Upon hearing Aster's little "threat," the men frozen from the waist down instantly became statues. They didn't even dare to blink, afraid of testing his warning.
"Good. Stay like that for a bit," Aster continued, casually walking through the gaps in their formation.
"HAAAP!"
"...?"
But, of course, not everyone was so easily intimidated. As Aster made his way past the frozen group, some of the female adventurers, who weren't as concerned about losing their "treasures," leaped into action. One of them swung her blade toward Aster's neck.
He caught the blade effortlessly, pinching its edge between his fingers. With a casual motion...
*CREAAAAK!*
He folded the sword like it was made of paper.
Aster's strength, although sitting at a base of 7—or 10 with his passive—was boosted tremendously by his level. At level 50, adventurers were already considered superhuman, and Aster, who was well past that threshold, operating at level 60 strength, far outclassed those around him.
"Hmmm..."
Aster regarded the female adventurer with a thoughtful expression. He couldn't be too violent—he wasn't trying to become a full-fledged outlaw, after all—but if he was too lenient, the others might not take him seriously.
"Alright!" he announced after a moment of deliberation.
Tossing the crumpled sword aside, Aster folded his finger and aimed it at the woman's forehead.
"A flick? Seriously?" she sneered, her teeth clenched in defiance.
Aster didn't respond, only smiling mischievously. Then, he focused his strength into his finger and...
*THWACK!* *CRACK!*
"Aster, since there are only two bases on this floor, destroying just one will delay our pursuers, right?" she confirmed, then continued, "Let's ignore this one and focus on the camp near the boss instead."
Aster raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't it be easier to hit this one now?"
Liz nodded but quickly elaborated.
"Yes, but if we destroy the first camp, the adventurers there can easily retreat to the surface. The ones at the other end would be stranded. They'd either have to cross the entire floor to return to the surface, or they'd be forced to beat the boss and move to the next floor to escape."
Aster considered her logic. Destroying the array at the far end would cut off the adventurers from their supply lines, trapping them in a desperate situation. It was more strategic than just smashing everything in sight.
"Alright, I guess we can do that much," he agreed.
With their revised plan in place, Aster set off again, running at a blistering speed. His pace reached over a hundred kilometers per hour as they raced across the flat expanse. In less than four hours, they made it to the far end of the floor—a record-breaking time!
As the portal to the next floor came into view, Aster veered right, where the second camp was located. It was similar in design to the others they'd encountered: a fortified circular area, protected by a wooden fence. But Aster wasn't here for sightseeing.
"Alright, time to play the villain again," Aster said, grinning as he cracked his knuckles. "Girls, stay put. Argus, keep watch."
Leaving the group behind, he strode confidently toward the camp, an intimidating aura of ice and flame swirling around him, blending into something otherworldly.
"Knock, knock!" Aster called out in a mocking tone, raising his hand to launch a large fireball into the sky. The fiery sphere arced through the air before exploding above the camp, sending shockwaves through the adventurers stationed inside.
Like a hive of disturbed hornets, they poured out, weapons in hand, ready for a fight. Aster watched them with amusement, barely phased by the sight of so many opponents.
"There you are," he said, spreading his arms wide. His aura flared, a mixture of searing heat and biting cold intensifying as he spoke. "Now, you have a choice!"
The adventurers hesitated, unsure of what to do.
Aster's grin widened. "You can either stay here and protect your precious camp from me, the Demon King...! Or you can activate the teleportation array and get everyone out of here! Your choice."
The words hung in the air, a sinister challenge they couldn't afford to ignore.