Chapter : 117

Stab, stab, stab!

The sound of the ice sword piercing the spider's raw flesh and its core was vivid.

It was nauseating. Theo sighed as he looked down at the spider dying, bleeding blue blood.

The time limit was four hours. He had already used up one of those hours.

This meant that after taking the written exam followed by the practical without breakfast, he had been swept up in a strange anomaly, fallen into the water, passed out, and then walked nonstop for an hour as soon as he woke up.

He could feel his body screaming at him, asking why he was doing this.

“Ugh.”

He wanted to rest, even for a little while, but time was tight.

There were a total of three rooms on the way to the boss room where the dungeon's secret was hidden, and there was no telling how much time he would waste there.

He had to reduce his travel time as much as possible, so resting was out of the question.

Theo caught his breath, cautiously glanced around, and then instantly killed another spider that rushed at him.

“Will I have enough mana?”

I should have gotten some potions from Lerwon-sunbae.

He couldn't drink potions during the exam, but they probably wouldn't have penalized him for just having them.

From now on, I have to make sure to carry all-purpose remedies and mana potions.

And I have to make sure to bring Lucius along.

“For now, let's just move forward.”

Muttering to himself, he tried to erase the negative thoughts.

That was the only thing he could do right now.

* * *

“Theo again?”

The news that Theo had gotten into trouble again quickly reached Zephyros, Lucius, and Lerwon, who were waiting for him.

It wasn't exactly a surprising piece of news anymore, but it would be a lie to say they weren't shocked when they first heard it.

“Isn't he born under an unlucky star at this point?”

“For now, the Basic Elemental Magic exam is suspended because of that. Anyway, since Professor Beatrice and Professor Evan went, he should be safe.”

If that's the case, then it's a relief.

Beatrice alone would have been enough, but since even Evan had accompanied her, he should return safely unless something extraordinary happened.

It was still Monday, and they had only taken one or two exams today.

Theo would be back safely soon, so it would be right to focus on studying for the exams, but Lucius unconsciously fidgeted with the area around his heart.

“Lucius?”

Finding Lucius, who was having trouble concentrating, strange, Zephyros called out to him.

“It's nothing.”

It wasn't that he didn't trust the professors.

The professors at the academy were all great figures, far beyond the concern of a chick hero who had just been chosen by the Holy Sword.

Each and every one of them was a respected teacher to be emulated.

Since two of them had gone to save his friend, it should have been reassuring, but...

“It just feels strange.”

That was the only way he could describe the feeling.

A strange and peculiar feeling that he couldn't quite explain, as if he was excited one moment and sinking the next, his heart racing one moment and calming down the next.

“Still, this isn't the time for this, so I have to focus on studying.”

Lucius said, forcing a smile. Lerwon, who had been quietly watching him, asked.

“If you're that anxious, isn't there a way for us to check on Theo's well-being separately?”

“Is there such a way?”

Lucius's eyes widened slightly as he asked Lerwon back.

“Well, for one, my mother would know.”

“You mean the Master of the Golden?”

“Yes. They're in a contractual relationship, after all, and if they're bound by a contract, they can at least know about each other's well-being.”

However, the problem was that Iris was not a person who could be met so easily.

She had enemies everywhere and usually did not show herself to people easily.

It was more surprising that Theo had met Iris several times in that short period.

“I used to have a communication magitool, but I got rid of it a long time ago, so I'm sorry about that.”

“No, it was a good thing you got rid of it.”

He had already heard plenty about how crazy Iris Viden was.

On the contrary, if he hadn't eliminated the connection with Iris in case of an emergency, it would have been a bigger problem.

And, thanks to Lerwon, something came to mind.

Although he couldn't tell the two of them, it was Theo's other 'contractor' that only Lucius knew about.

And, fortunately, that contractor was currently on the bed in the dormitory because animals were not allowed in the exam hall.

“I think I’ve thought of a way to check, so I'll be back in a bit.”

“You're not going to meet Iris Viden, are you?”

Zephyros, who was anxious, asked urgently.

“No, it's not that. I just thought of another way to check after hearing what you said, sunbae!”

“If you say so, Lucius.”

At Zephyros's reluctant nod, Lucius quickly left the hideout.

He had to ask Albedo about Theo's well-being as soon as possible!

* * *

It took about an hour and a half of walking to finally arrive at the entrance of the room.

If he passed through three more rooms, he would arrive at the dungeon's boss room.

The remaining time was 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Could he get to the boss room within that time?

Worrying wouldn't change reality... Theo steeled himself and opened the tightly shut door.

Rumble.

Along with the sound of the door opening, the mechanical voice he had heard just before the water poured in echoed from above once again.

[First trial, you have entered the Room of Flames.]

As soon as the mechanical voice rang out, flames erupted before his eyes.

He thought about turning back and running, but the door closed first.

“Huh.”

I'm about to be burned at the stake in an instant?

Theo looked around, his body rigid.

He had to get out of this situation somehow.

“Ugh!”

The moment Theo took a step, flames flew at him in an instant.

The moment the flames touched his cheek and died out, Theo realized what the first trial was.

“Just moving forward is the trial?”

Theo stared blankly at the room burning like hell. Not too far away was the door to the next room. Would ten steps be enough?

“Is this for real?”

As soon as he stopped moving, the flames no longer approached him.

