“It’s been three days since we lost contact with Arcanea.”
Kahn, a small demon belonging to the Underworld Merchant Guild and a subordinate of Serinu, bowed and reported to his direct supervisor, Serinu.
The report stated that contact had been lost with Arcanea, who had headed to the Arch Lich’s dungeon.
Moreover, it had been three days since the entire Lamia group lost contact.
Seeing that there had been no news until now, anyone could tell that something had gone wrong.
“Arch Lich…”
Serinu muttered in a trembling voice.
Failed again. The plan hadn’t unfolded as intended.
Serinu decided to eliminate the Arch Lich to make up for the repeated failures. And in that plan, she used Arcanea.
She thought that if she just nudged the jealous Lamia a bit, she would act.
So, she sent her subordinate Kahn to the Lamia dungeon and handed over a potion.
The potion was a rare one that forcibly increased power, and she thought that if she gave Arcanea power, she would surely act.
And, as Serinu thought, Arcanea acted.
Arcanea gained 5-star power through the potion.
With the power gained from the potion, Arcanea immediately headed to the Arch Lich’s dungeon.
‘I thought it was almost a success…!’
Serinu was expecting two pieces of rare good news.
The first was the news that Arcanea would subjugate the Arch Lich’s dungeon.
She was confident that by dealing with the Arch Lich, she could draw out the mysterious being that was with the Arch Lich at the feast.
If things went well, she even planned to provide more support to Arcanea.
The second was that the potion Arcanea consumed was a potion being secretly experimented on.
During the auction, she had fed potions to the church priests to make a fool of the Arch Lich.
The potion at that time, at best, amplified holy power, but the potion she fed to Arcanea this time was on a different level.
Arcanea, who had just become a 5-star through the potion, facing the Arch Lich?
It was as good as a groundbreaking success for the potion.
However, reality was not easy.
Not a single one succeeded, and all failed.
Arcanea lost contact, and that meant she couldn’t face the Arch Lich.
Ultimately, she couldn’t help but doubt the potion’s performance.
‘If only the effect worked properly, she should have easily dealt with the Arch Lich…’
Even among the same 5-star, not everyone possesses the same power.
She didn’t know the Arch Lich’s power, but she expected Arcanea, who had gained power, to easily defeat him.
No, she was sure of it.
If she failed even then, it meant the potion was not intact.
Serinu felt a headache coming on and brought up another topic.
“So… what’s the situation with the Arch Lich’s dungeon?”
The only hope she could cling to was a situation where both Arcanea and the Arch Lich fought and annihilated each other.
She prayed that Kahn’s report would be that the Arch Lich’s dungeon had also collapsed.
But Kahn’s expression was not good.
“We can’t get any news about it.”
Serinu’s face showed surprise, asking what that meant.
But Kahn’s words were truly literal.
“We sent mercenaries, but they all lost contact. They seem to be a group of wandering goblins.”
“Is it the goblins’ doing?”
She had sent the Nol to the Arch Lich’s dungeon last time too.
But what was the result?
They were found dead in the nearby forest before they even reached the Arch Lich’s dungeon.
Investigation revealed it was the work of a wild goblin group.
This time, too, she sent mercenaries to investigate the situation in the Arch Lich’s dungeon, but there was no gain.
“Did you send the Shadows as well?”
Unlike mercenaries, Shadows are commonly used by the guild.
Like smoke, they are excellent at information gathering and assassination, and they were strange beings whose lineage was unknown to monsters.
Furthermore, their numbers were small, so they couldn’t move recklessly.
However, the situation was different now.
She needed to find out everything about the Arch Lich.
“Uh… that, that…”
When the Shadows were mentioned, Kahn’s expression became even darker.
“We sent two Shadows, and both lost contact.”
“?”
Serinu re-asked if she had misheard, but she received the same answer.
“We don’t know the cause. All the Shadows who went to the dungeon have gone missing.”
What did that mean?
Shadows are elusive beings.
It was reasonable to assume that there was no one who could kill them.
‘Unless they were appeased.’
Unfortunately, there were no beings other than the guild who could handle Shadows, so she dismissed that possibility.
‘Could it be that guy?’
The mysterious being that was with the Arch Lich.
If that guy had moved, she could understand the current situation.
“Hmm…”
Serinu pondered.
She might not know about the Arch Lich, but she had literally no information about the mysterious man.
In fact, wasn’t this entire affair planned to lure him out?
Now that all plans had come to naught, moving further was a waste of time.
“It can’t be helped. I will stop paying attention to the Arch Lich’s dungeon for a while.”
A headache crept in.
Where did it all go wrong?
At first, she thought it was just a Succubus dungeon. However, it turned out to be the Arch Lich’s dungeon, and due to its strict security, she couldn’t gather any information.
“Ah, and Serinu-nim.”
As Serinu’s expression grew darker, Kahn brought up a topic to lighten the mood.
“While investigating the disaster of the Sail Kingdom, we discovered an interesting fact.”
At Kahn’s words, Serinu raised her head.
Interesting stories always led to results. So, Serinu waited for what came next.
