(Arin's POV)
The iron gate of Sector 9 towered before us, standing cold and rusted like the mouth of an old dragon reluctant to be woken from its long slumber. No sunlight could penetrate the depths behind it; there was only pitch darkness smelling of wet earth, sharp minerals, and the remnants of death that had settled for decades.
This was The Hollow Deep. A former crystal mine forced shut due to a ventilation "accident" thirty years ago, and now this place served as the stage for our exam.
"Team Seven: Arin, Erika... and Tom Garius. Please enter."
The exam proctor's voice sounded flat, echoing in the rocky entrance tunnel. He noted our names on the clipboard without looking at our faces in the slightest, as if we were merely statistical numbers that might not return.
I glanced to the side.
Tom Garius stood there, squeezing the strap of his leather bag with fingers turning white from pressure. His face was slightly pale, cold sweat running down his temples even though the air around the gate was bone-chillingly cold. To the eyes of the proctor and other students, he looked like a weak noble student unlucky enough to be on the same team as "Arin the Cripple," the target of the Benzzi Faction operation.
However, when our eyes met briefly, Tom gave a micro-nod that was barely visible. A secret code agreed upon beforehand.
According to plan.
Vesper had arranged this drawing very neatly. Tom was assigned as the shepherd who would lead the stupid sheep (Erika and me) to the slaughterhouse. Vesper thought Tom was his puppet obeying out of fear. He did not know that I had cut the puppet strings and replaced them with my own since our meeting at the restaurant that night.
"Let's go," I invited flatly, adjusting the Adamantium sword on my back for comfort. "Time is ticking. We do not want to fall behind the others."
"Y-yes, right. Let's finish this," answered Tom, his voice trembling slightly.
Good acting, or maybe he was indeed nervous realizing he was playing with fire between two camps wanting to kill each other.
We stepped through the dark threshold.
Instantly, the world changed drastically.
The sunlight behind us slowly disappeared, swallowed by the gloomy rock shadows. The temperature dropped drastically, piercing the skin with sticky and uncomfortable humidity. The air inside here felt heavy, as if every oxygen molecule had to be fought for to be inhaled into the lungs.
The cave walls were not completely pitch black. Bioluminescent moss clung to the walls and ceiling of the cave like thousands of small watching eyes, emitting gloomy blue and green light. Raw crystals not yet mined protruded from the rocks, glittering dimly, creating dancing shadows every time we moved.
This tunnel was narrow and winding, twisting like a giant intestine made of cold stone.
"According to the map that... I 'stole' from the instructor's room..." whispered Tom softly after ensuring we were far enough from the gate not to be heard by the proctor. He took out a crumpled map scroll and a magic compass. "Vesper told me to take you to the left path. He said it was a rich point collection zone, but actually, it is a dead end leading to an old dynamite storage warehouse."
"Storage warehouse?" I asked while scanning the surroundings, my serum-enhanced eyes catching small details missed by ordinary eyes.
"Yes," Tom nodded, swallowing hard. "The rock structure is unstable. The plan is... I will take you there, then make an excuse to check for another exit. Once I give the all-clear signal, Vesper will detonate the cave entrance from a distance and trap you inside forever."
"How classic," commented Erika cynically beside me. She gripped her new magic staff tightly, the tip glowing to light our way. "Burying us alive then blaming it on natural collapse. Very Vesper."
"Good," I answered calmly. "We follow his wish. Lead the way, Tom."
"Are you sure, Arin?" asked Erika anxiously, though her steps kept following behind me. "We walk voluntarily into a trap? What if he detonates it the moment we enter?"
"We cannot catch Vesper red-handed if we do not enter the Crime Scene, Erika. We need undeniable proof that this was not an accident, but an attempted murder. And for that... we have to be tempting bait."
I patted my pants pocket gently, ensuring the small red capsules were still there safely.
"Besides, I already gave you 'provisions' this morning, didn't I?"
Tom felt his chest pocket reflexively.
(Morning before the exam, in the quiet dormitory hallway)
"Take this," I handed two hard sugar-coated red capsules to Tom. "And this is for you, Erika."
"What is this? Candy?" asked Tom confusedly, turning the pellet in his fingers.
