These Demons Do it for Free-Chapter 79

It was my own fault for not being more cautious, not fully understanding the level of a Pioneer.

Arthur looked apologetic, yet there was a hint of disappointment in his expression. Was it wrong to label me as an outsider? But what could I do? It was the truth.

"If your mentor makes unreasonable demands, let me know. I can’t guarantee I can stop it, but I’ll help as much as I can."

That was a reassuring offer.

As long as Dana wasn’t sulking with a sullen face beside me.

"Is she doing okay?"

"Hm? Dana? She did overexert herself with the *Divine Possession*, but she’ll recover with potions. No need to worry."

"Still, take care of her. She’s your junior."

After dismissing Arthur, I mulled over what Viola had said earlier.

[In the end, it will come to light.]

Viola had spoken with a conviction that this was an inevitable truth, not just an intuitive analysis of a Pioneer.

[The immortal *Jeegan* will revive. It might take time, but when he does, it will be impossible to keep it a secret.]

That necromancer.

He had chosen to self-destruct too easily, confident in his ability to come back to life.

[So it’s better to secure a proper defense. Not just for those who owe you their lives, but a barrier that can protect you from all threats.]

At that point, Viola, demonstrating her role as a senior, concluded with a lighthearted joke.

[It’d be nice if we could be that barrier.]

'Indeed, going to the Frontier Guild like Viola suggested isn’t a bad idea…'

The existence of Pioneers. The power of the top five guilds.

It was reassuring in many ways.

'But the balance among my classmates…'

Just then, I felt a light tap on my shoulder and turned to see Leif, wearing a slightly worried expression.

"Roman, are you thinking about what Viola said?"

"Yeah."

"Is that okay…? There are more people willing to help you than you might think."

In an attempt to console me, Leif added her thoughts.

"As for that *Jeegan*? There’s no guarantee he’ll spread the word. He might decide to keep it to himself and hide instead."

"That makes sense."

"There’s a chance he doesn’t even fully grasp what your magic is capable of. He could lose memories or have them distorted during the resurrection process."

Is this collective intelligence?

While I had been somewhat losing my cool over Viola’s words, contemplating how to secure a safe position, the two of them were thinking along a slightly different line.

"Tsk. I should have dealt with him properly back then. If I had crushed his skull with *Argentus*, he wouldn’t have been able to revive. If he shows up again, I won’t hold back."

Ray, who had only had *Azure Rail* with her back then, was grumbling about it.

What should I say?

It felt like a child complaining after losing a game because of a mistake, claiming they could have won if only they had done something differently.

Even though we didn’t lose, our victory still felt rather unsatisfactory.

"Well, it’ll work out somehow."

Let’s think about the future when the time comes.

For now, let’s focus on what’s ahead.

§

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

By the time we reached double digits in the days since the operation began, we had already taken down our fourth Sentinel.

"We’ve become a true Sentinel-hunting machine."

We had managed to reduce our hunting time to an impressive 20 minutes.

Aside from the Sentinel *Head*, which had multiple cores and posed a challenge, the Upper-class Sentinels had become relatively easy to deal with.

Given that Dana only held a temporary license, calling her a novice meant that we were essentially a team of five novices hunting Sentinels.

If we shared this story outside, no one would believe it.

They’d probably ridicule us or scold us for being reckless, or perhaps even become angry at the notion that we had been dismissive of our abilities.

But there wasn’t a single ordinary novice among us.

Even Dana, confirmed as the weakest link, could create variables by channeling a strong spirit with her *Divine Possession*.

In reality, we were functioning like a group of experienced seniors hunting Sentinels.

'Now that I think about it, I’m reminded of Bong-sik.'

I should have checked in on him the last time I was up here.

For now, the mark I received was still intact. It shouldn’t have fallen out of my control, but once I returned to the city, I needed to investigate properly.

'What are the Abyss worshippers doing?'

We were practically on the verge of turning the second floor into their backyard.

If that was the case, they wouldn’t have any excuse for neglecting their duties.

Despite having enough time to think of such trivial matters, Viola’s expression still appeared quite displeased.

"It’s still too slow."

Is it?

"Well, we’re at least making progress. By the time this expedition ends, we should aim to cut it down to ten minutes."

