealed a faint glimmer of sharpness and confidence.

Seated gracefully, she held her teacup with one hand, her pinky finger subtly raised in impeccable etiquette, while one leg rested elegantly over the other knee—the epitome of a noble lady’s posture.

‘Petite and charming’ or ‘graceful and poised’ hardly did justice to her allure. Any ordinary man would have found his gaze irrevocably fixed upon her.

However, the three men present were far from ordinary.

‘Women only slow down my blade.’

‘Not as beautiful as a dragon.’

‘Seen too many noble ladies.’

“Is it my turn? My reasons aren’t as tragic, heroic, or self-sacrificing as Mr. Aesop’s. It’s simply that the object of my affection is also in the expedition team, so I’m merely pursuing him.”

Aesop looked at Alicia strangely. ‘Did this woman just curse me to die? No, when did I offend her?’

‘Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re pretty!’

‘My blade only recognizes ingredients, not gender!’

Theodore nodded thoughtfully. Though her reason was rather melodramatic, Alicia displayed an unwavering resolve. While she appeared as fragile as the exquisite porcelain cup she held, a glance at her exposed shoulders and collarbones revealed she was no ordinary delicate woman.

Despite her shoulders being as fair as jade, her muscles were subtly toned, hinting at a hidden, restrained power with every movement, as if each action contained explosive potential. Below her collarbones, faint muscle curves were discernible, marks of years of dedicated training.

Her strength, it seemed, was beyond doubt.

Theodore continued, “So, why didn’t you follow the expedition team?”

Alicia elegantly sipped her high-grade black tea, then spoke in a soft voice, “At the time, I hadn’t decided if he was worthy of becoming my partner. Now that I’ve decided, I need to secure him quickly.”

Pausing, Alicia added, “It would be such a pity if he died down there during the expedition. I must at least ensure his bloodline continues.”

A moment of silence fell over the other four in the room. How could she utter such audacious words with such a noble demeanor?

“I am very familiar with the labyrinth’s paths. If you wish to traverse it quickly, I can be of considerable assistance.”

Very well. Though this woman was a bit strange, she was certainly capable.

Given the excellent performance of the first two candidates, Theodore finally turned his attention to the purple-haired mature woman, Samuel.

Samuel’s luxuriant, silky purple hair, glossy as satin, cascaded to her waist. When dappled by sunlight, it shimmered with an almost dreamlike, enchanting bluish-purple glow.

A few playful strands fell across her forehead and cheeks, inadvertently adding a touch of languid spontaneity to her refined yet coolly elegant face. Most of her hair was loosely gathered with a small silver ring carved with ancient runes, but not fully tied back, allowing her sideburns to appear slightly disheveled yet still graceful.

“Oh, it’s my turn.” Effortlessly putting away her various vials and jars, Samuel clasped her hands in front of her and said softly, “Well, my story is quite ordinary. A few days ago, a friend sold her child to me as a s*ave. I recently redeemed her and sent her off with the expedition team. But I’ve grown fond of her, so I wanted to go down and ask if she’d be interested in letting me take care of her again. Turns out, by the time I inquired, she was already in the labyrinth. Oh dear, if she were to just die down there, it would be terribly inconvenient for me to resurrect her.”

Three large question marks hovered above four heads.

‘How is that ordinary?’

‘Are you sure your friend is mentally stable?’

“And also, I understand all sorts of magical mechanisms. If we encounter any special labyrinth checkpoints, I can quickly decipher them.”

Theodore: “……”

Though her reason had some rather… interesting points, her professional skills were indeed necessary for a swift expedition. Acceptable.

Theodore’s gaze finally settled on Larkin.

His golden hair was meticulously styled, not a single strand out of place, with a few slightly curled locks falling across his forehead, enhancing his debonair appearance. Dressed in luxurious attire, his silk jacket, embroidered with gold and silver threads, shimmered under the light, while deep blue velvet trousers perfectly accentuated his tall, slender figure. His white shirt’s collar was slightly open, revealing an intricately embroidered cravat, fastened with an emerald button that added a touch of nobility to his overall ensemble.

