Chapter 24: Conflict & Conclusion
That unusual scroll in Zoren's hand was a Curse Scroll, a rare drop by the Wandering Fairy, a Field Boss of Silver rank level 10 that wandered the upper area of the Fairy Mountain.
The buff scrolls were something one could buy, albeit at a high price, which wasn't a concern for the established guilds and forces, but this Curse Scroll wasn't like that.
Lily didn't have that one.
"It seems you know what this scroll is," Zoren's nose went up, his expression haughty. "That's right. Once I use this scroll, all of you will get your stats halved for one minute."
"I wonder how the battle will proceed after that?" he added with a grin.
Almond's lips moved as he used Magic Whisper, which he had already mastered after learning from Lily during their breaks. He got the hang of it pretty fast.
'Lily, we can dispel that curse, you know how. But that guy is stupid to wait. We'll make the first move.'
Almond had already retrieved his Rare-grade item that he, fortunately, acquired from a bronze-rank treasure chest right after entering the Labyrinth. Pearl of Light Flower—Able to cure all harmful effects and grants protection for ten seconds. The harmful cleansing effect was an AOE effect, but the protection was only for the user holding the pearl, and this effect had a cooldown of a day.
'Yeah. So are we really killing them?'
'Nah. Just cut off that garbage's limbs instead of killing him for now. I'll fight the Knight.'
'Alfred, It's fine if you cut their hands since that will be enough to put them down,' Almond commanded. 'But if they surrender, which I feel they likely will if Lily and I win fast, then spare them.'
Lily's eyes glinted, 'Natalia, can you support Alfred while he deals with those three Adventurers?'
'Got it. They don't even seem that gutsy to fight other Adventurers,' Natalia nodded.
The Knight saw their lips move and knew they were talking in Magic Whisper, but he didn't make a move.
"So? What's your damn decision? Give her to me, and she will exit this Labyrinth from your city's gate after two days when the exit opens. Safe and sound."
"We'll just have a bit of fun," Zoren licked his lips.
The Knight tightened his grip on his sword, sensing the tension that his shitty young master couldn't feel.
He had no choice but to protect him and obey him. If Zoren died here and he exited from the portal, the people of Thunderbird Guild and his father or uncle would most likely be standing outside at the entrance at their city's Labyrinth Gate.
If Zoren wasn't with him, it would be over for him and his family.
Suddenly, he saw the guy with Preying Hunter's Sword dashing swiftly.
'Fast!' Henry's pupils shrank.
*Clang!*
Their swords clashed.
*Crack*
And the Knight's sword cracked as he was pushed back!
'What?!' Henry was shocked.
'Wow, the 30% penetration on slash-type attack is working well,' Almond's eyes glinted.
Zoren was startled at the sudden development and quickly used the scroll, targeting the group ahead instead of Almond.
However, Lily had already vanished using her invisible skill, and Alfred had dashed toward the three adventurers, so the scroll only affected Natalia.
*Awoo!*
Almond's two Spectral wolves materialized and attacked the Knight, but wind swirling appeared around his legs as he flew up.
However, the wolves jumped and bit his legs just in time while Almond also used Spirit Explosion right above him, ten meters off the ground, causing him to smack down violently.
Before he knew what happened next, a strong kick struck his belly, causing him to gasp, and his arm holding the sword was sliced off.
"Don't kill him, please!" The Knight shouted with bloodshot eyes, despite the pain, his gaze on Lily, who had appeared behind Zoren. "My family will die if he dies!"
Lily, who was standing like a death god behind Zoren with her daggers raised and ready, immediately swung them, cutting both of Zoren's arms from his shoulder.
"Arghhhhhh!!!"
As for the other three Adventurers, they didn't stand a chance in the first place, and seeing Zoren and the Knight already losing, they immediately dropped their weapons and started pleading, one of the guys even begging to spare them.
"Geez, this was anticlimactic," Natalia wryly smiled.
Naturally, Lily didn't stop at merely cutting Zoren's arms. She threw a Willowbee Dagger right at his crotch as well. Zoren screeched horrifyingly before he straight-up fainted.
However, a ring on his hand shone and covered him in a golden barrier before he started healing, albeit slowly.
