Chapter 128: The Path Straight to the Boss Room

A strong sense of weightlessness surged.

Liyakade, holding Alice and Field by the arms on her left and right, unfurled her black wings.

At this point, there was no need to hold back or hide her demon bloodline anymore.

After all, Manuel and his group were as good as dead.

Liyakade decisively activated Demonization, extending her pitch-black claws and wing membranes.

It seemed Liyakade found it hard to exert strength while grabbing both arms, so she changed positions, hugging Alice to her chest and wrapping her tail around Field.

The moment Liyakade finished the motion, the floor of the secret chamber crashed down with a thunderous roar.

Liyakade flapped her wings and soared into the air, while Manuel’s group plummeted downward along with the floor.

Among them, the Wind Element Magic User hurriedly gathered Wind Element and cast magic, trying to soften the fall.

The others also used their own elements or magic to protect themselves.

“Boom –“

Manuel and his group grew more and more distant, disappearing into the bottomless darkness.

Only the echo of the collapsing secret chamber remained.

Liyakade and her companions floated in midair.

“Hey! Why is Alice being princess-carried, while I get dragged by the tail?!”

Field, who was wrapped several times by Liyakade’s tail and dangling in the air, protested.

“Th-There’s no helping it! I can’t grow extra arms, you know.”

Liyakade replied helplessly.

But more importantly, there was a bigger issue now.

Her arms felt hot.

Liyakade hurriedly spoke to Alice in her embrace.

“Alice-chan, can you withdraw the Light Element from your skin for now… it’s too hot.”

“Ah! Sorry! Miss Liakade!”

Hearing Liyakade’s reminder, Alice quickly withdrew the Light Element from the surface of her skin.

She immediately felt a bit cold.

But Liyakade tightened her hold, providing warmth to Alice.

Earlier, during the tussle, Liyakade hadn’t felt the heat of the Light Element on Alice’s body.

But upon Demonization, the Light Element instantly became oppressive.

If Liyakade hadn’t endured the pain, she might have instinctively let go.

“By the way, what happened to that group?”

Field, hanging from Liyakade’s tail, stared into the bottomless darkness and asked.

“Probably just light injuries. Though the floor fell, it didn’t drop at full speed and even cushioned the fall. Plus, their levels are in the thirties or forties.”

Liyakade analyzed for Field.

“Let’s go down too. If I’m not mistaken, the leader should be Manuel.”

“That Manuel?! The one who plunders other adventurers’ loot and never leaves survivors?!”

Since Manuel always wore a Human Skin Mask, Field hadn’t recognized him.

But Liyakade, having played the original work before transmigrating, even recognized Manuel’s Human Skin Mask.

In the original story, Manuel appeared during the first term’s Midterm Exam.

Irina Zi approached and bought them off, ordering them to kidnap Alice in the Nasca Labyrinth, seize her body, and, if possible, utterly break her.

This was to destroy Alice and cause a rift with Field.

If the plan succeeded, Irina Zi even intended to hand Alice over to Manuel’s group as a plaything.

Of course, Irina Zi’s plan ultimately failed.

Field, Alice, and the other students in the Class joined forces to defeat and capture Manuel.

To avoid exposure, Irina Zi pretended to slip and killed Manuel while he was restrained, sealing his lips.

The others were taken back and sentenced to Death Penalty or Life Sentence based on their crimes.

Within their group, Life Sentence was the lowest punishment—most were executed.

“Yes, that guy.”

Liyakade spoke while slowly descending into the darkness.

“So killing them counts as ridding evil and earns a decent reward.”

However, these weren’t the main reasons Liyakade wanted to kill Manuel and his group.

The real reason was their disgusting thoughts and the way they looked at Alice and Field.

***

At this moment, on the lowest level of the collapsed Dungeon—the sixth floor of the Nasca Labyrinth.

“Cough, cough, what the hell…”

Manuel struggled up from the ground, surrounded by dust from the impact, blocking his view.

He touched his bald head.

His Human Skin Mask had come off and vanished somewhere.

“Hey! Is everyone alright?”

Manuel shouted.

Through the dust, he spotted the figures of several comrades.

“Cough… Boss, we’re fine.”

The thin monkey waved his hand, trying to disperse the dust, and led a few others over, coughing.

“The guys are okay, but those three women seem to be missing.”

The ‘women’ referred to Liyakade and her companions.

Logically, they should have fallen along with Manuel’s group.

But no matter how they looked, there was no sign of them.

Manuel only vaguely remembered seeing Liyakade spread her wings and shield the other two before the fall.

What was going on?

Do humans have wings?

Moreover, Manuel had never heard of magic that could grow wings.

Even flight magic was unique to Wind Element Magic Users—and it didn’t produce wings.

From the looks of it, Liyakade and the others were probably still above.

