Chapter 177 – Sneak Attack.

Rusty stopped mid-step when his visor caught a faint ripple of mana in the air. The silence felt unnatural. Normally, his steps would echo faintly against the wet stone, yet now the sound was muffled by something. It seemed to be a spell similar to Gleam’s or perhaps some kind of skill, although it felt different.

“Seven.”

Aburdon’s dark glow flickered in his left eyesocket.

“Four wolves, three lambs. The outcome is obvious. There is no reason to get ourselves involved. It is better to take another route or wait for them to pass. Let us be on our way before they spot us.”

The demon lord, as always, had no desire to concern himself with the business of others. Alexander, however, said the exact opposite.

“We can’t just go back!”

“Oh? And what would you like us to do, hero? Should we swoop in and save the day? Better yet, why don’t we walk right up to them and ask nicely? I am sure that will work.”

Aburdon mocked Alexander’s idea, and Rusty found himself somewhat agreeing. He was not eager to put himself at risk for strangers. Yet in his metallic eyes, the situation also looked like an opportunity. Normally, he avoided dealing with adventurers, since they carried danger and baggage in equal measure. But if they were fighting among themselves, there was a chance he could profit from the conflict.

“Gleam, cast the silence spell as well. We will move in.”

“(„• ֊ •„)੭”

“…You cannot be serious, Rusty. Are you going to play the hero now?”

Aburdon was clearly irritated by the plan, but Rusty at least wanted to see what they were dealing with. If these adventurers were the type who attacked others, it might be better to eliminate them sooner rather than later. Doing so would also give him a lawful excuse to kill them. The Guild rewarded those who brought such people to justice, since allowing rogue adventurers to roam freely made the organization look weak.

“Not really. I just want to see who is there.”

“Are you sure? What if they discover us?”

“Then we will just run away.”

Rusty was confident enough in his skills. As long as he was not facing a C-rank monster, he believed he could handle the situation. Still, he had grown more cautious since emerging from the dungeon. He understood the risks he was taking. The sound barrier surrounding the chamber was clearly meant to keep outsiders from noticing what was happening inside, and whoever had set it up surely knew that other adventurers might wander in at any moment. It was best to remain hidden, and Rusty knew the most effective way to sneak in.

“Gleam, we will approach from above. Get ready.”

“( ╹ -╹)?”

She did not seem to understand at first, but realization came quickly. Rusty activated one of his loadouts and his body began to shrink. Within moments, he was smaller than even a goblin.

“(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)”

“Yes, you got it right.”

Now Gleam understood the plan. She waited as Rusty set his tiny form on her back. She was armored herself, and from the outside it now looked as if he were riding into battle atop a heavily plated ant. The chamber they entered was filled with stalactites and stalagmites, perfect for concealing Rusty’s compact form. With Gleam’s agility guiding them, they slipped forward until the scene inside the cavern revealed itself.

“Kid, do not make this harder than it needs to be. Just hand it over.”

Rusty peered from behind the jagged rock formations. The silence field seemed to have limits, and once inside its range, voices carried freely. There they were there: Oliver, Tally, and Rika, pressed against the wall with weapons drawn, their hands trembling. Opposite them stood Beros and his crew, arranged in a half-circle that blocked any escape. Beros’s massive armored figure loomed over Oliver like an executioner, forcing the young man’s knuckles to tighten around his spear until they turned white.

“It is those four…”

Rusty recognized Beros at once. They had crossed paths in the adventurers’ guild not long ago, when Beros had invited him to join their party. Rusty had declined, unwilling to risk revealing his true identity as a monster.

“But why would they bother attacking those three? They shouldn’t have anything worthwhile.”

Rusty was confused. The group of three were only F-rank adventurers, and their equipment was so old and useless that it held no value to D-rank adventurers like the ones here. Rusty stayed low, clinging to Gleam’s back to keep himself hidden. Then, without warning, a strange rainbow shimmer reflected off the chamber ceiling and cast a prismatic glow across the stone.

“Hm?”

At first, he thought it was a trick of the moss light, or perhaps some spell at work, but then he saw it clearly. Rika’s trembling hand clutched a pouch at her side, and even through the worn leather he could see the faint rainbow glimmer seeping through.

“So that’s it.”

Aburdon’s voice rumbled inside him as the demon lord explained.

“The greed of humanoids is truly fascinating. They would kill themselves over such a worthless thing.”

Rusty did not know exactly what the item was, but it was clear that the group of D-rankers wanted it badly. Beros extended his gauntleted hand, palm open, the gesture commanding and heavy with authority.

“Hand it over, kid. I won’t ask again.”

Oliver’s throat tightened as he swallowed hard. He tried to summon courage, but his spear wavered in his grip. Tally pressed close to Rika, the two of them forming a shaky defensive stance. Both had their weapons drawn, yet none of them truly believed they could win if a fight broke out. Even so, they did not yield. Rika’s ears flattened, and when she spoke her voice sounded defiant.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it’s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

“Why should we give you anything? We killed that monster fair and square!”

“Y-yeah, what you’re doing is against the guild code!”

Tally shouted, her voice rising with sudden courage after her friend spoke. The words did not shake the group of four. Instead, they exchanged glances, and after a brief silence, all of them burst into laughter.

“Guild code? Do you think something like that matters inside a dungeon?”

Asked the barbarian Grahn as he laughed, his massive axe resting against his shoulder while his muscles bulged in a display of power. The laughter echoed off the damp stone until it turned into silence, leaving only Beros’ heavy breathing. His hand, still outstretched, curled slowly into a fist.

“You don’t understand, kids.”

His voice was deep, smooth, and almost friendly.