Chapter 17 - Enticing

Soon, the trio returned to the hall they had come from. This time, they entered the right corridor. The structure was similar to the previous one, with blue flaming torches lining the walls. Inside the corridor, the group didn't encounter much trouble, just a few , which they easily dealt with, and traps that Lucas detected ahead of time.

The girls were somewhat salty, as they hadn’t had the chance to showcase their new skills.

At the end of the corridor was what appeared to be a praying room. In the center of the room stood a stone altar, adorned with a variety of ceremonial religious items the trio had never seen before.

Lucas didn’t detect any hidden mechanisms in the room. No secret tunnels, levers, or switches. It was just a simple room with an altar and some prayer equipment.

Disappointed, the trio left the room and returned to the hall. This time, they decided to take the central corridor.

Upon entering the central corridor, the trio immediately felt an oppressive aura pressing against them. Instinctively, Lucas stepped in front of the girls, taking the lead.

After a few steps, they encountered several more . However, this time, it was different. Instead of moving like string puppets in pairs, they crawled on all fours like some kind of beasts.

The acolytes made strange clicking noises from their throats, and in an instant, they snarled and lunged at the trio with incredible speed. One of the acolytes charged directly at them, forcefully separating Lucas from the girls.

Pulling out one of his , Lucas fired at the charging acolyte. The bullet sliced through the air, bursting the acolyte's head open. As he gripped the pistol, he felt a sense of kinship with it as if it had become an extension of himself.

“This looks like fun,” Chloe grinned as she unsheathed her sword. She swung it through the air, the blade cutting effortlessly through one acolyte's torso as it sailed with a serene hum.

Meanwhile, Samantha was already pulling out her spear as the acolytes lunged at them. Brushing her fingers along the shaft, runic letters began to glow on the weapon, and it shimmered with a crimson light. With a swift thrust, she impaled two acolytes at once. “Heh, these guys are wimps.”

“Don’t lose your focus,” Lucas reminded as he fired another shot at an acolyte.

As the trio continued cutting through the acolytes, more and more emerged from the darkness of the corridor.

“These things are annoying!” Samantha roared, sweeping her spear through the crowd of acolytes.

Dancing nimbly through the horde, Chloe left one deadly slash after another in her wake. “We just have to squash them!” she yelled.

Lucas's mind raced, analyzing ways to eliminate the acolytes all at once. Then, an idea struck him, and he muttered under his breath, “Will this even work?”

“Lucas! Got any bright ideas?” Samantha shouted as she cleaved through another acolyte.

In an instant, blue rings began glowing in Lucas's pupils. Instead of retreating into his usual white virtual space of , he brought the imaginary space out into the real world. Curved and straight lines appeared, connecting at least five acolytes in a complex web above their heads.

Leaping into the air, Lucas pulled the rifle from his back, aligning his eye with the scope. He steadied his breath and fired.

Bullets burst from the barrel. Some traveled in straight lines, piercing through multiple acolytes, while others curved mid-air, striking acolytes from unexpected angles, taking them down one by one.

In an instant, the world seemed to quiet down, leaving only the roar of the rifle and the sharp clinking of bullet casings hitting the floor.

Emptying half the magazine, Lucas managed to bring all the acolytes down, their bodies lying motionless. Landing back on the ground, he sighed, “That was mind-boggling, curving all those bullets.” He slung the rifle back over his shoulder.

“You girls okay?” he asked, turning to check on them, only to find them staring at him, dumbfounded.

Chloe pointed at him, her voice filled with astonishment. “How did you do that just now? You were somehow hanging in the air while shooting and the bullets were curving! Teach me your magic, please!”

“Curving bullets? That's insane,” Samantha clicked her tongue as she glanced at the scattered bodies of the acolytes. “Looks like you do have a plan,” she remarked while sheathing her spear.

“I know, I’m the best,” Lucas said with a casual shrug. “Come on, let’s go. We’re getting close to the end.”

At the end of the corridor, they encountered the same sight as before, a giant wooden door with foreign letters etched onto a signboard beside it.

“Main Hall,” Samantha translated as she read the signboard.

Lucas pulled out his pistol and turned to the girls. “I’m opening it. Be ready.”

The moment Lucas pushed the door slightly ajar, an oppressive force surged out, slamming into them like a powerful gust. Gritting his teeth, Lucas forced the door open further, revealing the room beyond.

It was a vast nave. Rows of benches lined the sides, their worn surfaces catching the dim light. Towering pillars stretched upward into a shadowy ceiling, disappearing into the darkness. Blue flames flickered ominously on torches mounted along the walls and pillars, casting an eerie glow across the hall.

Just standing in the area, Lucas felt as though an invisible hand was gripping his throat. It was suffocating. Even Chloe and Samantha's faces were turning pale under the oppressive atmosphere.

At the front of the nave, they could make out a humanoid figure with a hammer next to it kneeling on the ground before a shattered statue.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Is that the boss?” Chloe whispered, her grip tightening around the hilt of her sword.

Samantha’s face turned solemn as she pulled out her spear. “Should be. What’s the plan?” she asked, nudging Lucas.

“Don’t die,” Lucas replied with a wry smirk, leveling his pistol at the kneeling figure. “I’ll attract its attention. Both of you, flank it,” he whispered.

Just as the words left his mouth, Lucas pulled the trigger of his pistol, firing bullets at the figure. The gunshots echoed through the nave.

Hearing the shots, the figure turned, only to be struck by several bullets piercing its body. Feeling the searing pain, it let out a furious screech.

