"Oh my... she's at level 30? That's quite low for an elf," Lucy remarked, her voice laced with mild surprise as her eyes scanned Fay's stats.
"You act like this is news to you," Fay replied, folding her arms.
"Well, you hardly ever check your own stats, and with all the adventurers I see every day, do you really expect me to keep track of yours?" Lucy shot back, her tone light but teasing.
Arthur exhaled a long sigh of relief, tension visibly leaving his shoulders. All his earlier worries were for nothing, he was still the strongest in the group.
"Happy now?" Fay asked, raising an eyebrow at him, her voice tinged with annoyance as if proving her weakness shouldn't have been necessary.
Arthur didn't bother answering. Instead, he turned away, adjusting the straps of his gear as the group prepared to leave for their quest.
He wasn't the only one who felt relieved. Maxwell, too, allowed himself a quiet exhale. Deep down, he'd feared Fay's low mana issue might have improved. Guilt churned in his stomach for wishing that her condition—one she despised—would persist. But it wasn't malice that drove his thoughts; it was fear of losing the bond they shared. Both outcasts in their respective races, they had connected over their shared flaw: insufficient mana. Fay's mana pool, while still leagues ahead of Maxwell's, had made her an anomaly among elves, and that common ground was what had solidified their unlikely friendship.
As they reached the guild's threshold, Maxwell hesitated. A flicker of doubt crossed his face as he considered checking his own stats. Confidence pushed the thought aside—he was certain he'd grown stronger. He'd let his actions in battle prove it instead.
"Wait a second!" Lucy's voice cut through the air just as they were about to step out. She pointed toward the quest board. "You guys aren't picking up a new quest?"
Arthur glanced back over his shoulder. "No need. We still have that dungeon quest to finish. Let's just hope we don't run into another demon lord along the way," he replied with a wry grin.
Lucy rolled her eyes, not believing Arthur demon lord story.
As the Outcasts exited, Lucy frowned, a nagging thought tugging at her memory. Something about that particular dungeon quest felt... off. What was it she'd forgotten? The unease lingered as the group disappeared from sight, heading straight toward whatever awaited them.
Meanwhile, on the demon clan continent, the 2nd demon lord arrived at the imposing castle of the demon king. The air was heavy with the stench of sulphur, and dark clouds swirled ominously above the black spires of the fortress. He stepped into the grand throne room, his every footfall echoing in the vast, dimly lit chamber.
The 2nd demon lord was a figure of unsettling calm, his pale skin almost translucent, and his sharp glasses reflecting the eerie red glow of the throne room's braziers. Despite his composed demeanour, a faint tremor betrayed the weight of the message he carried.
"My king," he began, bowing low before the throne where the demon king sat, his colossal form shrouded in shadows. "I come bearing grave news. Tadesse has been slain."
For a moment, silence filled the chamber, thick and suffocating. Then, with a single, fiery glance, the demon king's power crashed over the 2nd demon lord like a tidal wave, forcing him to his knees. Fear gripped him as he felt the air leave his lungs.
"The audacity," the demon king growled, his voice a deep, resonant rumble that shook the very walls. "You stand before me, delivering news of your own failure. You were tasked with finding the thief who stole the stone—a mere boy—and not only did you fail, but you now tell me that one of the most powerful beings under my command has been killed?"
The 2nd demon lord trembled but kept his voice steady. "I understand your frustration, my king. I, too, struggle to comprehend this. Tadesse's death marks the first time in recorded history that a demon lord has been slain. The mortals may have uncovered a way to grow stronger. Perhaps if we advance our plans—"
"NO!" The demon king roared, his voice a thunderclap that silenced the 2nd mid-sentence. His glowing eyes burned with fury as he rose from his throne, towering above the kneeling lord. "The only thing that matters is finding the boy and the stone. We cannot risk Gin escaping his imprisonment."
"But, my king," the 2nd demon lord stammered, confusion flickering across his face. "That shouldn't be possible. Unless... unless Gin's descendant still walks the earth. But we ensured that bloodline was extinguished."
