After a few seconds, Dante found that he could now employ his Skill, Concentration. He also noticed a swifter regeneration of his Energy as he leveled up.
Dex's forehead throbbed with anger, and with a resounding boom, he charged forward!
Gijah refrained from entering the fray, choosing instead to observe. Sam, likewise, maintained his vigilance, wary of any potential threat to Mailey.
With only a few meters separating them, Dante suddenly lunged. However, his trajectory surprised them all; it was not directed at Dex, but rather toward Mailey!
"Sam, block him!" Mailey cried out, raising her hand and aiming it at Dante. Sam's body emanated a hazy aura, his muscles contracting in response.
Dex followed Dante closely, his frustration etched across his face. He shouted at Dante's back, "I'm your opponent!"
Dante didn't glance back, his focus fixed squarely on Mailey. Suddenly, an invisible force locked onto him. Dante anticipated this, but this time he didn't float. He could feel his body growing heavy, the force pressing him down. His expression remained unchanged as he exerted more force through his legs, resulting in a resounding bang as he propelled himself forward!
"Sh*t!" Sam thought.
As they closed in on each other, Sam unleashed a powerful punch!
Bang!
Dante's fist collided with Sam's. Sam's Skill amplified his bones and muscles, granting his strikes immense force. With his Skill, he could shatter an elephant's skull as easily as a watermelon.
Their strengths were nearly on par, but Dante remained composed. It was already a feat that he could nearly match a Holder in strength, especially one with a Skill that bolstered their power.
"His strength!" Sam was taken aback. He intensified the force in his fist.
Dante sensed his fist being overpowered. Suddenly, an arrow materialized in his hand. He thrust it toward Sam's eyes!
Sam's eyes widened. He swiftly raised his other hand to block the arrow.
Bang!
The arrow shattered into fragments, but simultaneously, Sam felt a powerful pull on his body. As the shards cleared from his vision, he saw Dex's astonished face, and a fist hurtling toward him.
The punch landed squarely on his face!
Sam was sent flying. Witnessing this, Gijah lunged toward Sam, intercepting him mid-air.
Capitalizing on the force's direction, Dante managed to maneuver Sam onto his back, effectively making him the focus of Dex's pursuit.
"You are dirty!" Dex's accusation pierced the air, prompting Dante to shoot him a chilling glare.
"Dirty? Look who's talking," Dante retorted, then redirected his attention to Mailey, now in his line of sight.
"You!" Dex's face contorted with rage, his nostrils flaring and teeth clenched. However, he held his position, as Dante's hand was already poised at Mailey's neck.
"W-what do you intend to do?!" Mailey's voice trembled with fear. She took a cautious step back, her eyes darting around anxiously.
"I'm not sure. Should I pierce your throat?" Dante's words were like ice, and the eyes behind his mask bore an especially foreboding darkness, sending shivers down Mailey's spine. Normally, Dante is not one for many words, but at this moment, he's unexpectedly loquacious.
Dante felt a surge of determination, no longer willing to tolerate their behavior. The sensation of asserting his dominance through power was oddly satisfying. Was it morally questionable? Perhaps, but Dante paid it no mind.
He clenched his fingers together, an aura of bloodlust emanating from him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure approaching, heading towards Mailey.
"Can you let me?" Lance's voice was resolute, his grip on the dagger trembling with anger.
Dante raised an eyebrow. He already had a good inkling of why, but he asked anyway.
"T-they didn't treat me like a human!" Lance's voice was edged with frustration, teeth clenched in barely contained fury.
"Shut up!" Dex's voice boomed, silencing the tense atmosphere. Mailey and the others shot Lance furious glares.
"You shut up!" Lance retorted, his voice laced with defiance as he brandished his daggers, the sharp blades pressing against Mailey's neck. A thin trickle of blood seeped from the contact.
Fear flickered in Mailey's eyes, a nervous gulp audible in the strained silence. Dex was forced to swallow his anger, though his eyes remained fixed in a hostile glare.
Dante chose to step aside, intrigued to see how this standoff would play out. He crossed his arms, a spectator to the brewing conflict.
Meanwhile, Sam rose, using his uniform sleeves to wipe away the blood from his battered nose. He exchanged a meaningful look with Gijah.
"You took advantage of me! You beat me up for the slightest mistake and I nearly paid for it with my life! I was treated like a slave and I overheard your plan to kill me once you had the treasure!" Lance's voice rang out, his words punctuated by flecks of spittle.
The memory of their cruelty surged within Lance; it was clear they harbored no concern for his well-being. And the revelation of their sinister plan to dispose of him after securing the treasure only fueled his fury.
Dex and the others avoided Lance's gaze, their discomfort palpable. Dex tried to observe Dante's actions, but found out there are no particular changes. The mask obscured any discernible expression, rendering Dante's emotions hidden.
'Is he going to help this d*mbass?' Dex wondered if Dante was considering helping Lance. He remained confident in his Skill, and what concerned him the most was the potential danger to Mailey. Each member of their guild was a valuable asset, and losing one could pose a risk to their entire guild. Furthermore, he sensed a significant threat emanating from Dante.
'Keep your composure, Mailey! Your Skill could end that guy!'
Sam, imposing in stature, and Gijah, with his distinctive mustache, stepped forward.
Lance happened to catch sight of them, and the dagger in his hand pressed further against Mailey's neck.
"Stay back!"
They had no choice but to halt their advance.
"Do you truly believe I didn't hear it?! I've endured your mistreatment for far too long. Is it simply because you have more wealth than me? Is it because your Skill has a higher rating? What gives you the right to treat me like garbage?!" Lance's eyes widened, and his breathing grew heavy.
Dex scoffed at his words, but he kept his true feelings concealed.
As the pain throbbed in her throat, Mailey's eyes darted around. Suddenly, she caught Dex mouthing the words, 'Calm down'. Taking a deep breath, she steadied her breathing. She began to think of ways to escape this perilous situation, her eyes gleaming with determination. Although fear still lingered, she was determined not to let it cloud her judgment.
"I'll have my revenge! And it starts with this!" Lance declared, yanking his dagger with the intention of building enough momentum to swiftly sever Mailey's neck.
Time seemed to stretch…
In that moment, Dante glimpsed his former self in Lance — bullied, always defeated, perpetually subservient, never truly standing tall.
Then, in the blink of an eye…
Pischkk!
The grim sound of flesh tearing apart resonated.
A head was sent airborne, somersaulting on the ground before coming to a rest.
A figure stood smeared with blood.
Mailey wiped her face, removing the splatters. Observing the headless form at her feet, a sinister smile danced across her lips. Regaining her composure, she deftly employed a newfound technique of her Skill. Discovered only after her last dungeon run, it was still far from perfected, but Mailey managed to execute it.
Her Skill granted control over objects or people, allowing her to lift, propel, or exert pressure on them, much like manipulating gravity. This recent development, however, enabled her to manipulate specific parts of the human body. She had wielded it on Lance, compelling his hand, clutching the dagger, to sever his own head.
"Excellent work, Mailey!" Dex, Gijah, and Sam were initially taken aback, but their surprised quickly transformed into horror.
In an instant, Dante appeared behind Mailey. His hands moved with swift precision, and with a brutal twist, Mailey's head snapped to the side!
"Mailey!"