The underground path was narrow at first, but gradually widened as the group went. The walls were made of rocks, dirt and tree roots. Sometimes, the roots moved, like they were trying to grab and attack the intruders, but as they were slow, they were not very difficult to deal with. Most of the roots were small, and the biggest ones could only be as big as the size of a human arm. It might be scary walking inside a narrow path covered with countless moving tree roots, but as Blob_Blob’s cutlass could slice through them like a hot knife slicing through butter, one could say that they were not really sturdy, and posed no threat at all.

There was also no trap. Normally, in a place like this, one could expect a lot of pitfalls, rolling boulders, fire breathing or poison releasing devices. But... nothing. The group encountered nothing so far except for the self moving roots. However, that lack of danger somehow provoked a feeling of uneasiness among the kids.

“Weird, where are the monsters?” the blue-haired boy, Blob_Blob raised a question, “Are we going in the right direction?” he added.

“This is creepy.” said GeorgEy_168. “It’s so silent! Brrrr! Chills!”

Yes, it was indeed very quiet inside this underground dungeon path so far. No sound of monster’s movement, no sound of worms or bugs… Beside tree roots, it seemed that there was no other living being inside this place. It was like… the silence of death. Well, if one tried as hard as they could, they could hear the tree roots creating some kind of crackling sound as they moved, like when you slightly scrubbed two twigs into one another. But it was so small, consistent and continuous, so most people wouldn't even notice it at all. Thus, here in the realm of darkness, moist and dirt, only the sounds of footsteps, moving roots and kids chewing their snacks could be heard.

There was another thing that no one noticed. It was... how clean the air was. It was unnaturally clean and fresh, without any foul or rotting smell. Was it an indication of good soil with a good drainage system? Or was it ... something else? Well, I can’t tell you this yet.

And so, just like that, the venturing of the group into the underground had been uneventful.

Until...

“Teacher Jessica?” Ilsa was worried so she ran up to Teacher Jessica and asked her. “You said there are monsters underground, right? Like wingless bats, or…”

Teacher Jessica didn’t answer. She didn’t even look at Ilsa, but the little girl could still notice something weird on Teacher Jessica’s face.

Wild eyes.

An evil smirk.

And most terrifyingly, her speech…

Like a broken record, Teacher Jessica kept muttering these words...

“Keep walking keep walking keep walking keep walking keep walking…”

“T-teacher…?”

“Keep walking keep walking keep wa … Ah!” Suddenly, Teacher Jessica stopped her eyes opened wide. She then looked up, raised her hands high up above her head and laughed like a Banshee!

“Hahahahahaha!

“WE … HAVE … ARRIVED!”

“What!?” seeing this unexpected event, Teacher Easy startled. He had been walking behind the group to protect its back so he hadn’t paid any attention to Teacher Jessica at all! And then, Easy noticed something.

“Monsters!” Easy shouted!

But ... what monster!? The air was still sile--

Creeeeeekk!

Screaming sounds tore through the air! Shadows dashed around with a speed that normal eyes couldn’t catch up!

But Blob_Blob’s eyes were sharp!

“Watch out!” Blob_Blob shouted and quickly moved in front of Meetty, shielding her from the dashing shadows. The cutlass in his hand flashed. “Aaaaa!” he screamed and swung the sword vertically.

No one could see what was going on, but everyone could hear it.

CREEEEEEEK!

The attacker screamed louder like it was in great pain! The shadow quickly retreated, and at the same time...

Thud!

Something fell onto the ground! It was black, long, and… many… claws?

“What was that!?” Meetty asked with a panic voice.

Ilsa then ran over and picked the long black thing up. “This ... hand…?” she muttered a question.

Meetty was also examining the hand. And so, in just seconds, she knew!

“Wingless bats!”

Hearing Meetty’s words, Blob_Blob immediately knew what he had to do. As the captain of the kid group (because Blob_Blob was the tallest one), he shouted and gave out an order,. “Everyone! Stay close together! Defense formation number five!”

The kids quickly gathered together and formed a circle, with weapons pointing out. All was protecting a key component of the team, OlisEE. Because she was a supporter, she must be protected at all cost as she lacked the offensive abilities.

The ground shook. Earthquake? No, it was the tree roots moving around! With a speed much faster than before! The area where everyone was standing suddenly widened. The air also changed, with smells of rotten flesh filled up everyone’s nostrils. As the lights from the torches couldn’t reach the walls anymore, OliseEE used another item. It was a very rare item that she had to paid tons of money for it, but knowing this was a dangerous situation, she didn’t hesitate.

“Gem of True Light!”

Gem of True Light, or originally known as the Eye of the Blind Cyclop, levitated up away from the little supporter’s hand, and when it reached a certain height, it started to emit intense lights.

