The mimic raised its head toward the ceiling and let out a scream.
A guttural, high-pitched, and disturbing sound, like a broken siren, echoed through the dungeon walls.
You've got to be kidding me.
I had to lower my gaze to the rune to make sure it wasn't active. They said the second worst thing after being alone was having terrible teammates. Now I was starting to understand.
"Shit! It called for reinforcements!" shouted Alfred, gripping his sword with both hands.
There was no time to argue: from the two side tunnels, undead began to emerge, hungry for our vitality.
"Undead! At least forty of them!"
They came in waves: skeletons in rotting armor, ghouls with open jaws and blind eyes, zombies in advanced stages of decomposition, escorted by a larger and faster creature, a ghast.
"I'll handle those monsters with the idiots, you take care of the mimic!" I shouted, leaping toward the nearest column to gain ground.
Alfred and Erik had already launched their assault on the mimic, which tried to strike with its long limbs, as hard as steel, while I prepared to hold off the horde.
Three ghouls broke off from the main group and came for me, black claws coated in poison, ready to tear through my flesh.
I took a deep breath.
With Quick Step, I dashed forward, the world around me blurring for a second. I twisted my body, dodging the first strike with a fluid motion, then brought down my halberd on its side, slicing it open from shoulder to hip. I didn't wait to see the result, I stepped back and spun, striking the second one in the legs.
It fell hard, screaming like a beast.
The third was already on me, teeth ready to bite.
I activated Razor Claws, piercing its chest, then drove the halberd's tip up through its skull. It collapsed, drooling dark blood.
Honestly, I'd love to see if Poison Resistance works against ghoul venom. Unfortunately, this isn't the time to run tests on my life.
Without rest, a wave of skeletons surrounded me. They were slower but armed, and showed some martial coordination, as if they retained fragments of their past lives.
I raised my weapon and spun, smashing away a shield and opening a gap in their formation. Another swung down at me, but I ducked and thrust the halberd's tip into its pelvis. With a yank, I shattered its bones and threw it to the ground.
I kept breathing rhythmically, eyes scanning around. An arrow whizzed past my ear, fired by a skeletal archer at the back of the room.
I spotted him quickly and knew I had to take him out first.
Using Quick Step again, I weaved through rubble and enemies, dodging arrows and slashes. The archer was nocking another arrow, too late. With a muted yell, I drove my weapon into his chest, pushing until the halberd sank into the wall behind him.
Then I heard a crash behind me. I turned and saw the ghast lunge at one of our men, grabbing his leg and trying to drag him. A teammate rushed to help, slicing off the monster's arm, but it wasn't enough.
I headed toward them.
The ghast turned just as I jumped, my weapon's tip pointed forward.
Its mouth opened in a voiceless snarl, but my spike pierced its right eye. It screamed, dropping the man, who collapsed to the ground gasping.
I pulled out my weapon and twisted it, slicing off part of the ghast's face. It collapsed, dead.
With most of the monsters dealt with, I turned toward the center of the room.
Alfred and Erik were fighting, both injured. Around them, black blood stains and shredded tongues marked the brutality of the battle.
The mimic really was an annoying monster to fight — strength, defense, and agility all superior.
I activated Shadow Veil, blending into the surrounding darkness, and approached the monster from behind.
I knew I couldn't do much with my current strength, but I could at least create an opportunity.
I struck with full force behind the monster's knee. It felt like hitting steel, and my whole body shook, but it worked.
Erik and Alfred attacked simultaneously, dealing heavy damage to the creature, which now had its attention on me.
I rolled away just in time, avoiding a punch that cracked part of the dungeon wall.
In that moment of distraction, Erik struck from the left, forcing it to turn, and Alfred from the right. But the mimic wasn't slow, it twisted rapidly and slapped Erik, throwing him against a column.
Alfred, however, managed to slice off one of its legs, knocking it off balance.
I seized the moment.
I leapt and swung the halberd at the creature's chest-shaped head, its weak spot.
The monster's scream filled the hall. It thrashed, trying to grab me, but I wasn't alone.
With one final push, Erik and Alfred drove their weapons through it from both sides.
The monster's body stiffened… and then collapsed.
For a few seconds, no one spoke. Only the sound of our heavy breathing remained.
"Honestly, you guys suck," I said, catching my breath.
The two stared at me silently, then raised their middle fingers in perfect sync. Talk about coordination.
"A thank you would be nice, you know? You're the Grade 2s, not me."
"With the way you fight, you don't look like a normal Grade 1," Alfred said, drinking a potion.
"Well, I also don't look like a normal sixteen, but that doesn't mean I want to be discriminated against."
I saw them open and close their mouths for a moment, then look at each other, nod, and finally decide to ignore me and tend to their wounds.
Getting no reaction was a shame, so I turned to the others.
I walked toward one of them, who was bandaging a wound, a smile on my face.
"Everything okay here?"
"Oh! A-Ah yes, you saved me earlier."
"Glad to hear it. But what's this here?"
"Wher—Ghuah!"
"Looks like it was my punch."
I withdrew my fist from his stomach, watching coldly as he writhed in pain.
The scene drew everyone's attention, and many began criticizing me. Naturally, I ignored them and focused on the two who actually mattered.
"I came here with you for profit and because I believed in your seriousness. So why do I feel surrounded by incompetents?" I said with a firm tone. "I'm not planning to throw away my life for a bunch of fools."
The truth was, I never really feared for my life — all my "risky" actions were just ways to raise their opinion of me.
Of course, that didn't change the fact that I was still pissed at the guy who opened a dungeon chest without checking it first.
"You're right."
Erik approached, staring at his men with disapproval.
"Alfred and I chose you thinking you were the best in our faction. But the moment danger showed up, you all panicked. We're only on the first floor. Moving forward, it'll be hard to protect you. We need support, not dead weight. And if you can't handle it, the exit is that way."
At his words, everyone looked down without a word. Then Erik focused on the man I'd hit, looking even angrier.
"Try another stunt like that, and you'll be in the front line next time. Be grateful that a punch to the gut is all you got."
The man nodded, slowly getting to his feet.
That's when I had an idea. I positioned myself in front of Erik, with my back to the man.
"You're too soft. If it were me, I wouldn't have let it go so easily."
I made sure my voice was loud and mocking.
"What do you mean?" Erik asked, frowning.
I winked before replying.
"If it were up to me, I'd label him Bait Number Two."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the man go pale, remembering the earlier bait scene.
Erik, though, seemed confused, giving me a strange look.
Gods, how slow can you be.
I signaled with my eyes toward the pale man, only then did Erik get it.
"You're sick!" he said loudly, drawing everyone's attention. "I admit he made a mistake, but I'll never treat my men as sacrificial tools." Then he pointed a finger at my chest. "So don't tell me how to lead."
I pretended to be intimidated and stepped aside. As expected, the way the others looked at Erik had shifted, especially the man I'd hit.
"Let's go, we've still got a lot to explore."
With those words, we began to move again, and Erik gave me a deep, confused look before turning away.
"What are you planning?" Alfred asked quietly, walking beside me.
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," I replied, feigning confusion.
"You know what I mean. You're not the type to help others without some kind of return."
"I struggle to understand this distrust you have in me. I've never done anything to put you in danger, and yet, you keep looking for it."
"So you're telling me you did it out of kindness?" Alfred said sarcastically.
"Not at all, I'm no saint. I'm betting everything on our relationship. If your faction gets stronger, I already benefit. See? That's what I call a perfect deal, we both gain, and lose nothing."
Alfred said nothing and stared into my eyes for a moment before walking on.
It might not have been much, but there was something different in his eyes — and I barely held back a laugh