"Dammit, we got separated!"
Tiona grumbled in frustration.
She scanned the surrounding passageways with nothing but confusion written across her face.
Where was this place?
Which way should they go next?
Yeah, she had absolutely no clue!
"Tiona, what should we do now?"
The voice of a young girl calling from behind only added to her mounting pressure.
"Ahaha... Narvi, why don't you take charge instead?"
Tiona turned around, offering the second-tier human girl an earnest, hopeful smile.
"No, no, I can't do that!"
Narvi waved her hands frantically. "Right now, we can only rely on you, Tiona!"
Please don't say that!
Tiona groaned inwardly.
She was the type to let her fists move faster than her brain—mostly because she wasn't particularly bright to begin with. Anything requiring serious thinking was usually left to the other executives. Being suddenly put in charge was way beyond her capabilities.
"If only I had fallen together with Riveria..."
Tiona lamented silently.
During the fall, she had seen Riveria tumble into the pitfall as well. Unfortunately, they hadn't landed in the same place. Had they been together, the responsibility of decision-making would have fallen on Riveria by now.
"But there's no helping it now."
Tiona glanced at the group behind her.
They had all fallen through the same trap, and now every one of them wore expressions that screamed, "Tiona, we're counting on you!"
Honestly, she was panicking inside, with no confidence whatsoever.
"No, I have to pull myself together! I'm the only executive here!"
Tiona slapped her cheeks hard.
Freaking out wouldn't solve anything. Since she was the only executive present, she had to shoulder the responsibility!
"Alright, let's try heading upward and regroup with Finn and the others!"
"Right!"
The image of Finn suffering severe injuries lingered in everyone's minds.
Yet, no one brought it up. It was as if they all silently agreed to act as though Finn was still waiting for their return.
Mentioning it now would crush their morale completely, leaving them with no hope.
"T-Tiona...!"
"What is it, Narvi?"
Following Narvi's trembling gaze, Tiona's eyes widened in shock.
Monsters about two feet long, covered in revolting slime and lacking any discernible organs or faces, oozed toward them from the ceilings and walls—their sickly yellow bodies writhing ominously.
Their target? Tiona and her group!
"Poison Worms!"
"The most terrifying toxic monsters in the lower floors!"
"St-stay calm! First, find the Magic Swords!"
"But Tiona, none of us have Magic Swords!"
"...RUN!!"
They had learned firsthand just how horrifying Poison Worms were during their last expedition—they had nearly wiped out Loki Familia. Without H-rank Abnormal Resistance, there was no resisting their deadly venom!
The group screamed as they bolted down the opposite passage.
"People?"
As Tiona led the charge through the tunnels, she suddenly spotted several figures clad in black cloaks ahead.
"For Lord Thanatos!"
"Julius, I'm coming!"
"Xylia, wait for me!"
Upon seeing the group, these people raised their heads in frenzied shouts and charged straight at them without hesitation.
"These bastards!"
Tiona glanced back at the relentless Poison Moth Worms in pursuit and could only grit her teeth, choosing to swing her iron fist at the black-robed figures ahead.
But then—
Bzzz—!
An intense red light suddenly flared from the black-robed figures' chests.
Boom!
Boom!
Flames shot into the sky as explosions reverberated through the passage.
By the time the dust settled, the black-robed figures had long vanished without a trace.
"Ugh!"
Tiona was sent flying by the violent explosion, her body covered in burns as her expression twisted into a snarl.
"Suicide squads!?"
"Tiona, are you okay?"
Narvi and the others hurriedly pulled out healing potions.
The light that had erupted from the black-robed figures' chests was all too familiar.
It was a special mineral called "Firestone," which only dropped from a type of lava monster deep within the Dungeon. Once detonated, it would cause exactly this kind of destruction.
"This is bad..."
Even with her not-so-bright mind, Tiona could grasp that they were being treated like rats in a cage, and her heart grew heavy.
Meanwhile—
"Damn Poison Moth Worms! Damn suicide squads!"
Tione cursed incessantly.
She was maneuvering through the labyrinth, trying to circle around the Orichalcum gate to return to Finn's side.
But shortly after setting out, she encountered a horde of Poison Moth Worms in one of the passages.
Just as she was about to retreat, a loud "Boom!" sounded behind her—a new Orichalcum gate had sealed off the passage.
Left with no choice, Tione steeled herself and charged forward, tearing the Poison Moth Worms apart one by one.
Though the creatures' toxic slime continuously drenched her, turning her face pale and then green, her formidable resistance to abnormalities allowed her to press on with undiminished ferocity.
Then, she ran into more black-robed figures who came screaming toward her. Consumed by worry, Tione swung her fist without a second thought—only to suffer heavy losses, her body now riddled with wounds.
"Bloody Dance!"
Before long, another group of black-robed figures appeared.
But instead of charging immediately, they raised their hands and shouted in unison.
In an instant, a crimson ripple emanated from them, swirling toward Tione.
Another group of black-robed figures muttered incantations before waving their staffs and hurling spells at her.
"What?!"
Tione suddenly felt her body grow heavy, and she couldn't help but gasp in shock.
It wasn't gravity magic—there was none of that oppressive weight. Instead, it felt as though her body itself was failing her, sapping her strength.
"Status ailments and curses?!"
Damn it!
These bastards had prepared everything so thoroughly!
Afflicted by both status ailments and curses, Tione's charge slowed drastically, her strength severely diminished.
"Now's our chance!"
A flood of black-robed figures surged from all directions, swarming toward Tione.
"Stay back!"
Yet, the next moment, a furious roar echoed through the passage.
"Tione is my prey! I won't allow any of you to interfere!"
The black-robed figures halted in their tracks, exchanging bewildered glances.
"That voice... that tone..."
Tione raised her head.
From behind the figures in black cloaks emerged a stunning Amazonian beauty with a voluptuous figure. Her vermilion hair was tied into a serpent-like braid, and her beautiful face brimmed with surging battle lust.
"Argana... So you've truly joined forces with the Evilus after all!"
"Just a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Argana of the Kali Familia stepped forward one by one until she stood before Tione, her eyes burning with scorching combat intent.
"I neither know nor care what the Evilus intend to do. My goal has always been one thing - to defeat you! Tione, if you want to pass through here, you'll have to step over my body first!"