Chapter 193: What a Coincidence, Iresha—We Meet Again!

“Protect the Saintess!”

A flash of silver—swordplay so swift and precise that even Lin Wei found himself momentarily awed.

With a guttural screech, the monster crumpled, dissolving into a cloud of ash. The Holy Light that had filled the chamber faded, leaving only the crosshatched scars carved into the earth as silent testimony to the battle just fought.

Despite her clear nerves—bordering on paralysis—the Saintess held her ground by sheer grit and experience, anchoring the front line. Lin Wei, watching from her side, couldn’t help but let out an honest note of admiration.

He had to admit, Yalis had chosen the swordsman’s path for good reason. Level 39 might not seem impressive—practically standard among adventurers—but with her extraordinary stats and flawless technique, she could dispatch monsters meant for Level 50s without breaking a sweat.

If she kept progressing at this rate, by the time she reached Level 70, even Legacy-ranked Transcendents would be hard-pressed to match her.

Truly, the stat bonuses granted to the Holy See’s clergy were nothing short of absurd.

“Hah… heh heh… Well, I’ve always dreamed of becoming a knight and defending justice,” Yalis panted, a proud grin lighting her face at the compliment. “Even if my old man insists I serve as the Saintess, I’ll choose my own class, no matter what anyone says. That way, if the Church ever finds someone better to be Saintess, I can just switch to being a knight—easy!”

No need for that, Lin Wei thought, watching the Saintess standing there, sword gripped in both hands, cheeks flushed, breath still ragged, but visibly delighted by his praise.

Given the Holy See’s current predicament, it was far more convenient for their own people to inherit the role. If they let some unpredictable outsider ascend, it would likely spark a Great Inquisition—and Veya’s hard-won authority would be lost. That was a disaster he had no wish to see.

“Being the Saintess doesn’t prevent you from upholding justice,” Lin Wei replied lightly. “A knight follows orders, but if you become Pope, that’s a different story entirely.”

He gestured for her to follow as he started walking. “Not that you need to worry about that just yet. For now, let’s focus on what’s in front of us. We haven’t found any sign of demons on the fifth floor… Odds are, they’re still deeper below.”

They had been in the Labyrinth for six or seven hours now. By this point, it must be evening outside. Yet even with his experience as the former Demon Lord, Lin Wei hadn’t found anything out of the ordinary.

“Still nothing?” Yalis slumped onto a boulder, drawing shaky breaths. She hadn’t found a single clue herself, but she’d chalked that up to inexperience. Now, hearing even Lin Wei declare their search fruitless was like snapping a taut string—her energy seemed to drain away all at once.

“Mr. Lin Wei, do you think there’s a chance the intel was wrong? Maybe the demons never came here at all? Otherwise, with so many teams searching, how come there aren’t even… even bodies from the missing ones?”

Level 39 might be common among adventurers, but for an ordinary person who’d never leveled up, it was already superhuman. Even so, fighting alongside Lin Wei was beginning to wear her down—never mind the poor commoners from the Northern Countries caught up in this chaos.

“There’s no way the demons could have smuggled that many people into the lower levels unnoticed. Maybe the intel really is off…”

“Not quite,” Lin Wei replied.

A bat-like monster shrieked as it darted past. Lin Wei snapped his fingers, and the creature exploded midair. He glanced at Yalis—who had jumped to her feet, sword raised, panic in her eyes—and waved her back down with a reassuring smile.

“The monsters in the Selm Labyrinth are simply too active. Even on the upper floors—basically grinding zones for adventurers—any clues are quickly trampled into nothing. As for the demon retreat, it’s not hard to guess—they likely found a hidden route unknown to humans. After all, the Adventurers’ Guild has only mapped the first nine floors for their own use.”

“So the intel’s probably accurate. But our exploration for today is done—let’s head to the safe zone for the night, get some rest, and trade information with the other adventurers.”

The way the Selm Labyrinth was structured made it the perfect place for schemes. And with Evil God Cultists lurking at the entrances above, something was clearly brewing down here. The lack of demon traces wasn’t just due to monsters making a mess—there was plotting afoot as well.

“Honestly, this aimless wandering is a pain. Doesn’t the Adventurers’ Guild or the Empire ever try to organize everyone? Letting teams wander on their own seems like a real waste.”

He recalled the various adventurer parties they’d passed along the way. For a place as vast as the Labyrinth, the number of adventurers was actually quite sparse—scattered like beans in the sea. Even so, their paths kept crossing. Surely there was a more efficient way to coordinate their efforts.

“Maybe it all happened too suddenly for them to organize?” Yalis suggested.

“Could be. But I’d bet the safe zone on the fifth floor will be packed these next few days. Maybe the Guild will start assigning missions there. Did I ever mention that to you?”

Yalis slouched on the boulder, hands gripping her greatsword, eyelids drooping with exhaustion. Seventeen years old, not much stamina, and she’d been fighting at her limit all day. That she was still standing was nothing short of miraculous—especially since Lin Wei had barely intervened. She was relying on him as her emotional support, braving the Labyrinth on sheer willpower.

He figured she deserved some encouragement.

“From what I’ve heard, the safe zone on the fifth floor is the largest the Guild has set up in the entire Labyrinth. There’s even a market,” he said, crouching to her level and pinching her cheek in mock-demonic fashion. “If we’re lucky, we can get a hot bath, try some local food… This isn’t the Empire, after all—it’s the Northern Countries, and the market’s deep inside the Labyrinth. Should be a whole new experience.”