"Life insurance," I answered seriously. "Keep it in the easiest place for you to reach. If later... and I am sure this will happen... Plan B really happens and the air around you changes color to yellow or green, put this in your mouth and bite as hard as you can."
"Bite? What is inside? Antidote potion?"
"Better than that. It is artificial breath in solid form. Do not ask about the chemical details now, just trust me. Do not eat it unless it is an emergency, or your lungs will be shocked."
(Return to Present)
We moved deeper along the left tunnel. The path descended sharply, taking us further into the dark belly of the earth.
The deeper we stepped, my sharp senses began to catch disturbing anomalies.
Silence. Too silent. No sound of dripping water, no sound of wind rustling, even cave insect sounds were not heard at all.
And worse was the air here did not move.
Normally, inside a mine cave this big, there was always a draft or natural airflow due to pressure differences between the surface and depth. But here? The air was dead. Stagnant. Heavy.
I stopped for a moment, raising a hand to feel the airflow. Zero.
"Vesper moves fast," I muttered. "He closed the main ventilation even before we reached the ambush point. He wants to ensure air circulation in this sector is totally dead."
I turned to Erika and Tom. "Save your breath. Do not talk if not necessary. And Erika, use scanning magic."
Erika nodded in understanding. The tip of her staff glowed forming a mana wave.
RUSTLE.
The sound was subtle, but heard clearly in my ears. The sound of hairy legs rubbing against rough stone above us.
"Above!" hissed Erika warningly.
Tom looked up in shock and shrieked, "Look out!"
From the stalactites on the dark cave ceiling, six black shadows fell gliding toward us quickly.
Crystal Spiders. Tier 1 Monsters.
Their bodies were the size of large dogs, coated with clear crystal carapaces hard as armor. Their eyes were many and glowed bright red in the darkness.
"Back off, Tom!" I ordered firmly.
Tom retreated in panic, drawing his short sword with violently trembling hands. His face was pale. He was not a fighter, but a noble used to pens and politics, not monsters dripping poison.
One of the spiders landed right in front of Tom, hissing and showing off its sharp fangs.
"Eek!" Tom closed his eyes, swinging his sword blindly in panic.
Whoosh.
Without needing to activate Piston Heart, I glided forward. My leg muscles, forged by Brook's hellish training, exploded with enough speed to cut the distance in the blink of an eye.
SLAASH!
One strong horizontal slash with the Adamantium sword.
My sword split the spider's crystal carapace like splitting thin glass. Green fluid spurted onto the wall. The spider threatening Tom was cut in two even before it had a chance to jump.
Behind me, Erika was already in a ready combat position.
"Mana Bullet!"
Thud-thud-thud!
Three blue energy bullets launched accurately from her staff.
SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!
Three spiders trying to ambush from the left side had their heads destroyed instantly. Erika was becoming more expert at aiming for vital points. She no longer hesitated to pull her magic trigger.
The two remaining spiders tried to run back to the wall to hide.
"Not that easy," I muttered softly.
I drew a scalpel from my belt and threw it with precision.
THUD.
The knife stuck right in the fifth spider's eye, pinning it to the cave wall. The last spider was struck by Erika with Wind Cutter magic, cutting its legs until it fell helplessly to the ground.
Silence fell again.
The fight was over in ten seconds.
I walked casually to retrieve my knife, then cleaned it on the dead spider's clothes. My breathing rhythm didn't even change, remaining calm and regular.
Tom lowered his sword slowly. He stared at the carcasses around him with wide eyes, then looked at me and Erika standing casually as if we had just swatted annoying flies.
There was deep shame radiating from his face.
"You... you guys are truly monsters," muttered Tom, his voice containing a mixture of admiration and bitter inferiority. "I... I didn't even have time to react. I feel useless here."
He looked at his spotless clean sword, then looked at my sword stained with green blood. The level difference was so real. He was a noble, but in this place, he was the weakest.
"Your job is not to fight, Tom. Your job is to guide us to the 'trap'," I said while sheathing the knife. "And collect points. Take the core crystals. That is proof of your passing later if we survive."
Tom nodded stiffly. He knelt, starting to pick up purple crystals from the monster carcasses with hands still slightly trembling. "Right. At least I can be a good porter."
