The Devil’s Cage

Trumbo looked down at the dagger that had pierced his chest, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile.

It was a ghoulish smile, coming from the bottom of his big bad heart.

”Rock, the infamous Shadow Stinger has arrived! My ex-partner, you’re finally here!” Trumbo spoke in a delighted manner, as if he was meeting an old friend he had been in contact with. However, that ghoulish smile made his words sound as eerie as ever.

It felt like a snake had crawled up Kieran’s back, a slimy, cold feeling spreading through his body.

”Paul had always thought you were dead. He thought luring you out was a waste of energy! But I knew, I KNEW you were still alive! After all, the miracles of that magic book are unparalleled! Paul will never get the chance to know now!”

As Trumbo spoke, his eyes remained on Kieran.

Kieran felt like a toad waiting to be dissected by a bunch of curious high school boys during a biology class. It was a very unsettling feeling.

He gazed back at Trumbo instinctively. If he knew how high Trumbo’s Spirit was, he would have activated the [Half-Dead’s Gaze] and induced Trumbo with the [Dead-Man’s Gaze].

”Quite the gaze you got there!” Trumbo seemed intrigued as Kieran gazed back at him.

He thought Kieran’s strength might be decent, but he was was not concerned about Kieran himself.

There was only one true enemy for him, and that was the Shadow Stinger Rock.

Trumbo snapped his fingers and instantly two fist-sized fireballs appeared beside him, firing off at the blurry figure behind him at lightning speed.

Loud explosions similar to a grenade’s were produced, and the fireballs instantly turned into two-meter fire waves, spreading out like wildfire. In the blink of an eye, everything in a ten-meter radius was covered in flames.

As the burning heat assaulted the area, even the asphalt on the ground started to melt.

The fire kept burning without any signs of slowing down.

Kieran was surprised by the power of the small fireballs.

Shocked, Mr. Big backed a couple of steps away and looked at Kieran with a blank expression. He didn’t seem to know that to do.

”What are we supposed to do now?” he asked.

Kieran did not reply though. He had his eyes locked on the flames, where the figure of the alleged Shadow Stinger had started to rise.

The Shadow Stinger’s body was covered in a shadow-like cloak. Even his face was covered, but his appearance solved every question in Kieran’s head.

Paul had left that forearm back there to lure out the Shadow Stinger. If a player followed the progress of the dungeon and eventually faced Trumbo, the Shadow Stinger would come to their aid.

Even if Kieran had chosen to finish the Main Mission, Sub Mission and Title Mission, the Shadow Stinger would still have appeared before him.

After all, it was only a third time dungeon. His appearance caused even more thoughts to form in Kieran’s mind though.

What if the Shadow Stinger had not appeared? Or what if the player had decided to oppose the Shadow Stinger?

It would not have been hard for that to happen. All the player would have had to do was choose to do things the exact opposite way.

Side with Sphendix Corporation instead of Mr. Big and approach Paul and Trumbo after entering the Sphendix Headquarters. This way there was a higher possibility that the player would clear the dungeon.

The Main Mission was to discover the truth within two weeks, but it did not specify what methods the player had to use. It could be fighting or eavesdropping on someone.

Of course, siding with Sphendix would not have been that easy. Other than using Larry as leverage, Kieran could not come up with any other way to do it.

Even though those thoughts flashed in Kieran’s mind, he did not regret any of his decisions. Things had already happened and nothing could be done to change them.

Even the thought of using Larry as leverage crossed a line for Kieran, not because of the supposed friendship Larry kept talking about, but because Kieran did not want to.

Other players might have chosen another way, but it was not Kieran’s right to interfere. He would not have done that to Larry.

It was not really a principle of his, it was just something unusual about his character. He had always thought that way, just like he did not like sitting around waiting for things to happen. He could not just focus on clearing the dungeon.

Trumbo might symbolize a bigger reward though. Even though he’d already gotten what he’d come for, no one would have minded an extra reward.

