<Turn into the right alley. Slow down.>

 

‘Again?’

 

<Yes. Again.>

 

It was strange.

 

I was encountering Argos more and more frequently.

 

Even though I was walking along a route that avoided Argos as much as possible.

 

This wasn’t normal.

 

It felt like the Argos were moving after figuring out my location.

 

I wanted to think it was just my imagination, but I know from living in this damn world that it’s more likely that the situation is going in the worse direction rather than a coincidence.

 

In times like these, it’s much better to assume the worst rather than the best.

 

Even if this is just my own exaggeration.

 

I hastily planned a new route in my head.

 

I had originally planned to just go around Section A of this lab and avoid the Argos.

 

In terms of safely killing time, this was the best strategy.

 

I could guarantee my safety by simply moving according to the timing without having to fight or anything, so what better strategy could there be?

 

However, I can’t stick to the same strategy with all the variables that have occurred.

 

It’s time to change my strategy.

 

‘I’ll move a little faster.’

 

“You idiots, I’ll speed up, so follow me.”

 

I had a plan in mind.

 

There is a safe zone in the dungeons of Soul Academy.

 

It’s a place commonly referred to as a safe zone.

 

It’s a place where monsters don’t spawn, and it restores your health and mana when you go there.

 

Of course, this world is not a game, but reality, so things like save loading are impossible.

 

There’s also no function to fully restore health or mana.

 

However, there’s one thing.

 

Monsters don’t spawn there, and they won’t come near you unless you attack them.

 

This is what I heard from Possell the last time I cleared Evans’ dungeon, so it’s clear.

 

If we can get there, we won’t have to worry about the threat of monsters anymore.

 

Even though I knew this, the reason I didn’t head to the safe zone was because I had to face enemies to get there.

 

There is a monster blocking the way to the safe zone.

 

At the time, I thought it was a gimmick to prevent people from breaking through dungeons without fighting, but when it became reality, it was a pretty shitty part.

 

What kind of monster is it that will block the path?

 

It’s completely random.

 

Of course, it’s not a boss or a named monster that appears.

 

It’s just a random monster from ‘Where the Alchemist Stayed.’

 

Nothing is set in stone.

 

Some of those monsters are really dangerous if you encounter them, so I postponed my plan to go to the safe zone.

 

However, since I was sure that something was going wrong, it was time to change from Plan A to Plan B.

 

Let’s just check what kind of monster is acting as the gatekeeper.

 

If we judge that it’s possible, we can just kill it, and if not, we can just find another way.

 

It wasn’t that hard to get to where the gatekeeper was waiting.

 

We had been avoiding battles while going around the same place before.

 

It wasn’t that hard to move forward without encountering enemies.

 

When I arrived on the path in front of the safety zone, I could see the monster that was keeping guard.

 

One of the best-known monsters, and the most annoying part is it’s a witch.

 

If it was the game, he would have sighed.

 

All the advantages that the witch has are under the premise that she can destroy the party members in the rear.

 

In other words, that guy who can’t attack the rear is just trash with lower specs than the many monsters here.

 

But I have a provocation skill that has such a fraudulent performance that it can be used on Karl, a knight who is much higher level than me.

 

“You idiots, from now on, we’re going to take that guy down.”

 

“… That one?”

 

Joy asked hesitantly at my words, and Jacob didn’t open his mouth, but he looked terrified.

 

Even so, I didn’t change my mind.

 

The situation unfolded as close to the best I could have imagined.

 

If we could just get over that obstacle, we’d be safe, so why would we back down?

 

“What? Are you scared? You’re cowards.”

 

“But.”

 

“Don’t worry, you idiots won’t be in any danger. Just support me from behind like a coward.”

 

The two eventually nodded.

 

They acknowledged my command authority that had led this party up to this point.

 

After all, trust is built through performance.

 

After giving the two a rough idea of the battle direction, I put more strength into the arm holding my shield and headed out of the alley.

 

The witch and I met eyes, and the witch’s large eyes curved like crescent moons.

 

<Girl, she is strong.>

 

‘I know.’

 

Although I said trash before, this was only based on this dungeon.

 

Compared to my current status, their specs would be much higher.

 

<It could be dangerous.>

 

‘I know, right?’

 

Maybe it would have been right to just avoid the monsters like I always did.

 

I might have thought it was a variable and stepped directly into danger.

 

However, there was no turning back now.

 

The enemy was right in front of me.

 

<Aren’t you scared?>

 

‘It’s okay.’