We continued the journey inside. Tom grew quieter. His feeling of inferiority made him more determined to see this plan succeed, not Vesper's plan, but Arin's plan. He wanted to see the people who underestimated them destroyed.
A few minutes later, we heard footsteps from the front.
Another team appeared from the tunnel bend. Three Class C students in full armor. They saw us. At first, their leader, a large student with an axe, grinned menacingly, ready to intimidate or steal our points.
But then, the moss light shone on my face.
The student's eyes widened. His grin vanished instantly, replaced by an expression of pure horror.
"That... that is Arin!" he whispered frantically to his friends. "The Madman who destroyed Gordon's hand!"
"Damn! Do not look for trouble with him! He is a monster!"
"Turn back! Quick!"
Without hesitation, the opposing team turned and ran helter-skelter away, their boots noisy on the stone floor. They preferred facing wild monsters to dealing with me.
Erika giggled softly, covering her mouth with her hand. "We became popular in the wrong way, huh? You are scarier than a cave ghost."
"Good," I said coldly, staring at their retreating backs. "The road becomes quiet. No innocent victims of conspiracy."
And too quiet meant perfect for a crime.
Tom looked at me, a nervous smile fixed on his face. "See? They are afraid of you. We are safe from interference."
He checked his magic compass again. The needle spun wildly for a moment before pointing straight ahead.
"About fifty meters more," whispered Tom. "There is a large cave at the end of this tunnel. That... is the place. The Killing Box."
Tom's face tensed. He knew what awaited there. A gas trap designed to kill slowly.
"Remember the scenario, Tom," I whispered as we approached the mouth of the large cave.
"Yes," Tom nodded, swallowing. "I take you inside. Then I will pretend to check the back passage to find a connecting path or additional point sources. When I exit the cave and signal via the badge... Vesper will detonate this entrance."
"And you will be 'forced' to run and then go to the point where Elena and Rose are. You bring them to catch Vesper's attempted murder," I continued.
"Right. Plan A."
We stepped into the large cave.
The room was spacious, the ceiling high but closed tight without gaps of light. The walls were rough and damp. No other exit besides the tunnel we entered. This was a giant air pocket ready to be turned into a deadly gas chamber.
We stood in the middle of the silent cave. The sound of our footsteps echoed, bouncing off the cold stone walls.
"Well!" Tom shouted a little loudly, acting for Vesper's 'ears' that might be watching via surveillance magic or hidden familiars. "Looks like this is the mother lode! But why is it empty?"
Tom spun around, looking around with exaggerated style.
"Arin, Erika, you guard here for a moment. I will check the small crevice near the entrance earlier, maybe there are hidden crystal points there!"
"Okay, be careful," I answered, playing my role perfectly.
Tom turned. He walked quickly toward the cave entrance, where we came from. His back was tense. He wanted to get out of this danger zone immediately before Vesper triggered his trap.
Tom stepped closer to the cave doorway. Five meters more. Three meters more.
He was almost there.
However...
Just as Tom was about to step onto the safe area of the outer tunnel...
BOOM!
A loud explosion shook our world.
Not a small explosion. It was a massive explosion originating from the ceiling of the entrance tunnel, right above Tom's head.
"TOM! BACK!" I shouted.
Too late.
Large rocks from the ceiling collapsed falling with terrifying speed. Tom was thrown backward by the explosion shockwave. He fell rolling on the dusty ground, rolling back into the cave along with the debris.
CRASHHH!
The rumbling sound of the collapse echoed deafeningly for seconds that felt like forever. Thick dust billowed, blocking vision, making us cough.
Then... silence.
Light from the outer tunnel was completely gone. Rock debris had closed the only exit perfectly. We were trapped in pitch darkness.
I immediately turned on the magic stone on my belt. White light illuminated the cave which now felt far narrower and more gripping.
Tom sat on the ground, his face covered in gray dust. His eyes bulged wide, staring at the pile of rocks now blocking the exit with a blank gaze full of horror.
"No..." whispered Tom, his voice trembling violently. "No... this is wrong... this is not according to plan..."