The dagger from his crotch also expelled and lay on him, his bleeding stopped, and his arms gradually began to regenerate.
"Ring of Aegis Elysian," Almond raised his eyebrows. "It's from the major area Fallen Monastery Town, dropped from killing the Silver rank level 10 Field Boss there."
"Heh, his parents sent him prepared for his first adventure," Natalia scoffed.
"So? Do you want to give us any suggestion on how to end this, Mr. Helpless Knight?" Lily looked at Henry with a deadpan expression as she walked and stood beside Almond.
Henry stood up, his expression weary. He sealed off his wound by using Mana and tightening his muscles to stop the bleeding before bowing full ninety degrees.
"Thank you for sparing him."
"Look, it would leave a bad taste in our mouth if we kill those three newbies who are clearly forced into this shit," Almond coldly said, "And a case like yours isn't rare as well."
"So tell me, is your Guild Leader understanding of his subordinate or listens to his trashy son and believes him?"
Henry shook his head, "the Guild Leader will listen to me. But Zoren needs to stay alive for that."
"And….I hope you can cut my other arm off as well, along with Zoren's, once he wakes up. We will finish our journey here and wait at the starting area for two days for the exit."
Henry spoke with determination. "If I am disabled, that bastard won't order me around, and I will also have a reason to state to the Guild Leader why we pulled out early."
"I-I am going to leave the Thunderbird Guild after this. Fuck it, fuck this bastard," the girl spoke as she trembled.
The three of them were clearly unable to continue the adventure on their own. They were at Silver rank level 1, but that was where their first entry into the Labyrinth would end.
"This is seriously unpleasant," Natalia clicked her tongue. "That bastard will at most get a slap on his wrist from his parents even if you tell your guild leader that you all landed in trouble because of him."
Henry weakly smiled, "That's right, but what can I do? My original level is Gold rank level 55, and I am one of the promising members of the Guild, but in front of the Vice Guild leader's son, my worth is still low."
The top most powerful Adventurers who were exploring the 10th Floor were all Platinum rank adventurers. Gold-rank adventurers were also considered powerful forces and usually a promising asset of a force because they could reach Platinum rank sooner or later.
"Alright, we'll do that," Lily nodded at the Knight. "And if that piece of trash cries for revenge, then tell him and your vice guild leader to meet me at the League of Firefly."
"I have a rather temperamental master who made me her disciple and will love to solve this conflict," Lily smiled, albeit coldly. "I'm sure you've heard of the Lady Aria of Crimson Shadow."
Henry's eyes widened, and a strange relief washed over him before he burst out laughing.
"Thank you. So you are the mysterious disciple she announced she took five days ago."
"Truly, thank you for sparing him and us. This information will surely give Zoren more than just a slap at his wrist."
…
After Zoren woke up, he saw that Henry's arms were cut off as he was held at the point of Almond's sword tip while those three new recruits were lying on the ground, surrounded by wolves, Alfred, and Natalia.
He looked above and saw Lily looking at him with an icy smile as dread instantly filled him up.
"Y-You don't know who you are messing wi-"
Lily instantly swung a kick at his head, "Speak another word, and your head will fly."
"I am sparing your life, but not easily. Before I begin, listen to me because you'll once again scream like a bitch and faint," Lily said with a disgusted expression.
"I am Lily Darkwood. A member of the League of Firefly and the disciple of Crimson Shadow. If you have any more problems and beef, bring your father, mother, or your entire family there."
After saying that, she didn't wait for his response and immediately swung her daggers, cutting off his arms and legs as he screamed in pain again before losing consciousness.
Lily took out a healing potion and threw it on him as it shattered, spilled, and stopped Zeron's bleeding.
A healing potion of this level couldn't regenerate limbs, but it could stop the bleeding and seal the wound.
Natalia ran towards Zoren and removed the storage pouch from his waist along with that Ring of Aegis Elysian before spitting on his face.
"These are our spoils," she snorted.
Almond faintly smiled, "That's for sure."
"We'll leave the mountain and head out. The faster, the better," Henry stood up and bowed again. "Thank you again. I will remember this favor."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone