As Ren continued moving, the stench of blood grew stronger—and so did his pace.
"I hope nothing bad's happened," Ren said, his voice tight with anxiety.
Meanwhile, Reiji and Sel were making their way toward the dungeon when the menacing quietness of the forest was shattered. Reiji heard a sudden snap of a twig, and his senses sharpened immediately. The silence around them seemed to amplify the danger. From the shadows, a pair of silver eyes glinted, revealing the bloodlust emanating from the creature. Reiji couldn't initially tell where the threat was coming from, but before he could fully react, the wolf lunged at him.
His heart thundered in his chest as terror surged, and his skill saved him in a blinding instant, sparing him from a deadly blow.
"Whoa… what was that?" Reiji screamed as he fell to the ground. "A wolf?... Phew… good thing I acquired this skill. There are a lot of dangerous creatures in these woods," he said, getting back up.
Sel noticed what had happened.
Blood splattered around the wolf's corpse—its own attack had been reflected back at it, twice as strong.
"I thought I told you to keep your guard up?" Sel said.
"I was… I just didn't know where it was going to attack from," Reiji responded.
"Ugh… whatever. Let's keep moving. We should be arriving at the dungeon's entrance soon," Sel said.
"If this is what twice the damage does to it, don't you think increasing it by two was overkill? Oh yeah—now that I think about it, you haven't really told me the limits of my skill… like, is there a drawback or something?" Reiji asked as he tried to get back on track.
Sel paused for a moment before replying.
"It's nothing you need to worry about yet. Let's focus on figuring out what's happening here," she said, staring straight ahead.
"Oh… okay then," Reiji replied, the confusion clear in his eyes. An uneasy chill snaked down his spine, but he forced himself to shrug it off.
They were finally getting close to the edge of the forest, where the dungeon entrance lay, when they suddenly heard a familiar voice calling out to them.
"REIJI! SEL!... HOLD ON!!"
It was Ren, shouting as he ran toward them.
Unbeknownst to them, they were being set up by a shady group. Back in the kingdom, word had already spread about the Hero going after the two new adventurers. Some of the group members had reported it to scouts stationed at the dungeon via telepathy.
Group Member:
"Bad news… the Hero is heading for the dungeon. They say he's going after the newbie adventurers to warn them."
Group Member 2 (at the dungeon):
"What?... Why didn't anyone say something sooner? Have you told the boss?"
Group Member:
"No response yet from the boss…"
Group Member 2 (at the dungeon):
"Ugh… we have no choice. We'll have to take the Hero down—along with the adventurers."
Group Member:
"But… are you sure that's a wise decision? The Hero going missing would stir up an uproar in the kingdom."
Group Member 2:
"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?! I said we have no choice! These two adventurers are going to be a hindrance to our operations in the kingdom. They have to be eliminated. I don't think we'll get another chance."
Group Member:
"No problem then."
Back in the forest clearing, Reiji and Sel heard Ren's voice and stopped, waiting for him to catch up.
"You guys need to turn back now. This dungeon isn't a place for newbies to go on their first quest," Ren said, breathing heavily.
"And why should we do that?" Sel responded.
"Why? Haven't you heard how dangerous this place is?" – Ren
"Yes… We heard all about it," – Sel.
"And still you came?" – Ren.
"Look, we came here of our own free will. No one forced us. We came here because we know we can handle ourselves. And why do you care so much?" – Sel
Reiji tried to interrupt her, noticing her tone.
"Sel… he was just trying to—"
Ren was left speechless, struggling to find the words.
"Well… it's just that—" – Ren
Sel cut him off before he could finish.
"We're already here, and there's nothing that will make us go back. We're staying," she declared, her eyes fiercely determined.
"Well then, I have no choice but to follow you guys in," Ren said as he gripped his sword.
"Really? You sure about this, Ren?" – Reiji asked, confused and a little concerned.
"We don't have a reason to stop you," Sel said.
"Okay, we need a plan. We can't just go in blindly," Reiji said, looking between Sel and Ren.
"Yes, we do. This dungeon—"- Ren
Sel interrupted again.
"I already have a plan. And I think my skill can pull it off."
"Wha—huh?" Ren blinked, caught off guard.
"Oh, really? Let's hear it then," Reiji said, calm and curious.
"Wait, really? She says she has a plan, and that's all you say?" Ren asked, baffled.
"Huh? Surprised? Well, Sel is just… Sel. Why would I be surprised?" Reiji replied with a completely straight face.
"What? That doesn't even make sense…" – Ren said, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.
"FOCUS!" Sel snapped. "Now's not the time for that. Here's what we're going to do."
She laid out her plan.
"What?... That's crazy. That's practically suicide! This plan won't work," Ren said, completely taken aback. "Reiji, are you really okay with this? You know what might happen, right? Please think this through."
