Giiwo blocked the attack from the razorback and lashed out with its axe, sinking it into the face of the beast. It squealed in protest, backing away from the golem.

Rana was adjusting the command system of the golem on the fly as she was being carried by Michael.

Lily and Liara were both now fighting in each battle.

Rana was being carried because she was closely watching the Go-Link. They were trying to find whoever might be in the Dungeon with them.

Giiwo was doing better in the fights while following Rana’s commands. Liara and Michael were also assisting in adding controls and teaching the golem complex combat techniques. Michael knew how to fight from his Lord of War passive skill, so Giiwo was becoming quite skilled.

“I found the boss room… Oh no.” Rana Shared Senses with one of the golem mice.

“What is it, Rana?” Liara asked, finishing off the last razorback.

“The door is open! They just went in!” Rana reported.

“Let’s go.” Michael took the lead and had Rana guide them.

Anything that got in their path was instantly crushed by Michael.

They arrived at the boss room entrance. The black mist masked the room within.

“Are you sure about this, Cael? If they heard the announcement….” Liara began.

“We’ll deal with it then,” Michael answered, leading their way into the boss’s room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ARGH!” A demi-bear man had his neck crushed by the boss.

It looked like a wereboar and was as big as an ogre.

“Dammit! Stupid woman! Shoot it!” A demi-bird man with a staff ordered.

A wounded demon woman struggled to lift her pistol and fired at the boss. Her shot went wide before she collapsed.

“Damn! Useless!” The demi-bird man raised his gold-inlaid short-staff. “Fireball!”

A ball of fire the size of a beach ball flew and hit the boss, setting its head on fire.

The boss roared in protest, throwing the dead demi-bear man into a bottomless pit.

“Hah! Take that! Know my power!” The demi-bird man launched a couple more fire spells at the boss.

The boss easily batted the spells away with its large metal club.

It roared in anger and charge at the demi-bird man.

“NOOOO!” He yelled, launching more fireballs at the boss.

The boss swung its club for a large mace to meet it with a loud metal gong.

The demi-bird man looked before him and saw a giant, winged demon.

“Y-Y-You?” He stuttered.

“Get back! Hurry!” The demon commanded, causing the boss to stumble backward as he overpowered it.

A demi-canine girl came up to him. “Hurry! This way!” She pulled him away from the fight.

A feminine golem charged into the fight along with the winged demon. The golem would strike at the legs of the boss, performing hit-and-run tactics. Strangely to the demi-bird man, the boss seemed entirely focused on the winged demon.

The demon seemed to have no trouble battling the boss, overpowering each blow the boss could muster.

The boss roared out in pain as it fell to one knee. One of its legs was hacked and bloodied from the golem’s attacks.

He noticed a demi-canine woman who seemed to be shouting commands at the golem and controlling it. The demi-bird could not believe what he was seeing. Besides the demon overpowering the boss, a Golemancer was a rare class! Even more so with the capability of the golem, she was controlling.

The demi-bird man smiled wickedly. He would have to add them to his collection.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The boss fell to a knee, tired from being overwhelmed by Michael. With a battle cry, Michael swung his jager mace and crushed the boss’s skull, silencing it.

He huffed in relief and surveyed the area. Other than the demi-bear man who was thrown into the abyss, there was a half-mashed pile of viscera that used to be a human priestess and a demi-cat rogue woman who seemed to have died on impact against a wall. Liara seemed to be healing a demon woman off to the side, but she also had a conflicted look on her face.

Michael approached the demi-bird man. “Hmm? Do I know you?” He asked.

The man began to sweat and looked away. “I don’t think we have met. My name is… Paul.”

Michael figured the man was lying and quickly remembered the man. It was the greedy viscount that caused an accident at the Galgalake main gate. He felt suspicious of the man and tossed a custom curse on him when he wasn’t looking.

“Well, Paul, things seem pretty dangerous in here right now. Did you hear the announcement?” Michael asked.

“You mean how the Demon-Lord has entered the Dungeon? We hid for a while and never ran into them. They have to already be deep within by now.” Paul stated. “I just have such terrible luck.”

‘Luck of your own making.’ Michael thought to himself before heading over to Liara.

“How is she doing?” Michael asked, kneeling next to her.

“Um. She’ll live. I gave her a potion and am compounding my healing on her. Her regeneration seems pretty strong for a demon.” Liara reported.

Michael looked at the two bodies of the priestess and rogue. “I could probably save them.” He commented to Liara.

She looked at him and then glanced at the bird man. “You know who that is, right?”

“Of course.” He casually replied.

“Hard to do things with a knife at your back. Nothing more dangerous than a traitor.” She growled.

