"Do you remember that time at the auction?"
"Oh, that time with the weird man!" Beatrice shouted.
"Exactly. That man bought an item called Monster Absorber. It has the ability to collect a dead monster's energy."
"And this woman had the exact same cloak," Lina added.
"Yes, and another thing."
Nox's gaze turned serious again.
"The white flag on their cloaks… is the exact same as the symbol on the bandit leader's flute."
"And you know what he talked about back then?"
"No idea," Beatrice replied. She glanced at Regea, but he just shrugged his shoulders helplessly.
"He collected resources for 'Oblivara'," Lina said.
"So, what does all that mean?" Alma asked.
"That's probably a group that uses the Monster Absorber to obtain something. And another thing…" Nox paused for a second, thinking back to the man that attacked him
"They're a real threat."
Everyone looked down at the monster's corpse before them. A boss so powerful, the six of them couldn't even scratch it.
Alma frowned. "That's a big leap… unless all of this really is connected."
Everyone suddenly froze as they sensed a new presence.
Slow, deliberate claps echoed through the tunnel, each one striking like a countdown.
"How unfortunate for you. I would've let you go but…" a voice rang out from the back.
"But you kids know too much. Sorry."
As the group turned around, the hooded woman stood before them. Just her presence alone sent shivers down their spines.
"Who are you?" Beatrice shouted.
"Since you're going to die anyway, I shall introduce myself."
The woman lifted her hood, revealing a sharp, middle-aged face. Her red lips reflected the dim dungeon light, casting eerie shadows on the wall.
She shook her head, letting her long blonde hair fall over her shoulders.
"I go under the surname Evetka. Ranked number eleven," she said.
The pure thought of ten stronger members made Nox frown.
"But these rankings mean nothing. Awoeka could probably beat me, but he's number twelve," she added, as if that information mattered.
"What's your goal?" Nox asked, fixing his stance.
"I'm not going to leak our whole plan and let you run away somehow. Do I look that dumb to you? We're not some cheap 'villains. Well, we're not villains at all, but you wouldn't understand…" she murmured.
"You talk quite a lot for a crazy woman," Alma shouted, smirking nervously.
"I don't think that's the best thing to say right now," Amon whispered, gulping heavily.
"Guys, buy me a bit more time," Regea whispered, focusing on the ceiling.
"Hey you, with the silver hair. What's your name?" Evetka asked.
"Huh? Me?" Nox replied, pointing at himself in a confused manner.
"No, the other one with the silver hair, you fucking idiot!"
"Nox van Strier," he immediately answered to her furious tone.
"So, it's you. I'm not allowed to touch the princess, but… it's not the same with you," Evetka said, licking her lips.
"Creep," Lina replied, turning away in disgust.
"I didn't mean it like that, you idi-"
Crack-
Before the woman could react, the ceiling broke apart.
A massive rock fell with immense force.
Everyone turned around in disgust as Evetka's head twisted unnaturally. Blood splattered everywhere.
Beatrice staggered back instinctively, her hand flying to her mouth as bile rose in her throat.
"Ugh, so disgusting," she murmured.
"Is she really dead?" Nox asked, examining the body carefully. However, it looked more like a red streak than a corpse.
"Seems pretty dead to me."
Everyone went silent at the sheer brutality before them.
"Alright, let's hea-"
Everyone immediately sensed it.
Danger.
Nox immediately summoned grew three giant ice crystals out of the ground, completely covering them.
Bang-
Everything shattered, blue particles scattering in every direction.
"May I present to you, the Stigma of cloning"
For a single, horrifying second, no one breathed.
The corpse before them dissipated, the same woman who had been dead a second ago now walking toward them.
"But let's not talk around much. I examined every one of you. I can't kill the princess but we still have fire twice, archery and creation. Four worthy sacrifices," Evetka shouted, summoning a massive fireball.
Beatrice and Amon stepped forward, doing the same thing.
The already-high temperature rose by ten degrees, sweat running down Nox's leg.
As the three missiles collided, more rocks fell from the damaged ceiling.
A giant smoke cloud blocked their view, forcing them back.
"She doesn't even have the Stigma of fire and is able to keep up with me?" Beatrice thought, her knees shaking uncontrollably.
However, they had no time to rest.
Wind strikes flew through the cloud, missing Nox's ear by a hair's breadth.
Alma tried to block them with arrows, but there were too many.