The secret chamber’s exit had collapsed before the fall, so they likely couldn’t get out.

When their strength runs out, they’d have to come down.

Besides, the longer they stay above, the more magic they waste.

When they finally descend, won’t they be at their mercy?

“Hmph, they must still be up there. Let’s just wait here. It won’t be long before they come down.”

Manuel felt thoroughly played by those three girls.

Once they came down, he planned to vent all his anger on them.

However, as they indulged in such delusions, a crimson light suddenly flashed in the darkness.

“Ah!!!”

“What was that?! What’s happening?!”

Manuel turned toward the commotion.

A subordinate clutched his shoulder in pain, one arm already lying on the ground, blood soaking his upper body.

With only one hand, he couldn’t stop the bleeding.

“Who’s there!”

Manuel instantly drew his greatsword, pointing it at the shadow in the dust.

As the dust settled, the shadow revealed itself.

It was a pitch-black, four-meter-tall, two-meter-wide giant.

Its body hunched, insect-like shell and elytra sprouting from its back.

A pair of crimson eyes gleamed on a head that no longer resembled a human.

Two massive scythes, each as large as an adult, gleamed with fresh blood.

Compared to it, the towering Manuel looked minuscule.

The blood on its scythe made it clear—it was this shadow that severed the subordinate’s arm.

Shadow Reaver.

Mantis-like form, pitch-black, covered in eerie patterns, capable of using Shadow Magic and flight.

It was the Boss of the Nasca Labyrinth, LV.40.

This secret chamber not only led to the lowest floor but also to the Boss room.

Those treasure chests were merely traps to lure other adventurers inside.

“So that was their plan?”

Manuel instantly understood Liyakade’s intentions.

They meant for his group to battle the monster, wear each other down, and when they descended, finish them off and claim the rewards.

“Hmph.”

Manuel snorted.

Though his level was only LV.35, his teammates were mostly around LV.30.

With their numbers, how could they possibly lose to a Boss?

“Everyone, prepare for battle! Focus all attacks on the Boss!”

Manuel shouted orders, gripping his sword in both hands and facing the Shadow Reaver’s enormous scythes.

“Bang –“

“Ka-ka –“

The greatsword and scythe collided, sparks flying.

Other teammates quickly adjusted, and various magics erupted.

A faint blue glow appeared on Manuel—Wind Element Acceleration, a blessing from his comrades to increase speed.

“Boom –“

A huge fireball struck, forcing Manuel to leap back as it slammed into the Shadow Reaver, sending it half a step backward amid scorching heat.

Now’s the chance!

Seeing this, Manuel raised his greatsword and slashed at the Shadow Reaver.

However, as the heat dispersed, the creature’s form vanished.

“Where did it go?”

Manuel scanned warily.

The area was vast and empty.

Where could it be hiding?

“Ah!!!”

A Magic User screamed.

Manuel looked toward the one who’d fired the fireball.

The Reaver had appeared behind them, its massive scythe piercing the Magic User’s chest.

They spat blood, doomed.

After a single strike, the Reaver vanished again, and Manuel couldn’t even see how it disappeared.

“Boss! Watch out—the shadows!”

Warned by a subordinate, Manuel glanced down.

A massive scythe was already rising from the shadow.

He quickly blocked with his sword, but the overwhelming force sent him flying.

Without the warning, he’d have been cut in two.

As the Reaver reappeared, a barrage of magic followed, but it slipped into the shadows, dodging all attacks.

“Shadow Magic… But how is it so fast?!”

One knowledgeable subordinate identified the magic.

But the Reaver’s movement into the shadow was almost instantaneous—no way to catch it.

In a blink, the Reaver materialized behind Manuel, scythe poised at his neck.

It was about to decapitate him.

Manuel spun around, but it was too late.

Death’s presence overwhelmed him.

At this rate, if not dead, he’d at least lose an arm.

At that critical moment, a pitch-black spear wreathed in crimson lightning fell from above, piercing the Reaver from head to toe.

“Yiyiyiyiyi –“

The Reaver shrieked.

It tried to sink into the shadows, but a circle of light had formed underfoot, pinning it in place.

It convulsed violently, then went still.

“Ha… Saved.”

Manuel felt his heart about to leap out of his chest.

He didn’t know who’d intervened, but to kill the Reaver in a single blow meant this person was far stronger than himself.

“Thank you for saving—”

He looked up at the one who acted.

Upon recognizing them, he froze.

It was Liyakade—the same girl he’d insulted earlier.

But now, Liyakade looked nothing like her previous self.

Dark demon wings, crimson eyes, sharp claws, and ram horns upon her head—she was the very image of a demon.

“Can’t let this thing kill you all, especially you, big brother.”

Liyakade touched her lips with a slender finger, her face both maddening and seductive.

But the crimson killing intent in her eyes was icy cold.