Golden Dungeon, Tenth Layer.
Holding the Magic Lantern, Meilin stepped over the rubble, carefully surveying the surroundings.
“The tenth layer already. I didn’t expect we’d actually make it here within a month.”
“Be careful. The fluctuations in Magic here are strange. There must be some powerful enemies around.”
Joina said as she placed a hand over her heart.
For some reason, while she was fine on the ninth layer, upon reaching the tenth, her heart pounded wildly as if something terrible was about to happen.
Sally, however, didn’t share that feeling. She was now more curious about the origin of the Golden Dungeon.
“By the way, how exactly was this dungeon formed?”
“It’s said that it’s because of the Abyss. Abyssal Magic broke through the original seals, causing spatial distortions here, which led to the creation of this monster-infested dungeon.”
“Related to the Abyss, huh…”
Leanna instinctively gripped the hilt of her sword at her waist.
From what she knew, anything connected to the Abyss was never simple.
The Golden Dungeon initially housed many terrifying monsters, but after countless adventurers hunted and purged them, it gradually declined.
However, because of that, the remaining monsters were either very weak or extremely cunning.
Of course, there were likely exceptions among these monsters.
Like the one before her now.
Raising her hand, Leanna signaled the team to hold their breath and focus, her gaze fixed unblinkingly on the monster not far ahead, not daring to make a sound.
The creature knelt half on the ground. It looked roughly human, but its skin was blood-red, fitting perfectly with her image of an Abyssal Demon.
Next to it, a dozen chains bound its limbs, but most were broken and lying on the ground, some rusted and on the verge of collapse.
Clearly, this monster had been sealed here long ago, but now the seal had weakened, and it was about to be freed.
Swallowing hard, Leanna’s face drained of color as she sensed the overwhelming Magic power radiating from it.
Level 50?
Or 70?
She wasn’t sure. All she knew was that this monster’s strength far exceeded theirs.
Turning back, she signaled everyone to retreat cautiously.
Crack—
No matter how careful they were, the sound of stepping on scattered stones produced faint cracks.
At the same time, the monster’s ears twitched.
“Retreat! Pull back! Exit the dungeon!”
Without hesitation, Leanna shouted, then dashed swiftly toward the entrance to the ninth layer.
At that moment, the monster fully awakened. It opened its huge mouth and let out a deafening roar.
“Roar—!”
The terrifying Magic Tide swept across the entire tenth layer along with the roar.
Leanna and her team, only level 15, felt as if trapped in quicksand, pressed down by the Magic Tide, unable to move.
No escape!
Panicking, Leanna immediately took out the Magic Gem Saintess Selis had given their team.
In the past days, she had studied this jewel and discovered that besides helping them avoid Poison Miasma, it also had a teleportation ability—it could transport them out in danger!
But to her horror, even this jewel couldn’t withstand the pressure of the Magic Tide and shattered right in her palm.
“Roar—!”
Another roar came from the monster behind them. The chains binding it finally broke completely.
It stood up, grimacing fiercely as it advanced toward the nearest girl.
Pressed to the ground by the Magic Tide, Meilin didn’t know what was happening behind her, but under the Magic Lantern’s glow, she saw the monster raise its foot toward her head.
“Meilin!”
……
Divine Oracle Hall, Saintess Selis was still offering garlands to the nobles.
The third and final segment was to present the Bouquet of the Hundred Flowers to the Goddess.
However, this part required Isavel’s appearance. After all, during the bouquet offering, a miracle would appear over the Imperial Capital’s sky, and her figure would manifest there.
If Selis presented it, Duchess Nola would discover her true identity.
Thinking this, Selis placed the garland on the head of a noble before her.
“May the Goddess… bless you all.”
Sensing something, her smile stiffened slightly.
The next moment, she lifted her skirts and, amidst the nobles’ suspicious gazes, hurriedly ran toward the rear of the hall.
Once out of sight, she vanished instantly.
Inside the Divine Oracle Hall, the nobles exchanged confused looks.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why does the Saintess look so anxious?”
“Did something happen?”
Queen Flandre, seated in the front row, clenched her hands tightly.
In her mind, anything that could make Saintess Selis so hurried was likely related to Isavel.
After all, they were both Saintesses.
So, could something have happened to Isavel?!
……
“Meilin!”
Leanna’s voice came from ahead.
Meilin struggled desperately to get up from the ground, but it was useless.
The power gap was too great; she simply couldn’t dodge.
When the monster’s foot came down, she might die.
That thought slithered coldly like a poisonous snake into her mind.
The fear of death surged like a tide, engulfing her entire body, chilling her to the bone.
Yet amid this overwhelming terror, two figures vividly emerged in her heart.
Her mother and Saintess Selis.
Her mother, pale but tender, lying on the sickbed, gently stroking her hair with frail hands—those days felt like yesterday.
The faint scent mixing medicine and her mother’s subtle fragrance seemed to linger at her nose.
But sadly, she couldn’t go back.
She had ultimately failed to become the knight who would save the world, had not fulfilled her promise to her mother, and hadn’t made her proud.
I’m sorry.
As for Saintess Selis…
She was unwilling.
There were still so many things she wanted to do, people she wanted to love, debts of gratitude she wanted to repay… all would vanish with her death.
She would never see Saintess Selis again.
Just the thought made her unwilling.
But alas, her struggle was in vain.
Clenching her fists tightly, Meilin tried to get up, but her stiff limbs betrayed her.
All her memories finally melted into a single, crystal tear that slipped silently from her eyes, mingling with the dust beneath her.
Boom—!
The monster’s left foot slammed down hard, shaking the ground like an explosion.
“Meilin!!”
Dust filled the air.
Leanna’s pupils contracted sharply, and anger made her bite her lip hard.
But when the dust settled, she was stunned.
Before her wasn’t Meilin’s cold corpse but a familiar black silhouette cradling her in its arms.
“I didn’t expect there to be a monster like you in this dungeon.”
Setting Meilin down gently, Isavel’s eyes narrowed.
With a wave of her hand, a black longsword appeared in her grasp.
The gale whipped her hair, stirred by the Magic Tide.
A faint lavender fragrance brushed against Meilin’s face, pulling her back from her daze.
Staring blankly at the figure protecting her, she seemed to see Saintess Selis’s image reflected within Isavel.