“I found out by chance, but do you know about the underworld of the Sail Kingdom?”
She knew that much, of course.
There’s a hidden world called the underworld in every country because there are people who live in the shadows, not in the light.
But what about it?
“It is said that a monster coliseum is opening in the underworld of the Sail Kingdom.”
“Monster… Coliseum?”
Serinu became interested in the intriguing news.
***
Two drunk young men staggered through the dark night streets.
Their faces were full of scars, and their eyes were filled with ferocity.
One had a red bandana tied around his head, and the other wore an eye patch over one eye.
The young man with the red bandana was named Ethan.
The young man with the eye patch was named Raymond.
Both were criminals wanted for fraud.
Therefore, they were the type who could only live in the shadows, not in the light.
Thus, they wandered through the underworld of the Sail Kingdom.
This place was like an extraterritorial zone beyond the reach of the kingdom.
However, they acted cautiously.
Even if they staggered drunk, they were careful not to bump into passersby.
No, they tried to maintain their composure as much as possible.
In areas where the law doesn’t apply, fists come first.
This place was a hiding place for all sorts of criminals besides them, so it was always best to be careful.
“Ugh… my stomach feels really bad…?”
“I guess I drank too much… Ugh… Is there nowhere to… rest?”
Ethan with the red bandana and Raymond with the eye patch grumbled and looked around.
In their drunken state, they needed some decent entertainment.
They wandered around, continuing to move their feet.
The dark night street was dimly lit only by red lanterns, and the fog seeping through the buildings created an even more eerie atmosphere.
Trash littered the narrow alleyways, and the old brick buildings were discolored yellow.
As they walked further, the atmosphere of the street changed.
Lanterns brightly lit the path at regular intervals, and the street was clean, without a single piece of trash.
Moreover, the buildings were clean, unlike before.
“Oh…”
Raymond, who could only see with one eye, was surprised by the sight.
“Why is it so clean here?”
It was normal for all streets to be full of filth, but this place was exceptionally clean.
Ethan smiled and answered Raymond’s question.
“Look at this country bumpkin. Don’t you know about the Monster Coliseum? This is where the famous Monster Coliseum is located!”
“Monster Coliseum?”
A monster coliseum that opened in the underworld.
The surrounding streets became exceptionally clean with the opening of the coliseum.
Rumors about the person operating the coliseum were rampant.
According to the rumors, there were all sorts of tales, from the operator not being human to being the kingpin of the underworld.
So, even thugs behaved themselves here.
In fact, those who caused trouble had disappeared somewhere.
“Hah, this guy really was a country bumpkin! To not know about the Monster Coliseum!”
When Raymond, who had spoken carelessly, showed a blank expression, Ethan clicked his tongue in disbelief.
Ethan, saying he would show them something interesting, led Raymond into a building.
The coliseum matches were held in the basement of this place.
However, just as they were about to enter the coliseum, Raymond suddenly felt the urge to use the restroom.
“Wait. I really need to use the restroom… Let’s go first.”
Ethan nodded at Raymond’s words.
His stomach hadn’t been feeling good either.
It seemed better to take care of it cleanly and bet with a relaxed mind.
They hurried to find a restroom.
“What the, why is it so spacious?”
But they couldn’t find a restroom.
They wanted to grab someone and ask, but everyone was busy betting.
They went towards a dark corner looking for the restroom.
“Let’s see… Restroom… Huh? Isn’t that it?”
Raymond pointed to a place in the corner.
A narrow passage built with red bricks.
Why would they build a restroom in such an out-of-the-way place?
No matter how they looked at it, it didn’t look like a restroom, but they were both drunk at the moment.
“…Let’s go in first.”
Ethan led Raymond into the place. As they passed the red bricks and entered, an unbelievable sight unfolded.
“Gasp!”
The dark and eerie interior was filled with mysterious light.
The walls were adorned with magical patterns, and a faint mist spread across the floor, creating a dreamy atmosphere.
A chandelier made of crystals hung from the ceiling, and the colorful light it emitted gave the feeling of stepping into a dream.
“What… is this?”
Ethan muttered with his senses dulled.
Raymond also stared at the space bathed in mysterious light with vacant eyes.
What in the world was this place?
It was definitely a place inside the building where the coliseum was located.
Then, could it be the personal space of the person operating the coliseum?
“Let’s get out of here for now.”
No matter how they looked at it, they shouldn’t stay here any longer.
As Ethan turned to leave with Raymond, intending to escape this place.
“Welcome to the world of illusions.”
A seductive yet mysterious voice made them flinch and turn their heads.
The being who appeared before their eyes had pale skin and heterochromatic eyes, one blue and the other red.
However, they had a gender-neutral appearance, making it impossible to tell if it was male or female.
Their long, silver hair shimmered as if bathed in moonlight, and the robe they wore, adorned with fantastical patterns, emanated a mysterious aura.
They held a crystal staff in their hand.
“Who… who are you?”
Ethan asked in a trembling voice.
Then, the being with silver hair opened its mouth with a faint smile.
“My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Kaleido, a scholar researching illusion magic.”
His voice was captivating.
Ethan quickly assessed the situation and bowed.
