Chapter 105 : Chapter 105

Chapter 105 - Crossroads of Choice (2)

Tok!

As a drop of water fell nearby, Gerard immediately opened his grimoire and turned around.

The instantly created mana arrow was spinning fiercely, as if ready to be shot at any moment.

“……”

However, since there wasn’t even a single ant in sight, Gerard sighed and closed the book.

‘Strange. I’ve been walking for a long time, but I can’t see an exit.’

It had already been three hours since he had gotten lost in the maze made of stone bricks.

After coming to his senses, Gerard had immediately searched the area for his comrades, but he couldn’t feel any presence.

‘Did I fall into a different place by myself.’

This conclusion was naturally drawn.

He stopped walking and began to organize his thoughts.

‘Mana is limited, and communication is blocked. The surrounding environment is full of poison gas. If I can’t get out of here within the time I can stay conscious, I’ll die.’

The durability of the walls was too strong to break through. With his abilities, it was difficult to even make a small hole.

In that case, the only way was to escape the maze directly.

‘I was told that if you keep your right hand on the wall and move, you can escape.’

Right after saying that, Gerard looked to his side. On the stone bricks, the traces of him walking with his hand on the wall spread out endlessly.

‘Can I really get out before I collapse?’

Thump… Thump…

Just then, a sound was heard from up ahead.

He couldn’t see it, but the footsteps were getting closer.

‘Who is it?’

Gerard held his grimoire and did not let his guard down.

‘The footsteps sound familiar…’

The footsteps were getting closer.

At the same time, light began to appear in the bent passage ahead.

***

“Ah……”

Artier let out a dry laugh when he saw the tense Gerard in front of him.

He had already seen this sight for the third time.

“Is Gerard perhaps loved by Doppelgangers?”

“A Doppelganger’s ideal type, isn’t that the worst?”

Tersion pretended to gag.

Then, Gerard frowned and replied.

“I am not a Doppelganger.”

“That’s a lie.”

“On what grounds…”

Pow!

The fake Gerard’s words were not finished.

Tersion, who had accurately lodged an arrow in his forehead, fired three more arrows in succession into his neck, chest, and abdomen.

“It seems their communication isn’t that smooth, huh? For the information about Collie to not have spread this much.”

“That’s probably it. Originally, Doppelgangers are not monsters that move in groups.”

“This means this situation is a first for them too.”

The fake Gerard died without even putting up much of a fight.

It was a surprisingly empty death.

[You have hunted a Doppelganger.]

[Karma Points have increased by 5.]

Every time he caught a Doppelganger, Artier’s Karma Points increased slightly.

It meant that these creatures were that dangerous to humans.

“By the way, what are you going to do?”

Tersion pulled out the arrows from the dead Doppelganger.

“I’ve searched this entire cave, but I can’t find him.”

At those words, Artier’s expression darkened rapidly.

‘Gerard, where did you go.’

After resting enough, Artier wandered around the cave looking for the remaining party members.

He managed to find one warrior and one archer belonging to Reinard’s party. In the process, he had killed over ten Doppelgangers as a bonus.

Collie’s ability was more effective than he thought. No matter how real the lies the Doppelgangers told, Collie could see through all of them.

This was because the Doppelgangers themselves were aware that they were disguised beings and that they were Doppelgangers.

‘If they forget their own identity and become deeply immersed in the person they’re copying, I won’t be able to tell them apart either. But a Doppelganger that goes that far is not a dangerous being to us in the first place.’

‘Why?’

‘At that point, it’s no longer a Doppelganger but closer to a human itself. It has forgotten how to return to its original form and lost its instinct to prey on humans, so there’s no reason for us to fear it.’

Was Collie’s statement true? Or was it because the information hadn’t been passed on to them?

The Doppelgangers continued to fall for the same trick afterwards.

“Didn’t he go to the surface by himself? We already found the exit.”

Jeina’s words were quite persuasive.

“Bow, can you find any traces of him going outside?”

“Impossible. Even I can’t distinguish the traces of a Doppelganger.”

It seemed there were things that even Tersion couldn’t do.

“Their footprints are exactly the same as ours. Right now, I can see five of that magician and about ten barbarians. How am I supposed to distinguish them?”

“Wow, how many are you?”

“Just shut up for a bit.”

Jeina giggled as usual and then immediately wiped her expression.

Somehow… I didn’t know because she always seemed thoughtless, but it was all over her face when she was pretending to be okay.

“Ben isn’t here, is he?”

“You think he would be?”

Tersion, who had answered sharply, glanced at Jeina and said in a softer voice.

“In the first place, he would be inside the ruins. We’re the only ones who fell down here.”

In the end, it was time to make the choice that had been postponed.

Artier carefully observed the scale in front of him. The scale was still being maintained tensely.

