Chapter 166: A Silent Pact "R-Rever!" Yuzuro’s voice quivered as Rever disintegrated into particles before her eyes.
Rever had the highest constitution among them and was nearing level one hundred. Xin found it impossible to comprehend Rever’s sudden demise from a single touch of the Lanternal.
"It’s an unkillable foe," Victor whispered, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
"Unkillable?" Xin mumbled to himself. Then would that mean that they were in big trouble? "What’s our plan? Should we flee?"
Both Midnight Duchess and Victor wore grave expressions.
"There’s no escape," Victor declared, his tone heavy with finality. "All entrances and exits are locked. Shadow told me."
"Are we going to die?" Yuzuro’s voice trembled, fear lacing her words, while Xin calmly sought a solution.
Though Rever had perished, he hadn’t yet suffered an EXP penalty. But if they were wiped out now, it would be a different story.
The Lantern’s invincibility suggested its stats were formidable enough to annihilate them in a single strike, potentially plunging their levels into the negatives upon death.
In the eerie silence that followed Rever’s abrupt demise, panic threatened to engulf the group.
Yuzuro’s eyes were wide with disbelief, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Just one touch . . . and he’s gone?"
Xin’s mind was racing, searching for a way out of their desperate situation.
Midnight Duchess’s usually composed demeanor strained. "As much I don’t want to ask this, but we need to keep that Lanternal occupied while we think of a plan. We can’t let it get to the others."
Victor’s brows furrowed in concentration, and he nodded in agreement. "You and I agreed on something for once."
Losing Rever this early in the dungeon was already bad enough, but if the Lantern touched Yuzuro or Xin, then that was game over for them.
The two of them were the fastest in the group. Maybe they could stall for a time long enough to think of a plan.
Meanwhile, Yuzuro was still processing the sudden loss of Rever and clutched her staff tightly, her eyes darting between Victor, Midnight Duchess, and Xin. "H-how are you going to defeat it? What can we do against something like that?"
Despite the dire circumstances, Xin refused to succumb to despair. He knew that the answer lie to their escape lay somewhere in here or in the monster’s description itself.
Usually, against an unkillable monster such as the Lanternal, there was usually a way to escape.
Midnight Duchess issued a sharp warning as the Lanternal’s glowing eyes fixated on them. "Keep your distance at all costs. A mere touch could prove fatal."
With a determined nod, she moved forward to engage the Lanternal, her movements fluid and controlled.
Victor briefly turned to Xin, his voice urgent. "Summon as many golems as you can and think of an escape plan while we keep it occupied."
Xin nodded back.
Victor joined Midnight Duchess, both of them bracing themselves against the Lanternal’s onslaught.
Thankfully, the Lanternal’s attacks were single target, lacking the devastating area-of-effect abilities that could wipe them out instantly.
This provided them with a crucial window of opportunity to strategize and find a way out of their perilous situation.
In the heart of the dire confrontation, the room flickered with the chaotic dance of shadows.
Midnight Duchess and Victor moved in a seamless rhythm, a testament to their pro-gamer status.
Their every motion was calculated as a blend of offense and defense against the Lanternal. Its ghostly robes billowed as it lunged, chains rattling ominously.
Meanwhile, Xin’s brow furrowed with concentration as he created his constructs. Golems, massive stone guardians, emerged from the very ground beneath him, responding to his command. They stood tall and imposing, ready to heed his orders.
On the side, Yuzuro tried her best to be useful to the others. Her hands moved in intricate patterns, channeling her magic.
Ethereal shields formed around Victor and Midnight Duchess, shimmering like mirages. Her voice resonated with power as she chanted protective spells, enhancing their resilience.
However, despite their best effort, it was apparent that their attacks couldn’t get through for the damage they made against the Lanternal remained 0.
In the midst of battle, Xin thought of just summoning Elysia, and maybe through her aid, they could escape.
But then his eyes widened with realization. He recalled the cryptic description of the Lanternal, how it retained some understanding from its past life.
Desperation fueled his actions as he called out, "Lanternal!"
The Lanternal’s bony hands were mere inches from Victor’s neck as it hesitated.
For a brief moment, its eyes flickered with a glimmer of recognition as if caught in a momentary struggle between its former consciousness and its bound duty.
That moment of hesitation was all Xin needed. Maybe it was his CHA at work that the Lanternal stopped, or maybe it was really the trigger.
In that pivotal moment, Xin saw an opportunity to change their fate.
"We mean no harm . . . we just want to pass through. You can take the bow back if you want," Xin said, his voice steady despite the turmoil around them.
The group, including Victor and Midnight Duchess, watched in astonishment as the Lanternal halted its movements, its spectral form freezing in place as it listened to Lord Schrodinger.
"You . . ." The Lantern’s voice, now imbued with a strange mix of rage and recognition, cut through the tense atmosphere.
It zoomed towards Xin, its eyes ablaze with a fiery intensity.
"Lord Schrodinger!"
Victor and Midnight Duchess started to move, but Xin raised his hands, his eyes locked onto the Lanternal.
"I understand . . . the truth . . . in your eyes," the Lanternal uttered, its voice gurgling like death itself. "And you . . . hold the key . . ."
Xin was baffled, uncertain about the Lanternal’s puzzling words. However, he did realize he possessed the key to the prisoner’s quest. Was that what it meant?
"You can have the bow . . . but in return . . . go . . . save . . . he . . ." The Lantern’s voice trailed off, abruptly dispersing into thin air, leaving the room in an eerie silence.
Confusion clouded the faces of the group, their eyes fixed on Xin, demanding an explanation.
Even Xin himself wasn’t entirely sure what had transpired. With a straight face and voice, he simply said, "It’s gone."
Unspoken words filled the room.
You think?!