”Give me your gun!” Kieran ordered Mr. Big.

”Oh… Okay!” Startled, Mr. Big quickly handed over the silver revolver and a bunch of bullets.

[Name: Python-W2]

[Type: Gun]

[Rarity: Excellent]

[Attack: Common]

[Magazines: 6 Rounds]

[Attributes: 1. Armor Penetration Lvl 1; 2. Precise Shooting Lvl 1]

[Effects: None]

[Prerequisites: Strength F+ (E when single-handed), Firearm Weapons (Light Firearm)(Basic)]

[Able to bring out of the dungeon: Yes]

[Remarks: This is a custom-made weapon. Its grip is good and it packs quite a punch!]

...

[Armor Penetration Lvl 1: Able to penetrate Light Armor (Weak and Common Defense)]

[Precise Shooting Lvl 1: The projection of the bullets becomes more accurate after an adjustment to the gun barrel (+5% Damage to Target)]

...

[Name: 0.357 Bullets]

[Type: Ammunition]

[Rarity: Excellent]

[Attributes: Armor Penetration Lvl 1]

[Effects: None]

[Able to bring out of the dungeon: Yes]

[Remarks: A 0.357 diameter bullet. Use it and you won’t be afraid of the black bear anymore!]

...

As Kieran accepted the revolver and felt the wooden grip of the handle, the description notifications popped up.

”Nice!”

Even though Kieran had known it was not a common revolver the moment he’d seen Mr. Big pull it out, he was still in awe of the double-attribute gun.

This was the second time he’d come across a weapon with double attributes. The other one had been the [Viper-M1].

However, the awe did not delay Kieran in doing what he needed to do. He reloaded the gun, aimed and fired at Trumbo, all in one breath.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

[Shooting: Inflicts 200 Damage to Target HP, Target has Powerful Force Field Barrier, Authentication higher than Armor Penetration Lvl1, Resisted 200 Damage, 0 True Damage Inflicted to Target HP...]

[Shooting: Inflicts 200 Damage to Target HP, Target has Powerful Force Field Barrier, Authentication higher than Armor Penetration Lvl1, Resisted 200 Damage, 0 True Damage Inflicted to Target HP...]

The bright muzzle flash that shot out the 0.357 mm bullets was useless against Trumbo’s High Force Field Barrier.

”F*ck!” Kieran cursed.

Since the Shadow Stinger had pierced Trumbo’s chest with the dagger, Kieran had thought that the barrier might have worn off. However, the barrier was still intact and it was very powerful.

Kieran realized that the dagger the Shadow Stinger had wielded had not been an ordinary one. It had been a dagger able to pierce barriers.

The Shadow Stinger could not have broken the barrier just with brute strength. Otherwise, Kieran would have managed to as well.

If Kieran could not break the barrier though, he could not inflict any damage on Trumbo. He could only watch the two of them fight, and bid any potential rewards from Trumbo goodbye.

Battles between natives did not produce any equipment or Skill Books.

When he felt Kieran’s bitter gaze, Trumbo looked at him with a smile full of contempt and disdain.

The smile was meant for both Kieran and the Shadow Stinger, as if the appearance of the Shadow Stinger could not change the fact that Trumbo was the victor.

Kieran did not know whether Trumbo had any other tricks up his sleeve, but he knew he had to do something. He could not just sit around and do nothing!

Suddenly, Kieran seemed to realize something, and he ran towards Mr. Big’s flipped car.

His backpack with the two sniper rifles was still inside the car, but it was not the rifles that he had gone back for.

Even the [Jagdtiger-X1]’s Armor Penetration Lvl 2 was no match for the Powerful Rank Barrier’s defense.

What Kieran wanted was his cell phone. The cell phone he’d had when he’d entered the dungeon. He wanted to call Larry.

”Larry! Bring me my equipment! I need to put it to good use!”