Larkin looked at Theodore and smiled. “I have two bosom friends, whom I’ve never met, who went to the 100th floor. To improve our first impression, I want to share hardships with them. The reason I didn’t follow them was that I arrived a little late. I originally planned to hire people myself, but I didn’t expect someone else had already taken the initiative, so I came over.”

Theodore: “……”

‘No, you need to reflect on what you just said. How do ‘never met’ and ‘bosom friends’ go together?’

Larkin noticed Theodore’s skepticism and immediately displayed the ten spatial rings on his fingers, declaring with grandiosity, “I know you’re not short on money, but we’re both very pressed for time, aren’t we? The reason I didn’t form a team like yours immediately was to gather supplies for the labyrinth and purchase detailed guides for each floor. These ten rings are already filled! Enough for us to stay down there for a year!”

“My safety is not a concern. If I become a burden, just abandon me. I have over a thousand magic scrolls, and I might even run faster than all of you!”

Theodore: “……”

‘Alright, alright, everyone here has extraordinary skills.’

‘Uncommon.’

‘This is a good thing, right?’

****

Meanwhile, deep within the labyrinth.

Theresia stood, greatsword in hand, in a direct standoff with a colossal black panther, two massive hands growing from its back.

This five-meter-tall monster possessed terrifying speed and explosive power, and its two hands made its movements eerily unpredictable.

For instance, while moving rapidly forward, it could suddenly grab a stone pillar extending from the cave with its giant hands, launching itself to another side. Or, if it lost balance from an attack, it could use those hands to brace itself and regain equilibrium.

This was the guardian boss of the 72nd floor, the Winged-Handed Black Panther.

It was a powerful creature never discovered in the outside world, existing solely within the labyrinth.

Even Theresia had suffered greatly at its hands.

However, things were different now. Completely different!

Her dragon eyes swiftly tracked the Winged-Handed Black Panther’s movements. Theresia swung her greatsword, nearly twice her own size, intercepting the black panther’s path and bringing it down heavily towards its crown.

The high-speed greatsword was enveloped in a thick layer of sword qi, yet this powerful, heavy blow was caught by two massive hands.

It had appeared: the 100% bare-handed blade catch.

The first time Theresia faced this Winged-Handed Black Panther, she had been stunned by this move.

Whether it was a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal slash.

Those hands seemed to be blessed by causality, always catching Theresia’s greatsword a split second before it struck, then gripping the sword, swinging Theresia around in the air, and flinging her away.

Indeed, thrown away like a shot put.

If this were merely the black panther’s instinctive reaction, it might be acceptable. However, each catch was followed by a throw, and it would even capitalize on Theresia being airborne by quickly moving to her projected landing spot and throwing her again in the same manner.

This was absolutely playing. This was no longer a battle between beast and dragon; this was humiliation, an utter disgrace.

During her first attempt, after being played like a ball in the air by the black panther for over a minute.

A furious Theresia no longer considered altering her sword techniques to break through the bare-handed catch. Instead, the moment the black panther attempted its trick again, she directly reverted to her Black Dragon form. Under the black panther’s ‘You’re no fun’ gaze, she unleashed a Black Dragon Roar, blasting it into oblivion.

During her second attempt, Theresia specifically sought out a master swordsman and spent a year studying greatsword techniques to counter this bare-handed catch, seeking to avenge her earlier humiliation.

That time, she was finally not subjected to the bare-handed catch.

Because… the blade was snatched away.

After being played like a billiard ball for another minute, Theresia once again transformed into a Black Dragon, reducing her opponent to ashes.

Theresia knew well that once she reverted to her Black Dragon form, the threat this black panther posed was truly limited.

But!

After being treated like a billiard ball for the second time, the nature of this matter had changed.

This was no longer a simple matter of breaking through the labyrinth.

It was about the dignity of a dragon!

This was her tenth time reaching the 73rd floor.

As a noble tenth-playthrough player, and without the buff of infinitely increasing difficulty, even a tiger vanguard should have been turned into tiger-head wine for her to drink!

So what if it caught the sword?

‘I have anticipated your anticipation!’

The instant her sword was caught, Theresia leveraged her core strength, sweeping the greatsword like a club to one side.

The black panther, which relied on the gripping power of its claws and its speed to race along walls, instantly lost its bodily coordination.

