Chapter 35: Guardian of the First Level, Zadkiel│Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com

“Are you sure about this, Nadia?”

As Nadia walked alongside me, I inquired.

Of course, I’m the one who left the decision to her, and I can’t argue with her decision.

However, I wondered if Nadia would truly be able to forgive the lousy woman who had caused her so much humiliation…

“Yes. Besides, any more would be bullying the weak. Above all, she is the one who is currently humiliated.”

“W-Well, that’s…”

The lousy woman will have to fend for herself for at least the next week.

Sergio was there to protect her in the dream when we decided to ignore them and move on, but not in this reality.

“But…”

“?”

“…Fufu, I’m not sure she can “take it”.

As she says this, Nadia laughs.

I’m not sure what her expression means, but I don’t dare ask any more questions and proceed to the next level of stairs.

After two hours of walking

“I-Is this…?”

“Perhaps this is where the first level of the labyrinth ends.”

In front of the huge iron door that appeared, I told her while pretending not to know.

However, this is the entrance to the second level.

A staircase leads down to the lower levels, and “Zadokiel,” the guardian of the first level, awaits us beyond this door.

Despite the fact that many people had already reached the lower levels, Zadokiel always appeared in my dreams.

This means that Zadokiel and the other guardians could come back to life after a certain amount of time, even if they are defeated.

Well, they don’t pose much of a threat to us.

“let’s go in.”

“Yes.”

We’ll open the door and enter.

Inside, there was a beautiful woman covered in ivy.

But don’t be deceived.

This human-looking creature is the guardian of this place, Zadokiel.

And that’s not a human being.

“”?!””

Zadokiel suddenly opens her eyes and looks at us.

—turning to face the intruders

“It’s coming!”

I grab Nadia’s hand, clutch it tightly, and leap to the side.

Then something that looked like a tree root broke through the floor where we were standing.

“T-That’s…”

“Those are Zadokiel’s limbs.”

That’s because the ivy woman we’re seeing isn’t the real Zadokiel.

It’s just a demon who ambushes intruders and devours them by the roots of her tree.

But

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”

Saying that, I produced the synthetic magic 【Napal Bomb】 that burned Lady Carina down to size and threw it into the hole made by the roots of the tree that had just sprung up.

Then

“Gigi-gigi-gig…?!”

Zadokiel screams, and the female part of its body slowly starts to push through the ground.

The whole thing is now exposed and it looks like…

“I-Is that…?”

“Yes. This is the true identity of Zadokiel.”

Perhaps it is a mutation of a Trent, who was originally a tree monster.

The tree was so tall that it pierced the ceiling.

“All that remains is for us to topple the main body! 【Vigilant】!”

I summon six units of 【Vigilant】, a synthesis magic that pursued Sergio.

Zadokiel has no metal parts, so it lacks a tracking function, but with such a massive body, it doesn’t need one.

“Go!”

At my command, the six 【Vigilant】attack Zadokiel at the same time.

Zadokiel tries to strike them down with her tree-root limbs, but it’s a bad move.

“Gi?! Gigii…?!”

When the 【Vigilant】strikes the tree, it explodes, destroying not only the tree’s limbs but also spreading the flames to Zadokiel’s torso.

However, because Zadokiel is a tree demon and cannot move, she is forced to strike the 【Vigilant】down, even though she knows it will cause damage.

As it continues to be hit by my attacks, Zadokiel screams.

Its limbs and body are on fire.

Following that

“Gui…”

Zadokiel is finally silenced.

Phew… The guardian has finally been defeated…

Huh?!

Just as I returned my attention to Nadia.

“…”

Nadia, kneeling on the floor, looked at “her” sharply.

Above and beyond her

“Tsk… I blew it.”

The voice we’d only heard a few hours before.

And the woman Nadia allowed to escape.

“You lucky d*stard, you should have died quietly.”

—It was Aria Moreno.

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