Chapter 42: Into the Depths of the Dungeon

As they ventured deeper into the cave, a worn stone staircase stretched before them, spiraling downward into darkness. The air grew damp, and droplets of water dripped rhythmically from the ceiling, echoing through the cavern.

Lucy led the way, a small flame flickering in her palm, casting eerie shadows on the damp walls. Behind her, Abet followed hesitantly, her body hunched as if trying to make herself smaller. She clutched the hem of Lucy’s cloak tightly, her fingers trembling.

A droplet of water suddenly splashed onto Abet’s neck.

“Hic!”

She yelped and, startled, lost her footing, collapsing onto the cold stone floor. Lucy turned, sighing as she helped Abet to her feet.

“Calm down, it’s just water,” Lucy reassured her, dusting off her clothes. “If you’re this scared, why don’t you just wait upstairs?”

Abet shook her head stubbornly, tapping her cheeks as if to shake away her fear. “No. I can do this.”

Despite her words, the tension in her body was undeniable. Lucy could see how hard she was trying to hold herself together. She sighed but nodded.

‘At least she has a good sense of perseverance.’

Even Lucy had to admit that the underground dungeon exuded an ominous presence. It was saturated with magic, a natural warning sign for any magician attuned to its presence. The stronger the concentration of magic, the deadlier the creatures lurking within.

While Lucy, a level 100 mage, had nothing to fear, Abet was different. To her, this must feel like stepping into a predator’s den. And yet, she was here, pushing through her fear.

That was admirable.

“Alright, let’s go,” Lucy said.

Abet nodded. “Right behind you.”

Before long, the path split into several winding corridors, their darkened passageways seemingly stretching into infinity. The walls were wide enough for them to walk side by side, but Lucy took the lead, summoning a set of illusion clones around her. These identical doppelgängers would serve as decoys in case of a surprise attack.

Abet, still jittery, reached out and curiously poked one of the clones. Her eyes widened as her hand passed right through.

“Wow… It looks so real.”

“Top-tier illusion magic. Without a magic eye, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.” Lucy turned serious. “Stay alert. We don’t know what kind of demons might be lurking ahead.”

“Right—!” Abet quickly covered her mouth after realizing she had spoken too loudly.

Lucy smirked and continued forward, gripping her pitch-black scythe as she ventured deeper into the dungeon. The cavern was eerily silent, aside from the occasional drip of water and the faint whistle of air seeping through the stone. Then, amidst those natural sounds, she picked up something else—a low, guttural growl.

Lucy’s fingers twitched, summoning a brighter flame in her palm. As the glow expanded, the flickering light illuminated a pack of creatures standing in the darkness ahead.

Seven demons, clad in crude iron armor, their snarling faces resembling those of wolves.

Kobolds.

A familiar monster type from Ragnarok, though nothing more than low-tier creatures.

Grrrrrr!

The kobolds howled and charged forward, their claws glinting as they raised their jagged weapons.

Lucy merely flicked her wrist, activating ‘Perception Alteration,’ a derivative skill of Hypnosis. A shimmering magic circle appeared, and the kobolds immediately halted. Their wild eyes turned unfocused, their snarls fading into confusion.

Then, as if possessed, they turned on one another, swinging their weapons in a chaotic frenzy.

“Are they under an illusion?” Abet whispered in awe.

Lucy nodded. “Want to try taking one down yourself?”

Abet hesitated. “Me? Are you sure?”

“Go ahead.”

Encouraged, Abet raised the wooden staff Lucy had given her during training. She chanted briefly, and a small red fireball erupted from the staff’s tip, soaring towards one of the kobolds.

The fireball struck true.

The kobold let out a strangled cry before collapsing, its charred body smoking on the dungeon floor.

“I did it!” Abet gasped. “I controlled the fireball properly this time!”

Lucy chuckled. “Told you, practice makes perfect.”

With their path cleared, they pressed on, easily dispatching any more kobolds that crossed their way. The creatures fell for Lucy’s illusions repeatedly, turning on each other in confusion before meeting their demise.

Eventually, Lucy’s gaze landed on something different—a treasure chest tucked into a shadowy alcove.

“A dungeon box?” she mused aloud.

Abet tilted her head. “Can we open it?”

Lucy crossed her arms. “Could be trapped. Some of these explode. Others summon monsters.”

Abet immediately took several steps back.

Lucy smirked at her reaction before pulling out a special ring from her inventory—‘Evasion of Death.’ A handy little item that guaranteed she could avoid most trap-triggered attacks. Sliding it onto her finger, she approached the chest, raising her scythe.

With a swift strike, she shattered the lock.

The moment the lid flung open, the air thickened with magic. A large summoning circle flared to life beneath their feet.

“I knew it,” Lucy muttered.

A monstrous roar erupted as a towering figure emerged from the circle. Clad in blood-red heavy armor, it dwarfed the kobolds they had encountered before. Its jagged fangs dripped with saliva, and its yellow eyes gleamed with bloodlust.

“The Kobold Lord?” Lucy recognized immediately.

Abet paled. “L-Lucy, maybe we should run—”

Before she could finish, the Kobold Lord lunged, its jaws wide enough to swallow Lucy whole.

But before it could reach her, Lucy flicked her scythe.

The curved blade spun through the air like a whirlwind, slicing through the monster’s throat in a clean, effortless motion. The Kobold Lord’s momentum carried it forward a few more steps before its head slid from its shoulders, landing with a sickening thud.

The once-mighty beast collapsed in a lifeless heap.

Abet’s jaw hung open. “D-Did you just…”

“Yeah.”

“That was the Lord, right? A dungeon boss?”

“Level 40. Nothing special.”

Abet gawked at her nonchalance. “Just how strong are you, exactly…?”

Ignoring the question, Lucy rummaged through the chest, eventually pulling out a square-folded piece of paper.

A map of Helatos.

“Just a regular map…” she muttered, tucking it away in her inventory. “Let’s head back before we get caught.”

By the time they made it back to Edem Academy, the rain had lightly soaked their uniforms. Fortunately, it wasn’t enough to be noticeable.

“Phew, at least we’re not late,” Abet sighed in relief.

“What’s your next class?”

“Gym, I think.”

Before Lucy could respond, the infirmary door swung open.

A well-built man with slicked-back hair entered. Dressed in form-fitting sparring gear, he carried himself with a commanding presence.

“Princess! Miss Abet! There you are!”

Lucy winced at the unnecessarily loud voice of their sparring instructor—Raven.

“What are you doing here, Teacher Raven?”

“You weren’t in class, so I came looking for you!”

Lucy sighed. “We’ll change and be right out.”

Raven, however, narrowed his eyes and sniffed the air. “Strange… I swear I smell… blood and dirt?”

Lucy stiffened.

Before she could come up with an excuse, the school nurse entered, glaring at Raven.

“And why are you sniffing them, you pervert?!”

“Wait, I was just—Ow! Let go of my ear!”

Taking advantage of the chaos, Lucy and Abet slipped away unnoticed.