 

My skill suppressed the fear that was forming in my mind.

 

My skill blocked the weak thought of wanting to run away.

 

That’s why I can be courageous.

 

<If you don’t regret it, I’ll do my best to help you.>

 

The witch looks at me with playful eyes, then giggles while moving her long arms.

 

Maybe she thinks I’m a weak toy.

 

It really annoys me that a guy who could only do set actions in the game has a personality.

 

I take a deep breath.

 

I haven’t decided what I’ll say.

 

It’s not like the Mesugaki skill can decide on something and talk about it, right?

 

“You’re a funny guy, huh? Your arms are disgusting, your legs are like a doll, and your face is disgusting. I don’t know who made you, but they clearly hate you. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have made you like this, right?”

 

The witch’s eyes change from a crescent moon to a full moon and then back to a straight line after hearing the provocation.

 

The arms and legs that had been moving playfully freeze, and I see mana fluctuating around the monster.

 

<Girl.>

 

As soon as I lift my feet off the ground, a magic circle is drawn in front of the witch.

 

<Shadow Hand! This is…>

 

‘Enough explaining!’

 

I don’t know about Shadow Hand magic, but I think I know what kind of magic it is.

 

I memorized all the patterns the witch uses.

 

It’s probably a spell where countless arms shoot out from behind the witch and try to capture me.

 

I pause for a moment and look behind the witch’s back.

 

I see countless arms dyed black rising up.

 

As expected,

 

The method of destroying that technique is simple.

 

I count to one second in my head and roll forward.

 

I hear the sound of the stone floor shattering where I was just a moment ago.

 

Then, as soon as I get up, I jump to the side again.

 

The hands that were trying to capture me flailed in the air.

 

Finally, I get my bearings and run forward, and the hands that are entangled with each other can no longer chase me.

 

<The next one is coming!>

 

The witch, who realized that her magic had failed, immediately cast the next magic, but at that moment, a fireball hit the witch’s face.

 

Whoosh!

 

The power wasn’t that strong, but that didn’t matter at all.

 

At this moment, the important thing was that she had blocked the witch’s casting.

 

That was all.

 

Nice.

 

Joy!

 

I run.

 

I don’t care about anything else and run forward.

 

I ran yesterday.

 

The day before.

 

A week ago.

 

I’ve been doing it tirelessly for the past few months.

 

So, it was easy for me to speed up and run.

 

The moment the smoke that had been blocking the witch’s vision disappeared, I was already in front of the witch.

 

As the mace rose, the witch urgently cast a new magic.

 

I didn’t need to listen to Grandpa.

 

There was only one magic to cast if she was about to be attacked at close range.

 

The magic of attack reflection.

 

If you attack without thinking, you’ll be countered by the attack you’ve just struck.

 

However, if you anticipate this in advance, it’s not that difficult to counter.

 

This magic has a strong effect, but it doesn’t last long.

 

I froze with my mace raised.

 

The witch’s eyes filled with bewilderment met mine.

 

“You worthless piece of trash! Get lost!”

 

As soon as the magic ended, I struck the witch’s head with my mace.

 

Then, the shocked witch stumbled backwards.

 

I couldn’t finish it off in one blow, but I could feel the damage.

 

I can knock it down.

 

I can!

 

<Don’t give her a chance. Keep going.>

 

‘Do you think I don’t know that?!’

 

I ran forward again.

 

To catch the monster that was preparing its magic with a bewildered face.

 

The deepest part of the dungeon.

 

The alchemist, who had been drawing a red sunset in the dark room with only the blood spilled by the creature, raised his head while piecing together the limbs of an unidentified creature like a child’s toy.

 

“I can sense the aura of the cursed Armadi.”

 

Armadi.

 

The one who oppresses the world in the name of order.

 

Why can I sense his aura in my laboratory?

 

The alchemist pulled out a staff made of bones and flesh from the air and struck the ground with it.

 

Then, the alchemist’s power spread throughout the entire laboratory where he was staying, and soon the alchemist found the source of the energy.

 

An intruder has come in.

 

A creature blessed by Armadi has entered the laboratory.

 

The alchemist, who was examining the intruder with his magic spectacle, licked his lips with his rotten tongue.

 

What a good test subject.

 

Although she is small, it seems fun to play with her because of the various blessings engraved on it.

 

Above all, there is no music as beautiful as the scream coming from the mouth of Armadi’s apostle.

 

The alchemist threw down the toy in his hand and moved his heavy body.

 

To bring back the prey that did not even know it was caught in a trap.