Chapter 240: White Cave..

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.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

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 cave's 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 game's lore that the white army's 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...]

'9-9,000!?'

I almost choked on my own thoughts.

Just great.

We'd 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 Army's 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 I'd been thrown into an even worse location than I'd thought.

Trying to escape and warn the others would be the safest choice, but that wasn't exactly an option with this army marching in the same direction.

Even if I managed to slip away, we'd still have to face these forces eventually.

I had faith in Rose and the rest of them, but this wasn't 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 he'd 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 Queen's ultimate skills [Silver Palace].

Once thrown, it didn't 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]'s authority.

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

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

This was worse than I'd imagined.

Each weapon could end the fight in seconds if we weren't 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 Queen's 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 wouldn't 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 wasn't immortal, and no amount of plot armor could shield him from every twist of fate.

Suddenly, a broken, distorted voice shattered my concentration, echoing through the cavern

like some malfunctioning machine.

It sounded twisted yet oddly familiar, as though I'd 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 Bishop's

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 user's area!]

[Note: Foreign Influence detected!]

[Note: Remnants of light and Creation nullifying influence detected!]

[Note: The light has taken notice of you...]

'What...? What the hell does that mean?'

I wondered, my confusion deepening.

'System?'

[Note: ....]

Of course.

No answer, again.

Typical.

Peering out just slightly, I noticed the White Bishop's head turn away, apparently losing

interest in my position.

I couldn't help but let out a silent sigh of relief, a small smile tugging at my lips despite the

tension.

'Guess my luck isn't too bad, after all...'

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.

'The dungeon core is here...'

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