No.19: Slaughter

Finally, after trekking countless miles to reach the Grand Labyrinth and encountering numerous threats along the way, they had made it to their destination.

Marveling at the sight before them, the group remained stunned as they took everything in with wonder.

Before them was a vast expanse with different coloured ores protruding from the walls and even emerging from the ground itself.

Despite the moss-like greenery covering most of the floor, it didn’t diminish the beauty of the place in the slightest.

Rather, it enhanced it.

The greenery resembled a neatly trimmed field of grass, stopping a short distance from the centre while leaving certain patches of bare, smooth stone exposed.

The combination of green moss and glowing blue and red ores bathed the area in a soft, warm light.

However, what truly drew their attention was the glowing object floating at the centre of the room.

“The Upgrade Crystal.”

Someone unconsciously muttered as the group stared at it in a daze, while someone secretly remained at the entrance, unknown to the rest.

Though none of them had ever actually seen an Upgrade Crystal before, whether in person or in pictures, they instinctively knew that the object before them was most likely the Upgrade Crystal.

Even from a distance, they could feel the overwhelming energy that was practically radiating from it.

The closer they got, the stronger that sensation became, which inturn confirmed their suspicions.

Walking into the room as well, Felix couldn’t help but admire the floating crystal.

Roughly the size of a basketball, perhaps slightly larger, the Upgrade Crystal radiated a gentle glow as it floated harmlessly in the air.

Its smooth crystalline surface emitted a warm violet-red light.

The sight of which was mesmerizing. Captivating enough to draw one’s attention with a single glance.

However, there was one slight problem he’d realized on entering the room.

‘There’s only one?’

Indeed.

There was only a single Upgrade Crystal floating at the centre of the room.

Making Felix wonder.

Could everyone use the same crystal to Upgrade their Class regardless of their numbers?

Were there more Upgrade Crystals hidden elsewhere in the Labyrinth?

Or was there another explanation entirely?

The limited information available regarding both Grand Labyrinths and Upgrade Crystals didn’t really help shed much light on the topic either.

Leaving him to simply speculate various reasons as to why there was only one.

However, a disturbing thought also lingering at the back of his mind. One he really hoped wasn’t truly the case.

Noticing the issue as well, one of the members near the back of the group turned toward the Vice-Leader.

“Uhm... Sir. It appears there’s only one Upgrade Crystal here. Is there a reason for this, or are we meant to simply shar-kh-...”

Before he could finish his sentence though, a clean slicing sound echoed throughout the crystal room, followed by a dull thud.

Drawn by the noise, the others turned toward its source, only to be horrified by the sight before them.

“AHHHHHH!”

A woman screamed atop her lungs. Her legs giving out beneath her as she fell backwards. Eyes locked onto the horrifying scene before her, she froze in terror.

Dropping towards the ground as well, the body of the man who had asked the question collapsed, motionless.

Blood quickly pooled around his neck.

His severed head rolled several metres away before coming to a stop near the woman.

Confusion still frozen on his face, unable to fully process what had just happened, the light gradually faded from his eyes as he stared blankly at the woman.

*Dead*

Having initially remained near the entrance while the others admired the room, the Vice-Leader slowly began walking toward the group.

An ominous air surrounded him as he took slow but steady steps toward them, drawing closer by the second.

Blood dripped from his curved blades as he did.

A dark, unreadable expression rested on his face.

His half-closed eyes appeared almost drowsy, devoid of any emotion.

The scar on his face became more prominent. Giving him a sinister, more deadly appearance.

Casually, he approached the woman whose legs had given out earlier.

Her horrified gaze remained fixed on the head of the corpse that was now staring blankly at her, unable to look away.

With a single clean slash, her head separated from her body as well, before she could even scream again.

His expression didn’t change in the slightest.

Continuing forward as though nothing had happened, he didn’t even glance at the person he’d just killed.

Realizing something was terribly wrong, the others scrambled away from him, desperate to create as much distance from him as possible, only to discover a horrifying truth.

There was only one exit from the crystal room.

And the Vice-Leader stood directly between them and it.

Thinking they could simply go around him, some suggested the idea. Yet no one was brave enough to try it, especially after seeing how he easily killed two of their party members already.

“W-Why are y-you doing this? If we’ve offended you somehow, we’re sorry. Just please let us go.”

One of the men dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he begged.

Hoping to appeal to whatever conscience remained within the Vice-Leader.

A moment later, his head rolled across the floor as well.

The Vice-Leader didn’t even flinch as he made a clean cut across the man’s neck, killing him as well.

Seeing his complete disregard for human life, someone absent-mindedly muttered,

“Could he be under the control of something?”

Hearing this, the others quickly latched onto the idea as well.

After all, they had spent nearly two months together, so they were all pretty familiar with one another at this point.

Though distant, they couldn’t find a reason why the Vice-Leader would suddenly start killing them without even batting an eye.

