Chapter 3 - Do you wish to resurrect your comrades?
It was hard to imagine that a roadside tent could be cleaner than an elven dwelling.
Although Lain called this place a kennel, it was small but complete. The interior was a hidden paradise because, like Ryuu, he was a clean freak.
"I'm sorry. I'll leave now."
Ryuu knew she had been rash. She lowered the fruit knife and dragged her exhausted body away. The injuries the monster had left on her had not yet healed.
As she walked past Lain, he called out to her, "Wait, are you just going to leave like this?"
"Do you want payment?"
Ryuu stopped in her tracks, a bitter smile on her face. "But now I have nothing left. My Familia, my friends, and my justice... they have all abandoned me."
"I see. So, the Astrea Familia was annihilated," Lain said, lowering his voice on purpose.
It must have happened in the last couple of days. He hadn't heard anything about it yet. He'd been in Orario for over half a month and had already figured out the timeline.
Ten years ago, the Zeus and Hera Familias failed in their campaign against the One-Eyed Black Dragon, resulting in the annihilation of the two most powerful factions!
Two years ago, Erebus, a God of Evil, launched a great conflict to inspire Orario, which was in a state of despair after the fall of the two strongest Familias. He took on the role of the ultimate villain and opposed the various Familias of Orario, honing a new generation of adventurers and becoming a springboard for a new era!
And now, the Astrea Familia had been completely wiped out!
Five years until Bell Cranel arrives in Orario!
The words the Astrea Familia was annihilated struck a nerve with Ryuu. If she hadn't felt guilty for sleeping in his bed earlier, she would have immediately beheaded him.
There was no trace of the clarity that elves should possess in Ryuu's eyes; instead, a darkness descending into madness took its place.
Lain shrugged innocently; it wasn't him who wiped out the Astrea Familia.
He had only been here for half a month...
However, according to the timeline, Ryuu would now seek revenge by any means necessary, almost wiping out everyone involved in the incident.
Moreover, regardless of whether there was evidence or not, anyone rumored to be related to Evilus would be a target for her vengeance.
"The Juggernaut... that is the name of the monster that attacked you in the Dungeon," Lain whispered.
Just as Ryuu was about to leave, her feet seemed to take root. She stiffly turned her head back, her sharp eyes staring coldly at Lain, completely different from before.
The intense stare was almost tangible, like a sharp knife held against Lain's neck.
Even if this girl were to rush up and kill him in the next second, Lain wouldn't have been surprised. But he also had his own plans. A Level 4... if used properly, could help him grow quickly.
Lain calmly said, "I have absolutely no connection with Evilus. You can find out for yourself if you ask around. I've only been in Orario for half a month, and I consider it my duty to help others. I am sworn to oppose evil!"
Ryuu's eyes were filled with distrust as her hand slowly moved to the hilt of her sword.
Lain coughed twice, clearly not one to be intimidated easily, and said without changing his expression, "If you kill me, you'll never know how to resurrect Alise Lovell and the others!"
Ryuu's eyes widened slightly. "What are you talking about?"
"Looks like you're quite interested in this topic. Put the weapon down first." Lain silently prepared himself. Actually, he was already ready to use the system to transfer to the instance world; he wasn't really going to risk his life!
Ryuu looked away, though her gaze remained sharp.
Lain said, "Let's make a deal. In three years, I'll give you the information about the resurrection technique. In the meantime, you have to help me kill some powerful monsters."
Three years?
Ryuu's eyes were cold and piercing; she had no patience to wait that long. "I can force you to give me the resurrection technique now!"
The vast difference in strength between the two made Ryuu feel that the other party had no right to negotiate with her.
Lain, abandoning his previous gentlemanly attitude, said coldly, "If you think you can do it, then go ahead and try. But you only get one chance!"
Lain's confident demeanor left Ryuu somewhat bewildered. Who among us is the Level 4?
Where did this Level 1 adventurer get his confidence?
The two sides were locked in a stalemate, engaging in a psychological battle.
"I do know the secret technique of resurrection, but with your current strength and mine, there's no way we can obtain it yet. We'll just be throwing our lives away!" Lain's tone softened.
In the various dungeon worlds, those who possessed resurrection techniques were not people they could easily mess with right now.
Ryuu loosened her grip on the sword hilt, suppressing her eagerness to seize the information by force. She also didn't believe that a resurrection technique would be so easy to obtain.
Seeing that Ryuu has calmed down, Lain secretly breathed a sigh of relief; the matter was settled!
"As a complimentary gift..."
Lain continued, "I can tell you information about the Juggernaut, information that even the gods don't know. At least it will let you know exactly how your companions died."
Ryuu stared intently at Lain. He really liked keeping secrets, didn't he?
Lain explained, "The Juggernaut is a monster born from the Dungeon itself. If massive destruction occurs on a floor, severely damaging the Dungeon's structure, the Dungeon will abandon its self-repair protocols and instead produce this exceptionally powerful monster to eliminate the intruders."
"Inferno Stones!"
Ryuu's expression froze for a moment. They had been chasing the members of Evilus, who had detonated a large number of Inferno Stones. Although the explosion didn't kill the elves, it damaged the Dungeon structure.
Judging from the Evilus members reactions at the time, they were also unaware that this would happen.
Unexpected situations in the deep floors were perfectly normal.
They actually died for such a reason.