"Yes, Master."

Arthur accepted it without question.

He certainly had the potential to grow.

"By the way, Crawler, is that thing coming up soon?"

"Ah, yes. If there’s a Sentinel nearby, it should be right here."

That.

If Viola was mentioning it directly, then there was only one possible candidate.

The Sentinel Keeper.

The ruler of the second layer, often regarded as the apex of the labyrinth.

Even senior explorers, when faced with a Sentinel Keeper, would abandon the fight and pray for survival.

Considering that senior explorers usually operated in the third layer, it could be said that the Keeper was a monster of the second layer.

It could reign as a top predator even in the third layer.

And that meant it was still a formidable opponent for us.

'But if we give it our all, we should be able to handle it, right?'

Honestly, losing *Blink* had made my strength drop to about 70%. My primary strength was based on the ability to use it freely in battle.

Not to mention that being able to move with my teammates when needed was crucial.

If I could grind them down and wear them out, even a Sentinel Keeper would have a tough time against us.

As I ran a mental simulation of fighting a hypothetical Sentinel Keeper, I found it difficult to picture without having faced one before.

Had Viola caught a glimpse into my thoughts?

Viola, her expression glowing with excitement, declared she would provide me with an opportunity to cover for my shortcomings.

"Get ready, chicks. You’ll have the chance to truly test your abilities this time."

Her smile was wide, and she looked more excited than she had a right to be based on her words.

We’re just going to throw four novices plus a rookie against the Sentinel Keeper?

How is that any different from asking us to die?

If Viola had been born on Earth, she’d undoubtedly be a Spartan.

'Or maybe an Amazon.'

§

"Ugh…."

Is this really it?

As I peered into the plaza through the entrance, I thought to myself.

'Can we really catch that?'

Inside the plaza stood a single Sentinel.

It was gripping a massive sword in reverse, its blade resting on the ground directly in front of it, embodying a presence greater than any Sentinel I had seen so far.

"What are you waiting for? Go in."

"Just a second. Let’s think this through first."

Ray urged from behind, pushing me to enter.

"We’ve dealt with these before, right? Sure, it’s on a different level, but ultimately, it’s still just a Sentinel. The combat patterns should be similar."

After all, we wouldn’t know how to adjust our tactics without actually confronting it.

"Alright. Let’s go."

Just as I was about to step in, Viola’s form brushed past me, darting forward before I could react.

Her attack was faster than the Sentinel Keeper’s response.

It felt like when we first entered the second layer.

Viola had a sword in her hand.

Now I knew.

She had pulled out a weapon stored within her A-rank artifact, the *Arms Changer*.

Although it only stored weapons and allowed her to draw them out, the fact that it could store them in a spatial pocket was enough to earn it an A-rank classification.

As she swung the sword she pulled from the *Arms Changer*, a slashing attack cleaved through the air.

*Shwing!*

The cutting power was on a whole different level from anything we had heard before.

Instead of merely slicing the wind, it felt as if the very air was being torn apart.

*Boom!*

When the attack hit the wall, the resounding explosion echoed, not like a wall breaking but as if

it collided with something solid.

"Seems like the feel is still there."

A voice, one that shouldn’t have belonged to anyone present, emerged from the place where Viola’s attack landed.

'No, the wall is an illusion.'

From behind the illusory wall cloaked in magic, an old man stepped out, making a clicking sound with his shoes as he walked.

He wasn’t wearing the usual armor or robes of explorers; instead, he appeared in an outfit resembling that of a conqueror.

He looked to be around 50 years old.

But considering how slowly explorers age, especially in the Abyss, it was hard to tell just how old he really was.

Wearing glasses, he gave off a refined impression, appearing to be far from the look of a madman or fanatic.

Overall, he projected the image of an educated scholar with deep knowledge.

But something felt off.

Despite Viola having already entered and the man standing inside, why hadn’t the Sentinel Keeper moved at all?

"Cover your ears."

"Huh?"

"That guy, he’s a necromancer."

A necromancer?

Just as I was trying to comprehend what Viola said about the man and her warning, the elderly man spoke.

Not an introduction or a customary greeting.

"Unbelievers, you shall [die]."

It was a death curse.