Destruction and desolation, these were the only words that came to mind when faced with the apocalyptic scene that was unfolding in this place. Wreckage, collapsed buildings, along with the bones and remains of those who were once citizens of what was once a lively and busy city, were scattered everywhere. A scary scene worthy of a horror movie
Amid this chaotic scene of destruction, a group of people walked stoically, looking carefully for lurking dangers, ready to react to any threat. With the city completely covered in darkness, the only sources of light in place were the small fireballs that floated around the group, providing just enough light to illuminate the path in front of them
Despite such a pessimistic scenario, even with their alert demeanor, none of the people in the group seemed scared or sad. Quite the opposite, even though they were walking with composure and steadfastness, each of them showed clear signs of delight and excitement, with some of them even having big smiles plastered on their faces
Leading the group was a man, with a youthful and confident appearance. This young man had an extremely handsome face with sharp features and a solid jaw. He was thin and had snow-white skin, which was incredibly smooth, delicate and free from imperfections, the fruits of a good and luxurious life
His bright red eyes like a pair of rubies shone, giving him an air of dignity. His clean blonde hair was neatly trimmed, matching well with his sleek golden armor, with red carvings. The young man's look was awe-inspiring and he looked like a pure and brave hero, who was prepared to jump and face all the injustice in the world
However, his lustful gaze hidden behind a facade of friendliness, revealed that the similarities with such a figure were limited to his appearance
As for the target of such an impolite look, it was the two women who were at his side. The two women were very beautiful, from their appearance they shouldn't be in their early twenties. With just one look anyone could immediately tell that the two were sisters, twins at that. Both had peculiar hair, being predominantly black with several red strands mixed in. Their eyes were brown, their skin was white and seemed as soft as silk. Both sisters wore the same long red robes, which were barely able to hide their voluptuous curves and full breasts
Although the two being identical twins, one would still be able to easily distinguish the sisters, as they exuded different auras, each possessing their unique charm. The young sister had a cute and friendly look, having a slight charming smile on her face, making anyone feel comfortable around her. As for the older one, she had a seductive and distant air, with a serious and slightly snobbish face, as if no one was worthy of being in her presence
"Tsk, seeing him casually flirting like that, it almost feels like we're at a fucking picnic, instead of the labyrinth. Arghh, I really hate that we have to accompany this snotty brat," a middle-aged man wearing leather armor complained in a low voice
"The feeling is mutual. Still, the riches we will receive compensate for all the inconveniences. If it weren't for his family's power, I would have long ago gotten rid of the brat and taken the two girls," commented a man holding a shield with a perverted expression, who was walking beside him
"Shut up! Don't you want to keep your heads attached to your necks anymore?", a third intervened with a furious shout, attracting the attention of the entire group
The owner of the voice was a middle-aged man with a giant frame, having broad shoulders and extremely muscular. The man was bald and had several symbols tattooed on the side of his head and on his hands. Heavy gray armor covered his body and a gigantic mass was strapped to his side. Unlike the young blonde's armor, his armor was quite worn and scratched, even having stains of dried blood, especially on the arm protections
Faced with the furious gaze and all the attention received, the two men's fearless behavior disappeared and taking a complete turn they quickly apologized
"B-Boss. No, it was not our intention. We wouldn't dare do so"
"Y-Yeah, we were just joking... Hahaha"
"Keep your comments and jokes to yourselves! If you both think that I will turn a blind eye to your misbehavior just because you are under my wings. Facing the fury of not just one but two noble families, you guys are going nuts!"
The giant man stopped for a second and as the symbols emitted a red light, placing his hand on the handle of his mass, he continued with a cold voice
"Listen carefully, if you or anyone in the group ever causes any trouble whatsoever for this expedition or for our client. Especially for our client. I guarantee you that your head will be crushed into a bloody pulp before you can even think of the word boss. That's not an empty threat, no, it's a promise!"
"!!!"
"!!!"
Faced with the giant's direct threat and his murderous gaze, the two men turned pale and waved quickly, before lowering their heads, no longer daring to complain
"Humpf!"
The man snorted, before looking at the rest of his group with a stern look, ensuring that everyone understood his message. He then turned his gaze to the path in front of him, while a slight smile formed at the corners of his mouth, as he thought about how lucky his group was
This giant man with a dangerous aura was Marco Peterson, a veteran mercenary, nicknamed the Blood Ogre, due to his combat style. He was the leader of the Dark Wolves, a well-known mercenary group. As for the young man leading the way, he was a nobleman, Jake Maxwell von Thornten, the youngest son of the influential Thornten family
Accompanying him were the daughters of the Maskervil family. A noble family with the same, if not more influence than Jake's family. The youngest sister was called Charlotte Marie von Maskervil, while the oldest was Claire Florentine von Maskervil. Thanks to their immense beauty and talent, the two sisters were known in high society as the Twin Flowers of Maskevilly
Normally, due to the difference in status, the paths of these young nobles and the mercenaries should not cross, but that changed when Jake visited the Black Wolves headquarters requesting their escort services. One needs to understand that one of the most important things in the mercenary world was to have a good network. With the right connections, not only could one get the best missions, but also better rewards
This is something well known to those in the industry, especially for a medium-sized group like the Dark Wolves. So, faced with the possibility of forming a connection with not just one but two noble families, Marco didn't think twice before quickly taking the job without even knowing its contents
And to his surprise, Jake's destination was actually one of the legendary labyrinths
The labyrinths were nothing more than ruins with remains of past civilizations that for unknown reasons ended up being eradicated, even being called forbidden zones due to their numerous dangers. However, as they say, the greater the danger, the greater the reward. Therefore, the labyrinths were also known for possessing absurd amounts of treasures
This was the main reason why, despite exploring such a dark and devastated place, the excitement never left the faces of those present and everyone for one reason or another had smiles on their faces
After all, faced with such tempting rewards, anyone would be excited. Well, almost everyone... since at the very back of the group was a man who did not share the same excitement as the them
This man had an extremely ugly face, with a distinct scar marking his face, a long one vertically dividing the upper part of his face in two causing grotesque deformations. Despite his deformed face, it was possible to see that the man was not very old, being quite young
He possessed a muscular and toned body with a caramel brown skin quite common among the southern people. His skin was rough, dry and full of scars, fruits of a harrowing and pain-filled life. He had black, dull eyes, devoid of emotions, similar to those of a dead fish. His dirty unwashed black hair was long enough to reach his back
The only item of clothing present on his body were tattered, worn and dirty beige pants, which contrasted sharply with the iron collar attached to his neck and the shackles attached to his wrists and ankles. Hanging on his back was a huge bag, almost twice the size of the young man himself
The deformed young man followed the group with an indifferent face and in complete silence. With the only sound made by him being the sound of the thick iron shackles attached to his body being dragged across the floor
Shink! Shink! Shink! Shink! Shink! Shink!
This deformed, dirty and mistreated man was Samir, a slave