“I already set something up,” Michael replied.

A minute later, Paul screamed.

They looked over to see a startled Rana and a stiff Paul.

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“Not sure what he was doing, but I’ll go find out.” Michael stood and headed over.

“Confound it! What is happening!?” Paul yelled.

Michael helped Rana up. “That is a curse. Just like this one.” He hit Paul in the face with another custom curse.

“Damn you, you foul demon! What have you done to me!?” He demanded to know.

Michael noticed a thin black band in Paul’s hand and took it. He could have used his info screen but wanted to test the new curse he applied.

“What’s this?” He asked.

Paul seemed like he was struggling against something in his mind. “Slaaave Collar!” He shouted.

The noble seemed baffled. “I... you made me speak against my will! That is punishable by death!” He shouted.

“Same with trying to enslave my beloved wife.” Michael reached up and snapped the collar around Paul’s neck.

The noble tried to protest, but the collar burned its curse into the man’s neck. He screamed in pain while his body was still stiff.

“I hit you with a curse that would paralyze you if you tried to harm any of us. The next one made it so you had to tell the truth.” Michael explained.

“Cael.” Liara got his attention. “She has one too.” Liara heard what was said and checked the demon woman for a collar.

Lily, being proactive, checked the other two ladies. “These two have them too!” She reported.

“So, you like slaves, huh?” Michael coldly asked the noble.

“Of course I do! They are useful tools for my greatness!” Paul cried out, unable to keep silent.

“Good to know. One of your precious ‘tools’ fell down the pit. Why don’t you go get them? That’s an order.” Michael was angry with the man. Enslaving people, taking away their wills and futures for their master’s greed? It rang too similar to Michael’s situation.

The paralysis turned off, and Paul began marching toward the pit.

“W-Wait! Please! I won’t apologize! I will enslave you all!” The truth curse was still active.

“I’m curious. Who is your god?” Michael asked, feeling he already knew.

“The goddess of the sun and sky! Sylfaerune!” Paul shouted between his begs for mercy.

Paul looked over toward the demon that Liara was still healing. “Dammit, save me! That’s-!”

“You are forbidden from giving orders!” Michael roared.

Paul’s mouth slammed shut before he could finish. He was five steps away from the pit, struggling to stop himself.

“By the way,” Michael called out.

Three steps.

“Tell that garbage goddess the Demon-Lord sends his regards.” Michael playfully saluted.

Two steps.

“What?” Blood drained from Paul’s face.

One step.

They all watched as Paul walked into the pit, his scream fading into the darkness.

Giiwo brought the rogue to the priestess’s body.

“Panacea.” Michael used his spell.

Their bodies were fully restored, and their chest began to move up and down steadily. Thankfully their clothing was still intact. He used a spell to clean off all the blood and grime.

Michael checked their statuses.

Orelia

Class: Apprentice Priestess of the Sun Rank 10

Str: Rank 7 Dex: Rank 7 Int: Rank 13

Status:

Physical: Normal Magic: Normal Mental State: Unconscious

Injuries:

Special: Devout of Sylfaerune, Enslaved (Owner: None)

Skills:

Sun Element: Rank 10 First Aid: Rank 7

Cooking: Rank 4 Cleaning: Rank 4

Melee: Rank 2

Abilities:

Heal Sun Flare Heat Ray First Aid (Dual Op)

Mari

Class: Rogue Rank 11

Str: Rank 6 Dex: Rank 13 Int: Rank 8

Status:

Physical: Normal Magic: Normal Mental State: Unconscious

Injuries:

Special: Enslaved (Owner: None)

Skills:

Stealth: Rank 11 Lockpicking: Rank 10

Ambush: Rank 10 Melee: Rank 8

Detect: Rank 7

Abilities:

Detect (Dual Op) Ambush Pick

Michael felt a bit of contentment that they were alive once more, but he pitied the priestess. For her to be devout to the garbage goddess, she still ended up enslaved. He wondered how bad the human nations really were.

Michael went over to check on the demon, who was still face down.

“Why’d you leave her like that?” He asked Liara as he got to her.

“Oh, well, uh, it would be uncomfortable for her wings?” Liara tried to deflect.

“I have wings and don’t have an issue laying on my back.” Michael countered, beginning to wonder what she was trying to hide.

Sighing in resignation, Liara rolled the demon over.

“Oh…” Michael said when he saw the face. “Listamati…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Listamati’s consciousness slowly began to perceive her surroundings. She heard voices talking to each other in a relaxed tone.

What happened to the boss? She wasn’t dead? Did… Did the Demon-Lord save them?

The demoness cracked open her eyes.

“Oh, she’s awake!” A young voice called out.

