Kays Translations

Chapter 205: Arrow of Revenge

Four sets of footsteps echoed on the cobblestone floor. Four lanterns swayed in the darkness. These men willingly entered the hell that rejected the living, a place reeking of death, and moved forward without hesitation.

Their determination surpassed any prepared strength. Though it was the first time they had formed an impromptu party and acted together, the stability was outstanding.

The hero, Ricardo, behaved as expected. Even the cheerful Kasim, with a reliable companion and a solid weapon, showed movements befitting a veteran.

Lutz, a blacksmith by profession, wasn’t accustomed to the labyrinth, but having faced numerous challenges, he didn’t fall behind when dealing with monsters.

Kevin, a lumberjack for decades, seemed to struggle in the dark and narrow labyrinth. However, when a dog-like monster charged, he quickly pulled out his hand axe from his waist and smashed the enemy’s head with a powerful blow.

According to him, encounters with minor monsters were common in the life of a lumberjack. While facing formidable hordes or mighty demons like the Flame Demon they were pursuing was a different story, handling small creatures became second nature.

“It’s a shame that this party is only for today.”

Ricardo’s murmured words were the utmost praise and trust for his companions. Kasim and Kevin agreed, joining in the conversation.

“All guys, it’s a bit rough, though.”

“Cut it out. Bringing a woman into a group like this will only lead to trouble.”

Romantic entanglements causing the party to break up were a common story. Regardless of whether the members were experienced or not, the impending disaster without any relation to such matters was even more terrifying.

“Should we say women are scary, or men are foolish…”

“Is something wrong?”

Lutz asked Kevin, who seemed to be lost in thought.

“It’s not that anything special happened, but well, in the business of being human, in fifty years of life as a man, there are various things.”

Whether his answer was appropriate or not, Kevin laughed at Lutz, who was tilting his head in confusion.

“You’ll understand someday, Lutz. Women are scary. Why do men fall for such frightening creatures? I have no idea.”

“I guess men are foolish after all.”

“Well, who knows? Looking back at my life, there’s no evidence to deny that.”

With a face that mixed enjoyment and loneliness, Kevin laughed.

“By the way, Kasim’s previous party had a woman, right? Did any trouble happen?”

Ricardo recalled the events at the tavern. If his memory served him right, it was a combination of three men and one woman. It seemed troublesome, even though it wasn’t directly related to them.

“The other guy and I didn’t have any romantic or lustful feelings towards that woman.”

“Is that so?”

“Rather than getting into trouble with a companion, it’s quicker and more certain to take the money earned from adventures, go to the red-light district, and have some fun.”

That was the most rational thing, according to Kasim.

“Living as an adventurer is a bit tough for women. On the other hand, surviving in such a world is, in essence, proof of one’s valor. Try touching her buttocks; your wrist will be slashed off right away.”

Ksaim waved his hands. “I wouldn’t mind stroking her butt,” Lutz said with a strangely serious face, and everyone burst into laughter.

“Well, the leader seemed to have eyes on that woman.”

“He’s really beyond help…”

“In the worst-case scenario, if the leader and the only woman become a couple, the other two men will have to go through a lot of trouble to form a party.”

“It was a matter of disintegrating in mid-air without waiting to be expelled.”

“I guess so. In other words, it’s not my fault!”

“I’m not so sure about that…”

With this, they continued their journey with a picnic-like atmosphere up to the second underground floor. Or perhaps, they only had the luxury of behaving like that.

As they delved deeper into the labyrinth, the stagnant air became oppressive, and everyone’s conversations dwindled.

On the fourth underground floor, Kasim suddenly made a stifled sound, like a gasp. In front of their gazes was a collapsed wall.

“Look, this is where the fireball hit me.”

Tremendous firepower and destructive power. Kasim remembered the moment when his two companions were turned into human torches in an instant. Feeling nauseous, he covered his mouth with his hand.

When he turned to the passage, his companions’ bodies were no longer there. They had either become food for the flesh-eating monsters or turned into undead.

Only the burn marks on the stone floor remained, proof that they had lived and died there.

“I’ve returned… to where I was…”

Kasim spoke to the burn marks. Clutching the hilt of his sword tightly, he vowed to take revenge.

A pat on the shoulder made him turn around. Lutz, with a serious expression, nodded.

That’s right, he wasn’t fighting alone. Kasim returned the favor with a somewhat awkward smile, loosening the tension in his shoulders a little.

Lutz carefully stepped forward, avoiding the burn marks. Understanding the situation, Ricardo and Kevin also steered clear of the scorched trail.

It was a meaningless act, stepping over the bodies of their fallen comrades and advancing—such is the world of adventurers. While thinking so, Kasim couldn’t help but appreciate their consideration.

When they reached the center of the fifth underground floor, the atmosphere of the labyrinth changed dramatically. It was a vast hall, large enough to gaze up at the ceiling, and it served as an eerie and solemn temple of a sinister cult, enough to send shivers down one’s spine.

Kevin and Kasim looked around with curiosity, while Lutz and Ricardo clouded their expressions with a bad premonition.

“…This should be it.”

“Yeah, probably.”

Most likely, he was lurking here.

This temple was where they had previously fought a woman possessed by a cursed jar.

Was it a force that attracted something sinister? Unsheathing their swords in silence, the hero and the blacksmith. Whether their tension conveyed or not, the adventurer and the lumberjack also readied their weapons, vigilant of their surroundings.

The altar in front faintly glowed.

No, not the altar. Behind it, the monster, wreathed in flames all over its body, rose from a crouch. The men’s foreheads glistened with sweat from heat and fear.

“…This is the worst.”

Ricardo muttered dismissively. The monster’s left eye, which should have been crushed, had healed. Furthermore, its body had grown a size larger, and not only the right arm but also the left had swelled.

It had absorbed the dark miasma of this land and evolved. Nothing but ominous premonitions were coming true. The only option was not to let this monster escape. Imagining the extent of the damage if they let it flee to the surface was terrifying.

The monster’s right hand erupted in flames even more intensely. At the same time, Kevin aimed his crossbow.

“You attacked the village without any warning. Don’t expect any mercy, bastard!”

With a roar of anger, the arrow of revenge was released.

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