Everyone froze as a loud scream echoed.
"No! Beatrice!" Regea shouted, looking at her with a shocked expression.
Cough-
Blood splattered on the floor, a deep wound on her stomach.
Her legs buckled instantly, strength draining from her face faster than the blood pooling beneath her.
Lina immediately rushed toward her, trying to stop the bleeding.
"One down," Evetka muttered. "I can't kill you yet, but how about disabling you?"
"You bitch!" Regea screamed, human-sized golems storming at her from every side, clinging to her arms.
With a twisting movement, she slammed her arms together and rotated around.
Golems banged against the dungeon wall, leaving only dust behind.
"My strength stat is over 80, don't even try," the woman shouted.
"We need to run away somehow. But I cannot reveal my true Stigma to her," Nox thought, glancing at Beatrice.
Revealing it meant losing his only advantage. And she would certainly tell the other Oblivara members of his Stigma.
"Everyone, attack at my command. Can someone dig a tunnel to run away?" he whispered, pointing at the dead end behind them.
Attacks flew through the cave, pushing the group further back.
"Y- Yeah, I can," Regea replied.
"I couldn't fully heal Beatrice, but she'll survive… for now," Lina said, rushing toward Nox.
"Good jo-"
"Careful!"
He immediately turned around, trying to block an incoming water ball.
Cough-
His stomach twisted in pain as part of the missile hit him.
"Are you okay?" Lina shouted, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Do you really think you can beat me? I'm merely holding back so I don't kill you by accident," Evetka shouted, firing continuously. Her mana seemed to hold forever.
"I- I'm okay."
"Attack her now!" Nox yelled, feeling Lina's power surge through him.
-You have received Light's Blessing (+31% stats)
Various attacks shot at the enemy. Flames dived through the dungeon in an eerie light, uncontrolled mana twitching violently.
"Regea! Quick!"
The ceiling was on the verge of collapsing, ready to obliterate them.
"You really wish to die!" Evetka screamed, setting up a thick earth wall.
Arrowheads splattered everywhere as the group ran toward the dead end. Regea's golems dug a narrow tunnel.
"Change of plans. I'm gonna kill you with my last reserves!"
Evetka rose her hands; ten clones appeared beneath her.
A giant wind shuriken appeared above them, multiple times larger than Altair's.
"I need to use this!" Nox thought, focusing his last reserves on the dungeon walls.
Before the woman could launch her attacks, enormous walls closed in on her.
The dungeon screamed as stone twisted against stone, sealing her inside a collapsing prison. Molten stone dripped from the ceiling.
"What is that? W- Who?" the woman's gaze turned up, which started to break apart further.
"Now! Run!" Nox yelled, grabbing Lina, while Regea grabbed Beatrice.
They did not dare to turn around, running away from the loud echo of rocks falling onto the stone floor.
Amon continuously fired onto their tunnel's ceiling, rocks blocking the way.
After running for what felt like hours, they finally came to rest.
"Huff- huff- we should be good," Nox said, gasping for air.
"Should I teach you how to train your stamina?" Lina complained.
"My lungs are just too small."
"What do you mean by 'teaching' him?" Alma whispered, smirking at her.
"N- Not that."
"Guys! Focus on Beatrice!" Regea scolded.
"O- Oh, right." Lina rushed to Beatrice, putting a hand on her stomach.
"She will probably survive, but she needs real medication."
"Alright, then let's g-"
"No. We should rest for now. If that crazy woman survived, we'll be dead meat."
"F- Fine." Regea sat on the ground and placed Beatrice's head on his lap.
"Come here, come here," Lina commanded, pointing at her lap.
"W- What?"
"Oh no, did I go too far again?" she thought.
As she pressed her eyes together in regret, soft silver hair tickled her legs.
"H- Huh?"
"What's wrong? You told me to lie on your lap," Nox replied, glancing up at her. His grey eyes mustered her, Amon's red fire illuminating their sleepy faces.
"Oh… yeah."
"Is something the matter?" he asked, turning with his face toward Lina's stomach. His warm breath tingled her skin, leaving a pleasant feeling on her heart.
"Not anymore." She smiled warmly, caressing his neck.
"You can talk…" his eyes became heavy.
"…to me."
"You saved us. Be proud," Lina whispered.
Her voice was steady, but her fingers trembled slightly against his collar.