Katherine POV:
“What if you make the Sentri Warrior you love king?”
We jumped down toward the centre of the arena, but my suggestion left Gilja without words. All Sentri were born equal. Was it not the result of effort in some form that made talent known? Was it not the discipline of arduous work that bore the fruit of one’s potential?
Obstacles existed for everyone.
“I... Oh... Though there are complications to that process now, maybe that’s why it... can work. I-If I’m by his side, then a Dungeon Break is unlikely to happen.”
A gentle breeze coated the soles of the boots I wore. It dampened the almost inaudible sound that formed from heel connecting with stone.
“Gilja, I will hold you to your words. Find your lover, and please do the right thing when the time comes.”
She bit her lip before her head lowered. If every Sentri Guardian on this Floor possessed an underground tunnel leading to their own habitat, then the fall of their king may cause factions to form.
Perhaps this is what Gilja alluded to. Complications that left a clear successor to the throne uncertain.
“Thank you, Lady Katherine...”
“You are welcome, Gilja.”
My attention fell on the Sentri Guardian, elevated and seated above the arena. His green eyes lessened the chatter amongst the Sentri. Once the last murmurs faded with the faint currents of air that left their roots at the other end of the tunnel, his gaze swept over my body several times.
“That look is rather unpleasant.”
He leaned forward on his throne with a fist beneath his chin. This Sentri Guardian was once an Armoured Sentri Knight; it confirmed that their level of skill took precedence over the Sentri ranks.
“My apologies. Your beauty is transcendent.”
“Monster or not, I appreciate your manners, and thank you for the compliment.”
A noticeable curve emerged at the end of his lips, but it soon vanished. Tremors held hands with one another to assault the pit’s foundation. They fragmented the stone tiles and ripped into the walls on either side.
The Sentri Guardian swivelled his eyes toward the white flag pole that rattled. I was the last to leave the starting area, only moving once each of my party members had arrived at their desired destination. Furthermore, the walk with Gilja was akin to a summer stroll; I didn’t wish for her to feel rushed.
Such a sensitive topic weighed down on her heart for many years. An opportunity had presented itself because that was her time.
“...I can sense all of my siblings engaging in combat with your comrades.”
‘Upper Enryo.’
Abundant power tried to stay concealed. It was aided by the armour the Sentri Guardian wore, but I could grasp its essence. It was understandable that Experienced Scout Byeol made an error in her judgement.
“If only you were a Sentri, I would make you my woman.”
“That is not an appropriate thing to say or think, Sentri Guardian. My heart belongs to my master alone.”
His eyebrows met in the middle, folding skin like layers of soil. It was impossible for man and beast to unite in that way, for one was not made for the other.
“Master? Why would your master have romantic feelings for his disciple?”
“Naturally, he does not, but his smile alone is my world. Whenever I need him, he is always there for me. I want to make him proud in the same manner my older brother did.”
His jaw loosened enough for a partial breath to push out. Shoulders dropped further, and the Sentri Guardian’s gaze seemed unfocused.
“What a lucky man. Take the flag and go.”
I dipped my head at the favour he had chosen to show me.
“I appreciate your understanding.”
“It can’t be helped. I can’t lay hands on a charming woman such as yourself. I’ll accept my death with open arms.”
The other Sentri stiffened. His words troubled my mind just the same. Why would he need to accept his death when the requirement to proceed to the next Floor involved no killing of their kind?
‘Am I... the cause?’
Bujir’s entire unit searched the Floors for my party members, yet he never once considered his actions would lead to death.
‘...Dungeons are indeed strange. I wonder what the source for these deviations could be?’
“Are there no females of your own kind that you love?”
Behind the depth his green eyes contained, a small light flickered. The wick bowed its head, and the wax seeped into the darkness. Cherished moments were relived every time the candle was lit.
“There was, but she died long ago.”
Tightness grabbed hold of the strings to my heart and reminded me of life on the farm. What intensified the tension was the vivid imagery of an elderly couple: my grandparents.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“I am sorry for your loss.”
“Sorry? Truly a treasure you are.”
The Sentri Guardian’s lips spread into a gentle smile. I caught the pole he threw toward me, but I remained concerned over what punishment he would face.
“Make your master proud, and when you do, confess.”
“He is a married man, and I am his disciple. It is not my place to have such thoughts.”
His laughter echoed around the arena. His initial statement had caused my lips to spread and rise. I knew it was inappropriate, but I indulged in the possibility of a different outcome where Zane and I were a couple.
A fleeting moment that I dispelled with haste.
“Is it so wrong for a man to have two wives?”
“Yes. I... don’t... agree with it...”
My gaze fell to the side. What I wanted most was for Zane to be proud of me.
“Good luck then.”
[Awakened Sentri King is enraged by the insubordination of Sentri Guardian Lurz.]
‘Insurbordination?’
I was left undecided on whether the cause was because Lurz had sent Gilja to escort me to him or if it was his outspoken refusal to engage in combat. Perhaps the Sentri Guardians abided by an unknown code?
[Awakened Sentri King will make an example out of Sentri Guardian Lurz.]
“Gilja!”
“Yes, Lord Lurz!”
Lurz rose and Gilja kneeled. His eyes scanned over the Sentri that gave him their full attention. The flame dimmed further, and it saddened me.
A faint sniffle broke the distress silence brought with it. That was the moment Lurz turned his back to his people. The grey armour that adorned his body was tinted green, but what it revealed was a wall that protected those he cared for.
Wails pierced that wall. The screams of heartfelt agony at the decision he had made brought a tear to my eye. However, Lurz stood firm.
“I approve of your thoughts, Gilja. Reach the top with the one you love, and... Change our kind before it’s too late.”
