Rubik lay on the cold, hard floor, his body wracked with pain.
His vision was blurry as he looked up at Archibald's retreating form.
He didn't scream or shout, the pain never eliciting a sound from his throat.
He couldn't believe he had lost, but he refused to let Archibald see him break.
Before Archibald could leave, Rubik mustered the last of his strength and called out to him with a mocking voice. "You're just going to leave me here to die? Or are you too scared to get blood on your precious hands?"
Archibald paused.
He turned his head back to look at Rubik.
"You may wield great magic, but you don't act like a artist of it," he said, his voice cold. "Honor is something that you earn, not plead for. Weaklings like you don't get to choose where they die."
[ I never thought I'd get to say that in real life... movie lines are the best. ](Archibald)
Rubik felt Archibald's words pierce him like a stake.
He knew he had been foolish to challenge him, to think that he could defeat a swordsman such as Archibald.
But even then, he refused to beg for mercy.
[ Welp, might as well heal him... ] (Archibald)
Archibald brought out a healing potion from his [Inventory Box].
He threw it at Rubik who lay almost lifeless on the floor, unable to reach it.
It rolled teasingly on the ground, as if mocking him.
"If I were to take a life with my sword, it'd have to be someone who was worth it." (Archibald)
And with that, he turned and left the room, leaving Rubik to reflect on his actions and the choices he had made.
Rubik felt ashamed of himself.
He acknowledged that Archibald has chosen the path of mercy to teach him a lesson.
But, despite his newfound understanding, he had a lot to learn from this painful experience.
The potion Archibald threw to him represented two alternatives:
(1) Take the potion and accept Archibald's mercy.
(2) Maintain his pride and die.
---
Archibald carefully calculated his every move before deciding against advancing to the fourteenth floor.
He knew that he and Rachel had been teleported to different parts of the labyrinth, and therefore deduced that her location was probably at the fourteenth floor or higher.
As a result, he deemed it unnecessary to occupy himself with getting the philosopher's stone or stopping Nermel and Taro.
His intuition was telling him that Rachel would step in to stop them before they could cause any significant harm.
On the other hand, if Rachel's location was on the twelfth floor or lower, Archibald was confident that she would have been able to thwart the efforts of Rubik, Nermel, and Taro before they could even reach him.
By choosing to go down to the twelfth floor, Archibald was thinking ahead.
He knew the others would need his help.
The stairs that he descended were dark and narrow, the surface slick with some unknown slime or other slippery substance.
The steep incline made it difficult to maintain balance.
Still, Archibald managed.
His experience and agility allowed him to navigate the rough terrain with ease.
The air down here was dank and filled with a putrid stench that made his stomach churn.
---
The final floor was unlike any other in the labyrinth.
The walls were lined with intricate carvings, and the air was thick with magic.
The tabernacle itself was massive, its black surface adorned with gilded patterns that seemed to glow in the dim light.
Rachel stood before the black tabernacle.
She stared at the philosopher's stone with great anticipation.
It was the culmination of all their efforts.
The reason for which they had risked her very life to enter the labyrinth.
The stone glowed with a radiant red light, casting its glow on everything around it.
She couldn't help but stare at it, entranced by its beauty.
As she reached out her hand to take the stone, she suddenly stopped.
What if it was a trap?
What if there were monsters waiting to attack her?
All questions she asked herself.
"I think I'll hold off on touching it for now." (Rachel)
She decided to wait and think about it.
Just then, she heard footsteps approaching the sixteenth floor.
Immediately, Rachel placed her hand on her sword, ready for battle.
Turning, she saw two masked individuals entering the room.
"Nermel? Taro?" she said, recognizing them.
They were just as surprised to see her, and took off their masks to reveal their faces.
"How did you know it was us?" Nermel asked, puzzled.
Smiling mischievously, Rachel replied, "Your footsteps gave you away. I've been studying them ever since we met! Muhahaha."
She flicked her platinum-red hair, settling it back into place.
"I'm a Ranker, what else do you expect?" she added, grinning.