The demon king's eyes narrowed, his expression darkening. "The boy is proof enough. The Eyes of Balance do not lie. Gin has been stirring in his slumber for centuries, but if he is truly waking, then he grows stronger with every passing moment. The longer we delay, the slimmer our chances of retrieving the stone. Find the boy. And this time, do not fail me."
The 2nd demon lord rose slowly, his head bowed. "As you command, my king."
Without another word, he turned and left the throne room, determination etched onto his face. The weight of his next move bore heavily on his shoulders. He knew that failure was no longer an option—not if he wished to remain among the living.
Back in the dungeon, Maxwell's team had just descended into the first level. The air was damp and stale, carrying the faint, metallic tang of danger. As they moved cautiously forward, Arthur turned to address Hana, his tone sharp and to the point.
"Your blade shattered during the fight with Tadesse because you refuse to use an enchanted sword," he said, his eyes narrowing at her.
Hana scowled but didn't miss a step. "Don't act like you don't know my goal. I want to cut through anything using only my skill and magic. If I rely on a sword designed to make everything easier, then the accomplishment won't be mine—it'll be the sword's. That's what weak people do."
Arthur stiffened at her words. His hand instinctively moved to Excalibur, the enchanted sword hanging at his side. Fury ignited in his chest as he closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the throat, his grip firm but controlled.
"Are you implying that I'm weak?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Hana's eyes met his, unflinching despite the situation. A small, sly smile curved her lips. "Of course not," she said, her voice steady. "I would never fall in love with a weak man."
Arthur's grip faltered as her words landed, his cheeks flushing red. He quickly released her, stepping back to regain his composure. "That… came out of nowhere," he muttered, turning away to hide his embarrassment.
Behind them, Maxwell's jaw practically hit the floor, his expression a mix of disbelief and barely contained jealousy. Fay couldn't hold back her laughter as she caught sight of his reaction.
"Ha ha, very funny," Maxwell muttered, glaring at her. Then, as if remembering something, he added, "So, did you thank her yet?"
Fay tilted her head, confused. "Thank who?"
"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. After Tadesse knocked you out, she's the one who saved you," Maxwell explained, gesturing toward Hana, who was now walking ahead of them.
Fay glanced at Hana, her expression softening as a faint smile tugged at her lips.
Suddenly, Arthur stopped in his tracks. The rest of the team followed suit, their eyes locking on the scene ahead—a trail of dead goblins littered the ground.
"What's going on here?" Arthur murmured, his hand instinctively reaching for Excalibur. His mind raced. 'The dungeon's spawning goblins instead of slimes like last time… but who killed them? Could someone else be in here with us?'
Before he could ponder further, movement caught his eye. Fresh goblins emerged from the shadows, snarling and brandishing crude swords as they charged toward the team.
Maxwell's eyes lit up. This was his moment. The goblins were only level 1 monsters—normally, Arthur and Hana wouldn't bother wasting their energy on such foes—but Maxwell stepped forward eagerly.
"Let me handle this," he said, turning to Fay with an almost pleading look.
Fay hesitated. "Are you sure? There are 22 of them."
"Please," Maxwell insisted. "This is my chance to prove myself."
After a moment of deliberation, Fay sighed and stepped aside. "Fine. They're all yours."
Maxwell grinned as he strode confidently toward the goblins. The creatures snarled, their glowing eyes locked on him as they charged. Maxwell responded with a sweeping motion of his hand, unleashing a wave of fire magic. Flames roared to life, engulfing most of the goblins in an instant.
But not all of them fell. A handful of goblins emerged from the inferno, singed but undeterred, continuing their advance with primal ferocity.
Maxwell's confidence didn't waver. If anything, his smile grew. "Alright, round two," he muttered under his breath, ready to show his team what he was truly capable of.
Back at the guild, Lucy's face grew pale as she finally remembered the critical detail she had forgotten. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she could feel the weight of her mistake pressing down on her. She gripped the counter for support, her breathing quickening as panic began to set in.