The ear-piercing wail was akin to nails scraping against a chalkboard, sending shivers of discomfort through Lucas.

Then, a metallic tune rang out, clashing with the screech and nullifying it. Both Lucas and Samantha turned toward the source. Chloe was flicking and waving her sword in a rhythmic flow, creating a serene hymn of metal and air.

Seeing its Skill negated, the figure shrieked again, this time in rage, and grabbed the hammer lying beside it. Its eyes glowed with a red hue as it lunged toward Chloe.

Reloading his pistol, Lucas fired several more shots, smirking. “Hey there! Nice day for fishing, isn’t it?” His taunt worked. The creature pivoted mid-charge and dashed straight toward him.

As the creature dashed forward, it let out another screech.

“Not going to work, man,” Lucas taunted, sidestepping a hammer smash. Mid-dodge, his eyes widened in surprise. “Wait! You’re a girl? Oh wow! My bad for calling you ‘man!’ Let me fix that!”

Raising his pistol, he smirked. “Not going to work, woman.” Without hesitation, he emptied the remaining bullets in his clip toward the creature's torso.

The creature twisted her body with unnatural agility, narrowly avoiding the shots aimed at her vitals. But before she could retaliate, a spear glowing with crimson runic letters flew through the air, tearing into her chest.

Roaring in pain, she stumbled backward, her glowing red eyes now glaring at the spear’s wielder.

Samantha smirked at the retreating creature. Raising her left hand, she uttered, “Aibarkyra.”

In an instant, a glowing purple rune formed beneath the creature’s feet. Chains of energy erupted from the ground, coiling tightly around her limbs and pinning her in place.

The creature snarled and thrashed, attempting to break free from the bindings. But before she could, a metallic hymn resonated through the air. Chloe's sword slashed down in a rhythmic arc, carving deep into the creature’s shoulder.

“Aim for the head, Chloe. Like this,” Lucas called out, calmly taking aim with his reloaded pistol. He fired a single shot, the bullet piercing straight into the creature’s skull.

With that shot, the creature went limp, her head drooping motionlessly.

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Contribution Ranking

* Lucas Kun (36.6%)

* Samantha Moon (32.0%)

* Chloe Helens (31.4%)

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You have received:

* Randomized Uncommon Skill of the Wailing Nun x1

Note: This reward is only available to the first group to clear this dungeon.

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“Nice trick you got there, Number Two. Part of your skill, I assume?” Lucas praised as he holstered his pistol.

Samantha nodded, sliding her spear back into place. “Yes, first place. I only know two rune spells so far, but I’m working on expanding my repertoire.”

Before Lucas could respond, Chloe bounced over with an excited grin. “Lucas! Did you see me? Wasn’t I cool?!”

Chuckling, Lucas reached out and patted her head. “Yes, that slash was incredible. And that sword dance of yours? Absolutely amazing.”

Happy with the praise, Chloe bounced around excitedly while Samantha stared at her in disbelief. Meanwhile, Lucas chuckled and walked over to the creature's corpse, starting to loot it.

“A Skill Book?” he muttered, surprised to find one tucked inside the Wailing Nun's outfit.

The girls came over, and Samantha sneered playfully, “You're rummaging through another woman’s clothes right in front of your lover? That’s just awful.”

Lucas smirked as he held up the Skill Book. “Well, this rummaging is quite fun. Want to give it a try?” he teased. “Found this in her pocket.”

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Baneful Wail

Rank: Uncommon

Active

Unleashes a piercing, high-pitched sound that momentarily disrupts enemies, lowering their stats for a limited duration.

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“Wow, it’s that screaming skill,” Chloe exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“I suggest letting Chloe have it. Her Talent amplifies sound-based skills, doesn’t it? This would suit her perfectly,” Samantha remarked, making it clear she had no interest in the skill.

Shrugging, Lucas handed the Skill Book to Chloe. “I agree. You’ll get the most out of it. Plus, it’s a solid crowd control and debuffing skill. It'll be great for the team.”

“Don’t you want it?” Chloe asked, glancing between Lucas and Samantha.

“Nah,” Lucas replied casually. “I can’t really see myself running around screaming like a maniac. Besides, you could probably blend it into your sword techniques, right? Miss Chanter of Steel.”

“Just take it,” Samantha urged as she crouched by the Wailing Nun’s corpse, searching it for any other valuable items. “Now it’s my turn to touch her, right?”

Clenching the Skill Book, Chloe thanked them sincerely, “Thank you. I'll make the best of it!”

Lucas simply smiled as he turned to claim his own reward, a randomized Uncommon Skill from the boss. Wasn't this enticing?

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Please Select one of the below Skills.

* Hammer of Lament

* Eternal Suffering

* Anguish Roar

* Baneful Presence

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Smash of Lament

Rank: Uncommon

Active

Harnesses the user’s anguish to empower their weapon. The next strike releases a devastating shockwave infused with despair, dealing damage and disorienting enemies in its path.

Eternal Suffering

Rank: Uncommon

Passive

The user's torment strengthens their resolve, converting pain and injuries into resilience. Gradually restores health during combat and reduces incoming damage when wounded.

Anguish Roar

Rank: Uncommon

Active

Unleashes a piercing roar imbued with agony, sapping the strength of enemies and leaving them weakened.

Baneful Presence

Rank: Uncommon

Passive

The user exudes an aura of dread, spreading fear and disarray among nearby foes, reducing their effectiveness in battle.

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