The eruption of his Ki hardened the tearful Sentri.
“I am Lurz, the Sentri Guardian of the North!”
It made the walls of the pit acknowledge the status he had obtained, yet the flickering of torches showed the changes he had considered.
“I leave everything to Lady Gilja! Support her in all her methods. Do I make myself clear?!”
“YES, LORD LURZ!!!”
I bent down to rest my hand on Gilja’s trembling shoulder. The stone tiles mourned with the fall of rain that crashed against its surface. Lurz bowed his head to the throne and stared at the bright ceiling.
“At last, I’ll finally be able to see you again, my love.”
A tear fell, but its descent was denied by a flash of red light. It struck Lurz till only a patch of blood was left behind where he once stood.
“How unpleasant.”
The Sentri no longer restricted their burdened hearts. Loud sobs dimmed the brightness of the pit and offered condolences to a leader who saw the errors of his kind but entrusted the task of rectifying them to Gilja.
“Lady Katherine, I... I will take you to the assigned location for the flagpole.”
“Thank you, Gilja.”
Perhaps this dungeon wasn’t just a trial for those brave enough to enter it but also for those living within it.
***
Phoebe POV:
I rested my hand over the pink hilt. It was a sword that felt more comfortable the more I used it, or maybe it was because Shun made it?
‘I think it’s the latter.’
Earlier, I chose not to reply to Shun’s message straight away. I needed to know what head space he was in, so when his movement came to a stop on the map, I felt so... happy.
I knew he cared.
He could have pushed me away when I fell asleep on him, but he let me use his lap as a pillow instead. He could have smacked my hand away when it brushed past his, but he didn’t widen the distance between us.
There was room for me in his heart; Shun just needed to accept mine. I wouldn’t force him. I could only show him that no matter who he needs to kill, there was someone willing to love him even in his destructive state of mind.
There was someone willing to help him heal.
‘Maybe I shouldn’t have taken so long to kiss him at the waterfall? No. I did the right thing. It would also be a waste if my first kiss was rejected midway through it.’
A few beads of sweat rolled down the side of my forehead at that sudden thought. I was glad I didn’t embarrass myself again.
[Floor Boss: Sentri Guardian]
I turned my attention toward a female Sentri Guardian named Faliruj. She opened one eye again, swept her gaze over me, and let out a disgusted sigh.
“A female. Ugh. What horrible luck. I wanted one of those three hotties.”
Shivers ran down my spine from the sight of Faliruj biting her plump lip. Monsters fawning over humans to this degree never happened. Everything about the dungeons we entered became strange the day...
Shun joined.
And that didn’t make sense to me. Now, I wasn’t smart, but it seemed more logical for the dungeons to be evolving, right?
“Especially the black-haired one. He’d be just my type if he was a Sentri.”
Okay. She just crossed the line.
“Shun is mine.”
“Shun? What a lovely name! I’ll make sure to take care of him well!”
Faliruj clapped her armoured hands together like a little girl, unable to contain her excitement. It reached a point where dazzling hearts seemed to appear above her head.
My temples throbbed from the scene in front of me before I let out a sigh.
“You’re awfully calm in the presence of death.”
Her yellow eyes dimmed. Faliruj’s leg wrapped over her knee, and the pressure in the pit increased.
“Death? You? Ugh, so overconfident. Though if Shun said that to m-“
“That’s enough. Summon your army or whatever, and let’s get this over with.”
I shifted my gaze to the empty seats around the arena. The underground tunnel behind me also had no signs of life I could sense within my range. I guessed only Faliruj was here, but I needed to be sure.
“I am the army, you virgin.”
“...”
My entire face burned like a furnace flame. Never in my life had I been attacked on such a personal level, yet when it happened, it was by a monster??
I... didn’t even know what to say.
“W-what?... D-did you just call me a v-virgin??...”
So I went into denial.
“Clearly, I’m right. You’re definitely not suited for Shun. He doesn’t need a kitten, but a cat. And I happen to be a widow.”
After Faliruj shrugged her shoulders, her lips curved into a smirk. Yellow eyes of experience peered down at me, encouraging me to offer some sort of response.
“W-who cares if I am, huh?!”
So I tried.
“Go away, little girl. Tell one of the men to come here instead~”
Faliruj dismissed my attempt with a wave of her hand toward the pit entrance. I felt no shame in saving myself for one man only; that was the normal way of doing things.
‘I feel so embarrassed though.’
A few deep breaths helped me to calm down. I stopped biting my lip and unballed the fists that once shook. Ki wrapped around my body, and Faliruj rose an eyebrow in response.
She got to her feet before clapping her hands together. This time, it wasn’t to indulge in some weird fantasy. It was to acknowledge the threat in front of her.
“Okay! The winner of this fight gets Shun!”
Faliruj flickered off her throne and appeared in the arena. Her grey armour was tinted yellow, but the torch flames added to the vibrance of its colour.
“I don’t think you can do much with one arm missing.”
“?”
An arm flew through the air, leaving a path of blood behind its trajectory. Faliruj didn’t deserve to be cut with the weapon Shun had made for me, so I took out a different one from Purple Dimension.
“...That’s just an ordinary sword?”
I wiped the blood off the grey steel. Her wound had started to bubble but regrowing an entire limb would require more time than she had left to live.
“That’s all I need.”
The bloody cloth hit the stone floor, and the Floor Boss formed black daggers out of her Ki.
“I’m a Sword Master, Faliruj.”
Ki made up of an innumerable amount of white swords, exploded around me. The entire arena fragmented. Cracks ran across the walls, and my gaze fell to the monster growling at me.
This battle wouldn’t last long.
It knew that.