They found a secluded cavern, where the Hyena Adventurer Squad gathered around a flickering campfire and began their meal. After eating, half the group rested while the others stood watch.
"Captain, we're going to relieve ourselves!"One of the heavy-armored warriors and a swordsman called out.
"Just do it in your pants. This is a dungeon, not your mother's garden," Hyukodo sneered dismissively.
The two men bristled with irritation. Days of trudging through monotonous layers, with little loot to show for it, had worn their patience thin. Hearing the captain's tone, they snapped back.
"Captain, we're taking a dump!""Yeah, I've got the runs!"
Hyukodo's brow twitched as he glared at them, tension sparking in the air. At last, he relented—maintaining morale was, after all, his duty as captain.
"Fine. Be quick about it."
The two disgruntled men trudged away until the camp was well behind them. Then they stopped, pulled out a pouch of tobacco and rolling paper, and began to roll cigarettes with practiced hands.
"Ahh, that's better," one sighed, exhaling a thick plume of smoke. "The captain's got issues. Acting like every little thing's life or death.""He just wants to kiss up to that noble pig of a patron. He reaps the rewards while we break our backs."
The armored warrior let out a ring of smoke, grumbling freely—far enough away that he didn't fear being overheard.
"Still, who knows? Maybe that skeleton really did sneak down to the twenty-first level and collect those eight-faceted Fire Crystals.""Ha! Don't make me laugh.""Careful, maybe he's hunting us right now.""Hahaha! You kill me!""You tell the best jokes—wait, what the hell—he's here!"
The swordsman's face blanched as he drew his blade with a hiss."Ha! You're killing me! Do that again—"
A flash of pain silenced his laughter. Blood gushed from his neck as his cigarette slipped from his lips, scattering sparks across the dirt. He turned in disbelief—only to find the world behind him gone dark.
"What were you and your friend chatting about?""Care to share it with a skeleton?"
Li Xiuman's bone sword deflected the swordsman's panicked strike with effortless grace.
"How dare you—""How dare I not?"
The swordsman slashed out two arcs of sword aura in an X-shaped cross. Li Xiuman raised his left arm, a stone shield materializing to deflect both with ease.
The swordsman turned and fled toward the camp."In such a hurry?" Li Xiuman murmured. "Quagmire."
His staff struck the ground. The earth rippled like water, and the swordsman's feet sank into the sudden mire. Panic flared—he couldn't run.
He spun around, sword raised defensively, just in time to see Li Xiuman's staff crash against his blade, bending it grotesquely. A white arc flashed—the bone sword sliced through the air and grazed his throat, severing his nose.
Before he could scream, a skeletal hand clamped over his mouth."Quiet."
Li Xiuman raised a finger to his shadowed face, making a gentle shh gesture.
A moment later, the hand over the man's mouth erupted in flame. Fire surged down his throat, searing him from within. His body writhed in silent agony until it was nothing but smoldering charcoal.
Ding—You have slain Swordsman Lv.16. EXP +350.
Li Xiuman admired his handiwork, then released the corpse."Six left."
He melted back into the darkness.
"Why aren't they back yet?" Hyukodo frowned toward the path the two men had taken. Unease coiled in his chest. Just as the thought struck him, the armored warrior returned—alone.
"Where's the other one?"
No answer. The man strode straight past him toward the sleeping mages.
"I asked you a question—"
The warrior's sword flashed, impaling the slumbering mage before anyone could react.
Ding—You have slain Light Mage Lv.16. EXP +350.
"Enemy attack!" Hyukodo roared, drawing his staff and beginning an incantation.
The "warrior" lunged at an archer just waking from his dreams, seizing him by the throat."Stop the spell, or I'll snap his neck!"
Shameless! Hyukodo cursed inwardly. If he ignored the threat, he'd lose the trust of his men entirely.
"Captain! Help me!" the archer choked out, panic-stricken.
"Brother, don't make this ugly. We can still talk this out," Hyukodo said cautiously, signaling the others.
The remaining swordsman readied his blade, the real armored warrior stepped forward to guard the captain, and the priest moved to his side.
"It's you who'll have it ugly," Li Xiuman sneered—and with one clean motion, severed the archer's arm.
The man's scream tore through the cavern.
"Don't blame me—blame your captain. He's the one playing tricks."
Li Xiuman's voice slithered through the dark, a devil's whisper sowing discord.
"Skeleton!" Hyukodo's eyes burned with fury."I spared you before! Must you push this to the bitter end!?"
Li Xiuman tilted his head."Little skeletons frighten easily. Threats keep me up at night.""So I get rid of them."
Using the wounded archer as a shield, he retreated slowly."Tell me, young Hyukodo—do you value your comrades?""…""Then let's play a game. Cut off one of your fingers… or I'll take your comrade's only remaining arm. Quickly now—beg your brilliant captain."
He patted the trembling archer's cheek."Captain, please! Don't let him—please, I can't lose my arm!""So pitiful," Li Xiuman sighed. "How will he live with no arms at all? Just the thought makes me want to cry.""Ten seconds, Captain."
A roar of fire cut through his words.A fireball hurtled toward Li Xiuman—he leapt aside, but the archer wasn't so lucky. The spell engulfed him in flames, his scream ending in ash.
"Demon! Die!" Hyukodo bellowed.
"My, such hatred," Li Xiuman chuckled. "You'd kill your own man but can't spare a finger. How noble."
Shedding the stolen armor, he darted through a storm of arrows and fireballs with inhuman agility.
"This is your great captain!" he called mockingly. "You'd be better off following me!"
No one answered—but Li Xiuman didn't mind. It only meant there would be more experience to gain.