While Benny was busy deciding whether he should or shouldn't go, his former teammates were slowly being pushed back with injuries beginning to mount up. Unfortunately for them, they didn't know at this time that there was someone who had now heard their voices.
Benny had to choose now. Although he had no obligation to these people, there was something that felt wrong about leaving them there.
Meanwhile, the battle was starting to reach its climax as more and more monsters threatened to overwhelm them. But they couldn't move forward anymore. It seemed physical fatigue had started to show, and soon everything else would follow. The things they'd been hiding so they could get out of here—the mental fatigue and everything else, all at once.
"Fuck! Just a little more! Hold on!" shouted the once calm and collected leader, who had now lost his cool.
Thankfully, they'd managed to reach the central point of this floor. They were just about 200 feet away from the sanctuary that Benny had discovered here, but they didn't know that yet. As if encouraged by this fact, Benny took this chance to make his decision. It was time for him to help them.
Benny went down to attack the distracted monsters that were facing the people in front of them, as if he was about to pinch them from behind. But he knew full well this wouldn't last long even with his help. For now, they needed to get into the sanctuary. Hopefully, they could all get inside there. But he wasn't hopeful—there would be a few injuries or even deaths if this went wrong entirely.
From the looks of these people, it seemed they were very worn out and hanging by a thread, mostly just gritting their teeth and holding on, pushing beyond their limits.
While they were busy, a shout from behind could be heard. It was something full of vigor, unlike their own tired voices.
It was someone unknown. Was there someone else here other than them? But who could it be?
Then Benny shouted, "Everyone, make a breakthrough and follow me! Hold on! Let's get into the sanctuary for now! You will not make it if you continue at this pace!"
Startled by this new voice, the seemingly new information was not entirely processed, but it was hopeful. Unable to think straight, the leader of the group shouted with his remaining voice.
"Follow the voice! We must break through! Cover us! We are already too tired!" He also shouted to Benny.
But Benny didn't answer, though he seemed to acknowledge it nonetheless.
"Now come! We are less than 200 feet from the sanctuary! Find the highest pillars of earth located between here and there! Better if you could follow me!"
In this desperate situation, everyone did their best. They made a beeline forward, with tanks taking the front and thinning down their ranks into four lines. Meanwhile, Benny provided them support while they slowly retreated to his position.
After they'd slain the monsters in front of them, they finally managed to push through. Each was now bleeding all over with wounds covering their bodies, but they somehow refused to give up.
Just a little bit more. They inched closer and closer until they could finally see the small entrance space. They began to funnel through there while others covered their backs, switching from defense to counterattack. Benny did the same, since he had a bit more strength than these people.
He also had the most time spent watching the movements and attack patterns of these monsters, so he was able to counter and attack them where it would surely kill them. The monsters were heavily injured too. It spoke volumes about these people's strength even when they were this injured and tired.
Everyone managed to enter the sanctuary, a place of no killing intent. While some were still on guard, the rest flopped down to the ground.
Benny then explained, "This is a sanctuary that monsters know they can't show any aggressive killing intent in, or else they'd be killed by the sanctuary's defenses. So you can rest now and patch up your wounds."
Of course, those who were still on guard also dropped to the ground, heavily panting on the floor. Sweat, blood, and grime were written all over their faces as they watched the pitch-black ceiling. Thankfully, this part had dim light from the light crystals.
There were heavy heaves and pants. Meanwhile, Benny went around to those most injured and asked if they had anything that could help the bleeding. Some still had lesser potions that could heal wounds that weren't too severe, but those that were indeed too heavy, or injuries that could be called mortal wounds, would require more powerful potions.
He gathered those who still had potions and helped press the wounds of the injured, making makeshift bandages and tourniquets to stop the bleeding.
Those who had managed to recover began helping him.
It was funny that no one asked who he was, and they readily believed everything he said about this place. As if they'd already lost their minds and were no longer able to think straight. Thankfully, that was the case.
Then finally, someone managed to recognize Benny. One of the women in the team, her name was Meredith. "Aren't you Benny?"
Everyone else got alerted by this, and they all looked in his direction.
The sanctuary fell silent except for the sound of labored breathing and the distant drip of water somewhere in the shadows. Twenty pairs of eyes stared at him—some with recognition, others with confusion, and a few with something that might have been anger.
Benny froze, a makeshift bandage still in his hands as he'd been wrapping someone's arm. He'd known this moment would come, but he'd been too focused on keeping them alive to think about what he'd say when it did.
"Yeah," he said finally, his voice quieter than it had been when shouting commands. "It's me."
The silence stretched longer. He could see the wheels turning in their heads, the exhausted minds trying to process what his presence here meant. He was supposed to be dead. Or at the very least, he was supposed to have made it to the surface to bring help.
Instead, here he was, apparently healthy and well-equipped, emerging from the shadows of a labyrinth floor they'd been fighting to reach for days.
"How?" The leader's voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. "How are you here? How are you..." He gestured weakly at Benny's relatively clean appearance, his intact armor, his obvious strength.
Benny looked around at the faces staring at him. These people had trusted him to run, to escape, to bring salvation. Instead, he'd been living down here, growing stronger while they slowly died trying to reach the surface.
How the hell was he supposed to explain that?