Chapter 88 – How Could Someone Like You Only Be Level 2?!
Drip. Drip.
In the pitch-black dungeon, when nearly all five senses had completely failed, the sound of water droplets splashing was the only thing reminding one they were still alive.
"..."
After losing consciousness an unknown number of times, Aisha's hazy awareness slowly returned.
Her entire body was wracked with waves of spasms and pain, rendering her barely able to think.
Though she wanted to claim she was used to this kind of perverse torture, the truth was that humans simply could not fully adapt to pain.
Especially when dealing with that sadist Phryne, who had delved into the art of tormenting others for who knows how long.
Her specialty lay in changing methods of torture constantly, creating a nightmare from which her victims could never wake.
Aisha's body was covered in lash marks, and all her fingernails and toenails had been pulled out. She was tied to a pillar covered with countless tiny blades—any small movement would cause slicing pain and force a scream from her lips.
If she weren't a Level 4 adventurer, with extraordinary physical and mental endurance, she would have long since died under this endless torture.
But Aisha did not want to die.
Precisely because she didn't want to die, she had endured until now—endured this agony even in her dreams.
Death was a path she had to avoid.
"Yeah... I can't die... At least not until I save Haruhime from this godforsaken place..."
A complicated smile tugged at Aisha's lips.
Even she didn't understand why she was so fixated on Haruhime.
Maybe it was sympathy for the girl, who couldn't adjust to the life of a courtesan. Maybe it was because Aisha saw in her the image of her past self—someone who had forced themselves to adapt to the environment around them.
In any case, there was no real reason she had to get involved with Haruhime. She certainly had no obligation to end up imprisoned here, suffering endless torture for her sake.
But reality was what it was.
She had made the foolish decision to try and rescue Haruhime, and to make Phryne keep quiet about it, she had let herself be imprisoned—now enduring this hell.
She had been so stupid, she didn't even know how to evaluate herself anymore.
But if there was one thing she could be proud of—it was that she had no regrets.
Even if she could do it all over again, she firmly believed she would make the same choice.
"Clack... clack..."
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the far end of the dungeon.
Aisha didn't even need to look to know it was Phryne.
Indeed, the toad-like, grotesquely ugly Phryne slowly walked into the dungeon, seemingly admiring the environment she had created, surveying the surroundings with satisfaction.
This was a torture chamber Phryne had personally arranged. An old, windowless stone room, reeking of mildew.
After lighting up the room with magic stone lamps, all kinds of torture devices were revealed: whips, chains, candles, shackles, spiked clubs, handcuffs... and many unspeakable tools, placed on wooden tables or in the corners.
The light also illuminated Aisha's state: completely naked, her entire body covered in torn wounds—some even exposing bone. All her fingernails had been ripped out, leaving bloody flesh behind. Bits of tissue littered the ground.
Seeing Aisha in this pitiful state, Phryne gave a cruel smile and said:
"Still alive, huh, Aisha? You're the only one who's survived this many days in my torture room."
"After all, we did make a deal."
Despite her body being pushed to its limits, Aisha's expression remained calm, her eyes still sharp, showing no confusion or despair.
"Deal? Oh, that one..."
Phryne sneered as if suddenly remembering.
"Right, we agreed: if you could endure ten days of torture, I wouldn't tell Goddess Ishtar about your plan to escape with Haruhime."
"Today... is already the ninth day."
Aisha stared coldly at Phryne. She had endured all this torture without submitting, all because she still held hope of saving Haruhime.
As long as that hope existed, her will would never be broken.
"Heh heh, amazing... already the ninth day, huh."
Phryne laughed heartily at the sight of her.
"To endure this level of torment for nine days and still remain conscious—you have the strongest will I've ever seen. But in the end, it all ends here."
"........"
"Heh heh, take a look at this."
Phryne took out a small pouch in front of Aisha. Inside was some strange liquid, and a syringe.
"...?"
Seeing Aisha's confused expression, Phryne explained:
"Looks like you don't know what this is. Makes sense—it's only circulated in Daedalus Street so far.
The outer districts haven't really seen this new drug yet.
And in the Pleasure District, to keep prostitutes from degenerating, drugs like this are strictly banned."
"Why do you have this...?"
"Heh, got it through some special connections."
Seeing Aisha's expression shift, Phryne burst into laughter.
"This is my first time using it too, but I heard just one injection of this new drug sends someone straight into hallucinations and heavy dependence. With repeated use, it even breaks the mind."
"You're insane..."
Aisha couldn't believe Phryne would go this far just to break her—to bring out something like this.
