How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 240: White Cave..

Sometimes, luck has a twisted way of making itself known in the most ridiculous and ironic of circumstances.

Like that sudden urge to take a late-night walk only to stumble into an armed robbery-or perhaps a casual lottery ticket bought on a whim that miraculously turns into a jackpot.

Everyone has their moments of fortune and misfortune, dictated by the unseen forces of causality, shifting fate either in their favor or against them.

And yet, I knew my luck was no mystery-it was terrible, and my stats left no room for debate on that front.

But seriously?

Why did it have to be this bad?

Clank! Tuck!

Clank! Tuck!

Clank! Tuck!

The rhythmic sounds of metal echoed as I pressed myself tightly against a large white boulder, my breaths shallow.

I carefully suppressed my mana, doing everything in my power to make myself as invisible as possible.

Peeking out from behind the stone, I watched as the white-armored figures marched past in precise formation, their armor gleaming unnervingly bright against the caveʼs dim, monochromatic background.

It looked like my luck had guided me into the worst possible direction-straight into the heart of their headquarters.

I knew from the gameʼs lore that the white armyʼs assault on the library was likened to an endless wave, but seeing the sheer scale of their numbers here, in person, was a different level of intimidating.

My throat tightened as I realized just how outmatched we were.

How had I missed sensing them earlier? And just how many of these soldiers were hiding down here?

Beep!!! [Note: Enemy Presences detected!] [Note: White Pawns X 9000] [Note: User is under the influence of foreign divinity; it is advised to leave the area immediately...] ʼ9-9,000!?ʼ

I almost choked on my own thoughts.

Just great.

Weʼd barely survived against a few hundred back there, and that was only because Rose had unleashed a devastating spell to clear the area.

But 9,000 of these things?

And they were all gathered here like it was nothing?

I had assumed they would be spread across evenly inside the dungeon, cautiously posted to prevent any breach, especially given the White Armyʼs vigilance against threats like Senior Alice and Cheshire.

Unless of course... if this was just a branch of their forces... A mere detachment.... Shit...

It seemed Iʼd been thrown into an even worse location than Iʼd thought.

Trying to escape and warn the others would be the safest choice, but that wasnʼt exactly an option with this army marching in the same direction.

Even if I managed to slip away, weʼd still have to face these forces eventually.

I had faith in Rose and the rest of them, but this wasnʼt the kind of fight we were built for. The White Army specialized in a battle of attrition, overwhelming their enemies with sheer numbers while the White Bishop waited for an opening to unleash his trump cards.

The fact that heʼd already sent a knight capable of wielding [White Whistle] meant he likely had at least four more deadly trump cards at his disposal, one being a knight capable of wielding [Silver Pierce], a deadly halberd that borrows power from one of the White Queenʼs ultimate skills [Silver Palace].

Once thrown, it didnʼt matter how far away you were-it would pierce the heart of its target instantaneously without fail.

Then, there was [Colorless Wave], a sword with another piece of [Silver Palace]ʼs authority.

This one could bypass any defense, be it physical or magical.

And finally, the White Bishop himself, whose magical prowess could probably rival Roseʼs, and his two personal Rook guards, whoʼs strength alone scales them up to S-Rank.

This was worse than Iʼd imagined.

Each weapon could end the fight in seconds if we werenʼt careful, and each enemy would drag out the battle until we made one fatal mistake.

Sure, these weapons had strict activation rules for their powers.

For instance, [Silver Pierce] needed a full 25 seconds to channel the White Queenʼs authority before unleashing its deadly aim, and [Colorless Wave] required a clear line of sight on the target, plus a few other limitations.

But in an actual battle against these guys?

Those limits wouldnʼt matter much.

Once they started hammering us with overwhelming force, finding a chance to exploit those rules would be next to impossible—especially with the White Bishop still commanding the field.

Without taking him down, this was going to be a war of endurance at best.

Lucas, being the protagonist, might be resilient enough to bounce back from any danger, his fate seemingly woven with enough twists of destiny to pull him through.

But there was a reason (bad endings] existed in the game.

Lucas wasnʼt immortal, and no amount of plot armor could shield him from every twist of fate.

Worse yet, he didnʼt have access to the [Lord of Light] skill, so the goddessʼs influence was out of reach, she canʼt directly intervene even with the [Holy Sword] in his hands, he was on his own in this scenario... ʼNow then... what to do in this situation?ʼ

I strained my mind, searching for any viable plan in this mess.

Going after the White Bishop directly seemed like the best bet.

Maybe, if Rose could unleash her Celestial magic, we could make a swift strike-though Iʼd be naive to assume the White Bishop hadnʼt prepared for exactly that sort of threat.

There was also the option of leaning on Lucasʼs fate... and mine, if I was willing to gamble.