Just then, the doors to the guild swung open, and a towering adventurer strode in. His sheer size commanded attention, his broad shoulders and confident gait making him stand out even among seasoned warriors. The guild hall fell quiet as everyone instinctively acknowledged his presence.
He glanced at Lucy and noticed her worried expression. "What's wrong?" he asked, his deep voice steady and calming.
Lucy hesitated, biting her lip before she spoke. "I made a big mistake… one that could cost adventurers their lives."
The adventurer raised an eyebrow but waited for her to continue.
"Not knowing the Outcasts party planned to continue their unfinished quest from two days ago, I assigned the same quest to another party earlier today," she explained, her voice trembling.
The adventurer frowned, still unconvinced it was anything dire. "Mistakes happen. It's not great, but I'm sure they'll manage."
Lucy swallowed hard, her voice dropping to a whisper. "The other party… it's the Asgardian Party."
The entire guild hall froze. Conversations ceased, and every adventurer turned toward Lucy, their faces painted with disbelief. The name carried weight, and everyone in the room understood the gravity of the situation.
The large adventurer's eyes widened briefly before his shock melted into a low chuckle. He clapped a reassuring hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Relax. I'll take care of this."
Back in the dungeon, Maxwell's battle against the goblins was wearing him down. What had started as an opportunity to prove himself had turned into a chore. Frustration gnawed at him as he dodged another crude blade.
"Alright, enough of this," he muttered. Deciding to end the skirmish quickly, Maxwell prepared a spell he hadn't used before—a freezing incantation meant to immobilize all the goblins at once.
But when he tried to cast it, nothing happened.
Maxwell froze in place, his eyes wide with disbelief. The spell… had failed. He stood there, exposed, as the goblins closed in.
Meanwhile, Fay awkwardly stepped closer to Hana, fidgeting nervously with her fingers. "Hey… I know we don't talk much, but I heard you saved my life, so I just wanted to—"
Before she could finish, the sound of steel piercing flesh cut through the air. Blood splattered onto the dungeon floor.
Their heads snapped toward the battle, and their hearts sank. Maxwell stood frozen, a goblin blade buried deep in his back.
The goblin yanked its weapon free, leaving a gaping wound that spilled crimson. Maxwell staggered, his face pale but oddly calm. He instinctively tried to heal himself, but nothing happened. Panic crept into his eyes. 'Why isn't it working?' he thought. Just yesterday, he had been strong enough to kill a Demon Lord.
His legs gave out, and he crumpled to the ground. As his vision began to blur, he saw Fay rushing toward him, her voice calling his name. Beyond her, a shadowy figure caught his fading attention—a man he'd seen before, back at the bar. The stranger's glasses glinted in the dim dungeon light, his smile cold and knowing.
Darkness consumed Maxwell's vision.
Fay didn't hesitate. Her canon blasted the goblin that had harmed her friend, slaying it with a single blast. But the remaining goblins charged, their numbers overwhelming. Fay didn't care. Her only thought was saving Maxwell.
Before the goblins could reach her, a sudden bolt of lightning struck them all, frying them in an instant. Fay gasped, momentarily believing she had been aided by some unknown force—until another bolt struck directly towards her position.
Frozen in shock, Fay couldn't move in time. But Hana did. With blinding speed, she pulled Fay out of harm's way, the lightning narrowly missing them both.
From the shadows of the dungeon's second level, four figures emerged. Their leader stood at the front, his presence radiating authority. He gripped a massive hammer crackling with electricity.
"Nobody's healing anyone," the man said, his voice sharp and commanding. His glowing eyes locked onto the Outcasts as he raised his hammer. "Not in my dungeon."
Arthur stepped forward, his grip tightening on Excalibur. Recognition flickered in his eyes as he stared at the leader of the opposing party.
"Thor," Arthur said, his voice steady but cold. His old friend—and rival—stood before them, leading the Asgardians.
The tension in the air was palpable as both sides prepared for battle. But with Maxwell bleeding out, time was not on the Outcasts' side. Could they defeat Thor and his party before it was too late?