“I apologize. We took a wrong turn! We’ll leave right away!”
It was certain.
This person must be the one operating the Monster Coliseum.
Given the rumors that the coliseum operator was the kingpin of the underworld, Ethan quickly sobered up.
Fortunately, the other party smiled and accepted Ethan’s apology.
“Haha, it’s alright. It happens. Since it’s fate, why don’t you rest for a while?”
Instead, the other party invited Ethan and Raymond to rest.
At that, Ethan let out a sigh of relief.
At least he wasn’t a strange person.
“My name is Ethan.”
“Ah, I’m Raymond!”
Ethan and Raymond also greeted the other party.
“Come, come, sit here for a moment. Would you like to explore the world of illusions with me?”
Illusions?
Ethan was taken aback by the sudden offer.
What did this person mean by illusions?
He had said he was researching illusion magic.
Wouldn’t that mean he was openly casting spells?
“If you explore the illusions with me, I will give you these.”
Kaleido pointed to a pile of numerous gold coins.
At that sight, Ethan’s wariness intensified.
Unsolicited favors always felt suspicious.
However, Raymond was in a state of impaired judgment due to his drunkenness.
“Oh… that sounds good. I want to explore it…!”
“Hey, Raymond, get a grip!”
Ethan tried to stop him, but Raymond’s gaze was already fixed on the gold coins.
“Haha, great! Please have a seat here!”
As Kaleido offered a chair, Raymond sat down as if in a trance.
Ethan got goosebumps watching the scene, but it seemed too late.
And a moment later.
“Now, from now on, you will explore the illusion I have created. Overcome the challenges you encounter there. If you fail… hehe, you might be trapped in illusions forever.”
Kaleido smiled sinisterly and raised his staff.
A multi-colored mist emanating from the tip of the staff enveloped Raymond.
“…Raymond!”
Ethan shouted his name at the sudden situation.
“Shh. He is exploring the illusions right now.”
Kaleido blocked Ethan’s actions.
Ethan wanted to protest, asking what this was, but the moment he met Kaleido’s eyes, his speech was cut off.
There was madness in the other party’s eyes.
“Don’t worry. Mr. Raymond is just playing a game in the illusion I created.”
Kaleido looked at Ethan with a faint smile.
“Of course, games have risks. But if you overcome them, immense rewards await.”
“A game…?”
“Yes, a game within illusions. Completing missions in the world I created. Defeating monsters, exploring dungeons, finding treasures. Of course, if you fail…”
Kaleido trailed off and shrugged.
“Even if you fail, there will be no harm to your body.”
As Ethan listened to the other party, he watched Raymond.
As expected, Raymond seemed to be sleeping soundly.
“Haha, the boundary between illusion and reality is more ambiguous than you think. Now, we’ll have to see if Mr. Raymond can successfully clear the illusion game. Would you like to participate as well? If you win the game, immense treasures will be yours…”
Ethan glanced at the pile of gold coins.
As the glittering gold coins caught his eye, greed arose.
‘Can I have all that? It must be a lie.’
But what if that was true?
He refused to participate, but what if Raymond cleared the game and took all that gold?
Even as friends, he felt it would be painful.
Ethan swallowed dryly and nodded.
“I will participate.”
“Haha, an excellent choice! Please sit here!”
As Kaleido had said, Ethan sat down.
It felt suspicious, but his reason was lost in the thought of getting the gold coins.
After all, this was all just a game.
“Now, from now on, you will step into the world of illusions I have created-”
“Gasp!”
Before Kaleido could finish his sentence, Ethan let out a scream.
“The illusion is real!”
Because he saw a terrifying being before his eyes.
“Am I really… entering the illusion?!”
Ethan couldn’t hide his excitement.
To think that illusion magic truly existed.
“I can even see a monster in front of me!”
Even though Kaleido said nothing, Ethan spoke freely.
“Uh… but it’s strange. It looks like a knight, but it has a maid outfit on its shield… Is this really an illusion?!”
Ethan felt a thrill seeing the unrealistic monster before him.
If this was truly illusion magic, it was amazing.
At Ethan’s words, Kaleido sighed.
“No, that is not an illusion.”
“Huh?”
“You haven’t even entered the illusion yet.”
How could that be?
Didn’t he see a monster wearing a maid outfit on its shield in front of him?
Ethan thought Kaleido was playing a prank to tease him.
But unfortunately, Kaleido’s words were true.
Ethan was currently seeing reality, not an illusion.
Kaleido’s gaze shifted to the Death Knight behind him.
It was a Death Knight sent by the Chief Administrator a few days ago for the expansion of this dungeon.
It was a farce that occurred when the Death Knight appeared before Ethan entered the illusion.
“Then, what is that…?”
Thinking about it, could he talk to the other party if he entered the illusion?
Raymond was certainly silent.
Only then did Ethan, filled with terror, open his mouth.
“What-”
*Thud-*
“Gasp!”
At the same time, Kaleido’s staff pierced Ethan’s heart.
“Tsk.”
Kaleido decided to give up on Ethan.
And his gaze turned to Raymond, who was exploring the illusion.