But knowing my luck, the odds wouldnʼt be in my favor.

My system doesnʼt exactly one to rain down S-rank skills and blessings, especially not with my borderline garbage stats. [Status Info:] [Riley Hell] [Race: Human] [Level: 102] [Strength: B [0/80] [Agility: B [0/80] [Endurance: C [0/60] [Luck: o [????] [Power: C [0/60] [Available Status Points: 14]

The system had certain limits-especially when it came to someone like me, a ʼdisposable characterʼ just here to fulfill some side role in the grand narrative of the story.

Iʼd learned that firsthand, back during my personal training with the duke, when Iʼd pushed the system to its absolute limits.... If the duke didnʼt have absolute control with his sword back then maybe my head wouldnʼt be connected to my body right now....

Ignoring the chilling memory, I reached into my pocket inventory, summoning something that materialized in my right hand at my call... [Item: Red Queenʼs Ace of Hearts (Unique)]

Senior Aliceʼs gift.

Right now, it was my best bet-the ace up my sleeve.

One call from this card, and she could decimate the entire White Army along with every tool the White Bishop had in his arsenal.

After all, dealing with these entities was her specialty.

But... if I used this, what was the point of me being here at all?

I couldnʼt let Senior Alice be exposed to the White Queenʼs divine aura more than she already was.

Doing so could only accelerate her bad end.

I gritted my teeth, contemplating my next option.

Should I try that method instead?

With my tenuous connection to Emilia, there was a slim chance I could trick that being into helping, as I already have my guarantee with the Saintess in case things go south...

My hand clenched over my chest as my heart raced at the thought.

Yet, Iʼd personally severed her influence... would she even respond if I tried to reach out?

No....

I shook my head, dismissing the thought of relying on that dark entity.

The idea of tricking a goddess of darkness with my zeroed-out luck stat?

It was a laughable thought... ”...PREVENT...INTERFERENCE!” ”...FULL...FORCE...” ”...BLOCK...ESCAPE...” ”...RED...QUEEN...DEATH...” ”...ELIMINATION...IMMINENT...” ”...MISSION...PURPOSE...MAJESTY!!!”

Suddenly, a broken, distorted voice shattered my concentration, echoing through the cavern like some malfunctioning machine.

It sounded twisted yet oddly familiar, as though Iʼd heard this eerie cadence before.

The air itself seemed to thicken, an oppressive weight settling around me.

My pulse quickened. Turning slowly, I traced the origin of the voice, and there he was-the White Bishop, hovering ominously at the back of his army.

No... not just standing, but floating, almost gliding forward with a sinister ease, flanked by two hulking, white-armored golems. Their immense forms were unmistakable-these were the Rooks.

Their gleaming armor and massive build exuded a silent threat, reflecting the cold, ruthless purpose of the White Army. ”...ANOMALY...ELIMINATE!” ”...HER...MAJESTY!...MISSION...!!!”

The White Bishop muttered disjointed phrases, the words a nonsensical mix yet filled with intent as he advanced alongside his forces.

His followers moved in perfect unison, an unbroken formation that held an unnerving, mechanical precision.

And just behind him, I noticed the two Knights, weapons glinting ominously in their hands.

As expected, they carried [Silver Pierce] and [Colorless Wave]. just looking at the deadly artifacts that could tear through defenses as if they were mere illusions, rendering any attempt at escape or resistance futile, was somehow more chilling than expected....

Their eyes, cold and unfeeling, locked onto their master, moving step by step in sync with the White Bishop.

This monster... was he actually planning to advance head-on, right here and now?

But why?

As I continued to scan the scene, trying to grasp any possible advantage, the White Bishopʼs head slowly turned-directly in my direction.

Heart hammering, I jerked back behind the boulder, doing everything I could to suppress my mana even further, squeezing my presence down to nearly nothing.

The strain was intense, a sharp ache throbbing through my chest as I clamped down on every trace of energy. [Note: Divinity is covering the userʼs area!] [Note: Foreign Influence detected!] [Note: Remnants of light and Creation nullifying influence detected!] [Note: The light has taken notice of you...] ʼWhat...? What the hell does that mean?ʼ

I wondered, my confusion deepening. ʼSystem?ʼ [Note: ....]

Of course.

No answer, again.

Typical.

Peering out just slightly, I noticed the White Bishopʼs head turn away, apparently losing interest in my position.

I couldnʼt help but let out a silent sigh of relief, a small smile tugging at my lips despite the tension. ʼGuess my luck isnʼt too bad, after all...ʼ

If the White Bishop and his elite forces were stationed here, it could only mean one thing- this cavern must be the very heart of the dungeon.

A realization dawned, bright and sudden. ʼThe dungeon core is here...ʼ

Perhaps there was a way to stop this whole situation without taking any risks after all....