"I trust Sel. If she says it's going to work, then it's going to," Reiji said calmly. But inside he thought,
'I am Sel's master, after all. And I know she wouldn't put me in a situation where I wouldn't survive… So yes. I trust her.'
"Why do you trust her that much? Just to go along with something like this?" – Ren.
"Why shouldn't I?" Reiji said, his voice full of confidence.
Ren's shoulders sagged. Words failed him, worry shadowing his reluctant smile.
"…Fine then. If you trust her that much, then I've got nothing to say that'll stop you from going through with this," Ren said, smiling at Reiji.
With that, Sel, Reiji, and Ren set their plan into motion and began moving toward the dungeon.
Meanwhile, scouts at the dungeon site noticed their approach and reported via telepathy.
Group Member:
"The targets are approaching the entrance to the dungeon… Are we clear to proceed with the plan?"
Group Member 2:
"Yes. All clear. As soon as they enter the dungeon… activate it."
Group Member:
"Roger that…"
As Reiji, Sel, and Ren stepped into the dungeon, a chill cut through them—musty air prickling their skin, the oppressive scent of earth and decay thicker than dread. A haunting hum thrummed through the stone walls. When the entrance slammed shut, darkness smothered them. Ren's breath hitched. "Oh no... this was a trap," he whispered, jaw clenched as he reached for his sword, fear flickering in his eyes.
Reiji and Sel froze, adrenaline spiking—caught utterly unprepared. Panic passed quickly, but fear lingered in the close, breathless dark.
Outside the dungeon, the shady group members were ecstatic—the trap had worked. They wasted no time reporting back to the kingdom.
Group Member:
"They've been trapped successfully. Proceeding with the execution plan."
Unknown Knight Commander:
"Good… Huh? Hold on—'he' is back. We couldn't reach him earlier. Stand by. I'll update the boss and get back to you."
Group Member:
"Roger, sir."
Former Knight Commander and Guild Master Garron had just returned.
"What's the update on the mission? … I was in a meeting with the—[blurred]…" Garron said.
The details were relayed to him. Meanwhile, inside the dungeon, Sel, Reiji, and Ren had no choice but to push forward.
"We're already in," Sel said. "We keep moving."
They advanced with caution—bracing for whatever lay ahead.
Back at the capital, Garron listened to the mission report.
"Really? That's good… real good," Garron said with a smirk. "I would expect no less from [blurred]. Proceed with the execution."
"Of course." – Knight Commander
"You can proceed with the plan now," the knight commander relayed to the group stationed at the dungeon site.
"Roger that, sir."
The operative at the dungeon pulled out a crystal orb—glassy, glowing faintly—and shattered it.
Instantly, blood-curdling screams pierced through the Knight Commander's telepathic link.
"PLEASE, HELP!!"
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
"IT HURTS!!!"
"MY LEG—AAAGHHH!!"
The screaming didn't stop. It was overwhelming—raw, primal terror and agony flooding through the magical link.
"AHHHHHH… WHAT'S GOING ON?! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"
The Knight Commander shrieked, cutting off the connection and collapsing to the floor, clutching his head.
Garron, stunned, rushed toward him.
"Hey! What's happening?! Talk to me! What's going on?!"
The Knight Commander struggled to find words, terror twisting his expression as sweat streamed down his face.
"Those two… they're not human. No one should have such terrifying power," he gasped, voice broken by panic. "This shouldn't be possible," his words trembling with horror.
[Flashback – Before entering the dungeon]
"Here's the plan," Sel had said. "I suspect we're being watched. The chances of this being a setup are extremely high."
"Wait, really?" Reiji asked, surprised.
'So that's what I was feeling… it wasn't the wolf's gaze earlier—it was someone else watching us,' Reiji thought to himself.
"Yes, it's true," Ren added. "I felt eyes on me while I was searching for you two. But I didn't have time to investigate—I had to find you guys first."
"That's why only Reiji will be going in," Sel continued. "Because only he can pull this off."
"Huh? Are you sure about this, Sel?" Reiji looked at her, searching her expression. Her eyes were calm—sharp.
In that moment, his doubt faded. His face shifted from confusion to calm confidence—not in himself, but in Sel. His servant, No. His friend.
"You can't be serious," Ren muttered, still baffled.
"Don't worry," Sel said with a smirk. "My plan won't fail."
[Back to the present]
A deep, booming noise shook the surroundings of the dungeon—and then, silence. Not even the rustle of wind.
"What was that? What just happened?" Ren asked, tense, gripping his sword tightly.
Suddenly, he froze.
"Wait… why did I feel my skill activate?" he asked, staring at his hands in disbelief. "I didn't do anything…"
Sel let out a small, knowing smile.
The reason their plan failed was Reiji's presence. No—it was doomed from the moment he reincarnated into this world. His ability doesn't only reflect physical attacks; it turns magical effects, phenomena, and anything unnatural back to their origin. That's the truth. This isn't just a skill… it manipulates casualty itself.