The SSS Ranked Villain's Return-Chapter 328: Bone City
"Come on..." Evangeline muttered in a clearly bored tone. "We've been walking for three hours! It doesn't feel like we've moved at all! There isn't even a single monster present, so all we've been doing is wasting time."
"You know it's good when there's no trouble, right?" Neraxis asked, amused. "Personally, I wouldn't want to be jumped by a monster that's at least level 100 or so."
"I mean, sure, but I wouldn't mind some action..." Evangeline trailed off, a sly smirk tugging at her lips. "Unless you want to fast-forward our next week's plan~?"
"Stop it." Jane cut both of them off. "I'm not letting you have sex in the most dangerous place on the continent. If you wanted to do it, then you should've told me you weren't ready."
"Nah, just ignore her," Neraxis said with a chuckle. "She's just pent up because she's still a virgin."
"Haaa?" Evangeline tilted her head in disbelief. "You'll see what this virgin can do once she gets her hands on you."
"You wish—"
"We've arrived at the first checkpoint," Jane announced. As Neraxis and Evangeline turned toward her, they suddenly noticed an interesting sight in the distance.
It seemed like a city. However, instead of stone or wooden structures, everything seemed to be made out of bones.
It had this ominous feel that instinctively made him avoid this place. But as he looked deeper, he heard a faint melody.
Just as he was about to focus to make out the melody's words, Jane slapped him across the back, causing him to snap back to her with a frown.
"That hurt."
"No, it didn't." Jane shook her head as a serious look appeared on her face. "You need to ignore the melody. The more you focus on it, the more enchanted you'll be. Imagine a siren, but on a much, much wider scale."
She paused before continuing. "The melody will force you to use mana against your will. Of course, I don't have to tell you what might happen if you use mana in this place without proper preparations, right?"
"We'd get eaten alive. Yeah, I understand." Neraxis nodded. "But how exactly am I supposed to dull out that noise? We need to go through that bone city, right? The closer we get, the louder the sound will be."
"Umm..." Evangeline turned toward them. "I don't like that sound. It reminds me of the tunes they used to play at the church."
"Oh? A vampire that has been in a church? You sure are a different breed, aren't you?" Jane remarked with a giggle. "But yes, you're right. This is coming from a church, and if we want to cross this city safely, we need to destroy the one responsible for causing this noise."
"How about a better idea?" Neraxis cleared his throat and pointed at the outskirts of the bone city. "Why don't we just go around?"
"We can't." Jane shook her head. "We'd fall into an illusory maze. We wouldn't be able to get out because the melody would play directly into our brains. Trust me, the previous expeditioners faced the same fate because they didn't listen to me."
His brows twitched as he turned toward Jane in disbelief.
"Previous expeditions?" Neraxis's eyes narrowed. "How many have you been on? For that matter... when was this task assigned to you, anyway?"
Jane remained silent for a moment before letting out an exhausted sigh.
"Two years. Forty-eight expeditions. Forty-two of them got this far. Only twenty-one managed to cross the city," Jane replied, resting her hand on her chin. "After that... the number dwindles significantly."
"Wow... Neraxis, you know when I said our odds of dying are high?" Evangeline chimed in with a wide smile. "I think they're extremely high now."
"Don't worry about it, just go forward and resist the temptation. You two are special to me, especially Neraxis. So I won't abandon you like I did with the rest of the expeditions," Jane said, and the moment her words fell, a pop-up flashed in front of Neraxis.
<Main Scenario: Peasant Girl (SSS+) is reacting!>
<Benefits gained: Trust of Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc)>
Aha... Neraxis's brows rose in interest. Are you seeing this too, Evangeline?
[Nope. But I can see it through your mind. It's probably because I didn't complete the same 9th floor as you. All I had to do was defend a city from some dragons. But I made quick work of them, I didn't really try building connections like you did,] Evangeline replied confidently. [But she probably won't abandon me, right?] ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Neraxis turned to Jane. "Does your courtesy extend to Evangeline? Or will you get rid of her and save me because of that quest you gave me?"
"Quest? Oh, that thing..." Jane trailed off with a sigh. "She seems like she can handle herself, so I won't have to save her if push comes to shove."
"I see..." Neraxis halted. "Teleport us out then, we're done."
"Hm?" Jane tilted her head. "Her safety is guaranteed as long as I'm here. And can you imagine how much power it would take for me to teleport us out of the chasm? One additional person is a lot, but two? I'd fall into a coma."
"As I said. We're done with the deal," Neraxis added coldly and began walking back to where he came from.
Evangeline followed suit with a slight smile. But before they could take any more steps, Jane's annoyed voice suddenly rang out.
"Fine. I'll save her if needed. But I want you to stop delaying the expedition. We're going into the city now," Jane stated.
Evangeline approached Neraxis and tapped him on the shoulder.
"I got it. We're good now," she said and kissed him on the cheek. "Now... don't you dare get enchanted by some siren, you hear me?"
"I won't."
Probably.
Evangeline's brows twitched. "I heard that."
"You two..." A faint vein bulged on her forehead. "If you don't get your asses here now, I'm going to teleport out by myself!"
Neraxis listened to her outburst and held back a laugh.
But soon, he approached and took the first steps toward the city.
Don't get enchanted... seems easy enough.
