She saw a wide-eyed guy smiling like a crazy person. He wore a black robe and a hood over his head.

'Who is this? Did some people enter later?' Viena's brows furrowed.

[You have been challenged. Proceeding to the duel ring in three seconds.]

'Huh? He challenged me? Fine.'

Both of them were frozen as the duel initiated.

"Hey, let's have some fun inside." The guy licked his lips.

"Trash," Viena coldly uttered.

Both of them vanished.

The duel ring solidified on the jagged peak, a circle of pale runes locking them in. The wind screamed through the heights, carrying with it the metallic scent of molten stone already seeping from Tutalin's body.

He grinned, teeth too sharp in the firelight. "I'll melt you down nice and slow."

Viena's eyes narrowed. Her hands opened, and luminous threads of light laced with twisting wooden tendrils spread around her, forming a living lattice.

"Light and Wood mastery both at A-rank?! Damn, yeah!" the pervert howled. "Make a nice wooden bed for us later, 'kay?"

Tutalin stamped the ground.

Boom!

The rock under him ruptured, spewing up a geyser of magma that rushed toward her like a serpent.

Viena darted aside, but smaller serpants shot out of the bigger one. She dodged, but her cloak was shredded by one. Even as she moved, roots erupted at her command, weaving into a towering wall of living wood. The magma struck, hissing and splattering, devouring the barrier into charred ruin.

'My gears don't give me much Fire Resistance,' Viena frowned. She used a bit of Mana to access her storage ring and directly transported some meatballs into her mouth. Meatballs made by Ainen.

Magma was a combination of Earth and Fire. She already had good Earth resistance from her gear set, but not Fire.

"That defense is not used!"

The magma struck, hissing and splattering, devouring the living tree into charred ruin.

He laughed. "More fuel for me!"

From the blackened stump, Viena thrust her palm, and blinding spears of light shot forth, piercing through the smoke. One grazed Tutalin's shoulder, and he roared, flesh sizzling where holy brilliance carved through magma-fused skin.

'Fuck, her Light attacks have too much piercing power.'

His fury spiked. He slammed both hands to the ground. The ring quaked. A circle of molten fissures surged outward, forcing Viena to leap.

He caught her mid-air, conjuring a whip of molten rock that lashed across her side. Her body spun, blood scattering in crimson arcs as she crashed into the ring's edge.

She coughed, ribs screaming. But her gaze stayed sharp.

Tutalin charged, molten gauntlets dripping. He swung a molten punch, a miniature volcano exploding with it. Viena crossed her arms, golden light blooming, weaving through the braided barrier of vines—Barrier of Lumina Tree—the punch shattered through the first layer, but the second layer flared, holding up against the attack.

She roared back. Her feet sank into the ground, and roots surged upward, glowing with holy light. They coiled Tutalin's legs and burned into his magma coating with purifying brilliance. Steam rose as the wood charred yet clung harder, buffed by the Light.

"Get OFF!" he bellowed, lava flaring outward. His body became a geyser of molten fire, searing the roots to ash.

But not before they anchored him.

Viena's eyes gleamed. She clasped her hands, gathering all her Light into a single wooden shard that spun like a drill. It condensed like a star in her palms.

"Go to hell, filth."

The star-lance ripped through the air, piercing Tutalin's chest. It drilled through magma, through stone, burning a hole straight through him. His scream echoed across the mountain as his body collapsed, magma blood spraying before solidifying into brittle rock.

The pervert's eyes filled with disbelief.

"I… was going to—" He crumbled before finishing, deader than dead.

Viena fell to her knees, breath ragged, blood soaking her side where flesh hung open.

[ You have won the life and death duel. You will be completely healed and recovered. ]

Viena was surprised.

'Complete recovery?'

She couldn't help but draw a huge breath filled with relief.

She was injured pretty badly.

"I wasn't expecting that, but no matter where you go, there are always incompetent fools present. Still, well done."

Viena's pupils trembled as she quickly looked to her left. Elber was standing just ten meters away, leaning against a tree.

She didn't even notice him until he spoke!

'Same robe.' Viena's brows furrowed deeply.

"Who are you all?"

"An organization known as Cradle."

Elber walked towards her and stopped two meters away from her.

Stretching his hand forward, a faintly glowering scroll appeared that unfolded in the air after leaving his hand.

"Sign this with your blood, and you will become a member as well. You will have access to knowledge you can't imagine. All kinds of resources and paths of arcane that aren't even discovered by the so-called Magic Towers of this world."

"Here lies the true path to power. A path that cares about nothing but power."

He stretched his hand, intending to get her up. "Sign it."

Viena trembled. Those eyes made her heart fill with fear.

She could feel in every fiber of her being that she wasn't an opponent of this person.

And if she refused, only death awaited.

'An unknown organization, and they entered this Labyrinth. What is going on outside?!'

Viena felt the situation was far from good for everyone.

The thoughts of escaping outside by using the bangle were also erased.

She had to survive here.

"I see." Viena stood up without grabbing Elber's hand.

"You sound somewhat decent compared to the pervert I just killed."

Hearing that, Elber glanced at the dead body of his party member, and a flash of disgust passed through his eyes.

"Trash like that is always present everywhere, but not everyone is like that."

"I need time," Viena flatly said. "It's clear that the situation outside is also not good."

"You do realize that your options are limited. Good. I'll give you enough time until we reach the floor boss area."

After saying that, Elber's eyes flickered as Viena was suddenly electrocuted and fainted.

"Elber! You captured her?" A female arrived wearing the same robe.

"Perfect timing. Use your Flower House and put her inside."

"Alright. But she will eject automatically once she regains conciousness."

"Don't worry. You will stay with me from now on. If she gets ejected, I'll restrain her."

"Wait, are you saying I can't defeat her?"

"Fifty-fifty chance."

"Tsk."

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