Welcome to the Multiverse Group Chat!!!

Chapter 235 ~ Fated Path

Hekkeran approached the entrance to the tomb. The rest of Foresight followed closely behind. 

The sound of metals clanking and heavy footsteps of Heavy Masher’s members rushing into the darkness still echoed back to where they stood. Tenmu’s footsteps were slower and more steady, but they were no less sure and alerted. 

‘Not one to miss out of a bargain, huh? Well, that’s fine. There’s only one treasure we’re after. Anything else is just a bonus.’

Hekkeran reminded himself and entered with cautious steps. 

Parpatra and his team chose to be more circuitous. While the many smaller teams of workers simply rushed into the tomb, showed themselves as novices. Their voices echoing throughout the entrance of the eerie tomb. 

“With Heavy Master and Tenmu up front, what have we got to worry about?”

“Hurry! Don’t let them take all the loot!”

The rush of hurried workers blinded by greed kept Foresight standing to the right side of the walls as they went eagerly to their tasks. 

Most of them wouldn’t survive, Imina thought to herself, a grim expression on her face. 

But then, a thought came to mind. There’s enough here for a military company or two. Why would anyone want this kind of attack? Unless… They were sure they could handle it?”

Excited cries came and redoubled, then again, and again. The sound of falling, clinking coins, happy laughters, and words of declaration of their riches echoed throughout the dark halls. But for all the noise, one voice, a whisper right into their minds, resounded most loudly to them. 

[“This way… Follow the long hall.”]

The half elf stopped mid step as she heard Arche ringing in her head.

[“Ignore anything. Everything. Don’t touch a single coin, not even to inspect it. When you hear cries for help… ignore them. Thor trials aren’t yours.”]

She felt her lover bump into her back. 

“Watch it…”

Imina whispered without even looking back, still tyring to focus her hearing to the voice in her head. 

“You heard her?”

Roberdyck leaned forward to ask. The heat emanating from his person was enough to contrast the chill of the tomb at this distance. 

“What do we do? Is it really her…? Is this a trap?”

“You’re asking if this is a trap now?!”

Imina whispered in a mock shout of disbelief to her lover. Just as the first screams reached their ears from within the darkness. 

“Of course it’s a trap!”

She hissed and crouched down to peer into the darkness. Somewhere not that far away, a crunching noise began as the screaming subsided…

“Do we do as she say…? It could very well be a part of the… test.”

The three looked towards each other, hoping to find a spark of wisdom inmidst of their hard, shallow breaths, darting eyes, and shaking hands. 

The smell of fear began to creep up to them just as the first scent of rusty iron entered their nose. 

“Yes… If Arche were being made to trick us, at least she’d find some way to say so. Besides, we’re already here. Why go back now without her?”

The cleric persuaded, and so they advanced. 

With the faintest torch light to illuminate, they could see priceless objects beginning to come into view through open, waiting doors. 

Glittering gold, sparkling gems, shimmering adamantium; the wealth of kingdoms lay within a few paces, and the whispers of temptation passed her parted lipis when she saw, from the corner of her eyes, a status of a woman’s terrifying face with live snakes for hair, rubies for eyes, pearls for teeth, and emerald and jade for scales. 

Its worth simply from its material would be worth beyond anything they’ve ever owned. Added to its artistic value, they could easily live an entire lifetime in luxury. 

She stopped to look, but in the next moment, she felt her greed slip away as she recalled Arche’s face. 

Fear came next, as she wondered what would’ve become of her, her lover, and her dear friends if she gave into that moment of temptation. 

The three continued into the darkness. 

[“When you reach the four-way intersection… stop and wait. And don’t use your weapons.”]

Arche’s words rang in their heads. And when they eventually reach it, they all let out a deep breath and clenched their teeth. 

‘I will trust. Come what may.’

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

It was the spring of his life. 

Erya was enjoying himself, walking through the dark halls with a spring in his every quiet step. 

The dozen skeletons that appeared were barely worth any bit of effort for his sword. And the gold he found was worth more than he expected. 

He wondered what more riches may lay ahead. 

If there’s anything that may foul his mood, it’d be the gazes of his slaves who were following form behind him. 

Their timid steps following him were slowing him down. But that said, he still found some good things in these otherwise wastes of space. He could feel their awe, and their fear. Moments like this was what he savored the most, with the close second being when trembling thighs opened at his command. 

After all, it was only right for these elves to do as he said. He was superior to them, and they knew it. They knew it now far better than when he first bought them.

‘Imina… The next elf I buy, she’ll look like you. Oh how I look forward to breaking her.’

A dark smirk appeared as he licked his lips and took the mental note. He’d make sure he got the chance to work with Foresight again when the time comes. And the look on their faces when they see just how much he had broken the half-elf slave that looked like her. Just imagining it made him hard. 

“M-Master… There are… noises ahead…”

The blue haired ranger elf said in her usual timid voice. She was shaking, both from the fear of her master and the chill that pierced her body clad in nothing but the cheapest ragged clothing, just like the other two. They had no enchanted gear or armor to protect themselves. They didn’t even have basic sandals. 

”Are you sure?” 

Erya demanded, his narrow eyes narrowed even further. The other two nodded without giving voice to their agreement.

ʼAlright, their hearing is better…ʼ 

He admitted, but would never say it out loud. 