Everything became as bright as day.

Everyone was bewildered. The narrow path had now became an open area wider and higher than a Colosseum. And those things staying on the walls…

What a sight! It was so frightful that it could make one rethink their original concept of hell!

Thousands of huge monsters were anchoring on high places by clawing into the walls of roots. They all had pitch black skin, eyes shining red and fangs bigger than the biggest bananas you have ever eaten. Their heads shaped like bats, with pointy ears and pig-like noses. There were also spikes on their backs. However, they didn’t have wings though.

Wingless bats.

No, ordinary wingless bats were creatures no bigger than a normal sized rooster. These things, they were ... twice the human size!

Teacher Jessica then looked back at the group with tears flowing down from her eyes. “I’m sorry, I lied. You see, no one can escape from The Labyrinth”

However, she was also… smiling?

“I just want to be free…”

“JESSICAAA!!!” Easy screamed was about to dash, but hundreds of vines shot from the ground, warped around his limb and immobilized him!

“Leave the kids alone. KILL THE MAN!” Jessica then shouted!

Upon hearing that order, the air exploded with screeching sound from hundreds of demonic monsters cheering! They then all turned into shadows and launched themselves at Teacher Easy with speed faster than lightning!

“Aaaaaa!” Teacher Easy screamed and veins popped all over his forehead. The vines were incredibly strong, but they couldn’t stop the Teacher from reaching down to his weapon which was dropped onto the group when the vines first got him.

Easy grabbed the hilt of his sword.

“JESSICA!”

He shouted and twisted his wrist!

Spleeeeeeeesh!!!!

All the vines around Teacher Easy had been cut into tiny pieces!

Bullshit!

How!?

No idea!

Easy took one step back, lower his body and moved the sword to the side. Bad-ass offensive stance! The tornado aura of darkness power made his black trench coat floated and flapped beautifully and his right eye shone with the color of bloody red.

“Death!”

Easy said the words and twisted his wrist again.

Splooooooooosh!

More than ten approaching Demonic Wingless Bats exploded into pools of blood! However, there were still thousands of those things coming at Easy with blood-lusting eyes!

“I trusted you!”

“Devour him!”

“You bitch!”

With an inhumane and mysterious power, Easy slain hundreds of demonic monsters in the blink of an eye. But on the other hand, one could not notice any reduction in the number of monsters at all!

They were too many!

A claw reached Easy’s arm...

Scratch!

“Aaaa!”

Easy’s vision blurred.

“Poison…?

Easy was still swinging down his sword, killing monsters after monsters, but his speed became slower and slower over time. After just one minute, his heart started to make irregular beats.

Thud!

Easy’s knee hit a rock as he knelled down. The Teacher could not stand anymore.

“Now die!”

Teacher Jessica laughed like a maniac!

One more wave of Wingless Bats launched themselves at Easy. The Teacher's life was now in grave danger.

[Kawaii_Story_Bot's note]

~Status~

Name: Easy_ShadowHeart

Race: Human

Level: 51

Job: Assassin of Death (PATK -20%, MATK -50%, MDEF -50%, PDEF - 50%, +200% speed, +500% critical damage, + 0.1% instant kill per hit).

Side job: Teacher, Demon Hunter, Detective, Spy.

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Parameter

HP: 6720 MP: 6280 Stamina: 22765 Hunger: 100 PATK: 4440 PDEF: 411 MATK: 1570 MDEF: 1570 Critical damage: 650% Speed: 19080 STR: 411 (+5 PATK +2 PDEF +5HP +5 Stamina / point) AGI: 1360 (+1 Speed + 1 PATK / point) INT: 628 (+10 MP +5 MATK +5 MDEF / point) VIT: 466 (+10 HP + 20 Stamina / point) LUK: 161

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Skill:

Stats boost high. Shadow Strikes Technique - Death. Mental Resistance level 10. Poison Resistance level 9. Death’s Artifact - Exscindo. Death’s Artifact - Decipulator. Death’s Artifact - Oculus. Sword Arts level 7. Knife Arts level 10. Shadow form - Thanatos. Teacher’s aura. Enhanced Senses level 8. High Speed Thinking level 5. Shadow magic. Stealth level 10 - Total presence erase. Soul Assassinate.

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Title

One-eyed Prince (+10% All Stats, + 20% Critical Chance, + 50% Critical Damage.) Nightmare bringer (+100 All Stats. Gains night vision) Incarnation of Death (+50% ATK, + 0.5% instant kill per hit, gains access to Death’s Artifacts and Forms.) True Stalker (+100% Stamina +100% Speed +200% Stealth duration) Demon Slayer (+50% Damage against Demons)