After dealing with the critters and upping the pace, the group of eight made their ways to the boss room.
Seemingly gaining momentum as Svens condition grew worse.
His face was pale, the veins near the arrow turning a dark green, creeping towards the face.
"Haa.. sorry everyone… If I didn't get in the way, this wouldn't have happened…" Svens breaths were ragged as he had to be carried on my back.
I hope he doesn't die before selling his soul. As long as he becomes a Djinn before he dies, my history will still be clean.
If he does, I'm sure Noona will decrease the level of trust placed in me, meaning I won't have a chance to climb the ladder.
"Don't be stupid, that could've happened to any one of us! You just got unlucky!" The fighter raised his gloved fist.
"Yeah!" The spearman chimed.
"If you two are so energetic why don't you carry him." I gave the two a not so enthusiastic glare.
My stamina isn't nearly enough to carry this guy for over half an hour…
That's right, over the progression of the mock dungeon, ever since he'd been shot, I was the one who was carrying him as the others had better ways to fight the little peanut flames.
They backed off with awkward smiles and ran ahead to the frontline again.
…
At this point the team had already suffered some setbacks, with them being down two members at all times and their sharpshooter taking to the front… It wasn't the best of days for them.
"God, where did that arrow even come from?" Chae Nayun let out a frustrated grumble.
"You can leave me behi—" Sven tried to speak but I glared at him.
"...don't even think about it."
Minori, the pack mule for dead weight, was annoyed. He had been carrying this murmuring piece of work ever since he got shot and he was not the most resilient person.
If the weight would stop being such a depressing individual maybe it would be more bearable, but right now, it still felt as though he had spent four hours in the gravity room.
"What should we do?" Demian asked as he leaned against his hammer, tired.
"Wait here for now. I think the Dungeon's boss is up ahead. Can you see it?" Chae Nayun looked far into the distance.
A giant golem made of rock and lava was standing still. If not for the constantly spreading lava and the steam rising from its maw intermittently, it would've seemed like a statue.
The surroundings near the boss was all stone and cracked dirt, the previous field had long burnt away.
That would be its aggro zone… if it weren't real.
Minori, who had insider knowledge, put Sven on the floor and stretched a little.
"Yeah. It has to be the boss."
It was a magma golem, a monster that was at least intermediate rank grade 5. Chae Nayun and her team would most likely not be able to defeat it.
"We won't be able to beat it with just us. Another team should be arriving here soon. Let's just join forces."
"...but what if no one chooses the same path as us?"
"That shouldn't be possible. At least three should come here by design."
Other cadets might have thought the choice was random, but Chae Nayun knew a pathway would close once three people entered.
Is knowing that, the power of nepotism?
Minori, who was only informed after his superior briefed him, was looking at the rich girl with a blank expression.
"Remember, we're graded on our individual performance, not who finishes first." Chae Nayun's voice was heated but controlled, like she was trying to get the situation under control.
Minori glanced over at Sven as he heard a soft murmur at the back of his mind.
"Wonderful. I think this will be a good child…" The voice was bewitching and serene, but I recognised it as the voice who laughed at me when I was 'drafted' into the Evil Society.
Lilith.
Just like before, it left an echo that reached my soul before fading away.
What a terrible voice, I can still feel its effects, slithering inside me, as if it didn't belong.
Anyways, looks like I've done my part. Now all there is to do is sabotage and get away with it.
…
[15:29:07]
Our team remained dead silent.
We quietly waited for another team outside the golems' sight.
We couldn't be too close or the golem would notice but we couldn't be too far as we'd miss the other team coming.
So it was unfortunate when…
"Kuaaaak!"
The silence was broken by a scream. Sven was having a seizure. All of us turned to look at Sven but I immediately activated [Starlight Seer].
I watched in silence as purple vines sprouted from Sven's squirming body. Flower buds sprouted but did not bloom as he suffered.
A woman's voice, ethereal and dark, echoed as Sven riggled and screamed.
What a sadistic way to give powers… Is that what'll happen to me if I become a Djinn?
I felt slightly perturbed before turning to the side and seeing the magma golem staring at us. Although it was encased in shadow, its lava still radiated mana.
It slammed its fist into the ground and let out a roar resembling an earthquake.
I snapped out of the vision.
"Move!" I yelled just in time as the golem let out a roar.
—Guoooo!
Lava erupted from its large body, painting the floor like a canvas.
The cadets spread out before it was too late but split apart. The Magma golem was only getting started.
From its face, a torrent of lava poured from its oral cavity. Vomiting up its insides that flowed into a steam of flames. Charging forwards despite the fire pouring from its every orifice.
Its first target was Chae Nayun who was slowed down by the deadweight known as Sven.
I let them be, running after one of the split up cadets.
This is my chance to earn some credits.
I ran to the edge of the lava that had stopped spreading. Watching the split up cadets for a good candidate.
As the other cadets ran ahead, the fighter from the world class was left behind.
"W-Wait, brother! Wait for m-"
Lee Jun, age 17, dreams of becoming a high ranking hero together with his brother and making his mother proud after her death, was grabbed by his hair and yanked into a pit of lava.
His skin burned, his flesh shriveled and his blood boiled as he was reduced to cinders, never to see his family again. He wasn't able to say goodbye to his brother and he didn't even get the chance to see his killer.
"..." Minori looked at the hand reaching out of the lava and gave it a good kick before slinking into the shadows, making his way towards the action to make his alibi.
His body moved quickly and steadily.