Chapter 49: I will remember
His head was still throbbing from where he slammed against the wall. He groaned as he picked himself up. "A second late and I would have been in Lito's hand."
He walked to the door and took one look inside. Everything in the room had been sucked clean.
Including his Pandora Box.
Severin stared at the place it occupied for a long time, then his hand went to his pouch to confirm that the artifact he wanted was still there.
He narrowed his eyes. "So, I now have to go and get it from the Scar now?"
But he wasn't that downcast. No one could claim the Pandora Box except him since he had the Invitation card. Still, it rubbed him the wrong way just how his plans had gone wrong.
From the bastard creating more monsters to Lito showing up and ruining his chance for the Pandora Box.
"It's becoming more clear now. The future is changing fast, and my knowledge won't be that sufficient anymore. I will deal with the Scar during the end-of-year Academy holiday and take my artifact from them."
"For now, let's build my power in this Academy."
He went out of the trap tunnel, picked a sword for himself, and waited at the large cave to wait for the others, if there were any.
He was sure the Main Protagonist and his friends were okay, but the others? In the book, they were completely wiped out, except for the rival that the MC saved.
"My subordinates should be alright. The place they went to was practically safe."
So he was surprised, although he shouldn't have been with the number of high-level monsters crawling around earlier, when his subordinates dragged themselves in.
They flopped down from the upper level that the entrance was, too tired to jump down properly. The large chest they carried landed with a sharp thud, followed by the unconscious body of Lucas Dawn.
"Well, fuck," Severin muttered to himself, and then his face became shuttered, a cold iron mask.
"You are back."
Nobody answered for a while as they focused on their breathing.
Ethan's body was filled with deep scratches, his armour a twisted scrap on his body. Only his hammer seemed intact. Celia was cradling her hands; they were red and looked tender. Burns?
Derrick just lay down limply, as if his bulky muscles were now useless.
Only Julius seemed sane. Even then, he looked drained. His hand adjusted his broken glasses. "House leader, your prediction that we wouldn't have any interference turned out to be false."
Severin's eyes swept over them. "I can see that."
Julius didn't say anything for a long time. He watched Severin with confused eyes. "You are different."
"Is that so?"
"Your muscles and... just everything. Is that why you were away from us?"
He ignored the question. "Tell me what happened."
He was told how everything was going okay till a monster showed up, how they fought it but it was all for nothing. They thought they were going to die, but then an attack came directly from the ground below.
Lucas Dawn had flown from the ground level, drilled a hole through the dungeon levels until he reached them, and simply made the monster disappear.
So easily. So fast.
So fucking terrifying!
Severin didn't make any reaction. He just nodded as if it was expected. "...an MC is an MC after all. They are always there to save the day..."
But this experience isn't something that'll be overlooked. Not by Lucas Dawn or his friends and rival. It was a catalyst, a brutal cold water to show them just how powerless they were.
It would set the tone for their future obsession with getting stronger.
Severin looked at his subordinates. How would it affect them?
"...even me... I was affected... I get more greedy... that power of the MC... I want more than it... I guess the author knew what he was doing by setting up the scene..."
Thinking of those affected.
"When are you going to come out? Or are you part of those that did all of this?" Severin said without looking up.
"What?" Julius asked.
The room got cold fast, and someone walked out from one of the tunnels.
Talon Kareth.
His eyes were murderous. He was holding his side as he limped out. "I thought you were one of them... weakest. How are you weakling still alive?"
Severin looked up at him. Talon Kareth, the Black King.
An absolute menace.
His obsession with Lucas Dawn would cause his downfall.
In the future, he would join different organizations, as much as they wanted to bring down Lucas Dawn.
Would the future about him change as well?
Severin realized something then.
The only people remaining in the dungeon are those the story of the world revolves around.
Well, except for the extra and his subordinates.
Severin smirked. "You're alive thanks to someone. I guess we're all weaklings in our own different ways."
A mistake.
The room went so cold so fast that there was a popping sound that came out of everyone's ears.
The ground and walls cracked as they were covered in frost. But not the normal types. Black frost, like diamond, covered everything.
And the space surrounding Severin was now filled with ice spears that grew out of the ground, spears that pointed at him with gleaming tips.
"What... did you say?" Talon Kareth said.
Murderous bloodlust rolled out of him so potent that all of the people lying down had rolled clumsily to their feet.
"What the fuck is that?"
"Is the monster back?"
"Wait, Severin? When did we get here?"
But they went silent when they noticed the situation.
Talon was glaring at Severin so hard that it could be felt, but for his part, his opponent was only looking at him mildly.
Severin knew he shouldn't have teased him. It was too early. He did not have the power to back it.
It would be too easy for Talon, who's wounded, to kill him.
Severin smiled, more like the showing of teeth. It pained him, but he did it. He looked away. "Nothing."
Talon snorted. "Yeah, right."
Then he walked away, taking his cold and black ice with him.
"...I will remember..." Severin said in his heart.