But she truly had no way to resist.
Because their agreement was only that she had to endure ten days of torture—it never specified what kind of torture.
"Now then, enjoy your trip into the world of illusions!"
Without delay, Phryne plunged the needle into Aisha's arm.
In an instant, Aisha felt her body temperature soar. Her blood boiled, her heart pounded so loudly it shook her eardrums.
She had no control over any of it. Her body was being swept away—racing toward an endless abyss.
"......"
Aisha desperately tried to control herself, but her mind slid out of her grasp.
If Soma's divine wine merely induced addiction as a pleasure drug, then this drug Phryne used was genuine poison.
Its exaggerated effects worked directly on the brain, destroying the cortex to force a hallucinogenic state.
The hallucinations it induced were far more intense than the divine wine. And its side effects were equally more devastating.
After the drug's high caused spasms of pleasure, Aisha's body rapidly chilled—as if she'd plunged into a bottomless hell.
So painful... so tired... So cold... so alone...
Countless negative emotions surged in her mind, swirling like a vortex and devouring her feelings. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes, twisted emotions eroding her mind and will.
At the same time, deep within her heart, a craving for the drug arose—a mad, overwhelming need for more. She wanted another injection. Just one more...
All her thoughts were finally consumed by that craving. Aisha's dim eyes stared at Phryne, and her lips moved involuntarily:
"......"
"What? Say it louder."
Phryne laughed as she looked at Aisha, knowing full well she was now in the grip of drug addiction. Her spirit broken, she mocked:
"Come lick my feet."
"gh..."
"If you do, maybe I'll give you another shot."
"Just do that... and you can..."
"That's right, just like this, I can give you as many doses as you want, hahahahaha!" As she spoke, Phryne stretched out her filthy, stinking foot.
Aisha, meanwhile, collapsed to her knees, her body trembling as she moved toward Phryne's foot in utter mental breakdown.
But just as she was about to lick it, Phryne viciously kicked out, sending Aisha flying into the wall.
"Hahaha! Hahahaha!" Phryne laughed wildly at the sight of Aisha's expression of pain. "Ahhh, that really hit the spot! Seems the folks from Daedalus Street really can be trusted.
This drug's effect is absolutely amazing!
Even someone like you, Aisha, after one injection, becomes like a dog I can completely control!
With this stuff, I'll be able to control all men, just like a goddess!"
"..."
Through the pain, Aisha regained a bit of clarity. She was terrified by her earlier degradation, and with a horrified expression she glared at Phryne, coldly saying:
"You actually made contact with the people from Daedalus Street? The Goddess strictly forbade us from having any dealings with that group!"
"Tch, that's just because Ishtar is too rigid in her thinking!" Phryne responded with scorn. "She wants to oppose the Freya Familia but refuses to lower herself to accept full cooperation with the Dark Faction.
With that kind of wishy-washy behavior, how could the Ishtar Familia ever become the strongest?"
"You mean... you've cooperated with the Dark Faction?"
"Yeah, this handy little drug was a gift from them!"
"You lunatic... you're even planning to betray the goddess...?"
"What nonsense. I only want to make the Ishtar Familia stronger, to completely crush the Freya Familia. Goddess will surely understand my intentions."
Phryne grinned as she poured the entire contents of a bag of liquid into a syringe and began walking step by step toward Aisha.
"They say a full dose of this stuff would make even monsters in the Dungeon collapse instantly from hallucinations. I wonder what'll happen when it's used on a person?"
"You're insane... if you kill me, the goddess won't just sit back and ignore it."
Aisha glared at Phryne, unable to comprehend her madness. Phryne sneered and said coldly: "Heh... do you really think, after today, Ishtar will have time to care about you?"
"What...?"
"The all-out war between the Ishtar Familia and the Freya Familia is about to begin.
When that happens, someone as insignificant as you—even if you just vanish into thin air—won't even be worth noticing. In fact, she won't have time to care about you."
"All-out... war..."
Aisha was dumbfounded by Phryne's words. At the same time, she could only watch helplessly as Phryne walked toward her, syringe in hand.
The psychological trauma from the earlier injection still lingered deeply in Aisha, and she couldn't even begin to imagine what a full dose might do. It would likely mean true death.
Though she had already braced herself to some extent, in the face of real death, her heart still pounded uncontrollably.
It was the fear of death—a fear that no human could ever truly resist.
And the only emotion that could stand against such fear was hope. Only a hero could bring hope. Only a hero could stand against fear.
