The morning sun rose, casting its light across the plains. I turned to my companions.
"We've reached normal level. It's time to challenge a dungeon again. Sanot, where should we train?"
Sanot adjusted his robes, his tone calm. "Swallow City. It's the perfect place to reach mid-level. Three days by foot."
And so, we packed our belongings and left Droscent Town behind.
The road was dangerous. Normal-level monsters were far stronger than the low-level beasts we had faced before.
A Low Devil appeared, half-human, half-demon, its eyes gleaming with malice. It fought dirty, striking at weak points.
I raised my Holy Shield, holding its attacks. Bange darted forward, unleashing Absolute Death to distract it. Seizing the moment, I struck with Holy Slash, cutting the creature down.
Sanot healed us, replenishing mana, and we continued. Night shifts were divided:
- First batch: myself and Bange.
- Second batch: Clever and Alovent.
Sanot, as always, slept.
By afternoon of the third day, we reached Swallow City. Its walls loomed high, bustling with adventurers.
"I have enough stats," I said, "to enter the Devilish Forest nearby."
Sanot wandered to a bar, gathering information. He learned of an unknown monster that had slain peak middle-level adventurers—but dismissed it, choosing sake instead.
Bange visited the assassin guild, hearing of bandits lurking in the forest. Clever and Alovent pursued their own pleasures.
I entered the forest alone. For two days, I fought middle devils, my Holy Slash cutting through their ranks.
On the third day, a voice cried out.
"Please… help me, I'm bleeding!"
I rushed forward—but my Last Minute Luck skill activated. My foot struck the vein of a devilish tree. At that instant, bandits attacked, their blades missing me entirely.
I realized the truth. They are bandits. I ran, desperate to survive.
Ahead, the Devilish Mother appeared—the unknown monster. Its aura was suffocating.
I raised my Holy Shield. Luck twisted fate again—the shield turned invisible. The bandits, unable to see me, clashed with the Devilish Mother.
The battle was brutal. The bandits fell, crushed beneath her fury. As she lay dying, I struck with multiple Holy Slashes, ending her life.
Exhausted, my MP nearly gone, I staggered back to Swallow City by evening. Narrate whispered, "You gained a soldier's graduation catastrophic point from the bandits. But don't worry—it's worthless."
My companions checked their stats, shocked to see themselves at peak normal level. They gathered in secret.
"It's time," they whispered. "Time to kill the Hero."
I slept, unaware of their plan.
Thus, betrayal brews within the Hero Party. Dransart grows stronger, but his companions plot against him. What will happen when trust shatters?