Theresia, having prepared for this, stood steadily on the wall, turning the tables and flinging the black panther away.

Theresia’s eyes gleamed with a mischievous smile. ‘Hehehe, was being a shot put fun?’

‘My turn to play!’

Then, utilizing the black panther’s 100% bare-handed blade-catching trait, she repeated the operation, tossing the black panther back and forth in the air.

“What is the Most Vile Dragon… doing?”

At this moment, one of the expedition team members, who had been secretly observing Theresia’s battle with the Winged-Handed Black Panther from outside the boss room, posed a profound question.

Upon reaching the 72nd floor, the Most Vile Dragon had declared a personal vendetta against the Winged-Handed Black Panther, instructing them to rest there, not interfere, and not even watch, claiming there was nothing to see.

But humans are rebellious creatures; the more you forbid something, the more curious they become.

They had expected to witness a breathtaking, gripping battle between powerful beings, but… what was with this bowling-ball-like fighting style?

While achieving such feats required speed, strength, and skill far beyond ordinary powerhouses, any astute observer could tell there was no damage, only humiliation.

If there were damage indicators, the black panther would currently be showing: HP -1, -1, -1; Sanity -1000, -1000, -1000.

If the Most Vile Dragon added some maniacal laughter, her image as a cold and majestic powerhouse would collapse, but it would perfectly suit this peculiar scene.

One person chuckled, “Surely, Lord Most Vile Dragon has a profound reason for doing this?”

The others exchanged confused glances until a ‘brilliantly clever’ person, or perhaps an elf, spoke with an air of knowing everything, “You just don’t understand. This is venting!”

Everyone looked puzzled. “Venting?”

“Exactly, venting.” Lola was still wearing her shabby cloak, even though Theresia had given her ample funds for an outfit befitting her status.

However, Lola, to constantly remind herself of her humiliation and strive for improvement… well, she had simply grown accustomed to being poor over the years. This large cloak was the first ‘junk’ item she had picked up, and she had added many enchantments to it herself. While certainly not as good as those made by skilled craftsmen, it held sentimental value, and she couldn’t bear to throw it away.

Lola spoke with a profound gaze, “You should all know the Most Vile Dragon’s personality, right? Ferocious, cold, bloodthirsty. But in our time together these past few days, have you felt anything other than coldness from them?”

Everyone shook their heads.

Lola confidently stated, “Exactly! A person’s personality doesn’t disappear; it merely shifts! I heard that the Most Vile Dragon initially explored the labyrinth alone for quite some time, only reluctantly seeking teammates later when the labyrinth became too complex.”

“For such a person, the presence of teammates forces them to suppress their true nature to cooperate in clearing the labyrinth. But like a bouncy slime, when compressed to its limit, it generates terrifying rebound force. The Most Vile Dragon is the same.”

“Their cold rationality makes them aware that continued suppression would lead to a complete eruption, causing them to disregard all ties and very likely attack our expedition team. So, at this moment, they need to vent! Any talk of a personal vendetta with the 73rd-floor boss is false. They are simply unleashing the brutality hidden beneath their armor.”

“If prey dies too quickly through conventional means, it doesn’t achieve the desired cathartic effect. So, they resort to this highly humiliating, yet minimally damaging, method to torment their opponent. How do you think my analysis is?”

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly understood, feeling they had gained deeper insight into the Most Vile Dragon, and grew even more wary and respectful. They nodded in unison: “That makes sense, that makes sense.”

Lola comfortably accepted their praise, when a massive ‘rumble’ startled her. She looked intently and saw the black panther, after half an hour of being airborne, had crashed heavily to the ground.

“It seems it’s over.”

The Most Vile Dragon, Theresia, stepped onto the black panther’s head, gradually using its face as a stepping stone to return to the ground.

The black panther’s eyes rolled back, wearing an expression of utter misery. Even with Theresia brazenly standing right before its eyes, her back exposed, it showed no intention of striking.

‘There’s no way. This three-playthrough player who reads attack commands to counter is simply too despicable. What kind of skill is it to bully a black panther whose attack patterns are limited to just a few sets!’

Theresia paid it no mind, instead walking out of the boss room.

