Night fell after my return from the Devilish Forest. I practiced footwork, swung my sword faster than ever, and finally collapsed into bed at the inn. My companions slept soundly, leaving me no choice but to rest as well.
Morning came. The Hero Party gathered.
Alovent sneered. "What have you done to gain so much EXP? Did you cheat? Something illegal?"
I shook my head. "No. I was lucky. I killed the Devilish Mother and gained enough to challenge another dungeon."
Bange and Sanot exchanged glances. They knew the "unknown monster" whispered in taverns was indeed the Devilish Mother. Sanot drifted into thought, ignoring me.
"Sanot, wake up," I said.
He blinked. "I was thinking. The two-in-one dungeon has split into two paths. We must choose carefully. But let's proceed as before."
We entered the dungeon. My companions chose the riddle path. I was sent alone into the fight path.
The walls echoed with a chilling voice:
Welcome to the Maze Dungeon. Cross it to face the boss. Take a wrong turn, and high devils will attack. Good luck.
I cursed. "What the hell is this? Where are my companions? No exit… I must solve this maze."
I fought through endless corridors:
- Left, left, left—encountered a high demon. Defeated.
- Right, left, right—another high devil. Slain with Holy Slash.
- Left, straight, straight—yet another devil. I used Holy Shield and Holy Slash to kill it.
Half the maze was cleared. But hunger gnawed at me. My companions had enchanted bags and magic storage for food. I had nothing. My vision blurred.
Luck stirred. Last Minute Luck activated. I stumbled upon an adventurer's corpse, a roasted rabbit still warm. I devoured it, regaining strength.
With fifty seconds of luck left, I solved the maze and reached the boss door.
Meanwhile, my companions breezed through their riddle path. Sanot smirked. "I feel bad for Hero. The riddle dungeon can only be taken alone. It must be hard for him."
Clever laughed. "We're free from the Hero's burden. Let's enjoy our rest."
Alovent agreed. "Yes, let's."
Bange silenced them. "Enough. We're at the boss door."
I entered my boss chamber. The Devilish Mother awaited. I knew her skills. She unleashed a devastating AOE strike. My body faltered—death loomed.
Luck twisted fate. My Holy Shield turned invisible, absorbing the blow. I countered with multiple Holy Slashes, striking continuously. In one minute, the Devilish Mother fell.
At the same time, my companions defeated their own boss. Emerging from their dungeon, they froze.
I stood alive, sword gleaming, having slain the Devilish Mother alone.
Perks await, but betrayal lingers. The Hero Party is shaken—Dransart's survival defies their schemes. What will they do next?
Would you like me to write the next chapter as the companions' betrayal attempt, where they finally act on their plan to kill Dransart, only for his catastrophic luck to twist fate again?