51 Maiden of Agony

"Who . . . ? Who killed my adorable pet?"

"How dare you encroach your filthy feet in one of my mistress's domains."

Isolde and Leonel's fine hair stood on end at the creepy voice. It felt like a young girl's voice, slow, low, humming but raspy, and reminded them of a dead vengeful ghost.

"W-what's that?" Leonel pointed his finger at a shadow looming over the floor that appeared out of nowhere.

The monster emerged from its Shadow and took the form of a twisted creature with a woman's torso. Its skin was ashen, and replacing its belly down was that of a spider with eight misshapen legs, pointy and deadly at the edge. Its two arms deformed into a twisting spiral of flesh-like spears.

However, the most hideous was its face. If its voice were creepy enough to send everyone running for the hills, its face would give the faint of heart nightmares for weeks.

It didn't have a skin on its face, only dark grey muscles that spiraled and twisted to its hair. Hallows of smoky shadows danced on its back that assumed the shape of its locks. Sharp jaws spread its mouth wide, and two holes replaced its nose while a set of eight glowing red eyes dotted its head.

Leonel's vision blurred, and Ren pushed him straight when he wobbled from where he stood.

"Steady."

Isolde couldn't breathe from the enormous presence before them as she used a monocle with her shaking hands. She already took the role of the [Monocle] user in the group.

[Consumed Monocle x1

Remaining number of Monocle: 0]

ǁ M A I D E N

O F A G O N Y ‖

Location: Gargantuan Cave

Description:

"Loyal servants to the Mother of Spiders."

Once a high priestess in the Kingdom of the Dark Elves. She was captured by the Mother of Spiders and turned into a twisted foul form.

The Maiden of Agony now serves as the Mother of Spider's greater assassins, tasked with eliminating dangerous enemies.

‖ A T T R I B U T E ‖

HP: 5 000

MP: 500

STRG: 30 +5 [Domain Bonus]

DEF: 25 +10 [Domain Bonus]

MDF: 20

INT: 25 +4 [Domain Bonus]

AGL: 30 +5 [Domain Bonus]

LCK: 15

‖ D A M A G E

R E S I S T A N C E S ‖

❶ Bludgeoning [Non-Magic]

❷ Piercing [Non-Magic]

❸ Slashing [Non-Magic]

‖ D A M A G E

I M M U N I T I E S ‖

❶ Poison

‖ C O N D I T I O N

I M M U N I T I E S ‖

❶ Sleep

‖ W E A K N E S S ‖

Fire

‖ S K I L L S & S P E L L S

Passive Skill:

❶ Cunning Action

On every action, the Maiden could perform one bonus action if its LCK is higher.

❷ Shadow in the Night

The Maiden of Agony is invincible when in dim light or darkness. Critical hit if the Maiden sneaked behind its unsuspecting enemy.

❸ Torturing Venom

The Maiden of Agony could inject deadly venom upon a successful hit.

Active Skill:

❶ Multiattack LV.4

–– the Maiden of Agony can make two attacks with its hands and a single Snuff Light attack.

–– 70% hit if LCK is higher

–– Cost –100 MP

❷ Long Bow LV.4

–– the Maiden of Agony can detach her arms and throw them like spears.

–– Arm Regeneration takes 10 sec for each arm.

–– Cost –50 MP

❸ Snuff Light LV.2

–– the Maiden of Agony can eliminate any light source for 2 seconds.

–– Cost –20 MP

‖ E N D ‖

Isolde and Leonel's mouths fell. Its ATP was way higher than the Dread Widow! And its passive skills complimented its active skills — no wonder the ten strongest members of the Poison Viper were wiped out.

Then what would happen to them?

The other three looked at Ren with disbelief and worry-filled face.

Did Ren just prank them?

Who would expect that the serious man who had a resting no-nonsense face could also be naughty?

Isolde was caught off guard while Ragnar sighed.

This was the consequence of trusting a stranger. He thought to himself.

Leonel just looked at Ren in surprise. He couldn't get over that there was another Boss. He was used to Ren playing pranks sometimes, and he mostly succeeded because he was a serious guy that others wouldn't think he had a mischievous side.

Only, his pranks were brutal, and no one was laughing when he was done.

"It's the real boss of this cave," said Ren with no trace of worry in his voice.

"Real . . . Boss?" Isolde was at a loss.

"There's another boss?!" shouted Leonel.

"A little heads up would be nice," commented Ragnar.

"I thought you didn't want spoilers?" Ren chuckled. He purposefully kept the Boss a secret from everyone. He wanted to see Leonel and Isolde's faces.

Leonel was shaking and couldn't utter a word while Isolde's big eyes were wide, paired with a tight face and a big sweat on the side of her cheeks.

The both look constipated.

A little mischief was nice once in a while. Ren thought. Since he was confident that they would come out victorious from this fight, even more so that Ragnar had joined them. He wanted to play a little prank for his amusement.

But of course, he wouldn't do this kind of stuff if he knew they would have a hard time fighting the Boss.

And there was another reason why Ren didn't tell them. It was a necessary sacrifice for his own benefit, that is.

"Yes, I hate spoilers," Ragnar admitted. "But I hate surprises more."

Ren just chuckled. "Relax. We can defeat it."

"Really?" Isolde's tight face loosened a bit. She forgot about Ren's little prank and abandoned her plan of putting a bullet hole in his head as a revenge joke.

"Yes. The same strategy we used at the Dread Widow. Leonel will keep the aggro on him while you two attack it simultaneously while I provide support at the back and reduce its HP as much as I could."

"I don't think that's going to work," Ragnar commented. "We got lucky the first time, and Leonel almost died. This time I think he would die for sure."

"Eh?!" Leonel whipped his head in Ragnar's way. "Why are you trying to kill me?"

Ren seconded Ragnar. "Yes, he will."

"Egh?! I will?!" Leonel shrieked.

Ren ignored Leonel, and he seriously looked at Ragnar. "And when he did, you will take his place."

Ragnar's eyes widened when he realized Ren's plan.

Ren was planning to sacrifice them as a meat shield until he could kill the Maiden of Agony.

And since they wouldn't suffer any death penalty as long as a single member of their party remained alive, Ragnar thought that it could work provided that Ren could finish the Maiden of Agony in the end.

". . . I see." Ragnar picked up his axe and faced the Maiden of Agony. There was no option for retreat, only forward. Though he didn't like it that he would be used as a cannon fodder, there was no other way. "I guess it might work."

"What would work?" asked Leonel, worried. Why did he feel that everyone was already planning his death?

The corner of Ren's lips rose when Ragnar caught his drift.

"But I don't think it would be enough." Isolde was worried. Apparently, she didn't know what Ren and Ragnar were talking about.

"It won't, and by that time, I'll be counting on you to distract it so I can finish it off." Ren flashed a slight grin at Isolde's way, and the latter caught her tongue.

Is he . . . depending on me? Isolde couldn't help but think this way, and her spirit was rejuvenated.

She was unaware that behind Ren's smile was a sinister plot to use her as a shield when the time comes.

"Leave it to me!" Isolde exclaimed in great enthusiasm.

"I'm counting on you." Ren smiled before facing the Maiden of Agony. "Let's go and claim our rewards!"

"Yes!"

"YaArRgH!" Leonel took a step forward, and the Maiden of Agony gave a loud scream when the trigger of attack was activated.

Leonel smashed his hammer against his shield and activated his skill.

"Aggro on me!"

It was time to end this fight!

----

A/N

I got a contract for this book! YaAy!