Tap! Tap! Tap!
The sound of footsteps echoed through the dungeon as two dark figures approached while dragging a newly captured prisoner behind them.
The prisoner was a woman with platinum hair and delicate, yet beautiful features. However, her face was twisted in pain and exhaustion.
Click!
The hooded cultists unlocked one of the cells and carelessly tossed the woman inside, as if she were nothing more than a piece of trash.
It was obvious they harbored some resentment towards her. One of them shot a glare and clicked his tongue in disgust.
"This little b*tch. Is she some kind of monster?"
"I can't believe she took out fifty of us before we finally caught her."
"Right? Even the Executioner had to catch her himself."
"I still dont understand why the master stopped us from killing her. She's too dangerous to be kept alive. You know, we could have some fun with her. She's quite the looker."
"You fool, are you trying to anger the master? Do you want to face decapitation by the Executioner?"
"N-No, of course not."
"Good. Besides, she's perfect for the goddess. The purer the sacrifice, the more powerful the offering. And you know how much the goddess likes virgins."
"I guess, you're right. Heh! I can't wait for her execution. Surely, It would be spectacular."
The cultists' cruel laugher echoed through the dungeon as they left. Meanwhile, Angelica slowly began to regain consciousness, with her senses returning little by little.
(What? Where am I?)
She carried herself off the cold floor and rubbed her trembling temple.
Looking around, she noticed she was in some sort of dungeon. There were even people inside the dungeon.
(What am I doing in a place like this? Wait... Ack!)
Angelica clutched her head in pain, as if she had been struck at the back of her skull by a metal pole. At the same time, fragments of past events began flooding back into her mind.
After the announcement, she was transported to the main stage of the Fifth Fable, where she found herself trapped in a passageway lit up by burning torches on the walls. It was a place where she was hunted relentlessly by the mad ones. She managed to defeat most of them she encountered and hid from some.
Then after that, she remembered something heavy hitting the back of her head and passing out.
(Damnit!)
She clicked her tongue in irritation. The fact that she was caught so easily only made her more irritated. But It was not completely her fault.
No Skills, Stats or Divine Protections.
Those were enough to cause any player to despair.
In a world where such powers were commonplace, could the players survive in a story where those very powers were restricted?
Absolutely not.
Even if she used the self defence techniques she learnt some time ago and hid using the stealth zones, she would still be caught by the being known as the Executioner.
Escape was impossible. It seemed the people in the dungeon had already come to the same realization.
"We're going to die. We're going to die. We're going to die. We're going to die."
"Why did the Stories have to exist in the first place?"
"Damn it! I don't want to die. Not like this!"
The player who had become prisoners were mumbling curses. Some of them must have already lost their minds.
Being a prisoner was never a good experience, and anyone who had endured it would agree. But in this case, the captives were taken against their will to be sacrificed in some forsaken ritual they never chose to be part of.
"Tck!"
One of the captives gritted their teeth. It was so loud that everyone inside the dungeon heard it.
"This is all your fault!"
"You bastard, I said stop!"
"Who the fuck are you?"
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"Is what I'm saying entering one ear and exiting the other?"
The man barked and tried to release his hand. But her grip tightened and the man's eyes widened as he felt a certain amount of force. It was strength more than someone her size should have.
Angelica's cold eyes met his.
"If you want to pick on someone, why not try me? Or are you the kind of coward that only feels brave when beating on children?"
"You..."
The man scowled and yanked harder, but Angelica didn't bulge. His frustration slowly turned into blind rage and he swung his other fist.
Angelica calmly ducked under the fist.
She wasn't fast. In fact, all her stats had been restricted just like the rest of the players. It was the same story for her skills and divine authorities.
If she was hit even once, It would be terrible. However, she could still use her head.
The large man was only using the strength of his body weight. As long as his attacks could be predicted, he wasn't that much of a threat.
"!!"
With sudden twist, she pulled his arm forward, causing him to lose his balance. In a blink of an eye, she had maneuvered him into a hold, with his arm awkwardly bent behind his back.
"Argh!"
The man tried to struggle, but Angelica applied more pressure.
"You think you're tough shit, huh? Picking on kids and blaming them from your misfortunes. If that is not the definition of pathetic, then I don't know what it means."
"Let me go, you fucking b*tch! I'll fucking kill you, just you watch."
"Really? You leave me with no choice then."
"What...?"
Before he could even respond, Angelica twisted his arm even further.
Crack!
"ARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!"
Accompanying the loud crack, the man screamed as his shoulder was dislocated and fell to the floor. He clutched his injured arm and rolled around in pain.
Angelica glanced to the other players and her expression hardened considerably. For some reason, their stupid faces irritated her further.
"Listen up! I don't care if you want to wallow in despair, that's your choice. But If you touch children, I absolutely won't forgive you. Anyone else that tries anything funny like that fool will get beaten down by me. And feel free to come at me all at once; I can handle trash like you on my own. Is that clear?"
Silence fell over the dungeon.
The other prisoners who were too broken to act before, now stared wide-eyed at Angelica. The man on the ground continued to writhe in pain, but no one moved to help him. He was definitely not a good person, so nobody would have any sympathy for him, not after seeing the level of physical violence he had displayed.
The teenage boy who had been knocked down stood up and helped his sister from the ground. Both of them looked at Angelica with unreadable eyes.
At that moment, Angelica looked like a protagonist infront of those two.
[The constellations are pleased with this outcome.]
[The constellation, Judge of War and Wisdom is pleased with the justice.]
Angelica shifted her head and looked at the two with heart-warming smile. At the same time, she abruptly realised something and her eyes widened.
Green hair, amber eyes, and distinctive Western features.
As an unexplainable wave of familiarity struck Angelica, she recalled the identity of the teenagers infront of her.
(Those two...)
The brother and sister she had just saved from Injustice were the very same twins she met before entering the Fifth Fable.