Listamati turned her head to see a group looking at her. “What happened?” She asked.

“We saved your sorry ass.” A woman that Listamati recognized said.

“You!” Listamati sat up and glared at the woman who had defeated her.

“Liara. Sheesh, you should try to remember the name of the person who beat you in a fight.” Liara huffed.

“What are you doing here? … … … Is he here?” Listamati remembered the message passed onto her by the Branch Head, meaning that the one she had been searching for would not be far.

Looking around, she saw him resting against a wall near the two girls who were as unlucky as herself. She wanted to rush over to him, but Listamati was not so desperate to disturb his sleep.

Turning back to Liara. “What happened to Viscount Pauli?”

“Dead. Cast into the abyss.” Liara answered.

Listamati trembled. “Was it painful?”

“I’m sure he didn’t like it.” Liara shrugged her shoulders.

“Daddy put a collar on that bad noble and ordered him to jump in,” Lily stated, tired of Liara being so aloof.

Listamati laughed. A fitting fate for that bastard. She was thankful that he never bedded her, but he felt her up often, which disgusted her.

“How did someone like you get caught like that?” Liara asked.

Listamati looked away in shame. The woman was right in asking. Someone like a high demon like herself should have never been caught by a piss-ant of a man. “I was lured and drugged. When I woke up, I had the collar around my neck.”

“How did he lure you?” A demi-canine woman asked, handing a bowl of hot stew to her.

Listamati was starving. The stew was delicious, the best meal since she got enslaved a week ago. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

The demi-canine woman giggled and said there was more if she wanted. She also introduced herself as Rana.

“Thank you, Miss Rana.” Listamati glared at Liara, who looked bored. “I was lured by information of him.” She thumbed toward Caeldaemos.

“I see. Even though I gave you a warning, you still pursued him.” Liara sighed and shook her head in disappointment.

“You just don’t understand why I need him so much!” Listamati yelled but quickly covered her mouth.

Liara narrowed her eyes at the demoness. “Why don’t you tell me.”

Listamati didn’t want to say. Not to Liara. She already felt pathetic enough.

“Mm?” Orelia stirred from all the noise.

The priestess sat up and looked at the group in front of her. “Was… it a dream?”

Listamati couldn’t believe her eyes. She thought it was a corpse! Listamati saw Orelia die.

“D-Did you use Elixirs on them!?” Listamati asked. It was the only thing she knew could bring a person back to life besides a rare Saintess ability.

Orelia gasped. “You mean… it wasn’t a dream? I died?” The poor priestess began to tremble and hug herself. “Praise be onto-.”

“Don’t you dare utter that name before me.”

He was awake. The man who could help avenge her past.

Caeldaemos looked annoyed.

“Could it be that… You hate the goddess of the sun?” Orelia delicately worded her question.

“Let’s just say I’m in a fucked up situation, and she is responsible for it,” Caeldaemos answered.

“I can understand one believing the gods are responsible for what happens to them, but you cann-.”

“Then explain your situation,” Caeldaemos told the priestess.

“I… Well…” Listamati could see the struggle in Orelia’s mind. Out of the three ladies the viscount had, he forced the priestess to do many things against her will.

Caeldaemos sighed heavily and placed a hand on Orelia’s head. “It’s okay to cry. It’s fine to call that garbage goddess for what she is. Her ineptitude, greed, and terrible decision-making led to your suffering. Let me be the one to tell you, you don’t owe that bitch a damn thing after what she allowed to happen to one as devoted as you.”

Orelia trembled. “What happened to him?”

“Collared his ass and told him to swan dive into a pit with no bottom.” Caeldaemos had a solemn expression, but his eyes showed pity.

Orelia broke down crying. Caeldaemos pulled her into his arms, gave her a place to feel safe, and let out her sorrow.

Listamati noticed Liara, Rana, and Lily looked upon the situation with relented happiness. They were jealous of him hugging another woman but glad she could let it all out now.

Mari, the rogue, woke up from all the noise. It did not take long before she also cried while hurling the most vulgar insults after Pauli’s ghost.

Listamati watched as Caeldaemos took in their sorrow and comforted them, not asking for a single thing in return. She gripped her chest, pangs of pain in her chest. She thought of using such a man for her own selfish gains? For her revenge? Guilt… something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

The demoness didn’t notice, but Liara had moved over to her. Liara’s back was to Listamati.

“I’m not as good as Cael, but I guess I can help you too,” Liara whispered.

It hurt. Listamati’s heart ached. She let her vengeance and broken spirit blind her so much that her situation was well deserved for the things she had done.

Listamati pressed her face into Liara’s back, quietly crying, lamenting her sins.