Chapter 37: Melo’s Enemy

The Monster Hunters.

This was a three-person squad consisting of a swordsman, a cat-kin beastman logistics officer, and a Toolmaster.

Not only was their headcount at the absolute minimum required to form an adventuring party, but they didn’t even have a Mage. In a dungeon environment, Mages were incredibly sought after. They possessed immense destructive power, supportive utility, and a versatile array of skills that allowed a team to adapt to the complex and ever-changing harsh conditions of a dungeon.

Their only weakness was a lack of defensive capabilities. However, even that could be mitigated by reliable teammates.

The fact that this squad lacked a Mage pointed to only one possibility. They were exceptionally strong — so strong that they didn’t need a high-intensity class like a Mage to adventure in the dungeon.

“Boss! Those guys are moving so fast meow. Can we really keep up meow?”

“Shut up and just run.”

The man leading the group was named Nolan.

Unlike the heavy defense favored by Arlette, Nolan wore almost no heavy armor. Instead, his gear consisted of thin, segmented light armor and chain mail designed for maximum mobility. At his waist hung a long blade that looked extremely lethal, measuring over half the height of a grown man.

His gaze was fixed intently on the departing figures of the Crystal Thorns adventurers in the distance.

‘Just as I thought… those guys entered the competition too.’

‘That bitch Melo… and her lackeys.’

Back when Arlette had caused a scene at the tavern, putting on a show by taking out four men by himself, Nolan had been at a nearby table enjoying dinner with his teammates. He had witnessed the entire fight from start to finish.

After all, he was a Heavy Knight. It was a class one didn’t see once in 800 years. It was impossible not to watch.

Following that, he had realized something…

That Heavy Knight was unusual. His combat techniques were incredibly refined, and his physical strength was remarkably high. Even while wearing heavy armor, he could move with total fluidity. He had even deliberately held back when knocking his opponents down, ensuring they weren’t lethally injured.

So, when Arlette had announced his name to those third-rate adventurers and cited the laws of the Yunlan Empire, Nolan had paid close attention. When he heard the man claim he belonged to the “Crystal Thorns,” Nolan couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

He knew exactly who the leader of the Crystal Thorns was. He would never forget that damned female vampire as long as he lived.

Since then, he had begun gathering information on them and devising a targeted plan. All of it was for today.

‘Melo, oh Melo, I knew you’d join this competition for the title of Dragonslayer.’

‘Right as I complete my objective, I’ll crush your dreams!’

Unlike Melo, his goal wasn’t the empty fame of a Dragonslayer — it was the Fire Dragon’s secret treasure.

“Alice, did you prepare the Iron-Eroding Sand I asked for earlier?”

“It’s been ready for a long time,” the Toolmaster named Alice replied.

“Good.”

“The Fire Dragon’s secret treasure must be ours alone. We won’t let anyone else have a piece of it!”

“That Arlette might not look like much, but he’s the core of that entire adventuring party. Any team will immediately start to collapse once they lose their core.”

Nolan had already pored over a vast amount of data to research the Heavy Knight class. Every strength this class possessed in both offense and defense originated from that suit of heavy armor. It wasn’t merely a piece of protective gear forged from ordinary metal; it was constructed with magical circuits woven into its interior.

By wearing this armor, one gained not only high-level physical defense but also various magical and elemental resistances. It was the fundamental logic behind the Heavy Knight’s existence.

What if that armor lost those special resistances?

The answer was obvious. The wearer would lose their greatest advantage — their defense — and become nothing more than an ordinary person with a slightly stronger physique.

Iron-Eroding Sand was a type of dust that could cause devastating damage to iron products. Any metal items it touched would suffer partial damage and cracking. Not only would it cause the target to lose most of their heat resistance, but it could also leave parts of the target’s body exposed as the armor failed.

Most monsters within the dungeon possessed a certain level of intelligence. They frequently targeted a victim’s weak points. If he used this to trip them up while they were in the middle of a battle with monsters…

He didn’t even need to kill them directly. Simply making them struggle through a hard fight would be enough to drag down the entire team.

‘Once you lose your precious armor, I don’t believe your physical body can withstand the blistering heat and the monsters’ attacks!’

A trace of smug, predatory laughter flickered in Nolan’s eyes.

‘Melo, you and your Crystal Thorns can get the hell out of this competition!’

—

The Crystal Thorns continued to push forward without a moment’s rest.

The underground space of the Lava Thermal Domain was enormous, but the Adventurers’ Guild had already mapped out a route from the entrance to the Fire Dragon’s nest for the participants. At this moment, Crystal Thorns had already put significant distance between themselves and the other parties. They moved from the Lava Lakeside into the second zone — the Fractured Canyon.

True to its name, this area was a narrow passage formed by two massive rock walls. The cliffs on both sides were riddled with numerous caves. Some were inhabited by monsters, while others were abandoned, making the environment highly unpredictable.

Unlike open terrain, encountering monsters in a place like this meant there was no way to detour. They had to break through by force. In such a location, the more one rushed, the more prone they were to accidents.

However, Melo showed no concern for the risks, charging ahead with reckless abandon. The Crystal Thorns currently held a massive lead. If they kept up this momentum, they were bound to be the first team to reach the Fire Dragon’s nest.

But mid-way through, Fluff noticed something unusual.

Arlette seemed a bit different than usual.

During their previous dungeon adventures, Arlette’s speed had been far superior to Fluff’s despite his heavy armor, and he never showed signs of fatigue even after prolonged exertion. But now, things were different.

Without her noticing when it happened, Arlette had fallen to the very back of the line. It didn’t seem like he was intentionally staying behind to scout for danger. It was more like… he was struggling?

“Mr. Knight, what’s wrong?”

Fluff slowed her pace to walk beside Arlette, looking at him with concern.

Just as she thought, Arlette’s current state was far from normal. The sound of heavy, labored breathing escaped from beneath his visor, and sweat was constantly seeping through the gaps in his armor plates. They had been in the dungeon for less than 10 minutes, yet he was already showing signs of exhaustion.

“Is… is it possible your previous injuries haven’t healed yet?!”

That was the first possibility that came to Fluff’s mind, and she asked him immediately. However, Arlette didn’t seem to want to discuss it.

“I… I’m fine…”

“Don’t lose focus. This competition is very important to me… to the Lady, and to Crystal Thorns.”

“Focus on the race…”

His voice was thick with intense fatigue and weakness, yet he insisted he was alright. Fluff couldn’t ease her mind at all. She wanted to ask more, but Arlette suddenly surged with speed and rushed to Melo’s side. He used the movement as a way to reject Fluff’s concern.

“Mr. Knight…”

—

‘This guy is always like this.’

At that moment, in a place hidden from the group’s sight, Vivian was watching their every move.

She was still dressed in her signature black robe, standing atop the ridge of the canyon’s rock wall, staring at Arlette from a distance. Within those deep eyes, a certain plan seemed to be brewing.