Aariz, Maarij, and that woman all rushed towards me, abandoning the hordes of monsters who they had been fighting. But it was too late.
By the time they reached me, the serpent had already attacked and its fangs were just inches away from devouring me. At that moment, I really thought it was the end. I couldn't move. I had frozen up.
Ah, things always turn chaotic whenever I try to do something with my brother. These words popped up in my mind as the world around me slowed down.
I had accepted my fate. If I had one regret, it would be not watching those horror movies with Kane. The serpent was now just millimeters away from me.
Just then, a black flame, darker than the abyss, consumed it and turned it to ashes in the blink of an eye.
I...am safe...? I stared in disbelief as the serpent's ashes scattered in the air, drifting across the floor of the Dungeon Complex. I turned around to see my surroundings, and saw all the monsters reduced to ashes. Their ashes were drifting through the air of the floor of the Dungeon Complex.
"Did you kill them all...?" Maarij asked, rushing to my side. He looked shocked.
"Well," I said, equally stunned. "I thought you did."
Aariz and that woman arrived a second or two later. They both were equally puzzled as us.
"If it wasn't you," she asked, "then who?"
"I don't know," I replied, quickly. "All I've done until now is to avoid fighting, so I wouldn't slow you guys down."
But her question was valid. By the way they all reacted, it was clear that none of them burned those monsters to ashes. It wasn't me either. Then it was someone other than us. Someone incredibly powerful. There was no doubt about it.
Just then we heard faint footsteps echoing through the entrance of 12th Floor. It seemed like a person was coming out of 12th Floor.
Our attention shifted to the source of sound. No one took a fighting stance, but they all looked tensed. They didn't seem surprised, but they were cautious, serious, and ready.
It seemed like they would just rush in and kill that person coming out immediately if they were our enemy.
The footsteps grew louder and clearer to hear. Whoever it was, they didn't care to hide their presence. It made one thing clear: They wanted us to know they were coming towards us.
From the entrance of 12th Floor, a figure emerged. It was a tall man, a human. His height was same as Kane, if I guessed that right. Black shoes. Black pant and long overcoat. Fingerless black gloves. He had a pale complexion and long, sleek black hair with occasional white streaks. A sleek black mask covered his entire face, and glasses were also integrated into it. He walked, calmly, slowly towards us.
Brother...? For a moment, I thought it was Kane. But then I realized, how it could be him? He wasn't dressed like this, to begin with.
No, he's not brother. He's someone else. I came to that conclusion after scanning him closely.
That man stopped a few paces away from. Tilting his head, he asked flatly, "Can you stop scanning me like I'm some kind of product?"
It felt like he had expected this all and was trying to go according to the script written for him to perform his part here.
"Ah, sorry. You looked like someone I'm looking for," I immediately apologized. It wasn't good to stare at someone who I didn't know. It would make him uncomfortable.
Aariz stepped forward. "Are you the one who burned them all to ashes?"
"I was," the man replied, looking directly in Aariz's eyes. "And I hope you don't mind. One of your companions here would've died otherwise."
He was far, and yet he managed to burned them all to ashes instantly...?
That man just took a step forward. Before
Aariz could speak further, that woman spoke. "Who are you? Name. Affiliation. You seem to be very strong, considering what you just did."
"I'm just a nobody. So, call me that—'Nobody.' I belong to nowhere. I'm just a nobody trying to gain the authority of 'The King.'"
"Huh?" That woman tilted her head. "What does that even mean? Are you...an actor?"
"Fortunately, or unfortunately, I am not."
"Let me change the question: Why are you here? I sent orders to call back all Explorers in Dungeon Complex. Why are are still here?"
"I was deeper inside, fighting off waves of monsters. That's why it took me so long to get here." He then began to walk towards us. "Now, if you would all step aside?"
I looked between my "companions," uncertain. "What—" I had begun to ask, but Maarij stepped forward and asked, blocking Nobody's path. "You said you are trying to gain the authority of 'The King', yeah?"
"I believe so." Nobody didn't stop on his track. He kept walked with a calm, slow pace. His every moment looked calculated.
"I'm afraid to inform you that someone who's the true king has arrived to calim the title of 'The King.'"
Nobody stopped on his track. "Good for him." He said with a shrug. "But why tell me? What does it have to do with me?"
"I've got the feeling..." Maarij took a cautious step forward. "That we'll be facing off each other sooner or later." Maarij continued in a calm, serious tone and expression, "I need to know whether you're a threat or not."
Nobody's tone didn't change. "What would you do if I am?"
"Then I'll eliminate you. Right here. Right now."
"You think so?"