At the mention of food and hot water, Yalis’s eyes lit up, a spark of life returning to her tired face.

“Want to go?” Lin Wei asked, grinning.

“Of course I do!”

Food, a hot bath, a bustling market in the heart of the Labyrinth—simple words, but each one was a powerful temptation. For Yalis, starving and chilled to the bone, the thought of a hot bath alone was almost enough to make her legs work again.

She leapt to her feet, swinging her greatsword as if making a grand declaration of justice.

“Let’s go trade info with the other adventurers at the market! Saving the commoners is my duty as Saintess. Oh, and how far is the market from here? How long will it take?”

“About an hour’s walk, I think. But since I’m just as beat as you, I’ll carry you—just for today.”

Bodyguard duty for the Saintess—watching over her without actually fighting—wasn’t exactly the most thrilling job in the world. Lin Wei barely finished his sentence before scooping her up and striding off, vanishing in a flash of light as she stared up at him in astonishment.

◇

Selm Labyrinth, Fifth Floor

“Please, Miss Krulu, have some dinner.”

“Rein’s already taken Kokoxi out to gather information.”

“I know you’re worried about your family, but you need to eat and take care of yourself first.”

The restaurant was perched right on the edge of a cliff. From its windows, one could see the sheer drop beyond, protected by powerful magical arrays. This was the Adventurers’ Guild’s deepest outpost—the safe zone on the fifth floor—a place for adventurers to rest, a bustling tourist spot, and a sprawling market all in one.

Especially famous was the cliff at the zone’s edge: a dizzying drop into a black abyss, now a prime attraction for thrill-seekers. In truth, veteran adventurers who’d reached the bottom reported there was nothing but barren rock and rubble—a patch of desolation at the end of a ten-thousand-meter fall. The only remarkable thing was the height itself. But it was, by all accounts, perfectly safe.

“Thank you, Hero,” Krulu murmured, forcing herself to sound grateful as she accepted the cup. It took all her restraint not to gag at his saccharine tone. If not for the Demon Lord’s orders, she would never have stooped to this.

She was one of the Four Heavenly Kings. Among the demons, she had handled reconnaissance and assassination—always hidden, always cold. Playing the weakling was beneath her. Only her prey ever showed vulnerability—right before dying.

But this was for the Demon Lord’s sake. If she wanted to get close to the Hero’s Party, there was no other way.

“You’re too polite, Miss Krulu! Since we’re traveling together, we’re comrades, in a sense.” Oshu beamed. “By the way, your skills are really something. You’re only Level 50, but you move like a Level 60 adventurer. Those monsters can’t even lay a claw on you.”

He meant every word—there was no hint of flattery. The Catkin’s natural talent for combat was even more impressive than he’d been told. Even as a half-breed, tainted by demon blood, Krulu had inherited uncanny instincts. Her movements, her speed—everything was flawless. For their five-person team, she was the perfect assassin. If it were possible, Oshu would have recruited her for the Demon Lord subjugation itself.

“It’s just… the way my mother and I always lived,” Krulu replied without hesitation, her eyes darkening with old sorrow. “Before we were captured by human nobles, we spent years on the run. Soldiers, wars, monsters—nobles who wanted us for themselves. If I hadn’t been so weak and fallen into that hunter’s trap, my mother wouldn’t have stayed behind to save me… I’m really not that strong.”

Lying came as easily as breathing. Any normal person would be suspicious of a demi-human joining the team halfway through, probing for weaknesses. But the Hero before her didn’t even blink—he just looked guilty and hung his head.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up. But from now on, with a Hero protecting you, you and your mother will make it home safe. That’s my promise—as a Hero!”

Righteousness and Holy Light seemed to radiate from him, his confidence almost superhuman.

“Thank you,” Krulu replied, feigning gratitude. For a moment, she genuinely wondered if she’d targeted the wrong person. The Hero’s Party, handpicked by the Holy See to hunt the Demon Lord, and this was their leader? What a joke.

Granted, the current subjugation teams had only formed after the Demon Lord’s disappearance, and none had set foot in demon territory before vanishing. But the records from centuries past were clear—every Hero was supposed to be righteous, powerful, sharp. Warm-hearted, but ever vigilant; a protector of the weak, but never a fool.

This one? He was nothing like the legends.

If not for the Demon Lord’s specific order to protect Iresha, the mage, Krulu would have suspected this was a false Hero. The gap between rumor and reality was simply too great.

How much longer would she have to keep up this act? But for the Demon Lord’s sake, she would grit her teeth and endure.

She’d played mind games with targets for years, but dealing with someone this clueless was a new challenge. Krulu barely knew how to handle it.

“Oh, Iresha, Eileen—don’t forget to eat. Fill up now; we might get new intel at any moment.”

Oshu turned to the other two girls in the party, a confident smile on his face. This, finally, was how a Hero should be treated—admired, respected, surrounded by grateful companions. The rest was just bad luck.

It’s all Lin Wei’s fault, he thought bitterly. If he were dead, Iresha…

He glanced at Iresha, who was lost in thought, refusing even to look at him. Oshu clenched his fists, rage burning in his eyes.

Next time they met, he would tear Lin Wei apart. That was a Hero’s promise—he would never let him go.

…Huh?

Just then, a familiar voice rang out from across the room. It wasn’t directed at him, but the words made his entire body tense with fury.

“Well, if it isn’t Iresha. What a coincidence—fancy meeting you here on the fifth floor. Taking a break too?”