”What is it?”

”Itʼs… it sounds like a womanʼs voice, and… squeaking. Like sheʼs humming music.” 

The ranger answered, accompanied by furtive nods from her comrades, they clutched their hands together at the chest and tightly shut their eyes in case their master chose to hit them again.

He didn’t. Erya listened as carefully as he could, and they were right. 

He drew his sword from his sheath and made his way forward again. 

Then soon, he came to a door. 

It was clearly open, resting slightly ajar, thick and heavy, seemingly made of one solid piece of iron. 

And from between the gap, he could see flickering lights of torch fires, revealing that someone or something was within. 

His eyes narrowed, clenched his sword even tighter, and slammed the door open with a heavy kick and entered as if he lived there. 

His face twisted in shocked horror at what he beheld. 

“Ara~ You came later than expected? Were you perhaps… distracted by the gold? Busy sightseeing?”

A woman with golden hair, beautiful beyond words, stood at the center of a room of stone and darkness outside the illumination of the torches. 

As soon as they all entered, the door slammed shut, and a series of locking sounds of arcane origins resounded.

Erya was stunned by her looks for a moment. Her alluring smile, bewitching eyes, and the body of a devilish temptress put him through the same fate any men in the world would. But he snapped out of his daze as soon as the locking sounds echoed from behind him. 

And now, finally in his right mind, did he realized that it was impossible for a human to live within these depths. 

Meaning, she must not be human, and only disgust remained. 

Erya drew his long, single-edged and curved Katana, and held it out in front of him.

“... That’s none of your business. Now, lead me to the greatest treasures in this place, and I’ll make your end quick and painless. If it’s worth enough, I might even let you warm my bed.”

“Hmm~ Is that so…? Make me.”

“... You asked for it.”

Erya noticed the instant her eyes shifted towards the elves behind him, and flashed forward. 

‘I take that back. I’ll just take this bitch’s head and be done with it!’

A vicious little smile appeared on his face. He could already see her pretty head tumbling to the ground.

Until he felt himself flying backwards with agonizing pain in his gut and his arms reflexively going forward to clutch his body.

Pain shot through him from his front that made the thudding sensation when he landed on his back, feel like nothing. The sensation was akin to being kicked by an ogre while being defenseless, instead of a woman.

He rose to his feet very slowly, his body shaking from both pain and fury.

”Boost magic and heal me you worthless trash!” 

He shouted, and though they winced at his words, they raised their hands and the glow of magic circles emitted a moment later. 

Erya felt his body strengthen, his dexterity rise, and began to activate his martial arts. 

ʼIʼll close the gap between man and monster and end this bitch!ʼ

A feral snarl escaped his clenched teeth and he attacked once more, his body flashing towards her at three times the speed than his previous charge. 

He slashed, and his Katana sliced through her thin waist.

‘I got her- Eh…?’

He saw the look of shock on her face quickly turned into a grin, before his vision blurred and felt a searing pain on his cheeks. He felt weightlessness… then a heavy thud when he was once again thrown through the room. 

Blood spurted out of his mouth. Erya looked down, and saw red beginning to paint the stone floor beneath him red, and just as he was about to support himself with his hands to stand up, a searing pain wrecked his body at even the slightest touch of the stone floor. 

“Oh, did it kick in already? That’s fast. Your resistance to poison is lower than expected.”

Veins popped all over his body as his muscles tensed uncontrollably. His bloodshot eyes bulged wide open in disbelief. 

How was this possible? He had resistance to poison! And just when did she administer it?! 

“Fufu, you should be thankful. It’s a special poison I concocted after becoming a succubus~ It amplifies the pain and prevents blood clotting, while also intensifying any physical sensations while keeping your mind wide awake and alert.”

Erya squirmed on the ground as his body trembled in pain. Every single thing, even the stale wind of the hell hole of a crypt was enough to make him feel like his skin was being pierced by countless tiny needles. 

”Heal me! Heal me you worthless slaves!”

The mere action of shouting almost made him faint. His throat felt like it had been ripped apart, gnawed, and scratched by steel brushes. 

And in return, he saw his slaves simply smiled at him, sweetly, hatefully, and began to giggle. 

”No… no…” 

They pointed at him, and began to laugh, and their laughter was like knives. 

ʼDonʼt you know… Iʼm better than you…?ʼ 

”Do it! Heal! Heal!” 

He shouted loudly once again. And his shouts went unanswered, and his orders died in Eryaʼs throat when he heard the tap of a heel on the stone just in front of him.

”Fufu~ I would’ve loved eating you while you screamed in pain in the past. But now, I have a refined palette. But, food is still food, and as Ainz-sama said, I should not waste anything. So… Kyouhukou and his children can have you. Fufu~ Look forward to it.” 

She began to walk away before turning when she heard him scream loudly again. 

The trio elves were kicking him repeatedly with their bare feet, causing him even more hellish pain. Well deserved pain.

They stopped when they felt her gaze, and looked up at her with pitiful expressions. 

”Make it quick.” 

They said in unison, and went back to kicking the screaming blonde swordsman.

Her eyes narrowed in thought, before deciding to spare them. For now.

”If you had no choice, you might be spared. Wait, and we will see.” 

She replied, and this seemed to please the slit eared elves, who went on kicking their former master, for quite some time.