Recalling something on hearing this, Felix suddenly remembered an article written by an unknown author before they entered the Grand Labyrinth.

According to it, the deepest floors of the Labyrinths were ruled by a vile and vicious foe, so powerful that it would end up causing the death of nearly every member of an expedition.

At the time, Felix didn’t really think much of it, simply dismissing it instead.

After all, countless articles existed solely to scare people away.

Yet now, watching the Vice-Leader approach with that emotionless expression, he couldn’t help but wonder.

Could something really have taken control of him?

The thought of using his Attribute to search for the culprit briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly abandoned the idea.

The Attribute required too much concentration, and though the Vice-Leader’s steps were slow, he would still end up reaching him long before he found anything.

Glancing back at a certain direction, another thought surfaced in his mind as to why the Vice-Leader would result to killing them.

One that made his stomach sink.

However, before he could dwell on it, a desperate voice suddenly rang out, drawing everyone’s attention in the process.

“I-I ca-can’t die like this. Not like this! There’s still so much I haven’t done. So many places I haven’t seen. I refuse to die in this hellhole!”

Driven by desperation, the man activated his Attribute and sprinted toward the Upgrade Crystal.

Hoping that, by some miracle, he’d be able to access the ability to Upgrade his Class to a higher Rank. Which would enable him to face against the Vice-Leader, or at least escape before getting killed.

A vein dream.

Before he could even get close, the Vice-Leader suddenly emerged from the shadows in front of him.

With a single diagonal slash, the Vice-Leader easily split the man’s body apart, killing him on the spot.

Seeing this, panic spread through the remaining survivors, as they realized he was still able to use his powers to appear wherever he pleased.

Glancing toward the entrance, they realized it was now unguarded.

Yet no one dared to move.

Not when he could simply appear in front of them again.

“We need a distraction. Something to keep him occupied. Even for a second.”

Someone muttered, causing the others to agree as well.

They could attempt to flee, and take separate paths should the opportunity arise.

After all, the Labyrinth was vast, so if they all took separate paths, though some would still end up getting caught and killed, at least one of them stood a chance of escaping while the Vice-Leader was busy finding and killing the others.

However, to do that, they needed something, that would take his attention from them, even for a second, so they could all use that opportunity to run.

Then, almost instinctively, their gazes shifted toward Felix.

The weakest among them.

Though his Attribute helped him against Monsters, they deduced that it wasn’t as efficient on humans. So the best and easiest option was to sacrifice the weakest in the group, giving the rest enough time to escape.

Realizing exactly what they were thinking, Felix’s heart sank.

Though their numbers had already dwindled, there were still far too many of them for him to handle alone.

Noticing the odds were against him, his mind raced desperately for a way out.

However, before he could come up with a solution, a figure suddenly stepped in front of him, shielding him from the others. Causing the others to hesitate.

“We don’t have time for this. If we don’t use him to buy enough time for the rest of us to escape, we’re all going to di-...”

The one saying this suddenly fell silent, his words caught in his throat as he froze at the sight of the expression on Ray’s face.

Standing before Felix with his back turned toward him, Ray’s broad frame seemed larger than ever.

For a brief moment, a glimmer of hope stirred within Felix’s heart.

One that shatter soon after, the moment he saw the look on Ray’s face.

Turning toward him, tears streaming down his face, while snort threatened to run down his nose, Ray painfully mutterd through gritted teeth.

His voice trembling, as a shattered expression appeared on his face.

“I’m really sorry, kid. I wish it didn’t have to come to this, but... I have a family relying on me back home.” His words came out strained as he said these, an apologetic look evident on his face as he did. “So, I can’t afford to die here.”

Momentarily stunned by the sight of a fully grown man looking so utterly defeated, Felix failed to react on time.

However, at the edge of his vision , he noticed something.

An expression on the Vice-Leader’s face he hadn’t expected to see.

Before he could process it though, he suddenly felt a grip on his collar.

In one smooth motion, Rayon suddenly grabbed him by the collar and hurled him forward together with his bag.

Being the youngest and smallest among them, Felix was naturally the easiest target.

The others were roughly the same Rank. So, trying to sacrifice someone else would have resulted in a struggle, and that delay would’ve eventually gotten everyone killed by the Vice-Leader when he caught up to them.

Seeing the figure flying toward him, the Vice-Leader didn’t even bother dodging.

Not bothering to look up, he casually swung one of his blades, causing a clean slash to cut against the figure’s chest.

Violently flug by the force, Felix’s body crashed hard into the moss-covered ground beside him, while the Vice-Leader just kept walking.

Pausing briefly, he merely glanced at the fallen figure before continuing toward the now, fleeing survivors that had separated on exiting the crystal room’s entrance in an attempt to escape from him.

Lying motionless on the ground, a deep diagonal wound stretched across Felix’s chest.

His clothes slowly turned bloodred, as his breathing gradually slowed.

Then stopped.

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