"I'm the strongest in this world, after all."
The tension between these two grew thicker with every passing second. The more the second passed, the more it felt like a fight between these two would just break out anytime soon.
Please, don't fight, you guys. I begged silently. I am so tired. Let's just save my brother and go home...
As much as I wanted to say them in words, I couldn't say so. The tension between these two were heavy. Plus Aariz and that woman were on their guards as well, blocking the his path should he try to escape or anything.
Nobody sighed. "Well, I hope your instinct is wrong. I don't plan to fight you guys."
"Should I take that as neutrally?"
"Do as you like."
Maarij nodded. "Selene. Aariz. Step aside. Let him through. He is safe, for now, at least."
Selene? That's what her name is, I see. I won't lie, that's a pretty name indeed.
We stepped aside. Nobody slowly walked past us. As he passed me, he turned slightly.
"Get strong," Nobody murmured. "If you want to stand by your brother's side."
"Huh...?" I stared after him, stunned. How does he know about brother? I wondered as I saw him walking away, slowly, carefree.
It seemed like he wasn't worried about being attacked by monsters. I didn't give much thoughts to what he said regarding getting stronger, because I knew I had to.
Maarij turned. "Let's go now. We're getting late."
Maarij told us to move out as we were getting minute by minute due to these events happening.
We all began to walk towards the entrance of 12th Floor. As we walked, I turned to Maarij. "So... that thing about being strongest. Was it true?"
Maarij grinned. "Yeah." He began counting on his fingers as he said, "Cleared Dungeon Complexes. Beat every monster out there. Fought Gods. Killed a few. Xie Wang also included. Changed the fate." He then turned to me, lowering his hand. His grin grew wider. "Honestly, there's so much on list."
I got annoyed by his grin. He clearly was boasting about himself. "Seriously, what are grinning about?"
"Well," he chuckled. "Whenever I think of killing those rascals, I feel happy. I mean, how pathetic it must have been being killed by some random guy who popped up in their world with no skills or whatsoever out of nowhere, and got strong enough to kill them."
Maarid laughed smugly. "Oh, what should I do?"
Maarij was being so full of himself that it annoyed me. I wanted to slap his head. I raised my hand to slap his head, but before I could—
"I am so strong that even Gods cannot stop me—!"
Wham!
Selene kicked him in the head, sending him flying.
"Enough boasting. Clear the path for us," Selene said, deadpan.
A loud thud echoed through the whole floor just a few seconds later. It seemed like Maarij had hit the wall.
"Serves him right," I muttered with a smirk.
"Well, he and Aariz get like this sometimes now. They didn't use to be like this in the past." Selene said more gently now.
I don't why she's trying to strike up a conversation, but I should go along the flow.
"How were they like in the past?" I asked in a polite tone. I hoped to talk with her without creating an awkward scene between us.
Aariz sped up his pace and said, "I will go and take a look at that idiot. You guys make sure to not slow down just because you've begun a conversation."
"Yeah, yeah," Selene waved him off. "Shoo. Shoo."
Aariz without a word walked ahead of us. I and Selene began to talk. As we walked, she continued, "They used to be serious types. They changed after they fell for my sisters."
"Oh? How many siblings are you guys?"
"Actually, I'm not related to them by blood," she said. "They adopted me. Met them during an apocalypse. They took me in."
"Where are they now?"
Selene went silent. Her silence tile everything: Both of her sisters were no longer in this world.
So, I decided to not pry further to make her sad. I swiftly changed the topic. "Are you born in this world?"
Selene swiftly caught on, and replied, "Me? Yeah, I am. What about it?"
"Ah, nothing. I just thought you might be like Aariz, Maarij, and me."
"I see."
We caught up with Aariz and Maarij. Maarij was cleaning the dirt of his clothes, while Aariz looked at the entrance to 13th Floor on our right sided. Luckily we hadn't encountered any monster on this floor. Nobody probably wiped them all out. If it would be the same case for next floors, we would find Kane in no time.
"That hurts," Maarij said while cleaning off the dirt.
"That's what you get for boasting about yourself." Selene then looked at the entrance of 13th Floor, and said, "Let's head deeper. [Floor: Disaster] is still far away."
"Leo," Aariz turned to me. "From now on, you'll fight as well. Don't worry, I will protect you. Just do as I've taught you. You might awaken your next form."
"I will do my best." I had to do my best if I wanted to save Kane swiftly. Even though it was going to be my first time fighting monsters, but somehow, it felt like I would handle it with ease. So, I wasn't scared or pressurized, rather I was calm.
Just wait for me, brother. I'm coming to save you.