Nermel and Taro were speechless.
Rachel was one of the eleven strongest people in the continent, a true powerhouse in her own right.
Yet...
"But like... you're a child..." (Nermel)
"And you're old!" Rachel fumed.
"Did you just call me old, Missy?!" (Nermel)
"I did, and I'll do it again," Rachel folded her hands and averted her gaze, pouting.
"This seriously can't be happening right now," said Taro, underwhelmed.
Who would've thought a Ranker would act like such a child.
Rachel couldn't believe Nermel and Taro were working for Elzed.
She knew that they were better than that.
Nevertheless, their loyalty to Elzed was something she couldn't shake.
Back on the third floor, she could sense the malevolence that emanated from Elzed.
He was practically drowning in malice.
"Please, listen to me, Nermel," Rachel implored. "You don't know what kind of person that scrawny white guy is. His orders aren't worth following. You should work with us to ensure the safety of this stone."
Elzed now had two nicknames he didn't know about.
Pale twink (by Archibald)
Scrawny white guy (by Rachel)
Nermel tightened her grip on her magic guns, her eyes flicking towards Taro.
"I appreciate your concern, Rachel," she said, "but we have our reasons for doing this."
Rachel stood her ground, her eyes narrowing.
"What reasons could you possibly have for serving someone like him? He's evil, Nermel. Someone like that doesn't care about people. He'll eliminate you both the moment he sees you're of no use to him." (Rachel)
Taro stepped forward, his voice gruff.
"We don't owe you any explanations, Rachel. You don't know what we've been through. We've had to make tough choices just to survive." (Taro)
This world was based on one principle:
『Survival of the Fittest.』
Rachel could sense their frustration.
But that didn't mean she was going to let them take the philosopher's stone.
She steeled herself, her body tense.
"Fine, if that's the way you want it," Rachel said, her voice cold. "But remember, there's no way you can win against me. You won't even last a second."
Nermel took a step forward, her guns still pointed at Rachel's chest.
"Don't be so sure of yourself, Rachel. We're not afraid of you." (Taro)
"Ranker or not.." (Nermel)
『Guns' Magic • Lightning Shot!』
Nermel aimed both of her magic guns at Rachel and unleashed a barrage of thirteen lightning spheres, each crackling with electricity.
The spheres, moving at lightning speed, covered the twelve meter distance between them instantly.
Rachel, however, unsheathed her sword with blinding speed and expertly deflected all thirteen spheres, sending them flying in various directions.
The spheres then exploded simultaneously, causing the entire room to rumble.
The <
Seizing the opportunity, Rachel moved with impossible speed and struck Nermel's midsection with the pommel of her sword.
"W-What...?!" (Nermel)
Nermel doubled over, vomiting saliva and collapsing onto the ground.
At the same time, Taro charged towards Rachel with a fist imbued with magical energy, believing her to be defenseless.
However, Rachel switched positions in a flash, surprising Taro.
She then delivered a powerful kick to his abdomen, sending him flying like a rag doll and rolling on the ground like a ball before crashing roughly into multiple boulders.
Taro cried out in pain, coughing up blood.
"S-She's a frigginʼ monster.. nghk!" his lifeless voice cried out.
Despite the severity of her attacks, Rachel was still holding back.
She still considered Nermel and Taro to be her comrades.
"I told you guys you can't win against me. Muhahahah! You're lucky I'm not like the other Rankers. I'm nice," she said, her arms folded as she nodded briskly.
She turned to head towards the tabernacle to retrieve the philosopher's stone when suddenly the ground beneath them began to shake.
From the tabernacle emerged a chimeric creature, its chest containing the philosopher's stone.
The creature was vile and intimidating, with horns and a serpent for a tail.
It wielded a gigantic, sharp sword that resembled a butcher's knife, only much larger.
The creature towered over Rachel, Nermel, and Taro like ants.
"I am the Solgravus Guardian... Pandor!" the creature roared monstrously.
This was the final boss of the labyrinth.
"I'll take care of this." (Rachel)
She wore a serious demeanor.