Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

"...Over there, take whatever you want."

"As expected of someone with 'mystery,' the sorcerer boss is truly infallible."

He pulled out a spear that was leaning against the wall.

It was a crimson spear with a deformed and twisted tip; its shape, needless to say, and its bright red color itself seemed to represent the word "curse." Dix swung the eerie weapon a few times, seemingly quite pleased with it, tapping his shoulder with the butt of the spear.

"Then I'll go. —Let's hunt the Loki Familia!"

★

"Commander, please pull yourself together!"

The cries of grief echoed endlessly in a corner of the labyrinth.

The fall was roughly equivalent to six stories above the "upper level." Raul, Angie, and three other members of the group barely escaped from Revis and the others and were treating Finn, who had been slashed.

"No, Raul, the wound won't heal!"

"Why?! We used so much potion, how could this happen...!"

Raul cried out in a panic beside the group member who was using the prop.

No matter how many elixirs were used, Finn's wounds just wouldn't heal as he lay on the ground.

The red life-giving droplets were still draining from the dwarf's body. His small, slightly heaving chest barely indicated that Finn was still alive, but his blue eyes were blurry, empty, and lifeless.

"It's a curse...!"

Seeing that the treatment was ineffective on her wound, Angie bit her lip hard.

"You mean a 'curse'... How could that be? Where were you hit?! Not only the captain, none of us have been attacked by any strange 'magic'...!"

"No, Raul. The black sword that woman used... was actually a 'special weapon,' imbued with a 'curse'!"

The ominous, jet-black longsword that Rives was equipped with.

Angie recognized the weapon as a "cursed weapon".

"A cursed weapon..."

Angie's deduction startled Raul, whose face turned pale like the other members of the group, and he said in a low voice.

"Special weapons" imbued with "curses" are the complete opposite of magicians—weapons created by sorcerers themselves and feared by all. These weapons are collectively known as cursed weapons, and due to their unique nature, they are especially rare among "special weapons."

The additional spell is undoubtedly an "incurable curse" that makes the wound impossible to heal.

"Then, the commander...!?"

"Unless the curse is broken, no matter how many items or 'magic' I use, the injury won't heal..."

Upon hearing Angie utter those words, Raul's knees nearly buckled.

In reality, it could be said that Finn was no longer able to fight. Worse still, if the curse wasn't broken soon, he would bleed uncontrollably, endangering his life.

This team had neither the tools to break the curse nor a healer; in other words—

"We need to escape this maze as soon as possible...!"

Angie's conclusion caused Raul's face to turn from pale to white.

How can we escape this place teeming with terrifying enemies and monsters as soon as possible, without Finn leading the way?

This is an unmapped, untouched maze. We know neither our current location nor the exit. Our reliable companions, such as Ais or Grace, are nowhere to be found, and we've searched everywhere without finding a way out.

What can they possibly do on their own?

"Raul, pull yourself together!"

"!"

Raul was startled when Angie grabbed his shoulder and looked up.

"We must help the captain! Not Ais and the others, but us! It's up to us!"

"Anqi..."

"The situation is so urgent, if even you lose yourself...!"

Angie's hands were trembling.

While Raul and the others were panicking, she remained calm and pretended to be strong, but in reality, she was also desperately suppressing her wavering and trying her best not to succumb to this predicament.

Upon encountering her hidden vulnerability, Raul managed to maintain a clear head.

But, but, but, however.

—Commander, what should I do?

Raul's gaze fell on Finn, who was breathing weakly and repeatedly, as if seeking help.

Faced with an increasingly hopeless situation, the young man's thoughts sank into a dead end.

"Fen~~~~~~ Ugh! Where the hell have you been?!"

"!"

At that moment, a loud voice from afar interrupted Raul's thoughts.

Raul's shoulder twitched, and he quickly turned around, knowing that the pursuers (Valeta) were coming to deliver a fatal blow to Finn.

After falling from the cave, Raul and the others immediately moved elsewhere, purely to escape the pursuit of Revis and her group. They knew the risks of wandering aimlessly in the maze, but retreat was still their top priority.

Valetta seemed to be some distance away from them... but judging from the number of footsteps they heard, the enemy must have been leading a considerable force.

"Don't you dare kick the bucket before I get there! You're the last one. I'm going to slaughter your men right before your eyes and make you suffer the taste of despair! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

"...!"

The sadistic howls and screams awakened fear, which in turn compelled everyone to act.

"Everyone move!"

Faced with the deteriorating situation, Raul had no choice but to urge his companions to escape.

"You've fallen right into the trap."

"What should we do, Tione~!?"

In a corner of the dimly lit passage, Tiony and Tiona lingered with the other wavering members of the troupe.

"Unlike the dungeon, we have absolutely no idea where we are! Are we doomed!?"