During her time with Haruhime, Aisha had often heard the girl speak fondly of heroic tales and beliefs like this.
Back then, Aisha never took it seriously. She always believed heroes didn't exist, that only by relying on her own strength could she overcome hardship.
And she had lived that way up until now—even enduring Phryne's torture without breaking.
But now, at the brink of despair, confronted with an inescapable terror, her heart couldn't help but long for a fantasy—a hero appearing like a ray of light to sweep away the darkness and gloom.
Still, deep down, she knew clearly... such a thing wouldn't happen.
"It's over..."
Aisha shut her eyes in despair, completely giving up any resistance.
"Step." "Step."
But at that moment, in the previously silent underground tunnel, a series of clear footsteps echoed.
The steps drew nearer, as if the person had known from the start exactly where the dungeon was, approaching with precise and unhesitating movements—heading straight for the torture chamber where Aisha and Phryne were.
"Who's there?"
Phryne was stunned. Her dungeon was hidden in an extremely secret location known only to a few.
She couldn't believe someone would show up now, and instinctively turned toward the door.
"Tch, what a filthy place."
A male voice echoed in the dark underground—it was Shirou. He had passed through many cells, seeing the abused corpses of both men and women along the way, his disgust for Phryne growing stronger with each step.
He finally arrived at the cell where Phryne and a bound Aisha were.
"Emiya?"
Seeing Shirou appear, Aisha was stunned. She hadn't expected him to show up, and her face was filled with confusion.
"You little brat?!" Phryne was also surprised, though not confused—she was delighted. "Hah! I didn't think you'd deliver yourself right to me. Saves me the trouble of catching you later!"
"Emiya, run!" Aisha immediately warned Shirou.
He didn't need to ask what had happened here—just imagining it was enough to understand everything.
Without any unnecessary words, he calmly raised his hands.
"Trace, on."
As his magical circuits activated, a pale blue light spread through the dark underground.
"What, you want to fight me?" Phryne laughed. "Hahaha! You really are the dumbest of fools!"
She thought Shirou had made the stupidest choice possible.
If he had tried to flee, she might not have been able to catch him in the complex tunnels. And if he escaped and exposed her secret dungeon to Ishtar, she could face serious punishment.
But instead, he chose to face her head-on—a clearly unwinnable battle. Phryne was level 5. Shirou was only level 2. The gap between them was enormous.
"Don't worry, little boy," Phryne licked her lips, eyes full of lust and greed. "I'll treat you very well."
She reached for a giant battle axe in the corner of the cell. Though the axe looked massive and heavy, in Phryne's hands, it was as light as a feather.
She swung it with ease, clearly flaunting her overwhelming strength to intimidate Shirou.
But Shirou didn't react at all to her display. He simply completed the projection, and in his hands appeared Kanshou and Bakuya, the paired short swords.
"Magic that creates weapons?"
Aisha's eyes widened at his movements.
She was reminded of a rumor that circulated in Orario—about someone with an ability just like this. But she couldn't believe the person in that rumor was standing before her now.
Meanwhile, Phryne didn't care what kind of magic Shirou used. She was too eager, swinging her axe and charging straight at him.
"Come on! Become my newest slave, you sweet little thing!"
Her words were revolting. Compared to her, even the monsters in the Dungeon seemed more appealing.
Still, her power was real. As a level 5 adventurer, she attacked like a storm, releasing overwhelming pressure with every movement.
The air itself seemed to tear as she swung her axe.
Anyone else would've dodged or retreated in the face of such an assault. But Shirou didn't. He didn't retreat—he stepped forward, meeting her head-on.
"!!!"
Both Phryne and Aisha were stunned. They couldn't believe Shirou dared to clash head-on with a level 5.
"BOOM!" The clash of sword and axe created a violent shockwave.
The sheer pressure from Phryne's strength was nearly enough to tear the walls apart.
But despite all that force, her axe did not knock Shirou back.
In fact, he wasn't pushed back at all.
Instead, Phryne was forced back by a tremendous force—her body involuntarily recoiled.
"What!?"
Both Phryne and Aisha wore expressions of disbelief.
Especially Aisha—watching from the side, she clearly saw Shirou easily parry the attack, even seeming to hold back.
But how was that possible?
Wasn't Shirou a level 2 adventurer? How could he stand so calmly against a level 5?
That question filled Aisha's mind— And now, even Phryne, who had just been so confident, wore a look of shock and growing fear.
She stood frozen, eyes wide, exclaiming: "Damn it, what the hell?! There's no way you're really level 2!"