Chapter 75: Odd one out
The six adventurers had no choice but to drag their wounded bodies to the seventh floor. They didn't know what awaited them, but it was far better than disobeying that voice.
The minotaurs took the four that had been knocked unconscious. They took them and teleported all the way to Lilies Hall, where they would wait for the others and their punishment would begin.
Since Silva had dealt with the first group, he shifted his attention to another group that had run back to the fifth floor.
That group was trying to get out of the labyrinth. They consisted of three C-ranked and two B-ranked adventurers, with one V-ranked being a lady.
As they ran through, making their way out, Silva was pissed at the fact that they were working together.
He wanted chaos between both sides, yet these five had put away their differences to work together. He couldn't let that slide.
Aside from that, one of the B-ranks was marked as a person that looked at Dawn, and that simply meant he would have to endure the torture as well.
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The group of five ran as fast as they could, but suddenly, a being appeared in front of them, a half-snake, half-woman. She had black hair and black scales.
This was one of the followers of Jade, the guardian.
When they saw her, they all came to a stop. They immediately pulled out their weapons and got into battle positions.
"I'm not here to fight you. I am only here to offer you a way out," she said.
"Why would we believe a monster, and why can you talk?" one of the adventurers asked.
"Is that really important now? I have a way to let you get out. If you don't want the method, I'll have to kill all of you now," she said. Her bloodlust spilled out of her and suffocated them.
This was to let them know that they weren't on the same level, and that she could kill them whenever she wanted.
The idea registered in their heads, and they gave up. If there was a way to escape, then they would try it. They'd rather take the risk than go up against this monster that was evidently stronger.
But not all five of them had this idea. One B-rank drew his sword and charged at the snake lady.
She smiled when she saw him. He slashed at her, and all she did was use her tail to block the attack. She then used her tail like a lance and stabbed through his chest, killing the man in one hit.
His body fell to the ground limp and then disappeared, leaving a crystal. She picked the crystal up and ate it, then gave a refreshed smile.
The remaining four shivered at that sight. They had just witnessed total domination, and one of them had died.
Now only three C ranks from Ribest and one B rank from Blacklight remained.
"Now will you all listen to me, or will I have to make another example?" she said.
"We will do what you want, just tell us," the lady came forward and said. You could see the panic in her eyes; she didn't want to die here.
"Alright then, it is simple. All you have to do is pick the odd one out.
When you find the odd one, suppress him or her. If you fail to find the odd one, all of you die. You have one minute," she said and then disappeared.
"Odd one? What could that mean?" one asked.
The B rank looked at all of them. He observed closely, and then his eyes landed on the woman.
She had to be the odd one, right? There was no other way. She was the odd one. She was a woman, so she was the only one different.
He drew his sword and pointed at her. "She is the odd one. She is the only female here. That makes her the odd one out," he said with certainty.
"What are you saying? That makes no sense. You can't just say I am the odd one," she argued.
"His theory does make sense," one of the C ranks agreed.
"I can't argue with it. You are the only difference here, so you will have to forgive us," the third guy said and pointed his sword at her as well.
She raised her staff for protection, ready to cast a spell at the slightest movement. The rage she felt was evident on her face.
The minute passed, and the snake lady appeared again. She looked at them all, pointing their weapons at the woman, and then she smiled.
"Should I take it that this is the decision you have made?" she asked.
"Yes, she is the only odd one out," the B-rank said.
"Sigh, such stupidity," the snake lady replied, confusing all of them.
"You ganged up on her because she was a woman. You failed to use your brain just because you felt that was the right answer.
Did you even try to find any other answer? No, you just acted how you wanted and chose her based on gender.
Truly stupid. She is from the same place as you, and that man is the outsider from another place, isn't he? He was the odd one out," she said, pointing at the B rank.
"Now, as per the agreement, I'll give out death." She moved, her body like a flash, and in seconds, the heads of the two men flew off their shoulders.
She wrapped her tail around the B ranked adventurer, squeezing him until he went unconscious.
She looked at the lady, who was shivering in fear, but then she turned around and dragged the man into the darkness.
The lady stayed put for five minutes, unable to move, until she gathered herself. She got up and ran as fast as she could.
She didn't know why she was spared, but now was not the time to ask questions.