‘What should I do? If I recklessly try to rescue Gerard, everyone might be in danger.’

It was when he was deep in thought.

Can you hear me.

Gerard’s clear voice echoed in everyone’s ears.

Collie, who had frozen stiff, opened his mouth.

“The communication jam… has been lifted.”

Artier immediately received the communication.

Gerard?

I knew you were there. I knew you’d pick up right away.

Where are you now?

I believe I’m inside the ruins. Fortunately, I don’t see any Doppelgangers.

Many of the people who confirmed the communication let out sighs of relief.

However, Artier’s expression was stiff.

After a moment of silence, he immediately opened his mouth.

Who are you?

What do you mean? It’s Gerard.

Gerard wouldn’t know that there are Doppelgangers in these ruins yet, would he?

…….

After a brief silence, the voice changed to that of a completely different person.

Impressive. As expected of the leader of the humans.

A vein on his forehead throbbed.

Artier almost accidentally scattered the mana that was protecting the corner of his mouth.

‘This is why the impression of Doppelgangers changes so drastically in the later stages.’

They could copy appearances and memories, but they couldn’t copy some magic. At some point, they started copying that too.

Communication, inventory, and even some special skills.

From that point on, Doppelgangers become another source of fear after the Hellmorphs.

Let me praise you first. I didn’t know you would be able to see through us there.

You didn’t know about Collie’s ability?

It was a rather interesting method. But the same method won’t work when we meet next time.

There won’t be a next time. You will be eliminated by them someday too.

Think what you want. You who do not know the truth.

What’s the purpose of your visit.

When Artier sneered, the unidentified voice let out a sinister laugh.

Congratulations on saving everyone except one person. But… did you really save everyone?

What do you mean by that?

Kung!

The moment Artier asked back, a loud noise echoed from behind them.

Everyone simultaneously drew their weapons and stared at the spot, but no one appeared.

“……Wait. Where did Jeina go?”

Tersion said.

Jeina, who had been by their side just a moment ago, had vanished without a trace.

“Jeina?”

Uneasy.

The moment Artier muttered, another communication came in.

Isn’t it really fun?

What did you do to Jeina.

I don’t know what you’re talking about.

I asked what you did!

Hoho, we haven’t done anything to the Jeina there?

The one there…?

The meaning of the creature’s words was clear.

Was the Jeina here a Doppelganger?

‘But how?’

He had been holding onto her from the moment they fell into the trap.

Of course, it was possible that she was switched out when she was unconscious.

But the probability was low. They didn’t harm the unconscious me at all and just took Jeina?

“……Ah.”

No.

There was definitely something he was missing.

‘When everyone was scattered at the lake.’

There was definitely a time then when everyone could have been alone.

Jjeong!

An unknown wind scattered explosively around Artier.

“Hey, calm down.”

“……Collie. Are Reinard and Bow real?”

“They should be. At least I didn’t feel anything strange when we talked.”

“Okay. That’s enough.”

It was a mistake not to have Collie confirm them just because he was sure.

In the first place, this was the middle of enemy territory, so why did he think they would be living together in the ruins?

You have only two choices.

The arrogant voice continued.

To leave this place in exchange for two people. Isn’t that a rather cheap price?

What’s the other one?

Naturally, for everyone to die. Choose well, leader of the humans.

Click.

The communication ended there.

For a while, Artier couldn’t lower the hand that was holding his ear.

“Hey.”

It was Tersion who broke the long silence.

“What are you going to do.”

“……We have to go up.”

“We can’t.”

Reinard’s gaze was anything but kind.

“We can guess from the contents of the communication. They have prepared for a fight with us.”

“But it’s also true that there seems to be something inside the ruins for sure.”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have to enter in our current state. We can return to the temple and bring more knights with us.”

His expression as he adjusted his glasses was particularly cold.

He was emitting a chill that could rival Artier’s.

“Think wisely. Are you planning to put everyone left in danger to save two people.”

“……”

“You are no longer the leader of a single party, Leader. I advise you not to risk your life for the sake of a mission.”

Reinard had already lost two comrades. And he had voluntarily given up on their rescue.

Only for the sake of the mission.

And now he was demanding the same from Artier.

‘That’s right. It’s dangerous to enter from here now.’

This was only the entrance to the ruins.

The law of the game. The deeper you go, the stronger the enemies become.

Artier knew that too. That’s why he couldn’t easily refute Reinard’s words.

“Hey.”

Just then, Tersion approached.

She strode over and suddenly grabbed Reinard by the collar.

“It’s funny to listen to you, stop pushing your burdens onto others, will you?”

“What do you mean by that.”

“Should I quote what that barbarian said? Don’t rationalize your choice, you brat.”

She seemed to be really pissed off.

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