Theo stared blankly at the burning flames.

“This is crazy.”

The pain he felt when the flames touched him for a moment was this much.

So I'm supposed to move forward while burning to death? Is this real?

A hollow laugh escaped him.

“Going back is—”

Not an option.

The dungeon's boss room, where the dungeon's secret is presumed to be hidden, can only be accessed by passing through three rooms.

He could move in an instant with a skill, but he wasn't confident he could handle the aftermath of moving with a skill.

Considering his current mana level, he would pass out as soon as he arrived, and then there was a 100% chance that when he opened his eyes again, he would be facing the nanny praying to God.

What the system demanded was to 'resolve the anomaly' and 'escape safely', not to reach the dungeon's boss room.

In other words, he had to reach the boss room in the best possible physical condition.

“I won’t die, but—”

Won't it hurt like hell?

Looking at the flames blazing like a scene from hell, it was truly bleak.

Theo let out a sigh for the umpteenth time and moved forward.

“……!!!”

So this is what it's like when the pain is too great to even scream.

He put strength into his legs, which were about to give out, and barely held on.

The flames engulfed his body, but his flesh did not burn.

That didn't mean the pain was any less.

On the contrary, the pain dug deeper, more accurately.

It was as if each and every nerve was being carefully plucked out.

“Heh….”

In the midst of the pain that felt like his breath would stop, laughter inadvertently escaped.

It wasn't a sneer or resignation, but a laugh that resembled that of a madman.

As he took a step, a fire arrow pierced his leg.

“Aaaargh!!!”

A scream erupted. The entire sensation in his leg burned away.

The fire tore through his muscles and scraped his nerves. Because it didn't burn, the pain remained until the end.

“I want to go back.”

His body was heavy, and his eyes kept closing.

Every time he blinked, gray dust obscured his vision.

His vision was blocked, and his will scattered like ashes.

He wanted to just throw everything away and lie down.

But he still forced his burning body to stand.

“Forward.”

The second step.

This time, his wrist was pierced. He took a short breath.

He didn't even want to make a sound.

“Hoo, hoo… I can do it.”

The third is also possible.

He forced a smile that didn't match the pain.

The smile was not an expression, but closer to a convulsion for survival.

Next, his shoulder was pierced.

The flames dug into his bones.

His limbs stiffened, and his breath caught in his throat.

Still… one more step.

Next was his thigh.

If he had taken the second step, the third was also possible.

Perhaps he had gone mad from the pain, as he forced the corners of his mouth up and took the third step.

“Huuuugh!”

Damn pain, damn flames!

What burst out might not have been a groan, but a sob.

Tears flowed down his cheeks, but the flames swallowed them.

Another step.

An arrow lodged in his abdomen, and the pain pulled at his insides.

“!!!!!”

His breathing collapsed.

Only halfway there.

He couldn't even imagine the remaining steps and the pain he would have to endure as he moved forward.

His body was about to collapse on its own.

The body, consumed by pain, vehemently refused to move forward anymore.

“Move, move!”

It was a scream-like cry.

He forced his body up and took the next step.

This time, it pierced his eye.

The light went out.

His vision turned white, and at the same time, dark.

“Keeeeu….”

His body bent.

His lips trembled.

He barely managed to get up by hitting his legs until they made a thudding sound.

The next arrow was to the chest.

Every time he breathed, the inside of his chest burned.

Three steps left.

The next arrow pierced his head.

In that moment, all his thoughts were cut off.

His legs gave out, and he fell to the floor again.

But he got up again.

As if that was the only thing he could do. No, is that actually the case?

“Two steps left.”

Where will it pierce next?

His hands trembled with fear.

He looked ahead with only the obsession that he couldn't give up now.

“…Let's go.”

It's not like I can give up now.

“We’re here, now.”

The heart. The deepest and most fragile place.

The moment the arrow grazed it, the pain far surpassed the level of simply burning flesh.

“Aaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!”

The scream was crushed in his throat.

In an instant, his vision turned white, and all the sensations in his body were twisted.

It felt like someone had put their hand inside his chest and was squeezing his heart with their bare hands.

A sticky, hot, and nauseating sensation.

The pain devoured his consciousness, and his thoughts blurred.

His mind went blank, and then suddenly all his senses came alive sharply.

Every time he breathed, blood bubbled in his lungs.

“Ha… Heuk… Ha…!”

Nausea rose with every breath.

Something hot surged up from inside his stomach, and blood filled his mouth.

To suppress the strong desire to just let go of his mind, he bit his tongue so hard it made a sound.

Compared to the pain of being burned, a slight pain filled his mouth along with blood.

As he swallowed the pooled blood, it felt like his mind returned a little as the sticky blood went down his throat.

Finally, the steps ended.

When he reached the end of the room, the flames disappeared.

[You have passed the trial of flames.]

The moment the mechanical voice was heard, his body collapsed limply to the floor.

‘If this is the first… what's next?’

That thought filled his mind.

He didn't even want to imagine how much more terrible the subsequent trials would be.

His mind was going blank. Disbelief welled up.

“Still, I have to do it.”

I passed this damn trial, so it would be too unfair to stop now.

“Damn it.”

He felt like he was about to burst into tears, but he held it in.

He bit his lip, patted his legs, and forced himself to stand up.

He staggered, but he still had to move forward.