Chapter 6: Infiltration
Luckily, the ventilation shaft wasn’t heavily guarded.
Thanks to that, I could break through the ceiling, crawl into the vent, and make my way to the underground prison without much trouble.
I got a bit lost since I didn’t know the way, but still.
“Ugh…”
The vent was filthy and gross.
Couldn’t someone do something about these damn cobwebs?
And it’s way too cramped.
Naturally, all my frustration was aimed at the status window.
Lately, it seemed to enjoy screwing with me, throwing more and more time-attack quests my way.
Up until now, job advancement trials never had time limits.
This nonsense only started with the fourth job advancement.
What did I do to deserve this?
Who’d understand the pain of being forced to jump through hoops like this?
Oh, there it is.
After crawling for a while, I finally reached the underground prison’s research lab.
Peering through the perforated vent, I saw a massive magical circle floating in the air.
Below it, Tana was shackled.
She wasn’t moving.
Is she asleep?
The ceiling was pretty high, so I couldn’t see clearly.
…Looks like no one’s around.
Confirming the lab was empty, I pried open the vent cover.
“Hm…”
The passage was too narrow to turn around.
I had no choice but to drop down headfirst.
…Well, I won’t die.
I threw myself down.
Thud—!
“Ow.”
Damn it.
I botched the landing.
The height was no joke—my body was buzzing from the impact.
I looked up.
Oh.
My eyes met Tana’s.
Guess she wasn’t asleep.
…Hm.
She’s really pretty.
I didn’t notice before, but up close, her beauty was dizzying.
Maple World tends to make everyone look good.
Unless you’re a total disaster, most people here are attractive.
But Tana stood out even among them.
I’d never seen anyone like her.
No wonder Jang fell for her at first sight.
“…Hey. We’ve met before, right?”
“…”
I got up and spoke to her.
No response.
She didn’t seem to remember me.
“…Oh, right. You wouldn’t remember.”
She’d vanished in the anti-magic stone explosion and lost her memories upon reviving.
This was like our first meeting for her.
“Hm… So, I’m…”
I started to approach her but stopped.
The smell of blood hit me.
I stood still, scanning her surroundings.
Dried bloodstains littered the floor, remnants of countless tortures.
Her body had already healed, but the splattered blood told the story of what she’d endured.
Those crazy bastards.
Inhuman experiments conducted under King Hekaton’s orders to harness her immortality.
Even I couldn’t help but grimace.
So they’ve been doing this to her for months?
And they’d keep going for years.
Plus, Tana wasn’t the first.
If I recall, she was around the 600th test subject.
“Stay still.”
“…?”
I drew my sword.
“Don’t move. You’ll get hurt.”
Aura Blade.
An orange glow began to emanate from my sword.
Spirit Blade.
A damage buff.
Ready, I aimed at the chains.
It was a bit impulsive, but I had my reasons.
If I left her here, her future was obvious.
Endless torture until she’d eventually fail the ritual and be trapped in eternal pain.
I had to stop it.
“Sigh—.”
If I freed her and got her out, who knows how the future would change.
Maybe an unexpected crisis would arise.
But if it weren’t for her, I’d have been caught in the anti-magic stone explosion and vanished.
Sure, that’d be the status window’s fault.
Damn thing.
Why’d it send me to Trueffe?
…Anyway, I owed her.
“I’m paying you back for that time.”
Brave Slash.
Clang—!! Clang! Clang—!!
Three swift strikes hit the chains.
Sparks flew, and the chains shook violently.
“…”
“…Huh?”
But the chains were fine.
“Uh… haha. These chains are… pretty tough, huh?”
She was supposed to be emotionless, but her eyes seemed to cool with pity.
F*ck.
This is why Crusaders suck.
“What’s your name?”
“…Tana.”
“Tana? That’s a pretty name.”
“…”
“I’m Juhyuk Seo. Call me whatever.”
Tana kept her cold demeanor.
Her stoic face reminded me of a doll.
I couldn’t imagine her smiling.
“Doesn’t staying in a gloomy place like this make you feel down?”
“…Down? I… don’t know what that is.”
“Really? Hm…”
I racked my brain.
What did Jang say next?
…Oh, he read her a fairy tale.
I should’ve brought a book.
“…Why are you here?”
“…Huh? What?”
I was caught off guard.
It was the first time she’d shown curiosity.
“Well… I just came to say thanks. You saved me once before. You probably don’t remember.”
“…I see.”
“But now, I’ve changed my mind.”
“…?”
“This place is a sh*thole.”
“…”
“So, I’m getting you out of here.”
“…How?”
“No idea.”
Her eyes blinked at my words.
I said I don’t know.
Still, I thought I dodged that pretty well.
I couldn’t exactly say I was here for my fourth job advancement.
“Oh, time’s up.”
“…Time?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
[Stay by Tana’s side for 10 minutes (Complete)]
I thought I’d die of awkwardness.
“I should get going.”
I walked toward the ceiling I’d dropped from.
“I’ll come back.”
“…”
“…You just nodded, right?”
No response.
Whatever.
I positioned myself under the vent.
“Phew…”
I got into stance—
Whoosh—!
And jumped high.
The ceiling was far, and I didn’t quite make it.
But Heroes have Double Jump.
Whoosh—!
I kicked off the air again, reaching the vent.
Heroes can even jump upward here.
Luckily, I didn’t get caught by soldiers on the way back.
And I kept visiting Tana after that.
Partly because I had to.
The quests kept pushing me to go back.
Anyway—
“Thought you might be bored, so I brought a fairy tale. Want me to read it?”
“Bored… what’s that?”
“Bored is… well… Once upon a time, there was a princess and a knight.”
I started meeting her every day.
“Here, have a pear.”
“A pear…?”
“Summer pears are delicious.”
At some point, she started waiting for me.
And then.
Step—.
“…”
Someone was watching it all.