Extra's Perfect Ending

Chapter 134: Caught

The footsteps were numerous, echoing through the tunnel as they approached Reeva’s room. Sensing trouble, Reeva took the initiative and opened the door, peeking out to gather information. To his right, he saw a group of gray-robed men approaching, their pace quickening as they spotted him.

Shit.

They were not here to congratulate him — each was armed with swords and knives, ready for a fight.

"We’re busted!" Reeva shouted, and everyone inside the room grabbed their weapons. It wasn’t a surprise; the void entity must have already informed the higher-ups that Reeva hadn’t been converted.

It wasn’t the best plan Reeva could have devised, but it was the most direct and fastest way to reach the painting, and he needed every bit of time he could get. Leon had said the day of the ritual was approaching, so they had no choice but to act fast.

"Theia! Go with him to the top! You remember the way?" Reeva commanded.

"Yes!" Theia responded.

Part of their plan was to have Theia escort the mercenary to the surface, as she had the ability to freeze people in their tracks. The mercenary’s sweat ran down his cheek as he considered what was to come.

"You sure she can help me?" the man asked nervously. The cult members were blocking their way, and the only choice was to fight through.

"I can help!" Theia interjected with a pout.

"She can help," Hilda added firmly, her serious tone giving Theia more credibility. The mercenary had no choice but to trust her in this situation.

"Let’s break through!" Reeva shouted.

The cult members were blocking the exit that Theia remembered, so Reeva took the lead, intent on forcing their way through. He pulled a knife from his coat and began swinging it around. The cultists closed in quickly, hoping to subdue the intruders, but they were soon shocked by the pain they felt.

Reeva’s knife cut through the crowd, striking several people. As blood soaked the blade, it activated a mystic thread leading back to Hilda, who used it to amplify their pain. The number of cult members dropped dramatically.

This allowed Theia and the mercenary to slip past with little resistance. The real fight was still further ahead.

Holding them back, Reeva wielded the knife as best he could. His training with Hilda had improved his combat skills somewhat, but he still didn’t like the sight of blood and gore. That aversion was ingrained in his mind and wasn’t easily changed by exposure.

It wasn’t like he fought life-and-death battles every day.

He slashed at the cult members, holding them back just long enough for Theia to deliver the final blow and incapacitate them. At least some of these cultists might survive once the void’s influence was severed.

It took a while, but they finally subdued the cult members who had attacked them. Most were commoners or merchants with no real fighting skills, so Reeva and Hilda were able to defeat them with relative ease.

However, Reeva had suffered some cuts, he hadn’t been able to dodge every strike despite their lack of training. Looking at Hilda, who was in perfect condition — her clothes even unharmed — he realized he still had a long way to go.

She stole their knife after they were done with the cult people. At this point, she needs every weapon she could get her hand on.

"Let’s go find Leon," Reeva said, urgency in his voice.

If they were busted, then Leon must be in trouble too. Footsteps echoed through the underground tunnels as Reeva and Hilda made their way to the office where Leon had said he would be. They had a plan for this exact scenario if they were discovered. Reeva already has the direction memorized.

Reeva wasn’t as good with directions as Theia, but he could remember basic turns. They took a left, then a right, then another left, incapacitating some cult members along the way.

Finally, they arrived at the place where Lola was supposed to be. The door was wide open, allowing Reeva to peek inside.

But there was no one in the room.

The room was trashed, the table was broken into pieces, and the person who was supposed to be there was missing. Reeva could feel a chill in the air, confirming that Leon had been there. A trail of ice stretched across the floor.

Reeva quickly noticed this and decided to follow it. The trail led them down a long hallway to a large room with double doors.

"Should we go in?" Hilda asked.

"Yes," Reeva replied without hesitation. He hadn’t seen much of Leon, but he wasn’t about to let someone he had read about in the book die so easily. Reeva activated [experimental] and pushed the doors open.

The first thing Reeva noticed was the four giant pillars holding up the room. Even underground, the ceiling was impressively high. The room was dimly lit by a mix of torches and oil lamps, mostly candles on stands, which gave the place an eerie atmosphere, at least in Reeva’s opinion.

At the center of the room stood a large altar. Reeva couldn’t see all of it, as it was elevated from the ground, with a staircase leading up to it. On top of the altar, he saw two figures.

"Leon!" Reeva shouted.

One was the northern man, Leon, and the other was the merchant.

"Oh, Penu, you’re here," Lola called out as if he had known Reeva for a long time.

"Who are you?!" Reeva blurted out, glancing quickly at Lola. At this distance, it’s hard to see the guy.

"I’m Lola. Don’t you remember me? Quite heartless of you, considering I even invited you to this wonderful place," Lola replied with a grin.

Reeva’s eyes widened as he pieced things together. It was the merchant who had come to sell shoes.

"The merchant?" Reeva asked, confused. The man had seemed so ordinary when they first met.

"The very same," Lola smiled, clearly enjoying Reeva’s confusion. "Let me introduce myself again, I’m Lola, the high priest of the void"