Chapter 7 - Part 3

As we crossed the entrance of the Anthill Dungeon, a spark of excitement ran through my mind, mixed with a hint of apprehension. This delicate balance was quickly overturned when, barely a few steps into the enveloping darkness of the maze, the four members of the Gryphon Fangs turned towards me. Their smiles, far from reassuring, bore a morbid hue, the kind one might guess on the face of a predator. It was clear their intentions were far from benevolent.

"You know," one of them began, a cruel glint in his eyes, "we really hoped to run into someone today. Someone like you." His voice was soft, almost caressing, but each word carried the weight of a veiled threat.

Another added, with a laugh that chilled my blood, "Imagine all the fun ways we could use you. Dungeons are so... unpredictable, after all."

The comments followed, each more twisted and mean than the last, plunging me into a state of indignation. They spoke of me as if I were a mere object, a pawn in their sadistic game. The tension rose, the very air seemed to vibrate with malevolent anticipation.

However, as they took a step forward, ready to execute their macabre plan, I used my skill: Divine Game. Without giving them time to react, my body dissipated in an instant, but granted me omniscient vision of the dungeon. I could see every nook and cranny, every crawling creature as if I were everywhere at once. It was both exhilarating and disconcerting.

The four members of the Gryphon Fangs were now plunged into total confusion. "Where did he go?!" exclaimed one, spinning around in a futile attempt to locate me. "This can't be," muttered another, his eyes scouring the darkness, desperately seeking a sign of my presence.

They began to search the surroundings, calling, threatening, but I was no longer there. At least, not in the way they understood. I watched them, a silent spectator, witness to their growing frustration.

Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, their feverish search turned into resignation. "Forget it," growled the leader, a note of defeat coloring his once confident voice. "He must have used some escape skill. We can't waste more time here." The group, visibly displeased and puzzled, resumed their exploration of the dungeon without me.

Once their team was far from the entrance, I took the opportunity to summon my two Chain Ballista Towers and my four Crab Towers on the tunnel walls. Once my line of defense was established, I observed the dungeon and examined its structure. It truly lived up to its title of a labyrinthine dungeon, with every tunnel leading to several branches, which in turn led to a multitude of caverns. Inside these caverns were hundreds of rank D giant ants.

I could see the members of the Gryphon Fangs guild battling the monsters with ease, unfortunately for them, they must not have known that after these few hundred worker ants, a hundred warrior ants awaited them before they could reach their queen.

With a cunning desire, I decided to summon the Nebulous Vortex behind my line of defense as well as Laméthéor and Kazar on the flanks.

Due to the semi-darkness of the dungeon, Kazar was almost invisible and could summon more than a hundred shadow wolves, greatly increasing my combat power.

Once my plan was carefully implemented, all that was left was to wait for the monsters to be attracted by the turmoil. Taking advantage of this moment of respite, I checked my interface and noticed that my last quest, which consisted of conquering a dungeon, had evolved to a new objective: eliminate 100 enemies. A task that now seemed within reach within this dungeon.

Around me, the members of the Gryphon Fangs began to be overwhelmed by an increasing number of opponents. In my estimation, in about ten minutes, the ants would have converged on the entrance after having overwhelmed the four men.

I took one last look at my line of defense before the monsters' arrival and noticed an anomaly. In a corner of the entrance, the surface of the wall was slightly blurry, as if veiled by a screen or a thin film. Intrigued, I examined the anomaly more closely from all angles. Quickly, it became evident that it was not just a simple visual defect. There was indeed something, or rather someone, camouflaged at that spot. The surrounding light seemed to refract images off the surface, preventing me from perceiving what lay beneath.

Still having a few moments before the battle intensified, I ordered Laméthéor to approach this troubling area. The blurred silhouette remained immobile, but when Laméthéor extended one of its luminous blades towards it, the anomaly vibrated and then suddenly dissipated, revealing a middle-aged man, visibly surprised. "He must have followed us into the dungeon after our entry," I thought, surprised and perplexed.

The man remained passive, waiting for my invocation to make a decision. But since Laméthéor was unable to communicate, I chose to approach him myself.

Reappearing at my original location, I approached the man. At my sight, an evident relief painted his face.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Paul, sent by the butler Albert, in the service of the Blue Sun Guild," the man said with marked courtesy, slightly bowing his head in a sign of respect. "He entrusted me with the mission to watch over you in secret and to offer my assistance should the situation become perilous."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by this formal introduction. "And in the event of threats, what would you have done?" I asked, curious to hear his response.

"My goal was to intervene to ensure your safety if you found yourself in difficulty. Nevertheless," he lowered his eyes, a look of contrition appearing in his voice, "you escaped my surveillance more quickly than I had anticipated."

I gave him a smile, appreciating his honesty and dedication. "I'm grateful for your vigilance and the concern you have for me, but as you can see," I gestured encompassing Laméthéor and the imposing ballista towers, "my defense is already well secured."

Paul turned to examine the defense devices I had erected, then nodded with undisguised respect. "Indeed, I see that you are well equipped to face the dangers of this place," he conceded with a respectful smile. "It seems my presence is not necessary."

Our conversation was suddenly interrupted by increasing vibrations, announcing the imminent arrival of the giant ants. Unfortunately, my conversation with Paul had made me lose sight of the members of the Gryphon Fangs.

I advised him to stay near the entrance and wait for the situation to resolve. Reactivating my skill, I regained my omniscient view of the dungeon and took one last look at each element, ready for battle.