He crawled backward, away from the ruins as if the rocks were living monsters about to eat him.
"I am still inside..." raved Tom, his voice rising to hysteria. He looked at me with eyes starting to wet with tears of panic. "I AM STILL INSIDE, ARIN! Vesper said he would detonate it AFTER I got out! He said he would wait for me to signal via the badge!"
Tom clutched his badge, pressing it frantically, but there was no response. The device was dead.
"He lied, Tom," I said coldly. I walked closer to him, not surprised in the slightest.
"But... but I helped him!" Tom grabbed my collar, pulling me closer desperately. "I gave all info about you! I betrayed my friends for him! I was his spy! I was loyal to him!"
Tears flowed down Tom's dirty cheeks, making clean trails on his dusty face.
"Why did he bury me too?! I am a noble! My father is a Baron! He cannot just kill me like that! We are on the same team!"
I brushed Tom's hand off gently, then helped him stand. His legs were weak as jelly.
"To Vesper and Karl, you are not an ally, Tom," I answered, staring into his eyes sharply so he would wake from his delusion. "You are a tool. And worse... you are an eyewitness."
Tom fell silent, his mouth slightly open. Reality hit him harder than the falling rocks earlier.
"An eyewitness who knows about this murder plan is the biggest risk," I continued cruelly but honestly. "If you live, you can talk. You can be blackmailed. You can turncoat. Burying you with me is the neatest way to clean up the trail. 'Mine collapse tragedy kills three students'. Clean. No trail. No witnesses. Your parents will only receive closed coffins."
"Bastard..."
Tom's body slumped again. This time not from fear, but from pure hatred.
"BASTARD! KARL! VESPER! THEY BETRAYED ME!" Tom punched the ground with his fist until it bled. "I WILL KILL YOU ALL! I SWEAR!"
His respect and fear for the Benzzi Faction shattered right then and there, replaced by deep-seated vengeance from someone realizing his life was worthless in his master's eyes.
Suddenly, another sound broke Tom's wailing.
Hisssss....
A sharp hissing sound from small cracks in the cave wall not covered by debris.
"Arin..." called Erika, her voice tense. She had already covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve. "The smell..."
The stinging smell of sulfur and heavy methane gas began to be smelled. The air inside the cave began to change color to hazy yellowish. Poison gas began to be pumped in.
"They started," I said.
Tom panicked again, rising to stand with wild eyes. "Gas?! We will die! We are trapped! No way out! We will die like rats!"
He ran toward the rock ruins, trying to push the giant rock with bare hands. "Open! Open!"
I walked toward him, grabbed his shoulders, and spun him to face me.
SLAP.
I slapped his cheek. Not too hard, but enough to jerk him back to reality.
Tom fell silent, holding his cheek, staring at me in shock.
"Focus, Tom," I ordered firmly. "Stop crying like a baby. I told you, right? I knew Vesper would do this. That is why we prepared Plan B."
I reached into my pants pocket, taking out shiny red pellet capsules.
"That is why I gave you this this morning and forced you to keep it."
Tom felt his own pocket with a trembling hand. He took out the same capsule. He stared at the small object as if it were the most precious gem in the world.
"This..."
"Eat," I ordered. "Now! Unless you want your lungs to explode and die a foolish death here as a nameless victim."
I put my own capsule into my mouth. Erika did the same behind me.
"This is not the end, Tom," I said, voice muffled by the capsule in my mouth. "This is the beginning of your revenge."
Tom looked at the capsule, then looked at me. The fire of hatred in his eyes lit up again, brighter than before.
He put the capsule into his mouth.
CRACK.
We bit it simultaneously.
An explosion of pure oxygen flooded my blood instantly. It felt hot, stinging, and lively. My mind, which had started to fog due to gas, instantly cleared again. My heart beat strongly, pumping power throughout my body.
I saw Tom cough a little due to the taste shock, but then he took a deep breath. His chest rose and fell in relief. He could breathe. He was alive.
I drew my Adamantium sword. Its gray-black blade shone dimly amidst the deadly yellow gas mist.
"Welcome to the real team, Tom," I whispered, staring at the cave wall imprisoning us with a cold smile.
"Now... let's make them regret not making sure we were dead."