"She must be just too tired that she mistook you as that guy."
Lux, who heard the words spoken by Lumi assured Zio. There was no way he could accuse Zio as the kidnapper when in the first place they were so different.
The man was an adult, tall, and even though they had the same jet-black hair, his eyes were blue. Contrary, Zio was a teenager, of average height, and had a pair of black eyes.
"Yeah…"
Zio released a relieved sigh silently, not wanting to alert anyone, especially Lux who was there.
"Anyway, this place is…"
Lux interrupted Zio's words as he looked around the large chamber filled with gold and artifacts, low-ranked ones.
"Amazing… So there are still treasures left in this ruin? I thought it was empty, that's what everyone said too."
Lux's eyes widened as he marveled at the sight before him.
The gold stacked high, forming mountains of glimmering wealth that seemed to stretch out endlessly in the chamber. The artifacts, though not as valuable as the gold, were still impressive.
One could sell them for money too as they were all trash, at least that would get them some pocket money.
"Haa, but unless the gold, everything here seems useless."
Zio, on the other hand, looked relieved and glad as he noticed Lux's disappointment because he couldn't find a good artifact among them. Because, in fact, he already hoarded the good artifacts from this chamber.
There were only three of at least <C> rank artifacts, enough for him to store them in his storage cube.
"You could always sell them for some small money," he said.
Lux nodded somewhat grimly.
As he approached the narrow staircase leading to the surface, Lux spoke curiously.
"Who is that man, anyway? He took Lumi here and then what? Just to trap her in that small room in this hidden chamber with treasures? I don't understand his intention at all," he said, frowning.
Lux did not know. He did not know about Lumi's fear. No matter how much he thought, he couldn't find the answer to his questions. He could only assume, though it was all illogical thinking.
Zio, though, who was always been the culprit behind all of this, could only smile nervously.
'He doesn't know that Lumi has Claustrophobia. I kind of feel bad now, both for him and Lumi… She must be very scared. Just look at her tears,' Zio said inwardly as he swept the tears streaming down from Lumi's eyes with his black gloves.
He sighed. 'No matter how many times I sweep it away, the tears always comes back.'
Lux, unaware of Zio's inner thoughts, continued his inquiry.
"Do you think we should find where that man has gone? Demand answers from him for the whole situation?" he asked, his tone serious.
Zio shook his head, still holding Lumi.
"No, we will just be wasting our time if we do that. We've already accomplished what we came here for, rescuing Lumi."
Lux turned back, staring at Lumi who fell asleep in Zio's arms.
"You're alright," he scratched his head. "Then–"
He paused suddenly and froze in place.
Zio looked at him quizzically, "Lux?"
Lux felt a shock run down the back of his neck, just like a spider sense, he could also detect and sense when danger was about to befall him thanks to his skill.
He stepped away from the staircase and stood beside Zio and Lumi.
"Careful! I sensed someone–no, a group. They are coming from up there…"
Zio closed his eyes upon hearing that and opened them again after a passing moment later. He frowned, biting his lips.
"The villains…"
Sure enough, the sound of footsteps descending the stairs could be heard. Whoever they were, they were making sure that their footsteps which resembled the horse's gallops could be heard, bringing an intimidating feeling.
Then, a group of five emerged from the staircases, blocking Lux's and Zio's only way out.
The air around them grew tense as the strangers drew closer, their faces hidden behind the folds of their black, ragged hoods.
Zio tightened his grip on Lumi while Lux stepped forward with a sword in his hand.
He had a bad feeling about this, and he wasn't going to let anything happen to his friends.
"Zio, prepare to run to the exit after my signal," Lux said in a low voice that could be heard by Zio.
Zio gave him an acknowledgment nod.
Looking back at the strangers, Lux warned them.
"Take another step and you're dead."
The strangers remained silent and ignored his warning, their attention fixed on the trio as they closed in on them.
"A deaf one, huh?"
Then, without warning, Lux lunged forward, targeting the one in the middle of the formation.
In this dimly light place, his sword shone bright and beautiful. As he swung it, the trace of the sword was clearly visible, most of them making the shape of a crescent moon.
That many swings in a split second, but only one of them was real, and it perfectly hit the robed man in the middle of the formation, leaving him only with his body attached as his head flew in the air.
"NOW!"
Lux shouted, and Zio, holding Lumi, dashed toward the exit as fast as he could through the opening Lux created.
"Ten minutes! You have ten minutes to leave this ruin!" Zio shouted as he ran up the stairs.
Though Lux was not sure what Zio meant by that, he made a mental note of it. Ten minutes, that was the time he had to fight off this group and leave the ruin immediately.
pαndα,noνɐ1,сoМ The remaining four were caught off guard for a moment, giving Lux an opportunity to strike.
He twirled his sword, and it glowed with a bright blueish light, illuminating the dark place.
With lightning-fast movements, he managed to disarm two of the robed man quickly, sending hands and weapons flying.
"Uagh!" They screamed.
While their mouth was opened, Lux stabbed them one by one quickly, not wanting to give the other two the chance to ambush him.
Two dead.
The other two launched their attacks, but Lux was quick to dodge them.
He spun around, his sword making a trail of light behind him, and Lux managed to slice through the robed man's chest, leaving a deep gash.
"Kugk!"
The remaining robed man stood frozen after witnessing his friends being killed by a brat that had not even reached the legal age for marriage yet.
"What the fvck is this kid…! Monster…! Y,you are a monster…!"
Ignoring the man's babbles, Lux swiftly cut the man's legs–knees, causing him to fall to the ground.
He pointed his sword at the man's throat, and the man looked up at Lux with fear in his eyes.
With cold stares, Lux asked.
"Are you the mysterious man's accomplices or are you with the villains?"