"Don't panic! Panicking will fall into your opponent's trap!"

Tiony yelled at the other members of the group, including her sister, but she couldn't hide her inner turmoil.

The enemy had prepared a massive trap, and specifically targeted the squad that Finn, who could intuitively sense danger, was absent. Clearly, the enemy had a well-prepared and adaptable plan within this maze; in other words, they had devised numerous schemes.

Another small team split into two groups... I wonder if Finn is safe?

(I feel uneasy... Commander, are you alright?)

The Amazonian girl told herself that worrying about men stronger than herself was just needless anxiety.

However, it's as if they're mocking her.

The super-heavy metal block fell behind Tiony.

"ah!?"

The "door" made of the hardest metal cut off the passage.

Tiona and three other members disappeared behind the barrier.

"Tiona, Tiona!? Damn it!"

The squad was separated for the second time, and the darkness prevented them from noticing the "door".

Here he was alone with only the ashen-faced orc (Kous) and a male member of the party (Supporter).

Thione angrily pounded on the metal door, cursing her own carelessness, but then thought that now was not the time to be angry, and looked around.

(Someone is manipulating the "door"!? Is there an assassin hiding somewhere!?)

The "door" was clearly deliberately lowered at this moment. The other side had to monitor their every move, otherwise it wouldn't be possible. While the orc Kos and another male member were in a sorry state, Tione stared at the dark passageway entwined around the sinister statue—and instantly drew a throwing knife and hurled it at his companion.

"Eh?"

The vehicle, named "Feierjia," flew in at high speed.

The blade flashed with a sharp light at the supporter who stood frozen in place—flying past his cheek by a hair's breadth and striking the person behind him.

“Ugh!?”

“…Huh?”

"There are enemies!"

A figure fell, and the male member (supporter) froze in place for the second time. Tione equipped himself with a pair of recurve kukri knives (Zoas).

The group members rushed back, and Tiony passed by him, rushing towards the countless surging auras ahead.

"Miss Tione"

"Koss, Orva, bring out the magic lamp!"

Tione gave the order without even looking at Kos, and Zoas flashed his blade.

First came the sensation of flesh being severed, followed by a human's groan of "Gah!" Kos and his companions hurriedly lit their portable magic stone lamps, illuminating a group of humans dressed in black.

"when……!?"

Kos and his men were terrified, but Tione ignored them and hacked down the enemy group one after another.

(The dark faction that Lefia and the others were talking about doesn't dress like this... Could these guys be assassins?!)

The other person wore a hooded jacket to cover their head and was dressed casually. Their gait was remarkably similar to that of the dark figure that Tiony had encountered several times during her long journey after leaving her homeland (Tir Scylla).

Are they hired to do this, or are they another force from the dark faction? Whatever they are, killing them is the right thing to do. Tiony unleashed his ferocity.

unexpectedly……

「!?」

A burst of extremely piercing high-frequency light, along with what might be "magic" light, assaulted Tione.

The passage was confined by space, and the enemy (assassin) she had just knocked unconscious with an elbow strike was also caught in the blast, leaving even a first-level adventurer with no way to dodge. Tione covered one ear, angrily wondering what kind of attack she had been subjected to, when she dodged the enemy's dagger and realized what was wrong.

(My body... feels so heavy...!?)

My palms were trembling, and I couldn't muster any strength.

Koss and his companions, battling before the hardest metal "door," realized what was happening and groaned:

"A curse combined with... an anti-status spell...!"

The former creates obstacles for the recipient, while the latter causes a decrease in [ability value].

The curse's effect is likely to inflict fatigue. Tione has been weakened by the enemy.

"Miss Tione, these guys are untouchable!?"

Koss's warnings were in vain, and the assassins surged toward Tione.

Even with her [ability stats] somewhat reduced, LV·6 shouldn't be defeated by these people. However, being repeatedly and densely subjected to curses and abnormal magic inevitably makes her movements less agile. The enemy assassins all use "curses" to overwhelm her and take Tione's life.

"These... guys!?"

The opponent repeatedly applies the "curse" by sacrificing allies to effectively defeat the weakened but powerful enemy.

Combining the artificial maze with mechanisms to separate their companions, the assassins employed a human wave tactic; Tiony's hands lost their grip strength, and the recurve knife was finally knocked away.

“Wu!?”

Tiony was slashed and beaten.

The black-clad group, moving like the wind, left numerous scars on Tione's body.

Just as she was about to collapse from the attack and kneel down, a burly assassin raised his hammer and spear and delivered a fatal blow.

"Miss Tione!?"

The sound of flesh being pulverized rang out.

"Tione, Tione!?"

In the isolated passageway, Tiona pounded on the hardest metal "door" with both hands.