The onlookers who had been secretly observing outside the boss room had vanished, each pretending to tidy their equipment, rest, or eat food.

Little did they know, their entire observation had been completely noticed by Theresia.

However, their act of watching was itself part of Theresia’s plan.

‘To return home rich and not display it is like walking in embroidered clothes at night!’

She wanted to utterly humiliate that black panther, to have these people spread the tale of her brutalizing it once they left. Then, her fighting style would surely become a sensation throughout the Labyrinth City, and under the idol effect, everyone would imitate her, making this black panther, which had once shamed her, a boss of ultimate disgrace.

As for this black panther, now devoid of any will to fight, *heh heh*, she would spare its life for now.

As for why she wouldn’t kill it, *hehehe*, she wanted that black panther to live on in such disgrace! To make it understand the consequences of provoking the great Black Dragon King!

*Ah ha ha ha ha!*

Although few people came to the 73rd floor, the guide for passing it was very complete. The passage to the lower floors was hidden in the middle of the labyrinth, while the black panther’s room was in the deepest part of the labyrinth.

If one had no information and came to the 73rd floor for the first time, they might need to go to the deepest part of the labyrinth to find clues. Now, they could simply go straight to the hidden passage.

Therefore, Theresia had genuinely come specifically to humiliate a monster.

Laughing wildly internally, she walked up to Lola, who had just analyzed her intentions.

Thanks to Lola’s assistance, her prestige had grown even greater than before, and the effect was even more outstanding.

Theresia asked coldly, “Your name.”

Lola feigned fear, gulping hard. “You can just call me Lola.”

Theresia said in a deep voice, “Understanding too much is sometimes not a good thing. Remember to be cautious in your words and actions.”

She didn’t deliberately lower her voice for this statement, maintaining a normal volume, so it was naturally overheard by those around her who already had their ears perked.

Lola nodded vigorously. “I understand.”

The others wore expressions that confirmed their suspicions.

Theresia nodded with satisfaction, then turned and left.

‘Perfect!’

****

Some time after Theresia and her team left the 73rd floor, Theodore’s squad, having pressed on, also arrived at the 73rd floor.

Larkin, at the very front thanks to his magic scrolls, strode ahead, cheerfully reading the information in his hand. “This floor is super easy to pass. We don’t need to deal with that guardian beast; we can go straight to the lower-level passage in the middle.”

However, when Larkin turned around, he found Theodore and the others had all abruptly stopped. He asked, a bit confused, “What’s wrong? We can pass this floor quickly, hurry up.”

Theodore asked, somewhat hesitantly, “You said the guardian monster is in the deepest part of the labyrinth, right?”

Larkin nodded. “Yes.”

Theodore gripped his stone spear, pointing behind Larkin. “Then this… behind you… is it an illusion?”

Larkin looked up in confusion, discovering a black panther, its eyes filled with a desperate resolve, staring at them with murderous intent.

Those two wing-like hands on its back were far too distinctive.

“Damn it, the unscrupulous merchant misled me!”

After Larkin shouted this, a large claw directly swiped down.

Theodore looked back at his three companions, somewhat puzzled. “Strange, the information I gathered about the 73rd floor, though not as detailed as Larkin’s, also said the guardian monster for this floor is in the deep part of the labyrinth. Why is it up front?”

Alicia nodded. “I’ve been to the 73rd floor more than once, and this has never happened. However, I’ve also never chased after another team’s clear time before.”

Samuel added, “Undoubtedly, this is a surprise left for us by the previous team.”

Aesop analyzed, “Could it be a deliberate move to prevent anyone from following them to pick up scraps, a planned contingency?”

Theodore observed closely, then said strangely, “Is it my imagination? This black panther seems a bit weary of life. As if it’s suffered immense humiliation.”

‘Could this black panther have offended Theresia?’

Just then, a pitiful voice interrupted Theodore’s thoughts: “Hey! Is this really the time to discuss reasons?! I did say you could abandon me without hesitation if I became a burden, but am I a burden now? Does the big money bag really have to bear the aggro on the front line!? Teammates! A little help here!”

Theodore could only abandon his thoughts. “Let’s save him first.”

“Alright.”